DES MOINES – Iowa school districts and communities will have the chance to apply for competitive state grants to feed hungry children over the summer. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Governor Kim Reynolds made the announcement Wednesday for $900,000 for multiple programs administered by the Iowa Department of Education and U.S. Department of Agriculture. This comes after Reynolds rejected the state’s participation in the Summer EBT program, which would give $40 of direct federal assistance per child, per month to families in need. Iowa would have needed to spend #2.2 million to receive the aid.

DES MOINES – Through the Safe Haven Law, two infants, a baby girl, born March 17, and a baby boy, born March 20, are now in the care and custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and will be placed with foster families until permanent placement is determined. This brings the overall total to 68 infants since the law went into effect more than two decades ago.
Iowa’s Safe Haven Act is as an option for parents in crisis to who determine they cannot care for an infant up to 90 days old. Designated locations include hospitals, police, and fire stations. Health and Human Services then works to place infants in approved foster homes while awaiting permanent adoption. In 2023, ten infants were relinquished to HHS custody under the Safe Haven Act.

IOWA CITY – Carver Hawkeye Arena was packed with fans celebrating the end of a two-year run to the national championship game for their favorite women’s basketball team, led by the game’s most iconic player. During a celebration of the 2024 season Wednesday, Iowa Athletic Director Beth Goetz announced Caitlin Clark will have her No. 22 retired from the team, according to KCRG-TV. Caitlin Clark is the only Big Ten athlete to sweep National Player of the Year Awards in consecutive seasons and is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history.