Iowa Department of Public Health Director Kelly Garcia discusses vaccine refusal rates at a news conference March 17, 2021, at Iowa PBS. (Screen shot from Iowa PBS livestream) The Iowa Department of Public Health isn’t collecting data on vaccine refusal rates in Iowa’s 440 nursing homes, the department director said this week. In January, the Iowa Capital Dispatch asked the … [Read more...] about State isn’t collecting vaccine-refusal data from Iowa nursing homes
Sunshine Week
Iowa should stop keeping police discipline secret
The public deserves to know the outcome of complaints against police. (Photo courtesy of ACLU of Minnesota) The actions of journalists and police officers were in the spotlight last week in a Des Moines courtroom. The scrutiny came at the trial of Andrea Sahouri, a Des Moines Register reporter. She was arrested while covering a chaotic protest last May 31, six days after George … [Read more...] about Iowa should stop keeping police discipline secret
Iowa Capital Dispatch files second complaint over access to COVID-19 data
A portion of a heavily redacted document related to the state's tracking of COVID-19 in Iowa care facilities. (Document courtesy of the Iowa Department of Public Health) The Iowa Capital Dispatch has filed its second complaint this month with the Iowa Public Information Board, alleging state officials are withholding additional data related to COVID-19. In March 5, the Capital … [Read more...] about Iowa Capital Dispatch files second complaint over access to COVID-19 data
GOP defenders of First Amendment stood by while press freedom was on trial
Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouri testifies at her trial before being acquitted of charges connected with her arrest while covering a protest in Des Moines on May 31, 2020. (Screen shot from Drake Legal Clinic livestream) Iowa Republican lawmakers, as you’ve read in this space, have been so terribly concerned about the First Amendment this year that some are willing … [Read more...] about GOP defenders of First Amendment stood by while press freedom was on trial