The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved Governor Kim Reynolds’ plan to provide monthly boxes of food for low-income Iowa kids over the summer instead of sending their families money for food.
Reynolds’ proposed alternative to the federal Summer Electronic Benefits program was initially rejected by former President Joe Biden’s administration. But now it was approved Wednesday by President Donald Trump’s USDA.
Iowa was one of 13 states last year to reject Summer EBT, which would have provided assistance to an estimated 240,000 Iowa kids.
Now, instead of giving $40 per month to kids for food over the summer, qualifying families will be able to select $40 dollars worth of certain foods from local pantries.
Reynolds says the program will involve regional food banks. She didn’t say how many summer food pick-up sites will be available across the state.
Reynolds says her plan will ensure Iowa kids have access to nutritious food and will promote healthy eating habits.
*The leader of the Sioux City Catholic Diocese said he is enthused that American Cardinal Robert Prevost was selected Thursday to be the new Pope.
Prevost will be known as Pope Leo XIV and is the first American to ever become Pope.
He is 69 years old and is viewed as a centrist, but is progressive on some key social issues. Like Pope Francis, who championed migrants and the poor, Prevost has long embraced marginalized groups.
Sioux City Diocese Bishop John Keehner released a statement:
“I am pleased to learn of the selection of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, who is a holy man who will lead us with strong faith and humility... I ask the faithful of the Diocese of Sioux City to join me in praying for our new pope as he begins his role as Vicar of Christ, sharing the Gospel message,” Keehner said.
*In other news, Iowa House Democrats on Thursday have elected Representative Brian Meyer of Des Moines to be the new House Minority Leader.
The need for a new Democratic leader came because less than a day earlier Jennifer Konfrst announced she’s leaving her leadership role to run for Congress in Iowa’s 3rd District.
Meyer will take over from Konfrst after the legislative session ends. He’s an attorney who was first elected to the House in 2013.
Meyer says his pitch to his fellow Democrats was that they need to go to voters and talk about economic issues rather than social issues.
“People are living paycheck to paycheck. There’s no relief in sight, and we need to address these things moving forward as to how, as a caucus, we are going to say to Iowans, we are the better option when you go to vote in November 2026.”
He says he’s going to start traveling the state this weekend to recruit Democrats to run for Iowa House seats in the next election.
Konfrst has been the House Minority Leader since 2021. She is running for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District which covers central and southern parts of the state, including Des Moines. The seat is currently held by Republican Congressman Zach Nunn.
*Jewish students, staff, and alumni at Iowa colleges say federal officials are using antisemitism as a cover for dismantling free speech.
The Trump administration has threatened funding for universities where students protested Israel’s war in Gaza, and has detained students who took part in the protests.
Lisa Heineman, a professor at the University of Iowa, created a statement denouncing those actions. Heineman said she objects to antisemitism being used as an excuse to deport pro-Palestinian protestors.
“So many of us who are in the university world and who are Jewish, especially, thinking, oh my gosh, they're saying they're doing this for us, right? No, we never asked anybody to do that,” Heineman said.
The statement says higher education should be a place that allows respectful debate. Heineman says ninety people have signed the statement so far.
