The Daily Iowan
THE REAL ESTATE EDITION
Inside Iowa City’s renter landscape
Iowa City residents and University of Iowa students grapple with renting struggles in the area.
Grace Olson News Editor
grace.olson@dailyiowan.com
Roxy Ekberg
Politics Editor
roxy.ekberg@dailyiowan.com
After being diagnosed with a disability in May 2024, former University of Iowa student Elizabeth Baumann moved back home to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to receive treatment. She eventually had to withdraw entirely from the UI, but moving home proved more difficult than she expected. Baumann, who had signed a lease for the 2024-25 school year, couldn’t get out of her agreement despite her new diagnosis. Baumann had planned to live at The
Quarters in east Iowa City. After learning she’d have to stay in Colorado indefinitely, she said she emailed The Quarters general address repeatedly throughout the summer before her lease term began in August, but to no avail.
“I called them like every week,” Baumann said. “I never heard a reply. I started calling them almost every day, and on Aug. 12, I finally got an email back saying, ‘Hey, we can’t get you out of the lease.’”
Because of her disability, Baumann said she responded to her landlord, explaining she could no longer climb the stairs to enter the building or the stairs inside her apartment, but she was still unable to terminate her contract.
Baumann and her family then decided to involve an attorney, who advised her
to continue not to make her payments because going to court would be more expensive for both parties than what Baumann’s rent is worth.
“The attorney was, like, ‘Don’t worry about it, just don’t pay them anything. It’s not worth it for either of you to go to court,’” she said. “I haven’t heard anything back from them, but my name is still under the lease, and they just refuse to really do anything.”
The Quarters has not responded to The Daily Iowan’s requests for an interview.
Many UI students rent through leasing companies such as Apartments at Iowa, Apartments Downtown, and Apartments Near Campus — all three of which are owned by the Clark family. The family has been the defendant in several lawsuits against its LLCs, such as an employee dying on the job and a class action lawsuit involving thousands of tenants who were required to pay false maintenance fees. Running into issues like Baumann’s is
Barkalow to divest his IC residential holdings
Tracy Barkalow says he will sell the residential properties over the next five years.
Jack Moore Managing News Editor jack.moore@dailyiowan.com
Tracy Barkalow, a longtime real estate agent and Iowa City landlord, has been a significant figure in Iowa City’s student housing market for more than 20 years.
His stake in Iowa City, however, could be diminishing soon.
His company owns a large swath of residential properties, leading thousands of University of Iowa students to rent from him each year. In the downtown district, Barkalow owns at least seven buildings, totaling 5 percent of a section of downtown analyzed by The Daily Iowan. The City of Iowa City, in comparison, accounted for 6 percent.
Barkalow had a modest upbringing. He grew up in a four-bedroom house in North Liberty, where his mom raised him and his eight siblings.
“I guess that’s kind of what’s made us who we are today. We’re strong. All of us are strong people because of it,” Barkalow said in an interview with the DI.
That strength, he said, is part of what has made him successful as a real estate agent and a landlord. Bakalow said it has taken constant hard work to achieve what he’s been able to do in Iowa City.
But he said times are changing for landlords in the city.
Barkalow plans to sell off his entire residential property holdings in Iowa City, he said, attributing the decision to ongoing challenges in managing tenant relationships
and the difficulties of operating in a city he believes is resistant to change.
“I believe within the next five years … My goal is not to own any residential units in Iowa City,” Barkalow said.
Barkalow said he believes there is resistance in the city for developers, which is part of the reason why he wants to divest. He pointed to a multi-year legal battle he had with the city about developing an apart-
ment complex on North Governor Street that would add 84 units.
To accomplish the development, Barkalow needed the property rezoned to allow for larger developments. The Iowa City City Council denied Barkalow’s request, which led him to sue the city. By 2018, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled the city’s zoning policy for the property was inaccurate, and Barkalow could proceed with his project.
But this was not the first time this property was involved in a legal dispute.
The decision to let Barkalow proceed was founded off of a 1987 Iowa Supreme Court case that dealt with the same property. The court found the zoning on the lot did not promote enough development, according to city documents. So, until the lots were developed, they would be zoned for high density development, which was the case when Barkalow inquired on developing the property.
“It’s a good opportunity to increase the housing surplus in Iowa City. It’s good for the overall market. It increases tax base,” Barkalow said. “I just don’t understand what the goal is for Iowa City, to be honest with you.”
Ultimately, Barkalow said his plans to sell all of his residential property do not come from a disdain for the city, and the decision was challenging because he’s spent so much time trying to develop here.
“I’m not a perfect angel by any means,” Barkalow said, reflecting on his career as a
The University of Iowa’s deep-rooted connections to Iowa City
Kate Perez
The partnership between the University of Iowa and the Iowa City dates back to the 1800s.
Since its inception in February 1847, the University of Iowa has been embedded in the heart of Iowa City.
The Pentacrest, widely considered the center of the UI campus, backs up against Clinton Street and its wall of businesses for students to enjoy. University establishments, such as the Jefferson Building, are interloped with downtown buildings. The Old Capitol Mall will soon be acquired by the UI, transforming a longtime Iowa City staple fully into a university one. Even the outskirts of the city have flashes of black and gold where sparse university buildings stand or fans live and choose to show their school spirit through Hawkeye-themed decorations. The UI and Iowa City are intertwined, and city and university
officials do not see that connection ending anytime soon.
Rod Lehnertz, UI senior vice president for finance and operations, said he has been to countless campuses in his over 30-year stint working for the university. However, the UI’s proximity to the city is unique compared to other schools, which creates a unique dynamic with the city itself.
As the UI’s enrollment has the potential to increase, so does the physical demand for space in buildings. Officials will lean on the connection between the university and Iowa City to plan for the future to benefit all communities, Lehnertz said. “I know of no other university that has such an immediate physical relationship with the community that hosts it,” Lehnertz said. “I also know of no other community and university that has a better, as we refer
Cody Blissett | The Daily Iowan
The Quarters is seen in Iowa City on March 31. The Quarters is a student living space off campus that has studio one, two, and three bedroom apartments.
WHO OWNS DOWNTOWN
Cody Blissett | The Daily Iowan
Real estate agent Tracy Barkalow poses for a portrait in his office in Coralville, Iowa, on March 14. Barkalow has been working in Iowa City for over 20 years.
common for UI students, who are often first-time renters. To address these challenges or answer questions, the university offers all students free legal advice and representation.
The search for solutions
Amanda Elkins, the director attorney of Student Legal Services, said the top renters’ issues for undergraduate and graduate students she dealt with in fiscal 2024 were lease terminations, getting back security deposits, and maintenance issues. She said the office also received many requests to review leases before students sign or look over charges and fees the tenant doesn’t understand.
Elkins said the office has received several requests for assistance regarding issues with the three Clark family-owned companies. However, she said since the companies are so large, the scale of the complaints they receive is skewed.
Elkins highlighted some success stories in the past fiscal year where Student Legal Services, or SLS, was able to negotiate a $12,000 maintenance charge to $4,000 for a student. SLS also got a landlord to back down after charging tenants for utilities despite utilities being included in their lease agreement.
To avoid these situations, Elkins said the best thing a student can do before finding a place to live is to research, whether that be speaking to tenants who already live in the building or searching the property on the Johnson County Inspector’s website.
“Part of our job is helping students after things have happened, but we also try to do preventative education,” she said.
“When you fill out a rental application, the landlord is assessing you, but you should be assessing the landlord, too.”
In addition to Student Legal Services, the UI Undergraduate Student Government also provides resources for students who are on the house hunt.
Every year, the UI’s Undergraduate Student Government, or USG, sends out a survey collecting demographic information and information about landlords’ cooperation and attentiveness as well as property maintenance or safety concerns.
According to USG’s 2024 survey results, 72 percent of UI students live off campus, and about 25 percent of students who answered the survey are international, transfer, first-generation, veteran, or non-traditional students.
Ava Martinez, USG’s
deputy city liaison, said they attend all Iowa City City Council and Downtown District meetings to ensure student voices are represented. One of the issues Martinez said they deal with is ensuring fair, equitable access to housing for students.
One instance that has drawn their attention is the 21 S. Linn St. lot, which is currently empty.
“The city, they love the university, but they are really determined to make sure that it’s not overrun by us,” Martinez said. “They actually purposely put it in a clause for people who want to make a proposal in that spot that it can’t be luxury student housing. We want to make sure that they know that students have to live out in the city.”
Lowering renters’ costs and providing protections for renters have been priorities for Iowa’s Democratic lawmakers this legislative session.
Iowa House Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, introduced a bill to cap the amount a landlord can increase rent on current residents in rental units, manufactured home communities, or mobile home parks.
House File 740 was never referred to a sub -
of potential tenants’ application fees if their applications are denied
• Create land development trusts and housing trust funds Require the Iowa Finance Authority to create a forgivable loan program to help homeowners renovate and upgrade their homes.
the source anonymity upon request due to eviction concerns.
The renter and her family of five might have to vacate their home in May. The notice to vacate followed a request for the family to clear their lawn, as they had equipment and machinery stored in the backyard.
and now there is no way to contact the owner. An office manager is available to renters four days a week but is often hard to get a hold of, she said.
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She said her husband owned an auto repair shop that was closed down, so he’s been working from
“I feel like the corporate owners and management, they don’t seem to care as much,” she said. “It’s all about, ‘Pay your rent or you’re out, and we don’t care about what’s going on on your lot or your property.’”
Managing Editor, Visuals Cody Blissett cody.blissett@dailyiowan.com
“The city, they love the university, but they are really determined to make sure that it’s not overrun by us .”
committee and did not survive through the first legislative funnel, so it is no longer viable to be made into law.
Levin, who rented for over 10 years before becoming a homeowner, said it is both “predictable and very disappointing” that the legislation was struck down.
“I think owning a home as the American dream continues to be so present because of that feeling that, well, ‘If I own my own home, I know that maintenance will be done on my schedule. I know that I can predict the bills, I know that I can decide to make a change to my electrical use or to the utility company through which I received my internet, and it will finally be up to me,’” Levin said. “That comes from some of those negative experiences that folks have in their rental experience, and I just don’t think it needs to be that way. There is an option for a good rental experience, and it would help if we had more proactive policies in place to support that system.”
Other legislation that did not pass the legislative funnel would:
• Require landlords to refund 50 percent
landlord. “I’ve had bumps in the road, and I’ve made bad decisions as I go through some things, but I change, and I get better, and I try to do better and be a good part of the community.”
While Barkalow reflects on his experience in the Iowa City market, local business owner Katy Brown offers a different perspective on the relationship between landlords and tenants.
Brown, who owns the recently opened Kitty Corner Social Club on South Clinton Street, claims Barkalow’s reputation among tenants has been problematic for years.
Since opening her business in February, Brown alleges many landlords, including Barkalow, have failed to prioritize communication with tenants.
Brown said she wants to use her business on South Clinton to be an example of how to treat people properly and give people a space where they feel welcomed because she believes landlords in Iowa City are not treating students properly.
Ava Martinez UI student and USG city liason
“We’re not necessarily always talking about students,” Levin said. “We’re talking about people who are planning to be lifelong renters, and we’re talking about people who are planning to be renters for the next foreseeable future — say four or five years — and they need to know that they can budget for those expenses.”
Levin said introducing House File 740 was important to her because renters living in manufactured home communities and mobile home parks have been victimized, and she wants to draw attention to massive lot rental increases, reductions in services, and aggressive strategies taken by some property owners.
She said these actions are worrisome, considering manufactured homes and mobile homes are the answer to affordable homeownership in many places.
IC family struggles with landlord change
A long-term Iowa City renter and 42-year-old resident came home to a 90-day notice to vacate — the step before eviction — taped to the front door of her family’s single-wide mobile home in Breckenridge Estates, south of Iowa City. The DI granted
for-profit company, and not be accountable.”
Barkalow said he believes the issue with Iowa City is its unwillingness to expand and develop like neighboring towns.
“Unfortunately, the city itself has not been embracing development or embracing any change. So, Iowa City has kind of been stale, in my opinion, on what it could be,” Barkalow said. “A lot of people in Iowa City are upset for me wanting to make changes or make the next step or chapter for Iowa City.”
Longtime Iowa City resident Vera Gross, whose family has owned a building on South Clinton Street since the 1980s, disagrees with the idea that Iowa City hasn’t been developing but acknowledges it is done so in a unique way.
“I’m not a perfect angel by any means. I’ve had bumps in the road, and I’ve made bad decisions as I go through some things, but I change, and I get better, and I try to do better and be a good part of the community.”
Tracy Barkalow Iowa City developer
She said her experience having four children renting in Iowa City has shaped her view toward landlords’ approach to tenants.
“Students are living in disgusting conditions,” she said. “The communication of these companies is absurd. Yeah, they don’t have office hours, [and] they don’t answer their phones. I don’t understand how you can have a company in the state of Iowa, a
Gross’ building houses a clothing store and two apartments. Since the 1980s, Gross said retailers have slowly trickled out of town, and in their place are bars and other businesses catered toward nightlife.
“Things change. There’s progress. There are a lot of positive things that have happened, but it’s harder for an independent retailer,” Gross said.
She said Iowa City has maintained much of its historical value throughout the years, but many of the houses in neighborhoods are dilapidated because of landlords and unresponsive property management companies.
“There are definitely people who take shortcuts or simply just don’t do it until they get pushed into it,” she said.
home until he can find another place to rent and set up a shop.
Following the first notice, the family organized the equipment and secured it under a tarp. Weeks later, they received another notice that a hauling company would arrive and give an estimate on how much it would cost to haul the equipment away.
The renter said she never received an estimate. Instead, she came home to the 90-day notice to vacate taped to her family’s front door on Feb. 11.
“I don’t even know how to make sense of this,” she said.
She first moved to Breckenridge Estates in 2012, when a private landlord owned the mobile home park. The renter noticed a shift when Impact Communities — one of the industry’s largest owner-operators of manufactured housing communities in North America based out of Colorado — purchased the park roughly five years ago.
When the park was privately owned, she said the previous owner was always on-site, making repairs, and was friendly with all the residents.
The park felt more like a community under the previous owner, she said,
After receiving the notice to vacate, she reached out to the property manager and found out the notice came from a district manager, however, she said there was no way for her to reach the district manager directly.
“I didn’t even know that [the district manager] existed until a few weeks ago, but it just seems like they’re really cracking down on things that we never really had to worry about before,” she said. She also said her rent has increased each year since Impact purchased the park. The company increased rent twice in its first year of owning the park and then about once a year every year since.
The renter paid $260 a month when she first moved in 12 years ago. Her rent has increased by nearly $500 dollars, rising to roughly $730 a month. She said mobile home parks used to be low-income housing for the area, and now more and more people can’t even afford the lot rent.
The average lot rent in Breckenridge Estates is $634 per month, according to availability postings on its website. Breckenridge Estates did not respond to the DI ’s request for comment.
The family is navigating their options as the May 11 deadline to vacate approaches.
“We’ve been looking for a place to go, just in case they decide to evict us after all,” she said. “But because we have poor credit, not a lot of income, it’s just kind of hard for people to approve us for renting.”
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Cody Blissett | The Daily Iowan
Breckenridge Estates is seen in Iowa City on March 31. Breckenridge Estates is a manufactured home community six miles southeast of U.S. Route 6 from downtown Iowa City.
to it, ‘Town and Gown’ relationship than us. We may have some challenges, but we far outnumber those with the partnerships and the ways we work together.”
UI’s historic ties to Iowa City
The university’s presence in town began modestly. Iowa City was the capital of Iowa at the time of the university’s founding, with the Capitol Building resting on a four-block patch of land named Capitol Square, which would later become the UI Pentacrest.
The university’s first permanent building, now known as the Old Capitol Building, was not deemed a university building until the state government moved to Des Moines in 1857. Iowa City obtained the university by giving up being the state’s capital city.
As the first UI building, the Old Capitol served multiple purposes, including as a law school, a library, a museum, a dormitory, and a gymnasium. Changes to the university campus began in the 1900s with the designation of the Pentacrest and its buildings.
“Iowa City was platted with blocks identified for education,” Lehnertz said. “There was a defined amount of space for a university, a university yet to really be envisioned and developed, and so it was confined geographically from the beginning.”
The expansions outside of those designated plots began in 1910 when the university started purchasing undeveloped farmland west of the Iowa River, Lehnertz said. That established the university’s engagement with its surrounding neighborhoods and the balancing act of addressing the community members’ needs with the UI’s.
“[The UI has] certainly grown, but we have tried to be careful of our edge to protect the neighborhoods around us,” Lehnertz said. “We are as vibrant a university as the community is, and so those edges and residential areas are meaningful to the university as well, and I think that’s often called into question whether that’s really true.”
Today, the university has 360 campus buildings and 2,106 acres, according to the UI Facilities Management website. While the campus has expanded significantly since the 1800s, the UI is focused now on “rightsizing” — using campus buildings and space it already has to avoid purchasing or constructing structures unnecessarily.
Rightsizing and using UI-owned existing
down those walls, and it also has helped that the city manager of Iowa City has been there for a decade or more,” Kieft said. “We have these longtime, binding relationships, and they’re all Hawkeye fans, and we’re supportive of everything that they’re trying to do, and they get the importance of it.”
Chris O’Brien, Iowa City’s deputy city manager, echoed Kieft’s sentiments and added that the presence of the university means contributions to Iowa City financially and culturally. The city and the UI are linked, whether it be with campus activities, Iowa City events, or the way students interact with businesses and residents.
The linking of Iowa City to the UI helps create interest in the city itself, O’Brien said. That relationship and the interest it creates is often desired for the city by its residents, he added.
“For every building [the UI has] space in, there’s activity levels, and there’s support that they’re bringing with that,” O’Brien said. “I can’t say that I’ve heard an overabundance of complaints about that. I think everybody is appreciative, especially [of] the opportunities it brings when the university has activity, not just on the campus but in the downtown area.”
O’Brien added that while there may be occasional hiccups between the city and the UI during projects, the respect each has for the other and the desire to communicate effectively prevent issues from arising.
“Anything we’re working on has an impact on them, and almost everything they’re working on has an impact on us,” O’Brien said. “That continual communication, I think it just helps streamline those projects to where they know going in what everybody’s looking for. So, it’s rare that you would come across any surprises.”
This communication and collaboration will continue as the UI looks to complete projects on its 10-year master plan, such as the renovations to Mayflower Residence Hall, the Iowa Memorial Union, and UI Health Care buildings on campus.
It will also be essential as the university acquires the rest of the Old Capitol Mall, also known as the University Capitol Centre, in October 2027. At that point, the UI will own the mall, except restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings and Raising Cane’s, which operate on leases, Lehnertz said.
“We are working together, bringing people downtown who then shop in the shops downtown and eat lunch downtown, and it’s been a very effective, symbiotic relationship.”
Rod Lehnertz UI senior vice president for finance and operations
spaces within the city, like the Old Capitol Mall and the Jefferson Building, allows the university to provide for the students and the wider Iowa City community, he added.
“We’re not looking to gobble up land … We are really rightsizing in a sort of a constriction, downsizing way, but we do now recognize that where we occupy space could be downtown Iowa City,” Lehnertz said. “It’s good for both of us, it certainly can be, because it brings people to the campus and to the downtown.”
UI, IC officials work together to benefit community
The partnership between the UI and Iowa City officials grew strong long before David Kieft, UI senior director of university business and real estate, arrived on campus in 2008. As a university employee and a member of the Iowa City Downtown District Board, Kieft often sees projects that overlap between the UI and the city.
Since many UI projects utilize Iowa City resources like water or sewage, most university plans are discussed with workers like city managers and the city staff who are involved with urban planning, Kieft said.
“We develop a sort of open-book trust with all of that,” Kieft said. “They share what’s going on with them, we share where we are. It’s a win-win for everybody. The city needs the university and the students and the vitality and the vibrancy of what we bring, and we need that relationship with the city to also create that very cohesive, seamless relationship.”
That cohesive, seamless relationship is the result of years of work between the city and the UI to develop a mutual respect for each entity’s plans, he said.
“We’ve been so deliberate about breaking
“The details for how those arrangements, leases, and management will be addressed have yet to be determined, and while we expect that those portions of the building would remain as taxable property, that too is not yet confirmed,” he said.
However, this new ownership will likely shift the finances the mall produces. University buildings are tax-exempt, meaning no property taxes are paid on those locations. According to Iowa City property tax reports, the sections of the mall that are not under UI ownership paid nearly $262,600 combined in property taxes for the 2023 year.
Those property taxes will no longer be paid once the UI owns the building, leaving a potential loss in finances for Iowa City. The city’s accessor, Brad Comer, said the loss is typically made up over time by those tax bill amounts being spread out to the general public.
“It really comes down to the city and the county,” Comer said. “They have budget needs, and whatever they need to pay, the bills get spread out to all the taxpayers. And if the university buys property out of that and reduces the amount of people that that tax is being spread across, then it’s going to increase taxes for other people.”
The community will not immediately feel the increase, Comer said. Property values are reevaluated every two years, which is when property tax amounts change. He added that a university purchase does not strictly mean a loss in revenue for Iowa City.
“The university brings a lot of money and investment to the community, too, so it’s not strictly just saying that [when] the university buys something that it’s a cost,” Comer said.
O’Brien echoed this idea and said the property tax loss is also often made up in new developments in Iowa City that then bring revenue in.
“Over time, you hope that if you’re a
thriving community, which Iowa City is, that people will want to build new things here, and as that happens, whether it’s a business coming into town or whether somebody redevelops a property, that’s how you’ll be able to make up for those funds,” O’Brien said.
However, the city does not want new development solely to make up for lost revenue. New developments, both university and otherwise, benefit the community beyond just bringing in money, he said.
Additionally, Lehnertz said the university is able to provide more than a financial gain with its presence in Iowa City.
“The City of Iowa City has changed over the last decade and a half to recognize that there are benefits beyond just tax roll for every square foot,” Lehnertz said. “We are working together, bringing people downtown who then shop in the shops downtown and eat lunch downtown, and it’s been a very effective, symbiotic relationship.”
The tax exemption also applies to property owned by Iowa City, Johnson County, or other state and federal entities, Kieft said. The university, however, contributes to the success of downtown Iowa City while being tax-exempt by being a financial contributor to the downtown district and the way the university community interacts with the downtown community.
“The success of the university is directly tied to the success of downtown, and the success of downtown is directly tied to the success of the university,” Kieft said. “We are each other’s ‘front doors.’ The adjacency and integration of the university and downtown are part of what makes Iowa City so unique.”
For Kieft, the UI’s overall impact on Iowa City and its community is a positive one, aided by the partnership between the city and the university that is likely to remain strong as time passes.
“I think sometimes there’s a perception or appeal by some that the university has too large of a presence, or maybe [there’s] an overemphasis on the university,” Kieft said. “I understand, and certainly, I’m going to be sort of biased because I work here and I view all the good things that it creates, the vibrancy that it helps create, the energy that it creates.”
Cody Blissett | The Daily Iowan Pedestrians walk across South Clinton street in front of the Old Capitol Mall in Iowa City on March 31. The University of Iowa plans to purchase the remainder of the Old Capitol Mall in the coming years.
Timeline by Marandah Mangra-Dutcher | The Daily Iowan
WHO OWNS DOWNTOWN IC?
The Daily Iowan investigated downtown land ownership and assessed property value within the confines of South Clinton Street, East Iowa Avenue, South Gilbert Street, and East Burlington Street.
Design by Marandah Mangra-Dutcher
Data collection by Marandah Mangra-Dutcher and Liam Halawith
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Real estate and land ownership dictate the economics and business diversity within a town. Publications across the U.S. have jumped on investigating and reporting on real estate owners within their coverage areas with the increase of corporate interest and ownership over several years. In places like Iowa City, corporate ownership could increase rent prices and drastically impact the university community and local business owners.
Taking a zoomed-in look at the ownership within this quadrant of Iowa City and the Iowa City Downtown District, The Daily Iowan wanted to paint a picture of local ownership versus out-of-state ownership and answer the question: Who owns downtown Iowa City?
The investigation wasn’t simple, and there were several hiccups in understanding the role of LLCs and LLPs and how the process of applying for them actually has a loophole. A filer of an LLC or LLP in the Secretary of State’s Business Index doesn’t have to be the owner, but can be the owner’s attorney or manager. Therefore, we, with 131 parcels to investigate, could not accurately identify owners without some on-the-group-work where we prioritized owners of multiple land parcels identified by the colors within the parcel list.
The City of Iowa City owns about 9 percent of the property within the allotted boundaries, with Tracy Barkalow, a local developer, trailing behind with 5 percent of the property. The third-most properties owned at 4 percent within this section belong to another local developer, Marc Moen.
This section of Iowa City is made up of 74 percent commercially-zoned buildings, 12 percent zoned as residential but formerly Medium Density Residential, and the remaining 6 percent as just residential.
Iowa federal layoffs cause chaos and confusion
Spanning across the state of Iowa, federal workers are unsure of what comes next amid program cuts.
Bri Brands Politics Reporter news@dailyiowan.com
Less than a month after packing up his belongings and relocating to from Texas to Des Moines for work, Ali Syed was terminated from his position as a collection representative at the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS.
Syed received notification of his termination on Feb. 21. He was in a probationary period, a designated timeframe at the beginning of employment during which an employer evaluates a new employee’s performance.
Syed was one of about 6,000 IRS employees laid off in February around the country — eliminating approximately six percent of the agency’s workforce of 10,000 employees, according to The New York Times.
An email shared with The New York Times showed IRS manag ers asking employees to come into the office in the days following the email.
ease Control and Protection, or CDC, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, and various other agencies across the state.
Syed said he moved to Iowa for work, and now he has nothing keeping him here, facing financial stress in a strange place.
“I ask the government a sim ple question: Is this how America will be great again? By throwing hardworking people out of jobs without a second thought?” Syed said. “Where are the rights of any citizens? If even government employees can be treated this way, what hope is left for others?”
A constantly changing mess
“Under an executive order, IRS has been directed to terminate probationary employees who were not deemed critical to filing season,” the email to The New York Times read. “We don’t have many details that we are permitted to share, but this is all tied to compliance with the executive order.”
The executive order refers to one signed on Feb. 19 by President Donald Trump, “ensuring lawful governance and implementing the president’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ deregulatory initiative.”
Federal agencies began nationwide layoffs starting in February, per Trump’s implementation of the Department of Governmental Efficiency, or DOGE, headed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The layoffs first targeted probationary employees, but Trump’s cuts to the federal workforce have not ended there.
According to Farmonaut, a government-approved farming database, estimates suggest over 200 workers have been terminated in Iowa.
No official count has been reported as to how many workers have been laid off nationwide, but USA Today estimates the numbers surpassing 100,000.
While some of these employees have since been offered their jobs back, including Syed, the looming question of job stability in the federal government remains a stressor on these employees.
Those who were terminated were employed by agencies including the IRS, Centers for Dis-
Feb. 11, 2025
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reduce the size of the government.
Feb. 20, 2025 IRS employees began to get laid off.
Feb. 24, 2025
Off ice of Special Counsel leader said firing probationary employees was illegal.
Feb. 28, 2025
Agency leaders sent a second round of emails to federal workers instructing them to list their accomplishments of the week.
March 6, 2025
A federal appeals court ruled Trump had authority to fire the OSP leader Hampton Dellinger, who said firing probationary employees was illegal.
March 24, 2025
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to halt a federal judge’s ruling ordering the hiring of thousands of fired federal workers.
Sept. 30, 2025 Federal agencies will deliver monthly progress reports and are projected to wrap up this process by the end of the fiscal year.
Charlie Wish man, president of the Iowa Fed eration of Labor, AFL-CIO, helped organize a rally at the Iowa State Cap itol in February following the first round of layoffs, protesting against the federal terminations.
At the rally, The Des Moines Register reported over 100 individuals showed up to fight for the rights of federal workers. Those in attendance were fueled by an email sent out by Musk on Feb. 22 stating that those still employed must submit a detailed account of their previous weeks’ work or face unemployment.
Musk also shared a warning about the email on the social media platform X, which he owns.
“Consistent with President @ realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” he wrote. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”
Wishman said the terminations have caused widespread chaos and confusion across Iowa.
“Whether you’re a recipient of federal services — which everyone is — or whether you’re serving people on that, it’s just been such a mess, and it changes daily,” he said.
Brianna McNulty joined the CDC’s Public Health Associate Program for Recent Graduates at the Coralville CDC building in September 2023, a two-year, boots-on-the-ground, paid training program, which she was set to graduate from in June 2025.
On Feb. 14, McNulty became a victim of what CDC employees are calling “The Valentine’s Day Massacre,” in which thousands of
LAYOFFS
Feb. 13, 2025 Thousands of federal probationary employees were fired.
Feb. 22, 2025 Elon Musk sent an email instructing federal workers to report work accomplishments via email or resign.
Feb. 27, 2025 California judge temporarily blocked firing of probationary employees.
March 5, 2025 The Trump administration informed federal departments that any firing of their probationary workers is up to the agencies, in response to California’s ruling.
March 17, 2025 The Trump administration filed court documents as a move to reinstate more than 24,000 probationary workers it fired.
April 14, 2025 Federal agencies must submit another set of plans outlining a “positive vision for more productive, eff icient agency operations,” according to the Off ice of Personnel Management and Off ice of Management and Budget.
individuals were terminated via email as a result of DOGE instruc
tions. McNulty later received an email rescinding her termination, leading to more confusion.
McNulty — who moved to Iowa from Pennsylvania to participate in the program — said she would have never chosen to live in the state had she not been placed by the program at the Coralville location. But she says she has loved her time here, especially as a part of the Iowa Cancer Consortium.
“A lot of the associates who have been assigned to Iowa locations before have never come to Iowa and have never been Iowans,” she said.
Because of her work, she said it is unfortunate how much these terminations will impact the world of public health.
“Iowa has the second highest cancer incidence rate in the country — right behind Kentucky — so the need for cancer control workers is extreme. It’s very high,” she said. “Any hands out of the pool right now and not working on this problem is just an issue.”
Terri Wollenberg was only 93 days away from being off probationary status at the Cedar Rapids Vet Center, where she worked to provide behavioral health services to veterans, when she was terminated.
As a former military member, she said the job to her was a way to give back and serve as a civilian. It wasn’t ever about the money, she said, but the people.
“I fell in love with the job. It was a great job,” she said.
Wollenberg said the termination felt impersonal; the letter appeared in her inbox after working hours on Feb. 13. She didn’t read it until the next day when she arrived at her office.
“I didn’t see it until I walked in the next morning, and I had been fired, effective immediately,” she said. “I saw the Washington Post article that said probation employees would be let go. So, I basically learned about it through a newspaper article.”
In a statement to the DI a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, said DOGE works to strengthen core government functions and services “by cutting out waste and eliminating bureaucratic red tape that delays services for Iowans.”
“DOGE has uncovered a ridiculous amount of government waste and resources spent on woke priorities that take the focus away from the services Iowans need and rely on,” the spokesperson said in the statement.
Wollenberg, a constituent of Hinson’s, said she felt hurt by her representative’s comments.
“For our senators and our representatives to see us as waste and fraud, when we went every single day, when we gave and gave and gave — that’s a huge hit,” Wollenberg said.
Wollenberg said the terminations came as a huge shock, both to her and her former colleagues, who she said were continually meeting and exceeding expectations.
“I want to say we don’t take it personally, but we do,” she said.
Federal judges in Maryland and San Francisco have both ruled that Trump must reinstate the thousands of laid-off employees, claiming they were terminated unlawfully.
Despite the rulings, the Trump administration appeared before
the Supreme Court on the morning of March 24, asking the justices to pause the orders.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the judges’ attempts are unconstitutional and impede on the executive branch’s power of hiring and firing.
“The president has the authority to exercise the power of the entire executive branch – singular district court judges cannot abuse the power of the entire judiciary to thwart the President’s agenda,” Leavitt said in a statement. “If a federal district court judge would like executive powers, they can try and run for President themselves.”
Uncertainty about the future
On March 19, Syed, the collection representative for the IRS, received an email immediately reinstating his position at the IRS. The email, which Syed shared with The Daily Iowan, was sent in compliance with two separate judicial orders.
“On Thursday, March 13, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ordered 18 federal agencies, including the Department of the Treasury, to reinstate by Monday, March 17, 2025, certain probationary workers who were recently terminated. Also on March 13, 2025, in a separate case, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the notice and termination of these probationary employees was unlawful and ordered six federal agencies, including the Department of the Treasury, to immediately offer reinstatement to these terminated employees,” the email read. Despite reinstatement, the email placed Syed on unpaid administrative leave, ordering him not to “report to duty or perform any work until receiving further guidance.”
“At this point, the situation still feels like it’s in limbo because, despite being reinstated, we have not yet returned to work,” he said.
“During this period, I applied for rental assistance twice, but my case was rejected both times. This entire situation has been a very painful and stressful experience for me, as there has been no real support available so far.”
Syed said he faces the decision of whether or not to return to Texas, effectively breaking his yearlong lease in Des Moines, in addition to the other financial hardships the terminations have caused.
After receiving notification of her termination, McNulty was able to secure a new job at Pennsylvania State University, where she graduated from in 2023. Though she said she enjoyed working for the CDC, returning to federal work was not a secure option.
“I did make the personal decision that trying to get back into federal work is off the table for the next few years, just with how confusing the government and the administration has been,” she said.
“I just don’t know if federal work right now is a secure position like it once was.”
To McNulty, the back-andforth decisions of the government have felt like a toxic relationship, she said. Just weeks after receiving the initial notice, the Trump administration rescinded the termination of some CDC staff members, including McNulty.
The same morning McNulty received the email that her termination had been rescinded,
she had signed her lease and job offer at The Pennsylvania State University.
“Now, all of a sudden, you’re saying ‘Welcome back.’ It’s confusing, it’s just a slap in the face, and it’s gross,” she said. “The way I’ve approached it is that this whole experience is like an abusive relationship where we were constantly worried what was going to happen.”
In addition to being terminated, Wollenberg said the state of Iowa cutting unemployment benefits has given her even more of a panicked feeling.
Effective July 3, 2022, the maximum amount of unemployment benefits fell from 26 to 16 weeks.
“It’s not like I want to live for the rest of my life on unemployment benefits, not at all — it’s to bridge a gap,” Wollenberg said. “But to cut that even further gives me less of an opportunity and more of a panicked feeling that I’ve got to get back out there. I’ve got to take a job. I’ve got to get working.”
Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, said she is uncertain how the widespread terminations will impact the state of Iowa but is certain people will begin to realize just how wide the scope of federal employees is.
“What is frustrating or concerning to me is that, all of a sudden, people in states all across the country are going to get a feel for how federal government workers are not all located in Washington, D.C.,” she said. “They’re located all across the country, serving their communities.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 18,600 federal government employees in Iowa as of December 2024.
Wishman, Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO president, said the implications of the layoffs say a lot about the separation of powers granted in the U.S. Constitution.
According to the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the “power of the purse,” meaning they control all the funds and how they are allocated. Wishman said they are handing too much of their power away, causing incredible destruction.
“They’re supposed to be doing all these things — not some unelected person who is appointed into some special role,” he said.
“What this does to the balance of power between the three branches of government — it feels like congressional negligence in the House and Senate on the Republican side, that they’re ceding a lot of power away.”
Wishman also said the issue lies deeper than just getting rid of or reducing the federal workforce — it’s about getting rid of civil service and putting people in charge who are loyal to a certain party.
“That’s not the way for any government to function. I know Republicans, Democrats, and independents who work at all levels of government, who are just dedicated to making sure the train runs on time and works for the American people,” he said. “It shouldn’t be about loyalty or who you voted for.”
Wishman said in the midst of the terminations, it is important for all workers, whether they are unionized or not, to keep standing up to the bullies.
“There’s hope. Keep fighting back,” he said. “Every single thing matters.”
TIMELINE OF FEDERAL
Emma Calabro | The Daily Iowan
Elon Musk is seen during finals of the NCAA Men’s Wrestling Championship at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa on Saturday, March. 22, 2025. The NCAA Championships ended with Penn States fourth consecutive victory at 177.0, Nebraska in second 117.0, Oklahoma State in third 102.5, and Iowa in fourth 81.0.
Timeline by Ana Rivera | The Daily Iowan
Wishman
Hinson
Levin
OPINIONS
What small business must look out for
President Donald Trump’s decisions could be detrimental for small businesses.
Reese Thompson Opinions Columnist opinions@dailyiowan.com
Between rising inflation rates, economic uncertainty, and labor shortages, the implementation of President Donald Trump’s tariff plan, scheduled for today, could be a fatal blow to the lives of many small businesses.
Iowa City is home to several strong and thriving small businesses students and community members have helped to stay open. While there is not a lot of turnover for businesses in downtown Iowa City, locations like 110 S. Dubuque St. have frequently rotated ownership.
Small-business ownership has always been a risky business with half of these businesses destined to fail within their first year. In today’s economy, small-business owners must deal with inflation, skilled worker scarcity, and local competition.
I asked local-business owner Benito Ocampo Campos, who opened Beno’s Flowers and Gifts in 2018, if his business has been impacted by inflation since opening.
“Yes, some of the products are more expensive than what they used to be, and the shipping costs are getting higher,” Campos said. “We have some customers get upset by increasing prices, but we have to do it to survive.”
America’s current inflation rates have eased within the last year, but our economy will face a new battle thanks to the new administration. Trump’s tariff plans have dominated the news cycle for weeks with reporters arguing its implications. No matter these arguments, it is clear these tariffs will not be good for the economy, the American people, and especially not for small-business owners.
Tariffs will force company owners to pay more for imported goods and services that in turn will pressure them into raising their prices, which could shrink their consumer bases. These tariffs could also cause a major disruption to the global
supply chain, making it that much more difficult for businesses to obtain the inven tory they need.
I asked Lisa Edwards, co-owner and operator of Press Coffee, about the poten tial effects of this plan.
“Of course we will be affected,” Edwards said.
She explained to me that Press relies on imports from countries like Mexico, whose climate and environment are essential for the growth of coffee beans.
“So, we must look at our margins and adjust as needed,” she continued. “If businesses are focused on the guest and are transparent about why the prices are increasing, that will help … But when you don’t know what will happen day to day, long-term planning feels pointless.”
This is not just a problem for businesses that import goods but also businesses that export goods. Trump is making it next to impossible to come to an amicable trade agreement with countries across the globe.
Many tariffs already took effect on March 12, like the 25 percent U.S. tariff on steel and aluminum that led to a back-andforth with the European Union, or EU. The EU responded to the tariff by threatening to put a 50 percent tariff on U.S. whiskey, with Trump then threatening that if they did so, he would put a 200 percent tariff on European spirits.
Trump’s tariff plan will increase the costs of imported goods for businesses across the U.S., meaning prices will also increase for customers. Many small businesses rely on their competitive prices compared to larger corporations, but
This is not just a
these tariffs will close that gap.
Johnson County does have programs in place to protect the small businesses we love, but some of the grants and funding programs have specific stipulations.
For example, the Johnson County Under-
estimated Small Business Grants give funding to companies that were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 or have at least 50 percent ownership from women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, or people of color.
While it’s a good thing Johnson County is taking notice of these underrepresented groups and helping their companies, all small-businesses will suffer under these tariffs, and something must be done about it.
It’s important for small business owners to be aware of how their companies may be impacted and to prepare accordingly. Strengthening their relationships with their current inventory suppliers, diversifying their supply chains, and investing in supply chain software and other helpful technologies could be the difference between closing their businesses and thriving for years to come.
As a consumer, I urge everyone to shop small and support their local businesses rather than big chains. Instead of going to Starbucks downtown for your morning coffee, try Daydrink, fix!, Kindred Coffee, or — my personal favorite — Press Coffee. Shopping at local businesses like Beno’s Flowers and Gifts instead of large corporations allows you to support your fellow community members. Next time you’re walking down Iowa Avenue, I suggest you stop in and smell the flowers.
Linn Street should promote arts and culture in IC
Real estate in Iowa City is a hot commodity, and with new properties popping up left and right, construction and ongoing developments are always underway. However, in the past two years there seems to be one area that has yet to break ground: 21 S. Linn St. in the downtown district of Iowa City.
This piece of land was purchased for $4.5 million way back in 2023, but ever since the paperwork was finalized, there has been little progress on the new property. My belief is that if or when a project does get approved, the new building should attempt to serve the people of Iowa City while promoting the local and historical arts of the area.
In a society beginning to value artistic expression less and less, we as a community need to promote and safeguard one of the oldest and most essential pillars of personal freedom, even through local developments and construction efforts.
The dirt lot that is surrounded on three sides with heavy matte black fences is currently serving as an outdoor gallery for banner design contest winners. These pieces were submitted by local artists who were prompted to create designs that highlight Iowa City’s “rich diversity and creativity.”
Although these colorful 66” by 132” screen-printed banners are a fun reminder of Iowa City’s rich artistic history, there has been very little information provided on what’s next for the former U.S. Bank location that has remained vacant since 2021. There have been multiple concepts floated out by different development agencies and government officials, but
nothing has been approved yet. Of these theoretical concepts, the vast majority include retail, entertainment, and residential living spaces for Iowa City residents.
Some of these proposals provide a comprehensive look at what life might be like with a diverse and multifaceted building in downtown Iowa City. But, in my opinion, if the Iowa City City Council wants to truly serve the community they represent, they need to consider the proposed options that cater to the town and its rich history of arts and personal expression.
One of the most compelling proposals that supports this notion includes an allotted space for a new museum to be constructed in Iowa City. This museum, entitled the “Stories Project,” is a comprehensive and immersive institute that would highlight the many forms of storytelling in one of the few UNESCO Cities of
STAFF
Jami Martin-Trainor | Executive Editor
Columnists: Cole Walker, Muskan Mehta, Abigail Jones, Caden Bell, Reese Thompson, Grace Dabareiner, Julia Anderson, Aaron El-Kadani, Kennedy Lein, Jackson Mendoza
Editorial Board: Jami Martin-Trainor, Marandah Mangra-Dutcher, Jack Moore, Stella Shipman, Muskan Mehta, Charlie Hickman COLUMNS, CARTOONS, and OTHER OPINIONS CONTENT reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.
EDITORIALS reflect
Literature within the U.S.
According to the museum’s website, the space would provide information and exhibits not only on traditional forms of storytelling like books and poetry but also mediums like “stories in film, television, games, song lyrics, podcasts, and more.”
The theoretical multi-floored museum would also be a way to promote literacy in America at a time when many children and adults alike lack basic literacy skills and comprehension.
This project proposal is championed by Salida Partners, Shive Hattery: Architecture and Engineering Consultants, Skydeck Capital, and Simeon Talley. The building would also include 10 stories of retail and residential apartments both below and above the exhibition hall.
Similarly, if the council does not approve this proposal, I believe the space should be used to promote local arts and
culture in different ways while also helping Iowa City businesses.
The number of art history and art-based degree seeking students have been on the decline in the U.S. in recent years. And thanks to a new wave of national conservatism, which has included the Trump takeover of the Kennedy Center — one of the most quintessential and outspoken supporters of the arts in this country — it is getting more worrisome.
I recognize that our world needs lawyers, medical professionals, and financial analysts. But we also need creatives and those who appreciate the arts to help revitalize our dying artistic culture.
I believe the study and appreciation of the arts, in all forms, is essential in the wide world of academia because it helps produce a more tolerant and accepting workforce, allows for more expression and creative freedom, and fosters a more culturally appreciative society. Therefore, we need to generate more interest and investment in the arts through any local efforts.
Another theoretical proposal I believe identifies these needs and addresses them with deep concern and intent is an idea proposed by OPN Architects, Urban Acres Real Estate, and Grand Rail Development. This proposal includes entertainment areas that, according to the companies’ design presentation, would include an expansion to The Englert Theatre would be included in the building’s final renderings. This expanded entertainment space would ensure the theater and local arts. Moreover, the OPN-Urban AcresGrand Rail development team included a plan to use the proposed six-story building as a mixed-use retail and restaurant site, along with residential living quarters above, to help stimulate the Iowa City economy. Regardless of the final decision, I believe an addition to the Iowa City skyline must help to promote the many facets of Iowa City arts and culture and should always serve the people of Iowa City first — no matter what.
Cody Blissett | The Daily Iowan
President Donald Trump watches during finals of the NCAA Men’s Wrestling Championship at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. on March. 22.
JoCo eviction filings are down from 2023
More than 800 eviction cases were filed in Johnson County in 2024. So far in 2025, 173 cases have been filed, which is still up compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Jack Moore Managing News Editor
jack.moore@dailyiowan.com
About 40 percent of inquiries to University of Iowa’s Student Legal Services involve disputes between landlords and tenants, a reflection of the challenges that come with Iowa City’s large rental market.
There are more than 30,000 households in Iowa City, with 54 percent owned by landlords. Of the UI’s 33,000 students, 70 percent live off campus. This large number of rental properties has created ample opportunities for legal trouble over the years, with organizations aimed at addressing these issues growing as well.
Attorney Jim Kringlen from Iowa Legal Aid, an organization focused on helping tenants who are in disputes with their landlords, highlighted the large number of eviction cases coming out of Johnson County, however, oftentimes it is the poorest who feel these issues rather than college students.
“If you knew the demographics of low-income people, you would know our clients, especially in evictions,” Kringlen said. “People who are middle class or doing well financially, they don’t come to us for housing-related issues because they don’t have them.”
He said 2023 was a record year for eviction filings in Johnson County, reporting 884 cases. In 2024, that number dropped to 835. So far, 2025 has seen 173 eviction cases. Evictions are still up compared to pre-pandemic levels with 720 filings reported in 2019.
Iowa City Attorney Christopher Warnock has represented five clients in the Iowa Supreme Court regarding land -
lord tenant law, often taken on by some of the biggest landowners in Iowa City, including Apartment Downtown, which is owned by the Clark family.
Warnock said Iowa City is unique because of the high demand for student housing. The need for housing opens up possibilities for exploitations, and oftentimes the UI doesn’t do enough to ensure students are finding quality landlords.
“It’s like sheep unto the wolves,” Warnock said. “Once you’re a freshman, [the UI] are like, ‘Okay, we’re just going to let you go out and let the landlords do whatever they want to you.’ And that’s problematic because you’ve got a vulnerable population. I mean, they don’t know what they’re getting themselves into.”
Warnock said some of the most common cases he sees are illegal provisions in leases, like carpet-cleaning costs, or other fees that are prohibted, while Kringlen noted landlords not maintaining the property is also a common issue.
Michael Conroy lived in an Apartments Downtown building in the early 2000s and was charged more than $400 for carpet- cleaning costs after he left. He decided he wasn’t going to pay the bill.
Conroy’s case led to a class action lawsuit, meaning it represented not just his situation but the collective grievances of about 14,000 tenants facing similar issues. The lawsuit ultimately challenged the landlords’ practices of charging for carpet cleaning, a cost that was unjustified under Iowa’s tenant protection laws.
Conroy was satisfied with the outcome of the case and said ultimately it is problematic to villainize one side or the other, but he does think the large student population plays into a lot of legal challenges between landlords and tenants that are
continuing today.
“A significant percentage of people who rent in college towns are here for the short term and have no real vested interest in the community in which they live and don’t plan to rent forever — certainly not rent in Iowa City forever. The tenants’ rights are not very strong, and so landlords can get away with a lot,” Conroy said.
For UI students, Amanda Elkins at Student Legal Service said the most common situation students will get in is not getting their deposit back, which is what they help represent.
“The major issues we’re seeing for stu-
dents are security deposit returns, or lack thereof, maintenance issues, and lease reviews,” Elkins said.
Kringlen said the best way to help students is to document the apartment they are renting, so they have evidence if they need to get in a legal confrontation with their landlord. He also said doing research on possible renting locations is important when making the ultimate decision.
“If you’re paranoid, and I’m a little paranoid when I remind myself that this happens, it’s probably best to take a picture of everything,” Kringlen said.
UI student works to eliminate period poverty
Maanya Pandey’s organization has donated 160,000 period products across the state.
Anna Mitchell News Reporter news@dailyiowan.com
Maanya Pandey grew up hearing her mother’s stories of growing up in India, where menstruation products were not widely available and periods were heavily stigmatized.
She described how women used and reused old rags, tied around their waist and under their legs, due to a lack of resources. Menstruating became a demeaning and minimizing experience.
“In general, harassment and the uncomfortableness of just having a period, everything culminating together, was just such an undignifying experience with menstruation,” she said.
However, it was not until Pandey was a sophomore in high school when she recognized period poverty — defined as inadequate access to menstrual hygiene tools and education, including but not limited to sanitary products, washing facilities, and waste management — was not just an international issue.
“I came across a post about women in prisons and the struggles that they go through as a result of not having enough period products. And that really stuck with me because, this issue, I’d only ever heard of it really being associated not with the U.S.,” she said. “That was kind of my first glimpse into seeing that, you know, this issue isn’t just in other countries.”
That was when she decided to start Love for Red, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting period poverty through service, advocacy, and awareness in her home state of Iowa.
Since its founding in May of 2020, Love for Red has donated over 160,000 period products to 95 organizations, including 60 schools, across the state.
Now a third-year student and public health major at the University of Iowa, Pandey has also made a difference within the Iowa City community, donating to all the middle and high schools within the
Iowa City Community School District.
Ruthina Malone, president of the district’s board of directors, said access to period products is essential for students.
“I do know that it has been a concern that we have heard from some of our students at a couple of our high schools because of the price of them and just cost and not being able to easily access them,” she said. “It is a need to have those readily available in our buildings.”
She expressed gratitude, noting that removing the burden of having to pay for menstrual products has a significant impact on students.
“We are always thankful for community partners like Love for Red, who are willing to step up and cover a need they know exists in our district,” Malone said. “That cannot be said enough, how
thankful I am as a board member to have partners like that.”
Aside from service and donation, Pandey also works toward advocacy and education surrounding menstruation.
OB-GYN and member of the Love for Red Committee Francesca Turner has worked with Pandey to spread awareness at the State Capitol for adequate access to period products.
Advocating for House File 543, a bill that would appropriate state funding to provide free feminine hygiene products in half of all public school restrooms, Turner and Pandey are seeking long-term solutions to period poverty within the state.
“We know that we can’t be doing [the donations] forever,” Pandey said. “And true change and true impact will come from long-term policy change. So, we
advocate every year at the Capitol, and we started doing that in 2023.”
The bill passed out of a legislative subcommittee this past month, hoping to appropriate state funds to the cause for the next three years.
Turner explained why advocacy surrounding menstruation is necessary for change and how they made a difference during their most recent legislative session by simply bringing up the issue.
“I just think people have never thought of it. It’s never crossed so many people’s minds,” Turner said.
She pointed out that only about 50 percent of the population has dealt with or will deal with having a period. Among that 50 percent, a smaller percentage is impoverished.
“It’s almost hidden because those people aren’t going to school and bleeding all over chairs, right? So, they’re staying home from school,” Turner said. “It’s like an invisible problem, unless you know about it or know to ask about it.”
Turner and Love for Red emphasized trying to prevent teens from missing any amount of education due to lack of access to products or the discomfort and stigma that can be associated with periods.
Almost a quarter of teens in the U.S. have struggled to afford period products, frequently leading to them missing school, according to the State of the Period 2023, a biannual study committed to assessing the level of stigma, access, and education surrounding periods for teens in the country.
Pandey and Turner echoed the same idea that period poverty needs to be discussed more to make real change in our communities.
“It is a very over-stigmatized but under-discussed issue. It leads people to suffer in silence,” Pandey said. “It’s that stigma that leads to shame, and then that shame directly leads to people suffering, and then people have to sacrifice, you know, their livelihood, being able to access products.”
Ava Neumaier | The Daily Iowan
Maanya Pandey poses for a portrait with a donation pack of period products at the Women’s Resource and Action Center on March 24. Pandey is the founder of the nonprofit organization Love For Red, which seeks to end period poverty by donating needed products to schools across Iowa.
Cody Blissett | The Daily Iowan
The Iowa Judicial Branch courthouse is seen in Des Moines on Tuesday, Feb. 11. A case relating to rental fees went to the Iowa Supreme Court in the early 2000s.
Meet the radio voices of Iowa baseball
John Leo and John Evans enter their third season with Hawkeye Radio Network.
a
look out at the
John
The
Jake Olson Sports Reporter sports@dailyiowan.com
Entering their third season of work, radio broadcasters John Evans and John Leo have become the well-known radio voices behind the Iowa baseball program. Their charismatic banter and detailed descriptions give listeners a vivid picture of what is happening on and off the field for the Hawkeyes.
SOFTBALL
The operation was previously run by former University of Iowa student Zach Mackey. Mackey left in 2022 to become the director of broadcasting at Virginia Tech. This left a flurry of candidates racing to apply for the open position, including Evans and Leo.
Evans immediately became the top prospect for the new position. After working with Mackey for the first five
weeks of the previous season, Iowa head coach Rick Heller reached out to offer him the job, which he quickly accepted. Meanwhile, Leo was using previous connections to pitch his way into consideration.
Gary Rima was a known figure in the world of sports media with a strong relationship to Heller. The two coached together at Upper Iowa but continued their relationship when Rima became
Scorching hot season start
The Iowa softball team has already passed their win total from last season and pulled off a ranked upset.
the play-by-play broadcaster for Northern Iowa during Heller’s coaching stint with the Panthers. Leo considered Rima to be a mentor to his radio broadcasting career when he was a student at the UI. Through this relationship, Leo got in touch with Heller to make the case for why he should get the position.
TRACK AND FIELD
Big Ten expansion reshapes Iowa track and field
Despite vast competition, the Hawkeyes have embraced the new challenge.
Morgan
Burhans
Sports Reporter sports@dailyiowan.com
In 2022, the Big Ten conference made a bombshell announcement that would shift the UI track and field program.
USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington would join the league ahead of the 2024-25 season, capping off the new wave of conference expansions across the country.
“I just thought it was wild,” Ray Robinson, the Iowa asscociate head coach of track and field, said. “[The conference] kind of stretched from coast to coast completely,” Robinson said. “But I was also excited for the challenge … to continue to test ourselves.” UI track and field runner Alli Bookin-Nosbisch described the feeling as stressful. The fifth-year holds two UI records in the indoor 800 meter and outdoor 800 meter.
The Iowa softball team is off to a scorching hot start in the 2025 season. The Hawkeyes have already surpassed their win total from last season just 30 games into the year and are now in conversation to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009. In 2024, Iowa finished with an overall record of 18-28 and finished last place in the Big Ten with a conference record of 6-17. Going into the 2025 season, the outlook didn’t look too great for the Hawkeyes, as head coach Renee Gillispie was forced to step down for the season due to a personal health matter. Iowa’s coaching situation would only get tougher for the team, as interim head coach Brian Levin was let go by the program in early March. In stepped assistant coach Karl Gollan, who had joined the Hawkeyes
program in the fall of 2024, to take over as the acting head coach.
Gollan has Iowa playing outstanding softball. As of March 26, the Hawkeyes have won seven of their last eight games, including an upset victory over No. 5 UCLA. While Gollan wasn’t with the Iowa program last season, he has seen lots of improvement with his team since the start of this season.
“I think probably in their preparations,” Gollan said about what the team has improved on. “I think we’ve spent an enormous amount of time teaching them how to prepare for their opponents, what it is they’re looking for to try and give themselves some competitive advantages, and I think that’s starting to pay off.”
The Hawkeyes have battled lots of adversity this
IMPROVEMENT | 3B
“My event group, Washington and Oregon in particular, are really, really talented,” Bookin- Nosbisch said. “Their undeniable impact is shown at the Big Ten conference meets. The Big Ten conference meet is a lot more competitive. They’re very highly funded, highly regarded teams. So, going up against them … it’s kind of scary.” In the Big Ten conference meet, USC showed their impact, taking up four of the eight spots in the finals of both the 60-meter and 200-meter dash.
“That’s literally unheard of,” Bookin-Nosbisch said. “So, it was definitely a lot more competitive to make the finals and then to medal at the meets.”
Second-year thrower Ryan Johnson has also felt the impact. Johnson was a Big Ten champion in weighted throw, posting a school record score of 80-0, 24.38.
“Their outdoor throwers are, like, nasty,” he said. “They’re gonna provide really good competition outdoors.”
Johnson has also noticed the various changes in the altitude when traveling to meets on the west coast.
“You can definitely tell there’s a different attitude at meets,” Johnson said. There’s a bunch of different, like, backgrounds and stuff now, instead, just like a bunch of Midwest people.”
Shaely Odean | The Daily Iowan
Commentators John Evans (left) and
Leo (right)
field during
baseball game between then-No. 18 Iowa and Northern Illinois at Duane Banks Field on Feb. 27, 2024.
Hawkeyes defeated the Huskies, 14-6.
Reece Schrader | The Daily Iowan
Iowa’s pitcher Jalen Adams glides through her pitch during the non-conference double header between the Hawkeyes and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Bob Pearl Softball Field in Iowa City on March 25. The Hawkeyes defeated the Jackrabbits, 7-1 and 2-0.
Baseball
Tuesday, April 1
Bradley Normal, Illinois
5
Friday,
Iowa’s Sean Kenny steps up to the plate
Jake Olson
Sports reporter sports@dailyiowan.com
Last year was a season to forget for the Iowa baseball team. The Hawkeyes were coming off a record-setting 44-win season and just their third NCAA tournament appearance in 33 seasons.
Many key players from that tournament team returned to the program in 2024, causing many college baseball experts to predict big things for Iowa. Not only did they predict the Hawkeyes to win the Big Ten title, but some even forecasted a run to the College World Series.
But that did not happen.
Iowa went just 31-23, sat with a rating percentage index north of 100, and watched three other conference teams – Illinois, Indiana, and Nebraska, make it to the Big Dance.
When unpacking some of the problems with the 2024 Hawkeyes, there are a handful of issues that could have caused that underachieving season. Inconsistent hitting and a series of injuries to key players were a couple of reasons for the lack of success, but pitching was arguably the biggest Achilles Heel.
WHAT YOU’VE MISSED
After a weeklong coaching search, Iowa men’s basketball will name Drake coach Ben McCollum as the 23rd head coach in program history.
David Eickholt of 247Sports reported on Sunday morning that both parties were finalizing a deal. Iowa agreed to a deal that night, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. McCollum will replace Fran McCaffery, who was fired after 15 seasons.
“Returning to Iowa City as the head coach of the Hawkeyes is a dream come true for me and my family,” McCollum told HawkeyeSports in a press release.
“We are excited to welcome Coach McCollum and his family back to Iowa City,” Iowa Athletics Director Beth Goetz said in the release. “Ben has a track record of success both on and off the court. His talent for developing studentathletes and fostering a strong team culture has been evident throughout his career. I am confident that Hawkeye fans will enthusiastically support the McCollum family as we embark on the next chapter of Iowa men’s basketball.” McCollum, 43, has compiled an impressive career record of 426-95 in his 16 seasons as a college head coach. McCollum spent the first 15 years of his coaching career with Division II Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, Missouri, leading the Bearcats to four national championships and 395 victories in his tenure.
The Storm Lake, Iowa, native likely had many chances to make the jump to Division I, but felt the right opportunity was with the Drake Bulldogs. Drake was coming off consecutive NCAA tournaments, but McCollum had to rebuild the roster from scratch after previous coach Darian DeVries departed for West Virginia after the 202324 season. The Bulldogs didn’t have high expectations entering the year, but McCollum guided them to a school-record 31 wins, both the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament title, and the school’s first Round of 32 appearance since 1971.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
In 2023, first-year pitching coach Sean McGrath guided the Hawkeye arms to become one of — if not the best — units in the Big Ten. Headlined by the starting pitching trio of Ty Langdenberg, Marcus Morgan, and Brody Brecht, the Hawkeyes led the conference with a 4.19 earned run average, 630 strikeouts, and allowed opponents to hit only .208.
With Brecht and Morgan returning for their junior seasons, the staff was expected to be one of the strong suits of the team heading into the much-anticipated 2024 campaign.
Similar to the rest of the team, this unit struggled to find consistency throughout the season.
Posting a 5.79 ERA and leading the Big Ten with 327 walks, the pitching staff declined in a fair amount of categories compared to the year prior. This output caused the departure of McGrath, putting pressure
| JALEN ADAMS
on head coach Rick Heller to find
a replacement and turn around a pitching staff that was once highly regarded.
Enter Sean Kenny.
A grizzled veteran in the college baseball spectrum, Kenny has accumulated 28 years of pitching
tenure at the University of Georgia. Competing in the highly touted SEC conference, Kenny aided the Bulldog pitching staff in breaking multiple school records like strikeouts, saves, and ERA — making the NCAA tournament in four of his seven years in Athens.
“Coach Kenny, his reputation in the business is outstanding. He brings in immense experience .”
Rick Heller Iowa baseball coach
coach experience spanning all over the country.
“Coach Kenny, his reputation in the business is outstanding,” Heller said. “He brings in immense experience.” Highlighting that “experience” was his impressive seven-year
This has given Kenny a measuring stick to compare with when evaluating the overall talent of a pitching staff. When gauging the pieces the Hawkeyes have on this year’s pitching staff, Kenny can confidently say talent is not the issue facing this team.
Iowa softball pitcher talks hype music, team memories
Jackson Miller Sports Reporter sports@dailyiowan.com
The Daily Iowan: What made you choose Iowa? Jalen Adams: I’m originally from Iowa, so I feel like because I am from here, I always knew that I wanted to play somewhere close to home. That was a big reason why I chose Iowa.
What is your favorite pitch to throw and why?
I would say my drop ball is my favorite pitch to throw because I’ve never really had a consistent drop ball, and this year I focused on it a lot. So, to be able to throw it confidently has just proven to me that all the hard work is finally paying off.
When did you first know you had a chance to play softball at the college level, and what was that experience like? My mom always helped push me and made me realize that I was good enough to compete with these bigger teams as I started to do travel ball. I would be the pitcher that would go in the championship games, so I think it motivated me to really push myself to the next level. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little girl, so I always had that goal in mind.
“Being fortunate enough to spend six years in the SEC, you kind of compare everything with that product,” Kenny said. “I kind of learned real quick that I feel like stuff-wise we are on par with the teams in the SEC. Just on raw stuff.”
Kenny has tried to hone this raw talent by simplifying the game for his players. Aiming to improve confidence, Kenny focuses more on competing with every throw rather than working on arm mechanics or pitch shaping.
The early stages of a season with a small sample size make it very difficult for any coach to judge the talent on his team. But even after just months of working out with the team, both Kenny and Heller have seen major leaps from a handful of players.
“We were looking for someone that was a good fit for our culture and our program, and I think we found that,” Heller said.
What is your favorite pregame music? I can go both ways. I really like Zach Bryan, but I also really like Post Malone. Those are usually my go-to artists.
What is your favorite softball memory?
I would say in high school winning a state title with my mom as my coach was one of my favorite high school memories. And beating UCLA a couple of days ago was a really huge moment for me and my teammates as well.
Who is your biggest role model and why?
I would say my parents. My mom has really pushed me and given me my drive as a softball player. My dad works really hard in other aspects of life, like his job. He’s really passionate about what he does, so I feel like they both are my biggest inspirations.
If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be and why?
I already have my dream pet. He’s a German shorthaired pointer. His name is Goose, and he’s the best thing ever. So, I would say that’s why, because he just makes me so happy.
What college sport has the best postseason?
Basketball
“The NBA I didn’t watch. I watched the Iowa Hawkeyes. Those are my guys.”
- Iowa men’s basketball head coach Ben McCollum said during his introductory press
STAT OF THE WEEK
Drake men’s basketball losses this season in 35 games under new Iowa head coach Ben McCollum
Nothing quite brings fans together like the idea of doing the impossible. The NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge is an exciting 68-team do-or-die sports challenge where an estimated 34 million fans try to decide the correct outcome of the NCAA tournament.
And it comes just one time a year — during March Madness.
Experts say your odds of creating a perfect bracket are one in 120.2 billion, hence why investor and financier Warren Buffett offered any Berkshire Hathaway employee an astonishing $1 billion dollar prize if they were to create the perfect bracket in 2014. This exciting time of year has captivated fans for the last 86 years. Last-second buzzer beaters and underdog upsets are the norm. There is something undeniably
appealing about rooting for the underdog, and March Madness makes those upset all the more exciting. Teams are all in chase for one common goal: a chance to immortalize your name in the history books with a national title. The ongoing exhilaration of this tournament remains true today. Per AP News, this year’s opening round of the NCAA tournament primetime games averaged an astounding 12.2 million viewers across CBS, TNT, TBS, and TruTV. Keep in mind this was just for the first round. With a reach of this magnitude, no other sport can quite capture the energy of arenas nationwide like March Madness can.
but ultimately, it caused a lot of controversy. Year after year, a handful of schools would feel like they were left out of contention in the final playoff bracket. This caused many to debate not whether expansion was necessary but when it would happen.
This chaotic three-week stretch of basketball has brought other sports to adopt their ladder postseason format to be more in line with that of March Madness. With essentially the whole nation tuning into live games or the bracket challenge, inside all this “madness” lies a collective concrete feeling among the majority of the nation: No other sports postseason tops March Madness.
The sport of college football has had one of the most interesting forms of postseason play out of all other popular collegiate sports. Since the 1900s, college football has used a variety of methods to crown its national champion. From opinion-based polls that would vote on what team had the most impressive season to the Bowl Championship Series in the 2000s, the sport hasn’t had the most logical forms of determining the best team that specific season. Fast forward to 2014 when the sport finally decided to expand the national championship to not just two teams but four. Fans of the sport know this as the College Football Playoffs. Originally, the new playoff picture picked the four best teams to compete against one another. This new format led to countless memories that every college football fan will remember forever,
Last season was the first example of the latest expanded playoffs — a 12-team system that would give automatic bids to all power conference champions and the top mid-major team. The remaining seven spots would be given to the most deserving teams that compiled seasons full of difficult schedules and impressive wins. And it was electric.
This new playoff system is not only the best in the sport’s long history — it’s the best in the entire college landscape. It ensures fair representation among all power conferences while giving more teams a legitimate chance to win. We also get unique matchups otherwise impossible in conference play like Texas and Arizona State or Notre Dame and Ohio State. Moreover, it gives fans like me another month of exciting college football — the best sport in the NCAA — that pins the best teams against each other in a win-or-gohome format.
Jake Olson Sports Reporter
Trey Benson Sports Reporter
Isabella Tisdale | The Daily Iowan
Iowa pitching coach Sean Kenny takes questions from the media during Iowa baseball media day at the Jacobson Athletic Building in Iowa City on Feb. 11. Kenny was named a pitching coach for Iowa following the 2024 season.
doing the play-by-play.
Since the two have been linked to the job, their relationship has developed from simple co-workers to close companions.
Evans and Leo are glued
IMPROVEMENT from 1B
From talking about ideas for the duo’s next broadcast or simply catching up on current life events, both have benefited from their time spent together.
“John and I are very close outside of the broadcast booth,
season, but they haven’t seemed to miss a beat, as they sit just behind a four-way tie for second place in the Big Ten with a 3-1 conference record as of March 26.
Third-year standout pitcher Jalen Adams credits the Hawkeyes’ success to the work ethic of the team.
“I think we’ve definitely increased our workload a lot,” Adams said following Iowa’s doubleheader sweep of South Dakota State on March 25. “I think we are seeing the result of that now. Everyone is swinging really well, and we’re really prepared for each game with all of our scouting that we’ve been doing, which has been big for us, too.”
The most improved aspect of Iowa’s hot start, arguably, has been its bats, specifically the quality of at-bats the Hawkeye hitters have been taking this season.
In the 2024 season, Iowa hit for just a .259 batting average as a team, with outfielder Rylie Moss leading the team with a .390 average. So far in the 2025 campaign, the Hawkeyes have hit for a team average of .291, 32 points higher than last year.
Another statistic that stands out is Iowa’s ability to draw walks and
RESHAPE from 1B
The addition of these four highly competitive schools has led the Iowa track and field program to adopt a different approach to recruiting.
“I think recruiting is going to be huge for the success of the program,” Bookin-Nosbisch said. “For the longest time, Iowa was definitely like a developmental program … In the coming years, Iowa has to go for those higher recruits who are running faster times right out of high school.”
The 2025 freshman class has
“So, he tries to equip us with the tools just like his team.”
Before every contest, the two use these resources to curate a detailed note guide for both teams and players with the goal of delivering a thorough
get on base. In 2024, the Hawkeyes drew a total of 120 walks with an on-base percentage of .333 as a team. Iowa has drawn 103 walks with a team OBP of .392 already in 2025, with 23 games remaining in the regular season as of March 26.
“I think our bats have been pretty good compared to last year,” second-year second baseman Jena Young said. “Our at-bats, too. We are swinging at good pitches, and Coach Karl [Gollan] has helped with that, getting our approaches right and knowing what’s coming before the weekend starts.”
With the schedule not getting any easier the rest of the way, leadership will play a substantial role in keeping the Hawkeyes moving.
While the Hawkeye veterans have seen the program at a low spot, the younger players have stepped up well into leadership roles to help the Hawkeyes get off to such a hot start, and the team will need that trend to continue moving forward.
“To be honest, I don’t think it’s, in particular, the veterans,” Coach Gollan said about the leadership aspect of the team. “I think some of the freshmen have stood up as well. Any time you’ve got some of the youth pushing the older players, it kind of rejuvenates them and elevates everybody.”
already made an impact on the program. The Hawkeyes claimed the two Big Ten Indoor Freshman of the Year winners, Pauline Bikembo and Abraham Vogelsang.
“If you look at the recruits we are getting this upcoming year, they’re awesome … You can see that the coaches are already making that shift,” Bookin-Nosbisch said.
With a solid foundation under their belts, Iowa is confident and pleased with their standing as a program.
“As long as we keep moving the direction we’re going, we’ll be good,” Johnson said.
would be a disaster to do that.
It’s hard enough as it is to say what you are seeing. It’s very difficult. If you are not prepared, then you are 0/2 right away. The preparation is key.”
The preparation used to get
“Our goal this year was to open the floodgates and let the fans be a part of this team,” Leo said. “I think so far this year we are doing a really good job of them being a part of the team and enjoying the ride with us.”
John Charlson | The Daily Iowan
Iowa distance runner Cameron Kalaway competes in the women’s 800 meters during the Iowa Open track and field meet at the Hawkeye Indoor Track Facility in Iowa City on Feb. 21. This season the team has adopted a new approach.
| The Daily Iowan
Iowa’s infielder Jena Young leaps to second base in the non-conference double header between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Bob Pearl Softball Field in Iowa City on March 25. The Hawkeyes defeated the Jackrabbits, 7-1 and 2-0.
One hundred break point
The No. 29 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the No. 71 Nebraska Cornhuskers, 4-1, during a women’s tennis match at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex on March 29.
Cody Blissett | The Daily Iowan (Top) Nebraska’s Emma Rizzetto returns a ball in a doubles match during a tennis match between the No. 29 ranked Iowa Hawkers and the No. 71 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex in Iowa City on Saturday.
The Hawkeyes defeated the Cornhuskers, 4-1. Iowa won the match, 7-5. (Above) A match official makes a call during a tennis match on Saturday.
Next, Iowa will face the Maryland Terrapins in College Park on Friday, April, 4. (Above right) Iowa’s Barbara Pokorna Returns the ball in a doubles match during a tennis match on Saturday. Iowa won two of their three doubles matches, and all of their singles matches but one. (Bottom) Head coach Sasha Boros gives the team a speech during a tennis match on Saturday. This victory marked Boros’ 100th career win with the Hawkeyes.
THIS VICTORY MARKED IOWA HEAD COACH SASHA BOROS’ 100TH CAREER WIN WITH THE HAWKEYES.
The organizations turning Iowa City into a destination for bicyclists Through infrastructure, advocacy, and community programming, cyclists around Iowa City are improving safety and accessibility.
‘Snow White’ and Disney’s princess problems
“Snow White” is one of the worst and most controversial Disney remakes so far.
Kyrsten White Arts Reporter
arts@dailyiowan.com
Almost everyone who has seen the Disney princess movies has also picked their favorite princess from among the group. But how often is Snow White taking up that number one spot?
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” was both the first feature-length animated Disney film and the first in the long line of Disney princesses. On March 21, the 1937 movie earned a live-action revamp, but it was accompanied by an extreme amount of drama.
When Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot were attached as the big names for the project, Disney probably did not expect the waves of hate that would quickly follow. This was not Zegler’s first time working with Disney, as she was in its 2021 remake of “West Side Story.” But this casting decision very quickly went downhill for many reasons.
The first issue Zegler encountered was in August 2024 after attending Disney’s D23 fan event where they premiered the first trailer for “Snow White.” Later on, she made a post on X, formerly known as Twit-
ter, thanking fans for their trailer views. In the comments, she added a quick note in a response to her original post saying, “and always remember, free palestine.”
She was quickly met with extreme backlash, especially by those who are fans of her co-star Gadot. According to a Variety article, this led to Zegler receiving several death threats behind the scenes,
security for her and her family.
Even after this online debacle, Zegler did not seem to censor herself when it came to political issues. Sometime around the election, she posted a temporary Instagram story speaking out against President Donald Trump and those who voted for him. She later had to apologize in a separate Instagram story for her comments.
Despite the issues Zegler caused leading up to the movie’s release, she also faced hate for simply being cast as Snow White. Many were opposed to her playing the princess because she is part-Hispanic. This is a problem she has run into with Disney before, when fans had the opposite reactions for her casting as Maria in “West Side Story.”
Many people also believed she was unfit to play the role based on how she claimed to view the original animated movie. A Variety article from October
Fashion venture aims for quality with low prices
University of Iowa student Grant Harris is beginning a new fashion venture with pop-up shops in Iowa City.
Charlie Christensen Arts Reporter arts@dailyiowan.com
Finding affordable, unique fashion is getting harder than ever. Between skyrocketing retail prices and fast fashion’s declining quality, style-conscious shoppers — especially students on tight budgets — are left hunting for alternatives. University of Iowa student Grant Harris says his resale pop-up shop Urban Resident Clothing is the way to go.
“I’ve spent my whole life thinking I’ll start a fashion brand someday. Now, I’m actually doing it,” Harris said.
What began as a class project has grown into Harris’ resale and design venture that aims to bridge high fashion and college budgets. Partnering with shops like Vice Iowa City, he’s built a following by selling curated vintage pieces and original designs at pop-up events across town.
“He showed up super prepared,” the owner of Vice, Demetrius Perry, said regarding partnering with Harris. “Everything he does aligns with our vision … It seemed like it would be the perfect fit.”
Harris got his start in an entrepreneurial finance class where students were given $20 to launch a business in 10 weeks. He recruited four classmates to help: Zach Julander, Dillon Martin, Gavin Rumelhart, and Jack Estes. However, Harris knew he wouldn’t stop once the semester ended.
“I've got tools to do it here. I've got the professor to be a mentor, I've got some people to help me … So, we just got to business, marketing and a plan sort of being about all it took,” Harris said.
He was looking to capitalize on this seemingly golden opportunity, looking for ways to get started from nothing.
“This wasn’t just an assignment for me. It was the push I needed to finally go for it,” Harris said. With limited funds, he looked for more cost-efficient alternatives. Instead of renting a storefront, he networked with local
businesses. After relentless outreach, Vice agreed to let him test his concept at their pop-up events.
“Once he could tell I was serious about it, we made it happen, and we have a nice relationship going now,” Harris said.
Harris’ first pop-up with Vice hosted at Big Grove Brewery drew crowds of students and fashion enthusiasts. Even though things were running smoothly, Harris posted the apartment code to his complex, which threw a wrench in the mix.
“My philosophy about getting a startup to happen is, you got to bend some rules,” Harris said. “But with that being said, I recognize that was not the coolest thing for me to do.”
Despite the backlash, Urban Resident Clothing still saw people coming to the pop-up shops and showing support. This allowed Harris to maintain a positive outlook, to learn from his mistake, and move on from it.
“The community built around these events is the best part,” Perry said. “Vendors become friends. Customers become regulars. It’s how small businesses grow here.”
Balancing classes, a part-time job, and a growing brand isn’t easy. Harris admits he’s traded typical college downtime for late nights designing and sourcing inventory.
“I don’t watch TV. I don’t play games,” Harris said. “If I’m not in class or at work, I’m working on this.”
Now, Harris is expanding beyond resale. Using university resources, he’s learning garment printing and designing original pieces. A pre-sale for his first collection sold out quickly.
“We’re figuring out manufacturing now. Once we nail that, it’s just plug and repeat,” Harris said about the future.
For Harris, the most rewarding part isn’t the sales, it’s proving to himself that his dreams are worth chasing.
“I've spent so much of my life thinking, ‘I'm going to do this someday,’” Harris said. “I'm actually doing it now, putting in the work.”
views from 2022 in which she calls the animated movie “weird.”
Some of the details of the movie itself managed to fuel the flames of controversy. Early on, the creators of the movie announced that instead of hiring anyone to portray the dwarves, they were going to be created by CGI. This not only put seven people out of jobs but also created a near-terrifying experience when looking at them as a viewer.
All these different issues coming together to create this movie honestly made sitting through it difficult. I tried to go in with a clear mind, to give it a chance, but there were many moments when I just could not stand what I was seeing. It was clear the writers tried to make Snow White a brave leader archetype, but it did not work well. By casting an actress like Zegler, who has a very strong voice, and cutting her pining after a prince she does not know, this should have been able to manifest. However, writers still use the man Snow White falls in love with to remind her she can be brave.
I also disliked how off-track the remake seemed from the original. Even as someone who did not enjoy the animated film, it was still something I would rather watch over the live-action version. And that is considering the 1937 classic barely has a plot, which writers had to remedy for the remake, adding new exposition to both the beginning and end.
Overall, there are so many ways the creators could have transformed Snow White into a brave character — a role we have seen in several films and shows before. I held out some hope for this movie, but unfortunately, it let me down.
Ways to spend time outside
As Iowa City warms up, start soaking up some sun. Charlie Hickman Arts Editor charlie.hickman@dailyiowan.com
The weather is getting nicer, and trails are getting more crowded, which can only mean one thing: Spring is upon us. If you, like me, are itching to get outside and spend your leisure time on activities you haven’t tried before, this list is your guide. Whether you’ve hiked Hickory Hill Park so many times and know the path by the back of your hand or just don’t know where to look, I’m here to remind you that Iowa City is not lacking unique outdoor fun.
Devonian Fossil Gorge
Take a walk through geological history at Johnson County’s oldest scenic destination.
This rocky environment is perfect for a quick stop during the weekend for those who want a stroll or want to learn about the area history.
Macbride Nature Recreation Area
This 485-acre park is a great place to escape the bustling downtown. Featuring plenty of trails and open space to bask in the Coralville Lake, there are also some specialized activities. Colloquially named “The Big Grove,” much of this land features native plant life to explore. Additionally, an archery range can act as a fun way to try something new. Or, for something more lowkey, the Bird Blind offers hikers a chance to get up close with Iowa’s birds.
Disc golf at Peninsula Park
Peninsula Park holds the highest rating in disc golf courses in Iowa City, perfect for newcomers and veteran disc golfers. The 36 total baskets take players throughout the park through the forest, open fields, and even near a river.
Hammocking
If you’re looking for something to do on campus and want to get some school work or reading done, any of the many hammock poles around campus have you covered. Not only are these seats relaxing, they’re great for mental health. As the weather gets nicer, it can feel depressing to be cooped up in the library while people are enjoying the outdoors. Instead, hammocking offers a great chance to get work done and still appreciate the nicer weather.
Wyatt Goodale | The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa student Grant Harris poses for a portrait in downtown Iowa City on March 24. Harris is the owner of Urban Resident Clothing, a clothing resale pop-up. Fashion is his way of expressing himself and channelling his creativity.
Cyclists form community across Iowa City
Charlie Hickman Arts Editor charlie.hickman@dailyiowan.com
As winter rolls into spring, so do the spokes on bicycle wheels around Iowa City. Cyclists have been out in larger and larger numbers as the weather improves, but with increased numbers of bikes on the road come safety concerns.
Over the past few years, community members have been working with Iowa City government to improve infrastructure for people who ride bikes. Leaders from the University of Iowa, Iowa City City Council, online advocacy organizations, and local bike shops have made leaps in making cycling more accessible.
Although this work is ongoing, the years of incremental changes reflect the slow cycle of bike trends that the city has always been home to.
“Iowa City has always been a very bicycle-friendly community,” Ryan Baker, owner of World of Bikes, said. “But certain trends come and go.”
A large part of the commitment to providing bikes for the city is to stay ahead of buying trends in the market. For instance, Baker explained a recent uptick in electric bikes has brought an influx of customers into the store.
The trend in e-bikes has coincided with the increase in electric scooters and mopeds around Iowa City, too. When Baker was working at the store in the mid-90s, prior to becoming the owner, the beginning of semesters would draw flocks of UI students looking for a bike to supplement their transportation needs.
“Kids would walk in looking for entrylevel bikes, so many we couldn’t keep enough in stock. Now, we just don’t see that,” Baker said.
Now, with parking around the campus and broader downtown becoming more and more accessible, students are more likely to travel by car than bike. This doesn’t mean the non-student population isn’t traveling by bike, though.
One of the most popular bikes Baker sees carried out of his store is the cargo bike. These bikes are becoming a stand-in for cars due to their ability to attach baskets and carts and to carry extra passengers or cargo.
“Cargo bikes are like the pickup truck of bikes,” Baker said. “There are so many different configurations of cargo bike, so they’re very purpose-built. I know customers who rely exclusively on cargo bikes for utility and transportation.”
As Baker described the many possible designs in which a cyclist could build their cargo bike, a man rolled up beside the store on an oddly manufactured cargo bike. The frame was extended to allow for bags to be placed behind the rider, a holder for a music speaker was hitched on the side, and a basket fitted firmly in front of the handlebars was large enough for the man’s child to sit inside.
In the brief time it took Baker to explain this ever-changing “evolution of cycling,” as he calls it, at least two dozen cyclists entered and exited the shop, with many people getting on bikes for the first time or just getting a tune-up before hitting the trails.
Just a couple blocks down South Gilbert Street from World of Bikes, the Iowa City Bike Library serves as a community center of cyclists.
needs. We offer a lot of community programming, too, through the university, but mainly we do a lot of mentorship,” Wiedemeier said.
similar programs around Iowa is its commitment to teaching. Rather than running repairs traditionally, it invites customers to get involved.
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What makes the Bike Library stand out among the community, and
Operated by Executive Director Audrey Wiedemeier, the Bike Library is at the forefront of cycling service as well as advocacy.
majority of our activity is renting bikes, of all price points and utility
John Charlson | The Daily Iowan
Preston Parkinson straightens out his wheel rims at the Iowa City Bike Library south of downtown on March 26. The Iowa City Bike Library began 20 years ago as a booth at the Iowa City Farmers Market, refurbishing donated bicycles by the city and giving them away for donations. “It’s just been snowballing for 20 years. Now we have an amazing building, nice spot in town, lots of volunteers, and five employees,” lead mechanic Drew Boss said.
John Charlson | The Daily Iowan
Nikka Singh works on cleaning his frame at the Iowa City Bike Library south of downtown on March 26. Tools and bench spaces are free to use for the public, and the only caveat is that patrons must repair their bikes themselves. “The public comes in, and they’re as hands-on as they can be, and we teach in a hands-off kind of approach,” lead mechanic Drew Boss said.
The interactive repair bench is a learning opportunity for cyclists, where staff offer guidance and provide people the tools needed to work on their bikes on their own.
“If you have the time, we have the patience,” Wiedemeier said. “Even if you’ve never picked up a wrench in your life, you’ll come away learning something. A lot of people find it empowering.”
Empowerment is a focus for the Bike Library in all facets of their advocacy. Their board, a group of members of the community invested in cycling, works directly with Iowa City City Council committees to advocate for cyclists.
In 2017, the Metro Area Bicycle Master Plan coordinated a previously existing plan between Iowa City and the UI with Coralville, North Liberty, Tiffin, and University Heights. The document paints a decades-long path for considering cycling infrastructure, policy, and programs.
“One project we’re most excited to start building, but is still a couple years out, is on the Highway 6 bridge between South Gilbert Street and Riverside Drive,” Wiedemeier said. “Anyone who has walked or rode across that bridge, which people do every day out of necessity, know it to be treacherous. So, we advocate for putting in better infrastructure when the bridge gets redone to make it more accessible to pedestrians and riders.”
Anyone familiar with the Gilbert Street bridge construction throughout 2024 knows how long the process can take. So, while the Bicycle Master Plan and its several committees of community leaders plan for the future, the Bike Library continues its programming in the present.
Another central goal of the Bicycle Master Plan, and the Bike Library by extension, is to make people more
confident in their cycling. As many board members are associated with bike shops, like Bike Iowa City, or run cycling social media accounts, like Angie Smith’s Instagram account, @icbikecommuter, programming has been the best way to accomplish this.
“There’s not just a fair-weather community for riding, but people ride in all kinds of weather, even when its negative 10 degrees,” Bike Library Fundraising Coordinator Kate Wiley said. “So, we put out callouts for winter biking gear, ski masks, gloves, etc., and our generous community send stuff in so we can keep people riding safely.”
Wiley works closely with collaborators at the UI to ensure students stay aware of the Bike Library’s services.
“We have about 20 collegiate Bike Librarians who help us generate a greater community among student riders. There are student riding groups, people from the university who study the health sides of riding and help us with safety programs,” Wiley said.
Safety is top of mind when making cyclists more confident, Wiley and Wiedemeier said. They dedicate many resources to their youth safety program to bring up a generation of people who feel comfortable and safe on bikes, all working toward their goal of seeing more cyclists on the streets.
“At the end of the day, the goal is to get and keep people on bikes. Not everyone is going to bike, but the people who do will reduce congestion for drivers, reduce the need to build multimillion dollar parking lots around the already very congested campus … It’s a healthier option all around,” Wiedemeier said.
Fundraising events, humorously titled “fund-ragers,” invite local and state politicians, leaders in the cycling community, and biking enthusiasts to
enjoy good music and updates on the library’s activity. The events are aimed at making the Bike Library a more efficient, well-resourced, carbon-neutral center for all cyclists, and much of their programming is targeted at youth riders. Be it college students or children, all cycling advocates will tell you their love of riding came from childhood.
“I was lucky enough to have parents who would let me go wherever I wanted when I was a kid. Even though I never went far from my house, whenever I got on my bike it felt like an expedition,” Wiedemeier said.
She would play into the adventure of cycling by packing snacks and a change of socks before setting out on her bike. When she was a student at the UI, Wiedemeier used a bike to commute around campus and started using the Bike Library as a resource for repairs, where she still fixes her bike to this day.
“Since Audrey’s [Wiedemeier] been here, she’s really championed women, low-income people, and people of color in the shop. We’re one of the most inclusive bike libraries that I’ve seen in Iowa. Usually, they’re kind of a men’s club, but this is a space that feels really good to be in,” Wiley said.
Even as a veteran cyclist, the joy of riding remains for Ryan Baker who commutes to his store every day on bike. It’s not all for utility, though, as Baker also enjoys mountain biking at Sugar Bottom trails in Solon, Iowa.
“The best part is that you get to see parts of the city you wouldn’t normally in a car. When I’m biking, I’m exploring back roads and going through neighborhoods I never see,” Baker said. “It’s great to be out on a gravel road with a couple of buddies, and it’s just quiet, and you can enjoy the good scenery.”
John Charlson | The Daily Iowan
Nikka Singh works on cleaning his rear derailleur at the Iowa City Bike Library south of downtown on March 26. In 2017, The Metro Area Bicycle Master Plan partnered with cities across Johnson County to coordinate a preexisting plan highlighting a decades-long path for considering cycling policy and infrastructure.
John Charlson | The Daily Iowan
Volunteer Keith Wilson helps Chloe Palmer unclamp her back wheel at the Iowa City Bike Library south of downtown on March 26. The Iowa City Bike Library is open Wednesday through Saturday through select hours.