The second debate of the candidates running for Iowa Governor focused more on issues rather than personal attacks. Republican nominee Zach Lahn says he wants to build a digital ledger to track state spending, while Democrat Rob Sand favors legalizing cannabis to fill the billion dollar budget deficit. Both Sand and Lahn said they want to end state incentives for data centers. The candidates also discussed education reform and workforce development. Two more gubernatorial debates are scheduled ahead of the November 3rd election.
It is harvest season in Iowa, but Iowa's Secretary of Agriculture says farmers are a little behind this year. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says farmers are about two weeks behind on this year's harvest progress, with about 14 percent of corn and about a third of beans having been harvested. He says on a typical year, over half of beans and about a third of the state's corn crop would be harvested by now. Naig says weather is a factor in the delay, since the soil is so saturated that even slight rainfall can cause standing water and muddy conditions in fields across the state.
Iowa, Nebraska and six other states are suing Open AI over safety concerns about popular AI chatbot ChatGPT. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird was joined at the Iowa State Capitol today by her counterparts from Kansas, Nebraska, and West Virginia. The lawsuit argues that, despite Open AI's claims that ChatGPT is safe for those ages 13 and older, evidence suggests that the chatbot has offered dangerous medical advice and promoted unhealthy behaviors for users, including children. The attorneys general seek an order requiring changes to ChatGPT regarding interactions with minors.
A University of Nebraska-Omaha fraternity is under investigation. A video circulating on campus allegedly shows a member of Delta Chi making a comment about rape. UNO and Delta Chi officials are each conducting investigations into the matter.
A former Nebraska law enforcement officer is convicted of a firearms charge, Forty-seven-year-old Wayne Alley changed his plea to guilty to one charge of attempted unlawful possession of a firearm on school grounds. Alley was attending a class at the University of Nebraska Omaha in July when he was found to be in possession of a firearm. He is also facing a misdemeanor charge of lewd conduct related to his alleged actions in the class.
The University of Nebraska football team is lowering the all-in price for a season ticket and priority seating contribution, which will decrease for 85 percent of comparable public season ticket locations at the stadium in 2027.General public season tickets for next season will start at 299-dollars, down from 420-dollars as the stadium undergoes a major renovation.