This week in Iowa organizing…
Late last week we were shocked, saddened, and heartbroken to learn of the passing of Father Guillermo Trevino, Jr.
Fr. Trevino was a joy-filled person with a contagious smile, a beloved friend to everyone he came across. And a tireless passionate advocate for the poor, immigrants, and anyone who wasn't being treated with the dignity and respect each human life deserved.
His unexpected passing is an immeasurable loss to his family, friends, congregations and Escucha Mi Voz Iowa, of which he was a founding member and chaplain.
The world of organizing lost a giant on Friday. His shoes will be challenging to fill, yet we are called to step in and continue the work.
Rest in power Fr. Trevino. La lucha sigue,
Matthew Covington
Strategic Operations Director
Take action
Nov. 7 (& next week): help us prepare for our year-end fundraiser!
Our year-end campaign is coming up! It's our biggest fundraiser and membership drive of the year. Like everything we do, this campaign is people powered!
Here are two fun and important ways you can help:
Friday Nov 7 - Penmanship party this Friday!
At the Des Moines CCI office from 10am - 4pm
Hand addressing envelopes and personalized Post-It notes
Tuesday Nov 11 - Friday Nov 14 - Mail party week!
At the Des Moines CCI office from 10 am - 4 pm every day
Assemble the 2,000+ mailing
Can you join us? We will have handwriting and mail assembly stations set up in the office where you can drop in, chat with staff and other volunteers, enjoy some snacks, and, most importantly, help us complete the largest piece of our year-end fundraiser!
The hours are flexible, but we’d love to know when you are available so we can plan for snacks and supplies. Please let us know if any of these dates and times work for you.
Email cciaction@cciaction.org if you can help! Thanks to the awesome volunteers who have been in touch already! BONUS! Volunteers will receive this year's limited-edition CCI Action swag.
Nov. 13 & Dec. 9: Pre-legislative dig-ins
The 2025 state legislative session was a whirlwind of activity, with mixed results on policy that impact the people and places we love. However, a key defining victory of last session was Iowans coming together to defeat Bayer's "Cancer Gag Act."
We want to go into 2026 committed and ready to defeat Bayer again, and discuss other priorities we'll be lifting up like restoring funding for water quality monitoring sensors, increasing funding for local conservation practices, and funding to map our aquifers.
Join us on Nov. 13 and Dec. 9 for our Pre-legislative Planning zoom series to enter the new year strong:
Nov. 15: Water quality solutions town hall
Join us for a crucial town hall discussion to move from scientific findings to actionable policy and community solutions for Iowa's water quality crisis.
This event is a direct follow-up to the recent Central Iowa Source Water Research Assessment (CISWRA) presentation at Drake University, which provided a comprehensive look at the state of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. Now, it’s time for the community to engage in finding solutions. This event is co-sponsored by Iowa CCI, Iowa Food and Water Watch, and Progress Iowa.
This is your opportunity to connect the science of the CISWRA report with tangible steps for action. Whether you are a farmer, urban resident, local official, or simply a concerned Iowan, your input is vital to protecting our water resources. Info and RSVP here!
Nov. 19: Public School Strong strategy meeting
The Bennett Community School Board was the first to pass our resolution calling for fully fund public schools (5% increase in SSA) and phasing out private school vouchers over the next 5 years. We’ve submitted resolutions to several school boards: Ames, Ankeny, Ballard, Des Moines, and Webster City, and there are more to come.
We’ve met thousands of people across Iowa who know the critical importance of our public schools. But how do we keep this momentum going and build a grassroots force to be reckoned with?
Join us on Nov 19 at 7pm over Zoom to hear about what we’ve learned and help us determine how to build more power to win a statewide increase in funding for public schools. RSVP here.
Nov. 22: Marshalltown Clean Water meeting
We know Iowa's water is in trouble. We also know there are solutions that can get us on track to cleaner, safer water. What Iowa lacks when it comes to our water crisis is political will.
That's where everyday people, like you and me, come in. On Saturday, November 22 at 2pm we'll be meeting at the Marshalltown Public Library to talk about how we can take action to protect our water.
At this meeting we will dig in on CCI Action's legislative priorities for next session and discuss ways we can keep building the momentum for real action on our water. RSVP to join us here!
Don't let Summit change the rules of the game
Thousands of Iowans oppose Summit's proposed CO2 pipeline because it threatens the people and places we love. People powered organizing around Iowa and Midwest has slowed Summit Carbon Solutions’ progress for the last 4 years.
Now, Summit wants to change the rules by requesting two major changes to bypass the Iowa Utilities Commission’s typical permitting process by:
Changing the conditionally approved portion of their route in Iowa to avoid South Dakota, who passed legislation preventing the abuse of eminent domain for CO2 pipeline projects
Bypassing the permitting process for 15 dockets by consolidating all their dockets into one big project.
Will you file an objection with the Iowa Utilities Commission urging them to oppose Summit's efforts to change the rules? Find the link and a step-by-step guide here!
Water Talk
That's a wrap on water testing for 2025
Thanks to everyone who joined us October 30 for our last monthly water testing Zoom of the 2025 season! If you didn't make the Zoom, here's a link to the recording.
Huge thanks to Heather Wilson from Izaak Walton League! She shared Nitrate Watch data from CCI's Citizen Scientists here in Iowa and information about the program across the country. Click here to view her slides.
Helpful tip - cold weather can impact nitrate testing. The test strips are optimized to work best in warmer temps so the reaction on the strip is slower when it's cold. Best practice advice is to collect the sample and take it home to do the reading.
Shout outs to the members who submitted comments to the Iowa DNR for their triennial review, to the members who found or invented tools to help with water sampling and monitoring, and to the members who shared about their water work and inspired each other in the fight for clean water.
THANK YOU to everyone who participated in water testing with CCI and Nitrate Watch this year! Your time and dedication to the water quality issue in Iowa is very much appreciated!
Articles of Interest
Scientists say Polk County's water research findings are applicable to Eastern Iowa, too
Iowa water quality study shows pollutants nearly doubled in 50 years
What We're Reading
These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!
Why dig this hole even deeper? (by CCI Action Board member Kim Hagemann) [Cedar Rapids Gazette]
The shutdown threatens SNAP and WIC for the most vulnerable [Civil Eats]
Iowa officials quietly fast-tracked legal settlement with major meatpacker, environmental group alleges [Sentient Media]
An immigration success story in the heartland [Marshalltown Times Republican]
Ongoing government shutdown threatens health care system [Bleeding Heartland]