Gov. Kim Reynolds staff blocked a reporter from entering a press briefing. Bleeding Heartland reporter Laura Belin is credentialed in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature and regularly covers the Iowa Governor. Belin is a noted liberal writer on Iowa politics. The Governor’s Office said the briefing was invitation-only and that it did not offer an invite to Belin. It did not explain its reasoning. | Iowa Starting Line

Gov. Kim Reynolds took a moment in her Condition of the State address to recognize the lives and service of three lawmakers who passed away last year. More: https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-governor-kim-reynolds-condition-of-the-state-speech-2026-full-text/69992418 | KCCI

UPDATE: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has confirmed two Iowa Army National Guard soldiers were killed and three others wounded in action during an attack in Syria early Saturday morning. One U.S. civilian was also killed in the attack, which IANG Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn called an "ambush" by a "lone ISIS gunman." Story: https://kcci.com/article/iowa-national-guard-members-killed-in-syria-ambush/69718714 — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Army National Guard Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn are holding a press