Alternative media sites targeting conservatives are gaining steam in Iowa.

What's happening: These sites, like The Iowa Standard, are garnering millions of page views and revenue from right-leaning audiences who are seeking news that conforms to their beliefs.

Why it matters: The news and platforms are echo chambers — potentially lucrative ones — intended to push back against what the creators see as a liberal-bent media ecosystem.

• The trend is familiar at the national level, but the increased focus on state-level politics and media adds a new dynamic, with some funding coming from local Republican officials themselves.

State of play: Owners of several local-based conservative sites told Axios they gained thousands of new visitors starting around 2020 — an enormously strife election year where de-platformed Trump supporters sought out news alternatives as social media sites like Twitter and Facebook fact-checked and flagged misinformation.

How it started: Luke Martz launched Iowa Field Report in 2020 after hearing from other conservatives who "... had become frustrated with the way our party was being portrayed by the mainstream media" and believed there was a liberal tilt.

• His site primarily covers campaign and election news and op-eds from Republican candidates.

Yes, but: While Martz describes his site as the "home for mainstream Iowa conservatives," other sites, like The Iowa Standard, thrive more on stories that "... basically give a voice that a lot of the other media outlets would consider misinformation," said owner Jacob Hall.

Context: Hall's site has gained notoriety for stories like a transgender teen walking topless at a Pella public pool and a plane carrying undocumented migrant children that landed at the Des Moines airport.

• Last year, Hall said his site reached 7.8 million page views.

The other side: Lori Lovstad, a former Ankeny school board president, said she was subject to online harassment following stories about her on The Iowa Standard because of her choice to support a mask mandate in the district.

The intrigue: While some local people read the stories, Lovstad said many of the online threats were made by individuals who didn't live in Iowa. It escalated to the point where the Ankeny police called her to alert Lovstad of a death threat.

Go deeper

Nearly 4,300 Des Moines Public Schools staffers were paid a $1,250 retention bonus Friday, according to data provided to Axios.

• At least 20 declined the money, which requires employees to stay on board until at least the end of the current school year.

Catch up fast: School staff shortages across the nation have intensified in recent years, including the DSM metro where hundreds of teachers resigned earlier this year.

• To help, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced $1,000 bonuses in January for Iowa teachers who remain on the job through the 2022-23 school year, using federal pandemic relief funds.
• The bonuses paid Friday are in addition to the state's incentive and were approved by the DMPS board in April.

Of note: DMPS is also paying $50,000 each to about 60 teachers who are near retirement and agreed to stay through the current school year.

State of play: Base wages in the district increased 3.2% this year, below recent inflation rates.

• The bonuses are important to help offset the difference and retain employees, Josh Brown, president of the Des Moines Education Association, told Axios Monday.

Big picture: Other districts have also extended the state's retention incentives to more employees or provided more targeted bonuses to attract applicants including WDM, Ankeny and Johnston.

Full story

🎃 Pumpkins and corn mazes, oh my — here's a list of local pumpkin patches near the metro. (Des Moines Register)

✈️ The Des Moines airport's website was down for several hours Monday morning. It's unclear if it's related to attempted cyberattacks against Chicago's O'Hare airport. (WHO-13)

👷 Demolition of the Northwest Community Hospital in Des Moines' Waveland Park neighborhood has started. (Business Record)

⛺️ A city of DSM garbage truck and front-end loaders removed makeshift tents of people experiencing homelessness to clear sidewalks near Central Iowa Shelter and Services on Monday.  (KCCI)

Iowa's brewers won two medals at this year's Great American Beer Festival, Axios' John Frank reported from the awards ceremony in Denver last weekend.

Why it matters: GABF is America's premier beer competition, and winning one of the 300-plus medals helps put a brewery on the map.

• This year the festival celebrated its 40th year and a return after a two-year pandemic hiatus.

By the numbers: The 2022 competition was the most competitive to date, with 2,154 breweries submitting more than 9,900 beers.

Details: Confluence Brewing in Des Moines won gold in the Pro-Am competition with Kaltrauch, a beer made by homebrewers Randy Daniels and KC McKinney.

• Lake Time Brewery in Clear Lake won a bronze medal for Peanut Butter Porter in the specialty beer category.

Of note: It's the first time either brewery has won a GABF medal, according to the Brewers Association, which hosts the competition.

🥳 Celebrate: Confluence is hosting the biggest party in its history in honor of its 10th year of business.

• There will be bands, food trucks, artist booths, on site T-shirt printing and the release of 10 new beers.
• Starts Oct. 21 at 3:30pm; Oct. 22-23 at noon.

⚽️ Get the ball rolling. Check out these openings from our Job Board.

1. VP - US Sales at Reward Gateway.
2. Associate Executive Director at Wesley Acres.
3. Business Development Manager at Public Knowledge.

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