Isabella Luu
Central Iowa ReporterExpertise: Reporting writing and producing stories about communities across Des Moines and Central Iowa, all with an ear to help IPR listeners and readers understand their communities and the central portion of the state.
Education: Bachelors degree from the University of Georgia
Favorite Iowa Destination: Maquoketa Caves
Experience:
- Covered local and regional issues as part of WUGA's flagship news show Athens News Matters, for KCUR in Kansas City, for NPR, and for IPR
- Has covered homelessness policy and issues in Des Moines, Iowa's Third District congressional seat and other state races, and the compatibility of solar and crop production
- Has reported and written features across many topics, including a three-part series on Asian-American experiences in northeast Georgia, community organizers' efforts to rename Kansas City's historic Troose Avenue and a non-narrated feature highlighting an iconic Kansas City restaurant
My Favorite Stories
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Under the new bans, people who do not leave or remove their campsites can be arrested, charged with a simple misdemeanor and fined $15. -
Backed by the Department of Energy, Iowa State University researchers are studying how farming the land around solar panels can diversify farm income, boost biodiversity and improve worker safety. -
YSS, a youth social services provider in Iowa, is opening the Ember Recovery Campus with a residential addiction treatment program, crisis stabilization and crisis recovery services. -
DMACC is ending a food forest and urban prairie program that harvested fresh produce and rescued food waste around Des Moines, citing funding issues, aesthetic concerns and irrelevance to academic programs. -
The council approved a ban on camping and sleeping on public property that targets people who are unhoused. Opponents of the plan at the crowded meeting booed the decision.
My Latest Stories
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One year after an EF4 devastated Greenfield in southwest Iowa, survivors are still coping with the physical and emotional toll of the disaster. -
State Auditor Rob Sand, the only Democrat in statewide elected office, announced Monday he is running for governor of Iowa in 2026. He was first elected as state auditor in 2018 and was reelected to a second term in 2022. -
State Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, officially launched her campaign for the 3rd Congressional District seat Thursday. -
State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott of West Des Moines officially launched her campaign Monday to run for Iowa’s competitive 3rd Congressional District seat. -
School districts must restrict student cellphone usage during class time starting this upcoming school year, under a bill signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The legislation is aimed at reducing distractions and boosting student engagement in the classroom.
