IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS HAD A NATIONWIDE PLATFORM TO TALK ABOUT THE DERECHO, WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE OVER A WIDE AREA OF THE STATE EARLIER THIS MONTH. LAST NIGHT, SHE SPOKE DURING THE VIRTUAL REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION. TRUMP FLEW INTO CEDAR RAPIDS AUGUST 18TH IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE STORM.
WHETHER THE VIRTUAL POLITICAL CONVENTIONS WILL HAVE ANY SPECIFIC IMPACT THAT LASTS INTO NOVEMBER REMAINS TO BE SEEN. UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR CHRIS LARIMER TALKED ABOUT THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE IN HIS FIELD WILL BE ASKING. LARIMER SAYS THERE ARE FEWER UNDECIDED VOTERS. AS A RESULT, CONVENTIONS HAVE INCREASINGLY BECOME A WAY TO MOTIVATE A POLITICAL BASE RATHER THAN PERSUADING INDEPENDENTS.
A CHILD INJURED IN A CRASH ON HIGHWAY 151 TUESDAY AFTERNOON HAD TO BE FLOWN TO IOWA CITY FOR TREATMENT. THAT CHILD AND AN ADULT DRIVER WERE IN A PICKUP TRUCK NEAR ANAMOSA. THEIR VEHICLE REAR-ENDED A SEMI WHICH WAS SLOWING TO AVOID A TURNING MOTORCYCLE. THE PICKUP DRIVER WAS ALSO INJURED AND TREATED AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL.
IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SPOKE DURING THE VIRTUAL REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION TUESDAY. SHE TALKED ABOUT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TRADE POLICY. MEANWHILE, ON TUESDAY THE IOWA RENEWABLE FUELS ASSOCIATION APPLAUDED REYNOLDS FOR PROVIDING 15 MILLION DOLLARS IN STATE RELIEF FOR THE ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL INDUSTRIES AFTER A DOWNTURN IN DEMAND DUE TO COVID-19.
45-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL STEPANEK WAS ARRESTED TUESDAY AND CHARGED FOR CAUSING WILLFUL INJURY AFTER DRIVING THROUGH A GROUP OF PROTESTERS IN IOWA CITY LAST FRIDAY. NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT AND POLICE INITIALLY DID NOT RECEIVE A REPORT ABOUT THE INCIDENT. ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY STRUCK BY STEPANEK’S VEHICLE LATER PROVIDED A STATEMENT, LEADING TO HIS ARREST.
QUINTARIUS BROWN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON, PLUS 25 YEARS. IN DECEMBER OF 2017, THE WATERLOO TEEN FATALLY SHOT CEDRIC CRAFT DURING A ROBBERY. EVIDENCE GIVEN AT TRIAL SHOWED BROWN PLANNED THE CRIME WHEN HE WAS 16. HE WILL EVENTUALLY BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE, BECAUSE THE SHOOTING HAPPENED WHILE BROWN WAS A MINOR.
CEDAR RAPIDS-BASED LIL’ DRUG STORE BRAND IS GETTING BIGGER. THE COMPANY PACKAGES TRAVEL-SIZED PRODUCTS AND HEALTH CARE-RELATED ITEMS FOR CONVENIENCE STORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THIS MORNING LIL’ DRUG STORE ANNOUNCED IT WAS BUYING MECHANICAL SERVANTS LLC, WHICH SELLS SIMILAR ITEMS. PRODUCTS FROM THE TWO COMPANIES WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM OVER 150-THOUSAND RETAIL LOCATIONS.
A THREAT AGAINST A SITTING CONGRESSMAN LAST WINTER LED TO AN FBI INVESTIGATION AND THE ARREST OF A MAN FROM BLACK HAWK COUNTY. AN ALLEGED PHONE CALL IN DECEMBER POINTED FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO KENNETH BROWN ON TUESDAY. THE PURPORTED THREAT INVOLVED NEW YORK CONGRESSMAN JERRY NADLER; A MEMBER OF NADLER’S STAFF TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT BROWN HAD CALLED AND SAID HE WOULD FIND SOMEONE TO ASSASSINATE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. AT THE TIME, CONGRESS WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SENDING ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE, WHICH BROUGHT NADLER TO PROMINENCE NATIONWIDE.
THERE ARE FEWER PEOPLE OUT THERE TO BE CONVINCED BY POLITICAL ADS, CAMPAIGN SPEECHES, OR THE EVENTS THAT ARE PART OF THE CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONVENTIONS. UNI POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR CHRIS LARIMER. LARIMER WAS A GUEST EARLIER THIS WEEK DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL, AND THE FULL INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE AT KXEL.COM.
HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT NEW FEDERAL COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS. THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES ANNOUNCED FACILITIES MUST TEST STAFF REGULARLY OR FACE FINES. OFFICIALS ALSO ISSUED A NEW REPORTING MANDATE FOR HOSPITALS SUGGESTING MEDICARE AND MEDICAID FUNDS COULD BE CUT OFF FOR FACILITIES THAT FAIL TO SEND IN CERTAIN COVID-19 DATA DAILY TO FEDERAL OFFICIALS. COVID-19 DEATHS AT LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES REPRESENT 42 PERCENT OF THE U.S. COUNT AND AT LEAST 570 IN IOWA.
