IOWA SENATOR JONI ERNST CRITICIZED FEDERAL COVID-19 RELIEF LEGISLATION ON WEDNESDAY. SPEAKING DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE OFF THE SENATE FLOOR, SHE FOCUSSED ON PROVISIONS OF THE BILL WHICH PROVIDE SUPPORT TO LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS. ERNST HIGHLIGHTED IOWA’S CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION, SITING THE STATE AS A POSITIVE EXAMPLE. U.S. SENATORS CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH A 1.9 TRILLION DOLLAR CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL PASSED BY THE U.S. HOUSE LAST WEEK.
ANOTHER LEGISLATOR IN WASHINGTON IS CITING IOWA AS AN EXAMPLE. THE STATE’S LONE DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE POINTED TO IOWA’S NON-PARTISAN REDISTRICTING PROCESS AS A MODEL FOR WHAT OTHER STATES SHOULD DO AS THEY REDRAW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS FOLLOWING THE CENSUS EVERY TEN YEARS. THIRD DISTRICT CONGRESSWOMAN CINDY AXNE JOINED THE REST OF HER HOUSE CAUCUS IN BACKING A PACKAGE OF VOTING REFORMS WEDNESDAY, SAYING IN A STATEMENT THAT THE BILL IS QUOTE “THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ETHICS REFORM PACKAGE ADVANCED IN WASHINGTON SINCE THE POST-WATERGATE ERA.” IN ADDITION TO CHANGING THE WAY LEGISLATIVE MAPS ARE CREATED IN OTHER STATES, THE MEASURE WOULD ALSO STANDARDIZE MINIMUM EARLY VOTING PROCEDURES, TIGHTEN CAMPAIGN DONATION AND DISCLOSURE RULES, AND MAKE ETHICS REQUIREMENTS MORE STRINGENT.
THE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BEGINS TONIGHT. TO KEEP THEIR SEASON GOING, THE UNI PANTHERS WILL NEED TO EARN THEIR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN AGAINST ILLINOIS STATE. UNI TOPPED THE REDBIRDS TWICE LAST WEEKEND. COVERAGE OF TONIGHT’S GAME BEGINS AT 7:30.
CONCERNS ABOUT THE VIABILITY OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE UNITS IN RURAL AREAS HAVE PROMPTED A LEGISLATIVE EFFORT IN DES MOINES THAT WOULD MAKE EMS UNITS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE. OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 TALKED WITH JIM SCHUTTE, PRESIDENT OF THE BREMER COUNTY EMS ASSOCIATION. MANY EMS OPERATIONS IN SMALL COMMUNITIES AND RURAL AREAS ARE RUN BY VOLUNTEERS. EVEN WITHOUT SALLARIES, THOSE SERVICES ARE OFTEN NOT REIMBURSED BY INSURERS OR MEDICARE/MEDICAID AT A RATE WHICH COVERS THEIR EXPENSES. IOWA HOUSE FILE 562 WOULD CREATE A MEANS FOR SUPPORTING EMT’S THROUGH A MUNICIPAL OR COUNTY TAX STRUCTURE. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED BY THE STATE SENATE AFTER CLEARING THE HOUSE.
A HIAWATHA MAN IS GOING TO FEDERAL PRISON AFTER HIS MOTHER UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO TAKE THE FALL FOR HIM. LAST MARCH, THOMAS VESEY WAS PULLED OVER IN MARION. OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THE TRAFFIC STOP FOUND MARIJUANA AND A GUN WITH THE SERIAL NUMBER DESTROYED. VESEY REPORTEDLY CALLED HIS MOM AND SHE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE OF THE ARREST TO CLAIM THE GUN WAS HERS. HOWEVER, THE PHONE CALL HAD BEEN RECORDED BY POLICE ON THE SCENE. VESEY EVENTUALLY ADMITTED TO HAVING THE GUN, AS WELL AS TO SELLING AND USING MARIJUANA. HE PLED GUILTY TO BEING A DRUG USER IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM AND WAS SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON THIS WEEK.
THE IOWA BOARD OF EDUCATIONAL EXAMINERS MAY STRIP DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT THOMAS AHART OF HIS ADMINISTRATOR LICENSE. THE BOARD SAYS IT FOUND PROBABLE CAUSE THAT AHART FAILED TO SUBMIT A LAWFUL PLAN TO RETURN STUDENTS TO THE CLASSROOM FOR THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR. THE LICENSE IS A STATE REQUIREMENT TO HOLD THE POSITION OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IN IOWA.
IOWA SENATOR JONI ERNST TOOK SHOTS AT THE MOST PROMINENT LEGISLATIVE DEMOCRATS WEDNESDAY DURING MEDIA AVAILABILITY TO TALK ABOUT THE 1.9 TRILLION DOLLAR COVID-19 RELIEF BILL BEING CONSIDERED IN THE U.S. SENATE. ERNST IS PART OF A GROUP OF REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS FROM THE MIDWEST WHO HAVE ARGUED THAT ASPECTS OF THE LEGISLATION HAVE REGIONAL DISPARITIES. THE SECOND TERM SENATOR FROM RED OAK APPLAUDED IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS AND THE STATE’S REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, SAYING THEY HAD MANAGED IOWA’S BUDGET VERY WELL.
CITIES ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WILL TAKE PART IN A GLOBAL ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WHERE PLASTIC POLLUTION COMES FROM AND HOW IT ENDS UP IN WATERWAYS. THE PROJECT WAS ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY AND IS A FIRST STEP TOWARD SOLVING ONE OF THE TOP ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES FOR THE WORLD’S OCEANS. LEADERS OF THE EFFORT SAY “CITIZEN SCIENTISTS” WILL BE ABLE TO USE A MOBILE APPLICATION TO LOG TYPES AND LOCATIONS OF LITTER FOUND ALONG THE RIVER. THE MISSISSIPPI DRAINS 40% OF THE CONTINENTAL U.S. – ULTIMATELY INCLUDING ALL OF IOWA – AND SENDS HUGE VOLUMES OF PLASTICS INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.
LIVE COVERAGE OF UNI PANTHER MEN’S BASKETBALL AT THE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT BEGINS AT 7:30 HERE ON KXEL. ALSO IN SPORTS TONIGHT, IOWA STATE TRAVELS TO TEXAS TECH AT 6 P.M. AND IOWA HOSTS NEBRASKA STARTING AT 8.
