THE CLOSE ELECTION AND CONTINUING DISPUTE OVER RESULTS IN IOWA’S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT HAS BROUGHT CONGRESSWOMAN MARIANETTE MILLER-MEEKS INTO THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT. SHE RECENTLY JOINED FOX’S “SPECIAL REPORT WITH BRET BAIER” PROGRAM TO DISCUSS THE CONTROVERSY. MEEKS WON THE RACE BY SIX VOTES OVER DEMOCRAT RITA HART, WHO IS CHALLENGING THE RESULTS IN FRONT OF THE U.S. HOUSE.
DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR ERIC GIDDENS EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS OVER REPUBLICAN-LED CHANGES TO IOWA’S ELECTION LAW. GIDDENS WAS A GUEST ON KXEL’S IOWA THIS WEEK PROGRAM AND OBSERVED THAT REPUBLICANS OUTPERFORMED DEMOCRATS AMIDST A RECORD TURNOUT IN NOVEMBER. MODIFICATIONS TO ELECTION RULES WILL REDUCE THE EARLY VOTING WINDOW IN FUTURE GENERAL ELECTION CYCLES, AMONG OTHER CHANGES. HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH STATE SENATOR ERIC GIDDENS OF CEDAR FALLS AT KXEL.COM.
EVEN AFTER THE SNOW, SLIPPERY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST, PARTICULARLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE U.S. HIGHWAY 20 CORRIDOR. SEVERAL INCHES OF ACCUMULATION ARE EXPECTED, ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS AS MANY SCHOOLS ARE IRONICALLY OFF FOR THE FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF SPRING BREAK. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS: EXPECT TRAVEL IMPACTS TODAY, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE SNOW IS TRANSITIONING INTO FREEZING DRIZZLE.
LARGE NUMBERS OF MEAT PACKING WORKERS AT TYSON’S WATERLOO FACILITY ARE RECEIVING COVID-19 INOCULATIONS. APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF PLANT PERSONNEL HAD BEEN VACCINATED AS OF THE END OF LAST WEEK AFTER THE FIRST DOSES WERE GIVEN AT COMPANY CLINICS MARCH 3RD. THAT INCLUDES SOME OF THE FIRST ONE-SHOT JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINES IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY. MORE THAN 1,000 WATERLOO TYSON EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS LAST YEAR, AND THE PLANT IS LINKED TO AT LEAST SIX WORKER DEATHS. SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN VACCINE SUPPLIES HAVE LED TO MORE THAN ONE MILLION VACCINE DOSES BEING ADMINISTERED IN IOWA.
AN INCREASE IN MIGRANTS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER HAS MANY POLITICIANS TALKING ABOUT IMMIGRATION. IOWA SENATOR JONI ERNST, JOINED “FOX AND FRIENDS” TO LOOK AT THE SITUATION. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAID LAST WEEK THAT THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY WILL MANAGE AND CARE FOR RECORD NUMBERS OF UNACCOMPANIED IMMIGRANT CHILDREN COMING INTO THE U.S. FROM MEXICO. GOVERNMENT FIGURES SHOW HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN ILLEGALLY ENTER THE U.S. DAILY ACROSS THE BORDER.
IN SPORTS, KXEL BRINGS YOU UNI PANTHER VOLLEYBALL TODAY. THE PANTHERS MEET VALPARAISO, AFTER A FIVE SET LOSS IN THE FIRST GAME OF THE SERIES ON SUNDAY. COVERAGE OF THE MATCH IN NORTHWEST INDIANA BEGINS AT 3:45, HERE ON YOUR HOME FOR UNI ATHLETICS, NEWS/TALK 1540 KXEL.
INVESTIGATORS IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA ARE SEEKING MORE INFORMATION AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF WHAT APPEAR TO BE HUMAN REMAINS LATE LAST WEEK. MASON CITY POLICE SAY A RESIDENT FOUND BONES, ALONG WITH CLOTHING, ON THURSDAY ON THE SHORE OF THE WINNEBAGO RIVER. OFFICERS SEARCHED THE AREA AND FOUND ADDITIONAL BONES. THE IOWA STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER IS ALSO INVESTIGATING.
EVANSDALE WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS THE COMMUNITY’S MUNICIPAL BUDGET TOMORROW NIGHT. THE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR 6 O’CLOCK IN CONJUNCTION THE EVANSDALE CITY COUNCIL SESSION. THE BUDGET ESTIMATE FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR IS 9.8 MILLION DOLLARS.
IOWA SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE PROPOSING AN EXPANDED SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM. CEDAR FALLS STATE SENATOR ERIC GIDDENS SAYS THE PLAN WOULD USE STATE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT A WIDER GROUP OF COMPANIES THAN RECEIVED GRANTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN 2020. GIDDENS WAS A GUEST DURING KXEL’S IOWA THIS WEEK PROGRAM. HEAR MORE OF HIS COMMENTS DURING NEXT HOUR’S KXEL NEWSCAST.
IOWA GAS PRICES HAVE BEEN CLIMBING IN STEP WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THE REST OF THE NATION. THE AVERAGE U.S. PRICE OF REGULAR-GRADE GASOLINE JUMPED 25 CENTS A GALLON OVER THE PAST THREE WEEKS. HIGHER CRUDE OIL COSTS AND THE LINGERING EFFECTS OF LAST MONTH’S POWER OUTAGES AT SEVERAL TEXAS REFINERIES ARE AMONG THE CAUSES OF RISING PUMP PRICES. OVER A LONGER TERM THE TREND HAS POINTED UP; BACK AT THANKSGIVING, AVERAGE NATIONAL PRICES WERE AROUND 2.17 PER GALLON.
