Democrats are looking to move forward with their HR-1 bill, that would dramatically alter voting laws in this country, taking oversight and regulation away from state officials. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa is strongly opposed to the bill. Sen. Ernst spoke on “Fox and Friends” on the Fox News Channel earlier this week.
A northeast Iowa man is scheduled to be sentenced next month for the death of the 4-month-old nephew of his ex-girlfriend. 24-year-old Dean Hettinger of Westgate was convicted last week of first-degree murder and child endangerment, and therefore faces life in prison. The baby, Holten Smith, was being cared for by his aunt and Hettinger in April 2018 when he was abused. A search warrant said the couple took the infant to a hospital after he was found twitching, stopped crying and was unresponsive. He died about a month later.
Drake men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries has agreed to an eight-year contract extension through 2028-2029. DeVries, who played for UNI, has led the Bulldogs to 20-win seasons each of his first three years at the school. Drake’s 25 wins this season are third-most in the nation. The Bulldogs play Wichita State in an NCAA First Four game today. Terms of the extension weren’t announced. DeVries has twice been named the Missouri Valley Conference coach of the year.
The president’s next legislative goal, after the so-called American Rescue Plan, is a major infrastructure bill. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa told Fox News this week that Democrats are intent on moving forward on that bill without Republican input. The current administration has proposed two trillion dollars in accelerated investments to shift to cleaner energy, build 500,000 charging stations for electric cars, and support public transit while also rebuilding roads and bridges.
The Iowa Utilities Board and 211 Iowa are partnering to address concerns that some Iowa residents are experiencing difficulty in connecting with 211 Iowa services. 211 Iowa is a free, comprehensive information and referral system linking Iowa residents to health and human service programs, community services, disaster services and governmental programs. The 211 service is also providing vaccine navigator services to assist qualified Iowans seeking to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Some residents in Marion County and the 319 area code have reported issues when dialing 211 from their landline phones. Calls have failed to connect or result in an automated message that the number has been disconnected. The IUB is working to identify the source of the issue.
The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is expanding visiting hours for adult inpatients, due to a decline in community infection rates. Beginning today, one visitor is allowed per patient per day during the hours of 3 to 7 p.m. Other restrictions apply depending on the patient’s age and condition.
The Iowa House passed a bill this week banning race and sex “scapegoating” and “stereotyping” training at state agencies, including the state’s Regent universities. House File 802 would also ban training and teachings that include “divisive concepts” at state agencies, public universities as well as Iowa’s public K-12 schools. The bill passed the House by a 59-38 vote and now heads to the Iowa Senate.
