STATE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS ARE BUILDING A FENCE AROUND THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION. IN A STATEMENT THE IOWA DEPARMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY NOTED THAT TERRACE HILL IS ONE OF THE FEW GOVERNOR’S RESIDENCES IN THE U.S. WITHOUT PERIMETER SECURITY FENCING. THREATS AGAINST ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS, HAVE BEEN RECEIVED DURING HER TERM. TERRACE HILL IS JUST WEST OF DOWNTOWN DES MOINES. THE FENCE WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS; IT’S WROUGHT IRON CONTRUCTION WILL BE IN KEEPING WITH THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE PROPERTY.
FLOOD PREVENTION WORK IS UNDERWAY TODAY IN THE CZECH VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD OF CEDAR RAPIDS. THE PROJECT IS PART OF CONTINUING MITIGATION WHICH BEGAN WITH THE CEDAR RIVER FLOODS OF 2008. MUCH OF THE WORK WILL INVOLVE UNDERGROUND STORMWATER SYSTEMS. OFFICIALS DO EXPECT CYCLISTS AND WALKERS USING THE CEDAR VALLEY NATURE TRAIL WILL SEE SOME DISRUPTIONS, BUT VEHICLE TRAFFIC IN THE AREA WILL NOT BE AFFECTED.
FINDING A JOB CAN BE MORE COMPLICATED THAN IN THE PAST. JOY BRISCOE IS TALENT ACQUSITION AND OUTREACH SPECIALIST FOR WATERLOO SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION TO HELPING THE DISTRICT FIND EMPLOYEES, BRISCOE ALSO WORKS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE JOB MARKET. HEAR KXEL’S ENTIRE INTERVIEW WITH BRISOE AT KXEL.COM.
IOWA SAYS “THANKS, BUT NO THANKS.” THE STATE HAS ASKED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO WITHHOLD MORE THAN ONE-QUARTER OF WEEKLY CORONAVIRUS VACCINES BECAUSE DEMAND FOR THE SHOTS HAS SLOWED. THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH WILL ONLY ACCEPT ABOUT HALF THE DOSES OF MODERNA VACCINE IT WAS SLATED TO RECEIVE THIS WEEK, AND A LITTLE OVER 90 PERCENT OF PFIZER DOSES. LAST WEEK, 43 OF THE STATE’S 99 COUNTIES HAD DECLINED ALL OR PART OF THEIR WEEKLY VACCINE ALLOCATIONS.
CENTER POINT CITY AND FIRE OFFICIALS BROKE GROUND ON A NEW FIRE STATION OVER THE WEEKEND. CENTER POINT MAYOR PAULA FREEMAN-BROWN TOOK A TURN WITH THE CEREMONIAL GOLD-PAINTED SHOVEL. SHE TALKED TO OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH THE 2.7 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT WILL PROVIDE. COMPLETION OF THE NEW CENTER POINT FIRE STATION IS TARGETTED FOR EARLY 2022.
A MARION CHURCH ORGANIZED A WALK THROUGH THE SUNDAY RAIN TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE LEAVING PRISON. TRENT TUEL OF CEDAR RAPIDS IS ONE OF THE FORMER INMATES WHO SHARED HIS STORY AND TALKED WITH TV-9. HOWEVER, TUEL SAYS THAT HAS CHANGED AFTER HE BECAME INVOLVED WITH HOPE CDA, A JOB TRAINING ORGANIZATION WITH TIES TO SEVERAL LINN COUNTY CHURCHES.
IOWA MEN – PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS – HAVE BEEN SLOW TO RECEIVE COVID-19 VACCINES. WITH THAT TREND TROUBLING PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS, FORMER IOWA HAWKEYE FOOTBALL STAR AND NFL TIGHT END DALLAS CLARK PUBLICLY RECEIVED HIS SECOND DOSE DURING AN EVENT IN SIOUX CITY. CLARK SAID HE HOPED EVERYONE WOULD DO THEIR PART AND BE MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT VACCINATIONS. IOWA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ADAM GREGG WAS ALSO INNOCULATED AT THE SAME TIME. JUST 44 PERCENT OF IOWA VACCINE DOSES HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO MEN.
JOY BRISCOE HAS A DUAL ROLE AT THE WATERLOO COMMUNITY SCHOOLS. THE DISTRICT’S TALENT ACQUISITION AND OUTREACH SPECIALIST IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BOTH FINDING CANDIDATES FOR VACANT STAFF POSITIONS AND CONNECTING CURRENT STUDENTS WITH JOB OPPORTUNITIES. BRISCOE TALKED ABOUT THAT RECENTLY ON KXEL. BRISCOE SAYS EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR MORE ATTRIBUTES THAN EVER WHEN THEY BRING IN TALENT. HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT FROM BRISCOE DURING NEXT HOUR’S KXEL NEWSCAST.
GAS PRICES ARE INCHING UP. A NATIONWIDE SURVEY SHOWS A TWO CENTS PER GALLON INCREASE OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, TIED TO RISING CRUDE OIL PRICES. THE RATE AT THE PUMP IS ABOUT 50 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR. MEANWHILE, IOWA TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS SAY TAX REVENUE FROM FUEL SALES IS DOWN. HOWEVER, IOWANS ARE BUYING VEHICLES, LEADING TO SALES TAXES AND REGISTRATION FEES THAT MORE THAN COVER THE DROP IN MONEY AVAILABLE FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR.
