ACCESS TO HIGH-SPEED INTERNET IN RURAL AREAS WAS A KEY ISSUE DURING THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED IOWA LEGISLATED SESSION. IT IS ALSO A TOPIC ON THE MINDS OF CONGRESSMEN IN WASHINGTON. FOURTH DISTRICT IOWA REPRESENTATIVE RANDY FEENSTRA SPOKE THIS WEEK DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WEB ACCESS TO RURAL RESIDENTS. FEENSTRA IS COSPONSORING THE FEDERAL RURAL STEM EDUCATION RESEARCH ACT. THE BILL WOULD SPUR STUDIES INTO HOW HIGH-SPEED INTERNET CAN BE DELIVERED BETTER IN RURAL AREAS.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA PROVIDED NEW CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE TO STUDENTS AND STAFF THURSDAY. IN AN EMAIL, PRESIDENT MARK NOOK NOTED THAT CAMPUS BUILDINGS WILL TRANSITION BACK TO NORMAL CAPACITY. HE OFFERED A REMINDER THAT THE UNI HEALTH CENTER IS OFFERING THREE FREE COVID-19 VACCINATION CLINICS NEXT WEEK OPEN TO UNI STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, AND EVEN FAMILY MEMBERS. A NEW STATE LAW SIGNED THIS WEEK ALSO PROHIBITED MASK MANDATES BY IOWA SCHOOLS, INCLUDING REGENTS UNIVERSITIES.
A MONTHLY SURVEY OF BANKERS IN RURAL PARTS OF 10 PLAINS AND WESTERN STATES REACHED A NEW RECORD FOR OPTIMISM. THE INDEX OF THE RURAL MAINSTREET SURVEY CLIMBED TO 78.8. ANY SCORE ABOVE 50 SUGGESTS A GROWING ECONOMY. CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY ECONOMIST ERNIE GOSS CREDITS GAINS IN GRAIN PRICES, RECORD-LOW INTEREST RATES AND GROWING EXPORTS. HE NOTED CONCERNS ABOUT LABOR SHORTAGES.
A LONGSTANDING EFFORT TO PROVIDE MORE MONEY FOR RURAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES APPEARS TO HAVE FINALLY SUCCEEDED IN THE IOWA LEGISLATURE. AS THE STATE HOUSE AND SENATE ADJOURNED THIS WEEK, LEGISLATORS PASSED A MEASURE CREATING A PROPERTY TAX FUNDING STRUCTURE FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES. LOCAL DISTRICTS RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING EMS TAX RATES MAY NOW BE FORMED WITH A LIMIT OF ONE DOLLAR IN TAX FOR EACH THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUATION. RURAL AMBULENCE CORPS LEADERS HAD SUGGESTED THAT WITHOUT THE LEGISLATION MANY COMMUNITIES WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO COMBINE THEIR EMS SERVICES DUE TO A LACK OF FUNDING.
AS MEAT PRICES HAVE RISEN IN STORES, INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS HAVE RARELY BENEFITTED, ACCORDING TO IOWA FOURTH DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN RANDY FEENSTRA. DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL, FEENSTRA TALKED ABOUT ANTICOMPETITIVE BEHAVIOR IN THE BEEF SUPPLY CHAIN. FEENSTRA SAYS HE IS PUSHING THE HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARINGS ON THE TOPIC. HEAR FEENSTRA’S FULL KXEL INTERVIEW AT KXEL.COM.
THE UNI PANTHER MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM IS GOING TO HAWAII FOR CHRISTMAS. UNI WILL TAKE THE COURT FOR THE DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC, WHICH BEGINS ON DECEMBER 22ND. THE PANTHERS ALSO PLAYED IN THE EVENT BACK IN 2015. OTHER PARTICIPATING TEAMS INCLUDE STANFORD, VANDERBILT, AND BYU. UNI’S FIRST ROUND OPPONENT AND A BRACKET FOR THE EVENT HAVE NOT YET BEEN RELEASED.
MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING WAS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION THROUGHOUT IOWA’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION. STATE SENATOR LIZ MATHIS OF HIAWATHA IS THE RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER ON THE SENATE HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE. ON KXEL THIS MORNING, SHE SAID THE REPUBLICAN SOLUTION CREATES MORE GOVERNMENT. FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH WILL NOW PASS THROUGH DES MOINES BEFORE BEING MOVED TO LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH REGIONS. THE PLAN REMOVES LOCAL PROPERTY TAX LEVIES FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
GRADUATION ATTENDANCE LIMITS FOR CEDAR RAPIDS PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN DROPPED. KENNEDY, WASHINGTON, AND JEFFERSON WILL EACH HOLD COMMENCEMENT NEXT WEEK AT ALLIANT ENERGY POWERHOUSE DOWNTOWN. THE CEDAR RAPIDS COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS MASKS WILL BE OPTIONAL DURING THOSE EVENTS. MEANWHILE, WATERLOO SCHOOLS WILL HOLD GRADUATION CEREMONIES FOR EAST AND WEST HIGH AT YOUNG ARENA TUESDAY AND THURSDAY RESPECTIVELY. CEDAR FALLS FAMILIES WILL ALSO MAKE THEIR WAY TO YOUNG ARENA MAY 30TH. MANY SCHOOLS ARE ALSO OFFERING LIVE VIDEO STREAMS OF THEIR COMMENCEMENTS.
BEFORE YOU HEAD FOR THE WATER THIS WEEKEND, THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SUGGESTS AVOIDING ONE SPOT IN NORTHEAST IOWA. LOW WATER LEVELS AT THE LANSING VILLAGE CREEK BOAT RAMP COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO WATER CRAFT. THE DNR IS ENCOURAGING BOATERS TO USE OTHER ACCESS POINTS TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, INCLUDING SOME LOCATIONS ACROSS THE RIVER IN WISCONSIN.
