VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS IS VISITING THE SOUTHERN BORDER IN EL PASO, TEXAS WITH HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS TODAY. IT IS A TRIP IOWA CONGRESSWOMAN ASHLEY HINSON HAS PUSHED HARRIS TO MAKE THROUGHOUT THE SPRING. HINSON REMAINED CRITICAL OF THE VICE PRESIDENT AS NEWS OF THE BORDER TOUR WAS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK. HINSON MADE THOSE COMMENTS DURING THE “FOX AND FRIENDS FIRST” PROGRAM. HARRIS’ BORDER VISIT INCLUDES A TOUR OF A BORDER PATROL PROCESSING CENTER AND MEETINGS WITH ADVOCATES FROM FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS SHELTER AND LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS.
A SUIT AGAINST TYSON FOODS FOLLOWING THE COVID-19-RELATED DEATHS OF TWO WORKERS IS BEING SHIFTED TO FEDERAL COURT. THE CASE WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR BLACK HAWK COUNTY AND WAS INITIATED BY THE FAMILIES OF JEFFREY ORVIS AND ARTHUR SCOTT. ORVIS WORKED AT THE TYSON OPERATION IN INDEPENDENCE, WHILE SCOTT WAS EMPLOYED AT A FACILITY IN WATERLOO. BOTH DIED LAST APRIL. TYSON ATTORNEYS REQUESTED THAT THE ACTION BE MOVED FROM STATE TO FEDERAL COURT, ARGUING THAT THE COMPANY’S DECISIONS AT THAT TIME WERE BASED ON GUIDANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.
PICTURES OF FORMER SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AS BANNERS ON LIGHT POLES IN CEDAR RAPIDS. OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 TALKED WITH NAVY VETERAN WILLIAM ROWAN, ONE OF THOSE BEING HONORED DURING FREEDOM FESTIVAL. SEVENTY-SIX LOCAL VETERANS ARE BEING RECOGNIZED DURING FREEDOM FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES.
ALCOHOL IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN THE CRASH OF A UTILITY VEHICLE WHICH INJURED ONE MAN NEAR PRAIRIEBURG IN LINN COUNTY THURSDAY. RESPONDING DEPUTIES SAY THE ATV TIPPED TO THE DRIVER’S SIDE AND ROLLED OVER. 38-YEAR-OLD CHARLES RATCLIFF WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO A CEDAR RAPIDS HOSPITAL. A PASSENGER WAS UNINJURED IN THE CRASH. THE LINN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS PURSUING AN OWI INVESTIGATION AFTER REPORTEDLY FINDING OPEN ALCOHOL CONTAINERS AT THE SCENE.
TWO UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA ATHLETES HAVE BEEN NAMED TO THE U.S. PARALYMPIC TEAM WHICH WILL COMPETE IN TOKYO THIS SUMMER. JESSICA HEIMS WILL GO TO THE PARALYMPICS FOR A SECOND TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUS COMPETITION. THE SWISHER NATIVE COMPETES WITH A PROSTHETIC BELOW HER RIGHT KNEE. ERIN KERKHOFF IS A COMPETITOR IN SPRINT EVENTS. KIRKHOFF IS ORIGINALLY FROM SOLON AND RUNS DESPITE A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT.
THE STURGIS FALLS CELEBRATION IS GETTING UNDERWAY TODAY. THE ANNUAL COMMUNITY FESTIVAL RETURNS AFTER BEING CANCELLED IN 2020 DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. ORGANIZERS ARE STILL TRYING TO PROVIDE SOCIAL DISTANCING OPPORTUNITIES. FESTIVAL VICE PRESIDENT PETE DOWNS SAYS PICNIC TABLES WILL HELP BREAK UP THE CROWDS LISTENING TO MUSIC, AND SOME OF THOSE TABLES WILL BE OF THE MAKE-SHIFT VARIETY. DOWNS WAS A GUEST THIS MORNING DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. DETAILS ABOUT STURGIS FALLS ACTIVITIES CAN BE FOUND AT STURGISFALLS.ORG.
EL PASO, TEXAS, IS THE DESTINATION ON THE U.S. SOUTHERN BORDER WHICH VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS IS VISITING TODAY. FIRST DISTRICT IOWA CONGRESSWOMAN ASHLEY HINSON HAS CALLED THE WHITE HOUSE’S RESPONSE TO THE FLOW OF CENTRAL AMERICAN MIGRANTS “A FAILURE.” HINSON ASSESSED THE BORDER SITUATION AND VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS’ VISIT ON THE “FOX AND FRIENDS FIRST” PROGRAM. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THEY ARE FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF WHY MIGRANTS ARE CROSSING INTO THE U-S AFTER MAKING THE PEROULOUS JOURNEY FROM COUNTRIES LIKE GUATAMALA AND EL SALVADOR.
ALL FOUR MEMBERS OF IOWA’S DELEGATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES INTRODUCED A BILL WHICH IS ON ITS WAY TO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN. THE SGT. KETCHUM RURAL VETERANS’ MENTAL HEALTH ACT WILL SPUR NEW VA MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS MANDATING A STUDY OF HOW SERVICES CAN BE EXPANDED FOR VETERANS IN RURAL AREAS. AFTER PREVIOUSLY CLEARING THE HOUSE, THE BILL PASSED THE SENATE THURSDAY WITH COMPLETE SUPPORT FROM ALL 100 SENATORS. THE LEGISLATION IS NAMED FOR DAVENPORT MARINE SGT. BRANDON KETCHUM, WHO TOOK HIS OWN LIFE IN 2016.
A 19-YEAR-OLD DRIVER LED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON A CHASE BEFORE CRASHING IN CEDAR FALLS. DETAILS RELEASED ABOUT THE EARLY TUESDAY ACCIDENT ALLEDGE THAT REJUN JAMES WAS TRAVELING 35 MILES OVER THE SPEED LIMIT AND WOULD NOT PULL OVER AS POLICE PURSUED HIM. THE CHASE ENDED WHEN JAMES’ VEHICLE CRASHED INTO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT ON WEST FIRST STREET. JAMES IS CHARGED WITH SEVERAL TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
