From the Associated Press:
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s four congressional districts would include two that lean heavily toward Republicans, one that favors Democrats and one that both parties would have a chance at winning under proposed redistricting maps from a nonpartisan agency. The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency must follow detailed guidelines to ensure population balance among Iowa’s congressional districts and to prevent political influence in the initial drafting of changes. The newly drawn lines also appear to place 54 state lawmakers in districts with another incumbent, forcing people to run against each other, move or quit. Public hearings are set for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The Legislature then is scheduled to meet in special session beginning Oct. 5.
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — The last remaining dog-racing park in Iowa is closing amid a shortage of available greyhounds and the overall collapse of the racing industry. The Telegraph Herald reports that the Iowa Greyhound Park in Dubuque is hoping for one last season in 2022. Plans call for it to be shortened, lasting just a month or two, compared to 112 days of racing this year. But the park’s general manager, Brian Carpenter, conceded that even that may not be feasible. Dogs that raced in Dubuque frequently split their time between Iowa Greyhound Park and tracks in Florida, allowing the dogs to race year-round. But Florida got rid of greyhound racing. Carpenter said he doesn’t know if the park will get enough dogs.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is expected to receive 695 Afghan evacuees from the first group of arrivals to be resettled in the United States. The Biden administration on Wednesday began notifying governors and state refugee coordinators across the country about how many of the nearly 37,000 arrivals from that first wave are slated to be resettled in their states. A spokesman for the Iowa Department of Human Services says the evacuees coming to Iowa will be going to the major populated area such as the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids metro areas where there are resources and jobs and support systems for them.
DAKOTA CITY, Nebraska (AP) — Construction is starting on a Nebraska plant that will pretreat animal fat for eventual conversion into renewable diesel fuel. The Sioux City Journal reports that the JST Global facility is a joint venture between Tyson Foods’ and Jacob Stern & Sons. It will be built on 6.5 acres next to Tyson’s flagship beef plant in Dakota City and will complement a similar JST plant in Houston. Construction begins this week, with plans to have it up and running by the end of 2022. It will employ 22 people, including management and operations.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The number of new coronavirus cases in Iowa in the past seven days surged 51% compared to the previous week, and new COVID-19 hospital admissions also increased along with the number of patients requiring intensive care. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported Wednesday there were 11,588 new positive cases in the past seven days. Another 64 deaths raised the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Iowa to 6,401. Iowa’s seven-day moving average of cases is at 1,487 new cases per day, a level not seen since the middle of last January. The 14-day rolling total of people in intensive care reached 2,107, the most since last Christmas. About 87% of ICU patients are not fully vaccinated.
ANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) — A judge has sentenced a second inmate to life in prison for the beating deaths of two workers at an Iowa prison during a failed escape attempt in March. Michael Dutcher, 28, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Anamosa State Penitentiary correctional officer Robert McFarland and nurse Lorena Schulte. He also pleaded guilty to kidnapping another prison worker during the failed escape and to attempted murder for the beating of an inmate who tried to stop the attack. Judge Fae Hoover-Grinde sentenced Dutcher to back to back life sentences plus another 50 years behind bars for the crimes. Last month, she sentenced inmate Thomas Woodard to life for his role in the attacks.
