WASHINGTON, D.C. (Iowa’s News Now) — A second ballot for speaker failed to elect someone to the position in the U.S. House. Congresswoman Marianette Miller-Meeks (R-IA01) was among a handful of GOP members to change their vote from the first ballot, away from Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio. In a statement early Wednesday evening, the Congresswoman said she’s now receiving death threats for changing her vote. “I have received death threats and a barrage of threatening calls,” the Congresswoman said on Twitter/X. “The proper authorities have been notified and my office is cooperating fully.” Rep. Miller-Meeks changed her vote, citing concerns she had before the first ballot, when she chose to vote for Jordan in the spirit of party unity. But now she believes he will not get the votes needed.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (Iowa’s News Now) – A 25-year-old Cedar Rapids man has now been arrested following an investigation into a sexual assault in Iowa City earlier this month. Anthony Cotner, Jr. now faces one count of Second-Degree Sexual Abuse. Police asked for the public’s help in the investigation into the October 7 sexual assault just east of the pedestrian mall last week. Police said the assault happened around 1:30 a.m. that Saturday morning, while the victim was walking near an alley in the 200 block of South Van Buren Street.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Iowa’s News Now) – Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley says he expects the current farm bill to be extended for another year. He made the comments during his weekly press call Wednesday, saying it’s not ideal, since the current law hasn’t changed in five years, and a lot has changed over that time. “There seems to be no willingness on the part of the chairman to let us take money from one title and put it in another title, and that’s a major obstacle to getting a bill moving in the United States Senate,” Grassley said. “So I see by now through the last half of October until Christmas Eve, that we were not going to have time even if the House picks a speaker yesterday.” Grassley said lawmakers aren’t putting in the work to get things done.
WELLSBURG, Iowa (KXEL) – An early morning fire in a Grundy County corn field resulted in two combines being destroyed. Wellsburg fire officials were called to a field owned by Rick DeGroote around 2:45 a.m. Wednesday. They found two combines and two combine heads on fire. All are considered a complete loss. A third combine and head were moved from the area and had minimal damage.
