SPEAKING AT THE STATE CAPITOL ON MONDAY, IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SPOKE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CALLING OUT THE NATIONAL GUARD TO LIMIT RIOTING IN MANY OF THE STATE’S LARGEST CITIES. IOWA HAS EXPERIENCED A WIDE SPECTRUM OF PROTESTS RELATED TO THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD IN MINNEAPOLIS. SINCE THE WEEKEND, VIOLENT INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY NOTABLE IN DES MOINES AND DAVENPORT. INCIDENTS INVOLVING PROPERTY DAMAGE HAVE BEEN REPORTED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS IN THE IOWA CITY AREA AND OVERNIGHT IN WATERLOO.
MORE DETAILS BECAME AVAILABLE MONDAY ABOUT A SECOND ARREST RELATED TO THE DISAPPEARANCE OF TWO PEOPLE FROM ARIZONA. OVER THE WEEKEND, THE BODIES OF ELISSA LANDRY AND DAVID BATTEN WERE DISCOVERED, BURIED ALONG WITH LANDRY’S VEHICLE IN EVANSDALE. ALLAN THOMAS TUCKER WAS ARRESTED FRIDAY. AUTHORITIES ALLEGE THAT TUCKER USED HEAVY DIGGING EQUIPMENT TO BURY THE SUBURU SUV WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF A SEARCH IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY. HE IS ACCUSED OF ABUSE OF A CORPSE. TUCKER IS THE FATHER OF MITCHELL MINKS – LANDRY’S BOYFRIEND – WHO HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A PERSON OF INTEREST IN THE CASE.
DETAILS ABOUT HOW AND IF THE IOWA STATE FAIR WILL BE HELD ARE EXPECTED BY MID-MONTH. STATE FAIR ADMINISTRATORS PLAN A JUNE 15TH ANNOUNCEMENT. SOME BANDS ON THE FAIR SCHEDULE HAVE ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL NOT BE TOURING THIS SUMMER. YESTERDAY, CEDAR VALLEY PRIDEFEST BECAME THE LATEST EVENT TO BE POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
SPEAKING ON THE SENATE FLOOR MONDAY, IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY TALKED ABOUT THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD AND ITS REVERBERATIONS IN THE FORM OF WIDESPEAD AND SOMETIMES VIOLENT PROTESTS. GRASSLEY WENT ON TO SAY THAT CONGRESS SHOULD REACT BY WEIGHING REFORMS TO ADDRESS THE USE OF FORCE BY POLICE.
SEVERAL IMPORTANT POLITICAL QUESTIONS ARE LIKELY TO BE ANSWERED BY TODAY’S PRIMARY ELECTION. THE NOTABLE STATEWIDE RACE WILL DETERMINE THE DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER TO REPUBLICAN SENATOR JONI ERNST. NOTABLE REPUBLICAN RACES INCLUDE THE FIRST, SECOND, AND FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS…IN THE FOURTH, STEVE KING, THE STATE’S LONE REPUBLICAN MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS BEING CHALLENGED BY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTY. THIS MORNING DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL, IOWA SECRETARY OF STATE PAUL PATE TALKED ABOUT IN-PERSON VOTING TODAY, EVEN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT REGISTERED. POLLING LOCATIONS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE OPEN UNTIL 9 PM.
GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL AND HIGH WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN NORTHERN IOWA TONIGHT, AS FAR SOUTH AS THE CEDAR VALLEY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDED THAT HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHERN COUNTIES AND PARTS OF MINNESOTA. STORMS COULD INCLUDES WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 60 MILES PER HOUR.
FOUR DAYS OF PROTESTS IN DES MOINES AND SPORADIC VIOLENCE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE BROUGHT GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS AND OTHER LEADERS TO A PUBLIC BRIEFING ON THE SITUATION MONDAY. MEANWHILE, REYNOLDS SAYS SHE IS WORKING WITH OFFICIALS IN VARIOUS IOWA CITIES TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND COORDINATE A RESPONSE THAT WILL LIMIT DAMAGE WHEN DEMONSTRATIONS ROIL OVER. THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE MAJORITY OF PROTESTERS WHO HAVE ACTED PEACEFULLY DELIVERED A POWERFUL MESSAGE.
IT WAS AN UNFORTUNATE CASE OF MISIDENTIFICATION AMPLIFIED BY SOCIAL MEDIA. CONCERNS THAT LOOSE BRICKS HAD BEEN STACKED IN DOWNTOWN CEDAR RAPIDS IN PREPARATION FOR LOOTERS AND RIOTERS WERE UNFOUNDED, EXPLAINED CITY OFFICIALS. THE BRICKS HAD BEEN PLACED ON SOME CURBS BY UTILITY CREWS WORKING ON A DOWNTOWN LIGHTING PROJECT. ALLIANT ENERGY GATHERED THE BRICKS AND TOOK THEM AWAY YESTERDAY. IN AN UNRELATED STATEMENT, CEDAR RAPIDS MAYOR BRAD HART VOWED MAKE CEDAR RAPIDS A WELCOMING, SAFE AND FAIR PLACE TO LIVE, WHERE EVERYONE IS VALUED.
THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS WARNING OF A PHONE SCAM. SEVERAL REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED ABOUT SOMEONE MISREPRESENTING THEMSELVES AS A DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL NAMED MAJOR WALKER. AS PART OF THE SCAM THE CALL RECIPIENT AS ASKED TO PAY A FEE TO AVOID AN ARREST WARRANT. THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS TO IGNORE SUCH CALLS IF YOU RECEIVE THEM.
