AS A STALEMATE OVER COVID-19 RELIEF APPEARS CLOSE TO RESOLUTION, THE NEXT POLITICAL CLASH IN WASHINGTON LOOKS LIKELY TO BE OVER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CABINET PICKS. IOWA REPUBLICAN SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY MADE OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE HOLD UP OF SOME TRUMP ADMINISTRATION APPOINTEES DURING THE PAST FOUR YEARS. PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED PICKS TO LEAD SEVERAL KEY FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER IMPORTANT POSTS WHICH MUST BE CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE.
IOWA ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM MILLER SAYS GOOGLE HAS AN ILLEGAL MONOPOLY AMONG ONLINE SEARCH PLATFORMS. MILLER AND HIS COUNTERPARTS FROM 37 OTHER STATES HAVE FILED A FEDERAL ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST THE TECH GIANT. IN ADDITION TO PUSHING OUT POTENTIAL COMPETITION, THE SUIT CLAIMS GOOGLE IS ABLE TO USE ITS POSITION TO COLLECT VOLUMINOUS PERSONAL INFORMATION IN ORDER TO SUPPORT ITS ADVERTISING BUSINESS. IN A STATEMENT, MILLER NOTED THAT “GOOGLE HAS MORE DATA ON CONSUMERS…THAN PERHAPS ANY ENTITY IN HISTORY.” THE IOWA ATTORNEY GENERAL WAS ONE OF EIGHT ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR THE GROUP OF STATES BRINGING THE SUIT AGAINST GOOGLE.
CHRISTMAS EVE AND NEW YEAR’S EVE WILL BE WORK DAYS FOR TEST IOWA DRIVE THRU SITES. LOCATIONS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA WILL REMAIN OPEN FROM 8 A.M. TO 4 P.M. ON THOSE TWO DATES. TEST IOWA SAYS ITS SITES WILL BE CLOSED ON THE NEXT TWO FRIDAYS FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S DAY.
SEASONAL CHANGES TO THE WORKFORCE ARE OVERTAKING COVID-19 AS THE PRIMARY REASON IOWANS ARE SEEKING UNEMPLOYMENT AID. IOWA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SAYS MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE FILING FOR STATE ASSISTANCE ARE IN CYCLICAL INDUSTRIES LIKE CONSTRUCTION. THE LATEST IOWA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT REPORT COVERS THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF DECEMBER. NEW UNEMPLOYMENT FILINGS SLID TO JUST UNDER 7 THOUSAND WORKERS. STATEWIDE CONTINUING CLAIMS TOTALED OVER 38 THOUSAND PEOPLE.
WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS COULD DISAGREE ABOUT REQUIREMENTS CORONAVIRUS VACCINES ONCE THE INNOCULATIONS BECOME WIDELY AVAILABLE THIS SPRING. OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV9 TALKED WITH UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LAW PROFESSOR ANYA PRINCE ABOUT HOW FAR THOSE REQUIREMENTS CAN GO. PRINCE SAYS WORKERS DO HAVE PROTECTIONS, LIKE THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, BUT COMPANIES CAN MAKE THE SHOTS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT. MANY EMPLOYERS ARE STILL SORTING OUT THEIR COVID VACCINATION POLICIES AS THE INITIAL SHOTS ARE BEING GIVEN TO HOSPITAL WORKERS. THIS WEEK, THE U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION SAID THE GOVERNMENT’S EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION OF THE VACCINE DOES NOT LIMIT AN EMPLOYER’S LEGAL ABILITY TO REQUIRE IT.
THE IOWA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM TRIES TO END A LOSING STREAK TONIGHT, WHILE THE CYCLONE WOMEN HOPE TO KEEP WINNING. BOTH MEET BIG 12 OPPONENTS. THE IOWA STATE MEN VISIT WEST VIRGINIA WHILE THE WOMEN HOST KANSAS STATE.
FAMILIAR NAMES LIKE TOM VILSACK, JANET YELLEN AND PETE BUTTIGIEG ARE ON PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN’S LIST OF NOMINEES TO HEAD FEDERAL AGENCIES. SOME OF HIS PICKS’ PAST POLITICAL ACTIVITIES ARE LIKELY TO RECEIVE SCRUTINY FROM SENATE REPUBLICANS. IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY. ADMINISTRATION NOMINATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUPY A HEALTHY SHARE OF THE SENATE CALENDAR IN THE NEW YEAR. THE SENATE HAS A CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE TO ADVISE AND CONSENT REGARDING PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS.
CEDAR FALLS COULD TAKE STEPS TOWARDS CHANGING THE BALANCE OF RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE CITY’S MAYOR AND ITS CITY ADMINISTRATOR STARTING MONDAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL REVIEW A VARIETY OF POLICY SUGGESTIONS. THOSE INCLUDE CHANGING LANGUAGE DEFINING THE POSITION OF MAYOR, REDUCING THE SALARY FOR THE JOB, AND STRENGTHENING THE JOB PROTECTIONS FOR THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR. SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT SUCH ALTERATIONS SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A REFERENDUM. MONDAY’S CEDAR FALLS PUBLIC MEETING IS NOT A VOTING SESSION.
VOTERS IN THE WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT COULD DECIDE THE FATE OF A SCHOOL BUILDING PLAN THIS SPRING. SCHOOL LEADER SUGGEST TWO NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS COULD BE ON THE HORIZON FOR WAVERLY. IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE MADE TO THE SHELL ROCK BUILDING AND THE DISTRICT’S HIGH SCHOOL. THE 45 MILLION DOLLAR PLAN COULD GO TO VOTERS AS EARLY AS MARCH.
