HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CROWDED A ROADSIDE IN INDEPENDENCE ON SUNDAY AS A PROCESSION RETURNED THE BODY OF STATE PATROL SERGEANT JIM SMITH. OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 TALKED WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE PAYING THEIR RESPECTS, INCLUDING MICHELLE WILLIAMS. TROOPER SMITH WAS KILLED FRIDAY DURING A STANDOFF IN GRUNDY CENTER. THE SUSPECT IN THAT SITUATION WAS CRITICALLY WOUNDED, AND HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR SMITH’S DEATH.
WATERLOO STATE REPRESENTATIVE RAS SMITH EXPRESSED HIS DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE LACK OF COVID-19 BUSINESS RELIEF ORIGINATING FROM STATE RESERVES. SMITH WAS A GUEST DURING KXEL’S IOWA THIS WEEK PROGRAM. HE SAID MAJORITY REPUBLICANS HAVE LOOKED TO WASHINGTON AND TAKEN A WAIT-AND-SEE APPROACH. HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEW AT KXEL.COM.
DR. HARI OSOFSKY WILL VISIT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA THIS WEEK. OSOFSKY IS ONE OF THE FINALISTS FOR THE “U OF I” PRESIDENT’S JOB. SHE IS CURRENTLY THE DEAN OF THE PENN STATE LAW SCHOOL. OSOFSKY WILL SPEAK DURING A PUBLIC FORUM AT 3:30 TODAY, WHICH WILL BE WECBAST THROUGH THE IOWA BOARD OF REGENTS’ SITE.
THE VICTIM OF A CEDAR RAPIDS HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT WAS RELEASED FROM A HOSPITAL OVER THE WEEKEND. 63-YEAR-OLD ANDREW SORENSON SPENT NEARLY A WEEK IN MEDICAL CARE AFTER HE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND WHILE ON A MOTORCYCLE ON APRIL 4TH. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AT 7TH STREET SOUTHWEST AND 2ND AVENUE. CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A LATE MODEL RED SUV THAT IS SEEN PUSHING THE MOTORCYCLE ON HOME SECURITY VIDEO. A CASH REWARD IS REPORTEDLY BEING OFFERED FOR INFORMATION IN THE CASE.
A BODY WAS RECOVERED FROM THE DES MOINES RIVER SATURDAY NEAR A PARK IN DES MOINES. OFFICIALS THERE SAY A FISHERMAN AND A CYCLIST RIDING ON A TRAIL BOTH SPOTTED THE BODY NEAR RIVERVIEW PARK AND CALLED POLICE. A POLK COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER WILL CONDUCT AN AUTOPSY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE MAN’S DEATH AND IDENTIFY HIM. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THE BODY MAY BE A MAN WHO JUMPED INTO THE RIVER AT PROSPECT PARK ON MARCH 17 AFTER FLEEING POLICE. AT THAT TIME, OFFICIALS SEARCHED UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR THAT MAN AND ARE LOOKING INTO THE POTENTIAL CONNECTION.
SPECULATION ABOUT 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RACES IN IOWA HASN’T INCLUDED MANY SPECIFICS ABOUT POTENTIAL MATCH UPS. DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL ON FRIDAY, LEE ENTERPRISES’ DES MOINES BUREAU CHIEF ERIN MURPHY PROVIDED HIS INSIGHTS ON THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE. REPUBLICANS CONTROL THREE OF IOWA’S FOUR SEATS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AFTER LAST NOVEMBER’S ELECTION. THAT’S A REVERSAL OF THE 2018 CYCLE, WHEN DEMOCRATS REPRESENTED THREE OF FOUR DISTRICTS.
IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS WILL ASK RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO LOWER FLAGS AND JOIN WITH STATE FACILITIES IN COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF STATE PATROL SERGEANT JIM SMITH. FRIDAY, SMITH WAS KILLED IN A VIOLENT CONFRONTATION WITH A MAN BARRICADING HIMSELF INSIDE A GRUNDY CENTER HOME. FLAGS WILL BE LOWERED ON THE DAY OF TROOPER SMITH’S BURIAL. HIS BODY WAS RETURNED TO HIS HOMETOWN OF INDEPENDENCE ON SUNDAY, WHERE LISA LANG WAS AMONG THE CROWD OF MOURNERS LINING THE STREET TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS. THAT AUDIO PROVIDED BY OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9.
IOWA SECOND DISTRICT CONGRESSWOMAN MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS FAMOUSLY WON HER SEAT IN NOVEMBER BY JUST SIX VOTES. SHE HAD RUN FOR THE OFFICE UNSUCCESSFULLY IN THREE PREVIOUS ELECTIONS. LEE ENTERPRISES DES MOINES BUREAU CHIEF ERIN MURPHY DOESN’T THINK MILLER-MEEKS’ 2022 RELECTION EFFORT WILL BE AGAINST HER 2020 OPPONENT RITA HART. HEAR MORE OF ERIN MURPHY’S ANALYSIS FROM HIS RECENT APPEARANCE ON KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL AT KXEL.COM.
4,571 IOWA BRIDGES NEED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THAT’S ACCORDING TO A STATE-BY-STATE BREAKDOWN OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS REPORTED BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. THE WHITE HOUSE IS PUSHING FOR A 2.3 TRILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE. IN ADDITION TO ROADS AND BRIDGES, THE FUNDING WOULD BE USED FOR ELECTRICAL GRID IMPROVEMENTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND OTHER PROJECTS.
