A CHICAGO HEROIN DEALER WILL SPEND AT LEAST 20 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR SELLING DRUGS IN THE CEDAR VALLEY. A WOMAN FROM CEDAR FALLS DIED IN THE LATE SUMMER OF 2018 AFTER BUYING AND USING HEROIN PROVIDED BY ERIC GRIGGS. POLICE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM AT THAT TIME BY TEXTING FROM THE WOMAN’S PHONE TO ARRANGE ANOTHER DEAL. ON THURSDAY, GRIGGS WAS CONVICTED DURING A FEDERAL JURY TRIAL IN CEDAR RAPIDS; SENTENCING WILL BE CONDUCTED DURING A FUTURE HEARING.
GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS TOLD A FOX NEWS TOWN HALL THURSDAY THAT FEDERAL AID TO RE-OPEN IOWA SCHOOLS ARRIVED WHEN IT WASN’T NEEDED. THE 95 MILLION DOLLARS CAME FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL. IN RETURNING THE MONEY, IOWA’S DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH SAID IT WOULD ACCEPT THE FUNDING IF IT COULD BE PUT TOWARD OTHER USES.
BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM ARE STILL DIGESTING PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S SPEECH TO CONGRESS ON WEDNESDAY. IOWA REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR JEFF KAUFMANN SHARED OBSERVATIONS ABOUT A FOREIGN POLICY ELEMENT OF THE SPEECH DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL ON THURSDAY. HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH JEFF KAUFMANN AT KXEL.COM.
THE FRONT OF A NORTH LIBERTY APARTMENT BUILDING WAS BADLY SCORCHED BY FIRE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. FIREFIGHTERS FROM THREE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED TO THE CALL. NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT SEVERAL RESIDENTS WERE DISPLACED. NORTH LIBERTY OFFICIALS ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
IOWA SENATORS CHUCK GRASSLEY AND JONI ERNST WERE PART OF A BIPARTISAN GROUP STANDING IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION TO CREATE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE ISSUE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY. DURING A PRESS EVENT IN FRONT OF THE CAPITOL THURSDAY, GRASSLEY SPOKE ABOUT THE BILL INTRODUCED BY NEW YORK SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND. OTHERS ON HAND IN SUPPORT OF THE MILITARY JUSTICE IMPROVEMENT AND INCREASING PREVENTION ACT INCLUDED TEXAS REPUBLICAN TED CRUZ AND DEMOCRATS RICHARD BLUMENTHAL OF CONNECTICUT AND MARK KELLY OF ARIZONA.
IOWA DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS SAY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HAS NOT RECEIVED ADEQUATE SUPPORT IN PRIOR STATE BUDGETS. POLK COUNTY STATE SENATOR NATE BOULTON TALKED TO OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9. STAFFING AND FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HAS COME INTO SHARP FOCUS AFTER AN ESCAPE ATTEMPT AT THE ANAMOSA STATE PENITENTIARY LED TO THE DEATHS OF TWO STAFF MEMBERS LAST MONTH.
MORE ILLICIT MATERIAL IS SEEPING INTO STATE PRISONS. CONTRABAND INCLUDING SYNTHETIC DRUGS IS BEING SHIPPED IN RIGHT THROUGH THE MAIL, ACCORDING TO AN INVESTIGATION AT THE CLARINDA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA. THAT HAS LED TO CHANGES IN WHAT ITEMS CAN BE PROVIDED TO INMATES. THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SAYS EVIDENCE COLLECTED IN RECENT DAYS WILL LIKELY LEAD TO CHARGES AGAINST THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTRABAND SCHEME.
WATERLOO RESIDENTS WILL TAKE A LOOK AT PRODUCE AND CRAFT GOODS ON SATURDAY MORNING IN A SURE SIGN OF SPRING. JESSICA RUCKER IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAIN STREET WATERLOO AND WAS A GUEST DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL THIS MORNING. RUCKER SAID THAT WHILE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WILL LIKELY BE LIMITED BECAUSE OF THE TIME OF YEAR, THE URBAN FARMER’S MARKET MIGHT BE THE PLACE TO FIND A GIFT FOR MOTHER’S DAY, WHICH IS JUST OVER A WEEK AWAY.
IOWA REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR JEFF KAUFMANN SIZED UP JOE BIDEN’S WEDNESDAY SPEECH TO CONGRESS DURING A RECENT INTERVIEW ON KXEL. REPUBLICANS HAVE CRITICIZED BIDEN’S AMERICAN JOBS PLAN OVER DIFFERENCES IN WHAT SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS INFRASTRUCTURE.
