IOWA’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDED JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT ON WEDNESDAY. ONE OF THE FINAL ACTIONS TO CLEAR THE LEGISLATURE WAS A BILL TO PREVENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM ENACTING THEIR OWN MASK MANDATES. GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS QUICKLY SIGNED THE ACT AND NOTED IN A STATEMENT THAT THE BILL PROTECTS “THE RIGHTS OF ALL IOWANS TO MAKE THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE DECISIONS.” PROVISIONS TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE JENNIFER KONFRST OF WINDSOR HEIGHTS SAYS THE BILL IS AN INFRINGEMENT ON LOCAL CONTROL. THE BILL ALSO PROHIBITS CITIES OR COUNTIES FROM MANDATING MASKS IN BUSINESSES.
DURING AN APPEARANCE ON KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL, U.S. SENATOR JONI ERNST OFFERED HER THOUGHTS ON ESCALATING CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS. FIGHTING IN GAZA CONTINUED INTO TODAY WITH ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES ANSWERING ROCKET ATTACKS FROM HAMAS-BACKED MILITANTS. THE CONFLICT BEGAN WITH A DISPUTE OVER OCCUPANCY OF SEVERAL HOMES IN EAST JERUSALEM.
SEVERAL COUNTY FACILITIES IN CEDAR RAPIDS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO RE-OPENING. DURING A MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, LINN COUNTY SUPERVISORS APPROVED A PLAN TO ALLOW ACCESS BEGINNING ON JUNE 7TH. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS CONSIDERING MEASURES WHICH WILL MAKE SOCIAL DISTANCING MORE LIKELY WHEN VARIOUS COUNTY OFFICES AND BUILDINGS DO OPEN THEIR DOORS.
HERITAGE ACTION SAYS THE GROUP WAS NOT INVOLVED IN SHAPING CHANGES TO IOWA ELECTION RULES WHICH WERE PASSED EARLIER THIS SPRING. A LAWYER FOR THE ORGANIZATION MADE THAT CLAIM THIS WEEK IN RESPONSE TO A LEGISLATIVE ETHICS COMPLAINT FILED BY IOWA DEMOCRATS. THE ISSUE CAME TO PROMINANCE AFTER HERITAGE ACTION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JESSICA ANDERSON TOLD DONORS THAT HER GROUP HAD BEEN INVOLVED. IN A VIDEO, ANDERSON NOTES THAT HERITAGE WORKED QUIETLY TO HELP DRAFT THE BILL. HOWEVER, THE ORGANIZATION IS NOT REGISTERED TO LOBBY ON THE ISSUE, WHICH WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF STATE ETHICS RULES. NEW RPROCEDURES FOR IOWA VOTING INCLUDE CHANGES TO THE ABSENTEE BALLOTING PROCESS AND TIMELINE.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE WORKING ON PLANS TO USE FEDERAL RESOURCES TO RECOVER FROM THE ACADEMIC HURDLES RAISED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WITH SCHOOL ROUTINES DISRUPTED BY THE CORONAVIRUS, MONEY FROM WASHINGTON IS IN PART INTENDED TO HELP STUDENTS CATCH UP. OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 TALKED WITH CEDAR RAPIDS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT NICOLE KOOIKER. CEDAR RAPIDS SCHOOLS ANTICIPATE RECEIVING 32.4 MILLION DOLLARS FROM WASHINGTON DURING THE 2021/22 SCHOOL YEAR.
A SWIMMING POOL AT THE NEW CEDAR FALLS HIGH SCHOOL IS GETTING AN INFUSION OF LOCAL CASH. AN UNNAMED DONOR HAS PLEDGED AS MUCH AS A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT TO MATCH DONATIONS BY OTHERS. THE POOL AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE WILL REQUIRE MORE THAN THREE MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDRAISING. THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN 2024.
MORE CHANGES ARE LIKELY TO BE COMING FOR COLLINS AEROSPACE EMPLOYEES IN EASTERN IOWA. PARENT COMPANY RAETHEON TECHNOLOGIES HOPES TO CONTINUE ELIMINATING REDUNDANCIES OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. IN AN ONLINE FORUM THIS WEEK, THE COMPANY SPOKE ABOUT ITS OBJECTIVES AND UPDATED THE STATUS OF INTIGRATING COLLINS AEROSPACE INTO ITS STRUCTURE AFTER ACQUIRING THE UNIT LAST SPRING IN A DEAL WITH UNITED TECHNOLOGIES. RAYTHEON OFFICIAL NOTED THAT THEY ARE ABOUT HALFWAY TO A TARGETTED ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN PLANNED COST REDUCTIONS. THAT INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 100 LAYOFFS IN 2020. COLLINS AEROSPACE HAS OPERATIONS IN SEVERAL EASTERN IOWA COMMUNITIES, MOST NOTABLY ITS FACILITIES IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
U.S. SENATOR JONI ERNST WAS CRITICAL OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S OUTREACH TO CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS WHEN SHE WAS A WEDNESDAY GUEST DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. AFTER PASSING A 1.9 TRILLION DOLLAR COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS PROPOSED AN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN. REPUBLICANS HAVE QUESTIONED SEVERAL PRIORITIES OF THE LEGISLATION. FIND THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH ERNST AT KXEL.COM.
IOWA STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH BILL FENNELLY HAS AGREED TO A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION THROUGH 2027. FENNELLY WILL BE ENTERING HIS 27TH SEASON AT IOWA STATE. THAT INCLUDES 19 YEARS QUALIFYING FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT. FENNELLY EARNED HIS 700TH CAREER VICTORY IN JANUARY.
