MORE LATE-NIGHT GUNFIRE IN WATERLOO OVERNIGHT. POLICE RESPONDED AFTER MORE THAN A DOZEN SHOTS WERE HEARD AROUND 11 P.M. SUNDAY NEAR THE 1000 BLOCK OF LOGAN AVENUE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT AUTHORITIES REPORTED PROPERTY DAMAGE TO SEVERAL VEHICLES IN THE AREA. THE INCIDENT CAME LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER THE FATAL SHOOTING OF A MAN EARLY SUNDAY IN THE 300 BLOCK OF WEST FOURTH STREET IN AN AREA WHICH INCLUDES SEVERAL BARS AND CLUBS.
POLICE IN OELWEIN HAVE ARRESTED FOUR JUVENILE SUSPECTS AFTER A STRING OF CRIMES. ALL FOUR ARE EITHER 13 OR 14-YEARS-OLD. IN A SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING ON SATURDAY, OELWEIN AUTHORITIES ALLEDGE THE GROUP WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SEVERAL BURGLARIES FROM VEHICLES, GARAGES, AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. THE SPREE IS SAID TO HAVE ALSO INCLUDED AN ARSON INCIDENT. ALL FOUR OF THE TEENAGERS WILL APPEAR IN JUVENILE COURT. NO NAMES WERE RELEASED IN THE CASE.
LAST WEEK, GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SIGNED A LAW THAT BANNED SCHOOLS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM ENACTING MASK MANDATES. THE MOVE DREW NATIONAL MEDIA COVERAGE AFTER THE BILL WAS PASSED IN THE CLOSING HOURS OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. REYNOLDS DISCUSSED HER DECISION ON “FOX AND FRIENDS”. GUIDANCE FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION CONTINUES TO RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE WEAR MASKS IF THEY AREN’T FULLY VACCINATED.
FIRST RESPONDERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WERE UNABLE TO SAVE A WISCONSIN MAN WHO DROWNED OVER THE WEEKEND. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE RIVER NORTH OF DUBUQUE ON SATURDAY. THE VICTIM WAS 63-YEAR-OLD MITCHELL HOCHHUASEN. HE WAS REPORTEDLY SWIMMING WITH A GROUP OF FAMILY MEMBERS BUT BECAME CAUGHT IN A STRONG CURRENT. HOCHHAUSEN’S BODY WAS FOUND SEVERAL HOURS AFTER EMERGENCY CREWS WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE.
A 1.9 BILLION DOLLAR MEASURE BEING CONSIDERED IN CONGRESS INCLUDES RESOURCES FOR U.S. CAPITOL POLICE. FOLLOWING THE VIOLENT JANUARY 6TH CONFRONTATION ON CAPITOL HILL, THE NEW FUNDING WOULD BE USED FOR BARRIERS WHICH COULD BE DEPLOYED IN AN EMERGENCY AS WELL AS BODY CAMERAS AND OTHER GEAR. U.S. SENATOR JONI ERNST TALKED TO OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 WHILE IN IOWA OVER THE WEEKEND. THE CAPITOL POLICE FUNDING BILL IS IN THE SENATE’S HANDS AFTER CLEARING THE U.S. HOUSE LAST WEEK.
THE CEDAR FALLS SCHOOL BOARD MAY HAVE A NEW MEMBER AFTER THEIR VIRTUAL MEETING THIS EVENING. AN OPENING HAS BEEN CREATED AFTER VICE PRESIDENT SASHA WOHLPART’S RESIGNATION. WOHLPART IS LEAVING THE CEDAR VALLEY AS HER FAMILY RELOCATES. A NEW BOARD MEMBER TAKING HER SEAT WILL ONLY HAVE THE ROLE FOR A FEW MONTHS, BECAUSE WOHLPART’S TERM WAS SET TO EXPIRE THIS FALL. THE ONLINE CEDAR FALLS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING BEGINS AT 5:30.
WATERLOO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SOMEONE SHINING A LASER POINTER AT A GUARD HELICOPTER DURING A TRAINING MISSION EARLIER THIS MONTH. THE COPTER CREW WAS FLYING OVER WATERLOO’S EAST SIDE ON MAY 11TH WHEN THE BEAM WAS DIRECTED THEIR WAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT LASER POINTERS AIMED AT AIRCRAFT CAN CAUSE DISORIENTATION AND ARE A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD.
DURING A RECENT APPEARANCE ON “FOX AND FRIENDS,” IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS CRITICIZED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR HALTING WORK ON A PORTION OF THE KEYSTONE XL OIL PIPELINE. SHE COMPARED THAT INTERNATIONAL ENERGY LINK TO A NEW NATURAL GAS LINE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND GERMANY. THE U-S DID SANCTION FIVE COMPANIES, AND SEVERAL OTHER ENTITIES FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION OF THE NORD STREAM TWO PIPELINE, WHILE NOT TAKING ACTION AGAINST OTHER BUSINESSES OR INDIVIDUALS.
AVERAGE U.S. GAS PRICES ARE UP ANOTHER EIGHT CENTS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THE CURRENT NATIONWIDE AVERAGE IS $3.10 PER GALLON. SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS FROM THE 10-DAY SHUTDOWN OF THE COLONIAL PIPELINE FOLLOWING A CYBERATTACK ARE STILL HAVING AN IMPACT. ETHANOL BLENDS HAVE ALSO CREPT HIGHER IN CONJUNCTION WITH RISING CORN PRICES.
IOWA SECOND DISTRICT CONGRESSWOMAN MARIANETTE MILLER-MEEKS SAYS THE U.S. HOUSE HAS REACHED COVID-19 HERD IMMUNITY. IN A WEEKEND TWEET, THE CONGRESSIONAL FRESHMAN SAID THE HOUSE SHOULD END ITS MASK MANDATE. MILLER-MEEKS WAS FINED $500 LAST WEEK FOR NOT WEARING A MASK ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
