Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds had strong words yesterday for President Joe Biden after he ordered his education secretary to explore possible legal action against states including Iowa that have blocked school mask mandates tied to COVID-19. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona says in a letter to Reynolds that Iowa’s law banning local mask mandates in schools is needlessly placing students, families and educators at risk. Reynolds says she’ll fight the federal government in court if need be, saying Iowa has led in the effort to keep children in school.
And the state is now pushing back against Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague’s new mask order. He issued the new order yesterday saying every person in Iowa City must wear a face covering when in a public space. However, that is against the new state law which clearly states cities and counties cannot adopt an ordinance, motion, resolution or use any other means to require private businesses to implement a mask mandate. Teague claims it’s an order against people and not businesses, and says Iowa’s “home rule” law allows it, although that claim was rejected last year by the state attorney general’s office.
A Parkersburg woman is dead after a collision involving a semi in Butler County yesterday morning. It happened around 9:30 a.m. at 300th Street and Ridge Avenue. The Iowa State Patrol says 20-year-old Dillon Nissen of Reinbeck was driving a semi and slowed in order to make a left turn. 82-year-old Mary Vry of Parkersburg failed to notice the slowed semi and rear-ended the trailer before rolling into the ditch on the side of the road. Vry was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car she was driving. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
An 18-year-old Mapleton man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for killing a 16-year-old. Jay Neubaum was sentenced yesterday in connection with the death of Joseph Hopkins in January 2020. Neubaum was convicted in May of second-degree murder. Investigators determined Hopkins died of a gunshot wound to the head. Police found Hopkins dead inside a detached garage of a Mapleton home. Neubaum argued that the gun was pointed toward the ground and a bullet ricocheted and killed Hopkins. Prosecutors said Neubaum shot Hopkins after an argument.
A new monthly survey of bankers in rural parts of Iowa and 9 other Plains and Western states suggests continued economic growth in the region, but some say worsening drought could threaten their banks. The overall Rural Mainstreet economic index dropped slightly in August to 65.3 from July’s 65.6. Any score above 50 suggests growth. The survey, overseen by Creighton University professor Ernie Goss, shows nearly 16% of bankers reported that continuing drought conditions are the greatest threat to banking operations over the next year, while more than 40% of bank CEOs see low farm loan demand as their bank’s greatest challenge over the next year.
Iowa nursing home industry leaders are speaking out following President Biden’s announcement that he wants all nursing home workers who serve people on Medicare or Medicaid to be vaccinated in order for the facility to receive federal funding. Many care centers say taking away critical funding from facilities will only further hurt patients and staff. Iowa Healthcare Association President Brent Willett said families will suffer if the Biden plan goes into effect because nursing homes across the country will be forced to close because of a lack of staff.
IndyCar racing will return next season to the Iowa Speedway in Newton, an oval track beloved by fans and drivers that fell off the IndyCar schedule this season after 14 years. The track will host a doubleheader next July in a deal brokered between IndyCar Series owner Roger Penske, team owner Bobby Rahal and Iowa-based grocery chain Hy-Vee. The company has been slowly increasing its presence in IndyCar as an occasional sponsor for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Hy-Vee was named the title sponsor of the July 22-23 races in yesterday’s announcement attended by Penske, Rahal and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Police say a bicyclist has died after being hit by a pickup truck in north-central Iowa. The accident happened around 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, when a 94-year-old man driving the pickup truck southbound on a city street hit the bicyclist, who was also southbound. The cyclist, identified as 58-year-old Robin Faught of Clear Lake, was taken to a Mason City hospital and pronounced dead. No charges in the case were immediately filed.
