This week on The Exchange, we remember the Siouxlanders who lost their lives to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. One was Roman Catholic Priest Fr. John Vakulskas, who was known for ministering to carnival workers and taking Siouxlanders on tours to the Holy Land. We also hear the stories of a beloved Siouland man with Down's Syndrome and a Vietnamese immigrant who fought for immigrants' rights.
Also, we hear from some of the politicians that shaped 2020. All of the Democratic presidential candidates visited Siouxland during 2020 in preparation for the Iowa Caucuses. We hear from several of those candidates, including President-Elect Joe Biden, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and former South Bend, IN Mayor Pete Buttigieg. 
We also recall the winners and losers of local and state races this year. Republican Randy Feenstra defeated incumbent Steve King in the 4th District primary and went on to win in the November general election. Siouxland Democrat JD Scholten lost that race. Republican Senator Joni Ernst held on to her seat after a heated battle with Des Moines Democratic business owner Theresa Greenfield. The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors election yielded a Republican rout with the only Democrat on the board defeated by Jeremy Taylor. Taylor was forced to resign from his former seat on the board a year ago. Woodbury County Pat Gill ruled that Taylor's primary residence was not in his district. We also talk with re-elected Republican supervisor Keith Radig about the passage of the Woodbury County jail referendum.
And we talk with Central High School Alumni. The group fought in 2020 to hold on to their gift shop and memoribilia center in the building that is now an apartment building.
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