Winter weather storm advisories and warnings continue for parts of eastern Nebraska and a large section of Iowa in the south-central and eastern part of the state. Sioux City missed the 6 to 8 inches expected to fall in some spots by the end of the day. Snow-covered roads are slick, causing multiple crashes in central Iowa and the Omaha area. Snow should taper off in the late afternoon into the early evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Meteorologists tell Radio Iowa the snow may not be around for long, as the forecast calls for high temperatures in the 40s for most of the state’s southern half for Saturday and Sunday.
Iowa Republican lawmakers advanced a bill reinstating the death penalty in Iowa for cases in which a person is convicted of killing a minor after kidnapping and sexually abusing them.
Senate File 14 approved yesterday, would only apply the death penalty in cases where a person is convicted of multiple offenses of murder in the first degree, as well as kidnapping and sexual abuse against the same minor. Under current law, the maximum penalty would be life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Iowa has not had the death penalty since 1965, but legislation reestablishing it has come up many times over the past several decades.
If both chambers of the Legislature approve the bill, the governor’s signature would be required to enact it. More on the story can be found here from the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Having a car or modest savings could disqualify families for some public assistance under a bill lawmakers are considering in the Iowa Senate.
Senate Study Bill 1105 would require an asset test for Iowans applying for SNAP and Medicaid assistance. The Senate bill does not include changes proposed in the House legislation that restrict the use of SNAP to purchase certain foods, including soda and candy.
A subcommittee on Wednesday recommended moving the bill forward with an amendment to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Representatives of Iowa food banks and hunger assistance programs said many Iowa residents who face food insecurity already do not qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, under state law.
The Senate Education committee in South Dakota killed a bill Thursday morning that aimed to limit instructional materials harmful to minors in the school setting.
The Argus Leader reports supporters of the legislation claim pornographic material is available to students in their school libraries in schools as early as elementary school.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation arrested the Kingsley police chief Wednesday on five charges.
The DCI says the Hinton police department requested an investigation of Kingsley chief James Dunn on February 13th. Dunn was arrested Wednesday and charged with three counts of falsely obtaining criminal intelligence, non-felonious misconduct in office, and one count of stalking involving a former girlfriend.
The Sioux City Journal reports Dunn is the second Kingsley police chief to run into trouble with the law in recent years.
Joseph Hoover was arrested in July 2019 on a domestic abuse charge and later resigned. He pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one count of domestic abuse assault, a serious misdemeanor, and received a deferred judgment and was placed on probation.
The labor union representing nurses and other health care workers at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics says the Iowa Board of Regents has left the negotiating table. A spokesperson says the board is following the collective bargaining process.
Representatives from both the Service Employees International Union Local of Minnesota and Iowa and the Regents have been negotiating a new contract since January. But after not budging on the union’s proposals, a representative of the Regents canceled planned negotiation meetings with the union.
The union is asking the state to intervene and direct the Regents to bargain in accordance with the law.
The Des Moines-based Kum & Go convenience store chain may be for sale.
This story was first reported late Tuesday by Reuters news service. It says the Krause family, which owns Kum & Go, is exploring options for the store chain. Kum and Go could be valued at nearly $2 billion.
Submitted News Releases:
DCI INVESTIGATE AND ARREST KINGSLEY POLICE CHIEF
February 15, 2023 (sent 11:12pm)
Plymouth County, Iowa - On February 13, 2023, the Hinton Police Department requested the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate a potential criminal matter that involved Kingsley Police Chief, James Dunn.
On February 15, 2023 James Dunn was taken into custody at his residence in Kingsley, Iowa without incident by Agents of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Dunn was transported to the Plymouth County Jail and has been charged with the following criminal charges.
Three counts of: Falsely Obtaining Criminal Intelligence Data. Class D Felonies.
One count of: Non-felonious misconduct in office. Serious Misdemeanor
One count of: Stalking. Aggravated Misdemeanor
The criminal investigation being conducted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is on-going and no further details will be released at this time.
Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
ABOUT THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) is the largest law enforcement agency in the state. It includes six divisions and several bureaus, all working together with local, state and federal government agencies and the private sector, to keep Iowa a safe place by following our core values: leadership, integrity, professionalism, courtesy, service and protection. Divisions within the Iowa DPS: Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa State Fire Marshal Division, Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, and Administrative Services Division. The Department of Public Safety is led by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Governor.
Iowa Department of Public Safety 215 E 7th St Des Moines IA 50319 https://dps.iowa.gov
Gov. Reynolds Signs Medical Malpractice Tort Reform Bill Into Law
DES MOINES – Gov. Reynolds signed HF 161 into law, a bill to create a cap on noneconomic damages in cases regarding medical malpractice. The legislation balances the needs of injured patients with the needs of all Iowans to have access to quality health care. In response, Gov. Reynolds released the following statement:
“Today, Iowa joins the majority of U.S. states by enacting commonsense medical malpractice reform that places a reasonable cap on non-economic damages,” stated Governor Reynolds. “Protecting our health care system from out-of-control verdicts promotes access to care in communities across our state and better positions us to recruit the best and brightest physicians to Iowa.”
From the Sioux City Police Department:
Legislative Town Hall on February 25, 2023
The League of Women Voters of Sioux City and NAACP Sioux City Branch are sponsoring a Legislative Town Hall on February 25, 2023 from 10:00 am to 11:30pm. at the Sioux City Public Museum, 607 4th Street, Sioux City. The public is invited to attend and share questions or concerns with their elected representatives. Siouxland area legislators will be asked to share their legislative priorities for 2023, followed by questions from the audience.
The event will be live streamed on LWV Facebook page, “League of Women Voters of Sioux City.” Questions may be posted in advance on the Facebook page or emailed to LWVSiouxCity@gmail.com. During the event, questions may be submitted on the Facebook page. The next Town Hall will be on March 25, 2023, co-sponsors Inclusive Sioux City and Siouxland Cares.
For more information please call Dagna Simmons at 507-438-8001 or email dag11sim@gmail.com .
About League of Women Voters Sioux City (LWVSC)
The League of Women Voters of Sioux City is a non-partisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
About NAACP Sioux City Branch
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. The Sioux City Chapter of the NAACP traces its roots back to 1937 and has been consistently active in the community since 1947.
Ernst Leads Bipartisan Effort to Give Students a Clear Picture of College Costs Upfront
The bipartisan bill gives prospective students an estimate of the total amount of interest they would pay on a loan.
WASHINGTON – As students and families across the United States face mounting student loan debt, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is leading a bipartisan effort, supported by her fellow Iowan, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), to provide more transparency to prospective students before they take out a loan.
The Student Transparency for Understanding Decisions in Education Net Terms (STUDENT) Act would provide student loan applicants with an estimate of the total amount of interest they would pay, based on a standard 10-year repayment plan, during or prior to accepting a loan. The bipartisan bill was introduced by Senators Ernst and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and cosponsored by Senators Grassley, Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.). Supporting organizations include Iowa College Aid and Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation.
“The one time students should be given a cheat sheet is to reveal the true cost of college tuition. My bipartisan bill will pull back the curtain and give our students the tools they need to make the best decisions for their financial future,” said Ernst.
“Too many students find themselves overwhelmed as interest piles up on loans they never understood in the first place,” said Grassley. “The answer isn’t to cancel loans after the fact, it’s to provide students with greater transparency before they borrow. This bill will help students in Iowa and across the country get ahead by making informed and responsible borrowing decisions.”
“The STUDENT Act gives students and their families the information necessary to understand their federal student loans and their repayment obligations,” said Mark Wiederspan, Executive Director of Iowa College Aid. “We hope this information helps make the decision to borrow more transparent, and helps students learn the best way to finance and achieve their postsecondary education.”
You can find full bill text here.
