*Recounts have been requested in three Iowa statehouse races, according to the Iowa Secretary of State’s office.
The closest race is in Iowa Senate District 14. Republican Mark Hanson requested a recount, as he is trailing Democratic Senator Sarah Trone Garriott by 24 votes.
Democratic Senator Nate Boulton requested a recount in his District 20 race against Republican Mike Pike. And Republican Nathan Ramker asked for a recount in House District 98, where results show Democratic Representative Monica Kurth winning by a few dozen votes.
A recount of Iowa’s First Congressional District race was announced last week. County election workers are aiming to complete the recounts before December second—that’s when state officials will meet to certify Iowa’s election results.
*In other news, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office has determined that Sioux City police officers acted legally during the deadly shooting of a suspect in October 2023.
The Attorney General’s conclusion announced Monday was based on a review and investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Investigators say witnesses saw Jamie Orozco waving a gun. When Sioux City Police Department officers arrived, he ran. When officers chased Orozco, he fired one shot at them.
After a manhunt, Orozco was found in an attic crawl space. He refused to surrender and told officers he “wasn’t going back to prison,” as he reached for a cloth bundle, which was when officers shot him in the head.
A report said Orozco revealed during sex-offender treatment sessions that he had relapsed on methamphetamine and wanted to “take himself out,” or die by cop to avoid prison.
His girlfriend also reported Orozco wasn’t taking medication to treat his mental health conditions when the shooting occurred.
*Additionally, the city of Cherokee, Iowa, will temporarily discharge partially treated wastewater into the Little Sioux River due to safety concerns at the city's wastewater treatment facility.
That step was approved by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The city of Cherokee plans to discharge up to 2 million gallons of wastewater per day, from November 15 for up to 25 days, or until lagoon levels are lowered to a safe level.
This step is being taken due to the city’s wastewater treatment plant being significantly damaged as a result of Little Sioux floodwaters. While efforts were made to continue treatment operations, the facility is currently unable to process wastewater due to safety and reliability concerns.
The city has been storing wastewater in equalization lagoons, which are now full and at risk of overflowing, which could impact their structural integrity. That is why the DNR stepped in with a solution.
In addition to the temporary discharge plan, the city of Cherokee is actively developing short-term treatment options utilizing the equalization lagoons and is in the planning stages for a permanent wastewater treatment facility.
*In other news, the Iowa Department of Education is changing up the process of selecting an annual Teacher of the Year.
Education Department officials on Monday announced nine teachers who make up the first-ever Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year. Each teacher represents outstanding achievements in K-12 instruction within Iowa’s nine education regions.
Of those nine regional teachers of the year, one will be selected as Iowa's 2025 Teacher of the Year by the end of this school year.
“This year, the Department of Education was excited to establish a new Regional Teacher of the Year designation that celebrates excellence in teaching across all corners of our state,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow.
Two of the nine teachers honored are instructors in Northwest Iowa, with Beth Oolman, of the MOC-Floyd Valley School District, and Melanie Bloom, of the Sioux Central School District.
Oolman has been a middle school language arts teacher since 1989, and currently teaches eighth grade English language arts at MOC-Floyd Valley in Orange City. She also serves as an adjunct instructor at Morningside University and Northwestern College.
Bloom, an agriculture teacher at Sioux Central Community School District in Sioux Rapids, has over 16 years of experience helping students explore all the opportunities afforded in ag-related industries.
*In other changes to a longstanding tradition, the ArtSplash event in Sioux City will shift the time in which it is held. Sioux City Art Center officials announced two major changes coming to ArtSplash 2025, one of the region’s most anticipated cultural events.
After 30 years of being held on Labor Day weekend, ArtSplash will be moving to a new weekend in mid-September and extending its Saturday hours into the evening.
Art Center officials said that will deliver an even more vibrant experience for festivalgoers and artists alike.
ArtSplash will be held in 2025 on the weekend of September 13-14, and the Saturday hours will extend to 9 p.m.
By moving to mid-September, the Art Center hopes to capture a larger audience, as many people travel during the Labor Day weekend, limiting their ability to attend. An Art Center press release said e decision to extend Saturday's hours into the evening aims to offer a more relaxed, adult-oriented atmosphere in which attendees can leisurely browse art while enjoying a lively environment.
