Saturday marks one year since a fatal school shooting in Perry, Iowa.
On January 4th, 2024, 17-year-old student Dylan Butler fired shots in the high school’s common area early in the morning. It resulted in several injuries to students and staff, and 3 deaths, including 11-year old student Ahmir Jolliff (AH-meer joel-liff), high school principal Dan Marburger and Butler, who fatally shot himself.
Investigators in October said Butler did this to gain notoriety. No charges were filed in the shooting.
The Perry Ministerial Association will hold a service tomorrow afternoon to remember the shooting. The Uvalde Foundation For Kids is also recognizing the anniversary.
In a letter published in The Perry News, the school district says this is a time for reflection on how the community has grieved, but also to come together to continue healing.
Students will return to classes on Monday from winter break. The Des Moines Register reports there are no planned assemblies or school events to mark the anniversary. There will be counseling services available to students, parents and community members at the Perry Public Library today Friday and Saturday, as well as Monday and Tuesday.
*Additionally, with the start of a new year, pregnant Iowans on Medicaid will now have coverage for 12 months after giving birth.
Pregnant Iowans on Medicaid previously had postpartum coverage for only two months.
Iowa was one of the last states to approve the extension last legislative session after the federal government started offering permanent matching funds to states that did so.
Christian Pettker is the chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Iowa. He says many serious issues can come up beyond the first two months postpartum.
“That includes hypertension, diabetes, mental health disorders. So extending it out another 12 months gives the person and the care team time to develop a longitudinal care plan.” Pettker said.
However, Iowa lawmakers also lowered the income cutoff for pregnant Iowans to qualify for Medicaid. It was 375 percent of the federal poverty level, but now it is 215 percent.
*In other news, there is a big difference in the funding that could come next year in South Dakota to the K-12 school and the college systems.
Governor Kristi Noem has proposed 1.25 percent growth for the so-called Big Three in the state budget. If passed, that rate would be applicable to school teachers, nurses, and civil servants employed by the state.
Meanwhile, Noem has proposed cutting the combined budgets of South Dakota public universities by $2 million.
Noem also wants to cut $1 million from the state library budget.
Nathan Lukkes is executive director of the Board of Regents, the group overseeing South Dakota’s public colleges and universities. Lukkes said it is known that revenues are down, so the 2025-26 fiscal year budget could reflect tight times.
“On the upside, we have a lot of good leaders elected around this state who will be coming to Pierre here this January, so I have the utmost confidence in their ability to get together and do the right thing for the state and the system,” Lukkes said.
Sandra Waltman is the communications director for the South Dakota Education Association said the 1.25 percent growth for teachers and schools doesn’t even keep schools up with inflation.
“It is going to be a challenge for schools to maintain the programs they have and continue to make things like teacher pay competitive when they’re going to struggle just to maintain where they are,” Waltman said.
South Dakota State Employees Organization Executive Director Erica Olila said the 1.25 percent raises proposal by Noem is “very lowball.”
*Additionally, there are even more colorful lighting pieces now in downtown Sioux City.
The Downtown Partners group has put up another LED lighting piece, with this one in the skywalk bridge above Nebraska Street between Third and Fourth streets. As of Friday, that area has a glowing pink look.
The goal is to have an appealing, well-lit look downtown in the evenings.
This comprehensive lighting plan began in 2019 with the installation of the festoon party lights over the corners of Historic 4th & Court Streets and 4th & Pearl Streets. Some others that followed involved colored LED lights underneath the skywalk bridges along Fourth Street, then the next phase was a partnership with the City of Sioux City that replaced 71 globe lights along the 4th Street pedestrian walkway.
