Community members in Perry gathered to mark one year since a 17-year old gunman opened fire at Perry High School.
The attack killed 11-year old Ahmir Jolliff and fatally wounded high school principal Dan Marburger. Six others were also injured.
Local ministers honored survivors and those who died at a service on Saturday afternoon. Around 50 community members, dressed in the school colors of blue and white, stood together downtown while religious leaders led prayers and read passages on grief, loss and hope.
Reverend Andrea Brownlee said the community is no stranger to heartache, and she asked the crowd to reflect on one question.
“Why was I given today? My hope is that I was given today to share with you the reminder that you are not in this place alone, and that wherever you are, it's okay to be, but remember that you are not there by yourself,” Brownlee said.
At the Perry public library, residents can meet with a counselor provided by the school, and those services will be available through Tuesday, January 7.
*In other news, the top Republican in the Iowa House of Representatives says he’s not going to stand in the way of legislation cracking down on drivers who are distracted by their phones.
That pronouncement comes as a new coalition is pushing for a bill to only allow hands-free phone use while driving.
The Iowa Senate passed a bill in 2023 that would make it illegal to use a phone while driving unless it’s in a voice-activated or hands-free mode. However, the bill stalled in the House.
House Speaker Pat Grassley says he’s been “apprehensive” about restrictions, but more data seems to indicate a need to address distracted driving.
A new coalition that includes law enforcement, cyclist and motorcyclist organizations, insurance companies, and more is asking the Iowa legislators to take action to reduce distracted driving in the upcoming legislative session.
State data shows distracted driving crashes have increased by more than 40 percent in the past decade, and the coalition says a stricter law is needed to save lives.
*In other Iowa Legislature news, top Republicans who control the two chambers say property tax relief will be their number one priority in the upcoming legislative session.
Republican leaders say they don’t yet have a plan for property tax relief that they’ve agreed on. House Speaker Grassley says there may be a few different proposals that get considered during the session aimed at curbing the growth of property taxes.
Grassley said all options need to be on the table as this conversation begins.
“I also want us to be very aggressive and bold in our approach to this, because Iowans have an expectation, and they’ve seen from the legislature that when we work on big things we’ve been able to achieve results,” Grassley said. 12 SECS
Democratic leaders say they’re also interested in working on property tax relief. But they also say the legislature needs to make sure it doesn’t impede local officials’ ability to do the jobs they were elected to do and to fund services like public safety.
*In other news, Rita Hart has been re-elected to serve another term as chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party.
Three Democrats challenged Hart in the election for party chairperson. But Hart won with 38 of the 49 votes cast by members of the State Central Committee on Saturday.
She has faced criticism from some fellow Democrats after Republicans held onto all four Congressional seats and expanded their Iowa Legislature majorities.
Hart says when she was first elected as chair two years ago, the Iowa Democratic Party was in debt and had a tiny staff, so she had to stabilize the organization.
But she says being reelected means she’ll be able to immediately start building on her work to stabilize the Iowa Democratic Party and win races.
“It sends a good message, I think, to all Democrats, that we are on the same page. Not to say that we don’t have work to do, and that there’s still a lot of fence mending to do, but it really gives us a chance to use that continuity to our advantage,” Hart said.
Hart also says Democrats need to decide a path forward for the Iowa Caucuses—including whether the party should try to regain its first-in-the-nation status.
