Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is suing the Des Moines Register to stop it from seeking certain emails from her staff under the state’s open records law.
According to the complaint filed Friday, a Register reporter requested emails between six employees of the governor’s office that include the terms “Lutheran” and “money laundering” among others.
The governor’s office produced more than 800 pages of documents, but withheld four emails citing “executive privilege.” An attorney responded on behalf of the Register saying that’s not an exemption under the public records law, and it wouldn’t even apply because the governor wasn’t copied on the emails.
Reynolds is now asking a court to block the Register from demanding those emails.
*A bill championed by Reynolds aimed at improving access to full-day 4-year-old preschool passed the Iowa Senate this week
It would use $16 million of existing child care funds to launch new partnerships for full-day care, among other changes.
Some child care providers and Democrats are concerned that shifting and changing various early education funds will defund existing programs.
Rachel Rockwell leads a Johnson County nonprofit that runs two child care centers which already provide full-day preschool. She says the funding changes jeopardize about $650,000 of state grants they’ve gotten in the past.
Republican state Senator Lynn Evans said the bill shouldn’t lead to a loss of funding, and that it will bring more efficiency, consistency, and access to preschool.
The bill is now pending in the Iowa House.
*Additionally, as measles spreads across the U.S., a partnership in Iowa is beginning a vaccination awareness campaign to connect refugee and immigrant communities with their doctors.
Refugee and Immigrant Voices in Action, or RIVA, is partnering with groups including small businesses and local health providers to prevent misinformation about measles.
The campaign’s spokesperson, Christina Fernandez-Morrow, says RIVA learned how to navigate public health communications from their experiences with COVID.
*In other news, Iowa schools would be allowed to have new teams for addressing safety threats from students, under a bill that has been passed to the desk of Reynolds for possible signing into law.
The bill would also let state agencies and schools share information on students they believe may pose a threat to others. The teams could include law enforcement, school officials, social workers, mental health professionals, and people from juvenile court services.
Public, private and charter schools would be allowed to have the teams under the bill. The measure has passed both legislative chambers, including the Iowa House on Monday.
Republican Representative Henry Stone said there is value in giving schools a tool for communicating across different groups.
*Republican South Dakota Speaker of the House Jon Hansen says he’s running for governor on a wave of grassroots momentum.
Hansen, who is from Dell Rapids, has played instrumental roles in anti-abortion groups in the state.
Hansen on Thursday became the first candidate to announce a run for South Dakota governor. Among Republicans, current Governor Larry Rhoden, Congressman Dusty Johnson and Attorney General Marty Jackley are rumored to also be exploring a bid for the office.
*Additionally, Earth Day was celebrated in many ways nationwide this week, and some more events lie ahead for the 2025 Vermillion, South Dakota, Earth Days, plural, events.
Greening Vermillion, is a local, non-profit organization that works to make the town more green, to support the health of its people, environment and economy. The University of South Dakota Environmental Club has partnered with Greening Vermillion in 20 events.
Every day, creative ways of recycling have been encouraged. On Saturday, a Party for the Planet will be held at 10 a.m. at the 4-H Center and a nature play will be held at 1 p.m. at the W.H. Over Museum. At 1 p.m. Sunday, a mending circle will be held at the Vermillion Public Library.
