After three days with thousands of bicyclists pedaling through Northwest Iowa, RAGBRAI participants by Tuesday afternoon were exiting the area for a more easterly route.
The Register’s Great Annual Bike Ride, or RAGBRAI, began on Sunday in Orange City, and the next overnight stops were in Milford and Estherville.
Milford Mayor Steve Anderson told Siouxland Public Media News on Sunday evening that the preparations for an expected 14,000 or more riders went well, and no major snafus popped up.
This was the 52nd year for RAGBRAI. On the way from Milford to Estherville for a route of almost 50 miles, a RAGBRAI route for the first time included some miles in far southern Minnesota.
Krystal Beeson Folsom, of Sioux City, rode for a fifth year ever on Monday, on a flat course that was made less easy due to humid weather.
“I was inspired by the enthusiasm of the Minnesotans welcoming the riders to their state. The teamwork by the law enforcement personnel from the two states also was impressive,” Folsom said.
The riders left Estherville on Tuesday morning for Forest City, and will finish the 406 mile course Saturday at Guttenburg.
*Woodbury County officials are looking at changing the county zoning code to permit nuclear power.
One of three public hearings will take place at the Woodbury County Courthouse in Sioux City on late Tuesday afternoon.
Woodbury County Supervisor Mark Nelson says for the county to grow, more power is needed, and that could include a small water nuclear reactor.
“It's kind of the future, because it's such a small footprint, it's really not dangerous, and you can produce a lot of power without all the carbon emissions and everything else,” he said.
Nelson says there isn’t a specific project in the works, and if one were to happen, it would take a minimum of ten years to land.
MidAmerican Energy currently operates two coal plants in Woodbury County. Environmental groups say they cause higher rates of asthma and other health issues.
*The Iowa Board of Regents is postponing consideration of a policy to stop requiring students to take courses related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion or Critical Race Theory.
It was set to come up at a meeting next week, but the Board is tabling the discussion, after hearing from a wide variety of constituents.
Students from Iowa's public universities protested the policy at the Board’s meeting in June.
Regents President Sherry Bates says the board has heard their concerns and will continue to review the feedback before deciding on a future date to reconsider the policy.
*Additionally, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says the FBI failed to fully investigate Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information during her time as Secretary of State.
Grassley is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Earlier this month he called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to declassify documents related to the bureau’s investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server.
On Tuesday, he said investigating misuse of power will ensure transparency in government…
“You could say after 10 years, what's the use? The use is to let people know what the government has done through political weaponization of various branches of government, in this case, DOJ and FBI, and make sure it doesn't happen again.”
On a call with reporters Grassley was asked if he supports prosecuting Clinton or former FBI Director James Comey. Grassley says all he can do is make the committee’s report public, and “by inference”, expect AG Bondi or current FBI Director Kash Patel to do something about it.
*In other news, a new Republican candidate has entered the race for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District.
Ryan Rhodes, founder of the Iowa Tea Party announced his candidacy Tuesday. Rhodes is a businessman from Ames.
Other candidates in the race for Iowa’s fourth Congressional District include Republicans Matthew Windschitl, Chris McGowan, and Kyle Larsen, plus Democrats Ahsley WolfTornabane and Stephanie Steiner.
Current 4th District Congressman Randy Feenstra is running for governor.
