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The Exchange November 22, 2017-The Truman Decision, Massage Businesses and Human Trafficking

The Exchange 112217 

Coming up on The Exchange, we hear about a new ordinance being considered by the Sioux City Council that would create special licensing for massage therapists. The goal is to mitigate human trafficking that could be occurring at non-legitimate massage businesses.  We also talk with the new head librarian at the Sioux City Public Library who says real books won’t be going away anytime soon.  There will be a hybrid model. Also, we hear about a new play that depicts what went down with President Truman when was deciding on whether to drop the hydrogen bomb.  And we have another segment of Soul Search.  That’s coming up on The Exchange, but first, this news. 

Welcome to The Exchange on Siouxland Public Media, I’m Mary Hartnett. The city of Sioux City is considering a new ordinance aimed at cracking down on human trafficking.  The proposed ordinance would The Sioux City Council on Monday unanimously approved the first reading of the ordinance designed to fight prostitution, human trafficking and drug dealing, the Sioux City Journal reported . The proposal follows the Legislature's removal of a state code that forbid cities from regulating massage businesses.

Under the ordinance, businesses would be required to submit identification and information on their employees for background checks. Sioux City could withhold licenses if any agent of the business, owner or employee, had a criminal conviction for a sex crime or for keeping a house of prostitution. Licenses would also be prohibited if any agent were registered as a sex offender or had been refused a license by other communities.

The city would prosecute violations as a misdemeanor.  Several local massage therapists said the proposed regulations wouldn't affect business. But others pointed to provisions in the ordinance, like a ban on 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. operating hours, as measures that could interfere with services. 

Bernadette Rixnor is the co-chair of the Siouxland Coalition Against Human Trafficking.  She says a few things that need to be clarified about the proposed ordinance. 

The Siouxland Coalition Against Human Trafficking

Bernadette  

That was Bernadette Rixnor, the co-chair of the Siouxland Coalition Against Human Trafficking.  City officials have agreed to work with local massage therapists to finalize the drafted regulation and gather feedback.

The council will receive edits to the ordinance before the second reading.

You're listening to the Exchange  on Siouxland Public Media.

Helen Rigdon

Helen Rigdon is the new head of the Sioux City Public Library system.  

Rigdon, 57, started Oct. 9 as director of the system, which includes three branches, a $3 million operating budget and more than 210,000 physical books and recordings. She succeeds Betsy Thompson, who retired in August after 22 years as director and a total of 35 within the library system. 

Rigdon's most recent position was as a branch manager at the Wichita, Kansas, Public Library. But she said she's glad to be in a director's position again and in a city more the size of Sioux City. 

Rigdon

That was Helen Rigdon, the new head of the Sioux City Public Library System.

You’re listening to The Exchange, on Siouxland Public Media.Now, we have another segment in our continuing series about spirituality and faith, called Soul Searching.  Here are Molly and Ryan Dowell Baum, a clergy couple in Sioux City.

Molly and Ryan Dowell Baum

You’re listening to The Exchange, on Siouxland Public Media, I’m Mary Hartnett.  A new play at Sioux City’s Shot in the Dark theater takes on the historical drama of President Harry Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bombs that ended WWII.  Siouxland Public Media’s Aly Karsyn has more.

The Truman Decision

The Truman Decision 

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