Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds confirmed yesterday that she plans to sign an executive order that would automatically restore voting rights to convicted felons…and will do so before the November general election. Reynolds told reporters in Osage that her staff is working on an executive order. The governor met with Black Lives Matter members on Monday to discuss an executive order. Iowa is the only state in the nation that automatically denies felons the right to vote and Reynolds has called for a constitutional amendment changing that policy.
Iowa producers are still working through a backlog created by the slowdown or shutdown of meat processing plants due to the pandemic, but Iowa agriculture secretary Mike Naig told me yesterday plants are quickly getting back to capacity. Despite a two-and-a-half-month long recess and a week-and-a-half sprint to finish, the Iowa Legislature did provide funding for three key priorities of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. The pandemic adversely affected projections for Iowa’s agribusiness industry…but there is optimism regarding the start of the 2020 growing season. And Naig told me yesterday he looks for markets to recover in time so Iowa’s corn and soybean producers can take advantage come harvest time. Listen to the full interview by going to the podcast section of kxel.com.
Wisconsin authorities recovered the body of a Waterloo teen Monday afternoon, who disappeared while swimming in the Mississippi River over the weekend. Searchers combed the river after 18-year-old Nathan Featherston disappeared while attempting to swim to an island where friends were camping early Sunday. Crawford County 911 was called around 3:15 Sunday morning. The incident happened near the Gordon’s Bay boat landing, between Lynxville and Prairie du Chien, Wis. The incident remains under investigation.
Vice President Mike Pence offered an optimistic view of the nation and praised President Donald Trump during a speech at recreational vehicle manufacturer Winnebago Industries in Forest City yesterday. Pence few to Mason City and had a working lunch with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds before speaking to about 250 socially distant workers at Winnebago. Pence focused most of his speech on efforts to reopen the economy after many businesses ceased operations to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Pence also touched on the death of George Floyd, calling it a “tragedy and a disgrace” but adding “there’s no excuse for the rioting” that followed Floyd’s death while in police custody in Minneapolis.
One of the biggest events in Downtown Cedar Rapids has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns. Market After Dark was scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 22. The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance announced yesterday that the remaining Downtown Farmers Markets will be drive-thru markets. Market After Dark drew around 50,000 people last year and an average of 14,000 people attended Downtown Farmers Markets in 2019. Event organizers do not believe they can safely host either regular markets or the Market After Dark.
The Justice Department has set new dates to begin executing federal death-row inmates following a months-long legal battle over the plan to resume the executions for the first time since 2003. One of those is Dustin Lee Honken, who killed five people in Iowa, including two children. His execution is now scheduled for mid-July.
Lawyers for the state of Iowa and Cristhian Bahena Rivera filed a joint motion to further delay Rivera’s first-degree murder trial in connection with the murder of Mollie Tibbetts in 2018. The trial is currently scheduled for Sep. 29 in Woodbury County but according to court documents filed Monday, both sides asked that the trial be pushed back to January of next year. They claim several issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons for delaying the trial, among them being concern over how effectively interpreters can do their jobs if all involved must wear masks while speaking.
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, National Night Out in Cedar Falls will be postponed. The event has traditionally been held on the first Tuesday in August to help enhance the relationship between public safety personnel and citizens. Details regarding the new date and location, as well as the event activities, will be announced at a later time.
