FEDERAL LEGISLATORS COULD NOT COME TOGETHER ON A LAW ENFORCEMENT REFORM BILL. DEMOCRATS OPPOSED THE MEASURE INTRODUCED BY SOUTH CAROLINA’S TIM SCOTT, ARGUING THAT IT WAS NOT EXTENSIVE ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES RAISED BY THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD. SENATOR JONI ERNST TOLD HER SENATE COLLEAGUES THAT THEY SHOULD BE MORE LIKE IOWA, WHERE INITIAL POLICE POLICY REFORMS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY THIS MONTH. ERNST AND IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY EACH COSPONSORED SCOTT’S JUSTICE ACT. IN THE HOUSE, LEGISLATORS ARE WORKING ON THEIR OWN VERSION OF POLICE REFORM LAW.
THREE PEOPLE WERE HURT LATE WEDNESDAY IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT SOUTHEAST OF LISBON ON HIGHWAY 30. EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WERE CALLED OUT AFTER AN EASTBOUND VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD AND TURNED OVER IN THE MEDIAN. 39-YEAR-OLD JOSHUA SCHMIDT WAS THE DRIVER. HE AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE TAKEN TO LOCAL HOSPITALS. THE LINN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THEIR INJURIES WERE NOT LIFE-THREATENING.
A LONG-DELAYED CITY COUNCIL ELECTION IN CEDAR FALLS IS GETTING CLOSER. ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUESTS ARE DUE TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE BY TOMORROW AT 5 P.M. THE ACTUAL VOTING DATE IS TUESDAY, JULY 7TH AND ALL IN-PERSON BALLOTS WILL BE CAST AT THE GALLAGHER BLUEDORN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. A LARGE GROUP OF CANDIDATES IS SEEKING THE COUNCIL SEAT VACATED BY MAYOR ROB GREEN AFTER HE RESIGNED TO ACCEPT THE MAYOR’S CHAIR IN JANUARY. THE ELECTION WAS DELAYED TWICE BY COVID-19 AND OTHER ELECTORAL CONFLICTS.
DOZENS OF FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS, AND DEPUTIES WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE OF A RURAL POWESHIEK COUNTY STANDOFF WHICH ENDED IN FLAMES WEDNESDAY. FROM 1:30 YESTERDAY AFTERNOON UNTIL AROUND SUNSET AUTHORITIES TRIED TO NEGOTIATE WITH DWAINE BAUMAN AT HIS HOME NEAR GRINNELL. BAUMAN ALLEGEDLY SET THE HOME ON FIRE, AS WELL AS OTHER BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY ON THE SCENE AND ALSO SHOT AT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 REPORT THAT BAUMAN WAS DISTURBED OVER A PLANNED HOG CONFINEMENT AND THE ENCROACHMENT OF INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE. HE WAS ARRESTED AND FACES COUNTS OF ARSON AND INTIMIDATION WITH A WEAPON.
THE CEDAR VALLEY UNITED WAY HAS A NEW BOARD CHAIRMAN. DR. JOHN BERRY HAS ASSUMED THAT ROLE. BERRY IS THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRI-COUNTY HEAD START. OTHER LEADERS ON THE UNITED WAY BOARD INCLUDE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DAVID HARRIS, WHO WILL SERVE AS VICE CHAIR. CEDAR FALLS CITY COUNCILMAN TOM BLANFORD WILL ACT AS THE ORGANIZATION’S TREASURER.
FIREWORKS SEASON IS HERE, WITH THE 4TH OF JULY JUST OVER A WEEK AWAY. WHILE FIREWORKS ARE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS IF NOT HANDLED PROPERLY, THE SMOKE THEY PRODUCE CAN BE HAZARDOUS FOR SOME PEOPLE, EVEN WHEN USED THE RIGHT WAY. BRIAN HUTCHINS IS THE IOWA DNR AIR QUALITY SUPERVISOR AND SAYS THAT SMOKE IS AN ISSUE, PARTICULARLY IN SOME WEATHER CONDITIONS. HUTCHINS WAS A GUEST THIS MORNING DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL.
IOWA SENATOR JONI ERNST IS CRITICIZING THE CRITICS. DURING A HEARING ABOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ERNST ARGUED THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTED CORRECTLY TO BAN TRAVEL BETWEEN CHINA AND THE U.S. EARLIER THIS YEAR. SHE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES THE CORONAVIRUS HAS CAUSED AS THE WORLD’S TWO LARGEST ECONOMIES HAVE TRY TO INTERACT. COVID-19 WAS FIRST REPORTED IN WUHAN, CHINA, BEFORE SPREADING TO EUROPE, THE UNITED STATES, AND AROUND THE WORLD. AS OF THIS MORNING, THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTED THAT THE NUMBER OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE STATE IS APPROACHING 27 THOUSAND.
AN ARGUMENT IN IOWA FALLS ALLEGEDLY LED TO A MAN THERE BRINGING A RIFLE FROM HIS HOME TO THREATEN A NEIGHBOR. CHRISTOPHER PARR FACES AN AGGRAVATED ASSAULT CHARGE FROM THE INCIDENT. FOLLOWING A CONFRONTATION, PARR ALLEGEDLY RETRIEVED A LOADED AR-15 AFTER THE TONE OF THE ARGUMENT ESCALATED. REPORTS SUGGEST THAT THE UNNAMED NEIGHBOR MAY HAVE BEEN HISPANIC.
THE IOWA CITY FARMERS’ MARKET HAD PLANNED TO RETURN TO MORE FAMILIAR OPERATIONS NEXT WEEK. THOSE PLANS ARE NOW OFF, AND THE FARMERS’ MARKET WILL REMAIN VIRTUAL WITH NO-CONTACT DELIVERY THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEAR. PRODUCE AND OTHER PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN PURCHASED AND SOLD THROUGH THE ONLINE FORMAT SINCE MAY. AN UPTICK IN CORONAVIRUS CASES IN JOHNSON COUNTY CONVINCED FARMERS’ MARKET ORGANIZERS THAT LOOSENING SOCIAL DISTANCING RESTRICTIONS COULD BE A RISK TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
