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KXEL Midday News for Fri. Oct. 23, 2020

By Tim Martin Oct 23, 2020 | 2:15 PM

IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS RECENTLY SIZED UP THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON THE STATE’S BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM. REYNOLDS SAYS IOWA’S APPROACH TO THE PANDEMIC PUT TRUST IN PEOPLE AND COMPANIES TO MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS.  REYNOLDS’ THOUGHTS ON BUSINESS AND COVID-19 WILL BE THE FOCUS OF HER WEEKEND APPEARANCE ON THE IOWA BUSINESS REPORT, WHICH AIRS TOMORROW MORNING AT 7 AND SUNDAY MORNING AT 11 HERE ON KXEL.

THIS WEEK, ELECTION OFFICIALS IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY WON ONE ROUND OF A LAWSUIT OVER A VOTING GRANT. THE SUIT BY THE IOWA VOTER ALLIANCE SOUGHT TO PREVENT THE COUNTY FROM ACCEPTING OVER 267 THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WOULD COVER VARIOUS UNBUDGETED ELECTION EXPENSES. A FEDERAL COURT TURNED DOWN A REQUEST FOR A RESTRAINING ORDER WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED BLACK HAWK COUNTY FROM USING THAT MONEY UNTIL THE CASE IS SETTLED. IN A STATEMENT YESTERDAY ABOUT THE FAVORABLE RULING, THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE NOTED THE PLAINTIFFS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE ANY CHANCE OF PREVAILING ON THE MERITS OF THEIR CASE.

A MARION OFFICER WHO PROTECTS THE COMMUNITY IS GETTING SOME PROTECTION. KAIN IS A MARION POLICE K9 OFFICER. YESTERDAY, THE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED KAIN WILL RECEIVE A PROTECTIVE VEST TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF INJURIES FROM A VARIETY OF WEAPONS. THE CUSTOM-FITTED K9 BODY ARMOR IS COMING FROM A MINNESOTA CHARITY CALLED VESTED INTEREST.

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THIS MORNING DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL, BLACK HAWK COUNTY SHERIFF TONY THOMPSON REVIEWED THE COUNTY’S COVID-19 RESPONSE FROM THIS SPRING AND SUMMER. THOMPSON IS ALSO CHAIR OF THE COUNTY’S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY BOARD. THIS FALL, HE IS RUNNING FOR REELECTION AS SHERIFF. THOMPSON’S OPPONENT IN THAT RACE IS COUNTY SUPERVISOR DAN TRELKA, WHO WILL BE A KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL GUEST ON MONDAY.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE AT THE STATE LEVEL, IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SAYS MONEY FROM A SPECIAL BUSINESS FUND WAS CRUCIAL TO KEEPING MANY BUSINESSES IN OPERATION DURING THE EARLY MONTHS OF THE PANDEMIC. THE BUSINESS FUND WAS CREATED FROM PART OF THE ONE-AND-A-QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS THE STATE RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL CARES ACT. YOU HEARD FROM REYNOLDS THIS MORNING DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL.

A CEDAR RAPIDS MAN WAS CONVICTED OF STEALING OVER 11 THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM FEED IOWA FIRST. THE NON-PROFIT PRODUCES FRESH FOOD TO HELP THE HUNGRY. ERIC WULLNER RECEIVED A DEFERRED JUDGEMENT AFTER DIVERTING THE MONEY INTO PERSONAL ACCOUNTS. IF WULLNER VIOLATES THREE YEARS OF PROBATION, THAT WOULD TRIGGER AN AUTOMATIC PRISON SENTENCE.

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THE STATE OF IOWA WAS UNIQUELY PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE FISCAL CHALLENGES CREATED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, ACCORDING TO IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS. DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL THIS MORNING, REYNOLDS SAID THE STATE’S FINANCIAL CUSHION MADE CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCE. HEAR MORE AUDIO FROM JEFF STEIN’S INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR DURING NEXT HOUR’S NEWSCAST. MORE OF REYNOLD’S COMMENTS WILL ALSO BE FEATURED AS PART OF THE IOWA BUSINESS REPORT, WHICH AIRS TOMORROW MORNING AT 7 AND SUNDAY MORNING AT 11 HERE ON KXEL.

CEDAR FALLS POLICE HAVE A SECOND SUSPECT AFTER A PAIR OF CHURCH BURGLARIES THIS SPRING. 48-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL BRINKMAN FACES CHARGES, JOINING 38-YEAR-OLD MELVIN MANNING, WHO WAS IMPLICATED IN ONE OF THE INCIDENTS LAST MONTH. THE BURGLARIES HAPPENED AT THE COMMUNITY OF CHRIST CHURCH AND GREENHILL BAPTIST CHURCH IN APRIL. POLICE SAY EVIDENCE, INCLUDING DISCARDED CIGARETTE BUTTS, POINTED THEM TO BRINKMAN AND MANNING.

FROM BREAK-INS TO WIND BREAKS. THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS OFFERING UP TO 16 HUNDRED DOLLARS APIECE TO RECONSTRUCT OR REPAIR FARMSTEAD WIND BREAKS DAMAGED BY THE AUGUST DERECHO. THE MONEY IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT’S RESOURCE ENHANCEMENT AND PROTECTION FUND. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR. IN AN ANNOUNCEMENT, AG AND NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICIALS SUGGESTED PLANTING WIND BREAK SEEDLINGS BEFORE THE SECOND WEEK OF NOVEMBER OR WAITING UNTIL SPRING.