Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has condemned the violent protest at the U.S. Capitol but remains sympathetic to assertions questioning the integrity of the presidential election. Reynolds told reporters yesterday the attack was unacceptable and those responsible should be prosecuted. But she says it’s a concern that half of the electorate doesn’t believe the election results and that something should be done to address that.
Gov. Kim Reynolds is pushing for legislation requiring all school districts to offer a 100% in-person learning option. At a news conference last month, Reynolds indicated schools could be required to offer face-to-face instruction. The governor cited studies showing the virus does not spread as rapidly among school-aged children as it does among adults, and she expressed concern that students who are learning remotely could fall behind. House Speaker Pat Grassley of New Hartford said whatever the Legislature decides this year needs to revolve around parental choice. The 2021 session begins on Monday.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, based in Des Moines, is resigning. Marc Krickbaum did not give a reason for his resignation, which came yesterday. President Trump appointed Krickbaum to the post in July 2017. It is customary for U.S. Attorneys to resign when a new president takes office. Before his appointment, Krickbaum worked for almost a decade as a prosecutor in Chicago and Des Moines. The federal prosecutor’s office for the Southern District hold courts in Davenport, Des Moines and Council Bluffs.
Mason City officials have announced that the city has been awarded a $150,000 grant for its proposed Willow Creek Riverwalk. The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs announced the grant award earlier this week. The announcement said the effort will promote current and future downtown revitalization efforts. The project will include a prominent “hearth” gathering location, a new pathway through the mall parking lot, new “Sculptures on Parade” artwork and trail improvements. Last year, city officials budgeted the project at $1.2 million. Mayor Bill Schickel says the city is in talks with other partners to work on making the project happen.
The number of Iowans filing for unemployment increased last week, but most of those indicated their unemployment claim was not COVID-19-related. Iowa Workforce Development reports a total of 8,236 Iowans filed initial unemployment claims. That’s an increase of 1,095 from the previous reporting period’s adjusted numbers. Continuing weekly unemployment claims totaled 43,901, an increase of 5,878 from the previous week. IWD reports that nearly 68.6 percent of claimants said their claims were not COVID-19 related. November through February are typically the months in which Iowa sees the most unemployment claims due to seasonal layoffs in construction, agriculture, landscaping and manufacturing. Construction and manufacturing were the two industries with the most unemployment claims last week.
A fire that damaged a Waterloo business Wednesday evening is believed to be accidental. A passerby called 911 after noticing the fire at All Used Cars in the 900 block of Broadway St., shortly before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Heavy smoke was coming from a pole building that serves as the store’s repair garage. Two vehicles were inside the shop — one is considered a total loss and the other has heat damage. No one was inside the business at the time, and no injuries were reported. The store’s office is housed in a separate building and wasn’t damaged, firefighters said. The exact cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.
The risk for flooding along the Missouri River appears lower than normal headed into the year because the ground remains dry across most of the region and snowpack levels are generally below average. Officials with the Corps of Engineers and National Weather Service cautioned yesterday that it is still early in the year and conditions can change. But currently it appears that 2021 will be somewhat drier and only about 90% of the normal amount of water is expected to flow down the Missouri River. That is welcome news for areas along the river where levees damaged during 2019′s flooding are still waiting to be repaired.
Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and four top Iowa officials cooperated in making a marketing video for a company that has received state contracts during the coronavirus response. The arrangement us between the state and Utah-based Domo Inc. The video for Domo features interviews with Reynolds, state medical director Caitlin Pedati, chief operations officer Paul Trombino and two others. The officials say their management of COVID-19 is a success story for Iowa and the company. Reynolds spokesperson Pat Garrett says Domo “wanted a testimonial on the success” of the Test Iowa program and the governor and others agreed to participate.
A former U.S. congressman for Northeast Iowa has announced he’s leaving the Republican Party following Wednesday’s assault on the Capitol. Former Rep. Jim Nussle announced on Twitter that he “will no longer claim I am a Republican,” expressing outrage over the rioting in which mobs stormed the U.S. Capitol and forced lawmakers to be rushed from the building. Nussle also wrote that he was devastated by the actions of “too many elected Republicans (some I know and served with) and supporters.” Nussle represented Iowa in Congress from 1991-2007. He lost Iowa’s 2006 gubernatorial race against Democrat Chet Culver.
