THE SUSPECT IN A FATAL WEEKEND STABBING IN CEDAR RAPIDS DIED ON TUESDAY. POLICE SHOT 39-YEAR-OLD ARNELL STATES SATURDAY AS HE RAN FROM A MOTEL WHERE TWO WOMEN HAD BEEN STABBED. NO MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED, AND AUTHORITIES HAVE SAID THEY DO NOT KNOW OF A LINK BETWEEN STATES AND HIS VICTIMS. KATRINA BRINSON DIED FROM HER WOUNDS, WHILE THE OTHER WOMAN WAS TREATED AND RELEASED FROM A HOSPITAL.
THE NOMINATION OF MERRICK GARLAND AS ATTORNEY GENERAL WAS THE SUBJECT OF SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARINGS HELD THIS WEEK. IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY SHARED THIS CRITICISM OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S EARLY MOVES IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. SPECIAL COUNCIL JOHN DURHAM IS INVESTIGATING THE ORIGINS OF A PRIOR 2016 INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIAN AGENTS.
FLAGS WILL BE LOWERED AT STATE FACILITIES THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS ISSUED A DIRECTIVE TUESDAY IN RECOGNITION OF THE HALF-MILLION PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED IN THE UNITED STATES AS A RESULT OF THE CORONAVIRUS. SHE ENCOURAGED OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FLYING THE FLAG TO FOLLOW SUIT.
THE UNI PANTHER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM HOSTS IN-STATE RIVAL DRAKE TONIGHT. KXEL’S PREGAME COVERAGE BEGINS AT 5:45 FROM THE MCLEOD CENTER. ALSO IN WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL THIS EVENING, IOWA STATE TAKES ON WEST VIRGINIA AT 6:30 IN AMES.
INITIAL REPORTS INDICATE THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES IN AN OVERNIGHT WATERLOO FIRE. CREWS WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE OF A BURNING HOUSE ON ANKENY STREET BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 1 A.M. THAT’S JUST A FEW BLOCKS NORTH OF SULLIVAN PARK. DAMAGE FROM FLAMES AND SMOKE WILL MAKE THE HOME UNINHABITABLE AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAS NOT YET BEEN ANNOUNCED.
THE IOWA SENATE APPROVED A BILL TUESDAY CHANGING THE STATE’S EARLY VOTING RULES. THE MEASURE PASSED 30-TO-18 ON PARTISAN LINES. REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS HAVE ARGUED THAT CHANGES WERE NEEDED TO ENSURE ELECTION INTEGRITY. DEMOCRATS CRITICIZED RESTRICTIONS TO ABSENTEE AND EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING, NOTING THAT 75 PERCENT TURNOUT FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS ONLY POSSIBLE BY OFFERING MORE VOTING OPTIONS. THE SENATE MEASURE ALSO REQUIRES IOWA POLLS TO CLOSE AT 8 P.M., AN HOUR EARLIER THAN CURRENT RULES FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS. THE STATE HOUSE IS EXPECTED TO APPROVE THE BILL. GOV. KIM REYNOLDS HAS INDICATED HER SUPPORT.
BUSINESS TIES BETWEEN HUNTER BIDEN AND AN ENERGY COMPANY IN UKRAINE BECAME AN ISSUE IN THE 2020 ELECTION. IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY ASKED ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE MERRICK GARLAND ABOUT PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S SON DURING SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARINGS THIS WEEK. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS HAVE INVESTIGATED ALLEGED TAX AND FINANCIAL VIOLATIONS AS HUNTER BIDEN SERVED ON THE BOARD OF BURISMA.
STUDENTS AND PROPERTY TAX PAYERS WILL SEE SIMILAR INCREASES RELATED TO HAWKEYE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THE SCHOOL’S FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET WAS APPROVED YESTERDAY. KEY SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR HAWKEYE FROM TUITION, TAXES, AND STATE SUPPORT WILL INCREASE BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR PERCENT. AN AVERAGE SEMESTER OF TUITION WILL COST JUST UNDER 25-HUNDRED DOLLARS, WHILE PROPERTY TAXES RELATED TO HAWKEYE WILL BE ABOUT 66 DOLLARS FOR EVERY 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUATION.
ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE MERRICK GARLAND VISITED THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE THIS WEEK FOR CONFIRMATION HEARINGS. HIS APPEARANCE INCLUDED THIS EXCHANGE WITH IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY RELATED TO SPECIAL COUNCIL JOHN DURHAM’S INVESTIGATION INTO THE ORIGINS OF THE 2016 TRUMP CAMPAIGN RUSSIA PROBE. DURHAM WAS APPOINTED IN OCTOBER. GARLAND IS EXPECTED TO BE CONFIRMED AS ATTORNEY GENERAL NEXT MONTH.
A FEDERAL COURT HAS SENTENCED A BUTLER COUNTY MAN TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON. MICHAEL LIMKEMANN OF CLARKSVILLE PLED GUILTY TO BEING A FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM. LIMKEMANN WAS PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED ON CHARGES RELATED TO DISTRIBUTION OF METHAMPHETAMINE.
IOWA STATE’S MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM WILL SEE A SCHEDULE SHAKE-UP NEXT WEEK. MAKEUP GAMES ARE PLANNED FOR NEXT TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY AGAINST TEXAS, TEXAS TECH, AND KANSAS STATE RESPECTIVELY.
