Democrat Finkenauer knocked off US Senate primary ballot
A state court judge has concluded that Democrat Abby Finkenauer cannot appear on the June 7 primary ballot for U.S. Senate because she didn’t gather enough petition signatures, knocking off the candidate considered by many to be the party’s best chance to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley.
Iowa GOP: Benefit cuts needed to spur people to take jobs
Iowa is nearing passage of a dramatic reduction in unemployment benefits to try to force people to fill thousands of open jobs and reverse a trend in which the governor argues the state's “safety net has become a hammock." A measure supported only by the Republicans who control the Legislature would reduce allowable unemployment payments from 26 weeks to 16 weeks, placing Iowa among only six states with such severe limits. Currently, 40 states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico pay up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, and Iowa has held to that standard for nearly 40 years.
news.yahoo.comIowa governor signs restrictive transgender sports bill
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law a bill that prohibits transgender females from participating in girls high school sports and women’s college athletics, rejecting opponents' argument that she would harm vulnerable children to solve a nonexistent problem.
COVID falling in 49 of 50 states as deaths near 900,000
With the brutal omicron wave rapidly loosening its grip, new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. are falling in 49 of 50 states, even as the nation's death toll closes in on another bleak round number: 900,000. The number of lives lost to the pandemic in the U.S. stood at over 897,000 as of midday Friday, with deaths running at an average of more than 2,400 a day, back up to where they were last winter, when the vaccine drive was still getting started. Similarly, an early-warning program that looks for the virus in sewage found that COVID-19 infections are declining in the majority of participating U.S. communities, according to data posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
news.yahoo.comAudit: Governor improperly used COVID funds for salaries
A state audit report on government spending released Monday accused Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds of using nearly $450,000 in federal coronavirus relief funds to pay salaries for 21 staff members for three months last year and concealing the spending by passing it through the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. State Auditor Rob Sand said a review of the state's payroll system shows the money was used to pay the Republican governor's office staff, but it's unclear why she had to take federal money to pay the salaries. “What is not clear, is why these salaries were not included in the governor’s budget set prior to the fiscal year and prior to the pandemic,” he said in the audit report.
news.yahoo.comBlack Democratic chair gets lynching threat over Trump essay
The first Black chair of Iowa’s Democratic Party says he received a series of racist messages, including a lynching threat, after writing a newspaper op-ed criticizing former President Donald Trump and the state Republican officials who stood with him at a recent rally in Des Moines.
Local school boards emerge as hot races in November election
Races for local school board seats have emerged as intense political battlegrounds in the upcoming Nov. 2 elections across the U.S. Parental protests that started during COVID-19 lockdowns are evolving into full-fledged board takeover campaigns.
How scientists are creating technology based on a beetle's exoskeleton that could help end water scarcity
Two-thirds of the world's population faces an extreme water shortage at least one month a year. Many of these places are dry, arid deserts with no reliable source of fresh water — other than fog, that is. But fog capture isn't as easy as you might think, at least for us humans. The Namib Desert beetle, on the other hand, has practically perfected the art. Here's how scientists are creating technology based on the beetle's exoskeleton that could help end water scarcity.
news.yahoo.comBillboard targeting Gov. Kim Reynolds to be removed after backlash
A hard-to-miss billboard downtown is facing its most vocal opposition by liberals online, despite it being commissioned by a PAC that opposes Gov. Kim Reynolds.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for freeState of play: The billboard along I-235 East and Keo Way was purchased by OPE! PAC and claims Reynolds contributed to the state's 42% increase in abortions under her tenure between 2018-20. (The numbers are accurate via Iowa Department of
news.yahoo.comMultiple Republican Governors Reject CDC Mask Guidance Renewal
Multiple Republican governors rejected the CDC's mask guidance renewal Tuesday that recommends some vaccinated individuals in locations with greater rates of infection, as well as everyone in K-12 schools, resume mask-wearing in certain indoor venues.
news.yahoo.comIowa governor questions migrant flights into Des Moines
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds complained in a letter sent Thursday that the federal government didn't notify her before flying migrant children into the Des Moines airport in April, then shuttling them to other cities as part of an effort to join them with relatives. In a letter sent to Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Reynolds called for a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on immigration that should address the Biden administration’s lack of notice when it moves children through the states. Although similar migrant children relocation occurred during the Trump and Obama administrations, Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett said the recent flight was different because it occurred late at night and a federal agency initially denied it had organized the flight.
news.yahoo.comGov. Reynolds claims feds lied about flying migrant children to DSM
Unaccompanied migrant children were transported to Iowa and Tennessee this spring without any notice from federal agencies, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday in a call for transparency.Reynolds and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee also claim that federal officials initially denied their involvement. Why it matters: Now the two Republican governors — who both denied the Biden administration's requests to house migrant children in their states — are calling on Congress to investigate the incidents.Stay on to
news.yahoo.comWhy Iowa's unemployment experiment is worth watching
All eyes will be on Iowa and other Republican-led states these next few months to see if an early exit from federal unemployment benefits truly nudges people back to work. Why it matters: Gov. Kim Reynolds decided to curtail the weekly $300 supplemental aid starting Saturday — making Iowa one of the earliest states to try and see if it moves the needle in labor participation."This is going to be one of the largest experiments in the U.S. labor market that I've ever heard of," Peter Orazem, an ec
news.yahoo.comIowa's governor again accused of misspending COVID funds
A COVID-19 awareness campaign featuring Gov. Kim Reynolds violated an Iowa law that prohibits using public money on self-promotion, according to a special investigative audit released today by state auditor Rob Sand.At least $152,585 of federal coronavirus relief funding was misspent, the audit shows.Just minutes after the audit's release, Reynolds' office responded in a statement saying "any competent reading" of the law shows Sand is wrong.Why it matters: Beyond raising concerns about how stat
news.yahoo.comElection officials face fines, charges in GOP voting laws
The county officials who run elections are facing a slate of new punishments as part of a nationwide Republican campaign to roll back access to the ballot, months after many hailed them as heroes for the creative ways they expanded voting access last year during the coronavirus outbreak.
Iowa pushes pop-up vaccination as demand for shots wanes
As interest in the coronavirus vaccine continues to lag, Iowa public health officials are trying to make it easier to get a shot. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday that a bus will be set up this week in the parking lot of the Iowa Cubs baseball park in Des Moines for the first two days of games this season, and a similar pop-up vaccination station is planned at the Des Moines Farmers Market this weekend. The state also now allows people who have had their first shot to take their vaccination card to any pharmacy or health care provider to get the second dose.
news.yahoo.comMan charged with threatening Iowa governor cites free speech
An Iowa man charged with leaving a threatening voicemail telling Gov. Kim Reynolds she should be “hung for treason” defended his comments Thursday as free speech, saying he was expressing opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. Harvey Hunter Jr., 48, is charged with first-degree harassment for the profane Jan. 5 message he left on a governor’s office phone line set up to gather input over whether Reynolds should continue the partial statewide mask mandate. Hunter called the GOP governor a dictator and said “every single one of you need to be hung for treason for pushing this COVID scam,” according to a criminal complaint filed in Polk County.
news.yahoo.comThe Latest: 6 more COVID cases found in local China outbreak
Ad___JOHNSTON, Iowa — Facing an uptick in new coronavirus cases and a hesitancy among a significant portion of the population to get the vaccine Iowa Gov. State health data shows 555 new positive cases in the past 24 hours and no additional deaths reported. Illinois Department of Public Health officials on Tuesday reported 2,404 coronavirus cases, including 17 more deaths. State health officials say 43% of people have received at least one dose of a vaccine and about 65% are fully vaccinated. ___ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s number of confirmed coronavirus cases reached 39,302, a record high for a second straight day.
GOP lawmakers seek greater control over local elections
In addition to their nationwide efforts to restrict voting access, Republican lawmakers in some key states are seeking greater control over the local mechanics of elections, from voter registration to certifying results. In addition to their nationwide efforts to limit access to the ballot, Republican lawmakers in some states are moving to gain greater control over the local mechanics of elections, from voter registration all the way to certifying results. Brian Kemp signed a bill Thursday to give the GOP-dominated Legislature greater influence over a state board that regulates elections and empowers it to remove local election officials deemed to be underperforming. A South Carolina proposal would give lawmakers new oversight of the members appointed to the currently independent State Election Commission. The board could then remove local election officials and replace them.
EXPLAINER: Varying views on how to keep accurate voter rolls
Maintaining accurate voter rolls is a bipartisan concern, but there is little agreement on the best way to do it. Republicans say Democrats are too lax, resulting in bloated voter rolls that undermine confidence and invite fraud. Here is an explanation of how voter rolls are maintained, how states do it differently and the conflicts over this year’s legislative proposals. WHAT ARE VOTER ROLLS AND HOW ARE THEY MAINTAINED? In 2016, New York City’s Board of Elections improperly removed more than 200,000 names from the voter rolls.
Police: Inmates killed 2 Iowa prison staff in escape attempt
Inmates Woodard and Michael Dutcher used hammers to attack prison staff members during a failed attempt to escape an Iowa prison, killing a nurse and correctional officer, kidnapping a third employee and severely injuring an inmate who intervened, authorities said Wednesday, March 24, 2021. (Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation via AP)IOWA CITY, Iowa – Inmates used hammers to attack staff members during a failed attempt to escape an Iowa prison, killing a nurse and a correctional officer, kidnapping a third employee and severely injuring an inmate who intervened, authorities said Wednesday. Schulte was also beaten with a hammer when she, like McFarland, intervened to stop their escape, Rahn said. AdAFSCME Council 61 President Danny Homan, whose union represents Iowa prison workers, said he was mourning the loss of two dedicated and experienced public servants. Schulte had worked at the prison since 2007 and previously worked at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.
EXPLAINER: How states are seeking to loosen controls on guns
States led by Democrats are pushing to expand some gun control laws. AdMaryland lawmakers overrode a veto from Republican Gov. AdALLOWING GUNS IN MORE PLACESSeveral states are expanding where people can take their guns. But 15 states already have laws allowing permitless carry for concealed guns. A similar “Stand Your Ground” measure has been approved by the South Dakota Legislature and is awaiting Republican Gov.
Iowa Republicans cut back early voting and Election Day hours
Iowa Republicans cut back early voting and Election Day hours Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds signed a GOP-backed law this week to restrict the state's early and Election Day voting. CBS News reporter Adam Brewster joins CBSN's "Red & Blue" host Elaine Quijano to discuss efforts by Republicans across the country to limit voting access.
cbsnews.comCoronavirus infections are higher than ever, but COVID-19 deaths are not. Why?
For months, epidemiologists have predicted a spike in COVID-19 cases as winter approaches. Coronavirus infections are rising across much of the United States, with the number of new daily cases nearing 200,000 for the past several days. But as infections spiraled to never-before-seen heights, the number of COVID-19 deaths per day has not followed suit. The more coronavirus cases that are reported, the more COVID-19 deaths we’d expect to see, right? That dichotomy explains why the percentage of coronavirus cases serious enough to result in death has gone down.
latimes.comCoronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened Nov. 17 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area
Chicago Public Schools has announced that it will continue to provide classes through remote learning until after the winter break, but then plans to begin bringing students back on Jan. 11. CPS' announcement also coincides with decisions by several suburban district to revert to remote learning as COVID-19 cases surge in Illinois. At a news conference, Reynolds defended exceptions in her mask mandate that public health experts say makes it weak. As the number of new coronavirus cases in Illinois topped 15,000 for the first time — setting a record for consecutive days — Gov. —Michael HawthorneBreaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
chicagotribune.comIowa imposes new restrictions to fight surge of coronavirus cases
The proclamation comes as the state is facing a surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds said the mandate will take effect November 17 and continue through December 10. Iowa state health officials reported on Monday that more than 1,000 people were hospitalized due to the coronavirus. The state's daily death toll from COVID-19 has also seen a steady rise since late September, according to Iowa officials. Meanwhile, Moderna on Monday said that its coronavirus vaccine is 94.5% effective, according to preliminary data from the company's ongoing study.
cbsnews.comIowa governor, after possible coronavirus exposure at White House, to partially self-quarantine
U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a meeting about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response with Iowa Governor Kimberly Reynolds in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 6, 2020. REUTERS/Tom BrennerWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said on Monday she would follow a modified self-quarantine plan in case she was exposed to the deadly coronavirus during a visit to the White House last Wednesday or meetings in Iowa with Vice President Mike Pence on Friday. During that time, weve learned that a member of the vice presidents staff tested positive for COVID-19. Pence met with faith and business leaders on Friday in Iowa to discuss the impacts of the coronavirus. The White House has directed staff working in the West Wing to wear masks at all times in the building.
feeds.reuters.comIowa official forced to resign one day after sending mass email with Tupac lyrics
Then last month, he sent another such email to all 4,300 agency employees. Foxhoven, 66, told employees that he had been a huge fan of the hip-hop artist for years. He traded lyrics with employees and he marked his own 65th birthday with Shakur-themed cookies, including ones decorated with the words "Thug life." He told colleagues he was inspired by lyrics that included: "It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes." A spokesman for the governor wouldn't confirm or deny that Foxhoven's email figured into her surprise request for his resignation.
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