Category: State News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Eight days after Iowa saw record turnout for its primary election, the Republican controlled Senate passed legislation that will prohibit methods that led to its success. Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate sent out absentee ballots to every voter in the state to encourage voters to vote absentee during the pandemic. No longer. Senate Republicans now want voters to have to request a ballot.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Black Lives Matter activists gathered at the Statehouse this morning to once again speak with lawmakers. The group gathered outside Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office while chanting, “Let them vote!” regarding a proposed amendment that would stop the Secretary of State from distributing absentee ballot request forms by mail.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The 2020 Iowa State Fair will be cancelled because of COVID-19. Many grandstand acts had already cancelled their appearances. Des Moines stands to lose $110 million.

IOWA (IRN) – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend are calling for a cut in federal payments to unemployed workers as the economy recovers from the COVID-19-caused recession.Townsend said that 79% of Iowans on unemployment since April have received more money each week than they did at their former jobs. Grassley says “that doesn’t seem like a recipe for economic growth.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa businesses are preparing to open at full capacity, after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced more coronavirus restrictions are being lifted Wednesday. Her new proclamation allows businesses like restaurants, bars, fitness centers, casinos, senior citizen centers, adult daycare facilities, salons, barbershops, medical spas, theaters and performance venues, race tracks, and malls to reopen without capacity limits.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the easing of further business restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic today. The governor announced the 50% capacity limit for Iowa businesses will be lifted at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 12. Social-distancing requirements of 6 feet for certain businesses like restaurants, bars and theaters, will stay in place.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State University students will return to campus this fall. The semester will start August 17th, one week early, and wrap up the day before Thanksgiving. University of Northern Iowa officials also released a plan for the fall semester. That includes returning to campus on August 17th, a week earlier than usual, in order to provide flexibility during the winter flu season. Classes will be a mix of face to face, hybrid, and online instruction.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The latest numbers from the Iowa Department of Public Health show the state saw seven more deaths attributed to COVID-19 over the 24-hour period between 10:00 a.m. Tuesday and 10:00 a.m. Wednesday. The data from the IDPH shows there have been 629 total deaths from the coronavirus in the state so far. Of those deaths, 312 were residents of long term care facilities. There are currently 38 outbreaks of the virus at Iowa long term care facilities.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad and other lawmakers shared new demands from Des Moines Black Lives Matter with Gov. Kim Reynolds. Four of the organization’s five demands are directed toward the Iowa Legislature. The fifth is for Gov. Kim Reynolds. Des Moines BLM asks lawmakers to reject HF 2532, which they said legalizes corporal punishment in public schools. They also seek to ban police chokeholds, permit the Iowa Attorney General to investigate police misconduct and prevent the rehiring of police fired for misconduct.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Republican legislators are fast-tracking a bill that offers businesses including meatpacking plants and nursing homes broad immunity from coronavirus lawsuits amid criticism that it would also enable them to ignore workplace safety requirements.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa House Republicans have proposed keeping state spending mostly the same in the coming fiscal year, but they have yet to reach an agreement with their Senate colleagues about where to spend Iowa’s slimmer-than-planned resources. Under the bill, most state departments and agencies would be funded at the same level in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, as they received in the current fiscal year.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Leaders with the Iowa State Fair will meet this afternoon to discuss this summer’s fair. State fairs in other states such as Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin have already canceled due to the coronavirus. The Iowa State Fair Board will meet at 3 p.m. to discuss the status of the 2020 Iowa State Fair.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines city council voted unanimously to delay the final vote on its anti-racial profiling ordinance. Instead, members approved its first reading last night during a virtual meeting.The ordinance requires police to commit itself to the unbiased, equitable treatment of all people. It also mentions racial profiling and traffic stops, prohibiting any stop motivated by how someone looks.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The state of Iowa is reporting 308 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths over the last 24 hours. There have been 606 deaths since the pandemic began.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa Athletics Department announced its first COVID-19 case Monday. A total of 237 people, including student athletes, coaches and staff members, received coronavirus tests starting May 29.

CLERMONT, IA (IRN) – Two women from West Union were tubing on the Turkey River when they went over the Clermont Dam and got caught in the current and died. They were 45 and 64 years old.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Police in Waterloo are investigating after a black man found the initials for the white supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan scrawled on his vehicle. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the initials KKK were written in a waxy substance on the passenger side, apparently while the vehicle was parked at the Baymont Inn in sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning. No arrests have been made.

GARNAVILLO, IA (IRN) – One person is dead after a tractor/motorcycle collision in northeast Iowa Saturday near Garnavillo. The 50-year old driver, from Oelwein, failed to make it through a curve, crossed the centerline, and hit the tractor head-on. The motorcyclist died.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The state is reporting 308 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths in Iowa over the last 24 hours. As of this morning, there have been 21,919 confirmed cases and 606 deaths since the pandemic began.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Black Lives Matter group made an additional list of demands Saturday for lawmakers and Gov. Kim Reynolds. The new list includes the decriminalization of cannabis, expunging the records of arrests made from protests this week, an executive order to immediately restore voting rights for felons, and an end to juvenile detention. The group also suggested using funds from the police department and redirecting it to housing, education, health care and more.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Kinnick Stadium at the University of Iowa was vandalized Saturday night after multiple protesters marched through Iowa City. Lonny Pulkrabek, Johnson County Sheriff, posted a picture to Facebook of a group spray painting the statue of Nile Kinnick. He also said they vandalized the University of Iowa Hospital.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Chris Doyle, the Hawkeye strength and conditioning coach who earns over $800,000 a year, was put on leave Saturday after former black players posted on Twitter about racial disparities. On Sunday, Doyle released a statement saying he doesn’t make racist comments.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 8 deaths and 345 new positive cases Saturday. That brings the statewide total to 21,438 positive cases and 597 deaths.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Thousands laid down in front of Des Moines City Hall Saturday for the same 8 minutes and 46 seconds that a Minneapolis police officer held a knee on George Floyd’s neck. Iowa protesters pushed for systemic change in the wake of Floyd’s death and organized a solidarity march in downtown Des Moines from Wells Fargo Arena to City Hall.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A crowd estimated at least 1,000 demonstrators gathered at Cedar Rapids’ Greene Square to protest police brutality following the death of George Floyd more than a week ago in Minneapolis. Police Chief Wayne Jerman were among city leaders speaking during the event. Chief Jerman said the police department has implemented changes following Floyd’s death.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – After a week of mostly peaceful protests throughout the capital city — including one that reached Mayor Frank Cownie’s front lawn — the Des Moines City Council could pass an anti-racial profiling ordinance at its meeting Monday.