President Trump Visits Cedar Rapids
(Cedar Rapids) — President Donald Trump rallied with a jubilant crowd of more than six-thousand fans in Cedar Rapids last (Wednesday) night.
Trump said and the crowd roared, breaking into a chant of “U-S-A!” Trump stood just below a huge American flag, with sign-waving supporters in front and behind him. The president spoke for more than 71 minutes, earning some of the loudest cheers when he blasted the media as “phony” and “fake.”
Trump said and the crowd erupted in a rumble of cheers. “They’re very lucky.” Trump’s visit came less than 24 hours after a Republican was declared the winner of a congressional seat in Georgia. Trump ridiculed Democrats for failing to secure a single win in the five special congressional elections that have been held this year.
Just after he landed in Iowa early yesterday (Wednesday) evening, Trump visited Kirkwood Community College to focus on HIGH-SPEED infrastructure. Trump is promising the infrastructure plan he’s working on with congress will provide money to expand broadband coverage that ensures farmers can connect to the internet.
Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad flew with Trump on Air Force One from D.C. to Cedar Rapids. Branstad’s to leave later this week for China and his post as U.S. Ambassador.
Trump called Branstad “a great friend” and a “true legend.”
Trump also called Branstad’s son “very talented.” Eric Branstad is a White House liaison in the U.S. Department of Commerce. It’s a post he took after serving as state director of Trump’s general election campaign. Tana Goertz (GERTZ), the Des Moines woman who was the runner-up on Trump’s “Apprentice” T-V show a dozen years ago, worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign, too. She told the crowd at last night’s rally that Trump’s NEXT campaign is well underway.
Trump visited Iowa last December. His rally in Des Moines was part of Trump’s post-election “thank you” tour. Trump’s appearance in Cedar Rapids last (Wednesday) night was his first visit to the state since he took the oath of office.
City Council Approves K-N-S Third Addition
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council approved the re-zoning of the K-N-S Third Addition from rural to residential during Tuesday’s city council meeting. The council approved a motion authorizing an Iowa State Recreational Trail Grant
application for the north extension of a recreational trail that will connect the Municipal Park with a trail that would extend to Madison Avenue and Mahogany Avenue. During Tuesday’s meeting, the city council heard a request to allow parking spaces from the city-owned parking lot to be allowed for apartment
dwelling residents living in the second story of downtown buildings. The council did not take any action, but will discuss the issue at a later date.
Reynolds Approves Special Election To Fill Vacant House Seat
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Kim Reynolds has set a special election this summer to fill the Iowa House seat left vacant by the death of Curt Hanson.
Reynolds signed a proclamation Wednesday setting the election for Aug. 8 to fill the remainder of Hanson’s term.
Political parties will hold nominating conventions to select candidates.
Iowa currently recognizes the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties.
Hanson, a Democrat, died Friday at his home after a battle with cancer.
He was 73. He was serving his fifth term representing District 82, which includes Davis, Jefferson and Van Buren counties.
Governor Reynolds Establishes Infrastructure Priority List
(Des Moines) — President Trump is pushing congress to pass a spending plan to upgrade the nation’s infrastructure system, and he has asked each governor for their top priorities. Iowa’s Governor Kim Reynolds has submitted her list of
priorities.
Governor Kim Reynolds has put three water-related projects on her list.
“Modernization” of the Upper Mississippi River Locks and Dams is at the top.
Number two is the proposed “Lewis and Clark Regional Water System.” It would provide drinking water to 300-thousand residents in northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota and southeast South Dakota. Number three on Reynolds’ list is the
Cedar Rapids Flood Mitigation Project. Reynolds also lists reconstruction of the interchange in the Iowa City area where Interstate 80 and Interstate 380
intersect. The fifth project on the governor’s priority list is expansion of the terminal at the Des Moines Airport.
Woodbury County Sheriff Approves Of No-Gun Policy In Courts
(Sioux City) — Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew is happy to see the order issued Tuesday by the Iowa Supreme Court that bans weapons in courthouses across the state. Drew is in charge of security at the county courthouse buildings in Sioux City, which is one of ten courthouses in the state with an airport-like metal detector at the entrance.
Sheriff Drew says the ruling allows them to expand security to areas where Juvenile Court and the County Treasurer are located. He says security there has been a concern.
Drew says. The order does not affect law officers. Woodbury County District Court Administrator, Leesa McNeil, says court staff and the public can now be reassured about their safety when they are in the facility.
The order requires the chief judge in each judicial district to work with local officials to carry out the order in each of Iowa’s 99 counties, but does not specify how weapons would be detected. The order from the Chief Justice says the security efforts put in place to protect the courts were too inconsistent across the state to make everyone safe and there needs to be a uniform policy. The order says 27 Iowa counties have no known courthouse weapons ban.
Nebraska Company Objects To Iowa Communities Fireworks Ordinance Rules
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Nebraska company wants a federal court to stop four Iowa cities from restricting fireworks sales.
The Des Moines Register reports (https://dmreg.co/2sEhhTc ) that Bellino (buh-LEE’-noh) Fireworks Inc., which is based in Papillion (puh-PIHL’-yuhn), Nebraska, filed a complaint against Ankeny, Boone, Johnston and Pleasant Hill.
Bellino wants a permanent injunction barring the cities from enforcing restrictions and seeks unspecified damages.
A court hearing is scheduled for Friday in Des Moines.
Legislation signed into law last month lets Iowans buy, use and sell fireworks from June 1 through July 8 and from Dec. 10 through Jan. 3. Local governments can opt out or limit the use of fireworks but not the sale.
Another company has gone to court to stop Des Moines from enforcing its rule limiting fireworks sales to industrial areas.
—
Fire Victim Now Identified
ALGONA, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the names of a woman who died at the scene of a house fire in northern Iowa and two other women injured in the
fire.
Firefighters were sent to the Algona residence early Tuesday found a bedroom ablaze.
The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that authorities identified the dead woman as 29-year-old Jessica Lierley Southard, of Des Moines. Kossuth County Emergency Manager David Penton says she was the daughter of one of the women injured, 63-year-old Patrice Lierley, also of Des Moines, and the niece of the other woman injured, 69-year-old Karen Lierley, of Algona.
Penton says the mother and daughter were visiting Karen Lierley at her home when the fire broke out.
The fire cause is being investigated.
—
