Feenstra To Run For U-S 4th Congressional District Position
(Hull) — Republican Iowa State Senator Randy Feenstra of Hull has announced he will seek nomination of the U-S 4th Congressional District for the next election. That position is currently held by Republican Congressman Steve King of Kiron. Assuming King seeks another term, that would pit Feenstra and King against each other for a Republican primary. Feenstra has held the Senate Assistant Majority Leader position, and the Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair. Feenstra is in his third term as a state legislator. Feenstra will open a federal campaign committee, taking the first steps in his campaign for the republican nomination in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District in 2020. Serving his third term in the Iowa State Senate, Feenstra pointed to the need to provide President Trump with a strong voice who can help protect and advance a conservative agenda for America.
“What we’ve seen this past week from the new Democratic majority in Congress is appalling,” Feenstra explained. “They’ve made it clear that they want nothing less than to raise taxes to historic levels, ignore the rule of law and undue the successes made by President Trump. The President needs effective conservative leaders in Congress who will not only support his agenda, but actually get things done.”
A staunch conservative, Randy Feenstra has a long list of accomplishments in the Iowa Legislature. Senator Feenstra was a key architect of last year’s historic state income tax cut, the largest in Iowa’s history. Feenstra also led the way on reducing property taxes for Iowa’s working families and seniors. He’s been a champion of rural Iowa, defending Iowa agriculture, a supporter of renewable fuels and a proponent for Iowa’s main street businesses.
Feenstra says, “Today, Iowa’s 4th District doesn’t have a voice in Washington, because our current representative’s caustic nature has left us without a seat at the table,” Feenstra added, “We don’t need any more sideshows or distractions, we need to start winning for Iowa’s families.”
As the next Congressman from the 4th District, Randy is committed to securing our borders, balancing the federal budget, simplifying our tax system and supporting job creators.
King Campaign Staff Responds To News Of Feenstra’s Challenge
(Kiron) — King’s campaign officials have responded to the news of State Senator Randy Feenstra intentions to challenge Steve King for the U-S 4th District Congressional seat. “Just last December 28, Randy Feenstra told Jeff King, ‘as you know, I love your dad and I would never run against him.’” Today, misguided political opportunism, fueled by establishment puppeteers, has revealed that Mr. Feenstra is easily swayed by the lies of the Left. Today’s announcement by Feenstra is the third attempt by the establishment in as many primary cycles to take the 4th District out of the hands of grassroots Republicans. Further, it’s an obvious attempt to undermine an effective and leading Congressional ally of the President’s whom Trump frequently refers to as ‘the world’s most conservative human being.’ From his statements, it appears that Mr. Feenstra offers Republican voters nothing but warmed over talking points from liberal blogs and failed Democratic candidates.”
Christmas Acres Donates To Christian Needs Center
(Le Mars) — A donation of $14,266 was recently presented to the Christian Needs Center of Le Mars by Rob Scheitler of Christmas Acres. Each year, for the last several years, beginning at Thanksgiving running through Christmas, including the New Year’s Holiday and Epiphany, the Scheitler family displays
hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights and decorations at their farm that attracts visitors from a wide area. Christmas Acres is located west of Le Mars on Highway 3 and then a quarter of a mile south on Impala Avenue. Rob Scheitler says of the money collected “this is an amazing amount of money
which helps so many people in need.”
Brandon South Dakota Woman Sentenced
(Orange City) — Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle announced that Artis Kattenberg, age 51, of Brandon, South Dakota, was sentenced Monday in Sioux County District Court for the crimes of Criminal Mischief as well as Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. On January 7, 2019, Kattenberg
was also sentenced in Lyon County District Court for the separate crimes of Criminal Mischief and Aiding and Abetting the Reckless Use of a Firearm.
Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle, and Lyon County Attorney Shayne Mayer, prosecuted the cases on behalf of the State of Iowa.
The cases began on December 24, 2017, after which damage was done to a residence by a gun being fired toward and into a Sioux County residence.
The home was not occupied at the time of the shooting, but a separate investigation revealed a second shooting was also done to a Lyon County residence. Multiple agencies, coordinating their investigative efforts, revealed increasingly bizarre behavior from Kattenberg and her son, which included stockpiling firearms and threatening comments. Kattenberg was taken into South Dakota custody on December 27, 2017, where she spent 293 days in
the Minnehaha County jail, and received a 7-year suspended prison sentence for Abuse or Cruelty to a Minor, with the condition she comply with all recommendations for mental health treatment. Coordinating law enforcement agencies appear to have prevented an incident with multiple victims of firearm-related violence.
In Iowa, Kattenberg received a second 7-year suspended prison
sentence, where she is prohibited from having any contact with the Netherlands Reformed Church in Rock Valley and the victims. She must also comply with any mental health recommendations. As a result of her felony convictions in South Dakota and Iowa, Kattenberg is prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms.
Iowa Finance Authority Lobbyist Able To Receive Unemployment Benefits
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Finance Authority lobbyist fired for retaliating against a colleague who reported sexual harassment allegations against their boss has been awarded unemployment benefits. Administrative Law Judge Nicole Merrill ruled Monday that Wes Peterson’s conduct was “merely an isolated incident of extremely poor judgment” that didn’t disqualify him from collecting unemployment.
Peterson, the agency’s government relations director, was fired
Sept. 27 following an investigation into sexual harassment by fired director Dave Jamison.
The report portrayed Peterson as a Jamison sidekick who witnessed him grabbing a colleague’s breasts at a bar in 2016.
Peterson yelled at the woman during a call after Jamison was fired last March, demanding to know whether she was among those who complained to Gov. Kim Reynolds and warning he’d falsely claim he was too drunk to remember the groping. He later texted an apology, saying he feared he’d become “collateral damage.”
Merrill says the evidence supports Peterson’s claim that he was
calling the woman as a friend about a stressful work situation and didn’t understand his actions could be considered retaliation.
Ottumwa Man Accused Of Murder Claims It Was Self-Defense
OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) – An Ottumwa man accused of murder and attempted murder plans to claim self-defense at his trial.
Wapello County District Court records say the attorney for 19-year-old Jacob Heckethorn filed notices last week, as required by Iowa law whenever self-defense will be claimed.
Heckethorn has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in the Aug. 23 slaying of William Shettlesworth. He’s also pleaded not guilty to two counts of attempted murder. Police say he shot at but missed Dustin Greene on Aug. 23 in Ottumwa and shot Clifford Collett Sr. on Aug. 16 in Ottumwa.
Judge Strikes Down Iowa Law Meant To Protect Livestock Operations
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A federal judge has stuck down a 2012 Iowa law that made it illegal to get a job at a livestock farm to conduct an animal cruelty undercover investigation.
Judge James Gritzner in an order filed Wednesday sided with opponents of a law intended to stop organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals from doing animal abuse investigations at farms and puppy mills.
The judge found the law violates the First Amendment’s right to free speech.
Several groups filed a lawsuit in October 2017 in U.S. District Court in Des Moines. Federal courts have struck down similar laws in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. Litigation is ongoing in North Carolina.
A spokesman for the Iowa attorney general’s office, which represented the state, says an appeal is under consideration.
