Warren’s Husband To Appear In Le Mars
(Le Mars) — Democratic presidential hopeful, Elizabeth Warren had planned on making a campaign stop in Le Mars today. However, the impeachment trial of President Trump has required her attendance in the U-S Senate chambers.
In her place will be Warren’s husband, Bruce Mann, along with former Iowa Democratic party chair, John Norris. They will speak on the Massachusetts senator’s behalf. The “meet and greet” will take place at the Willow Creek Golf Course beginning at 4:15 p.m.
Biden Attacks Florida Senator Ads
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Democratic caucuses next Monday and the nominating contests that follow will test whether voters see the GOP’s attacks on Joe Biden as a sign of his strength as a presidential candidate or a harbinger of his potential weaknesses in a general election match-up
with President Donald Trump. Biden and his campaign argue that Republican attacks boost the former vice president’s argument that Trump and Republicans want to face anyone but Biden in November. Biden mocked Florida Sen. Rick Scott on Wednesday for running a digital ad in Iowa repeating debunked allegations about Biden that helped launched Trump’s impeachment.
Sanders Predicting A Win In Iowa And Other Early Voting States
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is setting high expectations for himself in Iowa. The Vermont senator is predicting that high turnout will help him win the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses Monday. And he says that if he wins there, he will also win the next two states. Such pronouncements could serve to raise turnout he needs in Iowa, but they could also insulate him against failing to meet
expectations. Sanders’ confidence isn’t necessarily backed up by polling, but he has other reasons to hype his standing. His path to the nomination hinges on high turnout, and that may depend on convincing people he’s got the best chance to win.
Perspective Insurance Support Staff Honored As Chamber’s “Employees Of The Month”
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce awarded its first “Employee of the Month” honors during a plaque presentation ceremony held Wednesday. In this case the “Employee of the Month” was given to eight employees of the
Perspective Insurance Company. Each of the support staff members were recognized for their had work and dedication.
Standing left to right: Jess Culler, Brooke Huls, Sandy Reuter, Lori Steffen, Mike Schilling representing the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce, Karrie Frerichs, Kate Melvin and Sue Ashenfelter.
Iowa Legislators Are Split On Supplemental School Funding
(Des Moines) — About 20 million dollars separates the public school funding plans Republicans in the Iowa House and the Iowa Senate are proposing.
SENATE Republicans like Majority Leader Jack Whitever of Ankeny favor an increase of just over two percent in general state spending on K-through-12 public schools.
HOUSE Republicans have joined Republican Governor Kim Reynolds in calling for a two-and-a-half percent increase in per-student state funding.
Democrats like Representative Ras (ROSS) Smith of Waterloo say schools really need more than two-and-a-half percent or roughly 100 million dollar boost.
Republicans control a majority of seats in the House and Senate, so G-O-P leaders will likely negotiate a school funding deal in the next couple of weeks. The decision is for general state aid for the school year that starts next fall.
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House Committee Chair Kills Transgender Bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Hours after a group of Republican lawmakers proposed a bill to amend the Iowa Civil Rights Act to remove protections against discrimination for transgender people a committee chairman declared the measure dead. Gender identity was added to the state law in 2007 that already offered protections for race, color, religion and others. Nine
Republican House members sponsored the bill introduced Wednesday morning to remove transgender protections. However, hours later Republican Rep. Steven
Holt, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said he will not assign it to a subcommittee, killing it. He says it would have had many unintended consequences.
Army Corps Of Engineers To Release Additional Water From Gavins Point Dam
(Yankton, SD) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reversed course will increase releases from Yankton’s Gavins Point Dam on the Missouri River back to thirty thousand cubic feet per second by the end of the week.
The Corps had dropped the flow to 27,000 CFS to allow the elevation of Lewis & Clark Lake to rise about four feet.
Gavins Point Project Manager Tom Curran says they have never seen winter releases this high in the winter:
Curran says ice between the upstream Ft. Randall Dam and Gavins Point caused the lower Yankton lake level:
Curran says they haven’t seen any flooding problems below Ft. Randall Dam yet:
The Corps is projecting releases staying at thirty thousand cubic feet per second for at least the next several weeks.
The higher flows are part of their plan to have more flood storage space in upstream reservoirs.
Sac County Man Given Probation With His Part Of Starting A Corn Crib On Fire
SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) – A man has been given two years of probation for helping set fire to a corncrib in western Iowa. Sac County court records show Alexander Lilly was sentenced Wednesday and given a deferred judgment.
Under a deferred judgment, his conviction can be removed from his record if he were to successfully complete the terms of his probation. The Sioux City Journal reported that Lilly had pleaded guilty to arson. Authorities say Lilly helped firefighter Brent Mack start the blaze Aug. 19. Mack, of Newell, is scheduled to stand trial in April for arson, burglary, criminal mischief and trespass causing damage.
President Trump Signs US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement
(Washington) — During a White House ceremony held yesterday, President Trump signed the long-awaited US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement which will allow for more products to be transported across the borders to our neighbors and best trading partners. Iowa Republican Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, along with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig
and Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate were invited to the White House to witness the signing of the trade agreement. President Trump presented one of the pens used to sign the trade agreement bill to Senator Grassley.
