School Board To Meet On Monday
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education is scheduled to meet Monday evening. During their meeting, the school board is expected to formally adopt a new policy that would prevent Middle School athletes from practicing and
participating with High School athletic programs that involve contact sports.
Those sports would include: football, basketball, wrestling, and volleyball. The school board is also expected to adopt the school calendar for 2017 through 2018. The proposed school calendar would begin classes on Thursday, August 24th and
classes would end on May 23rd. During its last board meeting, school superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt had informed the school board that he was approached by a group of people who wanted the school to award an honorary diploma to an individual, who at the time of attending classes, was not able to complete her senior year, and consequently did not graduate with her class. The school board has set aside some time on its agenda to further discuss the issue, and to decide if the Le Mars Community School wishes to acknowledge the individual’s community contributions and award a honorary diploma. The school
board will appoint two members to the Meet and Confer team for the purpose of discussing contracts with the support staff and administration.
Branstad’s Budget Official Outlines Specific Budget Cuts
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A top budget official for Gov. Terry Branstad has released details about $11.5 million in cuts that will help close a mid-year budget shortfall.
The Iowa Legislature passed a budget bill earlier this year that included roughly $117 million in cuts to cover the shortfall. David Roederer, with the Iowa Department of Management, indicated at the time that $11.5 million of that amount would come from unspecified cuts to operational expenses, such as supplies
and equipment purchases.
Roederer said in a Friday afternoon news release that the $11.5 million in cuts would include an additional $2.7 million in reductions to Iowa’s three public universities and about $1.7 million to community colleges.
Lawmakers had already ordered the schools to cut $21 million from the current budget, which began last July.
Republican Lawmakers Introduce Legislation For Death Penalty
(Des Moines) — Six Republicans in the Iowa Senate have introduced a bill that would reinstate a limited form of the death penalty in Iowa. People convicted of kidnapping, rape AND murder could be sentenced to death if the bill becomes law.
Senator Julian Garrett of Indianola is one of the bill’s co-sponsors.
Supporters say the death penalty option for these cases might deter some attackers from murdering their victims. Similar legislation passed the Iowa House in 1995 with 54 “yes” votes, but failed the Iowa Senate by an overwhelming 39-11
vote. Senator Pam Jochum (YOH-kum), a Democrat from Dubuque, was a member of the
House in 1995. She voted against the death penalty back then and her position has not changed. Jochum suggests the outcome for capitol punishment might change in 2017, though.
Death by hanging was the form of capital punishment in Iowa until 1965, when the death penalty was repealed in Iowa. In 1994, Governor Terry Branstad made reinstating the death penalty a cornerstone of his reelection campaign after the
kidnapping, rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl from Grinnell. The man found guilty of kidnapping, raping and murdering Anna Marie Emery in 1994 was sentenced
to life in prison.
Contractors Need To Contact Iowa “One-call” Before Doing Work
(Des Moines) — Iowa’s Attorney General announced seven lawsuits this week against contractors who hit underground gas pipelines. State law requires contractors to phone Iowa One Call 48 hours before digging to have the lines marked. Iowa One Call communications manager, Ben Booth, says there’s no excuse
for contractors who fail to make the call.
The law covers anyone in Iowa, and Booth says they try to keep everyone informed.
He says not planning ahead is not an excuse to break the law. And he says saving a little time by digging without calling can end up costing contractors.
The Attorney General says the seven lawsuits covered five counties. Four of the lawsuits have been resolved or have agreements pending. Anyone planning to dig can notify the Iowa Once Call Notification Center or go online at www.iowaonecall.com, or by phone at 811 (or toll-free at 800-292-8989). The center is open 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
ACLU To Defend Transgender Student On Lawsuit
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A civil liberties group is taking up the case of a central Iowa transgender high school student who was ordered to wash “love trumps hate” written on his arm or be sent home. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says the incident happened in November at Newton High School. The ACLU says a teacher also repeatedly referred to the student as “girl,” even though he openly identifies as male.
Republicans Find Town Hall Meetings Rowdy
URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) – A little more than a month into Donald Trump’s administration, Republicans are finding themselves squeezed between a polarizing
president and hundreds of angry voters shouting them down at rowdy town halls.
The national pushback is leaving some Republicans wary, complicating Trump’s ability to get his agenda through Congress. It’s also raising the possibility that midterm elections may end up being far more challenging than expected for
Republican candidates.
Trump is making it clear that he has little intention of changing his approach.
Senate and House leaders plan to stay the course despite the outcry, saying they’re still moving forward with plans to scrap the health care law and come up with a replacement.
But the raucous town halls may make it more difficult for moderate Republicans to support those proposals.