Remsen’s 46th annual Oktoberfest celebration is this Saturday. KLEM’s Dennis Morrice spoke with event coordinator Mike Matgen.
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Iowa U-S Senator Chuck Grassley took part in a Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday on so-called sanctuary cities and their impact on public safety.
Iowa banned sanctuary cities and counties with passage of a state law last year that revokes state funding to places that violate federal immigration law.
Still, Grassley says sanctuary jurisdictions are a worry in Iowa — and across the country.
Grassley says that action — or inaction — by Iowa law officers isn’t based on their personal politics, but more on fear of litigation:
While Iowa City has pronounced itself as a safe haven to people who are in the country illegally, city leaders have not designated the community as a formal sanctuary.
The Iowa City, City Council vowed not to commit local resources to enforcing federal immigration law, which prompted passage of the 2018 state law against sanctuaries.
Grassley says sanctuary proclamations elsewhere continue to be a concern.
Under the Iowa law, which took effect on July 1st of 2018, cities and counties are forbidden from prohibiting or discouraging law enforcement officers or other employees from “assisting or cooperating with a federal immigration officer as reasonable or necessary, including providing enforcement assistance.”
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A northwest Iowa artist who is one of Marvel Comics rising stars will be featured this Saturday at Sioux City’s Acme Comics. Acme Manager Fran McGarry says artist Joey Vazquez will be appearing to meet fans and sign autographs:
It’s the 8th year Acme Comics is celebrating Halloween ComicFest and Vasquez, who has worked for Marvel on some of their Spider-Man, X-Men and Ms. Marvel titles, will also offer tips for aspiring comic book artists:
Acme also will have Halloween themed free comic books to distribute to attendees:
Halloween ComicFest kicks off at Noon Saturday and runs until 4:00pm at Acme Comics located at 1622 Pierce St.
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Attorneys for a child who was sexually assaulted by a teacher at an Iowa school have announced a $650,000 settlement paid by four school districts.
Spirit Lake attorney John Sandy says the settlement was agreed to by the school boards of Sibley-Ocheyedan, Sioux City, Akron-Westfield, and Mediapolis.
The lawsuit stemmed from the case of Kyle Ewinger, who was convicted in February of sexually abusing a student at Sibley-Ocheyedan.
Prosecutors say Ewinger was a coach and teacher at the school in 2015 when he was found sleeping in his classroom beside a 10-year-old boy and fired.
Ewinger also was convicted in Nebraska last year of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old boy and is serving decades in prison.
Sandy says Ewinger was first suspected of inappropriate behavior with a student at Mediapolis in 2004, but the school district agreed not to report the behavior in exchange for his resignation.
Sandy says Ewinger later taught at the Akron-Westerfield and Sioux City districts, which also didn’t report concerns.
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A nonprofit controlled by the former director of RAGBRAI is hosting a conference this week featuring the rival event that he launched this month.
T.J. Juskiewicz was director of the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa until he and his staff resigned from the Des Moines Register, which has operated and marketed the ride since the 1970s.
They immediately launched Iowa’s Ride and scheduled it for the same week and format as RAGBRAI.
The move has divided cyclists and is threatening the future of a cherished state tradition.
Business filings show Juskiewicz and his wife last year formed the Iowa Festivals and Events Association.
That group, which lists Juskiewicz as president, is hosting its first conference this week in Coralville for more than 100 festival planners.
Iowa’s Ride is among the featured vendors.
Juskiewicz and his Iowa’s Ride staff are among the speakers at the conference, which he calls a great “networking opportunity.”
He says the nonprofit hopes to break even on the conference and is temporarily sponsoring Iowa’s Ride until a foundation is set up.
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