Home News Monday News, November 2nd

Monday News, November 2nd

Grassley Comments On Possible Second COVID Relief Bill

(Le Mars) — Many people are wondering whether or not there will be a second COVID-19 financial relief assistance bill that will be issued. While attending a political rally for Senator Joni Ernst in Le Mars on Friday, Republican U-S Senator Chuck Grassley spoke with KLEM news about the prospects of a second relief package.

This past week the Department of Interior made a special announcement from Camp Dodge near Des Moines that will benefit veteran families. Grassley attended the event and explains the Department of Interior has approved free
admission to national parks and monuments to veterans and gold star families.

Grassley was traveling with Iowa’s other U-S Republican Senator, Joni Ernst and tells why he is supporting Ernst for re-election.

Grassley explains that several of the messages viewed on television from Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield and other Democratic-based organizations are simply lies.

Grassley was asked if whether or not he thinks Iowans are believing the television Democratic messages?

 

 

 

Texas Senator Ted Cruz Campaigns For Joni Ernst

(Le Mars) — Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz was traveling with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst on Friday helping with her campaign. Some Iowans were surprised and even disappointed to see Cruz on the campaign trail with Ernst.
Many Iowans remember it was Senator Cruz who had held up the confirmation of Bill Northey, Iowa’s former Secretary of Agriculture. Cruz delayed the confirmation of Northey of becoming U-S-D-A’s Under Secretary for several months. It was also Senator Cruz who opposed the Renewable Fuels Standard,
which allows up to 15 billion gallons of ethanol, primarily corn-based ethanol, to be blended with gasoline. Cruz wanted to allow petroleum refineries to be given waivers from blending ethanol into gasoline. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst was asked by media representatives why she asked Texas Senator Ted Cruz to join her re-election campaign, knowing that Senator Cruz
was not popular with Iowa farmers? Ernst was asked if she worries about the possible negative feedback from having Cruz with her on the campaign?

The latest polling survey shows Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield with a slight lead over Senator Joni Ernst heading into election day, however, Ernst says her opponent has not visited more than half the state, while Ernst says she has visited each of Iowa’s 99 counties. She says Iowans realize that Greenfield has accepted a majority of her campaign donations from out of
state.

Since Theresa Greenfield has not yet made an appearance in Le Mars, or Plymouth County, and knowing the citizens of this county and of northwest Iowa would like to hear directly from the candidate, we want to mention that
KLEM news has extended an invitation to Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield for an interview, we hope to hear from her today.

 

 

 

Weather Officials Say La Nina Is Forming In Pacific Ocean, Which May Mean Colder Temperatures During Winter

(Des Moines) — The latest predictions show a La Nina weather system has developed in the Pacific Ocean and it’s expected to linger into spring — which may bring Iowa a colder winter and could influence the state’s weather well into 2021. Matt Rosencrans (ROSE-in-crans), a meteorologist at the
Climate Prediction Center, says they plan to update the forecast monthly.

A La Nina system occurs when sea surface temperatures average below-normal.
Historically, La Ninas have caused below-normal temperatures across much of the Northern Plains states during the winter. Rosencrans says the center’s predictions are largely based on past observations.

Rosencrans says they are confident of the impacts at least through February, while beyond that, there’s still some uncertainty.

 

 

 

Trump Holds Iowa Rally 2 Days Before Election

(Dubuque, IA) — President Donald Trump told a crowd in Dubuque his campaign is “very happy with Iowa.” Trump appeared at a rally at the Dubuque Regional Airport Sunday. It was his second trip to the Hawkeye State in the last three weeks. Other members of his campaign have also traveled to Iowa – Vice President Mike Pence and Donald Trump Junior have held rallies in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Ivanka Trump is scheduled to make a stop in Des Moines today (Monday). The president focused on what he has done for Iowa during Sunday’s appearance in cold temperatures before a big crowd.

 

 

 

Iowa Man Indicted For Illegal Possession Of Assault Rifle During Protest

(Cedar Rapids, IA) — A 20-year-old Cedar Rapids man has been indicted for the illegal possession of an assault rifle during a summer protest. The federal grand jury indicted Brandon Tumause Owen last Thursday. The June 7th protest in Iowa City came two weeks after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. A police officer saw Owen carrying an A-R-15 rifle during the
protest, then stopped him later for a traffic offense. A follow-up
investigation determined Owen was under the influence of marijuana at the time – and the rifle was found in his vehicle. Federal law makes it illegal for an unlawful drug user to possess firearms.

 

 

 

County Officials Say Absentee Ballots Should Be Counted By Time Polls Close

(Des Moines, IA) — County officials across the state say hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots should all be counted by the time the polls close Tuesday. More than 924 thousand Iowa voters returned their absentee ballots by mail, dropped them off at an auditor’s office, or voted early in person by Saturday. That figure is 235 thousand more than the previous
record for absentee ballots set eight years ago. Auditors were beginning Saturday to process the ballots and they can begin tabulating them today (Monday).

 

 

 

Alliant Energy Line Workers Help Restore Power To Areas Hit By Hurricane Zeta

(Des Moines, IA) — Alliant Energy reports almost 200 of its line workers are helping restore power to areas in Mississippi recovering from Hurricane Zeta. Workers from Iowa and Wisconsin left early Saturday morning. The
hurricane came ashore in Louisiana as a Category 2 storm, traveling northeast. Damage was done by Zeta’s winds from the Gulf Coast to southern New Jersey. At its worst, more than two-and-a-half million customers were without power across seven states. Zeta was the 27th named storm of the year
with about another month to go in the hurricane season.