World War II Exhibit On Display At the Plymouth County Historical Museum
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Historical Museum is featuring a new exhibit that focuses on the World War II era. Jonathon Foster serves as the museum’s Registrar and Exhibit Manager. He says the World War II exhibit is located on the 4th floor, next to the Study Hall. Foster says the display shows both
life for veterans at war, as well as family members at home during the war at Christmas time.
Foster continues by describing other artifacts that are being showcased in the exhibit.
Foster says the exhibit also features a couple of newspapers published at around Christmas during the World War II era.
The museum official says the exhibit is slated to be on display as a temporary feature, although no specific date has been established as to when the display will be dismantled. Foster says there is no charge to view the exhibit, or any of the museum’s full array of artifacts and displays. He reminds us that face coverings or a mask is required to be worn by all visitors to the museum, and hand sanitizer stations are located at various
places within the museum.
Washta Man Placed Under Arrest For Domestic Disturbance With A Firearm
(Cherokee) — A Washta man was placed under arrest following an incident involving a domestic disturbance with a firearm. On Wednesday, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a residence east of Washta for a domestic disturbance involving a firearm. Due to the nature of the call the
CERT Team was requested. After a search of the residence, it was determined that the suspect, Travis Todd was no longer at the residence.
Then on Thursday, January 28th, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received information on Todd’s location. Deputies were able to locate Todd and place him into custody without incident. Travis Todd, age 41 of rural Washta, was charged with 2 counts of domestic assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, both aggravated misdemeanors and 2 counts of going armed with intent, both class D felonies.
Todd is currently being held in the Cherokee County Jail on $5,000 cash bond.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by The Iowa State Patrol, CERT Team (consisting of personnel from Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Le Mars Police Department, and Sioux County Sheriff’s Office), Cherokee Police Department, Ida County Sheriff’s Office, Aurelia Police Department, Cherokee Ambulance, Cherokee County Emergency Management and Quimby/Washta First Responders.
Northwestern College Sets Spring Student Enrollment Record
ORANGE CITY, Iowa—Northwestern College has set a spring enrollment record with 1,482 students. This year’s number is up from 1,406 last spring.
The 2021 enrollment figures include an all-time high for online and graduate student enrollment. This spring 498 students are enrolled in Northwestern’s online Master of Education and degree-completion programs in early childhood and nursing, up from 461 last fall.
A 90.5% retention rate for freshmen also contributed to this spring’s record.
“We are pleased to set more enrollment records,” says Tamara Fynaardt, vice president for enrollment and marketing. “Northwestern’s enrollment continues on an upward trajectory because our reputation for offering standout programs, integrating faith and learning, and providing a tight-knit community for both undergraduate and graduate students is growing.”
Dordt University Shows Record Spring Student Enrollment
(Sioux Center) — Dordt University has a total enrollment of 1,623 students for the spring 2021 semester, which includes 1,261 full-time undergraduate students and 236 graduate students. In comparison, during the spring 2020 semester Dordt had a total enrollment of 1,553 students, including 1,250 full-time undergraduates and 155 graduate students. The 2021 enrollment is a record head count for the spring semester, according to Jim Bos, registrar and director of Institutional Research.
“Students want to be here,” says Bos.
Brandon Huisman, vice president for enrollment and marketing, says that a Dordt education is valuable not only in helping students find employment but in helping them make sense of the changing world as well.
“Our biblical framework recognizes that we live in a broken world and calls us to work toward how things ought to be—even in the midst of a difficult year,” says Huisman.
A record spring enrollment also highlights Dordt’s growing graduate and online programs. This spring, 21 students are participating in Dordt’s new Master of Social Work (MSW) program, 10 students are enrolled in Dordt’s new Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, and 206 students are taking courses in Dordt’s Master of Education (MEd) program. In addition, 104 high school students are enrolled in Dordt’s dual credit program this spring, up from 22 enrollees last spring.
“I think our programs are flourishing because we are designing programs that people want and work with their schedules,” says Joe Bakker, director of online education at Dordt. “Social workers are looking for a Christian MSW program. Teachers are looking for a master’s degree that develops their professional skills and leads to additional licensure endorsements. High school students are looking for Christian dual credit options that work with their existing high school schedule.”
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Dordt, located in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, Forbes.com, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
Jeneary Introduces House Bill 197
(DES MOINES) — Representative Tom Jeneary (R-Le Mars) of House District 5 successfully floor managed House File 197, passing it through the Iowa House during Wednesday floor debate. House File 197 improves the process for approving military property tax exemptions, ensuring that veterans get the exemptions they deserve and that requests that don’t qualify are handled appropriately.
“We want to make certain that veterans who deserve this property tax exemption are able to receive it,” said Jeneary. “We count on these men and women to defend our country and our freedom. Just one way we can honor their brave service is to ensure they can count on this property tax exemption in return.”
Iowa Republicans Propose Civil Rights Protections For Political Ideology
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa House members will consider a bill to make political ideology a protected class in the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Republican Representative Skyler Wheeler of Orange City says lawmakers should make it clear it’s wrong to discriminate against someone for their political views. Wheeler said, “we’ve seen people get censored. We’ve seen a lot of different things and it’s almost entirely political.” Keenan Crow, a lobbyist for One Iowa — a group that advocates for L-G-B-T-Q Iowans says the Iowa Civil Rights Act isn’t the right vehicle for protecting political speech. Crow warns, “I think there’s a lot more opportunity for unintended consequences to happen because we’re literally prohibiting the government and the entire private sector from doing certain kinds of actions.” The Iowa Civil Rights Act bars discrimination in housing, education, employment and credit based on factors like race and gender as well as whether a person is married.
Iowa Department of Public Health Denies Request to Vaccinate College Faculty & Staff
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Department of Public Health is denying a request from the state’s education governance bodies to add faculty and essential support staff at state colleges to the next phase of COVID vaccines. The Iowa Board of Regents and other groups sent a letter to I-D-P-H Monday. The agencies wrote there are several other states vaccinating post-secondary educators along with pre-K through 12 staff. Iowa Association of Community College Trustees director Emily Shields said, “the role of our faculty and staff is not different and is many times the same students.” Interim Department of Public Health Director Kelly Garcia said in a response that they don’t have the supply to accommodate the Phase 1-B vaccine request.
Initial Unemployment Claims Fall, Continuing Claim Increase
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa Workforce Development reports a drop in initial unemployment claims and a slight increase in continuing claims last week. The five-thousand-510 first-time claims between January 17th and 23 is a decrease of 870 from the previous week. The number of continuing weekly jobless claims was 47-thousand-154 – one-thousand-140 more than two weeks ago. More than 64 percent of laid-off workers say their claims were not related to COVID-19. November through February is typically the period with the highest number of unemployment claims in Iowa due to seasonal layoffs. I-W-D just started issuing the 300-dollar federal unemployment payments from the coronavirus relief package.
Iowa City Woman Charged With Assault Over Face Mask Dispute
(Coralville, IA) — An Iowa City woman is under arrest after a dispute over wearing a face mask in a Coralville drug store. Police say 30-year-old Evelyn Chincilla went into the Walgreens December 27th and two people commented that she wasn’t wearing a face mask. Officers say Chincilla spit on the two and all three became entangled and fell down. Chincilla allegedly pulled out one of the victim’s hair and scratched their nose and bit the other woman. A warrant was issued and she was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of assault causing bodily injury.
Iowa Cattlemen Vote On Policies During Virtual Meeting
(Ames) — Iowa cattlemen from across the state participated in a virtual Annual Meeting to adopt policy for the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association in 2021. This yearly event, normally held in person as part of the Iowa Cattle Industry Leadership Summit, is the culmination of ICA’s policy development process.
“The past year presented many challenges for Iowa’s beef cattle industry. Members ‘took the bull by the horns’ and acted decisively to respond to market disruption, the Derecho, drought conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Cora Fox, ICA Director of Government Relations. “All the while, members focused on creating policy to fit the needs and future of Iowa’s beef business in 2021 and beyond.”
Over the course of seven weeks, more than 300 producer members participated in the formal policy development process. ICA hosted two virtual meetings for each of the following committees: Beef Products, Business Issues, and Cattle Production. Members reviewed expiring resolutions, drafted amendments and proposed new resolutions. Grassroots recommendations, determined by members, were presented and ratified during the Annual Meeting. In total, members reviewed more than 30 resolutions that will guide ICA’s work at the local, state and federal levels.
ICA will continue to support their mission to “Grow Iowa’s beef business through advocacy, leadership and education” in 2021 with opportunities for members to get involved. To learn more about the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, programs or upcoming events, visit www.iacattlemen.org.
