Jeneary Comments On Proposed Legislative Redistricting
(Le Mars) — State legislators were able to get their first look at the new Congressional and State District maps last week as the new proposed maps were unveiled by the State Legislative Services Agency. Every ten years, after the U-S Census report, state legislative districts are reconfigured to take into consideration of the different population shifts. State House Representative, Republican Dr. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars tells of the time table legislators have to either adopt or reject the proposed configuration of new districts.
Jeneary says the proposed new district map, if approved, would pit several legislators against each other including having Republican State Representative Skylar Wheeler of Orange City and Jeneary located within the same district.
The proposed map would cut Plymouth County in half with county road C-38 being the southern border of the district, and the northern border would include the first two tiers of townships from Sioux County and would include the communities of Orange City, Alton, Granville, Maurice, Hospers, Ireton, Hawarden, Chatsworth, Akron, Westfield, Craig, Brunsville, Le Mars, Seney, Struble, and Oyens. Merrill, Hinton, Remsen, and Kingsley, along with the Plymouth County townships of Meadow, Remsen, Henry, and Garfield would be placed in another legislative district. The town of Sioux Center would also be in a separate legislative district. Jeneary says it is his hope, along with many of his constituents’ that the Legislative Services Agency would leave Plymouth County as one legislative district.
As for the proposed State Senate Districts, Republican Jeff Taylor would expand his district to include much of the northern half of Plymouth County, as well as Sioux County, and Lyon County. Republican State Senator Jim Carlin’s proposed district would go further east picking up the southern half of Plymouth County, but it would also include Cherokee County, Buena Vista County and Clay County. In terms of the U-S Congressional Districts, the proposed map would show the 4th District, currently being represented by Congressman Randy Feenstra, to go from the current 31 counties to a proposed 44 counties. The proposed congressional district would split the state nearly in half diagonally, and would extend from the Minnesota border on the north to Fremont county which borders the state of Missouri to the south. The proposed new Congressional district would also include Chickasaw, Howard, Floyd, and Mitchell counties to the east.
County Supervisors To Hear From Premier Communication Officials
(Le Mars) — Representatives from Premier Communications are scheduled to appear before the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors during today’s meeting at the County Courthouse Board Room. Ryan Boone and Scott Te Stroete will discuss ARPA funds for a broadband internet installation project. The county governing board will also canvass the Akron-Westfield school bond election results. Mark Ruden is scheduled to appear before the county board of supervisors seeking approval of a minor subdivision in America township. County Engineer Tom Rohe will appear before the county board to discuss road construction projects.
Premier Communications Awarded Grant For Broadband Internet Installation
(Sioux Center) — Governor Kim Reynolds, along with the state legislature, have established a goal of installing high-speed broadband internet to all parts of Iowa, including some of the remote rural areas. Last week, grants were announced to internet communication companies as to those that qualified. Doug Boone is the Chief Executive Officer with Premier Communications. Premier Communications of Sioux Center was awarded a grant contract valued at $7.4 million dollars which will be used in Plymouth County.
Boone says he is pleased to receive notice of the grant, but says it may not be enough to perform all the work that was proposed.
The Premier Communication official says staff from his company will meet with Plymouth County Board of Supervisors to inquire if the county may be able to help with the financing of the installation of the broadband internet system.
Boone says it will take at least a year for the engineering of the project, with construction perhaps to get started in 2023 with the project may take two years to complete.
Floyd Valley Healthcare Donates To Police Programs
(Le Mars) — Floyd Valley Healthcare CEO, Dustin Wright, presented Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte and Assistant Police Chief Justin Daale with a check valued at more than $420 Monday morning. Wright says the money was raised when the local hospital conducted a tailgate party for its staff, prior to the Iowa Hawkeye and Iowa State Cyclone cross state rival football game.
Wright says two baskets were displayed with one representing the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the other representing Iowa State Cyclones. The outcome of the game had the Hawkeyes again able to beat the Cyclones by the score of 27 to 17. Wright says the collection also showed the Hawkeyes on top, with more contributions in the Hawkeye basket than the Cyclone basket.
Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte says the donation will be used for children based programs.
Floyd Valley Healthcare Requiring Staff To Be Vaccinated Against COVID
(Le Mars, IA) — Last week, CMS announced emergency regulations requiring vaccinations for nursing home workers will be expanded to include hospitals, dialysis facilities, ambulatory surgical settings and home health agencies, among others, as a condition for participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The decision was based on the continued and growing spread of the virus in health care settings.
Over the past month, FVH has been carefully discerning next steps on the COVID – 19 vaccination requirements. Based on what we have learned through these conversations along with our need to provide a safe and protective environment for our patients, their families and our employees, FVH has made the decision to require all employees to receive COVID–19 vaccinations by January 1, 2022. Medical and religious exemptions will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
This decision was made in the best interest of all and for the greater good with the following information in mind:
- The vaccines are safe and effective. Millions of people have safely received the vaccines. With over half of the U.S. population vaccinated plus millions across the world, COVID-19 vaccines are among the most tested vaccines ever.
- The Pfizer vaccine was fully approved by the FDA after reviewing data from the clinical trial and a longer duration of follow-up in a larger clinical trial population.
- Hospitals across the country are seeing increased numbers of COVID-19 inpatients – including young adults and children – not due to side effects of the vaccine, but COVID-19 illness.
- Children ages 0-11 are still vulnerable and recently the U.S. recorded a record number of children hospitalized in a single day. The best thing that adults can do to protect children is to get vaccinated.
- Even in the face of the Delta variant, vaccines are being shown to prevent cases, hospitalizations and deaths. When uncommon breakthrough COVID-19 infections do happen, most often the illness is mild. Hospitalizations and deaths are rare among the vaccinated.
- Numerous medical organizations support the requirement of COVID-19 vaccination for health care workers, including the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Nurses Association, American College of Physicians, Catholic Health Association and more.
As a community member, if you are unvaccinated, please strongly consider your reasons for not getting vaccinated. Talk to your primary care provider if you have any questions. We also value your health and well-being.
Iowa State Patrol Reminds Motorists Of Farm Equipment On Roads And Highways
(Spencer) — This week is recognized as National Farm Safety Week, and the Iowa State Patrol wants to remind motorists that they will likely see slow moving farm equipment now through the entire harvest season. Trooper Karen Yaneff wants people to slow down and be aware of the possibility of farm equipment on our roads and highways, and shares this message.
(photo courtesy of the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office)
Speakers At First Public Hearing Want Redistricting To Be As Nonpartisan, Fair As Possible
(Undated) — Iowans attending the first public meeting on redistricting Monday urged members of the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission to keep the process as nonpartisan and fair as possible. Five people spoke at the first of three virtual hearings this week. Although some asked questions, no speaker commented directly on the proposed maps which were issued September 9th based on the 2020 U-S Census. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes even though it had been scheduled for three hours. The next public hearing starts today (Tuesday) at noon.
Senator Ernst Says Global War On Terrorism Memorial Should Be At Place Of Prominence
(Washington, DC) — U-S Senator Joni Ernst says the proposed Global War on Terrorism Memorial in Washington, D-C should be built in a place of prominence, near the iconic memorials on the National Mall honoring soldiers from Vietnam, Korea, and World War II. The Iowa Republican asks how could the memorial for the country’s longest war be located anywhere else. She is urging senators to override a 2003 federal law that prevents new memorials from being built in an area of the National Mall known as The Reserve. Senate Democrats blocked a vote on Ernst’s proposal to require construction on the National Mall last week.
Man Calls Authorities For Help, Then Refuses To Stop For Them
(Webster City, IA) — Authorities in Hamilton County say a man called them asking for help early Monday morning, then refused to stop when he was approached. The police pursuit on Interstate 35 reached speeds topping 100 miles an hour. The Iowa State Patrol was finally able to convince 34-year-old Braden Alan Johnson of Garner to pull over. The chase passed through Story and Polk counties before it ended. Investigators say Johnson had a three-year-old child in his vehicle while leading them on the high-speed pursuit. He faces several charges including eluding and reckless driving.
Ransomware Attack Forces Cooperative To Take Systems Offline
(Fort Dodge, IA) — A Ransomware attack for the Fort Dodge-based New Cooperative to take its computers offline, but the interruption was apparently a brief one. A statement released Monday says the attack was “successfully contained” and law enforcement was notified. The attack by the BlackMatter gang comes just as Iowa’s corn and soy harvesting is starting. BlackMatter reportedly demanded a five-point-nine million dollar ransom for a key to unlock the files that were scrambled.
Victim In Bellvue State Park Fall Identified
(Bellvue, IA) — The Iowa D-N-R has identified the victim of a fatal fall at Bellvue State Park this weekend as 36-year-old Iris Merfeld, of Zwingle. They say she had been visiting an overlook known as Pulpit Rock in Bellevue State Park in the early morning hours Saturday when she fell an estimated 150 feet from the bluffs to the rocks below and died. Investigators believe alcohol may have played a role in the accident. No foul play is believed to be involved.
Governor Asks For Meeting With President On Border Issues
(Des Moines, IA) — Governor Kim Reynolds is joining 25 other Republican governors in asking to meet with President Joe Biden to discuss security at the U-S/Mexico border. Governor Reynolds says Iowa’s dramatic increase in meth and fentanyl seizures this year is connected to drug smuggling from Mexico. Reynolds sent 28 Iowa State Troopers and Department of Public Safety officers south for two weeks this summer to assist Texas authorities at the border. Reynolds says Biden Administration policies have led to a border crisis and the federal government has a duty to solve it.
Recidivism Rate In Prisons Drops
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa Department of Corrections director Beth Skinner says the number of people who have been released from prisons and committed another crime in the last three years has dropped for the first time in six years. Skinner the results come from efforts to address the things that got people into prison by building their social and human capital Skinner says part of the program is to help prisoners deal with their negatives like antisocial behavior. They also give them skills to use once they are out of prison. The three-year recidivism rate was 38-point-seven percent — down point-nine percent.
State Incentives Approved For Williamsburg, Dyersville Companies
(Williamsburg, IA) — The Iowa Economic Development Authority board has approved state incentives for a Williamsburg Manufacturing company that produces auto parts and plans to upgrade facilities and add a new product line. The company is a division of Magna International and will create the most jobs. The Board awarded a forgivable loan of 250-thousand dollars as well as tax benefits with the promise the project will create 521 jobs. Zero Zone Refrigeration in Dyersville was also given an award to expand its refrigeration business. The company plans to lease a newly constructed 50-thousand square foot building in Dyersville to manufacture refrigerated rack systems with the promise of 50 jobs.
