State Legislature Votes Down First Redistricting Proposal
(Des Moines) — The Iowa legislature had gathered at the state capitol building yesterday during a special session to vote on the proposed new legislative and Congressional redistricts, as submitted by the Legislative Services Agency. State lawmakers turned thumbs down on the initial proposal. Now the Legislative Services Agency has 35 days to come up with a second plan. If that plan should also fail to get approval by the state lawmakers, then the Legislative Services Agency would devise a third plan, which would then be adopted by the Iowa Supreme Court. The original plan that was voted down on Tuesday had several legislators within the same proposed district. One such example would have State House Representatives Dr. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars situated in the same district as Republican lawmaker Skylar Wheeler of Orange City. KLEM news visited with Dr. Jeneary about the action at the capitol building on Tuesday. Jeneary says the State Senate was first to take up the action, while the House members waited.
Jeneary explains the timetable for what is to happen next.
Although Jeneary is in the state house of representatives, and the vote to turn down the initial proposed map took place in the state senate, Jeneary offers his opinion as to why the senate voted down the measure.
State Representative Jeneary offers additional comments for the proposal to be voted down.
Jeneary says the vote was split down party lines with each of the 32 Republican senators voting down the proposal and the 18 Democratic senators voted in favor of the redistricting proposal.
First Redistricting Proposal Rejected In Iowa Senate
(Des Moines, IA) — Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Ankeny, talked with reporters following the vote Tuesday to reject the first redistricting proposal. He says one concern is state law has guidelines requiring the population count to vary by less than one percent from district to district, and for the districts to be as geographically compact as possible. Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls (like “walls”) of Coralville says this map was squarely in line with the plans that Iowa legislatures have approved in the past. Wahls and other Democrats say they suspect Republicans are aiming to get to the third and final set of maps — when they’d be able to change district boundaries. Whitver says the first set of maps were rejected two out of the four previous times the Iowa legislature has approved a redistricting plan under the current state law.
Des Moines Police Officer Shoots Woman Armed With Knife
(Des Moines, IA) — A Des Moines police officer has shot a woman who was armed with a knife. The officer was responding to a 9-1-1 call from a man who said a woman had tried to stab him and was still following him down the street. When the officer arrived, he says the suspect turned her attention to him and began moving toward him – ignoring his command. Less than a minute after he had arrived on the scene, the officer says he was forced to shoot the woman. No names have been released. The suspect was taken to UnityPoint-Methodist Medical Center for treatment. The officer wasn’t injured and the woman’s medical condition hasn’t been released. A one-block stretch of Walnut Street was closed while evidence was collected.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Joins Other Republican Governors At Mexican Border
(Des Moines, IA) — Ten Republican governors say they are visiting the Mexican border in Texas today (Wednesday) “to witness firsthand the crisis playing out.” Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is in that group. A spokesperson for Reynolds says it’s an official visit and taxpayers will be responsible for about 500 dollars to cover the cost of lodging for the governor and her staff. The Republican Governors Public Policy Committee will pay for transportation. In addition to Reynolds, governors from Texas, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Georgia, Nebraska, Ohio, and Oklahoma will attend events at the border.
DNA Helps Detectives Solve 1971 Cold Case Murder
(Cedar Rapids, IA) — Fifty years after Maureen Brubaker-Farley’s body was found, D-N-A evidence has been used to identify her killer. The 17-year-old victim was reported missing September 20th, 1971, and her body was discovered four days later. Authorities traced the D-N-A to the family of a man who knew Brubaker-Farley from working at a Cedar Rapids diner. George Smith died eight years ago so now charges will be filed.
