Senate Candidate Finkenauer Wants New Shipping Rules to Aid Exports
(Dubuque, IA) — Democratic U-S Senate candidate Abby Finkenauer says the Senate “is broken” and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin’s “no” on President Biden’s Build Back Better initiative is a symptom of the problem. The former Iowa congresswoman says both Democrats and Republicans who have been in D-C for way too long have lost touch with what is happening with the American people. Finkenauer says Iowans are “feeling the pinch” from inflation and disruptions in the supply chain. Finkenauer suggests federal properties should be used to temporarily store cargo containers that are stacked up at U-S ports — so more containers can be transferred from ships to the docks. Finkenauer is calling on President Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act to fill orders for some of the small components that are needed to keep American manufacturing lines running, but which are primarily made in other countries and shipped here.
Iowa Senate Judiciary Chair Opposes Recreational Marijuana Amendment
(Des Moines, IA) — The Republican who chairs the Iowa Senate Judiciary Committee does not support a proposed constitutional amendment on recreational marijuana. Three Iowa Democrats want the voters to decide whether to legalize cannabis in the state. But Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale says he has no intentions of bringing the bill up for a vote. Zaun said, “gimmicks like a constitutional amendment on recreational marijuana do a better job of illustrating the lack of ideas Senate Democrats have to solve the problems of Iowans than any response I have.” Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines says a Des Moines Register Poll shows a majority of Iowans support legalizing marijuana rather than continuing to pursue criminal charges against those who smoke or possess it.
Watch For Signs of Alzheimer’s in Older Loved Ones During Holidays
(West Des Moines, IA) — While the holidays are a time for family gatherings, some Iowans might notice changes in a loved ones’ cognitive abilities that warrant further investigation. Lauren Livingston of the Iowa Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association says there are often clear signs a person may be developing one of the most common forms of dementia. Livingston says the main one is memory loss that disrupts their daily life. The association estimates 66-thousand Iowans are now living with Alzheimer’s and Livingston says many will show similar symptoms of a failing memory. She says there could be challenges in solving problems like simple math, figuring out the tip on a bill, things like that, or difficulty just completing daily tasks like they would do normally. The Alzheimer’s Association Helpline is a vital resource for concerns about cognitive changes affecting a loved one (800-272-3900).
Forecasters Calling For Christmas Week Warm-Up in Iowa
(Des Moines, IA) — A big warm-up is coming to end the week in Iowa heading into Christmas. The National Weather Service says high temperatures across Iowa will climb each day until Friday when some parts of the state will get into the mid 50’s. That’s over 20 degrees above normal for Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Highs on Christmas Day will be back into the mid 40’s.
