Krause Drops Out of US Senate Race
(Davenport, IA) – There’s one less Democrat seeking to oust Republican Chuck Grassley from the U-S Senate. Bob Krause announced over the weekend that he’s ending his campaign, due to a lack of signatures required to file for the race. He blamed that shortfall on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, specifically in counties that held Zoom caucus meetings instead of in-person events. Krause served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979. He says he’ll support the Democratic nominee in November’s general election.
Sioux City Airport Expects Replacement for SkyWest
(Sioux City, IA) — Sioux City officials are confident they’ll soon find another airline to service the Sioux Gateway Airport. Regional air carrier SkyWest has announced it’s planning to pull out of Sioux City, Mason City, and Fort Dodge. Assistant city manager Mike Collett (Koh-let) says Sioux City is part of the federal government’s essential air service program, so as soon as SkyWest files notice it triggers a 90-day process during which the city can take bids from other airlines to avoid a gap in service. SkyWest cites the ongoing pilot staffing shortages as the reason for ending service. Collett is confident another airline will step up to provide flights, saying they had three carriers express interest the last time an airline pulled out of Sioux City.
Bill Would Loosen Regulations on Home-Based Businesses
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa House has passed a bill that would nullify many city and county ordinances that critics say prevent Iowans from having successful home-based businesses. Representative Skyler Wheeler of Orange City, a Republican, says local governments impose costly restrictions on home businesses through a “patchwork of outmoded zoning, licensing and permitting requirements.” Representative Chuck Isenhart (EYE-zen-hart), a Democrat from Dubuque, says a lot of folks liked working from home during the pandemic — and though the concepts are worth discussing, the bill may go too far. A section of the bill would allow home-based baking businesses to earn up to 50-thousand dollars a year — the cap today is 35-thousand dollars — and make it legal to sell jams, jellies and syrups made in a home kitchen. State regulators would have authority to inspect food prep businesses in a home.
Benefit Concert Held for Potential Students of HBCU’s
(Des Moines, IA) — Organizers of a benefit concert are hoping to help send minority teenagers to historically black colleges and universities, also known as H-B-C-U’s. W-H-O T-V reports The Black Futures fundraiser event drew lots of people to Wooly’s in the East Village Sunday afternoon. The event hoped to raise money for teenagers in the Oakridge neighborhood to visit several H-B-C-U’s such as Fisk University and Tennessee State University. Emmett Phillips, a local mentor who emceed the event, said it’s all about supporting them and letting them know that “we’ve got them and care about their future.” Several vendors participated as well, using sales proceeds to help fund college visits.
