REPUBLICAN CAUCUSES
(Des Moines, IA) — The Republican National Committee has unanimously voted to have Iowa’s Caucuses be the first Republican voting event in the next presidential election. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann (COUGH-man) was chairman of a panel that made the recommendation that Iowa, followed by New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina retain their positions at the front of the G-O-P’s presidential selection process. The G-O-P decision comes as the Democratic National Committee launched a plan to have five states with racially diverse populations that may be toss-ups states in the 2024 presidential election go first.
TAX DEADLINE
Monday is the deadline to file your 2021 federal tax returns to avoid penalties and interest. I-R-S spokesman, Christopher Miller, says electronic filing remains the best option.
Miller says e-filing returns are more accurate.
Miller has a couple of last minute tips.
He says a majority of people now file electronically.
April 15th is normally the federal tax filing deadline, but the deadline was moved back to Monday the 18th due to a holiday in the District of Columbia.
TUESDAY TORNADOES
(Johnston, IA) — Preliminary information from the National Weather Service has confirmed eight tornadoes were part of Tuesday night’s storms. The weather service rated two of those tornadoes as E-F-2s on the scale which classifies zero as the weakest and five as the strongest. Those were east of Bradgate and the other ran from Palmer to Gilmore City. There was an E-F-1 southwest of Rutland, and in Mason City. The was an E-F-zero in Kanawha. Mitchell and Howard County saw three tornadoes — with two rated E-F-1s and the other an E-F-zero. Many buildings, houses and trees were damaged — but there were no deaths or injuries reported following Tuesday’s outbreak.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Iowans who are advocates for victims of sexual assault say they’re pleased the re-authorized Violence Against Women Act includes money for prevention efforts as well as services for victims. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst hosted an event Thursday to hear from Iowans who work with sexual assault survivors.
The updated Violence Against Women Act provides new housing protections for victims as well as new investment in culturally-specific programs. Tiahni Carrasco (tee-HAH-nee kuh-ROSS-koh) is a sexual assault prevention specialist with Amani (ah-MAH-nee) Community Services, working with black middle school students in Waterloo.
Mira Yusef (MEER-uh YOO-sehf) is executive director of Monsoon, an origination with offices in Des Moines and Iowa City that works to end human trafficking and violence against Asians and Pacific Islanders.
Kellie Markey (mar-KEE) is the founder of Dorothy’s House, a residential home for victims of human trafficking. She says pornography is distorting what young people, in particular, view as a healthy behavior.
Markey was among more than a dozen people Senator Ernst invited to a roundtable discussion of the Violence Against Women Act. A month ago, President Biden approved a bipartisan plan to reauthorize the law for five more years.
RAVNSBORG IMPEACHMENT
The impeachment trial of South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg is set to begin June 21st. The state Senate chose the date less than a day after Ravnsborg was impeached by the House of Representatives for his actions surrounding a deadly crash in September 2020. The Senate also chose Pennington County State’s Attorney Mark Vargo to serve as the lead prosecutor. The trial will last two days.
Honor flight (s)
The next Honor flight for local military veterans to fly to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials honoring their service and sacrifice will take place in about a month.
All expenses are paid for those veterans through donations, and the Sioux City Musketeers hockey team presented a check Thursday to sponsor the next 84 World War Two, Korean and Vietnam war veterans making the flight to the nation’s capital.
Travis Morgan along with team owner Lloyd Ney presented a check for $85,700 to honor flight representatives:
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Richard Storm is a Vietnam veteran from Sioux City who flew on the last honor flight back in October.
He served in Vietnam for a year starting in march of 1970:
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Storm said after coming home from his Vietnam service he was looked at differently than he is today, so he did not talk about his service for years:
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This will be the 9th Midwest Honor flight.
it will take place on May 14th.
Ia Dem caucus (s)
2020 could wind up being the last time Iowa Democrats hosted the first event in their party’s presidential nominating process.
Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson reports.
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Iowa G-O-P Chairman Jeff Kaufmann says national Republican leaders are poised to affirm the Iowa Republican party’s caucuses as first-in-the-nation in 2024.
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Ernst assaults (s)
Iowans who are advocates for victims of sexual assault say they’re pleased the re-authorized violence against women act includes money for prevention efforts as well as services for victims.
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst hosted an event Thursday to hear from Iowans who work with sexual assault survivors.
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jonis1 oc……..that address prevention.” :07
The updated violence against women act provides new housing protections for victims as well as new investment in culturally-specific programs.
Kellie Markey is the founder of Dorothy’s House, a residential home for victims of human trafficking.
She says pornography is distorting what young people, in particular, view as a healthy behavior.
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jonis2 oc……..and bigger problem.” :27
Markey was among more than a dozen people Senator Ernst invited to a roundtable discussion of the violence against women act.
Ia syphilis cases
Preliminary data from the Iowa Department of Public Health for 2021 shows significant increases in some sexually transmitted diseases.
The department’s S-T-D program manager, George Walton, says syphilis has reached its highest numbers in the state in a generation.
There were 554 syphilis infections reported in 2021 — an increase of 55 percent from the preceding year.
Walton says the number of women infected took a big jump from around nine percent to 23 percent, with “historic increases” in congenital syphilis — which happens when the infection is passed from a pregnant woman to the fetus or newborn.
The information also shows rates of syphilis among minority populations are increasingly disproportionate.
Bar fight atty
Iowa Solicitor General Jeffrey Thompson has been charged with misdemeanor assault after allegedly taking several swings at a bar bouncer last week.
The bouncer was trying to escort the 64-year-old Thompson out of the Blazing Saddle bar in Des Moines at the time.
Thompson was arrested after the altercation.
He entered a not guilty plea in Polk County court Monday.
The solicitor general represents the state in legal cases.
Thompson continues to work for the Iowa Attorney General’s office.
