REGULATORS APPROVE SUMMIT PIPELINE PERMIT
The Iowa Utilities Commission has issued a a hazardous liquid pipeline permit for Summit Carbon Solutions. The Commission ruled in June that it would grant the permit to Summit Carbon as long as the company completed several required filings. The commission issued a statement Wednesday that said all the paperwork is now completed. The permit does have requirements that Summit cannot build in Iowa until the company has received approval for the pipeline in North and South Dakota. The South Dakota Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of landowners who sued to keep Summit’s survey crews off their property, saying Summit has not shown it’s authorized to use eminent domain to seize land from property owners. A Summit spokesperson says the company will provide additional information that will prove to South Dakota courts that it can move forward there.
STATE AUDITOR SAYS GOVERNOR’S ESA PROGRAM REMAINS ‘CONSISTENT CONCERN’
State Auditor Rob Sand, the only Iowa Democrat who holds a statewide office, says the state-funded Education Savings Accounts for private school students is a big worry for Iowans. During a town hall meeting in Delaware County this week, Sand told residents he’s carefully following the program’s progress, what Republican Governor Kim Reynolds calls one of her greatest achievements. Sand says the “vouchers program really is a very consistent concern for people,” and he adds that people -should- be concerned. He says hundreds of millions of dollars are being sent to private schools with no audit obligation and no rules. Over 30-thousand private school students in Iowa have qualified for E-S-As this year.
CRITTENTON CENTER ON A GROWTH PATH
A ribbon cutting was held at the Crittenton Center in Le Mars, marking their start in operating the city’s largest daycare center.
Erica Fuentes – Vice President of Children and Family Services
Remarks yesterday. Crittenton provides management and programming at the center.
Fuentes was asked what is the measure of success at the Le Mars daycare.
Just as important as care of children is how Crittenton engages families.
Lori Peters, a staff member at the Crittenton Center, says their goal is growth.
So is engagement with parents…
That’s done by building a cohesive, supportive staff.
There’s space for 140 young children at in the center, and there are a few openings. Formerly Building Blocks Preschool and Child Care, the facility was purchased by Le mars Community Daycare. They brought in Crittenton, based on Sioux City, to manage and provide programming for the center.
MULTIPLE SEMI ACCIDENT
The Iowa State Patrol says there was an accident yesterday morning at a rural intersection near Melvin, in Osceola County. Dense fog was a contributing factor. Three of the four vehicles involved were semi-trailer trucks. None of the drivers were hurt. There was dense fog at the intersection of US Highway 59 and 260th St. A vehicle turning north onto US 59 turned into the path of a southbound semi, causing it to avoid contact, but crash into another semi. A third semi was also struck. The intersection was blocked for a couple of hours.
LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATES REMOVED FROM NOVEMBER BALLOT
A state panel voted 2-1 Wednesday to take three Libertarian candidates for Congress off the November ballot. Republicans filed the challenge, saying the Libertarian county conventions didn’t follow state law. Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Repubican, voted to remove them from the ballot.
Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird also voted to remove the Libertarian candidates from the ballott, while Democrat State Auditor Rob Sand, voted to keep them. Sand says issues with internal political party business aren’t a basis for removing candidates from the ballot.
Libertarian Party of Iowa Chair Jules Carter says she’s disappointed in the decision but not surprised.
The three candidates say they’ll run write-in campaigns if their names can’t be on the ballot. First Congressional District candidate Nicholas Gluba, 3rd District candidate Marco Battaglia and Fourth District candidate Charles Aldrich won’t be on the ballot unless they successfully appeal the decision in court by September 3rd.
JUDGE RULES ON STATE CASE AGAINST TIKTOK
A district court judge has denied a request to dismiss a state lawsuit against TikTok. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed the lawsuit that says TikTok is lying to parents about the frequency and severity of inappropriate videos that it shows to kids. TikTok argued the state did not have standing to bring the case. The judge ruled the case can move forward, but did rule against a request from the A-G for an injunction against the company. The ruling says the state has not yet produced any evidence to show an Iowan has viewed and been harmed by such videos.
DEMOCRAT GETS BACKING FROM UNLIKELY SOURCE IN CONGRESSIONAL RACE
A former Republican congressional candidate from Sutherland is endorsing a Democrat in the 4th District Congressional election. Kevin Virgil lost the June primary to incumbent Randy Feenstra in the 4th District. Now, Virgil says voters should consider splitting their tickets to support former President Donald Trump for the White House -and- Democrat Ryan Melton for Congress. Even though they disagree on issues like abortion and government spending, Virgil says he and Melton have the same viewpoint on fighting carbon capture pipelines, lowering high cancer rates, and improving rural Iowa. Feenstra released a statement calling Virgil an “East Coast liberal” who chooses to endorse a Democrat who will block Trump’s agenda.
