PLYMOUTH COUNTY STUDENT NAMED TO SERVICE ACADEMY
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa released a list of her nominees to service academies. A Plymouth County student is among the nominees. Hayden Walberg of Westfield was among 15 nominees to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Ernst said Walberg and the other nominees show “strong values, dedication to academics, and a commitment to community service”. In all, 37 Iowa students were nominated by Sen. Ernst to the Air Force Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
FEENSTRA SWORN IN
Friday, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra of Hull was formally sworn in to serve Iowa’s 4th Congressional District. This is his third term in that office. Feenstra said he will work to enact President Trump’s America First agenda. He pledged to secure the U.S. border, cut wasteful spending, and “deliver conservative results for Iowa.” He considers it an honor to represent Iowa and “advocate for our shared Iowa values in our nation’s capital.”
GRASSLEY NOW THIRD IN LINE TO SUCCEED PRESIDENT
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was sworn in Friday as Senate President pro tem. The post customarily goes to the longest serving member of the Senate majority party, and Grassley takes the post for the second time after Republicans regained the majority in November’s election. Grassley is now third in line of succession to the Presidency after the Vice President and Speaker of the House.
IOWA’S ECONOMY SLUMPED IN DECEMBER
The December survey of supply managers in nine states, including Iowa finds the state and regional economies continuing to struggle. Iowa’s index was 41, below growth neutral. Creighton economist Ernie Goss says the survey tried to gauge thoughts about the looming recession.
December marked the seventh time during the year that the Midwest’s overall Business Conditions Index fell below growth neutral, and it was the third straight month that the wholesale price inflation gauge rose.
The U-S dollar is starting the new year very strong, which Goss says means American manufactured goods are less competitively priced.
Goss says the nation and the region rounded out the year with widespread manufacturing job losses. The region’s employment index fell below growth neutral for the 12th straight month during December.
Goss says concerns are rising over the potential of a January 15th longshoremen port strike and how the Midwest will be impacted. According to the U.S. International Trade Administration, Iowa experienced a $1.4 billion drop in 2024 year-to-date manufacturing exports compared to the same period in 2023 for a 9.9% decline.
IOWA’S MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES TO SELECT LEADERS
Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann says he hasn’t decided whether he’ll seek another two-year term as chairman. Kaufmann has been the party’s leader since mid-2014. Kaufmann has been a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and he says if Trump calls to offer him a role in the next Trump Administration, he’ll certainly have that conversation — but Kaufmann says his primary goal is to ensure the Iowa Caucuses go first in the 2028 presidential election. The party has gained super majorities in the Iowa House and Senate under his leadership, and also holds the governor’s office. The Iowa Democratic Party’s state central committee meets tomorrow (Saturday) to hold its election for party chair. Rita Hart, who has been Iowa Democratic Party chair the past two years, is among those seeking the post for the next two years.
IOWA AG JOINS LAWSUIT OVER GREEN HOME MANDATE
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has joined other states in a lawsuit against the Biden-Harris Administration to stop a “green mandate” for homes. Bird says the green mandate forces strict regulations for homebuilding and estimates show that homebuyers will be forced to foot the bill for nearly 32-thousand dollars more for each new home. She says newly built homes are already designed to significantly improve energy efficiency– far surpassing the standards for older homes and the green mandate makes homes too expensive for many families for next to zero environmental benefit. The Utah and Texas-led lawsuit says the Biden-Harris mandate is unconstitutional and exceeds the authority set by Congress. 12 other states have joined the lawsuit. They include: Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and the National Association of Home Builders.
IOWA SETS RECORDS FOR TORNADOES, AND FLOODS IN 2024
The year 2024 wrapped up as one of Iowa’s worst in history for severe weather. State climatologist Justin Glisan says among the many incidents, a record was set with 131 tornadoes, the most-ever to touch down in Iowa during a calendar year. Glisan says there were multiple severe wind storms, 31 reports of hail stones of two inches or larger, and Iowa had a derecho on July 15th. After several previous years of drought, parts of Iowa had record rainfall during 2024, which brought unprecedented results — historic flooding in northwestern Iowa that destroyed hundreds of homes. Then, the driest September on record was followed by the 14th wettest November.
