Home News KLEM News for Tuesday, January 14

KLEM News for Tuesday, January 14

SITZMANN SWORN IN MONDAY

On Monday, January 13th, Rep. Travis Sitzmann of Kingsley was sworn into the Iowa House of Representatives on the first day of the 91st General Assembly. This is Rep. Sitzmann’s first term in the Iowa House of Representatives. She is the current Vice Chair of the Administration and Regulation Budget Subcommittee. He also serves on the Agriculture, Economic Growth and Technology, Labor and Environmental Protection Committees.

(photos courtesy Iowa House Republicans)

 

2025 IOWA LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS UNDERWAY

The 2025 Iowa legislative session is underway. All 100 members of the Iowa House have taken the oath of office for their two year terms. Two dozen senators, who serve four year terms, have been sworn into office. The legislature’s opening day is full of traditions, including speeches from leaders. House Speaker Pat Grassley says lowering taxes and addressing concerns about immigration and social issues are why Republicans won big in November. Senate President Amy Sinclair of Allerton says Republicans hold “supermajorities” in both the House and Senate because for the past eight years Republicans have focused on conservative values. Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner says no one person and no single party has all the answers. House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst says she’s not confident the legislature will be able to escape the political divisions that doom solutions to child care and housing woes.   Governor Kim Reynolds will deliver the annual Condition of the State address tonight to a joint session of the legislature.

 

SUPERVISORS CONTINUE BUDGET REVIEW

The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors meet this morning.  Some organizational work is before them, as well as 2025 budget discussions.  Appointments to the county Compensation Commission will be made.  A 2025 depository resolution will be made.  A review of the semiannual settlement of funds report is also before the Supervisors for their approval.  Quarterly reports from the County Sheriff, Communications, and Jail; and the county recorder will be heard.  The Supervisors will continue to review and discuss the 2025-26 budget at the session this morning.

 

CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING

A special meeting of the Le Mars city council will take place at noon today.  The lone item on the agenda is approval of a bond purchase agreement for water works projects.  These include construction of a water well, a raw water main, and a reverse osmosis water treatment plant.  The city plans to issue up to 39.9 million dollars in water revenue bonds to raise construction funds for these projects, through a Des Moines bonding agent.

 

REPUBLICANS CELEBRATE AT EARLY MORNING FUNDRAISER

Iowa Republican Party leaders celebrated early Monday morning during a fundraiser, calling their “supermajorities” in the Iowa House and Senate a mandate for the G-O-P’s policy agenda. House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl says the election results show Iowans approve of Republican policies. Iowa G-O-P chair Jeff Kaufmann invited the crowd to dance to the tune Y-M-C-A and he said the dance video would be sent to President-elect Trump. Governor Reynolds was next at the microphone, expressing relief that Trump is returning to the White House next week — and joking that she feels unburdened by what has been and the crowd laughed at the reference to a comment Vice President Kamala Harris often made on the campaign trail. The Iowa Democratic Party held a private fundraiser Sunday night.

 

ARREST MADE IN SIOUX CITY COLD CASE MURDER

An arrest has been made in the cold case murder of a woman in Sioux City four decades ago. Thomas Duane Popp is charged in the shooting death of 18-year-old Terri McCauley in 1983. A grand jury convened in Woodbury County last week and indicted the 62-year-old Popp for first-degree murder and he was arrested this weekend in Washington State. Former Sioux City Police Detective Tony Sunclades says he recommended that Popp be arrested in 1983, but the county attorney at the time didn’t think there was enough evidence for a conviction. Popp is being held on a three million dollar cash-only bond as he awaits extradition to Iowa.

 

INJURY ACCIDENT LEADS TO ARREST

A Sioux Center man was injured in a one vehicle accident Sunday afternoon, then placed under arrest.  The Sioux county Sheriff’s Office responded to the accident, which occurred four miles east of Sioux Center.  23 year old Santos Lopez-Morales was driving a car northbound on Indian Avenue when he lost control of the vehicle, entered the east ditch and rolled.  The driver received minor injuries in the crash.  After he was evaluated, Lopez-Morales was arrested for several misdemeanor offenses, including: driving with a suspended license, failure to provide proof of insurance, and failure to carry a registration card.