A bill introduced in the House State Government Committee would streamline compliance with public records request. Committee member Rep. Tom Jeneary, says it sometimes takes far too long for requested public records to be transferred to citizens.
Jeneary says documents shouldn’t be so long to release.
The bill also provides guidelines for local governments to follow.
Today, Rep. Jeneary will hold a town hall meeting in Le Mars. The meeting is at 10 am at Floyd Valley Healthcare. Attendees can discuss any issue of concern they have with Rep Jeneary.
INJURY ACCIDENT NEAR SIOUX CENTER
Two people were injured in a two vehicle crash in Sioux County Friday morning. The Sioux County Sheriffs Office says the accident occurred on U.S. Highway 75, two miles north of Sioux Center. The accident occurred when a car driven south by 22 year old Jefrin Lopez of Hawarden crossed the center line and struck a northbound vehicle driven by 31 year old Fide3ncio Ruiz of Rock Valley. Both drivers received minor injury, and were transported to Sioux Center health for treatment. Lopez was cited for failure to yield. Both drivers were cited for having no valid drivers licenses.
IOWA HOUSE ‘ANTI-DOXXING’ BILL CLEARS INITIAL REVIEW
A subcommittee in the Iowa House has approved an “anti-doxxing” bill, to make it a crime to try to intimidate or harass someone by posting their address or other personal information online. Due to today’s weather, no one from the public testified during the subcommittee’s hearing, but Representative Samantha Fett read aloud the written statement submitted by Jenn Turner, a chapter chair of “Moms for Liberty.”
The bill defines doxxing as posting photos or videos of somone or the person’s phone number, home or email addresses, place of employment or similar information about their family without a legitimate purpose, to threaten, intimidate, annoy or alarm the individual.
Those found guilty of this type of online harassment could be sentenced to up to two years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of over 85-hundred dollars.
A Democrat and a Republican on the three-member subcommittee raised concerns about the bill’s wording and scope, suggesting it needs editing before the bill is considered by the House Public Safety Committee.
Thirteen states have adopted some form of an anti-doxxing law. Ten states make this kind of online harassment of anyone a crime. Minnesota’s anti-doxxing law only applies to law enforcement officials, while the laws in Colorado and Oklahoma apply to a specific list of government officials.
DOT SEES A RECORD DAY FOR SNOWPLOW ACCIDENTS
The Iowa D-O-T says 15 snowplows were hit while working during the snowstorm Wednesday. The D-O-T says that is a one-day record for equipment strikes during a winter season. The previous single-day record of snowplow hits was nine in 2024. D-O-T Winter Operations Administrator Craig Bargfrede says drivers get distracted and run into plows that are going slower to get their work done. Working plows travel ten to 35 miles an hour and create a cloud of snow that impacts visibility for drivers. A total of 25 snowplows have been hit by vehicles so far this winter. The average number of snowplow hits from 2015 to 2024 was 32, with a record-high year in 2019 that ended with 47 motorists colliding with snowplows.
GOLDSTAR MUSEUM MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF BATTLE OF IWO JIMA
The Iowa Goldstar Museum at Camp Dodge in Johnston is hosting an event Saturday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. Goldstar curator Mike Vogt says one presentation will feature Brent Westermeyer who discovered that an Iowa Marine was part of the famous flag raising on Mount Siribachi at Iwo Jima. Vogt says Harold Keller from Brooklyn was identified as being one of the flag raisers after going unidentified. The photo of the flag raising is one of the most famous images from World War Two. Vogt says Keller didn’t brag about being part of the famous photograph and it wasn’t until after his death that a couple of documents were found that mention it. Vogt says historians have debated whether or not taking Iwo Jima was needed, but by the end of the war some 21-hundred crippled Army, Air Force B-29’s had made landings on the island, saving as many as 20-thousand crew members. The Museum opens Saturday and the event is free and open to the public.
