Attorneys representing Governor Kim Reynolds have taken the formal step of asking a district court to let a state law take effect that would ban most abortions in Iowa.
Attorneys with the Alliance Defending Freedom and Iowa attorney Alan Ostergren filed a motion, asking the court to lift its injunction against a law that bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. That’s generally around the sixth week of a pregnancy. In a written statement, Governor Reynolds indicated recent rulings from the U.S. and Iowa Supreme Courts provide a pathway to challenge the injunction and have the law take effect. Reynolds says life and death are determined by a person’s heartbeat and Reynolds said she believes that includes unborn children. When Reynolds signed the so-called “fetal heartbeat” law four years ago, it was the toughest abortion law in the country.

Two Southwest Iowa residents have announced their candidacy for the state legislature.

Pat Shipley

Mayor of Nodaway Pat Shipley has announced her candidacy for Iowa House District 17. She grew up in Villisca and graduated from Iowa State. Shipley has worked in public education for over 40 years, first as a teacher and coach for 16 years and then with the Iowa State Education Association for more than 26 years as a public education employee advocate. Shipley’s campaign is advocating for the education system and access to health care.

Shipley says, “For rural Iowa to sustain itself, there must be a reason for young adults to stay and raise a family. If Iowa is to thrive, we need good-paying jobs, a strong public education system, access to affordable health care, and reliable broadband. Furthermore, we need to recognize that a changing climate impacts our farming practices and that communities that welcome diverse populations grow stronger. Iowa is headed in the wrong direction and has spent too much time longing for days gone by. For our state and local communities to prosper, we must embrace the changes before us and move forward with vision and courage to create a better future for every Iowan.”

Villisca resident Tripp Narup has announced his candidacy for Iowa State Senate District 9. He currently serves on the Villisca City Council and has focused his campaign on the issues of reproductive rights, education, infrastructure, and the tax code.

Tripp Narup

Narup said he is excited to meet fellow rural Iowans and discuss the issues they are facing. “Iowans are friendly and sensible people,” he said. “They know it is the time to get back to basics, to get back to doing the job state government is meant to do: educate our kids, maintain our roads and bridges, and protect individual rights. We’ve had enough of political bickering and make-believe culture clash issues. Let’s get back to work.”

MONTGOMERY – Montgomery County voters interested in voting absentee for the November 8 General Election may file requests for absentee ballots with the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office starting August 30, 2022.

Due to legislation changes, the time period to request absentee ballots has been reduced from 120 days to 70 days. The new legislation also has shortened the number of days that the Auditor’s Office may have ballots available for absentee voting. Voters now have 20 days to vote absentee either by mail or in-person rather than 29 days.

Voters wishing to receive a ballot by mail for the General Election will need to complete an absentee ballot request form and return it to the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office, 105 E Coolbaugh Street, PO Box 429, Red Oak, before 5 p.m. on October 24th. Voters are reminded that due to recent legislation changes, the ballot must be returned to the County Auditor’s Office before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. on November 8th to be counted.

In-person early voting in the Auditor’s Office and mailing of ballots will begin October 19th.

Absentee ballot request forms can be found on the Montgomery County website at www.montgomerycountyia.gov or on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.iowa.gov. They may also be requested by calling the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127.

For more information about the 2022 General Election, contact the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127 or visit the county website at www.montgomerycountyia.gov.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs has selected 11 Iowa arts, culture, history and humanities organizations to participate in its first Iowa Culture Leadership Cohort program.

The two-year program runs now through June 30, 2024, and is designed to help participants build leadership skills and increase organizational capacity in areas including operations, sustainability and programming. The program is jointly administered by two department divisions, the Iowa Arts Council and State Historical Society of Iowa, and will address challenges these organizations face by providing training, networking and technical assistance.

“We’re pleased to establish the Iowa Culture Leadership Cohort as a skill-building program to help cultivate Iowa’s next generation of arts and cultural leaders,” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Chris Kramer said. “Our goal is to offer training and resources so organizational leaders can successfully run the museums, arts centers and other cultural institutions that drive tourism and experiential learning in their communities across the state.”

Although some of the participating organizations are in larger cities, the program will also help nonprofits in rural areas, where arts and culture can play an especially vital role in economic and community development.

Thirty-five organizations applied to participate in the pilot program, which is designed to primarily serve small and mid-sized organizations. The following 11 groups were chosen to participate:

Council Bluffs, Historical Society of Pottawattamie County
Des Moines, After School Arts Program
Forest City, Winnebago Historical Society
Fort Madison, Fort Madison Area Arts Association
Grinnell, Grinnell Area Arts Council
Iowa City, Public Space One
Maquoketa, Maquoketa Art Experience
Oskaloosa, George Daily Auditorium
Oskaloosa, Mahaska County Historical Society
Swedesburg, Swedish Heritage Society Foundation
Winterset, Madison County Historical Society

For more information about the Iowa Culture Leadership Cohort program, visit iowaculture.gov.