(Radio Iowa) – The Minnesota Governor Kamala Harris has picked as a running mate was in Iowa a year ago. During an Iowa P-B-S interview just before he visited last year’s State Fair, Governor Tim Walz predicted the abortion issue would be a winning issue for Democrats in 2024. He said Republican-passed abortion restrictions have gone too far.

“They want to fight these culture wars, but they have stepped into this issue of personal freedoms in a way that I just think is unprecedented,” Walz said. Walz was speaking just a month after Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a law to ban most abortions after fetal activity can be detected, around the sixth week of a pregnancy. Walz says banning nearly all abortions is unpopular.

“Women in Iowa need this reproductive care because it’s health care and they are coming to Minnesota,” Walz said. “We’re glad to be good neighbors and to be there, but it’s absolutely outrageous.” In January of 2023, Walz signed the Protect Reproductive Options or “PRO Act” that guarantees a right to an abortion in Minnesota. The two top Democratic leaders in the Iowa legislature are praising the pick of Walz to be their party’s vice presidential nominee.

House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrs) says Walz “is a fighter for the things Midwesterners care about.” Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum says Walz is someone who “tells it like it is and knows how to get things done.”

The chairman of the Iowa Republican Party calls Walz a radical, dangerous and irresponsible politician who cannot be in charge of the United States of America.

DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Education today (Tuesday) announced five Iowa school districts located in disaster-impacted communities will receive a total of nearly $300,000 in emergency grant funds to support students experiencing homelessness as a result of this summer’s weather-related disasters.

As they prepare to start the new school year, the following school districts will receive an Emergency Grants to Serve Students Experiencing Homelessness award to remove barriers faced by students in fully participating in their education programs:

• Nodaway Valley Community School District, serving Greenfield, Iowa
• River Valley Community School District, serving Correctionville, Iowa
• Rock Valley Community School District, serving Rock Valley, Iowa
• Spencer Community School District, serving Spencer, Iowa
• Tri-Center Community School District, serving Minden, Iowa 

Iowa Education Director McKenzie Snow says “As part of Governor Reynolds’ comprehensive disaster recovery support for impacted communities, these grants will help Iowa school districts continue to meet the needs of students and families who are displaced or experiencing homelessness. With the new school year quickly approaching, the Department will continue to support local education leaders in disaster-impacted communities as they reinforce student success and safely welcome students, families, and teachers back to school this fall.”

Emergency Grants to Serve Students Experiencing Homelessness grantees are located in counties that were included in disaster emergency proclamations issued by Gov. Kim Reynolds between April 26, 2024, and June 28, 2024. In addition, 25 percent or more of the school community must be impacted by the weather-related disaster outlined in one of the proclamations, and 10 percent or more of the school community must be displaced or facing homelessness due to the weather-related disasters.

Districts could apply for up to $80,000 in funding to provide wrap-around services and supports for students who are displaced or facing homelessness as a result of the natural disaster so they can attend school and fully participate in school activities. Allowable use of funds may include, but are not limited to:

• Short-term emergency housing, including motel/hotel stays.
• School supplies, including school uniform fees, book/registration fees, activity registration fees and any supplies designated for school or extracurricular activities.
• Groceries and wellness items, including clean clothing, personal hygiene items and household cleaning supplies.
• Transportation assistance, including gas cards for the purchase of fuel.
• School uniform fees, book/registration fees, activity registration fees and supplies designated for school or extracurricular activities.
• The adaptation of space and purchase of supplies for any non-school facilities, including shelving for the creation of a food pantry/clothing closet, refrigeration units for a food pantry, washer and dryer units and cots for emergency shelters.
• Costs for medical, dental, mental and other health services.
• Costs associated with tracking, obtaining and transferring records necessary to enroll in school, including birth certificates, immunization or other required health records, academic records, guardianship records and evaluations for special programs or services.
• Resources and activities to support the involvement of parents and guardians in the education of their children.
• Costs associated with the coordination of schools and agencies in providing services to students facing homelessness.

Funds for the Emergency Grants to Serve Students Experiencing Homelessness program are provided through the Iowa Department of Education’s portion of state set-aside funds through the American Rescue Plan – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) to support the specific needs of children and youth facing homelessness in attending school and fully participating in school activities. All applications to the program were fully funded by these grants.

More information can be found on the Emergency Grants to Serve Students Experiencing Homelessness webpage. Iowans can also visit the state’s disaster recovery website at https://www.iowa.gov/iowa-disaster-recovery for information on other state and federal disaster assistance, volunteering or donating to disaster-impacted communities in Iowa.

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa [KCCI] – A lucky Iowa lottery player won $1 million in Monday night’s Powerball drawing. The winning ticket was purchased at Fareway, 942 Second St. in Webster City, according to a news release from the Iowa Lottery. It matched the first five numbers (29-42-44-51-54) but missed the Powerball (12) to win a $1 million prize.

No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, according to the release, so the jackpot climbs to an estimated $185 million for the game’s next drawing on Wednesday. The Webster City ticket was the only one in the country to win a $1 million prize in Monday’s drawing. Powerball prizes won in Iowa must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing.

Three Iowans have claimed Powerball prizes worth at least $1 million this year:

• Danny Buckelew, of Treynor, claimed his $2 million prize in January. He matched all five white balls in the Oct. 7, 2023, drawing, missing only the Powerball.
• Mark Krogman, of Clinton, claimed his $2 million prize in April. He matched the first five numbers in the Nov. 25, 2023, drawing, but missed the Powerball. Buckelew and Krogman had added the Power Play option to their tickets, which increased their $1 million winnings to $2 million.
• Trent Baker, of Newton, claimed a $1 million prize in April. Baker’s ticket was one of seven across the country that missed a share of the $1.326 billion jackpot by just one number. He hit the first five numbers but missed the Powerball. A player in Oregon hit the big prize.

Prizes of $1 million must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are open Monday through Friday, and appointments are strongly encouraged for those claims. To make an appointment or contact the lottery with questions, winners are welcome to call the lottery at 515-725-7900 or email to wmaster@ialottery.com.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) — A Cedar Rapids woman is facing numerous charges after police said she stole a purse, used a credit card without permission, then fled police, starting a high speed chase that ended in a crash, while she had four kids in the car. According to KCRG, criminal complaints state 39-year-old Kayla Markell stole someone’s purse and used at least one credit card from inside it to make purchases at a Cedar Rapids Walmart on Thursday. Police said surveillance footage helped them identify Markell as the person who took the purse.

On Monday, police tried to pull her vehicle over, but officers said she refused to stop.During the ensuing chase, police said Markell at times exceeded 100 mph, weaving in and out of traffic and ultimately crashing the vehicle on Kirkwood Boulevard SW, near Prairie High School. Officials said there were four kids in the vehicle with Markell during the chase and crash, each under the age of 10. The criminal complaints don’t specify whether any of the kids were injured during the incident.

Investigators said Markell admitted to having taken the purse and to having used the credit cards without permission.

Markell is charged with eluding while exceeding the speed limit by 25 mph or more, four counts of child endangerment, credit card fraud, fourth-degree theft, and other charges related to the chase.