DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Black Lives Matter protesters rallied inside the Iowa Capitol building, today (Wednesday), shouting “I can’t breath” and “Justice now” in an effort to convince lawmakers and the governor to take action on issues of racial inequality. A group of about two dozen protesters on Wednesday peacefully but loudly gathered in the public space between the main entrances of the House and Senate.

Sen. Brad Zaun, a Des Moines Republican, met with the group’s leader and promised to work on issues the group raised. Protesters also banged on the office door of Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and asked for a meeting. They were disappointed when they were told by staffers to schedule a meeting.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 25-year old Kray Mathew Lukehart, of Atlantic, turned himself in to the Cass County Jail, Tuesday. Lukehart was wanted on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Theft 3^rd Degree (Aggravated Misdemeanor). Lukehart was released later that day on his own recognizance.

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds says she had no problem with Secretary of State Paul Pate sending absentee ballot request forms to every registered voter in April — a move which led to record turn-out for last week’s June Primary. “He sent our requests for an absentee ballot, so I think that was fine,” Reynolds says. A bill scheduled for debate in the Iowa Senate today (Wednesday) would forbid the secretary of state from doing that in the future. The measure also forbids county auditors from sending out absentee ballot request forms AND it would limit the consolidation of polling places on Election Day.

The governor is not sending a public signal of whether she approves of these changes. “It’s been a long-standing practice of mine not to comment on legislation until I see it in final form and this applied to that as well,” Reynolds says, “so I know they’re having conversations and they’re discussing and I’ll wait and see where that ends up.” More than half a MILLION Iowans voters in the June 2nd primary, the vast majority by mail-in ballots.

CORALVILLE, Iowa (The Gazette) — Records show an Iowa prison warden abruptly retired last month after state officials began investigating whether his facility ignored guidelines intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The Gazette reports that James McKinney sent a one-sentence email on May 8 to state Department of Corrections Director Beth Skinner saying he was retiring that day as warden of the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville.

His email was sent two hours after Skinner named a new interim warden of the facility. The newspaper obtained access to the emails through a public records request. A coronavirus outbreak among Coralville inmates and staff began in April.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds today (Wednesday) said new data show the State can lift the 50% capacity restrictions for some businesses effective 8-a.m. Friday, June 12^th. Reynolds said six-feet social distancing will remain in-place for restaurants, bars and theaters. Eliminating the capacity restrictions, she says will allow business the flexibility to adjust their specific operations accordingly, to best meet the needs of their employees and customers.)

The governor said swimming pools, Senior Centers and adult daycare programs may open if they comply with the specific guidance being issued by the IDPH. She said changes are the result of the positive forward momentum that we’re generating in Iowa, and we must keep it goin.”

Read the entire proclamation here

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Wednesday press conference on COVID-19. This presser was delayed from Tuesday to Wednesday this week. We will have live audio on KJAN as well with the presser set to begin at approximately 11:00 a.m.

(A-P/KCCI) Merriam-Webster is revising its definition of racism after a Missouri woman’s emails claimed it fell short of including the systemic oppression of certain groups of people. KMOV-TV reports that Kennedy Mitchum, a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, says people would argue with her about the definition of racism and she realized the problem was in the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. Mitchum said the definition of racism should say it is a system designed, especially in America, to oppress black and brown people.

Peter Sokolowski, editor at large at Merriam-Webster, says the definition also covers the sense that Mitchum was seeking, and they will make its wording even more clear in the next release. He says this is the kind of continuous revision that is part of keeping the dictionary up to date. Drake University shared the dictionary’s response in a tweet. The statement said, in part, “A revision to the entry for racism is now being drafted to be added to the dictionary soon, and we are also planning to revise the entries of other words that are related to racism or have racial connotations.”

Merriam-Webster went on to say, “This revision would not have been made without your persistence in contacting us about this problem.”

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A Creston man was arrested Tuesday afternoon, on a sexual abuse charge. Creston Police says 21-year old Matthew Davis was taken into custody at 900 S. Birch Street on a charge of Sexual Abuse in the 3rd Degree. Davis was being held in the Union County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The remnants of Tropical Storm Cristobal are moving out of the Midwest and into Canada, with gusty winds and heavy rain leaving behind flooding in Wisconsin, Missouri and Iowa. High winds brought down trees and left thousands without power in Wisconsin and Illinois. In rural Iroquois County, south of Chicago, the National Weather Service says a brief tornado was reported late Tuesday. No injuries were reported. The weather service issued a gale warning through Wednesday evening on Lake Michigan. And scattered severe thunderstorms were possible Wednesday from the Midwest into parts of the Northeast.