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Iowa governor signs order restoring felon voting rights

News

August 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Updated) (Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds signed an executive order this (Wednesday) morning to automatically restore voting rights to most paroled felons.

The order restores voting rights to about 40-thousand people statewide, though it won’t apply to those convicted of murder, manslaughter or serious sex crimes. Reynolds had advocated for an amendment to the Iowa Constitution to make the change — but indicated she would sign the executive order after that process stalled in the Iowa Legislature.

Reynolds says lawmakers still needs to approve the amendment so it can be voted on by Iowans.

Betty Andrews, who heads the N-double-A-C-P of Iowa and Nebraska, thanked the governor for keeping her promise to sign the order.

The order technically restores citizenship rights and does NOT require repayment of victim restitution before a felon can vote. State Legislator Ako Abdul-Samad has pushed for the executive order as well and was on hand for the signing.

The order, which technically restores citizenship rights, does NOT require repayment of victim restitution before a felon may vote. That was a sticking point for many Republican legislators who balked at the idea of automatically restoring felon voting rights, and Reynolds says she wanted to let that discussion continue while the legislation was in the works.

The governor says she has talked with the groups which pushed for the change and they plan to have a bigger celebration in the future.

Clarinda man arrested on Page County warrant

News

August 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County, Tuesday, arrested 23-year old Jacob Aaron Leon John Esque, of Clarinda. He was taken into custody on a Page County warrant for Failure to appear for a Revocation of Probation hearing, for Violation of Probation. Esque was arrested at the Page County Jail. He was being held on a $2,000 cash-only bond, pending further court proceedings.

And, 41-year old Lorenzo Louis Lawson, of Shenandoah, was arrested Tuesday, on a Page County Warrant for Violation of No contact / protective order –
contempt and Violation of probation. Lawson was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail and transported to the Page County Jail where he was being held on $2,000 bond, pending further court proceedings.

2 new programs help Iowa businesses and Non-Profit organizations

News

August 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has launched two new programs to help businesses and non-profits during COVID-19. Officials say the Small Business Utility Disruption Prevention Program will assist small businesses and non-profits economically impacted by COVID-19. The program will cover utility bills for service provided during the months of disruption to their business.

Eligibility:

  • Iowa-based for profit and nonprofit businesses with 50 or fewer employees
  • Must have a physical location (non-residential) in Iowa
  • Must be registered with the Iowa Secretary of State to do business in the State of Iowa (or with the County Recorder for sole proprietors)
  • Must not be an ineligible business type:
    Adult Entertainment; Construction, Internet Sales, without corresponding storefront; Medical; Private Clubs, Professional Services; Professional Sports; Religious Institutions, with the exception of those offering social services including daycare, food bank, preschool, shelter, etc.
  • Have not received funds provided by the State of Iowa’s Small Business Relief Grant (SBRG) funding
  • Have not received any funds provided by the State of Iowa’s Nonprofit Recovery Fund
  • Must have experienced a COVID-19 loss of revenue on or after March 17, 2020, that resulted in unpaid bills for electric or natural gas utility service provided between March 17, 2020, and June 30, 2020
  • Applicants’ average monthly electric usage must not exceed 25,000 kWh for electricity or 2,500 therms for natural gas (review with your utility bill and/or contact your utility provider to confirm)
  • Businesses must be open

To learn more or to apply, visit https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/Business/energy-recovery. The deadline to apply is August 21, or till funds are exhausted.

The Iowa Non-Profit Recovery Fund will provide short-term relief to non-profit organizations that have seen reduced revenue and/or increased costs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible non-profits may be awarded a grant of up to $25,000 based on income, expenses, outstanding obligations and other state and federal assistance received.

To be eligible:

  • Must be a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6) or 501(c)(19) based in Iowa
  • Experienced a documented, involuntary loss of revenue and/or increase in expenses that occurred after March 1, 2020 due to COVID-19.
  • Annual operating budget of more than $25,000
  • Twenty-five or fewer full-time equivalent employees
  • A primary mission to serve the program’s priority service populations

For more information or to apply, visit www.iowabusinessrecover.com. The application deadline is August 14 at 5 PM and is a first come, first serve basis grant.

Missouri woman arrested on Page County warrant

News

August 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Missouri was arrested today (Wednesday), on a Page County warrant. 31-year old Brandy Rochelle Baker, of James Port, MO., was taken into custody on a Warrant for Failure to appear for sentencing on original charges of Theft in the 2nd Degree, and 4 counts of Forgery.

Baker was arrested at the Atchison County Missouri Jail and transported to the Page County Jail where she is being held on $10,000 bond, pending further court proceedings.

NE authorities: Missing/Endangered woman

News

August 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

UPDATE 10:08-a.m. – FOUND SAFE!

Police in Omaha police have issued an Endangered/Missing Advisory a Nebraska woman. Jan Lemaster is an 86-year-old white female. She is 5’4″ 135 with grey hair. LeMaster may be driving a light blue 2005 Buick Lesabre, with a Nebraska license plate UWY170. Authorities say the woman suffers from dementia, and should not be driving. If you see Jan Lemaster or the vehicle, please call 911 or the Omaha Police Department at 402-444-5636.

Jan Lemaster

Mills County woman arrested on a drug charge

News

August 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report the arrest Tuesday evening, of a Glenwood woman. 35-year-old Robyn Leigh Salmon was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Her bond was set at $25,000.

Big Ten, Iowa announce 2020 football schedule

Sports

August 5th, 2020 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa Hawkeyes will play a 10-game Big Ten Conference football schedule in 2020, featuring five home games in Kinnick Stadium. The entire Big Ten schedule of games was announced Wednesday by the conference office.

The Hawkeyes open the season at home on Saturday, Sept. 5, hosting Maryland. Additional home games include Nebraska (Sept. 26), Northwestern (Oct. 3), Michigan State (Oct. 31) and Wisconsin (Nov. 14). Iowa travels to face Purdue on Sept. 12, and plays at Minnesota the following week on Saturday, Sept. 19. Remaining road games include at Illinois (Oct. 10), Penn State (Oct. 24) and Ohio State (Nov. 21). Iowa has open dates scheduled for Oct. 17 and Nov. 7.

“We continue to face uncertain and unprecedented times, and the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, and others associated with our sports programs remains our number one priority,” said Gary Barta, Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair. “I am confident in the medical protocols established by the Big Ten Conference Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Sports Medicine Committee, in addition to the continued oversight provided by our UI Hawkeye team physicians within the UIHC Department of Orthopedics and Epidemiology.

“The past few months have entailed numerous conversations between my conference colleagues, Commissioner Kevin Warren and our Big Ten presidents, as we have worked to navigate the challenges associated with this pandemic. We appreciate the continued patience and support from our donors, ticket holders, partners, and fans. Now that the football schedule has been announced, we will finalize our Kinnick Stadium seating plan and share that in the next few days. If we have the opportunity to play, we are excited about our challenging conference schedule and the five games in Kinnick Stadium.”

Iowa’s opening game marks the first time since 1980 the Hawkeyes will open the season against at Big Ten opponent. The Hawkeyes opened that season with a 16-7 win over Indiana in Kinnick Stadium.

“As a program, we have been looking forward to this day since the decision to play a conference-only schedule was announced,” said UI head football coach Kirk Ferentz. “Knowing when our games are scheduled will allow us to prepare for what is ahead on the field and support our players’ academic schedules off the field.

“Our players have shown patience and dedication during the most recent period of conditioning and off-season workouts, and now we are excited to begin the process of preparing for a football season. We are continuing to closely monitor the health and safety of our players and staff and look forward to starting our season in Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 5.”

Iowa football has won 47 games over the past five seasons, the best five-year total in school history and a total that ranks ninth in the nation. The Hawkeyes posted six home wins in 2019 and have posted 27 victories in Kinnick Stadium in the last five seasons.

Iowa will begin the 2020 campaign with a four-game winning streak, including a 49-24 win over No. 22 Southern California in the 2019 Holiday Bowl.

Iowa is scheduled to begin official preparation for the 2020 season Friday, Aug. 7 with the opening of preseason camp. The opening contest against Maryland will be the first opportunity to see the 2020 Hawkeyes in action, as the annual August Kids Day in Kinnick Stadium will not take place.

Information regarding fan attendance for 2020 home games, including ticketing update and information, along with Kinnick Stadium policies and procedures for the season, will be released soon. Iowa Athletics has not yet finalized an allowable attendance figure for home games.

The Big Ten Conference championship game is scheduled for Dec. 5, at Lucas Oil stadium in Indianapolis. Following is Iowa’s 2020 football schedule:

Sept. 5         Maryland
Sept. 12       at Purdue
Sept. 19       at Minnesota
Sept. 26       Nebraska
Oct. 3          Northwestern
Oct. 10        at Illinois
Oct. 17        Open
Oct. 24        at Penn State
Oct. 31        Michigan State
Nov. 7         Open
Nov. 14       Wisconsin
Nov. 21       at Ohio State
Dec. 5         Big Ten Championship

Fire smoldering at Spencer city landfill appears to be out

News

August 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The public works director in Spencer says it appears the fire at the city-owned landfill near Graettinger has been extinguished. Fire departments were first dispatched to the scene a month ago. Spencer Public Works Director Mark White says fire crews were called out two other times when smoke was seen rising from the landfill. “The first one was on the 7th of July and the second one was on the 14th of July,” he says. “…It is a little different to fight a landfill fire. A lot of material has to be dug out, extinguished and we were fortunate during all of the events to have a contractor on site with an excavator.”

White says Spencer city staff has spent quite a bit of time at the site, digging material out of the burn zone and hauling in clay that’s been spread on top. “It’s all been in the same spot, so most likely it’s something deep within that’s been smouldering for quite some time,” White says.

A report about landfill fires prepared for the State of Missouri indicates more than eight-thousand fires are reported at landfills in the United States each year and the vast majority are contained before the landfill is compromised.

Big Ten releases revised football schedule

Sports

August 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa will open the football season September fifth at home against Maryland. The Big Ten released a ten game, conference only schedule that gives each team two bye weeks and the possibility of moving the conference championship game two weeks to December 19th. Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren was interviewed on BTN.

Warren says starting the season Labor Day weekend will provide the conference the flexibility it needs.

Warren says football teams will be allowed to begin fall camp on Friday.

Warren says all players and staff will be tested weekly beginning the week of the season opener.

Mask mandates, online classes and contact tracing in forefront in eastern Iowa

News

August 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Leaders in Iowa City and surrounding Johnson County are taking more steps to try and slow the spread of coronavirus. The County Board of Health has approved an ordinance mandating the use of face coverings in public, which the county attorney says -will- be enforceable. Kim Bergen-Jackson, administrator of Oaknoll Retirement Residence in Iowa City, says the order will help save the lives of her residents. “This is not a political problem for me. It is not a hoax or a joke,” Bergen-Jackson says. “We’re not gambling with your life, but the lives of my friends, my 70-, 80-, 90- and 100-year-old friends, who want to be here to live another year older.”

The ordinance now goes to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors for final approval. State officials say local governments don’t have the authority to issue such mandates. Meanwhile, nearly 300 faculty members and graduate student instructors at the University of Iowa signed a petition calling for a priority to be placed on online classes this fall. The U-I is moving many large classes online, but says face-to-face instruction will still be prioritized for classes with fewer than 50 students. Megan Knight is an associate professor in the U-I Department of Rhetoric. “A lot of my colleagues feel sort of caught between a rock and a hard place,” Knight says. “They’re really frightened about job insecurity and they’re frightened of the risk of face-to-face classroom teaching during a global pandemic.”

Johnson County Supervisor Royceann Porter says she’s concerned because the university says it will not require students to be tested for COVID-19 before returning this fall. “That’s thousands and thousands of people coming into our city that’s not even being tested or won’t have to quarantine,” Porter says. “We don’t know what they have when they get here.”

Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa are also holding some in-person classes this fall.
(By Kate Payne and Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)