(Radio Iowa) – Judges in state AND federal court are being asked to temporarily block the state from enforcing its ban on mask mandates in schools. Fran Parr of Council Bluffs, the mother of twin boys who are first graders, filed a lawsuit in state court last month, arguing schools have a duty to protect students from the coronavirus. During a hearing in Polk County District Court yesterday (Thursday), Parr’s attorney, Daniel McGinn, said it is unreasonable for state lawmakers to forbid local school boards from requiring masks.

“It serves no educational, medical or scientific goal,” he told the judge. “It’s just enacted for political reasons to appeal to a certain segment of Iowa’s population who are unhappy about masks. They don’t like the inconvenience.” Sam Langholz, an assistant Iowa attorney general, argued lawmakers have the authority to set a statewide policy on masks in schools.

“Ms. Parr and many other Iowans have strong feelings and opinions about the wisdom of this statute,” he said, “but that’s not a valid basis to enjoin a duly enacted statute of the State of Iowa.”

A FEDERAL judge in Des Moines will hear legal arguments today (Friday) from a group of parents of children with disabilities who are challenging Iowa’s ban on mask mandates in schools.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says the president’s new Covid vaccine rules for federal workers, health care staff and employees in large businesses are dangerous and unprecedented. President Biden says Americans who are vaccinated are growing frustrated with the 80 million who are not and the unvaccinated are fueling the current surge in Covid cases. Biden has moved to require that businesses with more than 100 employees ensure workers are fully vaccinated or tested for Covid weekly.

The president’s executive order now requires all federal government employees and contractors as well as health care workers at facilities that receive federal money be vaccinated. Reynolds, a Republican, has encouraged Iowans to get vaccinated, but she opposes these mandates. Reynolds says Iowans have the ability to make health care decisions for themselves and Biden’s plan will only worsen the workforce shortage as people quit or retire rather than get vaccinated.

Zach Wahls, the top Democrat in the Iowa Senate, says Iowa is in the midst of a dangerous surge in Covid cases because Iowa Republicans have embraced vaccine skepticism. Some Republicans in Iowa’s congressional delegation issued statements yesterday (Thursday) criticizing Biden’s vaccination requirements. Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s encouraging Iowans to get vaccinated, but he opposes the heavy hand of government threatening to fine for businesses if employees aren’t vaccinated or tested regularly.

First district Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says the president’s actions are unconstitutional. Second district Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa says she encourages adults to be vaccinated, but she’s deeply opposed to a federal Covid vaccine mandate. The Republican National Committee announced last (Thursday) night it plans to file a lawsuit to overturn the president’s vaccine mandates.

(Radio Iowa) – The Legislative Services Agency has announced that the first proposed plan for reconfiguring legislative and congressional districts will be delivered to lawmakers at 10 a.m. next Thursday (Sept. 16). The boundaries for congressional districts and for Iowa House and Senate districts are being redrawn to account for population shifts that are shown in the 2020 Census data.

Three public hearings are scheduled after the maps are released, to give Iowans a chance to weigh in on the plans, then the bipartisan Temporary Redistricting Commission must submit its report on the maps to the legislature. After all that, a Special Legislative Session will convene — probably in early October — so the Iowa House and Senate can approve or reject the proposed maps.

(Lewis, Iowa) – The owner of a western Iowa welding and metal fabricating company along with several others, have teamed-up to sponsor an event this Saturday in Cass County, to mark the 20^th anniversary of the Sept. 11^th attacks.

Photo’s courtesy Duane Weirich

Duane Weirich, who owns Weirich Welding Plus, in Lewis, says his role in the event was the creation of an eight-by-20-foot custom metal “We the People” wall of American History, with individual cut-out pieces that will be bolted to the wall.

He says there are 91 separate pieces that make up the characters on the wall.

This isn’t the first time he’s his metal working skills to make a wall of history.

He says the first eagle he made was completely out of scrap iron.

Weirich says he and a friend decided to incorporate the project into the 9/11 event. The Lewis Celebration and Freedom Rock Committees got involved in the plan as well. The wall will be on display at Weirich Welding in Lewis, from 10-a.m., until 2-p.m., Saturday, and will include a free light lunch for current First Responders, Law Enforcement, and Veterans. The Public Lunch will be a free-will offering.

On Sunday, Weirich will transport the 5,000-pound patriotic wall to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where it was entered into the  “Art Prize” contest.

He says the wall will be one of the largest objects on display and to be voted on, and then sold through an online auction.