(Radio Iowa) – The proposed plan for reconfiguring Iowa’s legislative districts pairs up dozens of lawmakers . The non-partisan Iowa Legislative Services Agency released what’s called redistricting “Plan 1” Thursday. It appears as many as 61 current members of the Iowa General Assembly live in a proposed district where at least one other legislator lives. An initial count indicates 24 senators would have to decide whether to move, retire or run against another senator and 37 state representatives would face same predicament. That is, if the redistricting plan is approved.

As reported Thursday, the proposed congressional maps show a sprawling, 44-county fourth district. The third district includes the Des Moines metro and fans out into a triangle, with 7 counties on the Iowa/Missouri border. The second district goes from northeast Iowa, curves around to include Ames and stretches down to Ottumwa and Fairfield. The first congressional district would be the smallest, geographically, including the cities of Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Davenport, Burlington and Fort Madison.

None of the four Iowans who currently represent the state in the U.S. House would have to move, as none are paired up in one of the proposed districts.

The Montgomery County Auditor’s Office, Thursday, released the final list of candidates whose names will appear on the November 2nd ballot for City Offices in the County. (Unless otherwise listed, Mayoral terms are for 2 years, and council seats are for 4-years. Incumbents are incumbents are noted with I).

Persons who filed their nomination papers by Thursday’s deadline, are as follows:

City of Red Oak:

Mayor (Vote for 1) – Bill Billings (I); Shawnna L. Silvius.

Council Member Ward 2 (Vote for 1): Terry Koppa; Brian Bills.

Council Member At Large (Vote for 1): Tim Fridolph.

City of Elliott:

Mayor (Vote for 1): Michael A. Carson.

Council Member At Large (Vote for 3): Todd Silk; Jacquelyn Howell.

City of Grant:

Mayor (Vote for 1): Emerson Hill.

Council Member At Large (Vote for 5): Sheila Wilcoxen; Nancy Taylor; Lyn Sliger; Chelsea Jenkins.

City of Stanton:

Council Member At Large (Vote for 3): Chris Stephens (I); Wes Royal; Sheryl A. Porter (I).

City of Coberg:

Mayor (Vote for 1): NONE FILED

Council Member At Large (Vote for 2): NONE FILED.

City of Villisca

Mayor (Vote for 1): Marilyn Halda (I).

Council Member At Large (Vote for 2): Karla Greenfield; Duane Casey (I); Marcus A. Taylor.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The deadline to file nomination papers for City Offices in Cass County has passed. Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns, Thursday evening provided a final list of candidates whose names will appear on the ballot for the various city offices.

City/Office/Candidate (I= Incumbent; A=appointed/date)

Atlantic City Council/2nd Ward: Harlan L. Sisco, of Atlantic.

Atlantic City Council/5th Ward: Richard D. Casady (I)) & Dana D. Halder

Anita City Council (Vote for 3): Simon Jensen (A 4/14/21); Deanna Andrews; & Meghan Dorsey

Anita Mayor – Vacancy Position (Vote for 3): John Knutson (A 3/10/21)

Anita City Council Member – Vacancy (Vote for 1): Mark Harris (A 3/11/20)

Atlantic City Council At Large (Vote for 1): Gerald A. Brink (I)

Atlantic Parks & Rec Dept. Board (Vote for 1): Shirley Jensen

Atlantic City Mayor: Pat McCurdy; Grace N. Garrett; Kathy Somers; Tim Teig.

Cumberland City Council Member (Vote for 3): Mike Hill (I); Darrin Hardisty (I); Matt Dolch.

Cumberland City Mayor: Nancy Virginia Coughlin (I)

Griswold City Council Member (Vote for 2): Jim Ridlen; Kirt Underwood; Doug Moore: Xavier Johnson.

Griswold City Mayor: Matt Shehan; Brad Rhine (I).

Lewis City Council Member (Vote for 2): Ryan K. Archibald (I); Mary L. Neece (A 10/14/20); Christopher Jahnke.

Lewis City Council Member (Vote for 1): Teresa E. Comer (A 3/11/20).

Marne City Council (Vote for 2): Angela Redler (I); Aaron Williams (I).

Massena City Council (Vote for 2): Doug Venteicher (I); Jackson R. Bissell (I).

Wiota City Council Member (Vote for 3): Charles Bechtold; Jeffrey L. Lillard (I); Bryon Armstrong.

Wiota City Mayor: J. Ford Lillard (I).

(Des Moines, Iowa) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered flags to fly at half-staff across the State, Friday, in honor of a Marine from Red Oak who was killed last month during a suicide bombing in Afghanistan. Twenty-three-year-old Corporal Daegan William-Tyeler Page and 12 other US service members were killed in the August 26th ISIS attack near the Kabul airport.

Daegan Page. (Photo from the FB memorial page.)

The order calls for the flags to be lowered from sunrise to sunset on Friday, September 17. Reynolds says flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building, all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties, and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly flags at the same time as a sign of respect.

Governor Kim Reynolds said in her order, “I join with Iowans and the nation in honoring the selfless and dedicated service of Cpl. Daegan Page who was taken much too soon. His sacrifice will serve as a constant reminder that the freedoms and liberties we enjoy as a country come at a heavy cost.” Page grew up in Red Oak and went to high school in Omaha. The Purple Heart recipient will be buried tomorrow with full military honors in Omaha.

(Radio Iowa) The Board of Regents today (Thursday) approved a funding request from the state of nearly 639 million dollars ($638.6). The plan would give a seven million dollar increase to Iowa State University, and four million each to the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. The three state university presidents touched on the need for funding in their regular remarks to the board. I-S-U president Wendy Wintersteen opened the remarks.

“Without an increase in state support, we will continue to be challenged to retain our excellent faculty and staff with competitive salaries. Increasing inflation for supplies and services is also a concern,” Wintersteen says. She says they also have technology needs. “I-S-U is in dire need of technology updates to improve operations and the student experiences — but which costs tens of millions of dollars to implement,” she says. U-N-I president Mark Nook says the school returns the investment to the state.

“The University of Northern uses the funds that it receives from the state to really invest in the future of the state of Iowa. By supporting students to reach their educational, personal and professional, and life goals by investing in the academic programs that match the current and future concerns and needs within our state,” Nook says. University of Iowa president Barbara Wilson says the increase will be targeted at student support. “We are laser-focused on those kinds of metrics to support students — particularly our students from Iowa — but really all of our students.” Wilson says.

The Board of Regents approved the appropriations request without any comment from the board members.

A man and a woman from Council Bluffs were arrested on drug charges the past couple of days, in Glenwood, and a man from Omaha was arrested for violations of the sex offender registry. The Glenwood Police Department reports 44-year-old Rebeka Cantu-Sosa, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Wednesday for Possession of Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1,300. And, 61-year-old Jeffrey Hurd, of Council Bluffs, was arrested today (Thursda), for Possession of Meth. His bond was set at $5,000.

Authorities said also, 56-year-old Kenneth Walters, of Omaha, was arrested Wednesday on two counts of failure to register as a sex offender. His total bond was set at $20,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Bryant Rasmussen reports that on Saturday September 18th, 2021 the Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting Hyggefest at the Sunnyside Bandstand. In order to host the event, the Parks Department needs to close a small section of road between the Bandstand and the Kiddie Korral Shelter from 4pm-7pm.

The access road running past the skatepark will remain open to allow through traffic. There is a map to show the road closure as well as the through route. (See below) A reminder also, the Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with Brad and Lorrie Rasmussen, to bring you music in the park. The event takes place this Saturday also, beginning at 5-p.m.,  at the Sunnyside Park Bandshell, during Hyggefest. An accumulation of local talents is lined-up for a night of music and entertainment. Bring your own lawn chair/blankets, food and drinks.

Deputies with the Page County Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday, served a Page County arrest warrant on Andrew Jackson Paez. The warrant was for Violation of Probation – Sentencing Charge of Arson 2nd Degree. Bond on this warrant was set at $25,000.00 by a Judge.

Paez was being held in the Page County Jail on charges of:

1. Controlled Substance Violation

2. Possession or use of False Drug tax stamp

3. Gathering where controlled substances are used

4. Possession of a controlled substance 2nd Offense.

Bond on those charges was set at $100,000 by a Judge. Paez remains in the Page County Jail on a bond of $125,000, pending future court proceedings.

(Radio Iowa) – Plan 1 for Iowa redistricting has been released, with redrawn boundaries for Iowa’s congressional districts showing NO potential match ups between incumbents. District lines are redrawn every 10 years, after the Census, to account for population changes. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion, a Republican, lives in the proposed first congressional district, which would cover a dozen counties. The cities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Davenport, Burlington and Fort Madison would be in that first district.

Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa lives in the proposed second district. The 26-count area includes the cities of Waterloo, Ames, Marshalltown, Dubuque and Decorah.

The proposed third district, where Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines lives, covers 17 counties. It stretches from the Des Moines metro to the Missouri border, including the cities of Bloomfield on the east and Clarinda on the west. Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull, a Republican, lives in the proposed fourth district. It covers 44 counties and includes the cities of Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Mason City, Fort Dodge and Sidney in the southwest corner.

(Radio Iowa) – Students in the Sioux City Schools won’t have to wear masks after the issue failed to get votes at a special school board meeting Wednesday. The board heard more than two hours of discussion from more than 20 people in person and by phone — and then board vice president Monique Scarlett made a motion. “I move that all students, staff, visitors be mandated to wear a mask in district buildings. This includes audience members in extracurricular activities, and as participants in any meetings held within district buildings,” Scarlett said.  There was no second to that motion — which caught the board president Perla Alarcon-Flory by surprise. Alarcon-Flory asked what happens without a second and other board members said “We don’t vote on it.”

Board member Taylor Goodvin and two others had indicated during the meeting that they would not vote for the mask mandate in part because an overwhelming number of teachers had told them that they did not want it. Goodvin praised Scarlett for taking a stand. She replied, “That’s okay, I will sleep well at night. I did the right thing, I stood on and politics pushed me into a corner,” she said. “I know you will,” Goodvin replies. Goodvin also talked to the others at the meeting. “People who came here and respectfully voiced their opinion — I commend you,” Goodvin says. “The people who didn’t — I hope your kids don’t see it. The kindergarten teacher back there — I guarantee you that her students would have acted better.”

The union representing the teachers had declined to take a position on the issue. Board members agreed that they would continue to monitor the COVID numbers in the district and could revisit the issue if future numbers worsened.