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Week in Iowa
Recap of news from across the state
In the news
TRUMP CAMPAIGN SKIRTS BILLS: Former President Donald Trump’s campaign left an unpaid bill for $10,000 with the Sioux City Police Department after his Nov. 2 rally in the city.
Emails obtained by the Sioux City Journal detail a tense back-and-forth between the former president’s Save America team and city officials seeking to recoup thousands in fees before and after the rally.
City officials had trouble recovering a $5,000 rental fee ahead of the rally, which was eventually paid on Nov. 2. The city still has not received $10,002.38 in police expenses, officials said.
HINSON SEEKS CHILD CARE BILL: More Iowa families would be eligible for financial assistance for child care under legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa.
Hinson introduced the legislation that would reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant program
The federal program, administered by the states, provides financial assistance for low- and moderate-income families to afford child care services. The bill would expand the eligibility for families to receive support and provide assistance to more types of providers.
SCOTT COUNTY RECOUNT: Republican Luana Stoltenberg was declared the winner of Iowa’s House District 81 race in Davenport, winning by 11 votes over Democrat Craig Cooper.
The total was the second time the winner flipped in the race after an auditor-run recount showed Cooper ahead. Scott County Auditor Kerri Tompkins, who administered the election, said “it’s still unclear” why nearly 500 absentee votes were left out of the tally on election night.
A recount in Linn County confirmed Democrat Elizabeth Wilson won House District 73 by 300 votes over Republican Susie Weinacht.
BLUE BUNNY SOLD TO FERRERO: Blue Bunny Ice Cream maker Wells Enterprises is being acquired by Ferrero Group, an Italian confectionery company.
The Le Mars-based ice cream company, which also makes the Halo Top and Bomb Pop brands, was the largest family-owned ice cream producer in the U.S.
CEO Mike Wells said Ferrero is a “like-minded” company and the brand would remain in good hands. The offices of the company are set to remain in Le Mars, and production sites in Iowa, Nevada and New York will remain, officials said.
They said …
“It doesn't matter whether the former president said this, or anybody else said it in regard to suspending the Constitution, it's unconstitutional." — U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on former President Trump's calling for "termination" of Constitution provisions
“Today, I voted to make sure everyone can marry the person they love without the federal government getting in their way. The Respect for Marriage Act sends a clear signal that hate and bigotry don’t have a place in America by repealing the hate-filled Defense of Marriage Act and enshrining married couples’ right to equal protection.” — Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne on the Respect for Marriage Act
Odds and ends
REAL ID DEADLINE EXTENDED: Iowans will have more time to receive a gold star REAL ID to become compliant to fly under federal law.
The federal government extended the deadline to May 7, 2025, last week. The Iowa DOT began issuing cards with the REAL ID star in 2013, and around 64 percent of Iowans with a license have a REALID.
TRUCKING GRANTS ANNOUNCED: Trucking companies and drivers could be eligible for $6 million in training grants.
The grants will provide employers and nonprofits who pay for Commercial Driver’s License training programs to get reimbursed through the grants. The grants are designed to address workforce shortages in the industry.
Water cooler
COVID CASES INCREASING: Iowa COVID-19 cases are up for the fifth week in a row. The state reported 3,469 new cases in the week ending Wednesday, a 28 percent increase over the previous week’s 2,700 new cases.
The actual total is likely much higher, given the availability of at-home test kits, the results of which are not reported to the state.
GRASSLEY PUSHES BACK ON TRUMP: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, criticized comments former President Donald Trump made regarding the constitution, saying they were “unconstitutional.”
Trump last weekend called for “the termination” of rules in the Constitution to overturn the 2020 election, repeating claims of election fraud.
Smoke rises from a fire Thursday at the C6-Zero biofuels plant in Marengo, site of two explosions. Five people were taken by ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa CIty, with others arriving by personal vehicles. Residents were evacuated due to the smoke. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
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