Week in Iowa: Recap of news from across the state

Legislator introduces ‘medical freedom’ bill: Businesses would not be allowed to require their employees to receive vaccinations – for COVID-19, the measles or other diseases – or require patrons to wear face masks under state legislation proposed Tuesday. Iowa Rep. Jon Jacobsen, R-Council Bluffs, introduced the bill. “We’re not anti-vax. We’re just for medical freedom,” Jacobsen said at a news conference. Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, who chairs the House committee on state government, supported him. “We are pushing medical freedom,” he said. “Hopefully, this thing can become law.”

No test scores?: The Iowa Board of Regents will consider ending the required submission of an ACT or SAT score in applications of first-time undergraduates at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. The board is expected to discuss the changes Jan. 12 at a meeting in Urbandale.

Campaign suspended: Rep. Ras Smith, D-Waterloo, suspended his campaign for governor Wednesday. He said the process showed him “there are barriers that one campaign cannot overcome. No matter how hard we work or how faithfully we represent the majority of hardworking Iowans,” he said. That leaves Deidre DeJear as the highest-profile Democrat in the race. Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has not announced her intentions but is expected to seek another term.

Virus outbreak: Iowa surpasses 8,000 deaths caused by the coronavirus as the number of people hospitalized with the virus reaches nearly 800.

Jan. 6 insurrection: Republicans were divided across Iowa about the violence that erupted at the U.S. Capitol one year ago in Washington, D.C. While many tried to reframe the activity, Dave Millage, former chairman of the Scott County Republican Party, said he was appalled by the insurrection and said other party members needed to have the courage to stand up to Donald Trump. “He’s a cancer to the party,” Millage said. “I’m still a Republican, but I couldn’t believe everyone else wasn’t appalled.”

Teague chosen again: The Iowa City Council on Tuesday unanimously re-elected Bruce Teague to another two-year term as mayor, and picked incoming council member Megan Alter as mayor pro tem.

Investigation sought: A national Muslim civil rights group is calling for state and federal hate crime investigations into vandalism at a Waterloo mosque. The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued the statement saying the Dec. 28 vandalism “demonstrates the real-world dangers of anti-Muslim bigotry.”

Construction accident: A construction worker was flown to a Sioux City hospital Tuesday after he was hurt repairing a grain elevator in Aurelia. The elevator had been damaged during a Dec. 15 tornado. No report was released regarding his injuries.

They said ...

“You can look for a bold and historic agenda that includes, among other things, another round of tax cuts, a comprehensive workforce package and of course continued education reform.”

– Gov. Kim Reynolds, speaking Tuesday to a pre-session legislative forum organized by the Iowa Capitol Press Association

“Just remember that my mom reads a lot of the things people say. I’ve grown my immune system to deal with it, the things people say, but it’s never easy for loved ones, parents, ex-teammates, things like that to read some of the things people say.”

– Spencer Petras, Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback

Odds and ends

Hopping excited: Iowa State University approved a class to study the “Science and Practice of Brewing.” The three-credit class will be offered in the spring and include lab work.

Windfall for specialty crops: Iowa specialty crops — including hazelnuts, melons and cold-hardy red wine — got a boost with $300,000 in federal money awarded by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. The grants, funded through a Specialty Crop Block Grant provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, went to 14 Iowa organizations or projects to develop specialty crops or expand use of locally grown produce.

Cats are OK: The Sioux City Council approved a change to city code to allow a proposed “cat” café to open. At Coffee & Purrs, owners would be limited in the number of cats they could have roaming while patrons sip coffee.