Capitol Notebook: Ernst to host town hall Friday in Eastern Iowa

DES MOINES — Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst will host a town hall meeting Friday in Butler County, according to a news release posted on her office website this week.

The town hall meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Friday at Aplington-Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg.

Ernst “looks forward to hearing from constituents in the area about the issues most important to them,” the release says.

The event will be Ernst’s first open-to-the-public town hall of 2025.

Iowa National Guard send-off ceremonies planned

The Iowa National Guard is conducting 24 send-off ceremonies across the state between May 28 and 30 to honor the deployment of roughly 1,800 Iowa soldiers to the Middle East.

The Iowa National Guard soldiers are being deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. military’s ongoing operation against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The ceremonies are open to the public, according to the Guard.

“These send-offs are a vital tradition,” Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard, said in a news release. “They represent not only the courage and dedication of our soldiers but also the unwavering support of the communities that stand behind them. We encourage Iowans to attend, show their gratitude, and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our troops as they embark on this important mission.”

Among the send-off events are two at the Cedar Rapids Armory: one at 2 p.m. Thursday for nine troops and one at 5 p.m. Friday for 109 troops.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau

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