Podcasts about mariannette miller meeks

Simon Conway's interview with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks during Tuesday's first hour.

Part 1:We talk with Laura Belin, is the publisher, editor, and primary reporter forBleeding Heartland, a community website focused on Iowa politics. She is also the Statehouse reporter for KHOI Radio in Ames and co-host of the station's "Capitol Week" program, as well as a member of theIowa Writers' Collaborative.We discussInteresting election cycle shaping up in Iowa. In addition to the open governor's race, we will have competitive U.S. House races in at least the first and third districts (Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn). Plus the DCCC announced last week that it will also target thesecond district (Ashley Hinson). We could talk about likely Democratic candidates and how Republicans are desperately clinging to Trump.We discuss, also, the universal school voucher system in Iowa.Part 2: We talk with Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer at Slate.com The Crisis Over Trumps Salvadoran Gulag Has Reached a Terrifying Breaking Pointhttps://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/04/trump-defying-supreme-court-el-salvador-bukele.htmlWe discuss Trump's 'Salvadorian Gulag", and this is a blueprint for things to come. Trump has already said that he would send American citizens to such prisons. The Justice Department has suspended the lawyers who publicly stated that Garcia was abducted and deported in error. We discuss the implications.Music: From David Rovics, “The Richest Man in the World Says So”, 2025WNHN.ORG production

It's April 15th—Tax Day—and Pags breaks down the truth behind why you pay, a quick history of how it started, and exposes the so-called “Silicon Six” who are dodging billions in taxes. PLUS—Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks joins the show to talk about her role as a cosponsor of the SAVE Act, clear up the drama surrounding it, and give straight answers on the VA's cutbacks, veteran care, and what Congress is doing to protect those who served. It's tax truth, vet care clarity, and accountability at every level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Simon Conway's interview with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks during Thursday's third hour.

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks delves into pressing issues such as government statistics, national security concerns regarding Joe Biden's email handling, and the ongoing government funding debates. The Congresswoman shares her insights on the hypocrisy within the political landscape, particularly regarding the Democrats' stance on government shutdowns and military funding. Alireza Jafarzadeh tackles the intricate landscape of U.S. foreign policy concerning Iran and its implications for the Middle East. Jafarzadeh sheds light on the recent rally for a freer Iran, emphasizing the role of women in the resistance against the oppressive regime. Pete Sepp, the President of the National Taxpayers Union, joins to discuss the rampant waste and abuse within the Department of Defense. From outrageous expenditures to ineffective weapon systems, Pete sheds light on the urgent need for government reform.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Simon Conway's interview with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks during Monday's first hour.

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day's deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affecting Iowa.This week on the show, Gov. Kim Reynolds may have accidentally announced her re-election campaign, Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks is getting a primary rematch, and legislative proposals to ditch the outdoors and recreation trust fund and remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act.This episode was hosted by the Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy. It features Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton, Lee Des Moines Bureau Chief Maya Marchel Hoff, Gazette Columnist Todd Dorman and Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times.This episode was produced by Gazette Social Video Producer Bailey Cichon. Comments: erin.murphy@thegazette.com, bailey.cichon@thegazette.com

-House Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks joins Rob to discuss this week's action on Capitol Hill. -AOC uses her social media to inform illegals how to avoid ICE, Tom Homan says that AOC could be in trouble. Today's podcast is sponsored by : BIRCH GOLD - Protect and grow your retirement savings with gold. Text ROB to 98 98 98 for your FREE information kit! GREEN CHEF - The #1 Meal Kit for Eating Well! Go to http://GreenChef.com/newsmaxfree and use code newsmaxfree to get started with FREE Salads for two months plus 50% off your first box. PROSPER WELLNESS – Joint Restore: Delicious gummies that radically reduce pain and inflammation in your joints FAST. Visit http://JointRestore2.com right now and use promo code ROB to get 20% off.   To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday…E-mail Rob Carson at : RobCarsonShow@gmail.com Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (www.patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Listen Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:              • Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB              • X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter             • Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG             • YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV              • Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV              • TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX             • GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax             • Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX              • Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax               • BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com            • Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interview with Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks during Wednesday's second hour.

Simon Conway's interview with Mariannette Miller-Meeks during Thursday's first hour.

Simon Conway's interview with Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks during Wednesday's first hour.

This week on the podcast, we speculate on who Gov. Kim Reynolds will pick as her new lieutenant. Plus, the 2024 general election results are certified and Republican incumbent Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks came out of the recount in the 1st Congressional District victorious.This episode was hosted by the Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy. It features Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton and Sarah Watson of The Quad City Times.This episode was produced by Gazette Social Video Producer Bailey Cichon. Comments: erin.murphy@thegazette.com, bailey.cichon@thegazette.com

In this special Veterans Day episode, host Jeff Crank is joined by Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an Army veteran and advocate for veterans' health care reform, who shares her inspiring journey from service in the military to service in Congress. As the daughter of an Air Force veteran, Miller-Meeks grew up in a military family, instilled with a strong sense of duty and commitment to country. Her own 24-year career in the Army has left an indelible mark on her approach to public service, shaping her dedication to the well-being of veterans and her fight to protect patient rights. Now in Congress, she addresses the pressing issues of bureaucratic roadblocks, the complexities of the VA system, and the critical need for reform in the doctor-patient relationship. In this episode, she discusses why veterans deserve greater choice and accessibility in health care and how she advocates for the Mission Act's goals to ensure all veterans have the freedom to choose their medical providers. On this Veterans Day, hear her reflections on military service, the values that continue to guide her work, and her dedication to defending freedom from both the battlefield and Congress. This is a tribute to the resilience, honor, and unwavering commitment of our nation's veterans.

Simon Conway's interview with with Representative Mariannette Miller Meeks during Friday's third hour.

Simon Conway's interview with Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks during Wednesday's first hour.

In this episode, I try to get to the bottom of why more GOP and conservative people aren't speaking out about the very real danger of what a second Donald Trump presidency would do to this country. Find this episode on your favorite podcast player here: https://pod.link/1647010767/Here are some of the sources and references from this episode:Mitt Romney, Liz Cheney, and other GOP lawmakers who criticized Trump or voted to impeach him have spent tens of thousands of dollars on private security https://www.businessinsider.com/lawmakers-spent-thousands-on-security-after-capitol-insurrection-records-2021-4Romney: 'Large portion' of GOP ‘doesn't believe in the Constitution' https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2023/09/14/romney---a-very-large-portion-of--the-gop--doesn-t-believe-in-the-constitution-What Mitt Romney Saw in the Senate - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/11/mitt-romney-retiring-senate-trump-mcconnell/675306/Private Equity's Senator Gets Big Payout https://www.levernews.com/private-equitys-senator-gets-big-payout/FBI finds hundreds of weapons at home of suspect in Arizona Democratic Party office shooting https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe-breaking/2024/10/23/suspect-identified-tempe-democratic-party-office-shootings/75806849007/JD Vance Offers Baffling Defense of Trump's ‘Enemy Within' Comments https://www.thedailybeast.com/jd-vance-offers-baffling-defense-of-trumps-enemy-within-comments/Mariannette Miller-Meeks says she got death threats after voting against Jordan in speaker's race https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/mariannette-miller-meeks-says-got-death-threats-voting-jordan-speakers-rcna121142Did Nothing Wrong Episode 106 - Jim Jordan for Speaker?The Washington Post says it will not endorse a candidate for presidenthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/10/25/washington-post-endorsement-president/On political endorsementhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/25/washington-post-endorsement/The Washington Post is in deep turmoil as Bezos remains silent on non-endorsementhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/10/26/media/washington-post-jeff-bezos-endorsement-turmoil/index.htmlMarty Baron on the Washington Post's “Spineless” Endorsement Decisionhttps://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/marty-baron-on-the-washington-posts-spineless-endorsement-decisionComments? Suggestions? Email: griff@didnothingwrongpod.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.didnothingwrongpod.com/subscribe

Simon Conway's interview with Representative Mariannette Miller Meeks during Wednesday's second hour.

On today’s program, we are talking with Mariannette Miller-Meeks, United States Representative for the First District of Iowa, about her congressional race.

This week on the podcast, half of Iowa's Congressional campaigns are tossups, Rep. Ashley Hinson and Sarah Corkery debate, and we detail a donor's ties to Mariannette Miller-Meeks' Davenport home.This episode was hosted by the Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy. It features Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton, Gazette columnist Todd Dorman and Sarah Watson of The Quad City Times.This episode was produced by Bailey Cichon. Comments: erin.murphy@thegazette.com, bailey.cichon@thegazette.com

Supporting our veterans is a commitment that transcends politics—it's a matter of national honor. In this episode, host Fran Racioppi sits down with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a 24-year Army Reserve veteran and representative for Iowa's First Congressional District. Together, they explore critical issues facing veterans today, including the readiness of the VA to handle the influx of post-9/11 service members, mental health challenges, and the impact of the PACT Act. Congresswoman Miller-Meeks shares her unique perspective on veteran care, the importance of accountability within the VA, and the role Congress plays in ensuring our veterans receive the care and support they deserve. Check out our conversation then head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch all our coverage from the halls of Congress. Highlights0:00 Welcome to Congress1:40 Veterans top issues in Congress3:03 Increasing oversight of the VA4:23 GWOT Veterans influx into the VA5:50 Expectations of the 2024 election cycle Quotes“13 new Gold Star Families that did not have to lose their children.”“Do we want the VA to do voter registration or do we want them to focus on caring for Veterans?” “We also added the PACT Act. Any disorder is presumed to be related to your service.” “Irrespective of who's at the top of the ticket, you have to make the case for yourself.” The opinions presented on the The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are the opinions of our guests and creator and host Fran Racioppi. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Green Beret Foundation and the Green Beret Foundation assumes no liability for their accuracy; nor does Green Beret Foundation endorse any political candidate or any political party.

Simon Conway's interview with Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Republican from Iowa's 1st District, talks about inflation, border security, national debt, the Farm Bill, abortion, veteran's issues, China, and much more.

This week on the podcast, the Iowa Supreme Court determines Libertarians' ballot fates, Republican state lawmakers take carbon capture pipelines to court, and questions about Mariannette Miller-Meeks' residence are raised to a Congressional ethics committee.This episode was hosted by the Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy. It features Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times, Jared McNett of the Sioux City Journal and Gazette columnist Todd Dorman.Comments: erin.murphy@thegazette.com, bailey.cichon@thegazette.com

Simon Conway's interview with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks during Thursday's third hour.

US Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks discusses her recent visits to Jasper, Warren and Marion County’s. KNIA/KRLS visited with her after her stop at The Coffee Connection in Knoxville on Tuesday.

It's been a busy few weeks in politics — an attempted assassination, the Republican convention, President Biden's decision to drop out of the race. But lost in all of those dramatic changes was this piece of news: Sunday, July 21st was the hottest day ever recorded on earth. It was an alarming piece of history, with heat waves sweeping across Europe, the Western United States and extreme weather around the world. It was one of those landmark moments that makes some people stop and focus on climate change. And then those very records were broken 24 hours later, when global average temperatures went even higher on Monday, July 22nd. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican from Iowa and the chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus, joins Chuck to discuss.

Tuesday was primary election day across Iowa, with three congressional primaries on the ballot. In Iowa's 3rd Congressional District, Lanon Baccam defeated Melissa Vine in the Democratic primary. In southeast Iowa's 1st District, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks defeated challenger David Pautsch in the GOP primary. And in northwest Iowa's 4th District, Rep. Randy Feenstra defeated challenger Kevin Virgil.

In this episode of ITR Live, Chris and John take a look at the results from the June 4th primary elections in Iowa. At both the congressional level and state legislative level, there were closely-watched races that will have important implications not only for the general election, but looking ahead to the 2025 legislative session. In the U.S. House of Representatives races in Iowa, Mariannette Miller-Meeks won the HD-1 Republican Primary with 56% of the vote, while Lanon Baccam won the HD-3 Democratic Primary with 84% of the vote. Randy Feenstra emerged as the winner in the HD-4 Republican Primary with 60% of the vote. In the Iowa Senate races, for SD-26, Kara Warme emerged as the winner with 55% of the vote, defeating Gannon Hendrick who received 45% of the vote. In SD-30, Waylon Brown triumphed over Doug Campbell with 53% of the vote. In SD-38, Dave Sires won a three-way primary with 59% of the vote. On the Iowa House side, in HD-7 Mike Sexton emerged as the winner in the Republican Primary with 51% of the vote. Samantha Fett was the winner in HD-22 with 56% of the vote. Sam Wengryn won HD-24 with 67% of the vote. Josh Meggers is on the way to reelection in HD-54 with 76% of the vote. Jane Bloomingdale won the Republican Primary for HD-60 with 61% of the vote.

U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks discusses the recent awarding of federal funding for a road project in Pella and the latest from Washington D.C.

Greenfield held a candlelight vigil a week after a deadly tornado hit the community. Iowa reports its first case of avian flu in more than five months. State and federal officials say they're ready to respond to any election security issues. A Davenport businessman is challenging incumbent Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the 1st District Republican Primary next week.

A lawsuit claims the Black Hawk County Sheriff is abusing a system under which counties collect fees from people serving time in jail. Sen. Chuck Grassley says prospects for a new Farm Bill this year are looking difficult. And U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller Meeks says artificial intelligence could be part of the solution for the state's health care workers' shortage.

Republican lawmakers have come a long way on climate change since the days of tossing snowballs in the U.S. Senate a decade ago. Today, an 80+ member Conservative Climate Caucus wants to elevate Republicans' voices on climate, while maintaining conservative principles. But former President Donald Trump is still at odds with that mission. The Caucus' new chair, Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, tells us her plan. Guests: Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Republican representing Iowa's representing 1st Congressional District and Chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus; Jael Holzman, climate and energy reporter for Axios Credits: 1 big thing is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, and Jay Cowit. Music is composed by Alex Sugiura and Jay Cowit. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can send questions, comments and story ideas as a text or voice memo to Niala at 202-918-4893. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the weekend!This is Stephen Colbert from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Saturday, December 16th, and Sunday, December 17th, 2023.According to the National Weather Service, Saturday will be rainy with areas of fog and a high near 45. Saturday night will have more rain and fog with a low around 36.Sunday will be cloudy in the morning and gradually clear up with a high near 45. Sunday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 25.Iowans in Congress renew push for year-round E15Members of Iowa's congressional delegation are renewing their push for federal officials to allow the sale of E15 in Iowa year-round.U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, along with Reps. Randy Feenstra, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Ashley Hinson, signed onto a bipartisan letter Thursday urging Biden administration officials to finalize a rule that would allow the sale of E15 — gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol — during the summer months in some Midwestern states.It's the latest beat in a battle stretching over a year from several Midwestern states to make the year-round sale of the fuel permanent. Federal rules limit the sale of E15 between June 1 and Sept. 15 because of concerns that it contributes to smog.New Cedar Rapids school bond referendum could go to voters in 2025Cedar Rapids school leaders are planning to go back to district voters in November 2025 with a plan to fund improvements to middle and high schools after a $220 million bond referendum failed last month.First, however, voters in the district will be asked to consider extending the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy for an additional 10 years. That's an existing capital projects fund for the purchase and improvement of grounds, construction and remodeling of buildings, major equipment purchases including technology. This vote will go to voters in September 2024.A Cedar Rapids schools' master facility plan oversight committee is expected to discuss improvements that would be funded by PPEL and how district officials could work with residents and city officials to develop and educate the community on a new bond plan.Nikki Haley commits to CNN Iowa debate after Ron DeSantis attacksFormer South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's campaign announced she has accepted the invitation to CNN's GOP presidential debate in Des Moines on Jan. 10.The criteria for the debate, just five days before the caucuses, will likely limit eligibility to Haley, former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.DeSantis' campaign confirmed it will attend, but Trump is not likely to participate.Have a good weekend, everyone.

Welcome to the weekend!This is Stephen Colbert from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Saturday, November 18th, and Sunday, November 19th, 2023.According to the National Weather Service, Saturday will be sunny, with a high near 57, cooling to a low around 33 Saturday night.Sunday will be cloudy with a high of 57, cooling to a low of 41 Sunday night.deteriorating beams are being repaired at Taft, HardingRepairs are being made to deteriorating wood beams at Taft and Harding middle schools in Cedar Rapids after some of the columns were determined last month to be structurally unstable — forcing students out of those areas.The closure of the Taft and Harding domes is impacting more than 1,000 sixth through eighth grade students in the Cedar Rapids district. Outside the schools are fences around the domes with signs that read “do not enter.”Band and orchestra students at Taft are practicing in the school's front entryway. Lunch is eaten in the hallway and some classrooms. PE classes also are being held in the library or outside, weather permitting.Later this month, music classes will move to a portable classroom being put up in front of Taft. There will be two portables with a total of four classrooms.At Harding, renovations were made to create additional classroom space to accommodate students.3 Iowa reps among those calling for George Santos to resignThree of Iowa's Republican U.S. representatives called on Republican U.S. Rep. George Santos to resign Thursday after a House Ethics Committee investigation found evidence of a string of alleged financial crimes tied to his 2022 campaign.Reps. Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks called for Santos to resign from Congress, signaling that they would vote to expel him if he does not resign.The three representatives, along with Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra, all voted against a previous measure to expel Santos from Congress.The House Ethics Committee's report says Santos stole from his campaign, deceived donors into paying him personally when they thought they were giving to his campaign, and reported fictitious loans to his campaign he then used campaign funds to pay back.Panel takes first step to consider restructuring downtown Cedar Rapids' managing entityCould another organization host signature downtown events such as the farmers market or decide how to spend public funds on things like murals and lighting?The Downtown Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District Commission — a mayor-appointed panel that oversees downtown initiatives — took steps this week to explore such questions and consider how to potentially change the management structure of downtown operations. The move comes as consultant Progressive Urban Management Associates of Denver is slated to bring a refreshed Downtown Vision Plan guiding the future of the urban core to the Cedar Rapids City Council for possible adoption Dec. 5.The plan will recommend the district put together a task force to make a recommendation on its structure going forward. One section of the draft vision plan examines the downtown entity's current structure in relation to others in the country.Have a good weekend, everyone.

On the podcast this week, Mariannette Miller-Meeks gets a primary challenger, the Republican presidential primary gets lighter, a new Iowa State University poll, and multi-candidate events in Iowa sans Trump.On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to re-create the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day's deadlines have been met.This week's show is hosted by Erin Murphy, the Des Moines Bureau Chief for The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, and features Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times, Lee Des Moines Bureau Chief Caleb McCullough, Jared McNett of the Sioux City Journal, and Gazette Columnist Todd Dorman.The show was produced by Stephen M. Colbert and the music heard on the podcast is courtesy of Jeremy Jacobs and Copperhead.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for November 17, 2023.According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny on Friday in the Cedar Rapids area, with a high near 47 degrees. On Friday night it will be clear, with a low of around 27 degrees.Starting in December, tenants will move into a new affordable housing development in southeast Cedar Rapids that will add 44 rental units to the city's core, with five units reserved for young people aging out of the foster care system.The Des Moines-based Hatch Kiernan Galloway Development Group on Thursday marked the near-completion of Cedar Rapids Brickstone, a $12.2 million, four-story multifamily building at 627 Sixth St. SE.The project will provide supportive services to tenants in partnership with local nonprofit, Foundation 2 Crisis Services.Of the 44 units, 34 will be reserved for tenants at or below 60 percent of area median income. Ten units will be marked for tenants at or below 30 percent of area median income, according to the city.The Brickstone housing complex also is in proximity to other nonprofits and service providers, the Ground Transportation Center for bus access and the downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library.Three of Iowa's Republican U.S. representatives called on Republican U.S. Rep. George Santos to resign Thursday after a House Ethics Committee investigation found evidence of a string of alleged financial crimes tied to his 2022 campaign.The House Ethics Committee's report says Santos stole from his campaign, deceived donors into paying him personally when they thought they were giving to his campaign, and reported fictitious loans to his campaign he then used campaign funds to pay back.Reps. Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks called for Santos to resign from Congress, signaling that they would vote to expel him if he does not resign.The three representatives, along with Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra, all voted against a previous me sure to expel Santos from Congress.Santos said on Thursday he would not seek re-election in 2024 but did not say he would resign from Congress.House Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest, a Republican from Mississippi, will move to expel Santos this week, according to CNN.The Iowa Hawkeye women won't get to keep their #2 ranking for very long.Kansas State scored the final 12 points and stunned No. 2 Iowa, 65-58, before a sellout crowd of 14,998 Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.K-State came into Thursday's game as the third-best defensive team in the nation, at 37 points per game. They held the Hawkeyes 34 points below their average of per game.Iowa has good company in teams getting upset, though. Of the top 10 teams in the preseason Associated Press poll, Iowa was the eighth to fall so far. And it's only mid-November.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for November 13, 2023.The week will start sunny and pleasant on Monday, with a high of 63 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area. The low will drop down to 35 degrees, with clear skies. The National Weather Service projects sunny skies and highs in the 60s for much of the rest of the week.Pharmacies across Iowa have closed at an alarming rate over the past decade-plus, partly because insurance payouts don't cover drug costs.Nearly 100 pharmacies across the state have shut their doors since 2008, according to research from a Drake University professor in a recent study.And it's still an issue. A survey last month conducted by the Iowa Pharmacy Association of its members found 40 percent of responding pharmacies expect to close within the next 12 months.Pharmacists, lawmakers, policy experts and patient advocates say pharmacy benefit managers are largely to blame.Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, are third party companies that function as intermediaries between insurance providers and drug manufacturers.Mike Deninger is a co-owner and pharmacist at Towncrest Pharmacy. The group collectively owns eight community pharmacies in Iowa City, Solon, Van Horne, Marengo, Belle Plaine and New Hampton.Independent pharmacies like his rely on PBMs so that they can take various insurance plans, but those companies also decide how much money the pharmacists receive when reimbursing them.“They will pay us whatever they feel like paying us, and it can change at any given time,” he said.Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and colleagues this week introduced a bipartisan proposal that would tackle practices used by pharmacy benefit managers that drive up costs for prescription medications.The bill would use a flat fee to compensate PBMs instead of pegging payments to a percentage of the cost of a drug.A Cedar Rapids man has been charged with vehicular homicide and operating while intoxicated after his vehicle struck two pedestrians in the road Sunday, killing one and injuring the other.Kyle Kubite, 45, of Cedar Rapids, was arrested Sunday and charged with the crimes after the pedestrians were struck in the 1400 block of Memorial Dr SE at roughly 4:45 p.m. SundayAccording to a media release from the Cedar Rapids Police Department, investigators determined Kubite was driving while intoxicated on Memorial Drive when he struck the two pedestrians, a man and a woman.The woman was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to the release. The man had non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital for treatment.Police say the investigation is still underway but they are releasing no further information as of Sunday evening. The identities of the two pedestrians are being withheld while police investigate and family members can first be notified of the news.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for October 23, 2023.Clouds and potentially thunderstorms will eventually give way to mostly sunny skies on Monday. According to the National Weather Service there will be a high near 72 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area. There will be some breeziness as well during the day, and the temperature will settle in at around 62 degrees Monday evening.In front of an audience of her fellow Republicans, U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Ottumwa, stood on the bed of a bright-red truck and defended voting against Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan to be the next speaker of the U.S. House last week.Miller-Meeks held her third annual “Triple MMM Tailgate” on Friday evening in Iowa City. The event featured seven candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.Miller-Meeks said the decision led to her receiving what her office referred to as “credible death threats,” but she said she would not be swayed by these tactics.“I am never going to quit fighting for Iowa, and I am never going to quit fighting for this country," Miller-Meeks said to a crowd of hundreds of supporters. "So if you think you can intimidate me, go … suck it up, buttercup!"We may all have to suck it up, as it looks to be another chaotic week in the U.S. House. After Jordan's bid for Speaker of the House flamed out late last week,9 different Republican candidates have signed up to vie for the position. A commercial flock of about 50,000 turkeys in Buena Vista County was recently infected by a highly transmissible bird flu, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.The Iowa Capitol Dispatch has reported that the quickly spreadly avian influenza was last detected in Iowa in March in a small flock in Chickasaw County. It has been a somewhat quiet year for the virus compared to last year, when infections led to the destruction of 16 million birds. Humans are seldom infected by the virus, but it can spread quickly in domestic flocks and is lethal to the birds. Entire flocks are intentionally culled after the virus is confirmed to prevent it spreading to other birds.The virus is believed to be transmitted by migrating birds that can carry it without showing symptoms.If purple street lights have bothered you in recent nightime travels, you have a reason to rejoice. John Hart, director of the maintenance bureau at the Iowa Department of Transportation, said last week that the state has replaced the vast majority of the LED streetlights that had turned purple.Many transportation departments, including in Iowa, switched to LED streetlights in 2017 because they are more affordable, last longer and are more environmentally friendly.But the issue of the off-color lights arose last year when some lights from Acuity American Electric Lighting, installed by the state in 2018, had faulty interior coating. When the inside coating deteriorated, the lights shone with a purple-blue hue.Initially, Hart believed the state transportation department would have to replace more than 100 streetlights. But it turned out to be “several hundred,” mostly in Eastern and Southeastern Iowa.

Congresswoman Mariannette-Miller Meeks claimed she received death threats this week, and a Democrat announced their campaign against incumbent Congresswoman Ashley Hinson.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for October 19, 2023.According to the National Weather Service it will be mostly cloudy in the Cedar Rapids area on Thursday with a high near 63 degrees. On Thursday evening it will gradually become clear, with a low of around 46 degrees.Iowa U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks switched her vote Wednesday for House speaker and joined nearly two dozen Republicans who voted against U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as he was rejected on his second try at clinching the position.She was the only Iowa Republican to vote against Jordan, while U.S. Reps. Randy Feenstra, Ashley Hinson and Zach Nunn stuck with the majority of Republicans in supporting the hard-right chair of the House Judiciary Committee. All four had voted for Jordan during the first vote Tuesday.In announcing her change on social media Miller-Meeks said she had received credible death threats after switching her vote.Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa's southeast 1st Congressional District, said in an interview Tuesday she had reservations about Jordan becoming speaker. Those concerns included past opposition to the Farm Bill and biofuel subsidies, as well as the pressure tactics used by Jordan allies to whip votes.The House is expected to reconvene Thursday for a potential third vote with no clear path forward to unify around a speaker.Iowa City Police have arrested a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in an alley in early October.Anthony Cotner Jr., 25, of Cedar Rapids now faces one count of second-degree sexual assault related to the incident, according to a media release from the Iowa City Police Department.Police sought the public's help in finding a suspect after the incident, which police said occurred near the alley of the 200 Block of South Van Buren Street in Iowa City in the morning of October 7th. In the police account, a victim reported being attacked by a man while walking in that area at around 1:40 a.m. that morning.The Iowa City Police Department thanked the Cedar Rapids Police Department and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation for their assistance in the arrest.Save CR Heritage — a nonprofit dedicated to saving historic properties — is appealing to the Cedar Rapids school board to reconsider its decision earlier this year to demolish Harrison Elementary School.Save CR Heritage submitted over 500 petition signatures of eligible voters within the Cedar Rapids Community School District, which requires the school board to place the request on its agenda within 30 days of receiving the petition, according to Iowa Code.The school board will hear public comment asking members to “overturn the recommendation to demolish Harrison Elementary School” — the language on the petition — at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Educational Leadership and Support Center in Cedar Rapids. Anyone is invited to attend and sign up to speak.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for October 16, 2023.No rain on the menu for the start of the week. According to the National Weather Service it will be mostly sunny with a high near 56 degrees. On Monday evening it will be partly cloudy, with a low of around 37 degrees.There was also thankfully no rain in Iowa City Sunday as 55,646 fans packed into Kinnick Stadium for “Crossover at Kinnick,” a scrimmage between the Iowa Women's Basketball team and the DePaul Blue Demons– played on a court assembled on Kinnick's field. Iowa triumphed 94-72, with Caitlin Clark recording her now typical triple double, with 34 points,10 rebounds and 11 assists in the windy outdoor conditions.The game, which set a record for attendance at a women's basketball game, was played at Kinnick's north end. With the game beginning at 2 p.m., fans began tailgating before 10 a.m.Proceeds went to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, and a preliminary check for $250,000 was handed over during a break in the action Sunday.Republicans are hoping the next vote for Speaker of the House will go better than the last couple of tries.National outlets are reporting that the next vote for speaker will be around noon on Tuesday. Republicans have nominated Jim Jordan as their pick for Speaker. While it appears that Jordan still does not have even all the Republican votes needed to be nominated, Iowa's congressional delegation is lining up in support of him, just as they did with Steve Scalise and Kevin McCarthy before him.Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson at a fundraiser for Gov. Kim Reynolds on Saturday said her hope is the vote can end the chaos recently in Congress.Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks was not as forthcoming in supporting Jordan's leadership bid. She also praised McCarthy's effort as Speaker in preventing a government shutdown, a move that ultimately led to him being pushed out of the position by his own party.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for October 11, 2023.☔ Rain appears likely for much of Wednesday. Although the National Weather Service has a chance of showers in the morning, the chance for rain in the Cedar Rapids area appears to take a big leap higher after 1 p.m. and then becomes even more likely in the evening. Rain looks like it will possibly continue into Thursday. The high temperature will settle in around 58 degrees. Bondholder Preston Hollow Community Capital has outbid the University of Iowa for Mercy Iowa City's assets as part of the hospital's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.News of the auction results was made public Tuesday evening in a bankruptcy court filing.In an associated news release, Preston Hollow reported plans to partner with American Health Care Systems to operate a new community hospital — free and clear of the debt, pension liabilities, unpaid dues, and uncured contracts the Mercy operation had accrued over years of financial decline.Although it shared no details of a new hospital concept, Preston Hollow — as an investment firm — likely would leave the health care piece of the operation to American Health Care Systems, a Glendale, Calif.-based for-profit organization with health care management expertise.Preston Hollow was able to outmaneuver the University of Iowa for the winning bid by drawing out the auction process with negotiations, and using the $63 million that Mercy owes them as part of a “credit bid” that the University of Iowa was unable to match.The turn of events was a surprise to administrators from both Mercy and the university, who had already started contacting each other about the transition process to UI ownership in the past few weeks.Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst met in person Tuesday with top Israeli leaders, four days after the Iran-backed Hamas militant group launched a surprise assault on Israel from Gaza.Ernst last week led a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers, including Iowa GOP U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, of Ottumwa, to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Israel to support peace in the region and deter Iranian aggression. The group left on its envoy before the attack over the weekend.Tuesday, Ernst met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders, as well as American civilians in Israel, as that country bombarded Gaza in response.Ernst emphasized that the United State fully stands behind Israel in their efforts to eliminate Hamas. The purpose of the delegation's visit was originally to encourage peaceful relations between the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia. This was complicated by Saudi Arabia, along with many other Arab countries, publicly supporting Palestine as Gaza is under siege by Israeli forces.Borlaug Elementary School in Coralville, which is a part of the Iowa City Community School District, was one of five schools in Iowa named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.Schools are recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools for demonstrating effective and innovative teaching and learning, and how teachers and staff are valued and supported through meaningful professional learning, according to a news release from National Blue Ribbon Schools.Borlaug Elementary is recognized as an Exemplary High-Performing School for being among Iowa's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments.

Today's DriveTime features comments from Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, on rural healthcare and also takes a look at U.S. apple production and trade with India.

As a former physician and state health official, Iowa Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks has a unique perspective on the state of rural health care. She joins this week's Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to discuss the issue and how she hopes to address the issue in Congress.Then, Florence Becot with the National Farm Medicine Center and Alan Morgan with the National Rural Health Association focus on the availability of rural health care across the country and how farmers and ranchers handle their health insurance coverage.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Even in a summer of record-breaking heat and disasters, Republican Presidential candidates have ignored or mocked climate change. But some conservative legislators in Congress recognize that action is necessary. Their ideas about how to tackle the problem, however, depart from the consensus that is dominant among Democrats. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa's first district, is vice-chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus and a former head of the Iowa Department of Public Health. “Where there's difference among individuals is with what urgency people believe there needs to be change. I believe that having rapid change without having affordable, available energy is not a solution,” she tells David Remnick. Miller-Meeks extols innovation in the private sector, but feels that mandates on electric vehicles would drive up costs too much for rural consumers. With a goal of reducing fossil-fuel consumption, she says, environmentalists need to reconsider their desire to remove hydroelectric dams to restore river habitats, and their opposition to nuclear-power generation. They should expedite mining for copper, uranium, and rare earth minerals, despite the environmental risks. “You have an Inflation Reduction Act which on one hand says you need to domestically source minerals,” she notes, “yet we won't allow permitting.” More broadly, she feels that the alarms sounded by environmental scientists have failed to convince the public. “Every time we advance that there is a crisis and there is doom, and it doesn't materialize, scientists, and we as political leaders, and people who are advancing policy, lose credibility.”

Even in a summer of record-breaking heat and disasters, Republican Presidential candidates have ignored or mocked climate change. But some conservative legislators in Congress recognize that action is necessary. Their ideas about how to tackle the problem, however, depart from the consensus that is dominant among Democrats. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa's first district, is vice-chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus and a former head of the Iowa Department of Public Health. “Where there's difference among individuals is with what urgency people believe there needs to be change. I believe that having rapid change without having affordable, available energy is not a solution,” she tells David Remnick. Miller-Meeks extols innovation in the private sector, but feels that mandates on electric vehicles would drive up costs too much for rural consumers. With a goal of reducing fossil-fuel consumption, she says, environmentalists need to reconsider their desire to remove hydroelectric dams to restore river habitats, and their opposition to nuclear-power generation. They should expedite mining for copper, uranium, and rare earth minerals, despite the environmental risks. “You have an Inflation Reduction Act which on one hand says you need to domestically source minerals,” she notes, “yet we won't allow permitting.” More broadly, she feels that the alarms sounded by environmental scientists have failed to convince the public. “Every time we advance that there is a crisis and there is doom, and it doesn't materialize, scientists, and we as political leaders, and people who are advancing policy, lose credibility.”

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for August 16, 2023.According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny Wednesday in the Cedar Rapids area with a high near 86 degrees. Wednesday evening it will be partly cloudy, with a low of around 67 degrees. It will be a bit breezy throughout the day, increasing as the day goes on.Fire and law enforcement crews found a body near a house that exploded Monday morning in rural Buckingham, according to the Tama County Sheriff's Office.First responders were called to the house, at 1117 W Ave. rural Buckingham, at 10:14 a.m. Monday for reports of a possible explosion.Law enforcement and fire officials determined the house had been destroyed by an apparent explosion. One resident told the Waterloo Courier that the explosion could be heard 6 or 7 miles away.The body, which was discovered near the home, was taken to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Ankeny for examination and identification, according to a sheriff's news release.Officials have not released additional information about the identity of the deceased or the cause of the explosion.In court filings Monday, major Mercy Iowa City investor Preston Hollow Community Capital — along with the master trustee of its debt — said the hospital “threw in the towel” and filed for bankruptcy protection without consulting them. They contend in their filing that should a “below-market” offer from the University of Iowa go through, Mercy will cease to be an independent “full-service acute care hospital.”“Upon information and belief, the University of Iowa intends to reduce Mercy's existing acute care service lines and convert Mercy into largely a behavioral health hospital,” the filing alleged.As a result bondholders have asked a judge to appoint an examiner to investigate the hospital's downfall and answer questions about the nature of the deal with the University of Iowa and Mercy's management of its finances.In last week's announcement of the proposed sale — which is not a done deal— Mercy and the university said the purchase would afford a “more sustainable future” for the hospital. The UI, according to Mercy's court filings, plans to establish a Mercy advisory board, allow Mercy to have its own chief administrative officer responsible for operations and make certain strategic upgrades.Mercy doctors in good standing will keep their jobs, according to the proposal, and other employees will be allowed to reapply to the university.Iowa voters will likely see a rematch for a southeastern Iowa congressional seat in 2024.Iowa City Democrat and former state lawmaker Christina Bohannan announced her second bid for Congress, setting up a rematch against Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks.Iowa's 20-county 1st Congressional District includes the cities of Davenport, Iowa City, Burlington and Indianola.Bohannan lost by nearly 7 percentage points, or more than 20,000 votes, to Miller-Meeks, who won re-election to a second term in November after winning her first election by the slimmest of margins — six votes over Democrat Rita Hart in 2020 after months of recounts.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Thursday, July 20.We'll enjoy another sunny day Thursday. According to the National Weather Service the high will be nearly 85 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area. It will be a little bit breezy, with gusts reaching as high as 25 mph. On Thursday evening the wind will calm, with a low around 59 degrees.More than 10,000 Iowans will have their remaining federal student loan debt wiped out under fixes to the U.S. Department of Education's income-driven repayment plans.According to data released this week by the department, 10,730 borrowers in Iowa are eligible to have their loans automatically discharged in the weeks ahead, totaling $465 million statewide. This forgiveness requires no action by borrowers, who will be notified when their debt has been discharged.These discharges apply to those who have accumulated either 20 or 25 years worth of qualifying months, depending on the type of income-driven repayment plan. The Department of Education will notify borrowers who reach forgiveness thresholds every two months until 2024, when borrowers still ineligible for forgiveness will receive updated payment counts.The department announced in 2022 it would address failures in its student loan programs after details emerged about mishandling of income-driven repayment plans by the department and just how few people's debts were canceled after 20 or 25 years, as they were supposed to have been under these plans.Iowa politicians are pushing for a variety of bills related to improving both childcare and healthcare for children.Families of children with complex medical conditions needing to travel out of state to receive specialized care would have fewer hoops to jump through under legislation sponsored by members of Iowa's congressional delegation.Iowa Republicans U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks reintroduced legislation Wednesday that would improve health care access for children with complex medical conditions by simplifying out-of-state Medicaid enrollment processes for pediatric care providers. The bill is backed by more than 200 children's hospitals, patients and research organizations nationwide, including in Iowa.A bill sponsored by Iowa Republican U.S. Sen Ernst would allow nonprofit child care centers, including religious nonprofits, to participate in a Small Business Administration loan program to open more child care slots.Currently, only for-profit child care centers qualify for federal programs that help small businesses access capital. To qualify, child care centers would have to comply with usual credit requirements and licensing requirements.Both of these bills also have Democratic cosponsors.A man walking along U.S. Highway 30 in Cedar County was struck and killed Tuesday night as he crossed the roadway, according to an Iowa State Patrol report.About 11:30 p.m., a Ford Expedition was traveling west on Highway 30, west of Mechanicsville, when a man who was walking on the south shoulder crossed the highway near Franklin Avenue "for an unknown reason" and was struck by the sport utility vehicle, the report stated.Authorities have not yet released the name of the pedestrian or driver.

Prepare for an engaging and enlightening episode of Sustain AI Planet, where we delve into the extraordinary experiences of Congresswoman Marinette Miller-Meeks. With an illustrious 24-year career in the US Army, a thriving private practice as an esteemed ophthalmologist, and her current role as an Iowa Congresswoman, she exemplifies the qualities of adaptability and open-mindedness essential for thriving in an ever-changing landscape.   Congresswoman Meeks graciously shares her compelling narrative, shaped by her upbringing in a military family, her profound dedication to the medical field, and the transformative power of education. But beyond personal inspiration, this episode ventures into critical topics such as sustainability, artificial intelligence, and energy generation. Congresswoman Meeks emphasizes the imperative of collaboration between Republicans and Democrats to meet the world's growing demand for abundant, affordable, sustainable, and secure energy. With a nuanced understanding of the complexities, she delves into the significance of domestic sourcing for rare earth elements and other essential resources, reducing our reliance on potentially adversarial nations. Additionally, she sheds light on the vast potential of renewable energy sources, extending beyond wind and solar, and explores the fascinating realm of biofuels and their transformative impact on water purity, soil quality, and the reduction of fertilizers and pesticides.   Join us for an episode bursting with hope, innovation, and collaborative spirit. Together, let's unlock the limitless possibilities that lie ahead in our quest for a sustainable and prosperous future.   Quotes “We all want a cleaner, healthier planet for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. But we need to do so in a way that allows us to compete economically around the world. (11:40 | Marinette Miller-Meeks) “It's just support and acknowledgement that we need increased energy. How do we do that in a pragmatic way and utilize all the resources we have in the United States and especially not be dependent on adversarial countries for rare earth elements, cobalt, lithium, the rare earth, copper, when we can source those in the United States.” (19:26 | Marinette Miller Meeks) “I would just like to let people know that the world is dynamic, that knowledge increases, that our world and our globe is much more resilient, sort of like human beings are much more resilient than we give them credit for.”  (25:34 | Marinette Miller-Meeks) #SustainAIPlanet #Sustainability #ArtificialIntelligence #ClimateAction #Resilience #GenerationalImpact #sustainableenergy #rareearthminerals #biochar #EvolvingWorld #FutureForward   Links Connect with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks: https://millermeeks.house.gov/ https://millermeeks.house.gov/issues/energy Connect with Dylan: Website: https://www.sustainaiplanet.com Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) is a military veteran, a doctor, and a strong champion of ethanol, biofuels, and energy security. What listeners may not know is that the Congresswoman wanted to be a teacher and a series of events led her to a career as a doctor and now, a Member of Congress. Compassionate, passionate, and smart, Congresswoman Miller-Meeks has parlayed her previous work into the work she does today, serving on the Veterans Affairs committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee. A woman who has shattered the glass ceiling on a number of occasions, Representative Miller-Meeks is a trailblazer and role model for many.   Co-hosts Dee Martin and Yasmin Nelson sit down with Congresswoman Miller-Meeks to talk about veterans' mental health and the importance of creating a safe space for people who served. Of course, no conversation about Iowa is complete without a discussion of corn and the use of biofuels to reduce CO2 emissions, so tune in to hear more about her bipartisan legislation the Next Generation Fuels Act. Want to know what it takes to be an effective leader? Listen now!

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Thursday, April 27.Thursday's weather will be similar to the day before it, but warmer. According to the National Weather Service there will be patchy frost before 7 a.m. in the Cedar Rapids area. Otherwise it will be sunny, with a high near 69 degrees. On Thursday night the low will be around 44 degrees with partly cloudy skies.One of Iowa's most generous and notable philanthropists, John Pappajohn, died earlier this week at the age of 94.Pappajohn, along with this wife, Mary, gave more than $100 million to various philanthropic causes Pappajohn served as director of more than 40 public companies, and his philanthropy has been recognized in the naming of UI's main business building, the UI Hospitals and Clinics' Pappajohn Pavilion, the John and Mary Pappajohn Clinical Cancer Center and UI's Pappajohn Biomedical Institute Building.He also enjoyed connecting with students, such as in 2015, when he spoke to a crowd of more than 1,000 during a homecoming week event at the University of Iowa. He shared advice with the audience, largely made up of students– telling them: “Philanthropy is a way of life.”"If you incorporate it in your DNA, it becomes part of your persona,” he said.The Iowa Senate has passed a budget that could zero out funding for river and stream sensors that measure nitrate and phosphorus to see if conservation practices are working.The budget for agriculture, natural resources and environmental protection, which passed Tuesday in a party-line vote 33 to 16 with Democrats opposed, shifts $500,000 from the Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University to a water quality program in the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.The ISU center, which supports the sensor network at the University of Iowa, had been planning to allocate $500,000 to the UI this year for the network and related projects. The budget also eliminated a requirement that the ISU center work with the UI and the University of Northern Iowa.The sensors send real-time data to the Iowa Water Quality Information System, which has an interactive map online. As of Wednesday afternoon, the network of more than 50 sensors currently employed already showed 13 sensors reporting nitrate levels over the safe standard for drinking water.The budget bill also removed language from Iowa Code that said Iowa would aspire to have 10 percent of its land under open space protection In two studies, Iowa ranks 47th and 48th out of 50 U.S. states for its share of publicly-owned lands. Both studies, by Texas A&M University's Natural Resources Institute and the hiking and climbing website the Summit Post, calculated that just roughly 3 percent of Iowa's land is publicly-owned.Iowa's all-Republican congressional delegation — U.S. Reps. Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra — on Wednesday said they planned to vote in favor of House Republicans' bill that addresses the federal debt ceiling. The Iowans negotiated with leadership to remove proposed reductions to incentives for ethanol and biofuels production from a long list of budget cuts in the proposed budget.And their votes were needed, as the bill passed Wednesday night by a razor-thin 217-215 margin. The budget now goes to the Senate, which is...

A top TikTok executive attacked the House Energy and Commerce committee hearing on TikTok, accusing members of “xenophobia.” During an interview on CNN's “Axe Files” podcast released on Thursday, Jen Easterly, the Director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) pointed to the differences in TikTok's American and Chinese versions and said she thinks the app “is part of a long-range strategy of, sadly, dumbing down the next generation and we are falling for it.” Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose administration is struggling to contain a worsening homelessness crisis despite record spending, is trying something bold: tapping federal health care funding to cover rent for homeless people and those at risk of losing their housing. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew admitted to Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks that the Chinese app tracks users' keystrokes during a House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on Thursday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Weekend! Christmas Edition.This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Saturday, December 24, and Sunday, December 25.It'll seem just slightly less like living in the arctic tundra this weekend. According to the National Weather Service, areas of blowing snow will continue Saturday morning in the Cedar Rapids area. It will be sunny and the high will be near 7 degrees, with wind chills as low as -25 degrees. On Christmas Sunday there will be a high near 11 degrees, with lessening winds. There will be a chance of snow Sunday night, with accumulation of between 1 to 3 inches possible.Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson voted against a $1.7 trillion spending package that includes nearly $28 million in earmarked funding Hinson requested for projects in her district.Hinson, in a statement, said House Republicans “were shut out of the last-minute negotiations, and the end product did not respect taxpayers or address the dire border crisis.”The bill — which also includes emergency assistance to Ukraine, a 4.6 percent pay raise for the military and funding to expand eligibility for health care services and benefits to veterans exposed to toxins during their service — passed mostly along party lines in the Democratically controlled Congress and is headed to President Joe Biden for his expected signature.Iowa's other Republican U.S. House members, Reps. Randy Feenstra and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, also voted against the spending package. U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, the lone Democrat in Iowa's congressional delegation, voted in favor.Hinson criticized the bill for transferring $800 million from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to the FEMA's Emergency Food and Shelter humanitarian program to help cities and organizations struggling to provide for thousands of migrants arriving from the southern border seeking asylum. Hinson argued that the money transfer encourages more illegal immigration.Among the largest recipients that Hinson requested for her district that will receive funding is $7 million for The Eastern Iowa Airport Taxiway Expansion Project, $7 million for an Alburnett Road extension, and $4 million for rural road construction in West Union.Last Tuesday Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered that the popular TikTok social media platform be banned from state-owned devices and prohibited state agencies from subscribing to or owning a TikTok account.This week, Board of Regents President Mike Richards issued a statement clarifying what the ban meant for Iowa's three public universities — which the regents govern.First, he said, the universities should remove the TikTok software application from “all electronic devices that are owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by the institution” and prevent the installation of TikTok on those devices.He also said that the universities should cease running TikTok accounts affiliated with the university. In an Iowa State University news bulletin on the ban, officials noted ISU employees still can access TikTok on personal devices, “even if connected through the university Wi-Fi network.”Gov. Reynolds' move followed similar bans in other states and proposed legislation before the U.S. Congress to ban TikTok on all federally owned or operated devices. The worry is that the Chinese government may be able to use the app to conduct surveillance on Americans. Other states that ban TikTok from government devices include Texas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Maryland and South Carolina. The U.S. military also has banned the app on government devices.Have a good weekend everyone. Much warmer weather is coming next week.

On this week's edition of the On Iowa Politics podcast: Mariannette Miller-Meeks has an interesting new address and potentially a primary opponent, Joni Ernst is censured, and Scott Brennan provides his caucus post-mortem. On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to re-create the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day's deadlines have been met.This week's show is hosted by The Gazette's Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy and features Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton, Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times, Lee Des Moines Bureau Chief Caleb McCullough, Jared McNett of the Sioux City Journal, and Gazette Columnist Todd Dorman.The show was produced by Stephen M. Colbert, and the music heard on the podcast is courtesy of Jeremy Jacobs and Copperhead.

This episode was recorded live at COP27—the 27th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference. Dan Crenshaw joined Reps. Greg Murphy, Garret Graves, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, John Curtis, and Tim Walberg at the conference to advocate for real solutions to America's energy crisis. They discuss what they heard from policymakers and leaders at the conference, cover which countries are doubling down on renewables and which countries are opening up to nuclear/natural gas/carbon capture, highlight the ramifications of Biden's energy policies on costs and emissions for America and the globe, and much more. Congressman Greg Murphy (NC-03) @RepGregMurphy Congressman Garret Graves (LA-06) @RepGarretGraves Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) @RepMMM Congressman John Curtis (UT-03) @RepJohnCurtis Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-07) @RepWalberg

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa) joins Liberty & Justice Episode 38.  Mariannette (https://drmillermeeks.com/) and Matt discuss mid-term election issues including increasing crime, an un-secure border, and inflation.  Watch every episode of Liberty & Justice at http://www.whitaker.tv.Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks' father was a Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force who was forced to take up extra work, sometimes two or three jobs, to support their family. Her mother, who did not have a high school education, also worked multiple jobs.Mariannette originally dreamed of becoming a teacher because she loved school and wanted to share her passion for learning with others. However, in 10th grade, her younger brother and Mariannette were severely burned in a kitchen fire. While at the hospital, she was treated by a physical therapist who went out of her way to ensure she got better. This woman's kindness and selflessness inspired her to become a doctor so she could help others.Mariannette was the fourth of eight children and since her parents did not have the means to pay for college, she left home at 16 and enrolled in community college. she later enlisted in the United States Army at 18, where she served for 24 years as a private, nurse, and doctor (ophthalmologist or eye diseases/surgery). Mariannette went into private practice in Ottumwa in 1997 and has remained with her husband, Curt. They have two grown children, Jonathon and Taylor. In 2010, Governor Terry Branstad appointed her as the Iowa Department of Public Health director, where she served for three years. In 2018, she was elected to represent Senate District 41 in the Iowa State Senate.  In 2020, Mariannette was elected to Congress.Matthew G. Whitaker was acting Attorney General of the United States (2018-2019).  Prior to becoming acting Attorney General, Mr. Whitaker served as Chief of Staff to the Attorney General. He was appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa by President George W. Bush, serving from 2004-2009. Whitaker was the managing partner of Des Moines-based law firm, Whitaker Hagenow & Gustoff LLP from 2009 until rejoining DOJ in 2017. He was also the Executive Director for FACT, The Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust, an ethics and accountability watchdog, between 2014 and 2017.   Mr. Whitaker is the Author of the book--Above the Law, The Inside Story of How the Justice Department Tried to Subvert President Trump.  Buy Matt's book here: https://amzn.to/3IXUOb8Mr. Whitaker graduated with a Master of Business Administration, Juris Doctor, and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa.  While at Iowa, Mr. Whitaker was a three-year letterman on the football team where he received the prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor.Mr. Whitaker is now a Co-Chair of the Center for Law and Justice at America First Policy Institute and a Senior Fellow at the American Conservative Union Foundation. Matt is on the Board of Directors for America First Legal Foundation and is a Senior Advisor to IronGate Capital Advisors. He is also Of Counsel with the Graves Garrett law firm.  Whitaker appears regularly to discuss legal and political issues on Fox News, Newsmax and other news outlets.  He splits his time between Iowa, Florida and Washington, D.C. 

On this week's edition of the On Iowa Politics podcast: Mariannette Miller-Meeks and a vaccine mandate-question mark?, Grassley and Franken on the campaign trail, newspaper endorsements are dying, and Donald Trump returns to Iowa.On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to re-create the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day's deadlines have been met.This week's show is hosted by The Gazette's Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy and features Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton, Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times, Lee Des Moines Bureau Chief Caleb McCullough, Jared McNett of the Sioux City Journal, and Gazette Opinion Editor Todd Dorman.The show was produced by Stephen M. Colbert, and the music heard on the podcast is courtesy of Iowa bands McPhisto and Copperhead.

As gas prices are expected to rise again after OPEC's decision to cut production. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks from Iowa joins us to discuss gas prices and energy independence. The DOJ has been in the spotlight in recent months for a variety of reasons. They just issued a subpoena to a conservative non profit organization called Eagle Forum. This raises concerns over first amendment rights. Here to discuss we have president of Eagle Forum, Kris Ullman. 

This is John McGlothlen with The Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Labor Day, September 5th. According to the National Weather Service, it will be mostly cloudy today in the Cedar Rapids area, with a high near 74. Winds from the northeast 5 to 10 mph. Then tonight, partly cloudy with a low around 62. With Labor Day weekend serving as the unofficial kickoff to the fall campaign season, former U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack joined Iowa Democratic candidates running for state and federal office gathered at Sutliff Farm & Cider House in Lisbon on Saturday for a campaign rally to help elect Liz Mathis and Christina Bohannan. About 350 people attended, according to Mathis' campaign. Mathis, a Democratic state senator from Hiawatha, is running to unseat Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson of Marion in Iowa's newly reconfigured 2nd Congressional District. Bohannan, a University of Iowa law professor and Democratic state representative from Iowa City, is running against Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa in Iowa's new 1st Congressional District. Mathis and Bohannan criticized Hinson and Miller-Meeks for voting against the federal infrastructure bill signed into law while praising projects supported by their funding. –

This is John McGlothlen with The Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Monday, August 29th. According to the National Weather Service, we'll have a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. It will be partly sunny, with a high near 86. Winds from the south, 5 to 10 mph, coming from the northwest in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are expected, except for possibly higher amounts in thunderstorm areas. Then tonight, it should be mostly clear, with a low around 61. On Sunday, Republican U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson - who is running for re-election - hosted ‘Ashley's BBQ Bash' at the Linn County Fairgrounds in Central City, with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Tim Scott, of South Carolina, as guests. Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Rep. Jim Banks, of Indiana, also spoke at the rally. Speakers ripped President Joe Biden, congressional Democrats and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over passage of a sweeping climate and health care package and a student loan debt cancellation plan they argue will worsen inflation, and raise taxes during a possible recession. Hinson is running in Iowa's new 2nd Congressional District against Democratic state Sen. Liz Mathis of Hiawatha. Hinson currently represents Iowa's 1st U.S. House district. According to Hinson's campaign, more than 750 people attended the BBQ Bash. –

Today’s Let’s Talk Indianola features State Representative Brooke Boden and State Senator Julian Garrett at an event for Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa's Second Congressional District, was elected to her first term in 2020 by one of the closest margins in United States history: six votes out of 394,625 cast. The Congresswoman - who is also a 24-year Army veteran, ophthalmologist and the former Iowa Department of Public Health director - joins program host Chris Meek on Next Steps Forward to speak about her historic win and how she has already used her elected position to create positive policy. The Congresswoman will also speak about how she cultivated the tenacity and perseverance she displayed after losing her first three Congressional campaigns before finally being elected last year, the issues she is focused on while serving on the Education and Labor, Homeland Security and Veterans' Affairs committees, and how to encourage more women to run for office. Pulling from her background as a physician, she will reflect on what we have gotten right and what we have gotten wrong in our approach to handling the coronavirus pandemic. The grit, determination and resolve in Congresswoman Miller-Meeks' life story will resonate with the audience because it is a story that truly exemplifies what it means to live out the American Dream.

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa's Second Congressional District, was elected to her first term in 2020 by one of the closest margins in United States history: six votes out of 394,625 cast. The Congresswoman - who is also a 24-year Army veteran, ophthalmologist and the former Iowa Department of Public Health director - joins program host Chris Meek on Next Steps Forward to speak about her historic win and how she has already used her elected position to create positive policy. The Congresswoman will also speak about how she cultivated the tenacity and perseverance she displayed after losing her first three Congressional campaigns before finally being elected last year, the issues she is focused on while serving on the Education and Labor, Homeland Security and Veterans' Affairs committees, and how to encourage more women to run for office. Pulling from her background as a physician, she will reflect on what we have gotten right and what we have gotten wrong in our approach to handling the coronavirus pandemic. The grit, determination and resolve in Congresswoman Miller-Meeks' life story will resonate with the audience because it is a story that truly exemplifies what it means to live out the American Dream.

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller Meeks says she expects a tough bid for re-election in Iowa's new First Congressional District. Iowa State Extension plans meetings in the new years to find ways to help cow and calf producers who took a hit from this year's drought. And, poinsettias might not be as toxic as you think.

On this edition of Iowa Press, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Ottumwa), U.S. congresswoman for Iowa's 2nd District, discusses her work in the House and her plans to run for reelection in Iowa's new 1st District in 2022.  Joining moderator Kay Henderson at the Iowa Press table are Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises, and Clay Masters, Morning Edition host and lead political reporter for Iowa Public Radio.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Thursday, November 18. Thursday looks like it may end up as the coldest day of this week. According to the National Weather Service it will be increasingly cloudy during the day in the Cedar Rapids area with a high near 37 degrees. It will be breezy, with a northwest wind of 10-20 mph gusting as high as 30 mph. On Thursday night it will be mostly clear, with a low around 23 degrees. The strike against Deere and Co. is finally over. The UAW union voted late Wednesday to ratify the most recent offer from Deere, ending the strike that has extended into five weeks. The six-year contract covers about 10,100 production and maintenance employees at 12 facilities in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas. Other than minor changes to Deere's incentive program, the agreement — the third one offered — provided the same benefits as the second agreement, which was turned away Nov. 2 by a 55-to-45 percent vote. This time, union members approved the deal 61 to 39 percent. Arriving just in time for your holiday trip, more viral infections. The seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate reached 10.2 percent in Iowa this past week, the first time that marker has been in the double-digits in months. The number of new COVID-19 cases also climbed for the fourth week in the row — to 9,132 — a worrying sign ahead of the upcoming holidays. The state Department of Public Health reported 9,067 cases in the week before that, and 7,643 new cases the week before that. Those rising positivity rates and number of new cases come at the same time as Iowa is reporting an all-time low in the number of available intensive care beds — 143 available statewide. With legal and political challenges mounting to a Biden administration COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large employers, federal regulators put the rule on hold just weeks before businesses would have to start complying with requirements. On Nov. 4, President Joe Biden announced that private businesses with more than 100 employees must require their staff to get fully vaccinated against the virus by Jan. 4 or face weekly testing and mandatory masking. Employers would have to comply with parts of the rule by Dec. 6, including developing a compliance plan and offering paid time off for vaccinations. But at least 27 states including Iowa have filed legal challenges in at least six federal appeals courts. After a federal appeals court in New Orleans last Friday ordered that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to “take no steps to implement or enforce" the regulation until a court order allowed, OSHA announced it would do just that. On Wednesday, over 150 U.S. House Republicans including Eastern Iowa Reps. Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks filed legislation seeking to nullify the Democratic president's mandate. That legislation likely would have failed to pass, but it did represent the strong Republican dissatisfaction with the mandate. Are you a fan of trying new restaurants? Get the latest restaurant openings & closings and more chewy tips from The Gazette's Chew On this newsletter. Sign up at http://thegazette.com/ (thegazette.com) slash chew  Be sure to subscribe to The Gazette Daily news podcast, or just tell your Amazon Alexa enabled device to “enable The Gazette Daily News skill" so you can get your daily briefing by simply saying “Alexa, what's the news? If you prefer podcasts, you can also find us on iTunes or wherever else you find your Podcasts. Support this podcast

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Thursday, November 11. Your Veterans Day forecast will feature less rain than Wednesday, but still will be breezy and colder as we transition into an end of the week that could bring the first snow of the year in some parts of Iowa. According to a forecast from the National Weather Service, the rain should mostly cease by about 7 a.m. Thursday morning. The high will be 51 degrees with mostly sunny skies. A west wind will blow at around 15 mph, and could gust as high as 25 mph. The low will be about 34 degrees Thursday night. Protests that enveloped the University of Iowa's Phi Gamma Delta fraternity this fall caused more than $200,000 in damage to the chapter house and displaced 28 members for the semester. Communications obtained by The Gazette through an open records request show UI officials reached out to the fraternity, which goes by FIJI, offering support in the immediate aftermath of the protests — which started Aug. 31 and went on for days, sparked by widely-publicized allegations that a pair of FIJI brothers last fall https://www.thegazette.com/higher-education/iowa-city-police-took-sex-assault-report-connected-with-university-of-iowa-fiji-fraternity/ (sexually assaulted a UI student) and disseminated video of the attack. Damage to the FIJI house from the raucous protests of more than 1,000 will require repair to 120-plus damaged windows, landscaping, a permanent gas grill, four doors and frames “at a cost of over $200,000,” according to an Oct. 15 email from FIJI Assistant Executive Director Todd Rotgers. UI student Makena Solberg filed a civil lawsuit in late October against FIJI members Carson Steffen and Jacob Meloan alleging them of sexually assaulting her. Iowa reported 9,067 new COVID-19 cases in the past week, pushing the total cases in Iowa to 500,119 since March 2020 when the virus first appeared in Iowa. That total — up for the third week in a row — compares to 7,643 cases the previous week and 6,938 new cases the week before that. The rise in new cases could be tied to worsening weather, as cases had been dropping during the pleasant weather in mid October. Statewide, Iowa's seven-day positivity rate was 9.4 percent, an increase from the 8.5 percent reported last week. Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks will seek re-election in Iowa's newly-drawn 1st Congressional District in 2022, avoiding a potentially competitive and contentious race against Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne. The move also sets up a potential GOP primary challenge. The new 1st District covers much of Southeast Iowa, including Johnson, Cedar, Jones, Iowa, Washington, Keokuk, Louisa, Scott, Clinton and Muscatine counties, and includes 16 of the 24 counties Miller-Meeks currently represents. Are you a fan of trying new restaurants? Get the latest restaurant openings & closings and more chewy tips from The Gazette's Chew On this newsletter. Sign up at http://thegazette.com/ (thegazette.com) slash chew  Be sure to subscribe to The Gazette Daily news podcast, or just tell your Amazon Alexa enabled device to “enable The Gazette Daily News skill" so you can get your daily briefing by simply saying “Alexa, what's the news? If you prefer podcasts, you can also find us on iTunes or wherever else you find your Podcasts. Support this podcast

McAuliffe campaign scrambled to 'kill' Fox News story, emails revealTeam McAuliffe emails reveal an effort to 'kill this' Fox News storyVirginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe's campaign raised eyebrows by spending nearly $60,000 to hire a high-profile attorney known for masterminding election-related legal challenges. When Fox News sent the campaign a request for comment, the McAuliffe campaign scrambled to "kill" the story, according to emails mistakenly sent to Fox News.Less than a month before Election Day, McAuliffe's campaign spent $53,680 on the services of the Elias Law Group, a firm that Marc Elias started earlier this year, Fox News previously reported. VideoElias had formerly worked as a partner at the law firm Perkins Coie, which the Hillary Clinton campaign hired in 2016 in order to conduct opposition research on Donald Trump – research that included the infamous Christopher Steele dossier. Republicans have accused Elias of lying to hide the Clinton campaign's role in funding the dossier.House Republicans accused Elias of having a "serious conflict of interest" when he represented Iowa Democratic candidate Rita Hart in her effort to overturn the results of her extremely narrow loss to Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks.Fox News reached out to the McAuliffe campaign for comment following a suggestion by George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, who wrote that McAuliffe hiring Elias is an "astonishing move." McAuliffe spokeswoman Christina Freundlich responded to the email with a message apparently meant for colleagues, not for Fox News."Can we try to kill this," Freundlich wrote.For More Info:https://www.foxnews.com/politics/team-mcauliffe-emails-reveal-effort-to-kill-this-fox-news-storyhttps://www.spreaker.com/user/9922149/mcauliffe-campaign-scrambled-to-kill-fox

The C Report for Monday, October 11, 2021. (7:30 PM CST) Watch The C Report Monday through Friday anywhere Mr. CTV can be found: TheFoxhole.app || Pilled.net || Twitch.tv || app.Clouthub.com Visit www.TheCReport.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thecreport/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thecreport/support

This is John McGlothlen with The Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Monday, Oct. 11th. According to the National Weather Service, we can expect showers and possibly a thunderstorm today. The high will be near 65. Winds from the northeast 10 to 15 mph then from the northwest in the afternoon, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Rainfall amounts up to one inch are possible. Then tonight, a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. The low should be around 52. Former President Donald Trump came to Iowa Saturday for a rally attended by thousands at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. It was his first public appearance in Iowa since just before the 2020 election. During more than two hours of remarks at Saturday night's rally, Trump showed no indication he has any intention of relinquishing his assault on those 2020 election results with his false claims of voter fraud. Early in his remarks he claimed that the election was “rigged.” Gov. Kim Reynolds, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, U.S. Reps. Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and former acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker all spoke earlier in the event. The Hawkeyes moved to No. 2 in the Associated Press Poll following their nail-biting 23-20 win over Penn State Saturday. It's their highest ranking in the AP Poll since the 1985 season when Iowa was ranked No. 1 for all of October. With 6:26 left in the game, Spencer Petras threw a touchdown pass to Nico Ragaini who, despite being hit by an Penn State linebacker, landed on the inside of an end zone pylon for the score. Get hot takes, newsletter exclusives, weekly food reviews and more in our weekly Hawk Off The Press newsletter. Sign up today at thegazette.com/hawkoffthepress Support this podcast

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Saturday, August 28, and Sunday, August 29. So Friday was a day of thunderstorms as was foretold, but most of these storms headed northward, with the heaviest rain in north central Iowa.  For your weekend forecast there will still be a chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms in the Cedar Rapids area for much of Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. But for most of the day it will be sunny, with a high near 93 degrees. The heat index could reach as high as 101 degrees. On Sunday the chance for thunderstorms will come to an end in the morning, and it will be a little bit cooler, with a high near 88 degrees. Next week is predicted to be cooler in general. Marion police said they were investigating the death of an infant Friday after emergency responders were called to an apartment building on 10th Street and Boyson Road the day before. First responders attempted to resuscitate the infant on Thursday at Azure Apartments but were unsuccessful, and the baby was pronounced dead, according to Marion police. Although police confirmed the death is being investigated, no further details were provided Friday. The Iowa Supreme Court on Friday issued an order requiring individuals entering any Iowa courthouse must wear a face covering, regardless of vaccination status. In the order, Chief Judge Susan Larson Christensen said the court is balancing the need to take measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus with “its commitment to conduct the important work of the courts.” The court, Christensen said, has reviewed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the wearing of masks in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission. As of this week, the entire state of Iowa now has high or substantial community transmission of the virus, according to the CDC. https://www.thegazette.com/health-care-medicine/covid-19-cases-in-iowa-surpass-400000-as-hospitalizations-continue-to-soar/ (More than 7,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Iowa in the past week), state officials said Thursday. Pat Garrett, spokesman for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, said Friday the Supreme Court order “doesn't change the legislation the governor signed into law, ” https://www.thegazette.com/state-government/iowa-gov-reynolds-prohibits-k-12-schools-cities-and-counties-from-mandating-masks/ (referring to a bill passed in May by Iowa lawmakers and signed by Reynolds) that bars schools, cities and counties from mandating masks. Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks called on President Joe Biden to resign in the aftermath of a terrorist attack near the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. “Joe Biden's withdrawal of Afghanistan has been a failure and has ended with needless deaths and injuries,“ Miller-Meeks, a U.S. Army veteran and member of the House Homeland Security Committee, tweeted late Thursday. ”Joe Biden should resign as Commander-In-Chief!“ Miller-Meeks added that National Security adviser Jake Sullivan, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken also should “hand in their resignations.” Miller-Meeks on Friday introduced legislation that would prohibit the distribution of federal funds to Afghanistan until all Americans and U.S. allies have been safely evacuated from the country. It's only a week away until college football returns to Iowa. If you love all things Iowa Football, don't miss Leah Vann's Talkin Hawks Newsletter. In her weekly email you'll get exclusive Hawkeye coverage, trivia, food reviews, podcast highlights and more. Sign up today at the thegazette.com/hawks Be sure to subscribe to The Gazette Daily news podcast, or just tell your Amazon https://www.thegazette.com/topic?eid=121774&ename=Alexa&lang=en (Alexa) enabled device to “enable The Gazette Daily News skill" so you can get your daily briefing by simply saying “Alexa, what's... Support this podcast

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Thursday, August 26. We're looking at another day of sunny and muggy weather potentially leading to rain. According to the National Weather Service forecast it will be mostly sunny in the Cedar Rapids area on Thursday with a high near 91 degrees. The heat index could reach as high as 100 degrees. Thursday night into Friday morning there will be a chance for storms, with some potentially heavy rainfall. Right now there is a prediction of a 70 percent chance of rain and 1 to 2 inches of rainfall possible in some areas. Forty-two Iowans died as a result of COVID-19 in this most recent month, the state Department of Public Health reported Wednesday. The state said all deaths occurred between July 24 and Aug. 22. The number of new cases and hospitalizations and deaths due to the infection are far less than at peak last winter. However, it is clear Iowa is experiencing a third surge of the disease that's being fueled by the more contagious delta variant despite the widespread availability of a free vaccine to ward off the worst symptoms These deaths came even before the recent spike in hospitalizations for COVID-19, which jumped again this week to 472. This is the highest number of people hospitalized for the disease since the end of the second peak last year. It was a jump of about 100 people from the previous week. The Iowa Department of Public Health stressed the importance of getting vaccinated. It said that 79 percent of the people hospitalized Aug. 25 with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 had not been vaccinated. It also said that 86 percent of the COVID-19 patients in intensive care were not vaccinated before becoming infected. The number of inmates held in Iowa prisons crept up last fiscal year but the population was down significantly from the record count of a decade ago as COVID-19 has forced policymakers to adjust to changing dynamics the virus has created within institutional settings. New data released by the Iowa Department of Corrections shows 7,744 inmates were housed in the state's nine correctional institutions. Inmate numbers dropped below 8,000 for the first time in 20 years last fiscal year when COVID-19 moved into Iowa in March 2020, causing the Iowa Board of Parole to accelerate releases as a way to help manage a prison population that was susceptible to the spreading coronavirus. Delays in court hearings, trials and procedures due to COVID-19 concerns also impacted prison numbers. An Iowa City Democrat who unseated a 20-year incumbent in last year's primary for a state representative seat now has her sights on Congress. University of Iowa law professor and Rep. Christina Bohannan announced earlier this week that she will run for southeast Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, a seat now held by freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, in the 2022 midterm elections. Miller-Meeks, of Ottumwa, won last year's election for Iowa's open U.S. House seat by a mere six votes, the narrowest margin of victory in a House race in almost 40 years Bohannan unseated 20-year incumbent Vicki Lensing in the June 2020 Democratic primary and was unopposed in November's general election for the Iowa House District 85 seat. If you love all things Iowa Football, don't miss Leah Vann's Talkin Hawks Newsletter. In her weekly email you'll get exclusive Hawkeye coverage, trivia, food reviews, podcast highlights and more. Sign up today at the thegazette.com/hawks Be sure to subscribe to The Gazette Daily news podcast, or just tell your Amazon https://www.thegazette.com/topic?eid=121774&ename=Alexa&lang=en (Alexa) enabled device to “enable The Gazette Daily News skill" so you can get your daily briefing by simply saying “Alexa, what's the news? If you prefer podcasts, you can also find us on iTunes or wherever else you find your Podcasts. Support this podcast

Seventeen Iowa Republican lawmakers want a health care company to explain why it's requiring workers at seven Iowa hospitals to get a COVID-19 vaccine. In Washington, U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks delivered remarks urging Iowans to get vaccinated. And an organization that works against human trafficking says cases in the U.S. increased during the pandemic.

Many Iowa families with kids will start getting a temporary payment from the federal government next week. Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks says voters can trust Iowa's elections, even though she recently claimed she was “cheated” during her 2020 victory. And, people who work at one of several MercyOne medical centers in Iowa will be required to get a COVID-19 vaccination.

What does one U.S. Representative think about our current labor situation, and more? Join us today as Dr. Bob Leonard goes “In Depth” with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

What does one U.S. Representative think about our current labor situation, and more? Join us today as Dr. Bob Leonard goes “In Depth” with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

Man charged in Tibbetts slaying blames masked mystery men: The man on trial for the 2018 abduction and stabbing death of Mollie Tibbetts claimed for the first time Wednesday https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/iowa-murder-suspect-cristhian-bahena-rivera-blames-mystery-men-for-mollie-tibbetts-slaying/ (that two masked men were responsible for the crime) but forced him to take part at gunpoint. The defense called Cristhian Bahena Rivera as a witness at his first-degree murder trial. He admitted that his car was the one seen on surveillance video circling Tibbetts while she was jogging in Brooklyn, Iowa, on July 18, 2018. He also acknowledged that she ended up in his car's trunk, that he hid her body in a cornfield and that he told investigators where to find it a month later. But he denied being responsible for stabbing her to death. He said two armed, masked men showed up at his home, forcing him to drive his car, passing Tibbetts several times while she ran, then telling him to stop, he said. Bahena Rivera said the men loaded something into his trunk, then told him to drive several miles to a rural area. He said they threatened to harm his ex-girlfriend and young daughter if he ever told anyone what happened, then left on foot. He said he opened the trunk a few minutes later and found Tibbetts' body, then he carried it to the cornfield. He testified that he wasn't truthful with detectives when he was questioned in August 2018 because he feared for his daughter's safety. The defense rested its case Wednesday afternoon. Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday, starting soon after jurors arrive at 8:30 a.m. Watch the livestream at thegazette.com. Grassley calls on Biden to back biofuels: Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley this week https://www.thegazette.com/federal-government/chuck-grassley-iowa-gop-delegation-call-on-biden-to-support-biofuels-in-infrastructure-deal/ (called on President Joe Biden to support the nation's biofuels community) as the administration pursues a pared-down $1.7 trillion infrastructure plan. Grassley joined fellow Iowa Republicans U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and Reps. Randy Feenstra, Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks in sending a letter to Biden urging him to uphold his promise to support biofuels. Biden, they said, has pledged to “promote and advance renewable energy, ethanol and other biofuels to help rural America.” But Grassley and Iowa's GOP congressional delegation have criticized the $174 billion in the White House's infrastructure plan that would subsidize electric vehicles, while hardly mentioning the biofuel industry. Grassley, in a weekly conference call with Iowa reporters on Wednesday, called the administration's goals of boosting production and sale of electric vehicles and building a network of 500,000 charging stations by 2030 “unrealistic” and “idealistic.” Iowa's ethanol and biodiesel industries employ about 40,000 Iowans. UI plans for Student Well-Being Center: The University of Iowa is https://www.thegazette.com/higher-education/university-of-iowa-eyes-millions-in-upgrades-while-shrinking-campus-footprint/ (proposing a half-dozen projects totaling $60.8 million), including a new Student Well-Being Center and renovating Hillcrest Residence Hall. The university will seek approval from the Board of Regents next week. The UI says the projects are in line with the regents' moratorium barring new construction that would increase a university's footprint because two buildings would be razed, actually reducing UI's footprint. The old laundry building just south of the Campus Recreation and Wellness building will be razed to make room for a $25 million to $28 million Student Well-Being Center. Plans also include razing the historic Westlawn building, which currently houses many student health services. The issue of mental health and well-being has become such a priority on the UI campus that its Undergraduate Student Government recently endorsed building a new...

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Wednesday, March 24th. It looks like the rain will continue on Wednesday, at least for awhile. According to the National Weather Service showers will be likely in the Cedar Rapids area before 10 a.m. Wednesday. When it is not raining it should be mostly cloudy, with a high near 54 degrees. It should remain a bit breezy, with wind speeds of 15 mph occasionally gusting as high as 25 mph. A nurse and a correctional officer at the Anamosa State Penitentiary were killed Tuesday morning in what is believed to be the first fatal assault by an inmate in decades. Iowa Department of Corrections said in a statement it was investigating the assault, which took place about 10:15 a.m. in the prison infirmary. The department did not say whether the inmate used any sort of weapon in the attack.  The two victims have not been identified, pending family notifications and the investigation, the department said. Prison staff attempted giving first aid to them until paramedics arrived. The inmate — who also was not named — was restrained after the attack by security staff. Cedar Rapids Police are treating a racial slur discovered early Tuesday spray painted on a vacant rental house as a hate crime. The house has been the source of neighborhood complaints over the last year. Cedar Rapids police received a call about 7:30 a.m. that a racial epithet was painted in yellow across the front of 2307 Bever Ave. SE. “I'm disgusted and furious that someone would do this,” Chief Wayne Jerman told The Gazette. “We are handling this as a hate crime. We are talking to all the neighbors and exploring every lead at this point. We have investigators working the case.” The department said it would work with the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office as it investigates to see whether federal hate crime statutes apply. https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/2307-bever-ave-se-cedar-rapids-rental-house-nuisance-property-drive-by-shootings-20210322 (The Gazette published an article Sunday) about violence, including drive-by shootings and a pipe bomb stemming from this house, which the city last year had declared a nuisance property.  One of the closest elections in the country last year remains a contested one. Democrat Rita Hart's campaign has renewed its call for all lawful ballots to be counted as Republicans argue that contesting the election is a power grab. Attorneys for Hart and U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, submitted initial legal briefs to a U.S. House panel on Monday. Miller-Meeks' attorney, Alan Ostergren, broadly denied Hart's claims and said the burden was on Hart to prove that a state-certified election should be overturned. Hart argues that 22 ballots were legally cast in the district but not counted, due to errors by election workers. Had the 22 ballots been tallied, Hart argues, she would have won by nine votes. As one might expect, outside political influences are shaping the debate over this electoral result. Moderate Democrats, fearing an election challenge soon, balked at bringing the issue before the full House, while Republicans have criticized the Hart campaign for not challenging the results in Iowa courts first. The Hart campaign says Iowa courts would not have acted quickly enough before the election was certified. This briefing is sponsored in part by Corridor Careers. Are you looking for a job? https://www.corridorcareers.com/ (CorridorCareers.com) is a resource to local job seekers where they can get job tips, sign up for local job alerts, build a resume and more. Check it out at https://www.corridorcareers.com/ (CorridorCareers.com). Be sure to subscribe to The Gazette Daily news podcast, or just tell your Amazon https://www.thegazette.com/topic?eid=121774&ename=Alexa&lang=en (Alexa) enabled device to “enable The Gazette Daily News skill" so you can get your daily briefing by simply saying...

On today's Front Page: The COVID-19 relief law is dangling $16.4 billion in front of the 12 states that haven't expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to get them to join up, House Democrats are moving ahead with an investigation that could replace Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks with her challenger Rita Hart, anti-American hard-liners are poised to dominate Iran's upcoming presidential election, and more.

The Daily Iowan Ethics and Politics Initiative team sat down with Iowa's members of Congress after President Joe Biden's inauguration last week. They spoke with Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst on Trump's impeachment and what they plan to do while Biden is in office. Reps. Cindy Axne, Ashley Hinson, and Mariannette Miller-Meeks discussed their goals for their terms. Guest host Caleb McCullough; edited by Eleanor Hildebrandt and Hailey Marx.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Friday, January 8. It's another similar weather forecast to other days this week, but there is a twist: There is no fog predicted for Friday morning. According to the National Weather Service there will be a high of 31 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area. The skies will be cloudy and wind will be calm all day, with the temperature dropping Friday night to a low of 18. The nation on Thursday began to process the chaos that had the day happened before, as supporters of the current President stormed the Capitol Wednesday in Washington D.C. in an attempt to stop the ratification of electors for an election he had already lost. The Iowa delegation issued statements mostly holding President Trump responsible for inciting the crowd, although the degree of his responsibility and the consequences of this action varied predictably by party. Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst both issued statements labeling the President's conduct as a failure in leadership, and that he should own up to his responsibility for what happened. They stopped short of calling for a specific punishment for the president, however. Newly elected congresswoman Ashley Hinson also condemned the violence, but said she was focused on moving forward. Fellow congressional freshman Mariannette Miller-Meeks accused Democrats of focusing on the events of Wednesday while not doing enough to chasten Black Lives Matter protesters over the summer. Iowa's lone Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne called for the President's removal from office before the completion of his final 13 days through either impeachment or Trump's cabinet invoking the 25th Amendment. Axne said Trump's recent actions suggest it is not safe to leave him in power for even two weeks. For his part, President Trump released a video condemning the mob's actions on Wednesday, and said he was committed to a peaceful transition of power. It is unclear whether this will have any effect on what lawmakers were prepared to do anyway in the wake of Wednesday. Back in Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday lifted spectator limits for sporting and recreational events, including at high school events. The change takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday. A previous order, put in place in December when COVID-19 cases were spiking, limited spectators to two per student-athlete. While that limit is lifted, spectators must continue to wear masks and maintain 6 feet between groupings, such as families. The change comes after a month of improving numbers in both COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. However, Iowa's cases have already begun to tick back up following the holidays, with its seven day average of cases increasing for 8 consecutive days. This briefing is sponsored in part by Corridor Careers.  Are you looking for a job? https://www.corridorcareers.com/ (CorridorCareers.com) is a resource to local job seekers where they can get job tips, sign up for local job alerts, build a resume and more. Check it out at https://www.corridorcareers.com/ (CorridorCareers.com).

Hospitalizations from COVID-19 in Iowa https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/health/iowa-covid-19-hospitalizations-coronavirus-cases-jan-1-20210101 (are down by half from what they were a month ago). Iowa reported 575 hospitalizations New Year's Day, compared to 1,172 COVID-19 patients hospitalized Dec. 1. And it's more than a blip, with four of the last seven days having fewer than 600 hospitalizations. Of people hospitalized Friday, 117 were in intensive care and 63 were on ventilators. Both numbers were down from the previous day. Iowa reported 2,133 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, totaling 282,439. There were seven new confirmed deaths for 3,898 overall in the state.  Eastern Iowa's two newly elected congresswomen https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/rep-ashley-hinson-rep-mariannette-miller-meeks-iowa-us-house-swearing-in-20210101 (will be sworn in Sunday) as members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Marion Republican Ashley Hinson said she is humbled and honored about being among the 61 freshmen who will be sworn in at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Hinson, a two-term Iowa House member, has known since election night when she defeated Democratic incumbent Abby Finkenauer that she would be in the incoming class of the 117th Congress. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an Ottumwa Republican, only learned this week that she would be sworn in. She will be seated provisionally because her six-vote victory in Iowa's 2nd District is being challenged by Democrat Rita Hart. Hart has asked the House to investigate and determine the winner of the seat replacing retired Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack. The swearing-in ceremony will be broadcast at 11 a.m. Iowa time on C-SPAN 1. https://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/iowa-state-cyclones/iowa-state-qb-brock-purdy-from-arizona-fiesta-bowl-20210101 (No. 10 Iowa State will play No. 25 Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl) on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Glendale, Ariz. — just outside of Phoenix. It's the Cyclones first time playing in one of the New Year's Six bowl games. It's also the first time playing the Ducks, who won the Pac-12 Championship to reach the Fiesta Bowl. The game begins at 3 p.m. on ESPN.  The weekend will be mostly calm and cloudy, https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=41.97646000000003&lon=-91.67345999999998#.X9GIXM1KhUs (according to the National Weather Service). There will be some areas of fog Saturday before 2 p.m. Otherwise it will be mostly cloudy with a high near 25 and a low around 12 Saturday night. Sunday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 26, then mostly cloudy Sunday night, with a low around 18.     This briefing is sponsored in part by Corridor Careers. Are you looking for a job? https://www.corridorcareers.com/ (CorridorCareers.com) is a resource to local job seekers where they can get job tips, sign up for local job alerts, build a resume and more. Check it out at https://www.corridorcareers.com/ (CorridorCareers.com).

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Thursday, December 31st. Your last day of 2020 will be chilly, sunny, and calm. According to the National Weather Service, there should be a high near 22 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area with partly sunny skies. A calm wind will hover around 5 mph throughout the day. New Year's Eve it will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 10 degrees, with wind chill values as low as zero. Combine about 10 inches of snow falling with in an evening with some bad travel decisions and you get Tuesday night in Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol says it handled nearly 100 crashes across the state during the storm from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning. KCCI-TV reported the patrol assisted with 91 crashes and helped 372 motorists Tuesday. That doesn't include other crashes that were handled by local police. There could be more snow on Friday afternoon, but expect only a few inches. The Marion Independent School District is seeking at least 386 signatures from registered voters to pursue a $31 million bond issue for facility projects. The district's school board earlier this month unanimously endorsed a $36 million facilities plan. It includes building an auditorium and outdoor activities complex at Marion Independent High School, making repairs to the high school, building an elementary school and renovating Francis-Marion Intermediate School, including a new secure entrance. If enough signatures for a bond are collected it will go to a bond referendum on a future election date. This will require a 60 percent approval rate to pass. The new Linn County Mental Health Access Center is hoping to be fully operational by early February. The opening originally was scheduled for early this year, but remodeling of the center, at 501 13th St. NW, was delayed by the pandemic and then the Aug. 10 derecho. The center will work with law enforcement, schools and hospitals to provide a place — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — to help people in crisis as an alternative to placing them in jail cells or hospital rooms. Iowa Republican U.S. Rep.-elect Mariannette Miller-Meeks will be provisionally sworn in Sunday with the new Congress pending the outcome of an election challenge from Democratic opponent Rita Hart, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday. Miller-Meeks was certified the winner in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District by just six votes out of more than 400,000 cast. A bipartisan canvassing board of top state officials voted unanimously Nov. 30 to certify the results following recounts in each of the district's 24 counties. Hart is contesting that there are ballots that have not yet been counted that could sway the extremely close election in her favor. This briefing is sponsored in part by Corridor Careers.  Are you looking for a job? https://www.corridorcareers.com/ (CorridorCareers.com) is a resource to local job seekers where they can get job tips, sign up for local job alerts, build a resume and more. Check it out at https://www.corridorcareers.com/ (CorridorCareers.com). Be sure to subscribe to The Gazette Daily news podcast, or just tell your Amazon https://www.thegazette.com/topic?eid=121774&ename=Alexa&lang=en (Alexa) enabled device to “enable The Gazette Daily News skill" so you can get your daily briefing by simply saying “Alexa, what's the news?" If you prefer podcasts, you can also find us on iTunes.

This is John McGlothlen with the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Monday, November 30th. The weather today will be sunny, with a high near 31. Winds from the north 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Tonight will be clear, with a low around 17.  A man shot Saturday night in southwest Cedar Rapids was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. At about 10:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of Ninth Street SW for a shots-fired report, according to a news release from the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Officers found a man who was approximately 35 years old with a life-threatening gunshot wound. The investigation is active and ongoing. The number of patients being treated for COVID-19 in Iowa hospitals continued declining Sunday morning for the fifth day in a row, though that still is almost triple the number of people hospitalized in the previous spike last summer. While current hospitalizations in a 24-hour period ending at 11 a.m. Sunday declined from 1,221 to 1,175, those in intensive care inched up from 224 to 235 and those placed on ventilators rose from 146 to 151. As of Saturday, there were 60 Linn County residents hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 86 on Nov. 23. Sixteen Johnson County residents were hospitalized with the virus, barely down from the 17 reported Nov. 23. Over the summer, during the first surge of COVID-19, hospitalizations peaked May 7 at 417 — just about 35 percent of the current level. Mariannette Miller-Meeks' lead has shrunk to 6 votes over Rita Hart after a full recount in Iowa 2nd District race. With more than 394,400 votes cast, https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/rita-hart-mariannette-miller-meeks-recount-senate-20201128 (only a half dozen votes now separate the two) candidates running for an open southeast Iowa congressional seat almost certainly headed to a legal contest. A state canvassing board is scheduled to meet this afternoon, the legal deadline under Iowa Code, to certify the results of the race.  

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Wednesday, November 18th. Your Wednesday weather will continue the trend of sunny, breezy days. According to the National Weather Service, there will be a high of 55 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area with sunny skies. A stiff breeze of 15 to 20 mph will gust as high as 30 mph. As a sign that it will warm slightly on Thursday, the low Wednesday night will only be 8 degrees cooler than the high, settling in at 47 degrees. Following a week where positive COVID-19 cases hit record highs nearly every day in Iowa, the state is seeing more deaths and hospitalizations as a result, despite efforts to mitigate the spread. As of Tuesday evening, 2,064 people had died from the disease, a jump of 39 deaths. 39 is the highest death toll in a single day from COVID-19, breaking the record of 34 deaths set the day before.  State hospitalization numbers also continued to break records Tuesday. Coronavirus-related hospitalizations increased by 118 — the most ever in a 24-hour period — from 1,392 to 1,510. COVID-19 patients in intensive care units increased from 271 to 288, and patients on ventilators increased from 123 to 130. New cases were down to 3,559 Tuesday, compared to the 4,000 to 5,000 daily positives seen the week before. However, the positivity rate remained at a still dismal 41.46 percent. At a press conference Tuesday morning Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds again implored Iowans to take the virus seriously, as the spiral of negative numbers threatens to overwhelm the state's hospital system. On Monday Reynolds placed limitations on attendance of college and high school sporting events, barred indoor group events above 15 people and outdoor events above 30 people, and instituted a limited mask mandate requiring the wearing of masks indoors for those unable to remain socially distant while being indoors for more than 15 minutes-- with several exceptions. It remains to be seen whether this and other local actions, such as many schools switching to virtual learning, will help to bend the curve of new cases. Iowa State University is not going to amend its Student Code of Conduct or discipline its College Republicans, https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/education/iowa-state-students-faculty-staff-condemn-administrative-response-to-college-republicans-tweet-20201113 (despite demands )last week from students, faculty and staff following a postelection tweet deemed threatening from the right-wing student group. The College Republicans at Iowa State on Nov. 7 — the day Joe Biden was declared U.S. president-elect by several media outlets — tweeted “Everyone, you must arm up, expect these people to attempt to destroy your life, the elites want revenge on us.” Iowa State administrators argued that punishing the group for the Tweet would violate its First Amendment rights. With more than 93,000 ballots to review and examine in the state's third-largest county, it could take days to complete a recount in Iowa's still uncalled 2nd Congressional District race. Republican state Sen. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa still holds a 47-vote lead over Democratic former state Sen. Rita Hart of Wheatland out of the more than 394,000 votes cast in the race.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for November 5. Almost as if it is apologizing for October's unseasonably cold weather, November is producing some of the best weather of the year so far. According to the National Weather Service, the day should start partly sunny in the Cedar Rapids area before getting gradually sunnier, with a high of 73 degrees. A light breeze of 5 mph should blow throughout the day. The low is expected to be 44 degrees, with clear skies. Iowa's 2020 election was one for the record books. Secretary of State Paul Pate said Iowans broke the all-time turnout record for a general election in the state. More than 1,697,000 Iowans voted, easily surpassing the previous state record of 1,589,951 set in 2012, according to unofficial results.  More than a million Iowans voted absentee, another record. As of Wednesday morning, 1,001,840 absentee ballots were received by county auditors. Absentee ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 and received by noon Nov. 9 will be counted. Almost all of the races in an election dominated by Republicans in Iowa have been conceded, but one incredibly close one remains unsettled.  Republican state Sen. Mariannette Miller-Meeks pulled off what appeared to be an incredibly tight win for an open southeast Iowa U.S. House race, leading by 282 votes with 100 percent of precincts reporting. She is competing against Democrat Rita Hart for an open seat once filled by seven time incumbent Democrat Dave Loebsack. However, with thousands of absentee ballots still outstanding, the race still remains in the balance. If the margin remains this close, it is likely that whichever candidate ends up behind in the final vote tally will request a recount. There are no small margins at the Iowa Statehouse, where state Republicans expanded their already sizable leads. Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley said he believes Republicans earned a mandate Tuesday from voters who not only preserved the GOP's control over the state lawmaking agenda but also expended the party's majority in his chamber. Grassley emphasized that this would include the fiscally conservative approach to the state budget. He did not predict what policy topics Republicans may address when they return in January to the Iowa Capitol or the 2021 legislative session, which for the fifth consecutive year will operate under full Republican control. Finally, Iowa's COVID-19 cases continue to grow, and few solutions have been offered up in the last month by Iowa's government to slow the spread. The state on Wednesday reported 2,832 new COVID-19 cases, the second highest number of new cases in a 24-hour period since Oct. 30. Hospitalizations continued to climb as well, with 777 Iowans being treated in Iowa's hospitals as of 11 a.m. Wednesday. That is a record, for the 10th day in a row. The number of patients being treated in intensive care units increased from 170 to 182, and those requiring ventilators to help them breathe rose from 59 to 63. Twenty-five deaths were reported, a total that ties with May 22 as Iowa's second-most deadly day. Only Oct. 20 had more deaths reported: 32.

Lydia Johnson is joined by Second Congressional District Republican Candidate, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, as we continue our candidate profile series. We are discussing rural healthcare and broadband as well as EPA's involvement in Iowa ag.