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The White House Office of Management and Budget released a pair of memos to provide agencies with guardrails for how they use and purchase artificial intelligence in the government, replacing Biden administration guidance but maintaining some of the same structures. Both memos, which are dated April 3, represent some of the first major policy actions President Donald Trump has taken on the government's use of AI. Trump began his administration by rolling back former President Joe Biden's AI executive order and later issuing one of his own that called for an AI action plan and a review of the previous administration's work on the technology. Specifically, the order included directions to revise the Biden OMB's AI governance and acquisition guidance. The first new memo (M-25-21) provides guardrails for use and replaces Biden's directive on the same topic (M-24-10). That document states agencies are to focus on three priorities when accelerating the federal use of AI — innovation, governance and public trust — which align with an executive order on the technology from the first Trump administration. But that directive also maintains things that were established under the Biden administration, like chief AI officers and their council and a special management process for potentially risky AI uses it now calls “high-impact.” Similarly, the second memo on AI acquisition (M-25-22) replaces the Biden OMB's guidance on government purchasing of the tech (M-24-18). A bipartisan pair of senators is taking another shot at their bill to expand the U.S. Secret Service's investigative powers for financial cybercrime probes. The Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act from Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, would update federal law to strengthen the Secret Service's authority, enabling the agency to look into criminal activity tied to digital assets. Cortez Masto said in a statement: “Dangerous criminals are constantly changing their tactics and using new technology to avoid detection. Our law enforcement agencies need to adapt to keep communities safe. I will continue to fight to pass this bipartisan legislation that would help the Secret Service more effectively combat cybercrime.” Under current law, the Secret Service is empowered to investigate cybercrimes that threaten national security, but those that are conducted via unlicensed money transmitting businesses fall outside the agency's purview. The legislation from Cortez Masto and Grassley, both members of the Senate Finance Committee, addresses that gap by allowing Secret Service members to probe digital asset transactions tied to transnational cyber criminal activity. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Federal agencies would be required to track and report computer usage for teleworking employees under new legislation from a Senate Republican. The Requiring Effective Management and Oversight of Teleworking Employees (REMOTE) Act, from Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, would charge executive department heads with enacting policies that record the login activity and network traffic of teleworkers' government computers. Managers of teleworking staffers would be required to “periodically review” the traffic generated by those workers and collect a variety of relevant data, including average number of daily logins and average daily duration of the connection to the applicable computer network. Ernst said in a statement: “While DOGE stands ready to clean house, I will be leading the fight in the Senate to disrupt the business-as-usual bureaucrats who spent the last four years out of office.” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks is poised to complete her tenure at the Pentagon under the Biden administration — and she's been in direct contact with officials on President-elect Donald Trump's Agency Review Team preparing for the upcoming transition, according to her top public affairs advisor Eric Pahon. In responses to questions from DefenseScoop last week, Pahon discussed Hicks' plans and priorities for her final days helping steer the Defense Department's major technology programs. He shared that QUOTE “her priorities today remain the same as they have been since her first day in office: Foremost, in support of the secretary and president, she is maintaining her focus on ensuring that DOD can outpace strategic competitors like the [People's Republic of China] by fielding more combat-credible capabilities at greater speed and scale, continually iterating on novel operational concepts, distributing and hardening our force posture, and leveraging our unparalleled ability to generate innovation with and through America's private sector." The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: 6:05pm- On Monday, police arrested a person of interest in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson—who was specifically targeted and shot in Manhattan last week. Police arrested Luigi Mangione at a McDonald's restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania. According to reports, Mangione was carrying a handwritten manifesto critical of the health insurance industry as well as a firearm, bullets, and multiple fraudulent forms of identification. 6:10pm- The far-left has attempted to justify the slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. On Bluesky, former Washington Post columnist Taylor Lorenz posted: “And people wonder why we want these executives dead.” 6:15pm- During a recent interview, New York City Mayor Eric Adams refused to rule out becoming a Republican—he also called out the weaponization of the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation. 6:20pm- Joni Ernst Doing Everything to Derail Hegseth Nomination. Shawn Fleetwood of The Federalist reports that “Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has been leading an “aggressive” personal jihad against Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's nominee for defense secretary...Ernst's efforts included personal calls to Trump to urge him to dump Hegseth ahead of her meeting with the Army veteran on Wednesday afternoon. Ernst did not tell Hegseth during her meeting with him about her efforts to derail his nomination.” You can read the full article here: https://thefederalist.com/2024/12/04/trump-world-sources-joni-ernst-is-waging-aggressive-personal-jihad-against-hegseth/ 6:30pm- On Sunday, president-elect Donald Trump participated in a long-form interview with NBC's Meet the Press. During the conversation, Trump told host Kristen Welker that he plans to end birthright citizenship. 6:40pm- According to new data, dog owners preferred Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election while cat owners supported Kamala Harris. Is anyone surprised by this?

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 1: 3:05pm- “Kash Patel Is Right for the FBI.” Former White House National Security Adviser Robert C. O'Brien writes in a Wall Street Journal op-ed: “President-elect Trump has assembled one of the most diverse and capable cabinets in American history, and he has done so at a record pace. His nomination of Kash Patel to be director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is an excellent choice that adds further luster to the new administration. Mr. Patel will be a worthy successor to my friend Director Christopher Wray. The nominee is the son of Indian immigrants who fled beautiful East Africa for New York because of discrimination and the abuse of the rule of law by a tyrant in their homeland. Mr. Patel served as the National Security Council's senior director for counterterrorism when I was White House national security adviser. I was able to count on him to get any job done, no matter how complex or difficult. Mr. Patel handled some of the nation's most sensitive issues with care and discretion.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/kash-patel-is-right-for-the-fbi-federal-bureau-of-investigation-cabinet-pick-85c8ef30 3:15pm- According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, president-elect Donald Trump is considering replacing his Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), or former Pentagon official Elbridge Colby. On Wednesday, Hegseth spoke with the press on Capitol Hill and revealed that Trump encouraged him to keep fighting during a conversation earlier in the day. 3:20pm- While appearing on CNN, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman revealed that “most people around Trump” don't think Pete Hegseth will be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. 3:30pm- While appearing on The View, Senator John Fetterman said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's “hush money” case against Donald Trump was politically motivated —and that American institutions were damaged as a consequence. 3:40pm- Joni Ernst Doing Everything to Derail Hegseth Nomination. Shawn Fleetwood of The Federalist reports that “Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has been leading an “aggressive” personal jihad against Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's nominee for defense secretary...Ernst's efforts included personal calls to Trump to urge him to dump Hegseth ahead of her meeting with the Army veteran on Wednesday afternoon. Ernst did not tell Hegseth during her meeting with him about her efforts to derail his nomination.” You can read the full article here: https://thefederalist.com/2024/12/04/trump-world-sources-joni-ernst-is-waging-aggressive-personal-jihad-against-hegseth/

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (12/05/2024): 3:05pm- “Kash Patel Is Right for the FBI.” Former White House National Security Adviser Robert C. O'Brien writes in a Wall Street Journal op-ed: “President-elect Trump has assembled one of the most diverse and capable cabinets in American history, and he has done so at a record pace. His nomination of Kash Patel to be director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is an excellent choice that adds further luster to the new administration. Mr. Patel will be a worthy successor to my friend Director Christopher Wray. The nominee is the son of Indian immigrants who fled beautiful East Africa for New York because of discrimination and the abuse of the rule of law by a tyrant in their homeland. Mr. Patel served as the National Security Council's senior director for counterterrorism when I was White House national security adviser. I was able to count on him to get any job done, no matter how complex or difficult. Mr. Patel handled some of the nation's most sensitive issues with care and discretion.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/kash-patel-is-right-for-the-fbi-federal-bureau-of-investigation-cabinet-pick-85c8ef30 3:15pm- According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, president-elect Donald Trump is considering replacing his Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), or former Pentagon official Elbridge Colby. On Wednesday, Hegseth spoke with the press on Capitol Hill and revealed that Trump encouraged him to keep fighting during a conversation earlier in the day. 3:20pm- While appearing on CNN, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman revealed that “most people around Trump” don't think Pete Hegseth will be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. 3:30pm- While appearing on The View, Senator John Fetterman said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's “hush money” case against Donald Trump was politically motivated —and that American institutions were damaged as a consequence. 3:40pm- Joni Ernst Doing Everything to Derail Hegseth Nomination. Shawn Fleetwood of The Federalist reports that “Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has been leading an “aggressive” personal jihad against Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's nominee for defense secretary...Ernst's efforts included personal calls to Trump to urge him to dump Hegseth ahead of her meeting with the Army veteran on Wednesday afternoon. Ernst did not tell Hegseth during her meeting with him about her efforts to derail his nomination.” You can read the full article here: https://thefederalist.com/2024/12/04/trump-world-sources-joni-ernst-is-waging-aggressive-personal-jihad-against-hegseth/ 4:00pm- Amy Sterner Nelson—Attorney, Entrepreneur, and Writer/Founder of the Riveter—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss her latest article for The Blaze, “Civil Forfeiture Turns Lives Upside Down, Ruins Families—Just Like Mine.” She explains that her husband was never ultimately charged with any crimes, however, the government confiscated her family's possessions and savings anyway. She heartbreakingly reveals that her “children could have starved” as a consequence of the government's unjust actions. You can read the article here: https://www.theblaze.com/columns/opinion/civil-forfeiture-turns-lives-upside-down-ruins-families-just-like-mine 4:30pm- Jack Ciattarelli—Republican Candidate for Governor of New Jersey & Former New Jersey State Representative—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to talk about the New Jersey Gubernatorial race. 5:00pm- On Thursday, Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe testified before a House of Representatives task force investigating the attempted assassinations of Donald Trump. During one notable moment, Rowe revealed that the department is now using autonomous robot dogs at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. Rich points out that increased security is great—but we still need to know how Trump was nearly assassinated in Butler, PA ...

This week's Open Mic guest is U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. Agriculture was once a strong contributor to a positive trade balance, but is forecast to be in deficit this year. Ernst faults the Biden administration's lack of effort in securing global trade deals for U.S. farmers. The Iowa Republican sees little chance for a farm bill this calendar year but hopes for better chances in 2025. Ernst also discusses results of a GAO report indicating the majority of USDA employees have not returned to work in their Washington, D.C. offices.

Today's DriveTime takes a look at the recent figures from the Consumer Price Index and hears from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., on a farm bill timeline. 

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., is calling on the Biden administration and Congress to do more to prevent people from going to bed hungry and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, says an extension will be needed for the FY24 appropriations bills.

Today's DriveTime features comments from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on a government shutdown, and also takes a look at Mexico's duty exemptions.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, gives an update on the appropriations process and the Department of Agriculture released a new report looking at WIC participation. All that and more in today's DriveTime.

Now that Congress is two weeks away from a looming government shutdown, House Ag Appropriator Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, offers the latest on where Congress stands on passing a continuing resolution to keep the government funded and how a farm bill extension could be included in the legislation. Then, T.A. Hawks with Monument Advocacy and Anne Steckel with the National Farmers Union discuss the latest developments on an ag appropriations bill and biofuels policy. Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

* Guest: James Edwards - Race, Politics & Hypocrisy in 21st Century America - ThePoliticalcesspool.org * The FBI maintained more than 40 confidential human sources on various criminal matters related to the Biden family, including Joe Biden, dating back to his time as vice president, according to information obtained by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. * The confidential human sources "provided criminal information to the FBI relating to Joe Biden, James Biden, and Hunter Biden." Those confidential human sources were managed by multiple FBI field offices across the nation, including the FBI's Seattle Field Office. * The SPLC Has Bizarre, Dishonest An A Completely  Made Up Set Of Labels and Definitions for Patriotic Americans!

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

Loaded with attractions such as bacon pecan pie on a stick, dairy cows, a tractor pull, and presidential candidates, the Iowa State Fair truly offers something for everyone.Over a million visitors are expected this year for the annual fair, which runs Aug. 10-20, so it's a magnet for presidential hopefuls ahead of Iowa's Republican presidential caucuses Jan. 15.Presidential candidates “know that this is a place that they need to come in order to socialize with the Iowa voter, answer very hard questions coming from those Iowa voters, and it really sets the stage as we ramp up towards those January caucuses,” Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, tells The Daily Signal.Voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina traditionally go first in casting their ballots during primary season, so it's no surprise that politicians spend time in all three states.Iowan voters “hope that we can get our country back on track” following the Biden administration, Ernst says.“What we see with this president is a president who appeases our adversaries all around the globe,” Ernst says. “It's a president who has focused so far left on green ideology and climate ideology that he's hurting middle America. They just want to trample over the American people and do whatever he wants to do regardless of the consequences.”Iowa's junior senator joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” from the State Fair to discuss the visiting GOP presidential candidates and the effects on voters of the four indictments of former President Donald Trump.Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's DriveTime discusses comments that were made at a USDA pre-hearing information session on federal milk marketing order reform and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, shares his thoughts on Mexico's ban on genetically modified corn. 

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Monday that the Burisma executive who allegedly paid Joe Biden and Hunter Biden kept 17 audio recordings of his conversations with them, citing the FBI FD-1023 form that the bureau briefed congressional lawmakers on. Sir Paul McCartney, 80, told the BBC that AI technology was used to separate the Beatles' voices from background sounds during the making of director Peter Jackson's 2021 documentary series, "The Beatles: Get Back. For four days last week, the Fresno City Council met in marathon sessions — more than 26 hours total — to shape the $1.8 billion budget. The 96 new motions added at least $57 million in expenditures. The mayor's staff will look to find ways to integrate the new spending. The city council is scheduled to vote on the motions Wednesday. Votes on the overall budget are scheduled for June 22, with an alternate voting date of June 29. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's Daily Signal Top News, we break down: Former President Donald Trump is arraigned and enters a not guilty plea. The Biden administration asks Congress for $76 million to fund diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, says there are audio recordings between President Joe Biden and a top Burisma executive. The White House bans tansgender activists from future White House events after they went topless at a White House event. Relevant LinksListen to other podcasts from The Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/podcasts/Get daily conservative news you can trust from our Morning Bell newsletter: DailySignal.com/morningbellsubscription Listen to more Heritage podcasts: https://www.heritage.org/podcastsSign up for The Agenda newsletter — the lowdown on top issues conservatives need to know about each week: https://www.heritage.org/agenda Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not every day there is an opportunity to ride a motorcycle alongside a U.S. senator, but on June 3, hundreds of Americans will do just that.Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is hosting her annual Roast and Ride Saturday. Motorcyclists are invited to join Ernst in a ride to the Iowa State Fairgrounds to enjoy some BBQ are hear from 2024 presidential hopefuls, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, political commentator Larry Elder, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Vice President Mike Pence, who has yet to formally announce his bid for president. In addition to the Roast and Ride, Ernst joins the "Problematic Women" podcast to discuss why she and Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., are fighting to end a Pentagon policy that uses taxpayer money to help cover the costs associated with abortion.Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's DriveTime features comments from Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa about the biofuels industry and highlights comments from U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai at a House Ways and Means Committee.

Today's DriveTime features comments from Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa about the biofuels industry and highlights comments from U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai at a House Ways and Means Committee.

The appropriations process is in full swing on Capitol Hill, and many ag policy issues are sure to be impacted by annual spending debates. House Appropriations Committee Republican Ashley Hinson of Iowa joins Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to discuss her priorities in the process as well as how the farm bill could be impacted by debt ceiling negotiations. Then, Alexa Combelic with the American Soybean Association and Joe Kakesh with Growth Energy offer their thoughts on pending Environmental Protection Agency action on a host of issues facing the biofuels sector. Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Today's DriveTime features Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack's comments regarding the Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities program. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, also joined to talk about Mexico's GM corn ban.

Today's DriveTime features Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack's comments regarding the Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities program. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, also joined to talk about Mexico's GM corn ban.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Friday, February 17.Friday will be cold, but still not too bad for February-- and then it will warm up again over the weekend. According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny, with a high near 21 degrees. The wind chill values will be as low as -5 degrees. On Friday night it will be clear, with the temperature rising to 1 degree below the high at 20 degrees. Nearly five years after the “newbo evolve” festival featuring national recording stars and reality TV personalities turned into a financial debacle instead of a signature event, two of its key organizers were ordered Thursday to report to prison and pay over $1 million to a bank they defrauded to help bankroll it.Doug S. Hargrave, 56, now of Puyallup, Wash., and Aaron McCreight, 47, now of Dothan, Ala., each pleaded guilty last year in U.S. District Court to one felony count each of bank fraud.Hargrave was sentenced to 15 months and McCreight was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The two also are jointly liable for $1.4 million in restitution to be paid to Bankers Trust.The 2018 three-day festival featured headliners Kelly Clarkson and Maroon 5, and speakers including fashion designers Carson Kressley and Christian Siriano, filmmaker John Waters, woodworker Clint Harp and U.S. Olympian Adam Rippon, among others.During Hargrave's plea hearing last year, he admitted that before the festival he sent a fraudulent budget, under McCreight's direction, to Bankers Trust in support of a request for an increased loan. The budget misrepresented how many tickets already had been sold and how many more ticket sales were anticipated.Cash awards for pain, suffering and other non-economic complications from medical malpractice lawsuits will be capped under a new provision signed into law Thursday by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.Those non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases are now capped at $2 million for cases in which a hospital is found to be at fault, and $1 million when the doctor is at fault.The new law, which becomes effective immediately, does not cap jury awards for economic or punitive damages.Proponents of the legislation said it's needed to help contain insurance costs for hospitals, and to help recruit and retain doctors, especially in rural areas of the state. While opponents pointed out that most malpractice cases do not go to trial, and states without caps are having trouble recruiting doctors as well.While efforts stalled last year, U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., say they have new confidence a pair of bills they are pushing forward can pass this Congress and help Americans save millions each month on prescription drug costs.The bills — the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act and the Stop STALLING Act — recently passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with strong bipartisan support.The bills would limit larger pharmaceutical companies from trying to keep generic forms of certain prescription drugs from going to market. In some cases, Klobuchar and Grassley say, the bigger companies pay the generic drugmakers to keep the cheaper products off store shelves or even try to stop the approval process.

New figures from the Congressional Budget Office added new layers to the farm bill discussion this week Senate Ag Committee member and Iowa Republican Joni Ernst joins Newsmakers to offer her thoughts on the upcoming legislation as well as her thoughts on the prospects for legislative or regulatory changes in the biofuels industry.Then, Kathy Bergren of the National Corn Growers Association, Brian Jennings with the American Coalition for Ethanol and Kurt Kovarik with Clean Fuels Alliance America offer their thoughts on existing biofuels issues as well as possible legislative debates to come.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Friday, September 9. It will be another sunny warm day on Friday, but keep an eye out for your fall jacket because some cooler weather is coming Sunday. According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny with a high near 89 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area. On Friday night it will be clear in the evening, with a low of around 61 degrees. The wind will remain mild all day. Iowa politicians joined leaders from around the world to offer condolences and pay tribute to Britain's revered and longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at the age of 96. “Queen Elizabeth II was a strong and graceful leader for the better part of a century,” 88-year-old U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in a statement. “As queen, she was a tremendous source of stability and clearly loved the people she served. She'll forever be a symbol of decency and humanity for the whole world. Queen Elizabeth II leaves a remarkable legacy of duty, honor and service.” Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, in a statement, called Queen Elizabeth “a remarkable and steadfast woman who fought side by side with the United States through some of the Free World's most trying times.” “I'll always admire her fortitude, love of freedom, and tenacity that has inspired other women in leadership,” Reynolds said. “Kevin and I join with Iowans in sharing our condolences to the Royal Family.” With the death of the queen, her 73-year-old son Charles automatically becomes monarch, even though the coronation might not take place for months. It is not known whether he will choose to call himself King Charles III or some other name.  The Cedar Rapids Police Department https://www.facebook.com/cedarrapidspolicedepartment/videos/500101218598029/ (released body camera footage) Thursday of a fatal officer-involved shooting on Aug. 30. William Isaac Rich, 22, of Cedar Rapids, https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/dci-cedar-rapids-police-shot-killed-armed-man-at-domestic-disturbance/ (was shot) early in the morning on Aug. 30 after police were called to the Inn Circle, 5560 Sixth St SW “regarding violent domestic issues,” according to police, The video released by the police department starts with Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman explaining the incident that led to the shooting. In a short summary of the video footage, the officers were called to the scene with an indication that Rich had been in a domestic dispute with his wife and had punched, choked, and attempted to drown her. When officers arrived, they grabbed Rich, telling him to get his hands up. The police department then slowed down the video to show that Rich had a knife in his hand.  After a scuffle ensued, Rich was pushed back, and three shots rang out, with an officer telling Rich to get on the ground. Rich fell to the ground but then attempted to get back up, leading to four more gunshots, stopping his movement. The footage was released partially due to a community protest of the shooting, including members of Rich's family. The shooting is under investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and both officers, Sgt. Bryson Garringer and Investigator Christopher Christy, have been placed on paid leave. Once the Iowa DCI investigation is complete, it will be reviewed by the Iowa Attorney General's Office. A decade after the University of Iowa could last call itself the largest higher education institution in the state, UI this fall has reclaimed that distinction — reporting higher total enrollment than Iowa State University https://www.thegazette.com/education/iowa-state-remains-largest-university-in-iowa/ (for the first time since 2012). Two weeks into the fall semester, UI on Thursday reported 30,015 total undergraduate, graduate, and professional students — up slightly over last fall's 29,909, but still below its pre-pandemic count of 31,142 in fall 2019. Iowa State

On May 31, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent two separate letters—one to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Chris Wray  and a second letter to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. In these letters, Grassley leveled a serious allegation, noting: “It has come to my attention that while serving in a highly sensitive role that includes threshold decision-making over which Federal public corruption matters are opened for investigation, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the Washington Field Office, Timothy Thibault, likely violated several federal regulations and Department guidelines designed to prevent political bias from infecting FBI matters.” As Grassley would later note, “Thibault is a high-ranking FBI agent” in the Washington Field Office. These letters were a prelude to an avalanche of allegations that would shortly be unleashed by Grassley. ⭕️Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

Classical education is a trusted model of learning. Virtual reality is a new technology still being fully developed. Despite the view of some that the two could be in conflict with each other, Erika Donalds disagrees. “Classical education ... is content-based, and [virtual reality] is the perfect way to deliver that content,” says Donalds, the president and CEO of the Optima Foundation. Donalds established the Optima Foundation, which has grown to be a network of charter schools, to give parents better education options for their children. After the pandemic, Donalds realized that some parents and students preferred an at-home model, but online education fell short of providing students with a strong education. Virtual reality allows teachers and students to meet live in a virtual space from home, she says. Through virtual reality, children “actually go to Mars, they go to the lunar landing, and they're there when it happens in virtual reality," Donalds says. Donalds joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the ways in which virtual reality can add to and expand classical education. Also on today's show, we cover these stories: The U.S. leads the world in known monkeypox cases.Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, says that “highly credible whistleblowers” have accused the FBI and the Department of Justice of intentionally covering up negative information on Hunter Biden.Conservative groups urge senators to vote "no" on a bill intended to codify same-sex marriage in federal law. Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

During the often violent Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, many athletes kneeled during the national anthem in a show of solidarity with the movement. But one man, Orlando Magic player Jonathan Isaac, stood instead.Isaac is the author of a new book titled “Why I Stand” that details what led him to make that decision. He says his deep and personal relationship with Jesus Christ inspired him to stand.“I tried my best to see it from Christ's perspective,” Isaac explains. “And so, as I looked out and saw what was happening, I didn't want to join into a fight. I wanted to have my own mind, my own mindset, and stand and say that ultimately the love of Christ has been the difference in my life. And I want to portray that to the world.”Isaac joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to chat about his book and how his relationship with God guides his life.We also cover these stories:Texas Gov. Greg Abbot, a Republican, delivers remarks in the aftermath of the deadly shooting Tuesday at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., says the Senate has no plans for new gun control legislation.Food and Drug Administration chief Robert M. Califf, a medical doctor, says that aftereffects of COVID-19 and mailing issues affected the FDA's response to the baby formula shortage.Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, accuses Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign of fabricating evidence to tie Donald Trump to Russia. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this episode, Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, members of the Senate Ag Committee, discuss their key agriculture industry priorities as they prepare for the 2023 farm bill. We learn about the work of the National Sorghum Producers from Chairman Kody Carson, and the U.S. Meat Export Federation's Bassam Bousaleh discusses an increase in U.S. beef shipments to the Middle East. Jesse Allen talks trends in the grain and livestock markets in this week's Market Talk segment and Ray Bohacz discusses boost levels in supercharged engines in “Bushels and Cents.” The episode also features the music of singer/songwriter Adam Warner. Timestamps Intro/news: 0:00 Goatlifeclothing.com advertisement: 7:24 Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa: 7:43 Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa: 20:42 Concept AgriTek advertisement: 28:58 Kody Carson, National Sorghum Producers: 29:31 Bassam Bousaleh, U.S. Meat Export Federation: 36:12 Jesse Allen, Market Talk: 38:23 Ray Bohacz, “Bushels and Cents”: 44:09 Gateway Seed Co. advertisement: 45:42 Adam Warner: 46:13

The Biden administration made news this week with the announced emergency action to allow E15 to be sold this summer. The move satisfies a major request of the biofuels industry but also leaves the sector wondering what comes next. Iowa Republican Randy Feenstra joins Newsmakers to discuss that as well as ag input issues and efforts to define a Water of the U.S.There's also a panel discussion on the future of ethanol policy and agriculture's current relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency.Want to receive Newsmakers direct to your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Tuesday, March 22. It looks like it is going to rain for much of Tuesday, with a chance for some thunderstorms early and late. According to a forecast from the National Weather Service, there will be a 90 percent chance of rain in the Cedar Rapids area Tuesday with the possibility of a thunderstorm. The high should be around 57 degrees, with a wind of 10 to 15 mph gusting as high as 30 mph. On Tuesday night there will again be a 90 percent chance of rain with a chance of a thunderstorm, with a low around 44 degrees. It will be a little less windy Tuesday night, with the wind dropping to 5 to 10 mph. Lawyers for two Fairfield teens charged with killing a high school Spanish teacher argued Monday that a hearing Thursday regarding whether their cases should be moved to juvenile court could include confidential materials — medical or other reports – that could prejudice jurors against the teens. Lawyers for https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/fairfield-police-2-students-murdered-spanish-teacher-from-their-high-school/ (Jeremy Everett Goodale and Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, )both 16, argued during an in-person hearing that also was by video, that Thursday's https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/judge-resets-hearing-for-fairfield-teens-charged-with-slaying-teacher/ (reverse waiver hearing )could include information from a juvenile court officer, law enforcement investigation, psychological evaluations and search warrant applications, which each have portions that otherwise would be confidential. Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding argued both teens are accused as adults and the murder charges filed against them are in district — adult — court and should remain open. If the court grants transferring the cases to juvenile court, further proceedings would be closed. A motive for the killing has not been released. But according to court documents, the teens schemed over social media to kill Nohema Graber, who had taught at Fairfield High since 2012. They monitored her routine before ambushing her on her daily walk in the park, killing her and later hiding her body, according to court documents. The Iowa Utilities Board has accepted the filings of applications for the two Duane Arnold solar projects near Palo and has set a partial procedural schedule moving forward. The IUB announced Friday that it issued an order and accepted the applications for certificates of public convenience, use and necessity for the two projects, Duane Arnold Solar I and II, and has docketed the applications for further investigation. Duane Arnold I is a proposed 50 MW solar facility on 316 acres of agricultural land within an 857-acre project site in Linn County. Duane Arnold II, the larger of the projects, is a proposed 150 MW solar facility and 75 MW battery storage system on 815 acres within a 1,780-acre project site. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, continues to call for the U.S. to step up the delivery of lethal aid to support Ukraine's battle against a Russian military invasion, including facilitation of the transfer of MiG-29 fighter jets from Poland. Ernst returned Sunday night from leading a bipartisan delegation of nine colleagues on a weekend visit to Poland and Germany. In eastern Poland, Ernst said, the delegation heard from Ukrainian leaders in exile, who “delivered a clear message to the United States: We need more lethal aid weapons, including air defense system, and we need it ASAP.” She's concerned the U.S. aid is not flowing fast enough, blaming “Washington bureaucracy.” Support for this news update was provided by New Pioneer Food Co-op. Celebrating 50 years as Eastern Iowa's destination for locally and responsibly sourced groceries with stores in Iowa City, Coralville and Cedar Rapids; and online through Co-op Cart athttp://www.newpi.coop/ ( newpi.coop).

Mandates and knee jerk reactions in the implementation of panic rather than public health process. When does a emergency end and rules and law as well as regular authority for considering all opinions and needed oversight to prevent 'quackery' in the development of real alternatives? At a supreme court hearing, Justice Amy Coney Barrett questioned Elizabeth Prelogar, Solicitor General of the United States, who was arguing for OSHA's vaccine mandate. At the US Senate Tim Cotton uses checkbook chuck schumers ploy to Uni-party the USA and exposes what most New Yorkers know his hypocracy. Lastly let's go to the left coast and old goat the oldest of em all so old death seem to have forgotten her, but hell may await the mother of all abortion laws on the time she lost an attempt to manipulate an election outcome in Iowa as Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa tell it. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mike-k-cohen/support

When then-California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the nation's first law requiring women on boards of publicly traded companies. Three years later, a judge will begin hearing evidence in Los Angeles Superior Court that could undo the law credited with giving more women seats in boardrooms traditionally dominated by men. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said Sunday that she believes there are enough senators, both Democratic and Republican, who would be willing to override President Biden and sanction Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The owners of a San Francisco restaurant are now apologizing after denying service to three uniformed police officers who were on-duty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Explaining the False Claims Act and How Insurers Can Take Advantage of it to Deter Fraud https://zalma.com/blog The False Claims Act, also known as the “Lincoln Law,” dates back to the Civil War. President Lincoln signed the act into law in 1863 because war profiteers were selling the Union Army shoddy supplies at inflated prices. The original law included qui tam [“Qui tam” is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “qui tam pro domino rege quam pro si ipso in hac parte sequitur” meaning “Who sues on behalf of the King as well as for himself.” There are a number of pronunciations of the Latin abbreviation qui tam. The simplest is key tam (rhymes with “ham.”) Black's Law Dictionary suggests kweye (rhymes with “eye”) tam.provisions that allowed a private person (plaintiff) to sue those who defrauded the federal government. If the suit was successful the plaintiff would receive 50% of any recovery from the defendant.] The qui tam provisions were weakened greatly as a result of congressional amendments in 1943, and qui tam legislation became virtually nonexistent. However, in 1986, Sen. Charles Grassley, R–Iowa, and Rep. Howard Berman, D Calif., joined forces to amend the law and strengthen the incentives for citizens to uncover and fight fraud as qui tam relators. (Relators are the private plaintiffs under the False Claims Act). The 1986 False Claims Act amendments received widespread bi-partisan support, and were signed into law by President Reagan. Since the revitalization, the qui tam provisions have increasingly been used. If the government does intervene, it assumes primary responsibility for the prosecution of the case, and is not bound by any act of the relator. 31 U.S.C. § 3730(c)(1). The relator remains as a party to the action, however, subject to certain limitations set forth in the Act. Id. Specifically, the government may dismiss the action notwithstanding the objections of the relator, provided, however, that “the person has been notified by the Government of the filing of the motion and the court has provided the person with an opportunity for a hearing on the motion.” [31 U.S.C. § 3730(c)(2)(A).; U.S. ex rel. Atkins v. EEOC, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21268.] Since the qui tam provisions were added to the Act in 1986, the US Department of Justice calculates that the government has recovered more than $1.09 billion in qui tam cases, with whistleblowers receiving nearly 18% (or $184 million) of the government's recovery. When considering a qui tam action be certain, however, that the authorizing statute authorizes the action. ZALMA OPINION Insurance fraud is ever growing with estimates from $80 billion to $300 billion a year. The Qui Tam suit is a method to deter insurance fraud by hitting the fraud perpetrator in the pocket book and deter the crime when the state or federal government refuses to file criminal actions. © 2021 – Barry Zalma --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma/support

President Joe Biden is moving ahead with plans to evacuate all U.S. citizens and troops from Afghanistan by Aug. 31, providing the Taliban do not interfere with the evacuation. But Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a combat veteran, says she does not see how it's possible to meet that deadline.   The notion that Americans and […]

President Joe Biden is moving ahead with plans to evacuate all U.S. citizens and troops from Afghanistan by Aug. 31, providing the Taliban do not interfere with the evacuation. But Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a combat veteran, says she does not see how it's possible to meet that deadline. The notion that Americans and our Afghan partners can be evacuated by the end of the month “is a fantasyland that has been developed by President Biden, by the administration,” Ernst says. “I don't see how we have everyone out by Aug. 31 and honor those commitments we've made to our own citizens and our Afghan partners.”Ernst served in the military for more than 23 years. In 2003, she was a company commander in Kuwait and Iraq, and led 150 Iowa Army National Guardsmen during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ernst was the first female combat veteran to be elected to the Senate. The current situation in Afghanistan is an “international embarrassment” that puts both “Americans and our allies in harm's way,” the Iowa senator says.Ernst joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain what the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan could mean for America, and what the Biden administration needs to do to prevent further disaster. We also cover these stories: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., calls on the Biden administration to rethink its original Aug. 31 deadline for U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.Vice President Kamala Harris rebukes China for its "coercion" and "intimidation" in the South China Sea. The University of Notre Dame leprechaun mascot comes under fire for supposedly being "offensive.” Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing to extend a subway from San Francisco, not far from Speaker Pelosi's congressional district, to Silicon Valley, with funding in the Senate's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. Adam Andrzejewski, founder and CEO of OpenTheBooks.com, and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is calling this Pelosi's Bay Area Boondoggle. Why? Andrzejewski joins a bonus episode of The Daily Signal Podcast to discuss! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week's Open Mic guest is U.S. Senator Charles Grassley. The Iowa ag leader is in the thick of issues from renewable fuel policy to global trade agreements. Grassley wants a government response to cattle price discovery and offers a willingness to compromise on policy options. The meatpacking industry will be the focus of a pair of hearings this week, one by the Senate Judiciary Committee, and another by a House Agriculture subcommittee. He also offers insights on confined animal feeding operations, interstate commerce, sustainable agriculture, EPA and USTR.

Explaining How Citizens Can Act to Defeat Insurance Fraud https://zalma.com/blog The False Claims Act, also known as the “Lincoln Law,” dates back to the Civil War. President Lincoln signed the act into law in 1863 because war profiteers were selling the Union Army shoddy supplies at inflated prices. The original law included qui tam [ “Qui tam” is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “qui tam pro domino rege quam pro si ipso in hac parte sequitur” meaning “Who sues on behalf of the King as well as for himself.” There are a number of pronunciations of the Latin abbreviation qui tam. The simplest is key tam (rhymes with “ham.”) Black's Law Dictionary suggests kweye (rhymes with “eye”) tam.] provisions that allowed a private person (plaintiff) to sue those who defrauded the federal government. If the suit was successful the plaintiff would receive 50% of any recovery from the defendant. The qui tam provisions were weakened greatly as a result of congressional amendments in 1943, and qui tam legislation became virtually nonexistent. However, in 1986, Sen. Charles Grassley, R–Iowa, and Rep. Howard Berman, D Calif., joined forces to amend the law and strengthen the incentives for citizens to uncover and fight fraud as qui tam relators. (Relators are the private plaintiffs under the False Claims Act). The 1986 False Claims Act amendments received widespread bi-partisan support, and were signed into law by President Reagan. Since the revitalization, the qui tam provisions have increasingly been used. The False Claims Act makes it unlawful to knowingly (1) present or cause to be presented to the United States a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval, 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1) (2006); (2) make or use a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim, § 3729(a)(1)(B); or (3) use a false record or statement to conceal or decrease an obligation to pay money to the United States, § 3729(a)(7) (2006). Under the Act, private individuals ... , referred to as “relators,” may file civil actions known as qui tam actions on behalf of the United States to recover money that the government paid as a result of conduct forbidden under the Act. © 2021 – Barry Zalma --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma/support

Explaining How Citizens Can Act to Defeat Insurance Fraud https://zalma.com/blog The False Claims Act, also known as the “Lincoln Law,” dates back to the Civil War. President Lincoln signed the act into law in 1863 because war profiteers were selling the Union Army shoddy supplies at inflated prices. The original law included qui tam [ “Qui tam” is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “qui tam pro domino rege quam pro si ipso in hac parte sequitur” meaning “Who sues on behalf of the King as well as for himself.” There are a number of pronunciations of the Latin abbreviation qui tam. The simplest is key tam (rhymes with “ham.”) Black's Law Dictionary suggests kweye (rhymes with “eye”) tam.] provisions that allowed a private person (plaintiff) to sue those who defrauded the federal government. If the suit was successful the plaintiff would receive 50% of any recovery from the defendant. The qui tam provisions were weakened greatly as a result of congressional amendments in 1943, and qui tam legislation became virtually nonexistent. However, in 1986, Sen. Charles Grassley, R–Iowa, and Rep. Howard Berman, D Calif., joined forces to amend the law and strengthen the incentives for citizens to uncover and fight fraud as qui tam relators. (Relators are the private plaintiffs under the False Claims Act). The 1986 False Claims Act amendments received widespread bi-partisan support, and were signed into law by President Reagan. Since the revitalization, the qui tam provisions have increasingly been used. The False Claims Act makes it unlawful to knowingly (1) present or cause to be presented to the United States a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval, 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1) (2006); (2) make or use a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim, § 3729(a)(1)(B); or (3) use a false record or statement to conceal or decrease an obligation to pay money to the United States, § 3729(a)(7) (2006). Under the Act, private individuals ... , referred to as “relators,” may file civil actions known as qui tam actions on behalf of the United States to recover money that the government paid as a result of conduct forbidden under the Act. © 2021 – Barry Zalma --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma/support

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...

Nick Reed talks about a variety of topics in the news, including:  * Krispy Kreme, is offering free doughnuts to people who get vaccinated against COVID-19 * A Minnesota Democrat broke with his party on Monday by opposing the effort to overturn the election of Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, saying doing so would be "painful" for the country. * Reporters asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki why illegal immigrants will be receiving hotel rooms, yet our National Guard were forced to sleep in parking garages.  

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for the weekend of March 20th and 21st. Happy Spring Equinox. We have a nice spring-like weekend to herald the first week of spring. According to the National Weather Service Forecast we will have sunny skies in the Cedar Rapids area on Saturday with a high near 58 degrees. It will be a might bit windy, with wind speeds of 5 to 15 mph gusting as high as 20 mph. On Sunday it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 67, while still being breezy yet again. On Sunday night there will be a small chance for rain, which will transition into a higher chance for more rain on Monday. After a year of bad news, for the second day in a row Friday, no COVID-19 outbreaks were reported Friday in any of Iowa's 429 long-term care facilities. An outbreak is defined as three of more COVID-19 cases among facility residents and staff. At the peak of the winter surge in virus cases, outbreaks were reported at 170 Iowa nursing homes on Dec. 3. In the past year, 2,224 residents of long-term care facilities have died, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the 5,672 virus-related deaths in Iowa. Alliant Energy is “picking up the pace” on moving power lines in Iowa underground, Terry Kouba, the president of Alliant's Iowa company told The Gazette this week. Kouba attributed the stepped-up effort on burying lines to increased reliability and decreased customer cost. “Certainly when you get that system underground, it's much more reliable when you have those windstorms, when you have those ice storms, when you have those tornadoes going through the state,” he said. He acknowledged that last year's derecho that devastated the state's power lines almost as much as its trees has also served as a strong motivator, but the move underground has been happening for some time. Nobody tell the red-wing blackbirds they will have to find a new place to sit. U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, voted against two bills that passed the House of Representatives on Thursday that would establish paths to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, including “Dreamers” brought to the country as children and agricultural workers. Noting a surge in migrants in February, Hinson faulted President Joe Biden's executive orders, which that she said have “incentivized” illegal immigration. Hinson said she supported some level of immigration protection for children brought to the country through no fault of their own, but said the legislation she voted against goes too far for her liking. Nearly $775 million in federal relief soon will be available to Iowa schools to help cover costs incurred from the COVID-19 pandemic, officials in the Iowa Department of Education said Friday. The money is Iowa's share of the more than $122.7 billion in a third round of emergency relief provided in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, according to a news release. The money is part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, signed into law March 11 by President Joe Biden. The funding can be used for summer school and for other learning and enrichment programs to counter some of the learning lost when schools closed and switched to online instruction during the pandemic. 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 Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for the weekend of October 17 and October 18. Your up and down weather forecast for this weekend will be very autumnal in character. According to the National Weather Service, after a windy and cloudy start to the day Saturday in the Cedar Rapids area it should warm up to a high near 67 as the skies clear. Watch out for high windspeeds, with winds as high as 25-30 mph gusting as high as 45 mph as the day goes on.  Then, the temperature will drop back down again, with a 40 percent chance for rain Saturday evening into Sunday morning before 10 a.m. Then, Sunday, the wind will calm to 5 to 10 mph, but it will be cloudy and much colder, with a high near 48 degrees. Warnings that confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett will spell the end of Obamacare and legal abortion are “smears” by partisans wishing a Democratic president and Senate could fill the Supreme Court vacancy with a more liberal justice, according to Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. Ernst, who observed derecho damage at a Cedar Rapids farm Friday afternoon, rejected suggestions by Democrats that the confirmation process should be delayed until after the Nov. 3 election. Ernst argued that Barrett's judicial career to this point indicates to her that she will be able to rule fairly. The Supreme Court is set to hear a case involving the Affordable Care Act the week after the election. Democrats, including Ernst's challenger, Democrat Theresa Greenfield, say Barrett's criticism of previous rulings on the law suggest she would rule against it. If all goes to plan, Barrett will likely be voted for confirmation by the full senate on the week of Oct. 26. On the same day that Iowa reported its third-highest number of positive COVID-19 cases, Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday signed a new proclamation extending Iowa's public health disaster emergency for another 30 days. Across the state, 1,384 new virus cases were reported in the 24-hour period that ended at 11 a.m. Friday, according to data from the Iowa Department of Public Health. Iowa now has 104,606 cases. With 6,766 test results in the 24-hour period, the state's positivity rate is 20.46 percent. Additionally, 16 deaths were reported, bringing the state's death toll to 1,521. In support of its diversity goals, land history and Native American neighbors to the south, the University of Northern Iowa is partnering with the Meskwaki Nation to create new scholarships, revive a summer program for Meskwaki youth and craft a “land stewardship statement.” The statement will acknowledge the UNI campus in Cedar Falls sits on traditional Meskwaki homeland; it will recognize past and present tribal connections to the property; and it will “outline a set of principles for environmental and mission stewardship that honor the legacy of native and Indigenous heritage.” Among its first steps, UNI — once called Iowa State Teachers College and still known for its teacher-training expertise — is directing faculty and staff to establish a professional development program for language and culture teachers at the Meskwaki Settlement School near Tama.

Jimmy speaks with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) about her new book Daughter Of The Heartland and her support for Sen. Tim Scott's police reform bill, Fox News contributor Johnny "Joey" Jones explains why the national anthem needs to be defended and Fox News Headlines 24/7's Jared Max breaks down why Cam Newton's move to the Patriots is a good one for him and the team...and there's ice cream talk too!     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest on Open Mic is Iowa U.S. Senator Joni Ernst. She has seen firsthand the devastating impact of severe flooding in her region and shares concern with other farmers about the wet season that has forced late planting across the Midwest. In this interview, Ernst discusses the need for additional disaster assistance, reform of farm bankruptcy rules, and funding of a second round of MFP funds for farmers and ranchers. Ernst remains in close contact with President Trump on trade policy and praises the administration's efforts to allow for year-round sales of E-15 blended gasoline.

This week's guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator Joni Ernst. The Iowa Republican says farmer concerns over possible changes to the nation's Renewable Fuel Standard are justified and continues to implore the White House to consider the negative impact of a RIN price cap on farm income. In this interview Senator Ernst discusses agriculture's need for global market access and offers her concerns over the Trump administration's decisions on trade negotiations and metals tariffs.

This week's guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator Joni Ernst. The Iowa Republican was among a group of farm state legislators who held the Trump administration accountable to their commitment to support for the Renewable Fuel Standard. In this interview, Senator Ernst discusses possible concessions for the oil industry. Ernst and other leaders are keeping a watchful eye on the trade front as well as tax reform debate in the House. Senator Ernst outlines proposals she's offered on conservation and risk management provisions in the 2018 farm bill.

Ag News: Senate Ag Committee members Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D offer a bill to strengthen ARC-County “to better support farmers during tough times" Guests: Hannah Thompson-Weeman, VP Communications for the Animal Agriculture Alliance, discusses "College Aggies Online", a program supporting students advocating for animal agriculture. ... Jason Gibson of Dupont with a "big picture" of 2017 crop and harvest progress ... Dr. Cory Walters has detail on an upcoming crop insurance workshop

Iowa Congressman David Young discusses the wins and losses for agriculture in last week's congressional action on spending and taxes in this week's Open Mic. While agriculture failed to see language to stop the EPA from enforcing its WOTUS regulations and couldn't establish a national standard for voluntary GM food labeling, he shares other policy victories on taxes and renewable fuels. For the year ahead, Young discuss his goals for comprehensive tax reform, continued support for renewable energy, the potential for a multi-year budget process and he shares some pointed questions for 2016 presidential candidates when they visit his home state of Iowa.Jeff NalleyRepresentative David Young

From her family's Iowa farm to the troubled lands of the Middle East, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst has dedicated her life to the nation's security: for ample food and against foes. In this week's Open Mic Interview U.S. Senator Joni Ernst shares her thoughts on proposed legislative action to block the EPA's new clean water rules, the economic significance of the agency's RFS volume obligation announcement, long term funding for the Highway Trust Fund and why Washington should address GMO food labeling.Jeff NalleySenator Joni Ernst

The budgets passed by both the House and Senate are like 'night and day', but Senator Charles Grassley, believes that lawmakers must work toward a more balanced budget even as work begins again on a new farm bill. Its a difficult task, especially because Grassley says there are a lot of people in the U.S. Senate who don't understand agriculture. He also has opinions about how immigration should be modernized and what any new gun control legislation must not include. The Senator believes there are looming threats that agriculture must face including a cut in federal spending and a challenge to the Renewable Fuel Standard.Senator Charles Grassley