1 Dead, 32 Injured In Iowa Lakes Baseball Team Bus Crash
(Calhoun County, IA) — One person is dead after a rollover bus crash involving the Iowa Lakes College baseball team. The team was traveling to Arkansas to play games on Thursday and Friday when the crash happened, injuring 32 people on Highway 4 near Highway 20. A preliminary investigation shows the bus failed to navigate a curve and rolled over several times. The Iowa Community College Athletic Conference expressed condolences and said they were heartbroken over the tragedy. Iowa Lakes Community College said they are actively supporting the families affected and that safety and well-being of their students are their highest priority.
Bill To Tighten Immigration Checks Advances In House
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa State House is advancing a bill to tighten state employment eligibility requirements. The bill would codify an executive order approved by Governor Kim Reynolds that requires state agencies to vet potential employees through E-Verify and confirm immigration or citizenship statuses before granting professional licenses. Her order followed a high profile arrest of former Des Moines Public Schools superintendent Ian Roberts. Roberts pleaded guilty to falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and illegally possessing firearms in January. Gaps in the verification process allowed Roberts to be hired to the high-profile role despite lacking authorization to work in the country.
Iowa National Guard Members Return Home From Middle East
(Sioux City, IA) — Soldiers with the Iowa National Guard are back home as of Wednesday afternoon. Governor Kim Reynolds was on hand to welcome back 250 soldiers who were deployed in Syria and Iraq for 10 months as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. “This reunion of family and friends is always so powerful to witness,” said Reynolds. Celebrations took place in Sioux City and Des Moines. The Iowa National Guard has more than 15-hundred soldiers still deployed in the region for Operation Inherent Resolve.
Lawmakers Propose Bill To Punish Public Celebration Of Political Violence
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa lawmakers are pushing a bill that would punish teachers celebrating political assassinations. The bill comes five months after Charlie Kirk was assassinated at an event his organization was hosting at a college in Utah. If the bill passes, Iowa educators would lose their license for publicly celebrating politically motivated violence. The Board of Educational Examiners says they already have measures in place to punish ethics violations. The bill passed through subcommittee on a party-line, 2-1 vote.
VA Facilities To Be Named After Slain National Guard Soldiers
(Des Moines, IA) — Veterans care facilities in Iowa will be named after the National Guard soldiers killed in Syria. The VA clinic in Des Moines will be named the Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar VA Clinic and another location in Marshalltown will be named the Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard VA Clinic. This comes after legislation was introduced by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst. Three other Iowa National Guard members were wounded in the attack and a civilian interpreter was also killed. Torres-Tovar and Howard were awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal with Valor, Combat Action Badge and Army Commendation Medal for their service.
