Iowa

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird champions Trump record as caucuses near

Published

6 months ago

December 28, 2023

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird champions Trump record as caucuses near

Iowa Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird is one of former President Donald Trump’s highest-ranking endorsements in the Hawkeye State, and she believes he is the only, and the best, candidate who can beat President Joe Biden.

Contrary to the state’s Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, who endorsed Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for president, Bird made the decision that Trump was the best man for the job and endorsed the onetime president.

DESANTIS CAMPAIGN ON THE BRINK AS IOWA CAUCUSES NEAR

“I think that President Trump is the one who’s going to defeat Biden and win our country back,” Bird said in an interview in early December. “And we were all a lot better off in Iowa when Donald Trump was president.”

Bird, who is in her first term as attorney general, won the election by beating the incumbent who had served in the role for nearly 40 years.

Brenna Bird, then the Iowa GOP’s attorney general candidate, speaks during a 2022 election night rally in Des Moines, Iowa.

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

She has traveled the state and said that support for Trump is strong, even with DeSantis getting the governor’s endorsement and spending much time there. And the polls reflect this just a few weeks ahead of the Iowa caucuses, which will take place on Jan. 15.

According to FiveThirtyEight’s polling average for the Iowa caucus, Trump is at 50%, with DeSantis quite a bit behind him at 18.4%.

“I see strong support for President Trump all over Iowa, and I think it’s because of his record and people know what he did as president, and they want that back again. So he’s got broad support from all kinds of people,” Bird said. “Iowans are really excited about President Trump and are going to caucus for him.”

To her, the main difference between Trump and the other candidates is the track record he already has, having served as president for four years, whereas the other candidates do not have that track record.

“President Trump brings a track record of showing what he would do as president, and people want what they had when President Trump was president,” Bird said. “They know that he knows how to govern, that he knows how to take on the swamp and do what’s right and stand up for America.”

She believes that Iowans are looking for someone who will “respect their constitutional freedoms and who will uphold the Constitution” and that Trump is the candidate who will do just that.

However, Trump has faced major legal challenges which could have the potential to upend his bid. In Colorado, the state’s Supreme Court ruled to throw Trump off its primary ballot over his actions on and around Jan. 6, 2021. Similar challenges have been filed in other states, but Colorado was the first state in which the effort was successful.

He is also facing charges connected to his handling of classified documents after leaving office and another connected to his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection of the Capitol. State charges in Georgia have also been filed against Trump connected to his attempt to overturn the election results in the state.

Since Bird endorsed him, she has led a multistate brief in opposition to Trump’s gag order and has been a staunch defender of him as he faces numerous legal cases.

As a prosecutor, Bird said she has worked hand in hand with the FBI to put criminals away and believes those in the local field offices are “excellent,” but the “D.C. office of the FBI has very serious that have to be addressed.”

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She strayed away from answering whether, as a prosecutor, the charges against Trump worry her at all and instead criticized what she believes to be a politicization of the Justice Department.

“As a prosecutor, I believe that politics has absolutely no place in prosecutions that’s wrong,” she said when asked if the charges worry her. “I never prosecuted someone based on their political beliefs. I would never do that. That is wrong. … So he shouldn’t have to go through that.”

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Iowa

Iowa DOT shuts down stretches of I-680, I-29 ahead of anticipated flooding

Published

7 hours ago

June 26, 2024

Press Room

Iowa DOT shuts down stretches of I-680, I-29 ahead of anticipated flooding

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA. (WOWT) – After more than a day of anticipation, officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation confirmed to 6 on Your Side late Tuesday Night that it would be shutting down portions of Interstates 680 and 29 effective at midnight Wednesday.

The closures are due to to rising water on the Missouri River.

The affected stretch of I-29 is from the 25th Street interchange on the north edge of Council Bluffs to the I-29/I-880 interchange.

The I-680 stretch is from the Nebraska border to the I-29/I-680 interchange near Crescent.

A detour was set to be posted near Loveland to take traffic from the I-29/I-880 interchange east to the I-80/I-880 interchange, then southwest on I-80 into Council Bluffs.

Monday night, Iowa DOT’s Austin Yates told 6 News that there was anticipation that the interstate would reopen sometime during the weekend.

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Iowa

New testing required for dairy cattle participating in Iowa fairs

Published

14 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

New testing required for dairy cattle participating in Iowa fairs

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – On Tuesday, the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture announced new testing requirements for dairy cattle participating in Iowa fairs and exhibitions.

Secretary Mike Naig announced the new requirements as a way to minimize the potential spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). HPAI (also known as Bird Flu) has hit numerous dairy cattle in the state. The Secretary says the state should expect to see new positive cases announced as the increased testing takes place.

“The Department is issuing a statewide order effective July 1 that will require additional tests for HPAI prior to dairy cattle participating at our state’s many fairs and exhibitions,” said Secretary Naig. “We want to strike a balance between allowing our 4-H, FFA, and dairy exhibitors the opportunity to show their animals, while also requiring additional testing to protect our livestock and minimize the potential spread of the virus,” said Secretary Naig.

To date, the state has reported 11 positive cases of HPAI within dairy herds in Iowa. 9 of those cases have been detected in Sioux County. Iowa has had three poultry cases thus far in 2024, including one case in a commercial chicken layer in Sioux County and two cases in commercial turkey flocks.

“Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza isn’t just a poultry issue or a dairy issue, it’s an issue for all of agriculture. Our approach is reflective of our significant livestock industry, and I want to thank our farmers who have stepped up to help contribute to the broader understanding, visibility and knowledge of this virus,” said Secretary Naig. “We should expect additional challenges ahead and as the situation continues to evolve, we will also continue to evaluate our response. We continue to support our farmers through the joint state and federal response team who are navigating this evolving and unpredictable situation.”

Suspected signs of HPAI in poultry include:

Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs
Lethargy and/or lack of energy and appetite
Decrease in egg production
Soft, thin-shelled and/or misshapen eggs
Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks
Purple/blue discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs
Difficulty breathing
Coughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose)
Stumbling and/or falling down
Diarrhea

Suspected signs of HPAI in dairy cows include:

Decrease in food consumption with a simultaneous decrease in rumination
Clear nasal discharge
Drop in milk production
Tacky or loose feces
Lethargy
Dehydration
Fever
Thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk

Officials say that it is safe to enjoy poultry products. Consumers should utilize the proper handling and cooking of eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F.

There is no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products. Pasteurization has continually proven to successfully inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk.

If dairy producers suspect cases of HPAI, they should contact their herd veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

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Iowa

2024 Eastern Iowa fireworks displays

Published

22 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Cities across Iowa are preparing to host annual Independence Day fireworks displays!

Here is a list of displays you can see in eastern Iowa this year:

Bettendorf

Parade at 10 a.m. on July 4 in downtown Bettendorf
4th of July Festival from noon to 10 p.m. on Spruce Hills Drive in front of Cumberland Square
Fireworks at Middle Park at dusk
More info

Cedar Falls

Fireworks Over the Dome at 9:40 p.m. on June 27

Cedar Rapids

Ellis Fireworks on the River at 9 p.m. on July 3 – more info
Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival – Celebration of Freedom Fireworks
Fireworks start at dark on July 4 in downtown Cedar Rapids
More info

Charles City

Fourth of July Celebration from July 3-6
Fourth of July Parade begins at 11 a.m. on July 4, then fireworks by the Cedar River in the evening
Main Street Charles City’s Party in the Park on July 5
July 6 – magician show, cornhole tournament
More info

Coralville

Coralville’s annual 4thFest parade at 10 a.m. on July 4, starting and ending at the corner of 9th Street and 22nd Avenue
Fireworks display in S.T. Morrison Park at dark, around 9:45 p.m.

Garnavillo