Iowa
Opinion: Don’t politicize prosecutions in Iowa
Throughout her speech, Gov. Kim Reynolds embraces candidate for Iowa Legal professional Basic Brenna Fowl throughout a women-led Republican rally at World Class Industries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. Fowl is working in opposition to present Legal professional Basic Tom Miller. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
Adjustments proposed for the Iowa Legal professional Basic’s Workplace as a part of a large authorities reorganization invoice could be unhealthy information for the precept of native management and for shoppers affected by Iowa Utilities Board selections. The measures mustn’t turn into regulation.
One provision of the invoice states, “The legal professional basic could prosecute a felony continuing on behalf of the state even when a county legal professional doesn’t request the legal professional basic to behave as a county legal professional.”
The Legal professional Basic’s Workplace insists state regulation already permits the legal professional basic to deal with native circumstances with out the county legal professional’s request and calls this clarifying language. However it’s unclear why lawmakers felt the necessity to emphasize this level within the reorganization invoice. It appears apparent that legislators imagine new Republican Legal professional Basic Brenna Fowl ought to take a extra lively position in native prosecutions.
That’s a troubling break with the lengthy custom instituted by former Legal professional Basic Tom Miller, who stepped into native circumstances solely when requested. We perceive Fowl’s election brings adjustments, however deferring to domestically elected prosecutors was a prudent course we expect Fowl ought to observe.
In any other case, we may even see our system of justice devolve right into a politicized battle between Fowl and native county attorneys, seemingly in majority Democratic counties. The place as soon as existed a useful partnership, the state may turn into a bully wielding energy in opposition to native county attorneys.
The precept of native management, as soon as lauded by Republicans, has been shredded throughout their years of Statehouse management. This could be yet one more tear within the rights of native voters who elect officers to make native selections.
The reorganization invoice additionally offers the legal professional basic “unique jurisdiction” over all election-related crimes. We’re puzzled as to why the legal professional basic would need jurisdiction over election regulation violations which are usually minor offenses. Once more, we see the distinct chance of those circumstances being politicized by a Republican legal professional basic searching for to supply justification for voting restrictions.
Additionally underneath the reorganization invoice, the as soon as impartial Workplace of Client Advocate could be positioned underneath direct management of the legal professional basic. The patron advocate represents shoppers in circumstances the come earlier than the Iowa Utilities Board, together with permitting carbon seize pipelines to grab land via eminent area for his or her tasks.
Underneath present regulation, the advocate serves a hard and fast time period shielded from political affect. Underneath the invoice, the advocate would serve “on the pleasure of the legal professional basic.” The advocate would not be required to be a “competent legal professional,” blunting the advocate’s skill to symbolize shoppers in court docket. Attorneys and help workers on the OCA could be picked by the legal professional basic.”
These clarifications and adjustments add as much as an pointless energy seize that might hurt Iowans. Reorganization ought to enhance authorities, not make it much less accountable and accessible.
(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com
Opinion content material represents the point of view of the creator or The Gazette editorial board. You’ll be able to be part of the dialog by submitting a letter to the editor or visitor column or by suggesting a subject for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com
Iowa
Iowa high school football computer rankings (10/10/2024)
Week 6 of the 2024 Iowa high school football season has wrapped up, and High School on SI is continuing its weekly computer rankings for the season.
The Dowling Maroons kept their top five placing in this week’s 5A Iowa computer rankings after a thrilling 41-35 victory over Ankeny Centennial. They face a strong Urbandale team on Friday, to keep their momentum going.
The top of the 5A computer rankings stay the same this week as the Bettendorf Bulldogs take home another win, this time defeating Kennedy 33-14. The Bulldogs look forward to Friday, where they will travel to Davenport Central in hopes to hold their place in the standings.
SBLive’s formula was created using its linear algebra-based ranking algorithm inspired by the Colley Bias-Free Ranking Method. Colley’s Method was created by Wes Colley, Ph.D., an astrophysicist at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. He devised his algorithm to help address the subjectivity and controversy regarding BCS college football selections in the 1990s and early 2000s, using a method that used no subjective variables.
- FAQ: SBLive High School Football Computer Rankings
Here are SBLive’s latest Iowa football computer rankings, as of Oct. 7, 2024:
IOWA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COMPUTER RANKINGS
CLASS 5A | CLASS 4A
CLASS 3A | CLASS 2A
CLASS 1A | CLASS A
CLASS 8 MAN
DOWNLOAD THE SBLIVE APP
To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App
— Ben Dagg | @sblivesports
Iowa
Grinnell window manufacturer announces plans to lay off 152 workers in November
JELD-WEN, a manufacturer of windows and doors in Grinnell, has announced it will be laying off 152 workers effective Nov. 7.
The announcement was made on Iowa’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) site.
The company, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, was founded in 1960 and has 18,000 employees, with operating facilities in 16 countries in North America and Europe with 2023 sales of $4.3 billion, according to the company’s website.
JELD-WEN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Earlier this year, JELD-WEN announced the closing of its Hawkins, Wisconsin facility, affecting 338 employees, and in Vista, California, resulting in the loss of 110 jobs.
Iowa
Iowa Coach Fires Brutal Quote at Players Leaving Via Transfer
The Iowa Hawkeyes lost two players from their football team this week.
Both running back Leshon Williams and wide receiver Kaleb Brown have announced that they will redshirt for the rest of the season and enter the transfer portal at the end of the year.
Despite the two players opting to leave the program, it hasn’t phased head coach Kirk Ferentz. He isn’t worried about the decisions that they made at all.
When asked about Williams and Brown transferring, Ferentz offered a short and brutal quote.
“Not to be callous, but if a player isn’t playing, you don’t lose much.”
Williams had been dealing with an injury throughout the season thus far. Before the injury, he had shown flashes of being a player that could end up making an impact. Unfortunately, those flashes were never able to come to light on the field.
As for Brown, there were big plans for him coming into the season. But, he was suspended for the first game of the year and was never able to earn his role back.
Clearly, Ferentz is not worried about how his team will respond to the news. Basically, he doesn’t think the losses of them will impact the team at all.
Ferentz isn’t necessarily wrong with what he stated. Neither player had a role that will change how the team has been operating. However, it was the way he said it that was a bit out of line.
Regardless of the role that they players had, handling the situation with a bit more grace would have been a better look.
All of that being said, Iowa is not a program that needs to be graceful necessarily. The Hawkeyes want to win football games and neither Williams or Brown was contributing to that goal so far this year.
Looking ahead to the future, we wish the best to both Williams and Brown. Hopefully, they find success in their future endeavors.
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