The Journal's Top Stories for the Week of June 4, 2023
In the Journal's Top Stories for the Week of June 4, 2023: Sioux City West grad explains speech for LGBTQ+ rights, two area soccer teams win state titles, vaping nixed on city property, hitman allegations, another county falls to the ash borer and more.
Jared McNett
Online editor/Politics reporter/Podcaster
Seven Union Pacific train cars derailed in Sioux City Monday morning. The incident caused a portion of Dace Avenue to be closed near the Seaboard Triumph Foods Expo Center, which has reopened since.
During Monday's Sioux City Council meeting, a Gill Hauling rep addressed concerns about the solid waste and recycling container replacement process, which hasn't gone as smoothly as customers, city staff and the waste management service hoped.
In a partial victory for a Woodbury County couple fighting to keep a proposed liquid carbon dioxide pipeline from crossing their farm, a judge has denied the pipeline company's request to survey their property.
All-vocal country singers Home Free will be bringing their Christmas Tour to the Tyson Events Center, 528 Pierce St., on Dec. 23.
Morningside catcher Jayson Willers has earned Second-Team NAIA All-American honors. The sophomore finished with a .388 averaging, collecting 80 hits in 206 at bats, with 32 extra base hits, including 13 home runs and 62 RBIs.
State Sen. Zach Wahls of Coralville, in a social media post Monday, described and defended the events that led to his ouster as Democrats’ leader in the Iowa Senate. Wahls was voted out of his position as Iowa Senate minority leader this past week.
Nikki Haley’s Iowa campaign leadership team includes Iowa state Sen. Chris Cournoyer, R-LeClaire; state Rep. Austin Harris, R-Moulton; former Polk County GOP chair Dawn Roberts; and millennial business leader Emily Sukup-Schmitt
A Sergeant Bluff man accused of fatally shooting another man and wounding a woman has pleaded not guilty of murder and other charges. Raymond Rogers, 43, entered his written plea Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court to charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder, first-degree burglary and stalking.
For nine Fridays this summer, audiences will hear some of the finest local singer-songwriters and an eclectic mix of musicians from across the country at Sioux City's Downtown Live which is returning to the front lawn of the Sioux City Public Museum.
What've we got in the latest "Sux 6" batch? Well, the very funny Nate Bargatze is doing a set at the Orpheum on June 15 and there are chances to hear EDM at the Marquee, Frank Sinatra's music at the Interpretive Center and a country show at Beer Can Alley.
Weekender question of the week: What will you be doing on Wednesday --the longest day of the year?
If you're looking to see even more upcoming events, outside of those featured in Sux 6, we've got you covered.
Dear Annie: Eight years ago, it felt like I had a mental breakdown trying to deal with all the clutter coming in our house. I told this to my wife, but her reply was to justify why she needed everything.
DR. WALLACE: I studied hard this school year and read all of my books and did all of the homework assignments my teachers gave me, but I never got an “A” grade in any of my classes. Could it be that my teachers this year all didn’t like me?
This week's new releases include: the live-action "The Flash", a new Chris Hemsworth action flick and a Jennifer Lawrence comedy.
We've got movie showtimes for Sioux City, Le Mars, Nebraska City, Shenandoah, Fremont, Wayne, Vermillion, Orange City and Sheldon.
A Sioux City woman accused of fatally shooting her boyfriend has been charged with possession of more than 1,000 fentanyl pills. According to court documents, police officers found 1,250 blue fentanyl pills in a plastic bag in Barnes' bedroom.
The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners is expected Wednesday to review the ethics complaint the Sioux City School Board filed against former superintendent Paul Gausman.
According to court documents, Mohr assaulted his 75-year-old mother inside their home after he became upset because she wouldn't take him to buy drugs. Mohr punched his mother in the face at least 10 times while she was seated in a recliner, per court docs.
A Sioux City man was sentenced Monday to more than four years in federal prison for illegal possession of a gun and ammunition.
Discovering that Patti LaBelle was going to play his mother on “The Wonder Years” was like eating a piece of delicious pie, Dule Hill says. “You can’t ask for a better mother…and to share the screen with an icon?"
No two “Wonder Years” are alike. Just ask Dule Hill and Elisha “E.J.” Williams, the stars of the ABC reboot. In the sitcom, they play a father and his son during the 1960s. Unlike their characters, the two spent a good chunk of their early years as actors.
South Sioux City's new $45 million wastewater treatment plant will open this month and begin taking waste from industrial plants. A new sewer line, going from north to south, will be laid in the next 2.5 years so all customers can be added to the plant.
Two major road construction programs in and near Sioux City are included for the first time in Iowa's five-year transportation improvement plan. Acquisition of right of way for the construction of a new Gordon Drive viaduct is slated to begin in 2027.
In our latest prep baseball and softball roundup: Sioux City East stuns, Kingsley-Pierson dispatches Lawton-Bronson, Okoboji shuts out Sibley-Ocheyedan, Newell-Fonda breezes by East Sac County, West Lyon beats Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley by eight runs and more.
The Moville City Council is seeking $665,000 from Woodbury County for part of improvement costs to Frontage Road, said Joel Robinson, Moville City Council member. So far, Moville has invested $1.2 million into the road over the past five years.
A Hinton woman won $300,000 in an Iowa Lottery game. Renae Beeck, a 39-year-old travel nurse, claimed her prize at the Clive Iowa Lottery HQ. She won from a "Colossal Crossword" scratcher. Her $30 ticket was purchased on a whim at a Glenwood Casey's.
A former Iowa Capitol leader lost his lobbying job over his role in Senate Democrats’ recent leadership shake-up. Mike Gronstal, a Democrat from Council Bluffs and former Iowa Senate majority leader, was asked to resign from his statehouse lobbying role.
Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said Monday a document alleging a criminal bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden references alleged audio recordings of conversations, including between a foreign national and Biden.
Michael R. Brown, 33, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Dakota County District Court to first-degree sexual assault and no contest to generating a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct.
STORM LAKE, Iowa -- A Minnesota man has been arrested on charges of sexually abusing a young girl in Storm Lake four years ago.
The calendar might say it is June, but Le Mars, Iowa will seem pretty "chill," now through Saturday. That's because Ice Cream Days has returned to the Plymouth County town of 10,000 people. Most activities will occur at the Olson Cultural Events Center.
Local Sioux City elected officials and community leaders were invited to attend a White House event to share examples of how federal programs are positively impacting the community.
The Sioux City Explorers couldn't fend off the comeback bid by Gary on Wednesday night at Lewis & Clark Park as the visiting RailCats won, 5-4.
Sioux City's Mitchell Betsworth is ready to take on the world at the Special Olympic World Games in Berlin. Betsworth will compete on Team U.S.A. in three powerlifting events.
A recap of the MRAC softball action from Tuesday.
A recap of the MRAC baseball action from Tuesday.
The idea of American decline came up more than once as 2024 Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy conversed with a Sioux City crowd of about 84 people during a campaign stop at Knova's Carpets on Wednesday night.
Aurelio Solorio, 37, pleaded guilty in July in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
A Winnebago, Nebraska, woman has pleaded guilty of assaulting a federal officer. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison sentence that falls within the federal sentencing guideline range.
Estrada said he had sex with the girl the day they met. He also said that on the following day he bought $20 of marijuana and smoked it with the girl before they drove to Council Bluffs and had sex in a hotel room.
With a loss to Gary on Wednesday at Lewis & Clark Park, the Sioux City Explorers on in the midst of a season-worst five-game losing streak. The league-leader in strikeouts, Sioux City's Solomon Bates (3-3) started out hot and carried a perfect game into the fourth inning.
In the Journal's latest roundup of Siouxland high school baseball: Sioux City North rallies against Unity Christian, Remsen St. Mary's blows out South O'Brien, Kingsley-Pierson squeaks past Woodbury Central, MOC-Floyd Valley goes to extra innings and more.
The South Dakota men's basketball program will be in Arizona in November to play in the inaugural Arizona Tip-Off tournament. The Coyotes will be 1 of 8 teams at the tournament. Teams are divided into the Cactus Division and the Desert Division.
In the Journal's latest roundup of Siouxland high school softball: Newell-Fonda blows past Storm Lake, Remsen St. Mary's shuts out South O'Brien, West Monona handles Whiting, Sioux Center outpaces Okoboji and more.
Sioux City ended it's longest losing skid of the 2023 season by defeating Gary by a 6-3 final at home at Lewis & Clark Park in Sioux City on Thursday. The Explorers salvaged the final contest of the three-game series with the SouthShore RailCats.
In the Sioux City Journal's latest prep baseball roundup: The Sioux City East Black Raiders and the Sergeant Bluff-Luton Warriors split games and the Sioux City North Stars go back and forth with the Le Mars Bulldogs.
State Steel Supply recently shipped supplies to make sustainable gasifier stoves in Ethiopia. Anega Energies Manufacturing, a company headed by Tsegaye Nega, offers alternative cooking methods to needy residents in the capital of the African nation.
Comedian Nate Bargatze's set at the Orpheum in Sioux City had the kind of wry observations that made George Carlin a legend. The well-received two-hour show was a lot like his Netflix specials: easy-going and tailored for repeat viewings.
According to court documents, Johnson entered a Sioux City home on May 29 and entered the 14-year-old's bedroom, where he began touching her while she was sleeping.
Church events happening around Siouxland
More than 25% of Iowa Medicaid patients had personal data compromised in a breach affecting one of Iowa’s two Dental Wellness Plan managed care organizations. Hackers potentially obtained: names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security info and more.
The ex-student, who had his discrimination lawsuit against Dordt dismissed, said the Sioux Center university's policies are gender-biased by referring to assault and abuse victims exclusively as female. He was kicked out of school for having sex with a female student.
Abortion will remain legal in Iowa after the state's high court declined Friday to reinstate a law that would have largely banned the procedure. The ruling doesn't preclude Gov. Kim Reynolds and lawmakers from passing a new law restricting abortion.
OTHER VOICES: The 2023 Nebraska Legislative session will be remembered as the most contentious in state history but the Legislature managed to approve a number of bills that would benefit all Nebraskans and some that will be of great benefit to Lincoln.
Producers of the latest “Transformers” are apparently so eager to reboot the series they use part of their time to detail the car/robots and what they’re designed to do.
There’s more than a little “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to Pete Davidson’s new series, “Bupkis.” Borrowing from his personal life (largely elements from his tabloid presence), it reveals a more vulnerable Pete – one who’s perplexed by the profile he has gained.
A Cherokee, Iowa, man has been sentenced to more than 29 years in federal prison for taking videos of himself sexually abusing a child.
MidAmerican received a $37.8 million grant from the federal government to expand Iowa's high-speed internet coverage. The money allows for expansions Buena Vista, Cherokee, Crawford, Ida, Monona, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sac, Sioux and Woodbury County.
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services said Friday the individual infected with the virus is an adult between age 61 and 80. In 2022, nine Iowans were diagnosed with West Nile virus. There were no deaths.
The Iowa Supreme Court's decision means abortion in Iowa remains legal until the 20th week of pregnancy. "Today’s decision ... underscores our commitment to protecting innocent life in Iowa," Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, said after the news broke.
Iowa Democrats intend to forge ahead with a plan for both a mail-in and an in-person 2024 caucus process, despite national Democrats on Friday finding the plan fails to comply with national party rules and could lead to sanctions.
The seventh-annual Unity in the Community Block Party and NAACP Celebration, held at Cook Park on Sioux City's westside, brought local officials, law enforcement officers and faith leaders together with residents and marked the coming Juneteenth holiday.
On the latest "On Iowa Politics," ft. the Journal's Jared McNett and Bureau Chief Caleb McCullough: Iowa Supreme Court abortion ruling, Iowa Democrats have a caucus rejection, more presidential candidates in Sioux City and fallout from legislature shakeup.