SPM News

022020 304 The 57 Americans who've been held in quarantine at a Nebraska National Guard camp are preparing to leave Thursday and are in good health, a federal health official said. They landed at Omaha's Eppley Airfield on Feb. 7, having flown from the Wuhan region of China, the center of the COVID-19 outbreak. They soon were bused to Camp Ashland southwest of Omaha, where they've been biding their time with daily health checks, staying in hotel-style rooms and having no contact with soldiers in

The latest attempt to lower property taxes in Nebraska faces an uncertain future as lawmakers squabble over whether it would hurt K-12 public schools that rely heavily on the revenue. Lawmakers debated the measure for nearly three hours Wednesday but failed to reach a vote before they adjourned for the day. A leading supporter says she believes she has enough votes to pass the complex bill but cautioned that lawmakers need more time to discuss and understand everything it does. Lawmakers in the

A special event is coming up this Saturday night for Lamb Arts Regional Theatre in Sioux City. Diana Wooley and Dave Madsen sat down with Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer to talk about the evolution of the theater in Sioux City. For more information on “Broadway Inside Out” taking place this Saturday night in Sioux City go to the website lambtheatre.com .

021920 504 A House panel has tabled a bill that would ban Iowa health care providers from trying to change a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Committee Chair Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican, says he wants to keep working on legislation to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ children. The Iowa Court of Appeals has rejected two cases challenging a law that restructured the state judicial nominating commission. The law was passed late in last year’s session. It gave the governor a ninth

021920 404 The Iowa Court of Appeals has rejected two cases challenging a law that restructured the state judicial nominating commission. The law was passed late in last year’s session. It gave the governor a ninth appointment on the 17-member panel. Iowa attorneys select the other eight. Governor Kim Reynolds appointed her first Supreme Court justice under the new format last month. You know they’ve done a great job of sending me great selections. So I believe it’s working and it’s doing well

Spring arrives in one month, but many in Siouxland still have problems dealing with the financial part of winter. The Community Action Agency of Siouxland offers a special program to keep people warm during this cold season. The Executive Director of the group, Jean Logan, tells Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer about the LIHEAP and more. For more on the LIHEAP program check out the website caasiouxland.org .

021920 304 Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded almost $16 million dollars in grants to 25 airports in Iowa including some in the Siouxland. The biggest amount of $900,000 goes to the Sioux Gateway Field in Sioux City for taxiway reconstruction. Several smaller airports in the region also received money from the federal government including Storm Lake, Mapleton, Denison and the Sioux County Regional Airport in Maurice. That facility gets the smallest grant in the area of $270,000

The Exchange, Wednesday, February 19, and Friday, February 21. February is Black History month, and we talk with one of the editors of a new book that contains first-person stories and photos of African Americans who were once enslaved. The interviews were done by writers with the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Also, a preview of a program at the Sioux City Public Museum this weekend where you can learn everything you need to know about the upcoming 2020 census that takes place

There’s a Winter Weather Advisory for parts of Siouxland including Woodbury County until 6 tonight. The National Weather Service says areas under the advisory could get up to six inches of snow. Sioux City could see another three inches this afternoon. Wintry weather forced several school districts in Siouxland to either start late or cancel classes all together today. And, even though Spring doesn’t officially start for another month, an energy assistance program is available for low-income

021820 404 Abortion-related bills advanced in the House and Senate today as Iowa lawmakers approach an end-of-week legislative deadline. An Iowa Senate panel advanced a bill mandating a three-day waiting period between a required ultrasound and an abortion. There’s already a waiting period under Iowa law, but the state Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional in 2018 and blocked it from taking effect. IPR asked Republican Senator was one of those who proposed the measure. “First of all, we