Just 10 days into the job, Iowa State University Vice President of Extension and Outreach, Jason Henderson, was in Mount Pleasant to listen to the Extension professionals in an effort to gather information for a new strategic plan. Friday afternoon the Henry County Extension office hosted Henderson who asked those gathered to share what ISU Extension is doing that is good and what they see as opportunities and barriers. He said he is excited about making Iowa even stronger thru Extension and Outreach’s mission and programs. Henderson grew up in Northeast Iowa and his wife, Angie, is originally from What Cheer. The family has a Mount Pleasant connection. Angie Henderson is the sister of Jennifer Striegel. KILJ Radio will celebrate Extension Week April 17-21. Tune in for interviews with those involved in the various aspects of ISU Extension and Outreach and for a message from VP Jason Henderson

Iowa Wesleyan University honored one of its’ own Friday night. Dr. Delores Graf Poulter Wilson came to the Mount Pleasant University as a student and stayed to share her knowledge for 60 years. Her retirement party was planned before the University announced it would close May 31. But she wanted to gather anyway to celebrate the community that welcomed her all those years ago.  The Howe Student Activity Center Social Hall was filled with former students, faculty and staff, community members and friends. DP, as she is so fondly called, greeted all her guests sharing many stories of the years she taught all things science at Iowa Wesleyan. A lot of those stories were about the legendary field trips with DP including one that lasted ten weeks. That went one included Hawaii. Former student and science teacher Alan Peck spoke sharing his mentor’s trick for staying awake while driving on those field trips….holding an unlit pipe in her mouth.  If she started to doze off the pipe would drop bringing her attention back to the road! Peck said he told students  that if they couldn’t eat it, wear it or sleep in it then don’t bring it on the trip. DP is known for 20 hour work days. She said in retirement she will do what she wants, when she wants.  But she does plan to stay busy on her family farm including renovating the farm house.  Her dream is to turn it into a retreat that will take visitors back in time to a simpler way of living and let them experience her favorite classroom…the great outdoors.

Mount Pleasant native, Spence Evans, has been selected as principal for Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids pending Board approval. Evans previously worked for Amos Hiatt Middle School in Des Moines, Ames High School and Tipton High School. During his 17-year career in school administration Evans has received the Bandmasters Administrator of the Year award, Distinguished Service Award for the Iowa Business Educator Association, Iowa Cheerleading Coaches Association Administrator of the Year award and was also recognized as the MetLife Principal of the Year.

– Week 14 – 

This Week in the Senate
Coming off of a beautiful holiday weekend celebrating Easter, work began again on Monday for the Iowa Legislature. One of the tasks given to the Senate is the approval of the Governor’s appointments. This work began in committee meetings on Tuesday. The appointee names brought before committees included the directors of many departments and leaders of various boards and commissions. The appointments will now go to the Senate floor to debate their approval.
Health and Human Services Legislation

Senate File 324 is moving forward in the Senate as of this week. This bill invests in and dedicates funding for important initiatives, like the More Options for Maternal Support (MOMS) program. If enacted, the bill would allocate $2 million to the MOMS program to help pregnant women looking for help and resources, and would allow Iowa’s Health and Human Services department to award fatherhood engagement grants to nonprofits and community-based organizations that address the needs of fathers, whether it is employment, financial obligations, or parenting skills. The bill also establishes a state-funded fellowship program for family medicine and obstetric practitioners in rural and underserved areas. Additionally, it increases funding for families seeking adoptions and for expanded scholarship opportunities for Iowa children in foster care. SF 324 contains several proposals from the governor and it focuses on improving health care access in Iowa, and supporting expectant mothers and fathers.

Iowa Supreme Court Hears Case on Heartbeat Bill
Pro-life issues have been a priority for Senate Republicans for years. One of the first bills passed in 2017, after Republicans took the majority, was to ensure taxpayers were not funding clinics providing abortions. Another bill passed that year implemented a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion could be performed. In 2018, the legislature passed what was known as the “Heartbeat Bill.” The bill would ban abortions after a baby’s heartbeat could be heard, with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. However, the bill was held up by the courts and could not be enforced.

After the Heartbeat Bill was passed but before litigation had begun, the Iowa Supreme Court arbitrarily created a constitutional right to abortion in the Iowa Constitution. A district court judge then placed a permanent injunction on the Heartbeat Bill because of the decision by the Supreme Court regarding the 72-hour bill.

As we all know, last summer, the United States Supreme Court returned the right to make decisions on this important issue back to the states. The Iowa Supreme Court also overturned its previous decision that abortion was a constitutional right in the Iowa Constitution. Following these decisions, Governor Reynolds asked the Iowa Supreme Court to lift the injunction and reconsider the constitutionality of the Heartbeat Bill.

The Iowa Supreme Court heard arguments this week to lift the injunction on the Heartbeat Bill. While a decision is not expected for some time, prolife proponents like myself, are hopeful to see the injunction lifted, the Heartbeat Bill declared constitutional, and the lives of many unborn children saved.
Tax Day-April 18th
As Tax Day looms on the horizon, we are reminded of the work that the Iowa Legislature continues to do in moving historic tax relief legislation forward year after year. The goal has been to ensure Tax Day is less and less of a burden to hard-working Iowans and to also ensure more money would be kept in the pockets of the people who earned it. We are proud of the accomplishments we have had regarding taxes over the years and the positive impact this has had on Iowa families. Listed below are some of the milestones:

• 2018 – Passed first historic tax relief plan, prioritizing Iowa’s middle-class families, taking the first steps in simplifying Iowa’s tax code, and bringing down our state’s income tax rate

• 2019 – Passed legislation increasing transparency in the property tax process and made local governments more accountable to taxpayers

• 2021 – Passed tax relief for small businesses, eliminated the inheritance tax, and eliminated a property tax levy to help provide property tax relief for Iowa property taxpayers

• 2022 – Flattened Iowa’s income tax to 3.9 percent for all Iowans in a gradual process over the next few years and eliminated the tax on pensions and retirement income as of January 1, 2023, moving Iowa gradually from one of the highest income tax rates in the country to the fourth lowest.

I look forward to continuing the work to bring greater tax relief and ensuring that Iowans keep more of what they earn.

April 28 is the scheduled end date for the 2023 legislative session. The nicer weather has all of us itching to conclude session, especially our many full-time farmers in the Senate who are anxious to get this year’s crops in the ground. Still to be accomplished before we conclude, however, is a budget compromise and negotiating on the remaining topics for the year. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions about a bill you have heard about or a piece of legislation you have been following.

Best regards,

Mark

SEISO PERFORMS STRAVINSKY’S THE RITE OF SPRING AND OFFERS
CHANCE OF $1200 TO LUCKY CONCERT GOER
The Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra (SEISO) will host the largest performing ensemble the group has ever brought to stage in their final Masterworks Series concerts this season, Spring Footprints, on April 22nd at 7:30 PM at Burlington’s Capitol Theater and April 23rd at 2:00 PM at Ottumwa’s Bridge View Center and 6:30 PM at Iowa Wesleyan’s Chapel Auditorium in Mt. Pleasant. This concert features Stravinky’s mas terpiece The Rite ofSpring and SEISO Artist-in-Residence, violist Dominique Archambeau. SEISO is setting a goal of 1200 audience members over the weekend…so much so that the orchestra is offeringone $1200 giveaway to a lucky concert goer. Details will be given at the concerts. Igor Stravinksy’s controversial masterwork The Rite of Spring is the centerpiece of this concert and is not to be missed. SEISO Artist-in-Residence, violist Dominique Archambeau, will perform Cecil Forsyth’s Viola Concerto in G Minor. SEISO Conducting Fellow, Jilly Cooke, will conduct J. S. Bach’s beautiful “Air” which is dedicated to SEISO’s longtime principal cellist Donna Nelson who recently passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. The program will open with Lili Boulanger’s colorful Of a Spring Morning. “I’m thrilled with the variety of this program and I think anyone that comes is really going to enjoy it. We combine some well-known composers and works with some that will be unfamiliar,” said Robert McConnell, Music Director of the SEISO. “The Stravinsky is particularly visceral and memorable and our Resident Artist Dominique is a fantastic musician that brings the Forsyth to life. I think many people are surprised at how easy it
is to enjoy our concerts and how different they are from what they expected.”The Ottumwa concert is the annual Ruth P. Seim Memorial Concert for a Cause featuring the Ottumwa Area Community Chorus and OACC Children’s Chorus under the direction of Dr. Christine Bergan. The two groups will be singing at intermission of the Ottumwa concert and a portion of the proceeds from the door sales
will go to support the Ottumwa Area Community Chorus. Tickets to the Masterworks Series concerts in Burlington, Ottumwa and Mt. Pleasant may be purchased at the door or on our website www.seiso.us. Adult tickets are $20. Children/student tickets (aged 0-22) are free. There
is no reserved seating. Make the most of your concert experience by attending the ‘Prelude.’ Music Director Robert McConnell will be
on hand 45 minutes before each performance to talk about the programmed music in depth. ‘Prelude’ is supported through a grant from the Charles W. Rand Memorial Lecture Fund in Burlington and is offered free of charge to all audience members. If you have questions, please contact the SEISO Office at seiso@iw.edu. More information is available on the SEISO web site at www.seiso.us