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TexasTowelie's JournalSioux City man heading to federal court for Jan. 6 insurrection
SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man accused of taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol is scheduled to appear before a Washington, D.C., federal judge later this week to face criminal charges.
Kenneth Rader, 53, is charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with four charges: knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a capitol building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building.
He is scheduled to appear via a zoom video conference on Thursday for a hearing that will take place in Washington.
An FBI agent arrested Rader Thursday on a warrant in Sioux City. Rader made his initial court appearance later that day in U.S. District Court in Sioux City, where Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Kelly Mahoney informed him of his charges and released him on a personal recognizance bond. Among Rader's conditions of release are that he may travel only to Washington, D.C., for court hearings or to meet with his attorney. He must first receive permission from the U.S. Probation Office or Pretrial Services to travel.
A photo included in a federal complaint shows Kenneth Rader, of Sioux City, outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Rader has been charged with taking part in the insurrection that day.
Provided by U.S. District Court
Iowa Bill Would Repay Student Loan Debt to Attract Mental Health Providers
Mental health providers willing to practice in Iowa could have part of their student loans paid off.
Senate Study Bill 3003 is an attempt to expand mental health care in rural Iowa. The bill would create a program for mental health professionals who agree to practice in an Iowa city that is within a mental health shortage area as defined by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
This definition includes most of Iowa except the Polk County area, the area around Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, and the area around Mills, Pottawattamie, and Scott counties.
To qualify, a professional must go into full-time practice for five years, or part-time practice for seven. The bill would cover about $8,000 worth of student loan debt each year and top out at $40,000.
Read more: https://iowastartingline.com/2022/01/26/iowa-bill-would-repay-student-loan-debt-to-attract-mental-health-providers/
Iowa Bill Makes Political Affiliation, Vaccine Status Protected Classes
Some Iowa House Republicans want to amend the Iowa Civil Rights Code to include political beliefs and immunization status as protected classes.
If added, those two categories would join race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and disability, among others.
The bill, House File 2141, was introduced Friday and is sponsored by Republican Reps. Eddie Andrews of Johnston, Rob Bacon of Slater, Cherielynn Westrich of Ottumwa, Thomas Gerhold of Atkins, Norlin Mommsen of DeWitt, Brooke Boden of Indianola, and Jon Jacobsen of Council Bluffs.
As with all civil rights code protections, employers would be prohibited from firing or dismissing anyone based on their immunization status or political belief.
Read more: https://iowastartingline.com/2022/01/28/iowa-bill-makes-political-affiliation-vaccine-status-protected-classes/
Lawsuit: Central Minnesota school district failed to address racist bullying
COLD SPRING, Minn. — A mother and her two high-schoolers have filed a lawsuit alleging staff at a central Minnesota school district didn’t do enough to address racist bullying by students.
In a complaint filed this month in U.S. District Court, Andrea Robinson and her children, who are Black, claim teachers and administrators at Rocori School District in Stearns County looked the other way as students used racial slurs in class and sent threatening messages on social media.
The lawsuit is the latest development in the school and community's reckoning with racism over the past year, and comes after district officials in May 2021 said they were committed to taking action on the issue. Robinson spoke out on her childrens’ struggles with racist bullying at a school board meeting that month, which was well-attended by supportive members of the public who urged the district to take action, Minnesota Public Radio reported.
With her daughter now attending a different school district, Robinson is seeking damages from Rocori schools for emotional suffering experienced by her daughter and son. The lawsuit claims violations of the Civil Rights Act, and does not specify damages sought.
Read more: https://www.postbulletin.com/parent-sues-central-minnesota-school-district-claims-staff-didnt-address-racism
(Rochester Post Bulletin)
French left runs divided, weakened in presidential race
PARIS — The French left runs divided and weakened in the presidential race as at least five main candidates rejected any alliance with each other — and an online vote meant to pick a leader Sunday appears doomed to fail.
The so-called Popular Primary has been organized by left-wing supporters as an initiative meant to unite their ranks before the election scheduled in two rounds on April 10 and 24.
More than 460,000 people registered for the primary. Results of the four-day online vote are expected on Sunday evening. But the move already appears bound to fail: key contenders said they wouldn't respect the outcome because they don't respect the process.
At least five main figures from the left and the far-left are running for president, in addition to smaller candidates. At the moment, none of them appears in a position to reach the runoff in April's election.
Read more: https://www.startribune.com/french-left-runs-divided-weakened-in-presidential-race/600141188/
Crime in the crosshairs as major Minnesota legislative, campaign focus in 2022
Minnesota legislators returning to the Capitol Monday will accelerate a debate on crime that is already stoking fierce partisan tensions against the backdrop of an election year.
A persistent rise in violence in the Twin Cities metro area and beyond has prompted proposals for new tough-on-crime legislation from Republicans and calls for more money for community policing and restorative justice from Democrats. Both parties identify crime as a top priority this session, but with statewide offices and control of the Capitol up for grabs this November, the topic is fast becoming a platform to lob attacks across the aisle.
"This moment requires new solutions, not old politics," said state Rep. Cedrick Frazier, a New Hope Democrat who is the chief sponsor of the House DFL's $100 million public safety budget proposal this year.
Surging carjackings and homicides have spurred Senate GOP proposals to impose tougher sentencing laws and to prosecute minors as adults in some cases. Republicans also want to open up grant funding to recruit new officers to the profession.
Read more: https://www.startribune.com/crime-in-the-crosshairs-as-major-minnesota-legislative-campaign-focus-in-2022/600140972/
Why Tina Smith is trying to get Congress to do more to prevent -- not just treat -- HIV/AIDs
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has overtaken hospitals around the country as well as dominated the media, another decades-long epidemic has continued to exist despite access to medication that could completely eradicate it.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic, which took off in the U.S. in the early 1980s, is still very much a concern to doctors and public health officials, who say that federal funding is paramount to ending the illness.
Currently, there are federal programs that dole out money to states to help fund medication for those who already have HIV, but doctors and HIV/AIDS activists say that treating the disease after it’s already been contracted doesn’t do enough to stop its spread. Instead, they say there’s a need for federal funding for preventative medicine, which can be prohibitively expensive even for people with health insurance.
Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, who has long been an advocate for better healthcare funding in the U.S., introduced a bill in December that would give HIV doctors and activists what they’ve long been asking for.
Read more: https://www.minnpost.com/health/2022/01/why-tina-smith-is-trying-to-get-congress-to-do-more-to-prevent-not-just-treat-hiv-aids/
Why Tina Smith is trying to get Congress to do more to prevent -- not just treat -- HIV/AIDs
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has overtaken hospitals around the country as well as dominated the media, another decades-long epidemic has continued to exist despite access to medication that could completely eradicate it.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic, which took off in the U.S. in the early 1980s, is still very much a concern to doctors and public health officials, who say that federal funding is paramount to ending the illness.
Currently, there are federal programs that dole out money to states to help fund medication for those who already have HIV, but doctors and HIV/AIDS activists say that treating the disease after it’s already been contracted doesn’t do enough to stop its spread. Instead, they say there’s a need for federal funding for preventative medicine, which can be prohibitively expensive even for people with health insurance.
Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, who has long been an advocate for better healthcare funding in the U.S., introduced a bill in December that would give HIV doctors and activists what they’ve long been asking for.
Read more: https://www.minnpost.com/health/2022/01/why-tina-smith-is-trying-to-get-congress-to-do-more-to-prevent-not-just-treat-hiv-aids/
Minnesota GOP operative charged with sex trafficking minors claims feds targeted him
MINNEAPOLIS — Anton Lazzaro, the Minnesota GOP strategist charged last year with sex trafficking of minors, is arguing in a court filing that he's being singled out for prosecution due to his wealth and public profile and that the case against him should be dismissed.
Lazzaro also argued in the motion filed in U.S. District Court that he was not paying females for sex, but merely giving them expensive presents before they "hooked up."
Prosecutors have yet to file a motion in response to Lazzaro's arguments for why the case should be thrown out.
The 31-year-old Minneapolis entrepreneur, whose political ties sent a shock wave through the Minnesota GOP after his arrest last year, faces 10 charges related to trafficking minors and obstruction of justice.
Read more: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/minnesota/minnesota-gop-operative-charged-with-sex-trafficking-minors-claims-feds-targeted-him
Taiwan VP, in U.S., repeats accusation China blocked vaccine access
TAIPEI, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Taiwan Vice President William Lai used his final day in the United States to repeat an accusation that China blocked the island from obtaining COVID-19 vaccines last year, and to thank a U.S. lawmaker for her role in donating the inoculations.
Last May, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen accused China of blocking a deal with Germany's BioNTech SE (22UAy.DE) for COVID-19 vaccines, after Beijing offered the shots to the island via a Chinese company just as Taiwan was dealing with a rise in domestic infections.
Beijing has angrily denied trying to stop Taiwan getting vaccines, and also offered Chinese-developed shots which the island rejected, citing safety concerns. China claims Taiwan as its own territory.
Less than two weeks after Tsai's comments, Senator Tammy Duckworth, visiting Taipei with two other U.S. lawmakers, said the United States would donate 750,000 vaccine doses to Taiwan.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-vp-us-repeats-accusation-china-blocked-vaccine-access-2022-01-30/
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
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