News

Sheldon, Iowa — A Sheldon woman has announced her candidacy for the Democrat nomination for Iowa’s 4th District District seat in the U.S. House of representatives.  That seat is currently held by seven-term Republican Steve King of Kiron.

Kim Weaver of Sheldon made her announcement at the Democrat’s Iowa Wing Ding Event, held Friday at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake.  Weaver is currently serving as Chair of the O’Brien County Democrats, and is a member of the Democrat State Central Committee, and was a delegate to the 2012 Democrat National Convention.

Weaver is employed by the Iowa Department of Aging as a Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

Weaver is currently the only Democrat to throw their hat into the ring for the 4th District nomination to face King in the 2016 general election.

Northwest Iowa — Iowa’s senior United States Senator is scheduled to make several stops in northwest Iowa later this month, during the congressional recess.

Senator Chuck Grassley will be holding town meetings in Osceola, Clay, Palo Alto, Dickinson and Emmet counties.  He’ll visit with constituents in the Education Room at the Osceola Community Hospital in Sibley at 7:30 am on Wednesday, August 26th.  Grassley will also hold town meetings in Spencer, Emmetsburg, Estherville and Spirit Lake on Thursday, August 27th.

Grassley visits each of Iowa’s 99 counties at least once each year.  These town hall meetings normally last for about an hour.

St. Paul, Minnesota — A recent change to Minnesota state law will have an affect on thousands of residents of other states, including Iowa.  Effective August 1st, Minnesota no longer honors Concealed Weapons Permits issued by the states of Utah, Missouri, Texas, or Wyoming.  Prior to August 1st, Minnesota had honored each of those states’ permits.

Minnesota has never honored Iowa Concealed Weapons Permits, and as a result many people who live in Iowa, but travel to Minnesota, obtained non-resident permits, mostly from the state of Utah, which allowed them to go armed when traveling in Minnesota.  However, Utah permits will no longer be honored in Minnesota.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, since 2003 their agency has been required to publish a list of states which have handgun carry permit laws that are not “substantially similar” to Minnesota’s Permit To Carry Law.  During the 2015 legislative session, a law was passed that changed the phrase “substantially similar” to simply “similar”.  As a result of the law change, the Minnesota DPS says they conducted a thorough review of all 50 states’ permit to carry laws to determine which are “similar” to Minnesota’s.

The DPS says that Utah was removed from the approved list because Utah does not require permit holders to demonstrate shooting proficiency, while Minnesota law does require range qualification.  The other three states, Missouri, Texas and Wyoming, were removed from the approved list due to laws in each state that allow some persons under the age of 21 to obtain a permit.  Minnesota requires permit holders to be at least 21 years of age.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says they will continue to annually review state laws governing the issuance of permits to carry weapons, and will post an updated list on their website each year.

The good news for Iowans and residents of other states who find themselves no longer able to carry in Minnesota is this; while the state of Minnesota no longer honors your Utah Non-Resident Permit, Minnesota Non-Resident Permits are available.