Alex Jinkinson Opens Up To KIWA

Alex Jinkinson 2Sheldon, Iowa — Over the past few months we’ve been telling you about a Sheldon native who was born without a specific gender identity, who had that situation corrected earlier this summer.

Alex Jinkinson will be the subject of a People Magazine article later this fall that will describe her personal journey, as well as her music.  Jinkinson sat down with KIWA’s Tom Traughber, and talked about what it’s been like on her journey from Sheldon, Iowa to the national spotlight, including her recent gender assignment surgery.

Jinkinson says that a lot has happened in the past four months.

She says that prior to this June, she had been an extremely private person.

Jinkinson said that undergoing gender assignment surgery really wasn’t a choice for her.

In addition to the upcoming piece in People Magazine, Jinkinson has a new single and music video set for launch.  She tells us about that song.

Jinkinson says she is truly humbled by the support she’s received, and continues to receive from the people of northwest Iowa.

Jinkinson says her People Magazine article, along with her single and video, will be released later this fall.

 

Here is KIWA’s complete interview with Alex Jinkinson:


Grassley To Visit Northwest Iowans

grassley-photo-officialNorthwest 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.


Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Road

plane airplane clipartArnolds Park, Iowa — A small airplane made an emergency landing on a Dickinson County blacktop after running out of fuel early Thursday evening.

The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office says they received multiple calls around 6 pm Thursday about a small airplane on County Blacktop A31, east of Arnolds Park.  They say one of the calls was from the Storm Lake Airport advising that the airplane had to make an emergency landing.

Dickinson County authorities identify the pilot as John Walker of Waterloo.  They say Walker was able to land the airplane safely.  The road was closed long enough for Walker to get some fuel.  After refueling the airplane, he continued on to the Okoboji Airport.


Concealed Weapons Carriers: Minnesota Will No Longer Honor Your Utah Permit

handgun gunSt. 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.


Ocheyedan Days Of Olde This Weekend

tractor pullOcheyedan, Iowa — The summer festivals continue this weekend with the Days of Olde celebration in Ocheyedan, Friday through Sunday.

The celebration begins Friday night with Kid’s canoeing and archery at the Ocheyedan Sandpit from 5 to 7 pm.  The Great Plains Tractor Pull begins at 7:00 Friday night, with Karaoke at the Corner Club from 9 to 1.

Saturday is the big day of Ocheyedan’s Days of Olde.  The 5k Walk/Run gets underway at the City Park in Ocheyedan, with registration at 7:30 am, and the run starting at 8:00.  Parade registration begins at 9 o’clock Saturday morning, with the Days of Olde Parade starting at 10:00.

There will be a “Home of The Mound Wine and Arts Festival” in the City Park from 10 am to 4 pm Saturday.  Homemade pie and ice cream will be available at the Senior Activity Center after the parade, with a Kids Pedal Pull at the Tennis Courts after the parade.  Also on tap Saturday will be an Antique Tractor Pull at 11:30, Kids inflatables in the City Park from noon to 4, Co-ed Slow Pitch Softball Tournament at noon, with the Northwest Tractor Pullers & Central Plains Truck Pullers beginning at 6 pm.  Saturday is capped off with a street dance from 9 to 1.

The festivities wrap up on Sunday with a Bean Bag Tournament at 2 pm in the City Park.

It’s all going on this weekend, Friday through Sunday, during the Days of Olde Celebration in Ocheyedan.


Sheldon School Board Hears About All-Star Community Designation

Sheldon-Schools-logoSheldon, Iowa — At the regular August meeting of the Board of Education of Sheldon Community Schools, Superintendent Robin Spears updated the Board on Sheldon being named a 2015 All-Star Community by the Iowa League of Cities.  Spears told the Board that the School District’s partnership with the City of Sheldon on the new Joint Community Sports Complex was cited by the League of Cities in Sheldon’s designation.  The City will be recognized at an awards banquet to be held in Cedar Rapids in September.  The letter notifying of Sheldon being named a 2015 All-Star Community can be viewed by clicking here.

Spears also previewed the District’s new website with the Board at Wednesday night’s meeting.  The website, which is still under construction, will replace the current website, and will have a completely different web address than the current site.

In other action, the Board approved a litany of Open Enrollment Applications, including two students who will be going from the Sheldon District to Sibley-Ocheyedan, five who will be going from Sheldon to Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn, and two each to George-Little Rock and Boyden-Hull.

The Board approved a trio of employment contracts for the 2015-16 school year on Wednesday night.  Daphne Feekes will serve as Dance Team Sponsor at a salary of $2,100, Kevin White will be Middle School Football Coach at a salary of $2,345, and Katie Morris will serve as Middle School Volleyball Coach at a salary of $2,345.

The Board also approved the Regular Bus Routes for the 2015-16 school year.  You can view these routes by clicking the links below:

Bus Route #1 – Boender

Bus Route #2 – Jones

Bus Route #6 – Roelfs

Bus Route #7 – Wolthuizen

Bus Route #9 – Meyer

Bus Route #10 – Jinkinson