Latest news with #Mohr
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iowa House and Senate Republicans reach budget agreement
The rotunda in Iowa Capitol as seen May 8, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Majority-party lawmakers in the Legislature have reached a budget agreement, House Republicans announced Thursday, signaling the 2025 legislative session is nearing an end. In a news release, House and Senate Republicans released the spending figures from their budget agreement — a total of $9.425 billion in state appropriations for fiscal year 2026. The compromise is $28 million less than the House Republicans' initial budget target and $8 million more than Senate Republicans and Gov. Kim Reynolds' target released in April. The road to reach an agreement included some public disputes between GOP legislative leaders and the governor over specific budget items. One of the major points of contention was $14 million in pay for paraeducators and other school staff that was first allocated in the 2024 law making changes to Iowa's Area Education Agencies. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rep. Gary Mohr, R-Bettendorf, the House Appropriations Chair, said the budget agreement will provide this funding for paraeducator pay, alongside some other House GOP funding priorities, through the Sports Wagering Fund. The state fund is where taxes on sports betting and internet fantasy sports are collected — which currently contains more than $40 million. The one-time spending from this pool will go to these budget items for the fiscal year, Mohr said, with the expectation that spending on these programs will come from the state's general fund in future years when revenues increase. The allocation from the Sports Wager Fund comes on top of commitments to draw from the state's reserves and Taxpayer Relief Fund already expected for the upcoming fiscal year, as the budget comes in above projected state revenues. The state's general fund is expected to collect $8.5 billion in FY 2026, according to the Iowa Revenue Estimating Conference in March, driven in part by cuts to the state income tax and federal financial uncertainty. Mohr said he believes spending of these one-time funds will not put the state in a bad position heading into future years, as state revenue is expected to increase. The state's reserves — totaling more than $6 billion — were factored into the decision to make income tax cuts in 2024, he said. 'If you look back at the history of Iowa revenue, we expect over time, revenue will increase much faster than state spending,' Mohr said. 'So again, while we knew we were going to (need) to take dollars out of the savings accounts, we don't expect that to continue for five or 10 years. Yes, we knew it was going to be necessary for the first few years, but we expect state revenues will be sufficiently higher in the out years to offset, so we're not continually taking money out of the reserve savings.' Reynolds released a statement Thursday supporting the budget agreement. 'As I've said for the last few weeks, my priority with the budget is maintaining fiscal discipline and putting Iowa taxpayers first,' the governor said. 'This agreement among all three parties does just that, and I want to thank Republican leadership in both the House and the Senate for coming together to keep Iowa on a strong and fiscally sustainable path.' The House Appropriations Committee passed several spending bills Thursday afternoon that reflected the compromise reached between the chambers. The education appropriations bill, House Study Bill 337, included $7.5 million for community colleges, lower than the $8 million proposed by House Republicans but still 'about $7.5 million more than what the Senate initially wanted to do,' Rep. Austin Harris, R-Moulton, said. GOP budget agreement gives increase to community colleges but not state universities The House bills for the administration and regulation budget, House Study Bill 343, and for the agriculture and natural resources budget, House Study Bill 338, were also passed in the committee meeting. Democrats expressed frustration with the changes made through the compromise, saying they preferred House Republicans' initial spending proposal. Rep. Sean Bagniewski, D-Des Moines, praised Rep. Norlin Mommsen, R-DeWitt, who ran the subcommittee for the agriculture and natural resources appropriations bill, for including and answering questions about Democrats' and advocates' wants and concerns during the budgeting process. 'This is certainly not what we would have put together as Democrats for this budget, but I just want to express my appreciation for the process that he laid out for this,' Bagniewski said. There are still several appropriations bills left, including the standings bill that contains paraeducator pay, and the health and human services budget bill. Mohr told the committee he is expecting to have another committee meeting Monday, but House Republican staff confirmed they do not plan to meet Friday or over the weekend to wrap up session. While House lawmakers will not be back until next week, senators are scheduled to hold floor debate Friday. On the tentative debate calendar are several budget bills. Also on the schedule is House File 639 — the bill passed earlier this year by the House that combined several earlier measures aimed at the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. It would raise requirements for pipeline operators, change the definition of a common carrier eligible for eminent domain, and add new requirements surrounding the Iowa Utilities Commission. The measure was passed through the committee process in the Senate with Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, recommending a significant amendment, but it has not come to the floor. The Senate has not brought up legislation related to pipelines or eminent domain for debate in several previous sessions, though such measures have passed with bipartisan support in the House. But this year, there's more pressure for the Senate to bring the bill up for debate. In a letter to Senate leadership, 12 GOP senators pledged to oppose any budget bills unless House File 639 is brought up for debate. While the eminent domain legislation is on the calendar, this does not guarantee the bill will be brought up. However, without the support of the 12 Republican senators, the budget bills are unlikely able to pass. With 16 'no' votes from Democrats who are expected to oppose most Republican spending proposals, legislation will be unable to reach the needed 26 votes. Sen. Kevin Alons, R-Salix, one of the letter's signers, told the Iowa Capital Dispatch it 'absolutely is still the intent' of the 12 GOP senators who signed the letter to vote against appropriations bills unless eminent domain legislation is brought up for debate, and that he thinks there's 'resolution to stick with it' within the group. He said he cannot confirm the pipeline bill will come up Friday when the chamber is scheduled for debate, but that 'if we retain enough support to stop the budget, then it needs to be brought up.' 'I am optimistic that there's a recognition that the issue needs to be addressed,' Alon said. 'And this is the bill in front of us. … I think it's going to come to a vote. It's just — I don't know if it's tomorrow, I don't know if it's next week. I don't know when that is for certain.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Address confirmation notices sent to Oklahoma voters
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — More than 350,000 Oklahoma voters should be on the lookout for 'address confirmation notices.' 'It's extremely important for people to respond to that address confirmation notice because it helps us ensure that those voter registration rolls are clean and accurate,' said Misha Mohr with the Oklahoma State Election Board. LOCAL NEWS: State Elections leaders aim for compliance on voter registration By law, the board is required to send the notices out to voters every two years. 'Those voters are people who have maybe had a first-class mailing return that's undeliverable to their county election board,' said Mohr. 'It could be a duplicate registration in another county or another state, it could be someone who hasn't participated in a federal general election during the past two.' Mohr said voters have 60 days to respond. 'Voters who do not respond and confirm their address within the allotted time period will be designated as 'inactive,' and are required by law to be removed from the voter rolls after the 2028 General Election,' said the election board. ''Inactive' voters can reverse their status and avoid removal by updating their voter registration or by voting in any election on or before the 2028 General Election.' The quickest way to respond is online, through the Oklahoma Voter Portal. You can also fill out the card and mail it back to the state election board. 'Remember, not everyone will receive an address confirmation notice,' said Mohr. 'However, if you do, we want you to respond as quickly as possible.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Irish Daily Star
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Star
I held a $3000 diamond-encrusted 'Tiffany' gun - and here's how it was made
After holding this gun, I'm totally ready to star in the sequel of the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's, which should be called Handguns at Tiffany's. That's right, during my time at the National Rifle Association annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia , I discovered a 'Tiffany' handgun. While the pistol itself is not made by the famed jeweler , the weapon means those simply passing by have to do a double-take. The gun , which boasts the robin's egg blue color most associated with the luxury brand, took only about a day to make, according to its manufacturer, San Antonio Laser Engraving. Shane Mohr, SA Laser Engraving's vice president of operations, said that the gun was initially debuted earlier this year during another gun-related event. "We engraved it, coated it, and robin's egg glue to match Tiffany. So we engraved it with the Tiffany logo, all of that," Mohr told The Irish Star. Read More Related Articles Melania's passive-aggressive two-word response to Trump as they land in Italy for Pope's funeral Read More Related Articles Donald Trump branded 'disgusting' as he honors Pope Francis in 'baffling' way Somehow in the massive pile of guns at the the NRA meeting in Georgia, I managed to find a $3,000 Tiffany gun. (Image: Jack Hobbs) "The diamonds were actually set with a laser," Mohr added. "The laser engraver uses a 3D step pile and actually cuts out, and it holds in. And then a little bit of gold plating right on the top around the flowers." According to Mohr, the entire process took only 36 hours of yes, it actually shoots live rounds. The gun also has a stunning silver pattern that runs the length of the gun and continues down the hand grip (Image: Jack Hobbs) The gun has a stunning silver pattern that runs the length of the gun and continues down the hand grip. Featuring a silver trigger that complements the cyan color, the gun also has the iconic heart-shaped logo reading "Please return to Tiffany and Co. New York, 975." While it is not available to the general public, it is estimated that the gun and ammunition would cost a hopeful buyer around $3,300. Mohr told the outlet that they have actually pitched their design to Tiffany and hope that the jeweler will start selling it. Shane Mohr, SA Laser Engraving's vice president of operations, said that the gun took 36 hours to make (Image: Jack Hobbs) "We pitch our designs to everybody," Mohr commented. "And then we will collaborate." A quick investigation by The Star revealed that Tiffany actually began producing handguns in the 1880s by taking delivery of standard-issue Smith & Wesson handguns and transforming them into one-off works of art. Featuring a silver trigger that complements the cyan color, the gun also has the iconic heart-shaped logo reading "Please return to Tiffany and Co. New York, 975." (Image: Jack Hobbs) Each gun was clad in silver and etched with intricate designs. Finally, the guns were studded with various types of jewels. It was also reported that no two Tiffany handguns were the same. 'So far as we know, the guns never killed anybody,' says Pierre Terjanian, the head of the Arms and Armor department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York told CNN. 'They were produced to symbolize the potency of American manufacturing and craftsmanship, and were created using techniques that nobody else could equal.' 'Tiffany took Wild West symbolism and combined it with high-quality craftsmanship. It confirmed that Tiffany was an American firm with global ambitions, which could do things that nobody else could," Terjanian added. Currently, seven of the guns reside in the MOMA, where they form the centerpiece of a few of the exhibits.
New York Times
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Tim Mohr, DJ and German Translator Who Ghostwrote Paul Stanley's Memoir, Dies at 55
Tim Mohr, an American who worked as a disc jockey and freelance writer in Berlin in the 1990s, diving deep into the city's fervent post-Communist underground, before using his experiences to turn out sensitive, award-winning English translations of works by up-and-coming German writers, died on March 31 at his home in Brooklyn. He was 55. His wife, Erin Clarke, said the cause was pancreatic cancer. Mr. Mohr arrived in Germany in 1992 with a yearlong grant to teach English. He did not speak a word of German, so the program sent him to Berlin, a melting pot of cultures where English was often the second language. He stayed for six years. By day, he worked as a journalist for local English-language magazines, including the Berlin edition of Time Out; at night, he was a D.J. in the city's ever-expanding club scene. He later remarked that his time spent traveling among Berlin's many underground subcultures gave him a thorough education in a form of street German that set him up to work as a translator. One of his first major translation projects, in 2008, was 'Feuchtgebiete' ('Wetlands'), a sexually explicit coming-of-age novel by Charlotte Roche packed with raunchy, idiomatic slang that only someone with Mr. Mohr's background could render in English. 'I read the book for the eventual U.S. publisher when they were considering buying the rights,' he told The Financial Times in 2012. 'And I said to the editor, 'You know, you'll be hard pressed to find an academic translator who is as familiar with terminology related to anal sex as a former Berlin club D.J. is.'' Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
One injured in single-car Shawnee Township crash
Apr. 14—SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP — A man was injured after crashing his vehicle on state Route 117 near Wonderlick Road on Monday, April 7, according to a Shawnee Township Police Department crash report. Brandon Mohr, 33, was traveling eastbound around 9:13 p.m. when his 2013 Hyundai Elantra crossed the center line and went off the left side of the road. The vehicle continued into a ditch, striking a road sign and a gas meter, according to the crash report. The crash caused disabling front-end damage to the car. Mohr was transported to Mercy Health-St. Rita's Medical Center for suspected serious injuries. According to the crash report, Mohr was charged with operation without reasonable control. Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351 Featured Local Savings
