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Ernst tours derecho destruction

T-R photo by Thomas Nelson — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) talks with Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer and Iowa Veterans Home Commandant Timon Oujiri outside the city’s new police and fire building. She visited several parts of town devasted by the derecho last week.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) toured Marshalltown’s derecho devastation Tuesday afternoon.

It’s been more than a week since the storm first swept through Iowa and the Midwest knocking out power for thousands, destroying trees and damaging property. Ernst was guided by Mayor Joel Greer and Iowa Veterans Home Commandant Timon Oujiri around Marshalltown and at IVH.

“It’s very devastating, what we’ve seen all across Iowa, whether it is crop damage or actual physical structure within the communities that have been damaged,” Ernst said. “I have never seen anything like this in all my years growing up in Iowa.”

On Monday President Donald Trump approved a federal disaster declaration. The declaration provides public assistance, but there hasn’t been any individual assistance approved at the federal level.

“We do think that will be forthcoming,” Ernst said.

Earlier in the day Trump visited Cedar Rapids.

“He came out and heard from community members and leaders in Iowa about how devastating this storm has been to the entire state,” Ernst said. “The national attention that this brings is so important. The national media has not covered this and that’s so disappointing.”

The storm caused widespread power outages, and while a majority of those who lost power now have it, thousands still have homes without light and air conditioning.

“We know there are many residents without power,” Ernst said.

She met with Alliant Energy workers who were repairing a damaged power line on South Third Street.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) talks with Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer and Dee Brown, an Alliant worker, on South 3rd Street Tuesday afternoon. During her visit she met personally with several front line energy workers.

Ernst was able to visit because the U.S. Senate is currently in a recess. She wants to get support for a COVID-19 pandemic assistance bill done before she puts forward any bills to assist Iowans who were impacted by the derecho.

“In the process of doing that we’ll see additional dollars coming into Iowa,” Ernst said.

Ernst was focused on farmers around rural Iowa.

“We’ll make sure we have crop insurance,” she said. “Insurance has been a big part of this storm event.”

During Ernst’s visit she’s seen need all over Iowa from communities in the derecho’s path.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) talks with he Marshall County Emergency Management coordinator before touring Marshalltown. She visited several parts of town devasted by the derecho last week.

“There’s need in our food pantries and food assistance. There is need in clean-up activities and debris clean-up. There’s a need for medicines that need to be refrigerated,” she said.

Ernst did not see that there was anything that could be done differently in the wake of derecho to provide more support to Iowans.

“Every situation is going to be different and this happens to be a very difficult situation,” she said.

The derecho came as the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed hundreds of lives in Iowa and more than 170,000 across the nation. This year has brought on two emergency declarations to Marshalltown.

“It’s much more difficult to operate,” Ernst said. “You’re trying to operate safely and make sure that you’re not spreading the virus, but at the same time you have to work expeditiously to get power back up and get food to those that need it.”

Overall she was optimistic about how Iowans are handling the disaster.

“We will get through this, Iowans are pretty darn resolute,” Ernst said. “Iowans always come together in the worst possible scenarios.

“We are so blessed to be in a state where neighbors are helping neighbors,” she said.

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Contact Thomas Nelson at 641-753-6611 or tnelson@timesrepublican.com

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) meets Alliant Energy workers who were restoring repairing a power line on South 3rd Street. She shook each of their hands as they came to see her only briefly pausing from their duties.

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