This Week in the Village: April 7-13

Catch up on the biggest headlines, videos and photos published by Little Village in the past week.

From eating at Hamburg Inn to digging into the issues: Beto O’Rourke makes his first campaign stop in Iowa City

Beto O’Rourke speaks to the press following a campaign event at the Iowa Memorial Union. Sunday, April 7, 2019. — Zak Neumann/Little Village

Published Monday, April 8

The music that blasted through the second-floor ballroom at the Iowa Memorial Union on Sunday was the first indication Beto O’Rourke was incorporating local color into his first campaign stop in Iowa City since declaring his candidacy last month. Instead of his standard walk-up music, “Clampdown” by The Clash, the former Texas congressman bounded onto the stage in the middle of the ballroom to a Hawkeye favorite, “Back in Black.” Continue reading…

Julián Castro, 2020 presidential candidate, will be at The Mill Sunday for a ‘Political Party Live’ interview

Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro speaking with supporters at a campaign rally for Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Garcia at Azukar Coffee in Phoenix, Arizona. — photo by Gage Skidmore

Published Tuesday, April 9

Former San Antonio mayor and current presidential candidate Julián Castro will sit down for an interview on the Political Party Live podcast recording live at The Mill on Sunday at 7 p.m. Castro is the fourth 2020 Democratic candidate to be interviewed by Political Party Live hosts Stacey Walker and Simeon Talley. Continue reading…

Grassley on Trump’s tax returns: ‘I don’t want to see them’

Video still of Sen. Chuck Grassley presiding over the Senate Judiciary Committee’s consideration of Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, Sept. 28, 2018.

Published Wednesday, April 10

During a Monday morning appearance on Fox News, Sen. Chuck Grassley was asked about the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee (or as the Fox host put it, “the Democrats”) requesting copies of President Trump’s tax returns from the IRS.

Grassley began his reply by pointing out that as chair of the Senate Finance Committee, he is also entitled to request the president’s tax returns. But he won’t.

“I don’t want to see them,” Grassley said. “I’m not going to request them.” Continue reading…

Kamala Harris in Iowa City: ‘Our fight is born out of what we know can be, unburdened by what has been’

Senator Kamala Harris speaks during a town hall style campaign event at the Iowa Memorial Union. Wednesday, April 10, 2018. — Zak Neumann/Little Village

Published Thursday, April 11

What wasn’t said at Sen. Kamala Harris’ town hall-style campaign event at the Iowa Memorial Union on Wednesday night was almost as interesting as what the 2020 presidential candidate did say. She never mentioned Donald Trump’s name or used the word “Republican.”

But the California Democrat wasn’t ignoring the impact of Trump’s actions or Republican policies. Continue reading…

Cycle for a ‘century’ at the first Trueblood 100 Family Bike Ride

Sand Lake at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area as seen from the trail. — Jordan Sellergren/Little Village

Published Friday, April 12

Casual bike riders and serious cyclists will have a new way to celebrate National Bike Month in Iowa City with the inaugural Trueblood 100 Family Bike Ride on Sunday, May 12. The event, announced by the Iowa City Department of Parks and Recreation on Friday, will have riders in teams of two or more pedaling along the trail around Sand Lake at the Terry Trueblood Recreation Area. Continue reading…

Dave Loebsack will not run for reelection in 2020

Representative Dave Loebsack speaks to the massive crowd on the Ped Mall. Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. — Zak Neumann/Little Village

Published Friday, April 12

Rep. Dave Loebsack announced on Friday that he will not run for reelection in 2020.

“I have enjoyed beyond my expectations serving the people of Iowa’s Second District for the past 13 years,” the Iowa City Democrat said in a statement.

Loebsack was first elected to Congress in 2006, when he defeated Jim Leach, a Republican who had served in the House of Representatives since 1977. Continue reading…