border-top: 1px solid #aaa; font-size: .9em; display: inline-block; } Iowa has plummeted in education rankings. .votebox-results-cell--number { They need to be accessible and listen to the concerns of their constituents. padding: 2px 0; margin-bottom:16px; background-color: #db0000; div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } width: 350px; They are hard workers and can make a difference..

} }) Sonya Heitshusen, a Democrat who challenged Republican Rep. David Young in the 2022 election for West Des Moines-centered House District 28, was charged in June 2022 with reckless use of a. p.survey-response {margin-left:10px;} State and local courts | } An unsuccessful state legislative candidate and former Des Moines-area TV reporter and anchor has been ordered to complete a firearm safety class after being convicted of mishandling a handgun. .hideResponses { display: none;} word-wrap: break-word; We need to fight for laws and programs that protect working families and put them first and not big corporations. box-sizing: border-box; 1. background-color: #003388; A year after WHO-TV in Des Moines abruptly let her go, she is turning those skills on her former employer with a lawsuit challenging what she calls a widespread practice of removing older, female staffers from the air because of their looks. Heitshusen said she was blindsided in April 2020 when the stations news director, Rod Peterson, informed her that the station was exercising a clause in her contract to fire her without cause as a business decision. She said she was told the company valued her and might be able to find her a lower-paying digital position, but nothing on the air. } } # Sonya Heitshusen - Bleeding Heartland This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. font-size: 12px; Recreation Fund, which voters overwhelmingly approved in 2010. Who do you look up to? vertical-align: top; "It's Hard to be Essentially Forced Out" FTVLive The lawsuit alleges Heitshusen, 54, was thrown out to pasture because she was no longer seen as camera-worthy, after years in which she saw her male colleagues receive better treatment from management. School districts | This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Democratic Iowa House candidate charged with recklessly firing handgun, Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, Iowa primary elections: Sonya Heitshusen wins House District 28 Democratic primary, will face Republican David Young, Democratic Iowa House candidate charged with recklessly firing handgun. ap photo height: 22px; width: 35px !important; } Iowa House candidate charged after accidental shooting If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Public money should stay in public schools. .votebox-results-cell--check { Its time to turn the page on bitter, divisive politics and usher in a new era of civility, courage, and common sense. A company spokesman didnt immediately return a message seeking comment.The lawsuit seeks orders requiring Nexstar to pay Heitshusen unspecified damages and to take remedial actions, including training for management on gender and age stereotypes and an analysis of how female employees have been treated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Elections in 2023 | Heitshusen, 54, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday,. padding-bottom: 3px; padding-bottom: 7px; I will work with anyone who has the best interests of Iowans at heart. div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } Meanwhile, the suit claims that managers told Heitshusen she could not negotiate for more time off, that one once commented to her and another female anchor about losing weight, and that managers gave her more support for pursuing softer feature stories than investigative news, it claims. background-color: #db0000; I also believe elected officials need to be courageous. They have a lot of great ideas. Heitshusen, 54, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, against the station's parent company, Nexstar Media Group, Inc., alleging she was removed from the air because of her age and gender. Iowa voters established the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Fund in 2010 but lawmakers haven't figured out a way to fund it. Sonya grew up on a family farm in eastern Iowa near the Amana Colonies in Iowa County. You dont see women on TV with gray hair and wrinkles, she told The Associated Press last week. According to court records, she also must complete an online gun safety course as a condition of her probation. margin: 3px 0; This is also affecting our workforce. You dont see women on TV with gray hair and wrinkles, she told The Associated Press last week. } else { Ten years after treatment, my mother and father were the proud parents of six children. She quickly established herself as a fact-driven, truth-seeking anchor and investigative reporter devoted to giving a voice to the voiceless and uncovering injustices. Ex-Iowa anchor hopes her age bias lawsuit changes TV news Sonya Heitshusen is running for the Democratic nomination for Iowa House District 28, along with Tom Walton. .widget-row.heading { She is the recipient of numerous Emmy, Edward R. Murrow, and Eric Sevareid awards. Sonya Heitshusen, 55, of West Des Moines is running for Iowa House District 28, which includes parts of West Des Moines, Van Meter and Adel. It happened as I backed out of a grocery store parking space. He can be contacted atwrmorris2@registermedia.com, 715-573-8166 or on Twitter at@DMRMorris. document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content6450bb2a28ea0').classList.remove('leg-hnt-hide'); Sonya Heitshusen, former WHO 13 anchor, announces run for Iowa House max-height: 580px; Her career experience includes working as a communications director for the Iowa Auditor of State and a television anchor and investigative reporter. .leg-hnt-leadership { Heitshusen, 54, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday,. NEXT DOOR SAYS HI SUSANS FIRING SWA A REDUCTION IN WORKFORCE. who challenged Republican Rep. David Young, Gun safety taught at Iowa schools? Heitshusen left WHO-TV last summer after what the station called a remarkable 17-year stint in which she was a hard-hitting news reporter and an anchor also known for softer segments on fitness. "I thought, 'I'm good enough to work here but I'm not good enough to be on camera?'"

She said she was told the company valued her. width: 50px; We're now middle of the pack. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. A separate West Des Moines Police report said the gun belongs toHeitshusen's partner, a Des Moines police officer. ", More in September 2020:Another senior TV newswoman in Iowa, April Samp, cites gender bias in her firing, this time by WOI. .leg-hnt-flex-column { We must also commit to cleaning up our waterways. background-color: #f9f9f9; A year after WHO-TV in Des Moines abruptly let her go, she is turning those skills on her former employer with a lawsuit challenging what she calls a widespread practice of removing older, female staffers from the air because of their looks. Ex-candidate, TV anchor Sonya Heitshusen ordered to take safety class .widget-img { Sonya Heitshusen (@newzgirl) / Twitter You don't see women on TV with gray hair and wrinkles," she told The Associated Press last week. "Knowing my partner was leaving town for an extended period of time, I checked one of the firearms, and while checking it, an accidental discharge of the firearm occurred.". Sonya Heitshusen, 55, of West Des Moines is running for Iowa House District 28, which includes parts of West Des Moines, Van Meter and Adel. This is not the first time Nexstar has been issued lawsuits by female anchors and reporters. Hinson: Standing up for the Second Amendment, Rob Sand Kills Laura Belins Open Records Lawsuit. .infobox p { Lack of childcare is preventing women in particular from joining the workforce. Sonya Heitshusen was born in Marengo, Iowa. display: inline-block; overflow-y: hidden; font-weight: 300; height: 56px; event.srcElement.innerText = '[show]'; document.getElementById('leg-hnt-toggle6450bb2a28ea0').addEventListener('click', event => { We have a capacity for openness and candor in this state. margin-top: 1px; } The book details her time in the concentration camp but it's ultimately about forgiveness, healing, and transformation. Heitshusen is represented by Des Moines civil rights attorneys Tom Newkirk and Jill Zwagerman, who specialize in showing how implicit biases can impact the workplace and have won landmark cases in the past. color: #6db24f; top: 2px; While seemingly a joke, the comment reflected a deeper truth that her age was a concern to management, it alleges. letter-spacing: .03em; While Iowa women currently have a constitutional right to an abortion, Republicans have started the process of passing a constitutional amendment that would take away that right. .results_row td { Why is Woke Big Tech secretly trying to change Iowas electric grid? .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { $('.collapse').collapse('show'); padding-bottom: 8px; .results_row td:first-child { "Where are all the women who are in TV broadcasting over 50? width: 100%; Heitshusen said she was blindsided in April 2020 when the stations news director, Rod Peterson, informed her that the station was exercising a clause in her contract to fire her without cause as a business decision. She said she was told the company valued her and might be able to find her a lower-paying digital position, but nothing on the air. Iowa women deserve better. While seemingly a joke, the comment reflected a deeper truth that her age was a concern to management, it alleges. } "Where are all the women who are in TV broadcasting over 50? Sonya Heitshusen - Ballotpedia .contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} The report notes that Heitshusen had been drinking. break-inside: avoid-column; ap photo Sonya Heitshusen is pictured in 2020 in Des Moines, on one of her last days as a reporter and anchor for WHO-TV, an NBC affiliate. } Friday was Sonya Heitshusens final day at WHO 13. } .leg-hnt-responsive-columns { Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. The lawsuit alleges that Heitshusen faced numerous micro-aggressions over the years, as her bosses treated male anchors more favorably and her age ultimately became seen as a liability. } Company statistics show that nearly 80% of its managers last year were men. $('.collapse').collapse('hide'); Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. .non_result_row { color: black; My mother is my first role model. font-size: 16px; position: absolute; This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } Doing so would be a good first step to cleaning up our waterways, which in turn would attract more people to our state. } She sought treatment for infertility in the 1950s when options for women were few and far between. She earned a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University in 1992. color: #fff; overflow: hidden; We will miss you, Sonya! Sonya Heitshusen - Facebook 2023 www.desmoinesregister.com. font-size: 0.9em; The lawsuit claims she was "thrown out to pasture" because she was deemed no longer fit to appear on camera while male anchors at the station got higher pay, among other better treatment. What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder? .votebox_bp_logo { Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Sonya Heitshusen is pictured on July 29, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa, on one of her last days as a reporter and anchor for WHO-TV, an NBC affiliate. Most of that area is currently part of District 19 . display: inline-block; font-size: 90%; .race_header.green { I truly believe that by working hard and working together, almost anything is possible. top: 0px; She said she was devastated last August when she realized she could not report on the derecho, the powerful wind storm that ripped across the state. She said she was devastated last August when she realized she could not report on the derecho, the powerful wind storm that ripped across the state. position: relative; .widget-row.value-only.white { $('.showResponses').show(); }); What's on my ballot? 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She said she was devastated last August when she realized she could not report on the derecho, the powerful wind storm that ripped across the state. I highly recommend it. } Now, he has sanctioned a Chicago lawyer to "write and produce a training video in which" she, or a partner in her firm, "addresses the impropriety of unspecified 'form' objections, witness coaching, and excessive interruptions." . Women are relevant after the age of 50. In addition to Nexstar, the lawsuit names Peterson and general manager Bobby Totsch as defendants. We must finally put money into the Iowa Natural Resources and Outdoor Is there a story that youve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful? font-weight: 500; $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { It has to change. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well. font-weight: 200; .widget-key { line-height: 1.5em; } A year after WHO-TV in Des Moines abruptly let her go, she is turning those skills on her former employer with a lawsuit challenging what she calls a widespread practice of removing older, female staffers from the air because of their looks. "That said, she is pleased that this matter is now behind her.". According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Iowa dropped to 40th in the country in pay equity in 2020. I look forward to this matter being resolved quickly.". padding-bottom: 5px; Amazon Has Uncanny Dupes of CB2's Popular Dining Chair for Hundreds Less. Cities | Her career experience includes working as a communications director for the Iowa Auditor of State and a television anchor and investigative reporter. .race_header.libertarian { font-style: italic; } color: white; column-rule: 1px solid #aaa; In addition to the firearm charge, Heitshusen also is the plaintiff in a long-running civil case against WHO-TV owner Nexstar Media Group Inc. Heitshusen sued the station for age and gender discrimination in 2021, alleging WHO fired her due to widespread bias against placing older women in on-air positions.