overflow-y: auto; padding-bottom: 8px; Anchor the 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM newscasts at WHO-TV. Sonya is now the Director of Communications for the Auditor of State Office and assists on performance and investigative reports conducted by the Auditors Office. color: #fff; background-color: #dac113; } I thought, Im good enough to work here but Im not good enough to be on camera? recounted Heitshusen, who was the oldest female anchor in the stations history. In farewell segments, the NBC affiliate did not mention any reason for her departure.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. https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Sonya_Heitshusen&oldid=8819092, Iowa House of Representatives candidate, 2022, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. They're dismayed by the recent attacks on teachers and the false claims by some GOP lawmakers that educators have a "sinister agenda." This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. @media (max-width:600px) { .widget-value { .results_text { Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. padding: 2px 0; 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." . "I thought, 'I'm good enough to work here but I'm not good enough to be on camera?'" $(".expand-all").on('click', () => { width: 50px; What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? background-color: #ccf; overflow-x: scroll; display: flex; } } }. 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 . border: 1px solid #999; David Young defeated Sonya Heitshusen in the general election for Iowa House of Representatives District 28 on November 8, 2022. The youngest of six children, Sonya bailed hay and tended to livestock alongside her brothers. color: black; Cities | } Democrat Sonya Heitshusen and Republican David Young are running in Iowa House District 28, an open seat in Dallas County . Women are relevant after the age of 50. .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { 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. color: #0645ad; We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Heitshusen has been affiliated with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Team Run Free, the Central Iowa Shelter and Services, One Iowa, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Ankeny YMCA, and the Alzheimers Association. break-inside: avoid-column; .race_header { $('#candidate-connection-email-117956').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-email'); }); .leg-hnt-section-title { Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. display: flex; She said she was devastated last August. Examples include lifting the ban on same-sex marriage in 2009 and the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919 (the 10th state to do so). 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. } We need to ensure women maintain reproductive rights. All rights reserved. In farewell segments, the NBC affiliate did not mention any reason for her departure. As a journalist, I know the importance of listening to all parties and the importance of using facts to find the truth. We need to fight for laws and programs that protect working families and put them first and not big corporations. I look forward to this matter being resolved quickly.". SHNOWE SOUNDS A PUBLIC INFORMATIO. 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. width: 150px; background-color: #f4f4f4; Growing up on a family farm and completing three Ironman races, I know the meaning of hard work. div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } $(".collapse-all").on('click', () => { We must also provide incentives to attract healthcare providers to underserved areas in our state. Nexstar, which has characterized Heitshusens firing as a reduction in its workforce, has faced other lawsuits in recent years from female reporters and anchors. "Ms. Heitshusen maintains her innocence. People have also expressed concern that legislation recently passed is creating an "unwelcoming" environment in Iowa. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KCCI-TV. Contact our sales team. 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. p.survey-response {margin-left:10px;} } We also need to take measures to restore and protect Iowas land and natural resources for our farmers, our children, and future generations. $('.pastResponses').show(); flex: 0 0 175px; font-weight: bold; display: inline-block; background-color: red; Nexstar spokesman Gary Weitman declined comment, "as this is a matter of pending litigation.". font-weight: bold; Ten years after treatment, my mother and father were the proud parents of six children. Lack of childcare is preventing women in particular from joining the workforce. No one person or party has all the answers. 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 firearm after police said she accidently fired a shot through a sliding glass door in her home. } padding-top: 8px; "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.". WHO-TV longtime Investigative Reporter and Anchor Sonya Heitshusen says that she was dumped by the Nexstar station and she says she thinks it was the station saw her as too old to be a woman on TV. 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.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. 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. .votebox-results-metadata { } The Privatization of Medicaid is not working for many individuals, especially the most vulnerable Iowans. 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. } display: block;

Doing so would be a good first step to cleaning up our waterways, which in turn would attract more people to our state. width: 57%; Counties | Traditionally, Iowa has been one of the most progressive states in the country. It has to change. } font-weight: 300; Sonya was also instrumental in shutting down an organization that mistreated and neglected individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. As a result, Iowans wont know until next year what Heitshusen said to the police or what other admissions she made when they interviewed her. .results_table_container { Most of that area is currently part of District 19 . 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. Iowa women deserve better. justify-content: center; 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. For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below. } background-color: #ccc; I truly believe that by working hard and working together, almost anything is possible. display: block; .results_table { What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder? .results_row td { $('.hideResponses').hide(); display: none; height: 100%; color: white; }

, Iowa House of Representatives District 28. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; .leg-hnt-container { The lawsuit recounts an incident in which Peterson told the newsroom that Heitshusen had a reaction to the shingles vaccine but that others need not worry because only her advanced age caused her to need the shot in the first place. document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content6450bb2a28ea0').classList.remove('leg-hnt-hide'); top: 0px; .race_header.green { font-size: 2em; According to Heitshusens filings, the defendant [Heitshusen] mistakenly suggested November 3, 2022, but meant to request the following Thursday, November 10, 2022. I thought, Im good enough to work here but Im not good enough to be on camera? recounted Heitshusen, who was the oldest female anchor in the stations history. Former Iowa anchor hopes her lawsuit changes TV news, PVACCINATEDEW N AT FIVE OF FORME LONG-TIME DWAYNE TELEVISION NEWS ANCHOR AND REPORTER IS SUING HER FORMER STATION CLAIMING. z-index:1; max-height: 580px; 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. Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} } } They are hard workers and can make a difference.. font-style: italic; In addition to Nexstar, the lawsuit names Peterson and general manager Bobby Totsch as defendants. A Democratic Iowa House candidate has been charged with reckless use of a firearm after police say she shot a gun through a sliding glass door in her home last week. margin-bottom: 4px; background-color: #003388; $('.showResponses').show(); left: 0px; Poverty in America estimates the livable wage in Iowa is $23.88 per hour. ap photo .race_header, .results_text, .results_table_container, .votebox_legend { 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. She desperately wanted children and refused to give up. 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. Sonya Heitshusen was born in Marengo, Iowa. font-weight: bold; I strongly believe compromise is necessary. While seemingly a joke, the comment reflected a deeper truth that her age was a concern to management, it alleges. top: -1px; text-align: center; (WHO-TV/Polk County Sheriff's Office) An award-winning news anchor was arrested for. This saddens me. I have many. State and local courts | clearInterval(nTimer); background-color: #f9d334; These rescue missions would save thousands of mostly Jewish children from an uncertain fate in Nazi Germany. .leg-hnt-toggle-text { font-size: 12px; } She will face Republican David Young, a former U.S. representative, in the Nov.8 general election. background-color: #f9f9f9; height: 50px; $('.collapse').collapse('show'); .race_header.libertarian { .infobox { I assisted on Heitshusen filed an age and gender discrimination lawsuit Tuesday against WHO-TVs parent company, Nexstar Media Group, Inc., which calls itself Americas largest local television and media company, with 199 stations. Nexstar spokesman Gary Weitman declined comment, "as this is a matter of pending litigation.". }) 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. It has to change. The lawsuit also alleges that male anchors received higher pay, more vacation time and more on-air recognition for journalism awards, and that they were not judged by their appearances. According to the County Attorneys Office, the nieces role in the Heitshusen campaign creates a conflict of interest for which the judges impartiality might be reasonably questioned. 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. The bullet went through the glass of Heitshusen's sliding glass door, police said. } Public policy. They're moving out of the state because one man is a teacher, who feels his profession is under attack. In that report, police said Heitshusen "admitted to having a couple drinks prior to the incident. It happened as I backed out of a grocery store parking space. font-size: 0.9em; I'm running to build a better Iowa for future generations. ", The police complaint states that Heitshusen told law enforcement officers "that as she was placing the handgun onto the kitchen table, she pulled the trigger, discharging it. margin: 0 5px; Company statistics show that nearly 80% of its managers last year were men.Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career.
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