color: white; } background-color: red; "It has to change. This is the official Facebook page of Sonya Heitshusen. .results_text { Its time to turn the page on bitter, divisive politics and usher in a new era of civility, courage, and common sense. 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. Federal courts | What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? The American people are fed up with untruths and lies. display: inline; You dont see women on TV with gray hair and wrinkles, she told The Associated Press last week. The views and content on this page are the Sonya Heitshusen | Des Moines IA .non_result_row div { } A native Iowan told me his sister would like to return to Iowa to teach but it would mean a $20,000 pay cut. 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. Heitshusen entered what is called an Alford plea, meaning she maintained her innocence but conceded the state had sufficient evidence to convict her and wished to take advantage of the plea deal. width: 100%; I vow to listen. The minimum wage in our state remains $7.25 per hour the lowest of any neighboring state while Illinois's minimum wage is $12 per hour and Minnesota's is $10 per hour. "I thought, 'I'm good enough to work here but I'm not good enough to be on camera?'" Sonya Heitshusen is running for the Democratic nomination for Iowa House District 28, along with Tom Walton. Lack of childcare is preventing women in particular from joining the workforce. padding-top: 8px; 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. NEXT DOOR SAYS HI SUSANS FIRING SWA A REDUCTION IN WORKFORCE. 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. padding-top: 5px; .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { } .mw-content-ltr td.votebox-results-cell--text, Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. padding-bottom: 0px; Were now middle of the pack, in large part because lawmakers have underfunded education for a decade. background-color: green; } Where are all the women who are in TV broadcasting over 50? }. font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em; SCOTUS Now Just Another Congressional Committee, Trump Ramps up Attacks on DeSantis: 'Dropping Like a Rock', Russian Strikes on Pavlohrad Aim to Hamper Ukraine's Counteroffensive, Greg Abbott Criticized for Response to Texas Shooting: 'A New Low', Democrat Sold First Republic Stock, Bought JP Morgan Before Collapse, Conservative Influencers Struggle With Countering Biden's Messaging. Iowa has plummeted in education rankings. Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. left: 0; 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. Women are relevant after the age of 50. } 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. padding-left: 10px; margin: 8px auto; Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. "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.". Is there a story that youve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful? .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} .expand-all:hover, .collapse-all:hover {cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;} font-size: 90%; font-size: 12px; Sonya Heitshusen - Ballotpedia 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. ", "No one was hurt and no property was damaged other than my own," Heitshusen said in her statement. All rights reserved. For more than 17 years, Sonya has dedicated herself to serving the community and being a friend to all of us. I assisted on For more than 17 years, Sonya has dedicated herself to serving the community and being a friend to all of us. .votebox-results-cell--check { Ex-TV Anchor Files Age Discrimination Suit Against Nexstar Media Dec 2 #OTD in 1938, the first Kindertransport arrived in Great Britain. Court records show Heitshusen on Thursday pleaded to a reduced charge of reckless use of firearm with no injury or property damage, a simple misdemeanor. .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper { } Irecently forgot that I have a neck. } margin-top: 5px; If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. } It has to change. .leg-hnt-responsive-columns { } Thats for a family of four with both adults working. }. Ex-Iowa anchor hopes her age bias lawsuit changes TV news Both men feel less welcome because of their sexual orientation. Police Report: Sonya Heitshusen Recklessly - Iowa Field Report Ten years after treatment, my mother and father were the proud parents of six children. .leg-hnt-district-number { color: #888; Sonya is most proud of her investigative work that resulted in real change for Iowans. margin-bottom:0px; The youngest of six children, Sonya bailed hay and tended to livestock alongside her brothers. } That includes investments in affordable housing, reliable internet access, and student loan forgiveness for healthcare providers who commit to residing in underserved communities for a specified period. You dont see women on TV with gray hair and wrinkles, she told The Associated Press last week. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. Heitshusen said she was blindsided in April of 2020 when the station's 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." Above, Donald Trump, as a Republican presidential candidate, speaks with moderator Dave Price of WHO-TV during a town hall meeting at Des Moines Area Community College Newton Campus on November 19, 2015, in Newton, Iowa. border-radius: 50%; float: left; .votebox-results-cell--number { I thought, Im good enough to work here but Im not good enough to be on camera? 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. Traditionally, Iowa has been one of the most progressive states in the country. max-width: 600px; $('.pastResponses').hide();

} .widget-row.Libertarian { The only thing that signaled to me was that its my appearance.. padding-bottom: 8px; who challenged Republican Rep. David Young, Gun safety taught at Iowa schools? background-color: #db0000; text-align: center; This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. font-weight: bold; } } Sonya Heitshusen and Tom Walton are competing for the Democratic nomination for Iowa House District 28. . border: 1px solid #999; Counties | font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; 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. } The late former Governor Robert Ray, a champion of these core, Iowa values, made the case for bipartisanship and hope in his inaugural address in 1975, a time when the Governor and the legislature, and much of the country were politically divided. ", More: Iowa primary elections: Sonya Heitshusen wins House District 28 Democratic primary, will face Republican David Young. } Sonya Heitshusen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. SHEED FIL THE LAWSUIT TODAY AGAINST THE STAONTI AND ITS OWNER THE NEXT STAR MEDIA GROUP. Nexstar spokesman Gary Weitman declined comment, as this is a matter of pending litigation.. background-color: #ccf; Judge Cobb has scheduled a hearing on the recusal request for October 18, but Heitshusen is asking the court to reschedule the hearing for November 10, two days after the election. State lawmakers approved redistricting maps in 2021 that mean much of current House District 19, which is now . ' recounted Heitshusen, who was the oldest female anchor in the stations history. Ballotpedia features 408,503 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. You don't see women on TV with gray hair and wrinkles," Heitshusen told AP last week. letter-spacing: 0.03em; .leg-hnt-flex-item { We need to address systemic biases holding women back . How to vote | } top: 0px; "That said, she is pleased that this matter is now behind her.". .results_table { 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. .leg-hnt-leadership { float: right; Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. Nexstar spokesman Gary Weitman declined comment, "as this is a matter of pending litigation.". letter-spacing: 0.03em; Hinson: Standing up for the Second Amendment, Rob Sand Kills Laura Belins Open Records Lawsuit. She said she was bringing the lawsuit to help spur a cultural shift in the industry that makes discrimination no longer acceptable. font-weight: bold; .clearfix { Women are relevant after the age of 50. ul.key-messages {list-style-type: none; margin-left:10px; } .inner_percentage.Green { 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. [1], .votebox { Public money should stay in public schools. What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade? She said she was bringing the lawsuit to help spur a "cultural shift" in the industry that makes discrimination no longer acceptable. 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.

, See also:Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2022. column-rule: 1px solid #aaa; She said she was devastated last August. } .votebox_legend { Company statistics show that nearly 80% of its managers last year were men. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Seven-year-old Dorrith Oppenheim arrived in July 1939. While seemingly a joke, the comment reflected a deeper truth that her age was a concern to management, it alleges. a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. width: 57%; @media (max-width:600px) { | } How a bipartisan bill could make it happen, I immediately thought it must be the way I look, Sonya Heitshusen says of leaving WHO, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy.