The only thing that signaled to me was that its my appearance.. I think I was good at it. top: -1px; .key-messages li:last-child { margin-bottom: 0px;} Take a look back at her remarkable career at WHO 13. vertical-align: top; .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} background-color: #003388; The news was first published on the conservative website Iowa Field Report. } # Sonya Heitshusen - Bleeding Heartland font-size: 0.9em; Heitshusen, 54, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the stations parent company, Nexstar Media Group, Inc., alleging she was removed from the air because of her age and gender. display: block; 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. } In addition to Nexstar, the lawsuit names Peterson and general manager Bobby Totsch as defendants. line-height: 1.5em; 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. 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. Sonya Heitshusen - Ballotpedia 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. 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. The lawsuit also alleges that male anchors received more vacation time and more on-air recognition for journalism awards and that they were not judged by their appearances. "Where are all the women who are in TV broadcasting over 50? "That said, she is pleased that this matter is now behind her.". [1], .votebox { }, 100); Sonya Heitshusen defeated Tom Walton in the Democratic primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 28 on June 7, 2022. I have many. .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { height: 56px; vertical-align: top; Nexstar, which has characterized Heitshusen's firing as a reduction in its workforce, has faced other lawsuits in recent years from female reporters and anchors. 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. If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you. height: 100%; } color: #6db24f; This is also affecting our workforce. Heitshusen recounted. display: inline-block; I highly recommend it. break-inside: avoid-column; padding-bottom: 8px; display: flex; . Two Iowa TV news anchors arrested for drunk driving within one day of padding-left: 10px; Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. Will the Las Vegas MLB team be called the As? Former TV news anchor Sonya Heitshusen running for Iowa House They have a lot of great ideas. event.srcElement.innerText = '[show]'; Great Jones Cookware Review: Is It Worth Buying? Women are relevant after the age of 50. We also need to take measures to restore and protect Iowas land and natural resources for our farmers, our children, and future generations. a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } } Women are relevant after the age of 50. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { Police Report: Sonya Heitshusen Recklessly - Iowa Field Report display: inline-block; background-color: #f4f4f4; } } } @media (max-width:600px) { } According to the affidavit, the handgun involved in the incident, a black Glock 21, did . Her conviction resulted in her becoming the first woman to serve as President of the local school board. Following the 2022 redistricting, the new District 28 encompasses southeast Dallas County, including Van Meter, Adel, Boone and parts of West Des Moines. margin: 3px 0; .survey-result {padding:10px;} Heitshusen previously worked as a news anchor and reporter at WHO 13 and WOI in the Des Moines metro. The only thing that signaled to me was that its my appearance.. She was valedictorian of her class and earned music and academic scholarships to Valparaiso University but her father refused to let her attend. 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. margin: 0 5px; 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. padding: 2px; .race_header, .results_text, .results_table_container, .votebox_legend { padding-left: 0; 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. I recently read the book "The Choice" by Dr. Edith Eger. 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. top: 0px; Sonya Heitshusen Says Farewell After 17 Years at WHO 13 Growing up on a family farm and completing three Ironman races, I know the meaning of hard work. Please, Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2022. complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. color: white; } 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. } $('.showResponses').show(); In that report, police said Heitshusen "admitted to having a couple drinks prior to the incident. flex: 0 0 175px; Heitshusen, now public information officer . People once moved to Iowa because it offered excellent schools. Source. a report for the Auditors Office that showed an 890% increase in illegal denials of care by Managed Care Organizations in Iowa post-privatization. $('.pastResponses').show(); Heitshusen, 54, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday,. How to run for office | .leg-hnt-section-title { They are hard workers and can make a difference.". .votebox_bp_logo { position: relative; This is the official Facebook page of Sonya Heitshusen. padding-left: 10px; 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.
height: 50px; margin-top: 5px; 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." .votebox { .large-date { text-align: center; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600;} Ex-Iowa TV anchor hopes her age, gender bias lawsuit changes TV news They have a lot of great ideas. padding-bottom: 8px; .widget-row.Libertarian { Ex-Iowa anchor hopes her age bias lawsuit changes TV news font-weight: bold; } She admitted, though, that she fired the gun into the door but claims she shouldnt be held responsible. 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. width: 50%; $('.hideResponses').show(); font-size: 1.2em; Counties | In farewell segments, the NBC affiliate did not mention any reason for her departure. As first reported by Iowa Field Report, Heitshusenwho also serves the public information office for State Auditor Rob Sand was arrested this summer after she fired a handgun into her sliding glass door, sending the bullet across a busy city road. She said she was bringing the lawsuit to help spur a cultural shift in the industry that makes discrimination no longer acceptable. Court throws out Tirrell case against Gabus; Heitshusen - CITYVIEW width: 100%; } display: block; } 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. 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. Nexstar spokesman Gary Weitman declined comment, "as this is a matter of pending litigation.". 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. top: 2px; I read a book many years ago and one theme from the book stayed with me: Setting good public policy is the best thing someone can do for future generations. According to Heitshusens filings, the defendant [Heitshusen] mistakenly suggested November 3, 2022, but meant to request the following Thursday, November 10, 2022. .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { } }) padding-bottom: 7px; Heitshusen, a former WHO-TV news anchor, said in a. Democrat Sonya Heitshusen and Republican David Young are running in Iowa House District 28, an open seat in Dallas County . As first reported by Iowa Field Report, Heitshusenwho also serves the public information office for State Auditor Rob Sandwas arrested this summer after she fired a handgun into her sliding glass door, sending the bullet across a busy city road. It has to change. The youngest of six children, Sonya bailed hay and tended to livestock alongside her brothers. } } background-color: #6db24f; 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. column-gap: 1em; Why is Woke Big Tech secretly trying to change Iowas electric grid? If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. border-bottom: 1px solid grey; They're dismayed by the recent attacks on teachers and the false claims by some GOP lawmakers that educators have a "sinister agenda." 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. For more than 17 years, Sonya has dedicated herself to serving the community and being a friend to all of us. margin-right: 12px; 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. While seemingly a joke, the comment reflected a deeper truth that her age was a concern to management, it alleges. 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.