DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad says a Democratic effort to hold a special legislative session to override his budget vetoes will not succeed. Democratic leaders in the Iowa Senate announced Monday that they were formally reaching out to members to see if they will support a special session. Branstad vetoed several key budget compromises, including nearly $56 million in one-time funding for education.

But Branstad said Monday that lawmakers will not be able to get the necessary support from two-thirds of members for such a session. He said Republicans would not want to come back for a fight on education funding. Branstad said he was exercising fiscal restraint and that the state was making other education investments. He also said schools will have to look at ways to be more efficient.

The City Council in Massena will hold a regular session this (Monday) evening, at City Hall. Prior to the start of the 7-p.m. meeting: a Veteran’s Park meeting will be held (at 5:45-p.m.); followed by a Revitalization Workshop (at 6-p.m.); a Nuisance Hearing (Re: Jeanette Schroeder) at 6:15-p.m; a Public Hearing at 6:30-p.m., with regard to the Sale of City Property; a Public Hearing at 6:45-p.m. with regard to the Urban Renewal Plan Amendment, and a review of the bills to be paid.

At 7-p.m., during the regular session, the Massena City Council will act on: A Resolution of Necessity; A Resolution approving an Urban Renewal Plan Amendment for the Massena Urban Renewal Area; A Resolution authorizing an internal advance of funds for an Urban Renewal Project, and other matters. The evening will conclude with reports from various City department heads and the Mayor.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released a new mobile app that is designed to provide important substance use information to Iowans. The Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) app gives individuals and/or treatment professionals the ability to quickly access and self-screen for risky or hazardous alcohol or drug use, provide general health information related to use, and to connect you or a loved one with resources. Links to Iowa-specific and national substance abuse treatment providers/resources are also included.

IDPH SBIRT Project Director Monica Wilke-Brown says “One of the most important features we wanted in the app is the ability of any provider or individual to have access to ‘counseling at their fingertips’ with contact information to locate the nearest resources from anywhere in the state. This app provides both the list of all the licensed treatment providers in the state, as well as a map of the agencies that provide income-sensitive pricing to make treatment services accessible for all Iowans.”

The SBIRT Iowa app may be found on Google Play or in the iTunes App store by searching for ‘SBIRT Iowa.’ The SBIRT Iowa project is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

The project makes it possible for Iowans to receive pre-screenings, screenings, brief interventions, brief treatments, and referrals to treatment. Studies show that people who received screening and brief intervention in an emergency department, hospital, or primary care office experienced 33 percent fewer non-fatal injuries, 37 percent fewer hospitalizations, 46 percent fewer arrests, and 50 percent fewer motor vehicle crashes.

Other positive effects include reductions in alcohol consumption, successful referral to and participation in substance abuse treatment programs, and reduction in repeat injuries and injury hospitalizations. For more information on SBIRT, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/sbirt/Project.aspx.

Afton Police Chief John Colter reports the Afton Police Department has taken a report from a local citizen concerning a consumer fraud scam. On Saturday the individual was downloading what he thought was a You Tube update to his cell phone, when he received a message claiming to be from the FBI and that the person was being investigated for receiving porn on the cell phone.

According to the message this person needed to pay a $500 fine by Pay Pal Account to a person alleging to be an FBI Agent to regain access to the cell phone. The Afton Police Department was contacted and it was determined to be a scam. The FBI will not contact a person in this manner and will not require a fine to be paid prior to conviction of a crime.

The Afton Police Department encourages people to report scams of this nature to their local law enforcement agencies.