Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Tuesday, issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for 18 counties (including Adair and Guthrie), in response to recent severe weather. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of severe storms and an EF 1 tornado that impacted portions of Wapello County on June 20, 2015, and continuing.

The proclamation also allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of severe storms and flooding that significantly impacted the following 17 counties beginning on June 24, 2015, and continuing: Adair, Allamakee, Appanoose, Butler, Clayton, Dallas, Des Moines, Guthrie, Henry, Howard, Lee, Lucas, Marion, Mitchell, Polk, , Warren and Winneshiek.

In addition, the governor’s proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program in the following 10 counties: Adair, Appanoose, Dallas, Guthrie, Henry, Lucas, Marion, Polk, Wapello and Warren. The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $40,180, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery.

For further questions or assistance in applying for the Iowa Individual Assistance Program contact the Adair County Neighborhood Center at (641) 743-2424 or the Guthrie County Family Resource Center at (641) 747-3845. As always you can contact the Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Management Office at (641) 332-3030 or by email at agcema@guthriecounty.us.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A number of new Iowa laws take effect Wednesday, though the governor has not yet acted on some key parts of the state budget. One new law would allow grocery stores and liquor stores with the proper permit to sell craft beer in refillable containers, known as “growlers.” Another would likely allow sledding in more public parks next winter by protecting cities from liability if people are injured.

Some key legislation did not have a July 1 start date. A bill to raise the state fuel tax already took effect. Gov. Terry Branstad still must act on several key pieces of the state budget, including a one-time funding bill for K-12 education. He has until Monday to decide if he will approve budget bills.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A divided Iowa Supreme Court is concluding its term with a ruling that will require police to obtain warrants more often before searching inside suspects’ vehicles. In a 4-3 ruling, the court ruled Tuesday the Iowa Constitution generally requires officers to obtain warrants before they can search vehicles during traffic stops.

The court said a Davenport officer violated a drug suspect’s privacy rights when he searched a locked safe found in his van. The search uncovered a loaded revolver and several baggies of marijuana. The court’s majority says that evidence should be suppressed. Its new rule says warrantless searches inside vehicles are justified only when safety concerns are at issue.

Dissenting justices say the rule will be a challenge for arresting officers to implement and goes against prior precedent.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 1,300 pounds of #6 solid, bare copper was stolen from the Villisca Power Plant. The copper is in the form of about 30-to 40 hand coils, weighing approximately 30-pounds each. The loss was estimated at $3,000.

The theft is believed to have occurred June 22nd-and 26th. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 712-623-5107, or Crimestoppers, at 1-888-434-2712.

Police in Atlantic report the arrest last Friday of an Elk Horn man on a sexual abuse charge. Officials say 38-year old Loren Buskirk was taken into custody on a charge Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree. He was booked into the Cass County Jail and held.

Authorities said also, 20-year old Bryce Baker, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. Baker was released from custody later than same day. And, 20-year old Philip Thompson, of Lewis, was arrested Sunday, for Violation of a No Contact Order. He remains held in the Cass County Jail.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad is appointing former Des Moines police chief Judy Bradshaw as the new director of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Bradshaw has been the academy’s assistant director since retiring from the Des Moines Police Department last year. She will replace director Arlen Ciechanowski, who has decided to retire after his appointment to a four-year term wasn’t approved by the Iowa Senate.

Branstad withdrew Ciechanowski’s appointment after Democrats raised questions about his management and whether the academy had a welcoming environment for female cadets. Branstad says the 56-year-old Bradshaw has the “leadership, knowledge, temperament and communications skills” necessary to lead the academy.

Bradshaw says she looks forward to helping teach future police officers “best practices to effectively serve their communities.” Her appointment is subject to Senate confirmation next spring.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Funding has been pulled for adult day care for veterans in Omaha and western Iowa due to a $2.5 billion shortfall in the Department of Veterans of Affair’s health care budget. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System will no longer cover adult day care and other forms of non-skilled nursing care after July 31st.

VA spokesman Will Ackerman says that officials understand that it’s an inconvenience to veterans and their families but that they must be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.  Ackerman says the VA will work with veterans’ families to ease the transition.