IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa graduate student union is praising a legal decision requiring the university to bargain over student fee reimbursements. The union, which represents 2,300 teaching and research assistants, said Tuesday the ruling strengthens its campaign to have members reimbursed for their mandatory student fees.

In its new two-year contract, the union negotiated a provision reimbursing members 25 percent of fees – about $250 out of $1,000 a full-time student pays annually. The union will push for additional reimbursements in future contracts. During negotiations, the Iowa Board of Regents argued that student fee reimbursements were not a mandatory subject for bargaining. The Iowa Public Employment Relations Board ruled that they were.

District Judge Karen Romano rejected the regents’ appeal Friday, saying reimbursements are “supplemental pay” that must be negotiated.

Iowans paid over a quarter of a billion dollars in personal income taxes to the State of Iowa last month. There are a record number of Iowans in the workforce now and that amount of personal income taxes paid to the state last month was nearly six-and-a-half percent more than Iowans paid in July of last year. Many Iowans have their income taxes withheld from their paychecks.

There was a four percent increase in withholding payments in July, along with a big surge of nearly 21 percent in estimated income tax payments to the state. Estimated payments come from farmers, retirees and self-employed Iowans who do not have a regular paycheck and must estimate their annual income and the income taxes they’ll owe the state.

The monthly report from the Legislative Services Agency also shows corporate income tax payments to the state were down this July compared to July of 2014. Sales tax collections were up about two percent. A panel of experts has predicted corporate income taxes will not be as robust this year, but the panel IS predicting a five percent increase in sales tax collections for the entire 12-month fiscal year.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials in Atlantic say a portion of the building that houses City Hall will be open to the public for the first time since the 1970’s. City Administrator John Lund says the “Atlantic City Hall will host an open house during AtlanticFest on Saturday, August 8, 2015 from 10:00 – 1:00 so the public may visit the large multi-purpose room on the second floor.”

The Atlantic City Council is considering renovating the multi-purpose room, and Lund says the public is invited to take advantage of this rare opportunity to visit it and provide input about a possible remodel project.

The building that houses the Atlantic City Hall, City offices and Police Dept.

The second floor is not accessible by elevator, which is one reason it has been closed to the public. City Hall is located at 23 E 4th Street, at the Intersection of 4th and Walnut Streets.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce has announced Atlantic Motor Supply (NAPA) is the new premier partner of the AtlanticFest Car Show, which will be held rain or shine on Saturday August 8th.

The cars will enter at 3rd and Poplar Street, registration will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Judging will begin afterwards, with the trophy presentations at 4pm. There are 26 different show classes available, including specialty classes, such as Teen, Rat Rod, and Tri-Five. Day-of registration for $15 will be accepted from 8 a.m. to noon.

AtlanticFest is brought to you by presenting sponsor First Whitney Bank & Trust and will be held Saturday August 8th, with activities for everyone. For more information about the AtlanticFest Car Show, or additional AtlanticFest information visit www.atlanticiowa.com or call the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at (712)243-3017.

PELLA, Iowa (AP) – A 33-year-old man has been accused of leaving his infant daughter inside a hot car in a central Iowa parking lot. Court records say Trent Steinhart, of Sigourney, is charged with neglect or abandonment of a dependent person.  He was arrested Saturday in Pella, where police say a passer-by spotted the baby alone in the locked car. Police say the heat index at the time was 92 degrees and that she’d been in the car for at least 15 minutes. Officers used a special tool to unlock a car door and rescue her. Police say Steinhart told officers he’d been inside a store shopping and forgot his daughter was in the car.