Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Legal Aid wants the state’s lawyers to be required to contribute $100 annually to the charity, which represents people with low incomes. Some lawyers say it’s wrong to require such contributions, even to a valuable organization that provides legal services in civil cases. The group’s executive director says the number of people eligible for services has increased by almost 40 percent between 2000 and 2010.

According to a report from Supreme Court staff, the money the nonprofit receives from two big donors has declined. The Des Moines Register reports the mandatory fee could raise $903,400 of about $1.8 million needed to increase the number of staff attorneys.

Eight other states currently require attorneys to pay similar fees.

Atlantic Area Chamber Ambassadors visited the Atlantic High School recently, to learn about hands-on programs for students in the Agriculture, Industrial Technology and Culinary Arts departments. Eric Miller, Agricultural Instructor and FFA Advisor at AHS, explained the variety of classes he instructs. Miller instructs two welding classes that are hands-on and take place in the shop located within the school.

Pictured: Dolly Bergmann, JoAnn Runyan, Chelsea Amundson, Matt Alexander, Heather
McKay, Connie Wailes, Janet Cappel, Nedra Perry, Rich Perry, Pat McCurdy, Tammy
Waters, Sue Muri, Lana Westphalen, Debbie Leistad, Renee Wilson, Home Sweet Home, Crystal Christensen, Julie May, Dr. Keith Leonard, Russell Joyce, Kate Olsen, JoAnne Mueller, Dr. Haley Kickland, Carole Schuler, Melanie Petty, Dr. Jim Kickland, Lucas Mosier, Chip Hansen, Dr. Mitch Peerbolte.

Miller also instructs Ag Processes, a course focused on turning livestock and crops into food, Ag Business, and Agronomy. Ambassadors were also educated on student projects taking place in Industrial Technology by Mr. Derek Bair – Industrial Tech Instructor and Culinary Arts by Mrs. Meryl Hopper-Henningsen, Culinary Arts Instructor.

(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors today (Wednesday) approved a total of more than $7.3 million in grants to 27 Local Housing Trust Funds to support local affordable housing initiatives, which will assist 2,336 Iowa families.

In the KJAN listening area, the following entities received grants:

• The Council Bluffs Housing Trust Fund, Inc. – $180,234, for the City of Council Bluffs.
• Council of Governments Housing, Inc. – $283,273. Area served: Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie and Sac Counties.
• Southern Iowa COG Housing Trust Fund – $275,217; Area served: Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties

• Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund, Inc. – $350,669; Area served: Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie (excluding the city of Council Bluffs) and Shelby Counties.

The funding is provided from the State Housing Trust Fund’s Local Housing Trust Fund program. Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Dave Jamison says  “The Iowa Legislature created the Local Housing Trust Fund program to allow certified Local Housing Trust Funds the ability to efficiently fulfill unique local affordable housing needs throughout the state and these awards will do just that. The grants are leveraging an additional $4.1 million in local contributions, which is a testament to the shared dedication of meeting these vital needs.”

The grant funds will be used for initiatives such as preserving aging housing stock, subsidizing local down payment assistance programs, providing low-interest loans or grants to assist Iowans in home rehabilitation, financing construction of new single-family housing for low-income Iowans and supporting housing for persons with disabilities and homeless assistance programs.

Des Moines, IOWA – The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE) continues to be a leader in illegal narcotics investigations.  With the help of the DEA, five new large containers have been installed and strategically placed across the state, where methamphetamine production is more prevalent. The containers are 7’x7’x9’ and include an exhaust system and are under 24/7 supervision and in locked and secured areas.  The containers are housed at the following locations:

• Montrose, Iowa
• Clinton, Iowa
• Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Des Moines, Iowa
• Council Bluffs, Iowa

DEA requires that all law enforcement officers utilizing these containers have a minimum 40 hour clandestine lab certification and complete a 3-day DEA container course. All local agencies that have signed agreements with the DNE will have to follow the DEA and DNE protocols to be able to utilize the container located nearest to them.

The Iowa DNE recognizes the extremely toxic chemicals with methamphetamine labs pose a serious safety risk to the public. These containers allow for safe disposal, greatly minimizing the safety risks to the public.

The Iowa DNE also recognizes the growing concern of local agencies and task forces across the state meeting budgets and having to deal with the costs of disposing of methamphetamine laboratories.  To properly dispose of methamphetamine labs, it can cost several thousands of dollars per lab. For this reason, the Iowa DNE felt these containers would be a great resource to our law enforcement partners and take the burden off of Iowa taxpayers.

“We greatly value our partnership with our local agencies and task forces, and the work they do to bring an end to illegal narcotics in our state.  Safety of the citizens of our state is our number one priority. With these containers in place, the DNE, along with local agencies, will be able to safely and properly dispose of all materials from Clandestine Labs, and they’ll be able to do that at no cost,” stated Paul Feddersen, Assistant Director of the Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The Iowa DNE is eager for this continued partnership with the DEA and Iowa law enforcement agencies as we work together to reduce Clandestine Labs and illegal narcotics in our state.

More containers may be placed across the state in the future, after the five initial containers are evaluated.