A new report from the Iowa Policy Project (IPP) finds many work-support policies for low-income Iowa families are presenting barriers to those families moving out of poverty. IPP research director Peter Fisher says the “basic needs” cost of living for an Iowa family is two to three times higher than federal poverty guidelines. “Therein lies the problem, because most public benefit programs, including these work supports, are geared to the official federal poverty guidelines and most of them cut off benefits well before that self-sufficiency wage is reached,” Fisher says.

This is the last of three reports on “The Cost of Living in Iowa” issued by IPP this year. An earlier report stated 1 in 6 Iowa households do not earn enough to provide for a basic standard of living. Fisher says programs, such as Child Care Assistance, have “cliff effects.” Eligibility for the program vanishes when an family makes just 145-percent of the federal poverty level, which is very low, according to Fisher.

“That’s a huge penalty to take for someone who’s in a low-wage job, find they can work more hours or get an opportunity to get a better job, they can find themselves in a position of making their families worse off by earning more money because they would lose all of that child care assistance,” Fisher says. “We have one of the lowest eligibility ceilings in the country at 145-percent of poverty. Many states go to 200-percent of poverty or close to it.”

The IPP report recommends several reforms to Iowa’s work-support policies, such as raising the eligibility for the Child Care Assistance program to 200-percent of the poverty level and implementing a copay schedule that “eases people off the program” as their income rises.

(Radio Iowa)

Arizona Senator John McCain campaigned with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst, Wednesday. “Iowans are concerned about out national security, about the treatment of our veterans and the need to fix that,” McCain says. “I think they realize that Joni is exactly the kind of person with her experience and background, also in the legislature, that will make her hit the ground running when she gets to the United States Senate.”

McCain, who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, is among a dwindling number of senators with a military background. Ernst, a battalion commander in the Iowa National Guard, is one of a handful of 2014 candidates for the U.S. Senate who have run campaign ads featuring photos of themselves in their military uniforms. McCain says military experience isn’t required, but it’s an “enormous asset” for a member of the senate.

“Joni Ernst has served in a position of command. She understand what morale, efficiency, the capabilities of the men and women who are serving and, most of all, the hardships that men and women undergo as they are serving the country,” McCain says. McCain and Ernst met with veterans at an American Legion Post in Coralville Wednesday, where McCain referred to President Obama’s foreign policy as “feckless” and he called the present state of the Veterans Administration “unacceptable.”

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

SHENANDOAH, Iowa (AP) — A southwest Iowa man has been charged with first-degree murder in the 2009 death of his girlfriend. The state Department of Public Safety says 34-year-old Brian Davis of Shenandoah, Iowa was arrested Wednesday. He is being held at the Fremont County Jail on $1 million cash bond.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Three men have been arrested on suspicion of robbing a liquor store in Cedar Rapids. Police say two men entered Big Discount Liquor on Tuesday night with guns and demanded money. No injuries were reported and the men left with an undisclosed amount of cash.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Architects and engineers have unveiled proposals to improve downtown Iowa City that could cost more than $10 million. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the plans were shown Tuesday inside of a hotel ballroom. During the open house, Iowa City residents and business community members studied the designs.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Officials in two eastern Iowa counties are considering trail expansions that could one day be part of a trail stretching from the Waterloo area to Burlington. The Iowa City Press-Citizen says that Johnson County officials want to expand six miles of eastern Iowa’s Hoover Trail by 2016. The project is expected to cost at least $3 million.

Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation today (Wednesday) report 34-year old Brian Davis, of Shenandoah, was arrested and charged with 1st Degree Murder for the death of his girlfriend Holly Durben on July 18th, 2009.  Based on interviews of witnesses and crime scene evidence, investigators believe that Davis is responsible for Durben’s death.  Davis is currently being held at the Fremont County Jail on a 1-million dollar cash bond.

Brian Davis

Sheriff’s deputies in Fremont County responded to a 9-1-1 call on July 18 2009 at 9:36-a.m. The Call came from Brian Davis at 2492 Highway 59, south of Shenandoah.  When Deputy’s arrived they located 29 year old Holly Durben deceased in the bedroom of her residence, which she shared with her Davis.  The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance in the investigation from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

An autopsy was performed on Ms. Durben’s body at the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny, Iowa.  It was determined that Ms. Durben suffered a fatal gunshot to the head as well as other injuries.