Fifteen public libraries and museums in Iowa (including the Griswold & Lewis Public Libraries) are splitting a half a million dollar ($500,000) grant, using the money to provide programs for kids that organizers hope will spur interest in high-skilled manufacturing jobs. Iowa companies are working together with community colleges on the project. The project manager, Robyn Ormsby, says she hopes to expose children to the benefits of careers based in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

“The wages are fantastic, I mean a lot of times kids coming out of school with a one or two year certificate degree are making $40,000 to $60,000 and they are just going up from there,” Ormsby said. The programs at the libraries and museums will include LEGO building, gaming, and robotics. Most programs will begin towards the end of August and continue for at least one year. Ormsby believes exposing kids to career options early can make an impact.

“When they are thinking of what they want to be when they grow up, they are thinking about their inner circle. You know, what their mom and dad does, they know what their teacher does obviously, maybe what their doctor or dentist does. But beyond that, they are not exposed to a lot of other careers at those early ages,” Ormsby said. More than 6,000 manufacturing jobs in Iowa are unfilled, according to Ormsby, and most of the jobs don’t require a four-year degree.

A Grant for a LEGO Club collaboration between Griswold and Lewis Public Libraries is for boys and girls 9-14.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities in Montgomery County report four recent arrests. Early this (Wednesday) morning, 50-year old Tammy Renee Cerven, of Red Oak, was arrested by Red Oak Police, in connection with an incident that occurred earlier. Cerven was charged with Simple Assault, brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center (LEC) and held on $300 bond pending an appearance before the magistrate.

Tuesday evening, Red Oak Police arrested Christopher Michael Mattingly, of Red Oak, and formerly of Kentucky, on a nationwide warrant for Failure to Pay Child Support. Mattingly was being held in the Montgomery County LEC on $8,000 cash only bond.

Arrested Tuesday afternoon in Montgomery County, was 38-year old Michael Lee LaFollette, of Stanton. He was taken into custody on a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine. LaFollette was being the in the jail on $1,000 cash bond. And, 53-year old James Edward Wiese, of Red Oak, was arrested by sheriff’s deputies Tuesday afternoon, on a Page County warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond for the offense was set at $100,000. Wiese was also being held on new drug and PCS charges, along with Possession with the Intent to Deliver, for which bond amounts to $52,000.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A lawyer who angered an Iowa federal judge by repeatedly raising objections has received an unusual punishment: an order to produce a training video that denounces such tactics. U.S. District Judge Mark Bennett issued the sanction last week to attorney June Ghezzi, who works in the Chicago office of the law firm Jones Day.

Bennett criticized Ghezzi’s pretrial conduct in a case in which she successfully defended Abbott Laboratories against a lawsuit alleging its infant formula contained a dangerous bacteria that caused a baby to suffer brain damage. He wrote that Ghezzi “proliferated hundreds of unnecessary objections and interruptions” during depositions that coached witnesses and delayed the proceedings.

Bennett says the video must be made available to Jones Day lawyers. Jones Day said it will appeal, arguing Ghezzi acted appropriately.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials are offering grant money to help rural fire departments with their equipment costs. The forestry bureau of the state Department of Natural Resources is coordinating with the U.S. Forest Service to offer grants for hoses, nozzles and adapters, among other things.

Applications are due Oct. 15. A grant provides 50 percent reimbursement for fire equipment. A department can received up to $3,500. Fire departments are encouraged to submit a special report after responding to a wildland fire to receive priority points in the grant application process.