DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has passed a bill requiring school districts to test for the presence of radon gas. The Democratic-led bill passed 35-14 after Sen. Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, criticized it as watered down “like a warm bucket of spit.”

McCoy supports the bill but is unhappy with changes that remove the requirement of certified testers and plans to reduce radon if found. McCoy says fewer than 10 percent of Iowa schools are tested. Sen. Tod Bowman, a Maquoketa Democrat, says the bill isn’t perfect but will identify how many schools have radon.

Republican Sen. Mark Chelgren, of Ottumwa, says the bill which moves to the House, is improved because it removes mandates that were undue burdens. The EPA recommends building testing for the radioactive gas.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Board of Regents has released crime data that shows an increase in reported sex offenses at two of the state’s three public universities.  The annual data released Tuesday shows Iowa State University had 13 reported sex offenses in 2013, an increase from nine in 2012. At the University of Northern Iowa, there were two reported sex offenses in 2013, an increase from 1 in 2012. There were 4 reported sex offenses at the University of Iowa in 2013, a decrease from 8 in 2012.  Sex offenses include reports of rape and sexual assault.

The data doesn’t reflect incidents where victims choose not to formally file a report to police. The distinction means some recent, highly publicized reports of sexual assault at the University of Iowa are not included.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Lawmakers in the Iowa Senate and House have agreed kidnapping penalties need to be tougher, but they’re having a hard time reaching a compromise for how long offenders should remain in jail.

In a 2-1 vote Tuesday, a three-member House judiciary subcommittee approved a bill seeking tougher kidnapping penalties for cases involving minors. This original legislation from the Senate maintains an earned time option for inmates, allowing them to reduce their sentences for good behavior. But a House amendment eliminates earned time altogether, bringing the legislation closer to a bill developed in the House.

Republican Rep. Chip Baltimore says he intends to continue his pursuit of earned time elimination, though lawmakers in the Senate stand by keeping the incentive. The legislation now goes to the full House Judiciary Committee.

An accident Monday morning at 7th and Walnut Streets caused a total of $5,000 damage to the vehicles involved, but no one was injured. Atlantic Police say vehicles driven by Irma Frisbie and Nichole Perkins, both of Atlantic, were traveling west on 7th Street at around 11:25-a.m., when the Perkins vehicle came to a quick stop and turned right in order to avoid hitting a non-contact vehicle in front of her. Frisbie was unable to stop in time, and hit the rear of Perkins’ vehicle. No citations were issued.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Hatch hosted a rally at the statehouse this morning (Tuesday), challenging Republican Governor Terry Branstad to publicly support an increase in the minimum wage.  “Today’s the 4th of March and March is the only month that is also a command,” Hatch said, “so we’re asking this governor to give the order. Ask the legislature: ‘March forth and raise the minimum wage.'”

Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs has said the senate won’t debate a bill that would raise the minimum wage, however, unless there are Republicans in the senate who would support it. “They have not responded to our entreaties,” Gronstal says. Gronstal and Hatch were joined at today’s (Tuesday’s) event by about two dozen Democrats from the Iowa House and Senate, including Representative Bruce Hunter of Des Moines.

“For almost 300,000 Iowans, Iowans who work hard, who play by the rules and do what is right, there really isn’t any dignity,” Hunter said. “For those people working at or around Iowa’s current $7.25 minimum wage, there’s only poverty.”

Governor Branstad signed a bill in 1989 that raised Iowa’s minimum wage above the national rate. In 2007, Democratic Governor Chet Culver signed legislation that raised Iowa’s minimum wage to seven-25 ($7.25) an hour — above the national rate, but congress later that year voted to raise the national rate to that level.

(Radio Iowa)

A public hearing will be held Wednesday morning in Greenfield, with regard to the possible renaming of a road in Adair County. The hearing and action on the matter will come during the Adair County Board of Supervisor’s meeting which begins at 9-a.m., Wednesday.

Auditor Mindy Schaefer said officials with the White Pole Road Organization would like to rename a portion of the Anita-Adair Road that crosses from Cass into Adair County, as “White Pole Road,” which would be the same designation as Highway 6.

And, the Adair County Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget, the expenditures for which amount to $14.719-million dollars. Schaefer says  that is an increase from last year, due primarily to necessary bridge and road work.