(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate have voted to reduce the maximum number of weeks Iowans may receive unemployment benefits by 10 weeks — from about half a year today, down to 16 weeks. Senate Republicans favor an additional step — a one-week delay in delivery of the first unemployment check for a laid off worker. Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, says Iowa would join at least 39 other states that have a one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits.

“It is also the opportunity when you make sure that everybody who is applying is eligible, that benefits have been paid out on that person and most importantly, probably, is that the level of fraud may be kept down,” Schultz says. Schultz says Senate Republicans are going to stand firm and insist that this be part of the final bill.

“There’s a mindset that takes place,” Schultz says. “…They are told: ‘Your benefits start in a week’…They immediately go look for something and they better their lives.” Governor Kim Reynolds has said these two moves will address Iowa’s workforce shortage by getting unemployed Iowans back to work more quickly. Representative Michael Bousselot, of Ankeny, is the Republican who led House debate of their plan to cut the number of weeks of unemployment benefits.

“Getting back to work is more important than ever,” Bousselot said. “…It’s important for Iowa families, but it’s most important for hardworking Iowans, for hardworking Iowans who I’ve heard from, who we’ve all heard from, who say that they own a business and they can’t fill the jobs that they need.” Bousselot says cutting jobless benefits to a maximum of 16 weeks ensures the stability of Iowa’s Unemployment Trust Fund for workers, like a waitress he met in Ankeny.

“She says: ‘I keep working and working and working to get ahead…I don’t understand why people are getting paid not to work,'” Bousselot said. “…We need to make the system that we’re talking about solvent for her.” Representative Chris Hall, a Democrat from Sioux City, says the state needs to attract more residents rather than come up with more punitive policies.

“Is the solvency of the Unemployment Trust Fund at risk? No,” Hall says. “And nobody’s buying the governor’s rational that garbage policy like this will have a positive economic impact.” House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst) of Windsor Heights says the plan punishes people who’ve been fired through no fault of their own. “This is short sighted,” Konfrst said. “This is mean and this is wrong.” Democrats say the state should be boosting investments in child care and affordable housing to address the workforce crisis.

Representative Timi Brown-Powers, a Democrat from Waterloo, says there’s a workforce shortage here because Iowa is a low-wage state. “We don’t respect our workers. We have shown that time and time again,” Brown-Powers says. “In fact, this particular bill is a slap in the face of hardworking Iowans.” Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines, says these moves aren’t Iowa Nice and he got into a brief shouting match with Republicans in the Senate last (Wednesday) night.

“I don’t know how we get any lower than this,” Bisignano. “…The governor of this state chooses this as our direction?…This is your party’s agenda at its worst.” Last fall Governor Reynolds announced she intended to refocus the state agency that manages unemployment benefits on “rapid re-employment.” Bousselot — who used to be the governor’s budget director — emphasizes that, too.

“It’s about key jobs that are open,” Bousselot says. During her Condition of the State address in January, Reynolds said unemployment benefits had become a hammock for some and contributes to Iowa’s labor shortage.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture has issued an order canceling all live bird exhibitions in response to the bird flu outbreak. The order prevents bird exhibitions at fairs and other gatherings and also prohibits live birds from being sold or transferred at livestock auction markets, swap meets, or exotic sales. The Department’s order begins immediately and lasts until 30 days have passed without confirmation of a new infection in domestic poultry in the state.

The Ag Department says Iowa currently has more than six million birds impacted by the bird flu across five commercial and backyard poultry flocks.

(Lewis, Iowa) – ISU Field Agronomist and Extension Outreach Aaron Saeugling, Wednesday (March 23rd), provided the latest answer to the questions of “How dry are we,” and “Is there a lack of subsoil moisture this spring?” Saeugling says he wants to put into perspective where we are, related to past and current conditions in southwest Iowa. (See the chart below for monthly precipitation dating back to 2014).

Saeugling says “If we look at last year 2020 as a record breaking crop year we notice a few things that spring was abnormally dry with just enough moisture in July to produce a crop. We also notice the October precipitation in 2020m was dramatically lower causing a poor sub soil moisture going into the 2021 crop year.”

“This current crop year,” he says, “We have adequate subsoil moisture based on good October rains in excess of 4 inches. While yes January and February were a record low levels of precipitation the amount so far in march will more than make up for the dry winter.” Saeugling said also, “No  knows what the future holds,  but we are in a better place now for subsoil moisture than in past springs.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports another candidate has filed nomination papers for the November General Election. Officials say Pat Erickson filed papers Wednesday, for the Edna Township Trustee’s position.

There remains one other slot open on the ballot for the same position.

(Radio Iowa) – Winnebago Industries saw second quarter revenues rise by almost 39-percent. The outdoor lifestyle products manufacturer with Iowa factories in Forest City, Lake Mills, Charles City and Waverly matched the record of one-point-two billion dollars set in the first quarter of the fiscal year, compared to almost 840-million for the same quarter of last fiscal year. Winnebago president and C-E-O Michael Happe says consumer demand for the company’s products continues to be strong.

“Through our interactions with our consumers and feedback we receive from our dealers, consumers clearly recognize our products as being differentiated,” Happe says. “This differentiation is a result of our relentless focus on our golden threads of quality, service and innovation. Robust consumer demand is a powerful undercurrent that we believe will continue to propel our company’s growth through the current fiscal year and beyond.” Happe says demand for the company’s products at recent trade shows proves people are continuing to buy recreational vehicles and boats.

“Strong attendance at the recent Tampa RV show and the Miami boat show resulted in retail sales that exceeded our expectations. In fact, most of our retail shows this spring are seeing record sales for our brands,” he says. “This foreshadows a solid spring selling season that is historically reflected in our second-half results.” Happe says market share gains across all segments are evidence of a deep affinity for the company’s brands.

“On a trailing three-month basis through January, our RV market share was 14.3%, up a full 100 basis points from 13.3% for the same period in 2021,” Happe says. “In our marine segment, Bartletta has now grown to be the fifth largest pontoon boat company by market share at 4.6% on a trailing three-month basis through December, and recent retail results show them approaching and breaking the 5% barrier.”

Gross profit for the company in the second quarter was $216.6 million, up almost 40% when compared to $156.6 million for the same period last year.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa said Wednesday, 53-year-old Jeffrey M. Carley, who is formerly of Treynor, was sentenced Tuesday, March 22, 2022, to five-years in prison for investment fraud. Carley was a financial investment counselor and he owned or had an ownership interest in Carley Financial Group, Prosperity Partners, and Main Street Solutions. From as early as 2013, until December of 2020, Carley encouraged his clients to move money from their traditional IRA accounts to a “self-directed” IRA. Carley then advised his clients to move their money from the “self-directed” IRA to investment opportunities Carley owned or had ownership interest in and advised clients they would receive a financial return. Carley never told his clients that he owned or had an interest in the investments he represented to them as solid investments. Carley also failed to invest the clients’ money and instead used the funds for his personal expenses. Carley pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud on October 22, 2021.

Assistant United States Attorney Richard E. Rothrock in the government’s sentencing brief, said “The defendant…has destroyed the savings of people that trusted him and there is no way to quantify the damage the defendant did to the emotional security of those he stole from. Making this crime even more egregious, it appears, although one cannot be sure, that the defendant flitted away all the money he stole for personal purposes, leaving nothing available to repay the victims.” The sentencing judge noted the length of time the scheme lasted and the harm and age of the victims as some of the aggravating factors in this case she considered in determining the five-year sentence. Following his prison term, Carley will serve three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1,364,163.02 in restitution to the victims.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A woman from Pottawattamie County was sentenced Tuesday to six-months in prison, for Acquiring a Controlled Substance by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Deception and Subterfuge. Officials say 39-year-old Jadelyn Marie Maher, of Council Bluffs, will also be required to serve one year of supervised release upon completion of her sentence. She must also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine. According to court documents, Maher pleaded guilty to the charge on November 4, 2021.

Maher was employed as a registered nurse at facilities where she falsified health care records and narcotics log sheets when she checked out narcotics/opioids for patients. Maher took the Hydrocodone and Oxycodone pills for her own use. Maher’s nursing license was forfeited by the Court.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Judge in Pottawattamie County District Court, Tuesday, sentenced a Nebraska man to 3-years in prison, for being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. In addition, 43-year-old Tiloe Cardel Williams, of Omaha, was have his term of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents, Williams pleaded guilty to the charge on November 4, 2021.

On July 30, 2021, a police officer stopped Williams’ vehicle for overly dark window tint. The officer could smell marijuana and requested the assistance of a canine officer. Marijuana and a firearm were located under the cup holder of the center console. At the time of the offense, Williams was a convicted felon and drug user and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A man from Colorado was sentenced Tuesday, March 22nd in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, to serve 16-years in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. In addition, the Judge sentenced 43-year-old Jeremy Antonio Trujillo to 10-years in prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The sentences will run concurrently. His term of imprisonment will be followed by five years of supervised release. According to court documents, Trujillo pleaded guilty to the charges on November 4, 2021.

Trujillo’s co-defendant, 37-year-old Kristen Leigh Jarrard, also of Colorado, was sentenced on November 2, 2021, to 13-years in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and 120 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Her sentences will also run concurrently. Jarrard’s term of imprisonment will also be followed by five years of supervised release. She plead guilty to the charges on March 18, 2021.

On October 28, 2020, the couple was stopped for a traffic violation on Interstate 29 and a law enforcement dog was run around the vehicle. Following a canine alert for the odor of narcotics on the car, officers recovered a backpack containing 817 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded Smith and Wesson .45 caliber revolver. Surveillance video from a motel showed Trujillo and Jarrard carrying bags from the motel to the vehicle and Trujillo carrying the backpack from the motel to the car and placing it inside. Both Jarrard and Trujillo are prior convicted felons.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa State Patrol, Council Bluffs Police Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case. The United States Marshals Service made the arrests. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – Page County Conservation and Public Health officials confirmed today (Wednesday) that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was discovered in snow geese at Rapp Park north of Shenandoah. County Conservation Director John Schwab says his office was first contacted two weeks ago after dead geese were discovered at the park. “We collected a number of dead birds last Monday — I think the total number was around 70. They were all snow geese that we collected, and the D-N-R tested 10 of them, and send them out to the lab. Then, we got reports back this week that they were positive for the avian flu virus,” Schwab says.

Schwab says it’s not uncommon for wild birds to have the bird flu. “The avian flu is always present in the wild bird population,” he says. “It’s just this is the strain that crosses over to domesticated flocks very quickly. So, from the guidelines we were getting, have individuals watch their flocks. A big way that it’s transmitted is through the feces of the wild birds. So, there are a lot of wild birds around domesticated flocks. Just watch for the symptoms in the domesticated animals.”

Symptoms include decreased water consumption, lack of energy and appetite, soft or thin-shelled or misshapen eggs, swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles and hocks, difficulty breathing, and coughing, sneezing and nasal discharge, among others. Though health experts say bird flu is highly contagious and often fatal to domestic bird populations, no human cases of avian viruses have been confirmed in the U-S. Schwab encourages residents to enjoy outdoor wildlife–with caution.”We’re still telling people to definitely go out and enjoy it,” Schwab says. “Just kind of use common sense when dealing with wild animals. Stay a good distance from them, and definitely, if you see a dead wild animal, if it’s in the parks, contact my office and definitely stay away from it.”

He adds hunters and others should use extra precautions when handling wild game–especially during processing. Anyone suspecting signs of H-P-A-I in their flocks should contact their local veterinarian, or the Iowa Department of Agriculture. This would be the sixth case of bird flu confirmed in the state.