More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Clarinda, 8:37-a.m.) — Page County authorities say a missing Clarinda Academy student has been returned to campus.

Authorities in Clarinda are searching for a student who left the Clarinda Academy campus overnight. The student left campus around 1:45 a.m. and traveled in an unknown direction. The student was described as being a 15-year-old white male, wearing a gray hoodie and blue sneakers. No other description was available.

Anyone with information on the student is urged to call their local law enforcement agency.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will conduct an in-person and electronic meeting 9-a.m. today (Via dial-in at (605)-313-6157, access code 526272#). Among the items on their agenda are organizational procedures, including: The election of a Board Chair and Vice Chair; Approve Deputy Clerk appointments by County Auditor and Attorney; Action on a Travel Policy Resolution; Action on a Master Matrix Resolution (for livestock confinement facilities); and the appointment of Board members to area boards/commissions, and their alternates.

In other business, the Board will hold a Public Hearing on an FY21 Budget Amendment, following by action on a Resolution to approve the amendment, and an Appropriations Resolution. They will also hear from Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, with regard to a Jail Administrator new hire, and County Engineer Nick Kauffman. He will discuss several matters with the Board, including: Empowerment of County Engineer; A Right-of-way and temporary easement purchase; A Bridge Weight limit Resolution, and other, Secondary Roads Dept. matter.

During their meeting last week, the Adair County Supervisors voted to continue current Adair County Courthouse COVID-19 mitigation measures through at least the end of this month. That means the courthouse will remain locked and services will be conducted at a window outside the building. Beginning today, the Supervisors will meet in person for budgeting purposes. Everyone else will participate by phone conference (by using the numbers above).

Officials say visitors are asked to enter the west door elevator entrance window. They are asked to call the courthouse, and employees can help them from that particular window. If someone must enter the facility, the staff will take their temperature. Otherwise, the driver’s license services are by appointment only.

(Radio Iowa) – One in every dozen Iowans has asthma and wintertime can be their worst time of the year, since just breathing cold air can trigger an asthma attack. With the pandemic and the chilly weather keeping most of us indoors, exposure to triggers like pet dander and smoke can make matters worse. Allergist Dr. David Slade suggests a few ways to keep your asthma symptoms under control. “If at all possible, try not to use or be around things like wood-burning stoves, even kerosene heaters or fireplaces, just to avoid the strong odors or chemicals they that they produce,” Dr. Slade says. “It’s also important to avoid things like irritating sprays, hairspray, indoor air fresheners.”

Slade says asthma sufferers and those around them can take some simple steps to make it easier to breathe. “Ask your family members to try to limit their use of perfumes or anything with a strong scent,” he says. “The most important thing is that if you have asthma and you smoke, the best thing you can do is quit and ask people not to smoke around you.”  Just going outside and having the cold air hit your lungs could bring on an episode. If you’re not already wearing a face mask, it’s important to cover your nose and mouth with a scarf when you’re outdoors, Slade says, especially on very cold, windy days. “If you’re thinking of fun things to do outside this winter, try to plan them when you’ll have the least exposure to your asthma triggers,” Slade says. “Keep an eye on the weather so that you can monitor your asthma by tracking days that symptoms most occur.”

Slade says to have a frank talk with your doctor to create a plan that keeps your symptoms under control and set up a routine that works best for you.

(Radio Iowa) – The 11-week shut down of the 2020 Iowa legislative session due to the pandemic delayed a debate about tax policy that’s likely to be front-and-center of the 2021 session. Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Ankeny, said “I’ve said this many times, but as long as I’m the leader of the Senate and as long as we’re in the majority, we’re always going to continue to work on tax relief.” Whitver says Senate Republicans want to pursue an “aggressive” reduction in taxes.

“What that looks like and what the details are is still to be determined,” Whitver says. “We have really taken some big steps over the last four years to improve our tax climate. We’re not where we need to be yet.” The ultimate goal for some Republicans would be the elimination of the state income tax. Whitver suggests this year’s target is reducing the tax rate.

“Reducing the individual income tax is really important because it not only affects every single person in the state of Iowa, it also affects most of the businesses in the state of Iowa because most of the businesses don’t pay a corporate tax,” Whitver says. “They pay the individual income tax and so when you’re talking about pro-growth, pro-job policies, individual income tax is at the top of the list.”

Last February, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds proposed a 10 percent reduction in income taxes, along with a one percent increase in the state sales tax to find more money for water quality projects and mental health services. Whitver says a sales tax hike has been and will continue to be a hard sell. House Speaker Pat Grassley of New Hartford says the Republican-led legislature passed the largest tax reduction package in state history in 2018 and he says it’s critical to craft a state spending plan with enough in reserve to trigger the next round of cuts outlined in that 2018 law.

“From my perspective that is the number one priority when it comes to tax policy. I’m sure there are other pieces that come up. We’ve had some child tax policy that we’ve been working on,” Grassley says. Grassley says legislators also are waiting to see whether Governor Reynolds proposes the same “Invest in Iowa” package she did last February, or if she makes major adjustments. “We have to be careful to rush to judgement on anything we’ve seen in the past until we’ve seen what the new proposal may look like,” Grassley says. “We have 14 new members that haven’t even seen the old proposal, let alone if there’s something new.”

Democrats say they’ll push for specific legislation to help Iowans get through the pandemic. Representative Jennifer Konfrst, a Democrat from Windsor Heights who is the assistant House Minority Leader, says “We want to make sure we’re focused on long-term recovery efforts to get the economy rolling again. We want to make sure we’re using aggressive plans to help families, businesses, schools and health care workers recover over the next several years.”

“We don’t feel like it’s one or the other. We feel like Covid recovery works toward building Iowa’s economy and building a better life for Iowans,” Konfrst says. “It’s all just part of the same process, so we see this as a long term goal and one that we look forward to working with Republicans on accomplishing.” The 2021 legislative session begins next Monday, January 11th.

(Radio Iowa) Five of the six Iowans serving today (Monday) in the U.S. Congress were sworn into office yesterday (Sunday). Third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Des Moines from West Des Moines, has started her second term in the U.S. House. Axne stood on the Capitol steps and recorded a statement that was posted on Twitter.

“I am looking forward to getting to work for Iowans once again, making sure that we address the issues, of course, with Covid and get people back to a health state and put money in their pockets,” Axne said. “Of course we’ve got to make sure coming out of that that our country can thrive.” Axne is the dean of the Iowa delegation since the other three representatives from Iowa are all starting their first terms in the House.

First district Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion posted a video on Twitter that she recorded as she walked toward the capitol. “I’m so excited. I’m ready to serve you, spent my day today getting my office up and running,” Hinson said. “We’re taking as many calls as we can already.”

Fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, issued a written statement, saying on he looks forward to finding conservative solutions that will create a booming economy for taxpayers. Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa — from Iowa’s second congressional district — was sworn in as a provisional member of the House. Democrat Rita Hart is asking a House committee to order another recount in the second district race after Miller-Meeks won by just six votes.

Miller-Meeks, in a written statement, said in congress she’ll do her best to help Iowa workers and businesses get back to work and get children safely back to school. On the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol, the vice president administered the oath of office to Republican Joni Ernst, who has started her second term in the U.S. Senate.

Senator Charles Grassley stood behind Ernst as she was sworn into office, but didn’t take the oath. Grassley has two more years remaining on his 7th term in the U.S. Senate.

One person was flown by LifeNet helicopter to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Sunday, following a snowmobile accident in Page County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 48-year-old William Stephens, of Shenandoah, was operating a 2003 Arctic Cat snowmobile south in the west ditch of Northwest Road at around 2:41-p.m., when the machine went out of control at the intersection of Day Street, and struck a light pole.

The accident remains under investigation. Shenandoah Police and Rescue assisted at the scene.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:25 a.m. CST

VINTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of an 84-year-old man in a small eastern Iowa town. The Iowa Department of Public Safety said James Howard Bright was found dead Saturday morning inside his home in Vinton, Iowa, after the sheriff’s department was called to check on him. Vinton is a town of about 5,000 people that is located about 30 miles northwest of Cedar Rapids. Authorities did not release any details about the circumstances of Bright’s death, but they said it is being investigated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa State Patrol. No arrests have been announced.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police have identified the 18-year-old woman who died after several shots were fired into a home where a New Year’s party was being held. Police said Sunday that Mia Alexis-Marie Kritis of Sioux City died after the shooting early Friday morning. Police said multiple guns were fired into the home during the shooting. Four other people were injured in the shooting, but police didn’t identify them because they are all juveniles. None of their injuries are believed to be life-threatening. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and the department encouraged witnesses to come forward.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A man with a gunshot wound died shortly after his arrival at a Cedar Rapids hospital early Sunday morning. Cedar Rapids Police said the man was brought to the hospital by a private vehicle around 2:15 a.m. Sunday. The man’s identity wasn’t immediately released on Sunday. Police did not release any details about the shooting Sunday. No arrests were reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines attorney is suing several police officers and the city over their response to racial justice protests in May. The class-action lawsuit seeks to represent anyone arrested or assaulted by Des Moines officers during a protest May 31. Attorney Gina Messamer alleges in the lawsuit that officers illegally arrested and pepper-sprayed people protesting the death of George Floyd while he was in the custody of Minneapolis police. The lawsuit alleges the officers’ actions violated protesters’ free speech rights and were meant to deter future demonstrations. Des Moines officials did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.