(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s delegation in the U.S. House has voted along party lines on new gun regulations, like raising the age to buy A-R-15 style rifles from 18 to 21. Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines says it is common sense, comprehensive legislation that will help curb the gun violence epidemic. The three Iowa Republicans in the U.S. House voted no. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says the bill Democrats proposed was unconstitutional. “What we saw last night obviously was legislation that they pushed through that will really to little to stop the violence,” Hinson says, “but again it just targets our law abiding citizens and violates their Second Amendment rights.”

The bill passed with the support of all House Democrats and five Republicans. Hinson says congress should instead bolster school safety, law enforcement training and mental health resources. “Right now I think we need to be focused on real solutions to the challenges in our country,” Hinson says. “The laws on the books need to be enforced and we need to stop guns getting into the wrong hands.”

Congressman Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, also supports the G-O-P proposal to add security to schools and increase access to mental health treatment. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican from Ottumwa, is co-sponsoring a bill to let schools use federal pandemic relief funds on security measures.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Sheriff’s Officials in Mills County report 26-year-old Joseph Ray Moreno, of Omaha, was arrested Wednesday afternoon. He was taken into custody on a warrant issued by the Council Bluffs Police Department, for Unauthorized Credit Card Use. His bond was set at $2,000.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Association of Workforce Boards is hosting its annual statewide training workshop today (Thursday) in Marshalltown for Iowa’s nine local Workforce Development panels. Miranda Swafford, executive director of the Mississippi Valley Area Workforce Development Board, based in Burlington, explains the group’s overall role in improving workforce opportunities across the state.  “The primary role of the local Workforce Development Board is to really oversee all of the Workforce services in their specific counties,” Swafford says. “They are a federally-mandated board and they help to develop specific programming to meet the needs of our businesses and our job seekers through our Iowa work centers.”

The group is meeting at the Iowa Valley Continuing Education Conference Center in Marshalltown.  “We are bringing all nine Workforce boards together, which will be comprised of business owners and economic development, community college representatives and a lot of other workforce partners,” Swafford says. “We are bringing in experts from outside the state to help design and drive Workforce services across the state of Iowa moving forward.”

Learn more about available Workforce Development opportunities at www.iowaworkforceboards.org.

(Atlantic) The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday afternoon, agreed to Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall’s request to hire three new staffers for the Treasurer’s Office, following the loss of some staffers and the upcoming retirement of another. The Board agreed to pay those individuals $18-dollars per hour, with an increase to $19-dollars per hour after 90-days and a review of performance. After six-months, the new staff would be paid $20-dollars per hour.

Marshall said two of the new staff can start right away. The third person will be available in the coming week. As it stands currently, the office is closed all day on Tuesdays, for staff training. It’s open the rest of the week from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., closed from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., open from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Board Chairman Steve Baier asked Marshall how long she was anticipating having to run abbreviated service hours.

If there are any future changes to her office hours, Marshall said she would keep the public updated via the media and postings on the courthouse entrances, as well as the Treasurer’s Office doors.

(Union County, Iowa) – Storms that took place Tuesday evening made driving difficult in many areas. The Union County Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday, said a woman escaped injury during a rollover accident that occurred during a thunderstorm. Authorities say 20-year-old Jada Fife, from Washington, D-C, was driving a 2021 Jeep Compass SUV eastbound on 195th Street at around 8:10-p.m., and trying to get back to the local residence she was staying at.

Fife told a Deputy that because of the swirling, heavy rain, she couldn’t see the road. Her SUV entered a ditch and rolled onto its top. Fife admitted to not wearing a seat belt, but her side impact airbag deployed during the crash, saving her from likely injuries. No citations were issued. Damage to the SUV was estimated at $10,000 (a total loss).

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday morning in the Council’s Chambers at the City Hall, in Harlan. In his minutes of the meeting, Shelby County Auditor Mark L. Maxwell, stated Supervisor Kenkel had reported that the Supervisors along with the Shelby County Attorney, the Assessor and County Engineer are presently working on draft ordinances for windmills, solar farms and hazardous pipelines. The plan is to finalize drafts and bring to BOS for approval within next couple of months.

In other business, the Supervisors held a public hearing on a proposed Urban Renewal Plan amendment. Hearing no public comments, and having received no related correspondence, the hearing was closed and a motion was made to suspend further readings of the ordinance and approve the Resolution to ” Declare Necessity and Establish an Urban Renewal Area,” and “Approve [the] Urban Renewal Plan Amendment for the Shelby County Urban Renewal Area.” They adopted the Resolution later in the meeting.

The amendment covers the addition of the Property to the Urban Renewal Area, and authorizes the undertaking of a new urban renewal project in the Urban Renewal Area consisting of using tax increment financing to pay the costs of constructing county road, bridge and culvert improvements for the betterment of transportation infrastructure and the promotion of economic development.  There are multiple bridge and/or culvert projects included in the plan. Mark Maxwell says “It is expected that the completed Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects will cause increased and improved ability of the County to provide adequate transportation infrastructure for the growth and retention of commercial, industrial and agri-business enterprises in the Urban Renewal Area.”

Description of Properties to be Acquired in Connection with the Project: The County will acquire such easement territory and right-of-way as are necessary to successfully undertake the Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects. Description of Use of TIF: It is anticipated that the County will pay for the Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects with either borrowed funds and/or the proceeds of an internal advance of County funds on-hand. In any case, the County’s obligations will be repaid with incremental property tax revenues. It is anticipated that the County’s use of incremental property tax revenues for the Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects will not exceed $2,000,000 plus any interest as may accrue on any credit facilities entered into by the County to finance the Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects.  For further details, please contact the Shelby County Auditor’s Office.

Kaylee Langrell from Turnkey Logistics along with Christopher Hill, representing Summit Pipeline solutions addressed the Supervisors during Wednesday’s meeting. Langrel and Hill were questioned about the claim of $867,390 estimated property tax to be collected by Shelby County annually. They informed the Board and audience, that it was an estimate produced by others. Many questions were ask of Summit Reps on their tax estimates, construction protocol, project benefits to the County, as well as expected communication with our inspector prior to construction. The Board stated they would like to Summit to attend the Board meetings at least every 90 days.