DES MOINES, Iowa – State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald is safekeeping money and other valuables in the unclaimed property vault with the hope of reuniting it with their rightful owners. “In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I’m releasing a holiday-themed list of people and businesses across Iowa who have unclaimed property waiting for them in the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt,” said Fitzgerald. “See if you or someone you know has something to claim!” Among those (In our area) with unclaimed property is Heartland Family Service in Council Bluffs, and Clara F. Sweet, of Mapleton.

“Don’t give up hope if your name isn’t on this list,” continued Fitzgerald. “We have thousands more in our online database, which you can search anytime at GreatIowaTreasureHunt.gov.” Since Fitzgerald created the program in 1983, over $310 million has been returned to more than 585,000 owners.

Unclaimed property refers to money and other assets held by financial institutions or companies that have lost contact with the owner. In Iowa, the assets are safeguarded in the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt until the owner or heir is found. Common forms of unclaimed property include stocks, uncashed checks, unpaid life insurance benefits, safe deposit boxes and more.

Start your search today at GreatIowaTreasureHunt.gov.

(Radio Iowa) – House Republicans have introduced legislation that would increase state spending on public K-through-12 schools by two-and-a-half percent. That’s slightly more than Republicans in the Senate have proposed. “We’re in line, obviously, with the governor’s number, so I don’t think we’re out on an island.” That’s House Speaker Pat Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford. Governor Reynolds has proposed that public schools, community colleges and the three state universities all get a two-and-a-half percent boost in state support for the coming academic year.

Grassley says House Republicans are introducing a separate bill that would provide an additional 19-million dollars to Iowa’s school districts. “With the expectation of that being used on support staff, with these increased costs that we’re seeing because of inflation,” Grassley says. That bill stipulates that school districts would only be able to use that extra money to cover pay for substitute teachers, bus drivers and other staff brought into schools to cover worker shortages.

Democrats in the legislature have proposed a five percent increase in per pupil state spending on schools.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne is co-sponsoring legislation to prohibit companies from ending health care benefits for striking workers. “I think across this country we’ve seen too many places where Americans are under threat of losing their health care because they’re standing up for workers’ rights,” Axne says. Axne, a Democrat, says she learned about the issue this fall as she walked the picket line in Ankeny with striking John Deere workers.

Deere and Company continued paying health care premiums, but under current law, it could have stopped providing health care benefits after October 27th. “How can they do that to families?” Axne asks. “How can they do that to children, who need this? How can they do to pregnant mothers? How can they do that people who have cancer or some other disease?” One-hundred-40 union workers who’ve been on strike at a California baker lost health care coverage January 1st. Axne says corporations sometimes use termination of health care benefits as a tactic to end a strike.

“People across the country understand that it’s not fair for workers who are still employed by those companies while they’re on strike,” because if you’re still employed, you shouldn’t be losing those benefits.” Axne is seeking reelection to a third term in the U.S. House this year. The Des Moines Register reported this week Axne has begun accepting contributions from political action committees connected to corporations. Axne had refused PAC donations in past campaigns.

“I came to understand that those PACs are nothing when compared to the real threat, which is dark money,” Axne says. “The Republicans have been spending millions running false and misleading ads against me. I’ve got to make sure I have the opportunity to push back against those who are trying to smear my record.”Republicans say Axne’s reversal on this campaign finance issue shows she can’t be trusted to keep her word.