(DES MOINES, Iowa) – Today (Thursday) the Iowa Department of Human Services announced a $30 million recruitment and retention bonus program to help Iowa’s child care providers attract and retain workers. To date the state has invested $480 million dollars to support child care since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Governor’s Child Care Task Force report recommended the establishment of a recruitment and retention bonus program in their report released in November. Governor Kim Reynolds convened the task force to improve the child care system in Iowa. In recent years, parents have struggled to find to quality, safe, and affordable child care. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges. Additionally, nearly every economic sector in the state has struggled to find qualified employees.

“Child care providers are a critical piece of the workforce shortage solution, providing the care and resources so many families rely on daily,” said Reynolds. “Because of their work, parents are able to return to or remain in the workforce. Their hard work and dedication deserves recognition and appreciation.”

“Child care is the backbone of our economy,” said DHS Director Kelly Garcia. “This recruitment and retention program will help bolster Iowa’s child care workforce and help support the families that rely on it. This is a significant investment in our state and in our future.”

“Professionalizing the state’s child care workforce starts with investing in providers,” said task force chair Emily Schmitt of Mason City. “That’s going to encourage those employees to see there’s a viable future in the profession. Every business is struggling with labor. Supporting child care will not only enable those Iowans but ultimately help the workforce.”

Current child development home operators, licensed child care center staff, and newly hired employees are eligible for the bonus. Each new hire or newly registered child development home meeting eligibility requirements will be eligible for a sign-on bonus 90 days after the date of hire. Six months from the date of sign-on bonus and every six months thereafter, any person meeting eligibility requirements that remains employed at the same child care facility will be eligible for a retention bonus until the funding runs out.

Additional details on eligibility and the application process will be published in February on the Department’s website at https://dhs.iowa.gov/childcare/funding-opportunities as well as communicated directly to providers through our partnership with Child Care Resource and Referral – https://iowaccrr.org/.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa National Guard Adjutant General Benjamin Corell says the soldiers in his ranks are a wealth of talent for the state not seen since World War II, but during the annual “Condition of the Guard” address this (Thursday) morning at the Capitol, Corell said the Guard is going to lose some soldiers due to the Pentagon’s Covid vaccine mandate.”Let me be clear: federal Covid-19 vaccine mandates will no doubt impact our organization,” he said. “These mandates have already started to create dilemmas within our ranks where our members must decide to get vaccinated or leave military service.”

After the speech, Corell told reporters about 80 percent of the Iowa Army National Guard soldiers and Iowa Air Guard airmen are fully vaccinated. Airmen in the Iowa Air Guard faced a December deadline to get vaccinated. The deadline for soldiers in the Iowa Army National Guard is this summer. Some of the unvaccinated are seeking medical or religious exemptions, which must be approved the secretaries of the Army or Air Force.

Maj. Gen. Benjamin Corell

Corell revealed in early 2021 that he had lingering Covid symptoms after being hospitalized for the virus in November of 2020. He was featured in a state public service announcement encouraging Iowans to get vaccinated. Last year, Corell says 81 percent of Iowa Army National Guard soldiers who faced the decision reenlisted. The rate was higher among Iowa Air National Guard airmen, as 93 percent reenlisted. Soldiers and airmen sign an intial contract to serve eight years and then are given a choice to reenlist every eight years after that.

(Des Moines, Iowa/KCCI) – KCCI in Des Moines reports Police in the Capital City have identified the person who was struck by a vehicle and died, early Wednesday morning. Authorities say 32-year-old William “Cody” Kline died after being struck just before 3 a.m. Wednesday near Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Southeast 8th Street. Police said someone in a yellow Chevrolet Cavalier hit Kline and left the scene. No suspect has been identified or charged. They’re still searching for the driver.

Shortly after the crash, police asked for help to find the car. They said someone helped turn it in several hours later. But they are still searching for the driver. Anyone with information regarding the crash, or the identity of the driver is asked to call the Des Moines Police Department Traffic Unit at 515-323-8370. You may also submit anonymous tips through CrimeStoppers of Central Iowa at 515-223-1400, or online at www.crimestoppersofcentraliowa.com.

Reward funds are available.

(Radio Iowa) – The name of the man whose body was found in a central Iowa pond is being released. Authorities in Marshall County have recovered the body of a Laurel man after responding to a report of a vehicle submerged in a rural farm pond. On Tuesday afternoon, sheriff’s deputies responded to the pond between Laurel and Melbourne. When authorities arrived on the scene, they discovered a vehicle that was partially submerged in a body of water. An area dive team was brought in to assist with recovery efforts, at which time authorities found a man’s body inside the vehicle. Authorities later identified the victim as Ricky Pierson, age 60, of Laurel.

The incident remains under investigation. Authorities say foul play is not suspected.

(Radio Iowa) – The first pair of bills to come out of the governor’s child care task force has cleared initial review in the Iowa House. One bill deals with low income families who get government-funded child care assistance or C-C-A. It would let child care centers to collect more money from those low-income parents to help make up the difference between what the government pays and the actual cost. Representative Ann Meyer, a Republican from Fort Dodge, says they’d have to agree in writing to pay extra. “This is not going to be a requirement,” she says. “CCA spots at their current pay rate will still be available. This is an option for families if they choose to take it. It’s not a requirement.”

Democratic Representative Tracy Ehlert of Cedar Rapids, says her child care center took a loss because she accepted families receiving assistance. “But I also was a working single mom who was on CCA myself and had my kids in a program and there’s no way I would’ve ever been able to pay the difference,” she says. “And I did have a co-pay and some weeks that was not manageable for me because it was a decision between am I going to pay the copay or am I going to pay food or am I going to pay a bill?”

A Department of Human Services official says the proposal could put the poorest of the working poor at a disadvantage when it comes to getting child care. The other bill that advanced would loosen the minimum staffing requirements for child care centers, so one worker could care for eight two year olds and the minimum ratio would be one worker for 10 three year olds. Child care advocates say the higher staff-to-child ratios could add to employee burn-out and safety concerns.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Katarina Sostaric)

(Corning, Iowa)  – In anticipation of anywhere from 5-10 inches of snow falling from Friday into Saturday morning, officials with the City of Corning have declared a 24-hour snow emergency, effective at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, January 14. No parking will be allowed on marked snow route streets during the first 12 hours of this snow emergency.

Except for the business district, parking during the first 12 hours on all other streets will be on the South and West side only. For the remainder of this snow emergency, parking will be allowed on the North and East side of the street if not prohibited by signs. All No Parking signs and direction of travel parking will be enforced.