DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)) – It will cost you more to attend the Iowa State Fair this year. The fair announced Wednesday that gate prices for adults will rise to $14 from $12 last year, and tickets for children ages 6 to 11 will increase to $8 from $6. Advance purchase prices are going up a dollar: to $9 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 to 11. Children 5 and under still will get in free. There will be ticket discounts on some days for certain groups, including Older Iowans Day on Aug. 19. The fair runs Aug. 13-23 this year.

(Radio Iowa) — The State Ombudsman says her office saw the fifth straight year where they took more complaints and information requests. Ombudsman Kristie Hirschman says they had 54-hundred-six contacts during fiscal year 2019 — an increase of seven percent. “Everything in all categories just seems to be increasing,” she says.  One area did stick out a little more than others. “The only clear significant increase as far as categories of complaints is from jails,” according to Hirschman. “We know the jail populations are increasing. And our office has been saying for years that jails and prisons have become the warehouse for the mentally ill.

They saw 30 percent more complaints about jails and prisons.  “The top five complaint categories for jails are: health services, discipline, staff conduct, food and conditions and confinement,” she says. Hirschman says a lot of the medical complaints involve medication that can’t be resolved.  “They believe they are not getting medications or appropriate health care treatment. Part of that is there are medications not allowed in the prison system in certain situations — especially medications such as narcotics,” Hirschman explains.

Hirschman says she continues to have concern about the complaints generated about governments. She remains frustrated with transparency in all levels of government.  “In general from a big picture perspective — I think that agencies need to strive to be more transparent. — err on the side of transparency rather than secrecy,” according to Hirschman. She says one thing the public needs to do is look for all avenues where they can settle an issue before having to call her office. “If that is available to them, then we will decline the compliant until they have exhausted the process,” Hirschman says. “Even for example is somebody calls and says ‘the city won’t pay for my street.’ And then we ask them if they have brought their concerns to the attention of the city council. And if they say ‘no’ — we are going to ask them to bring their concerns to the appropriate governing body before our office gets involved — just because we get too many complaints.”

The complaints brought to her office in the 2019 fiscal year ended with 79 percent being unsubstantiated, three percent undetermined or no basis to determine, and 18 percent partially or fully substantiated. Hirschman expects the complaints about local governments to continue to increase as a new law promotes the Ombudsman as a place for employees to report fraud and waste. The report can be found online at www.legis.iowa.gov/Ombudsman.

(Radio Iowa) — Residents along the Missouri River are hearing repeated warnings of likely flooding in 2020 due to saturated soil conditions from a very wet 2019. Kevin Low, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service, says the latest 90-day river outlook indicates a high probability for continued or renewed flooding along several of the Missouri River’s tributaries. “For the main stem Missouri River itself, there’s roughly a 50-50 chance for minor flooding to occur in some reaches below Nebraska City,” Low says. “All of this risk for flooding is, of course, dependent on the timing and locations of any plains snowmelt, rain-on-snow events, and just plain rain events.”

The projections are based on several factors, including precipitation expected in the next three months. Doug Kluck is the regional climate services director with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Kansas City. Kluck says the outlook for January through March indicates elevated levels of above-normal precipitation across the entire Missouri River basin thanks to heavy rain and snow in the mountains and plains. “The confidence level in those predictions, or that outlook, isn’t extremely high,” Kluck says. “I’ll say that. We don’t have a strong El Nino or La Nina. We’re not leaning on a lot with these predictions. However, as of this moment anyway, we’re saying above-normal precipitation. Most of that will be snow, as you’d expect, in Montana and Wyoming.”

Heavy runoff from mountain snowpack is also expected to continue. John Remus, chief of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Missouri River Basin Water Management Division, offers assurances to residents in the region. “The Corps remains fully committed to our flood risk reduction mission, protecting stakeholders when we can from significant runoff events that pose a threat to human health and safety,” Remus says. “Floods can and will occur regardless of basin or system conditions, including ice-induced flooding during the winter freeze-in and spring breakup periods, and flooding due to thunderstorms.”

Corps officials say releases from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota were increased on Tuesday from 27,000 to 30,000 cubic feet per second. Because of the high runoff expected, monthly average releases are expected to range from 33,000 c-f-s during the summer to 42,000 c-f-s in the fall. Releases will be reduced in response to downstream flooding when appropriate. The National Weather Service will issue its first spring flooding outlook on February 13th.

One person was arrested Wednesday night in Montgomery County, following a incident in the 1800 block of 130th Street. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Erin Collins, of Villisca, was transported to the Montgomery County Jail on simple misdemeanor charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of drug paraphernalia. Collins’ bond was set at $1,000.

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

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for his role in the violent robbery and assault of an elderly central Iowa woman. The Des Moines Register reports that Manuel Eduardo Balderas was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty in November to robbery, burglary and willful injury counts. Balderas was one of three men accused of breaking into a then-82-year-old woman’s Kelley home in August 2018, temporarily blinding the grandmother before beating and robbing her. Investigators say she was also sexually assaulted. Balderas had been charged with first-degree sexual abuse, but prosecutors dropped that charge and three others in exchange for his guilty pleas.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers doesn’t expect to eliminate from its reservoir system all the leftover water from last year’s near record runoff that led to massive flooding along the Missouri River. Officials are raising the current releases in expectation of high spring runoff again this year. The Corps’ John Remus told the Omaha World-Herald the system needs to make as much space as possible in light of forecasts for warmer than normal weather and higher than normal runoff. He says the Corps normally doesn’t release more during the winter because of the potential for ice jams and dams upriver.

COLO, Iowa (AP) — Officers are investigating the deaths of two people in what Story County officials say was a murder-suicide. A relative called 911 after discovering the bodies around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at a residence in Colo. The Story County Sheriff’s Office didn’t immediately release the names of the two, nor provide information about the causes of their deaths. State officials have joined the investigation.

DUNKERTON, Iowa (AP) — The former police chief of a small eastern Iowa town has pleaded guilty to charges that she collected pay for hours she didn’t work. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that Katherine Krieger entered the pleas Monday to theft and felonious misconduct in office. She was chief in Dunkerton, a town of about 830 residents around 100 miles northeast of Des Moines. Prosecutors say Krieger collected pay for hours in Dunkerton when she was working another law enforcement job and for training and meetings she never attended last spring. Court records say she received $3,000 in unearned pay.

Members of the Atlantic School Board, Wednesday night, received an update from Superintendent Steve Barber, with regard to the District’s Facilities projects. Barber said they are working with Snyder and Associates Engineers, to ensure that the sidewalk project in front of the Middle School meets ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements. Portions of the sidewalks are in bad shape. Snyder’s, he said, will make sure local concrete businesses will have the opportunity to bid on the project, which will be taken care of this summer.

He said also, the firm will produce a cost estimate for the replacement of the roof above the Schuler gymnasium. And, in the near future, Barber says the fund-raising committee for the Atlantic Booster Club will put out a News Release on raising funds for the Facility Project, for the addition of turf to the Trojan Bowl, as discussed last June. As it currently stands, donation recognition levels will begin with: “Players” at $300-$999; Those who contribute $1,000 to $2,499 are at the “Black: level; The “Gold” level is for funds from $5,000 to $9,999; “Letter Winner” is $10,000 to $49,999; and, “Trojan Head” level donation recognition is for those donations of $50,000 and above.

Barber said work on “Moving dirt” continues at the Trojan Bowl, and that work on the concession stands will move forward, weather permitting, after the permafrost is no longer a factor…sometime in April.

Scoreboard options

Activity Director Andy Mitchell spoke to the Board about three options for scoreboards at the District’s Athletic Facilities. The Trojan Bowl Scoreboard  favored by the School Board, has the words “Atlantic” on the left and “Trojans” on the right, with digital scores and video information (such as final track results) in the center, flanked at the bottom by smaller, billboard sponsors.

The pricing for each of the three scoreboard options varies with the design and overall size. Mitchell will gather more information on the scoreboards and bring that back to the School Board, during their meeting in February.

(Radio Iowa) — One of the groups that pushed to limit the use of seclusion rooms in Iowa schools says it supports a revision of the rules that will go before the State Board of Education. The proposed new rules say students can be removed from class and isolated in a seclusion room only to prevent bodily injury to themselves or others. It cannot be done as punishment. A-C-L-U of Iowa policy director Daniel Zeno spoke at a public hearing and the rules — and says while they wanted stronger restrictions — the proposal takes some steps forward.

“Adding the language that seclusion and physical restraint should never be used for discipline or punishment is really important. Twenty-nine other states have already done that and so making that clear is really important and a good step in the rules,” Zeno says. Nathan Kirstein, an attorney with Disability Rights Iowa, also spoke at the public hearing and says he supports the changes. But, he says, some states have gone as far as banning seclusion rooms after determining they can be counterproductive.

“Hopefully Iowa will one day recognize this as well and make that next step. Until then, we support this step,” Kirstein says. The proposed rule changes also says seclusion rooms must be at least 54 square feet in size, and makes an adjustment in when parents have to be notified that students were put in the room. It also requires school districts to report seclusion and restraint data to the Department of Education.

The State Board of Education will vote on the changes after reviewing the information gathered from the public hearing and input from districts.

(Radio Iowa) — The medical director of the Iowa Department of Public Health confirms the flu is spreading much faster than usual this season. Epidemiologist Dr. Caitlin Pedati says there were nearly 700 confirmed flu cases statewide through the end of December, compared to only about 150 a year ago. Dr. Pedati says the state’s flu activity level is compiled by combining all sorts of data from a variety of sources.

“We look at the number of flu lab tests,” Pedati says. “We look at the number of outbreaks in places like long-term care facilities. We look at hospitalization rates. We look at school absences and we look at other viruses that might be circulating and contributing to what we call influenza-like illness.” At this point a year ago, one Iowan had died from flu complications, but this season, the number is far higher.

“We have had 11 flu-associated reported deaths so far, and flu is a serious virus and unfortunately, it can make people quite ill,” Pedati says. “It kills people every year. Nationally, the CDC is reporting 2,900 deaths associated with flu.” While January and February are typically the peak months, Iowa’s flu activity level is already at its highest point — widespread — but Pedati says there are still simple ways to protect yourself.

“Flu is a tough virus and it can make people sick and it can cause deaths every year,” she says. “That’s why getting vaccinated and practicing good public health measures are always going to be important every year, no matter what the flu activity is.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list Iowa among the 34 states where the spread of the flu this season is considered widespread.

While the flu numbers are significantly higher this season compared to last year, Pedati notes this season is still tracking below the 2017-2018 season, which was particularly bad.

Officials with the Marne Elk Horn Telephone Company (METC) said Wednesday, the business ended 2019 the best way it knew how: contributing funds to help the many communities they serve. A total of $24,750 was donated to 5 area public libraries and 15 area fire or fire & rescue departments. Donations ranged from $750 to $2,000.

Janell Hansen, CEO and General Manager at Marne Elk Horn, said “The board and our staff value what our libraries and fire & rescue departments do for our communities. They educate us, help us and keep us safe. This is one small way we can say thank you.”

Hansen says Marne Elk Horn strives to give back to the people and organizations that work to keep Avoca, Brayton, Elk Horn, Exira, Kimballton, Marne, McClelland, Minden, Neola, Persia, Shelby, Underwood, and Walnut vibrant and strong.

According to Hansen, Marne Elk Horn has been making these year-end donations for
many years. City budgets are often tight, so organizations normally have immediate plans for the funds. As such, the contributions are met with excitement about what will be possible. Hansen concluded, “Together we serve the needs of our residents in all our
communities. Working together we can make a difference.”

You may see pictures and all award amounts at www.metc.net/2020donations

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) – A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for his role in the violent robbery and assault of an elderly central Iowa woman. The Des Moines Register reports that Manuel Eduardo Balderas was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty in November to robbery, burglary and willful injury counts.

Balderas was one of three men accused of breaking into a then-82-year-old woman’s Kelley home in August 2018, temporarily blinding the grandmother before beating and robbing her. Investigators say she was also sexually assaulted. Balderas had been charged with first-degree sexual abuse, but prosecutors dropped that charge and three others in exchange for his guilty pleas.