(Radio Iowa) – A House subcommittee has approved the governor’s plan to create a statewide system that combines the regions in charge of mental health services with the regions in charge of providing substance use treatment.

Kelly Garcia, director of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, says the proposal would streamline services that have a lot of overlap and make it easier for Iowans to get help. “As part of our assessment work over the last seven months, we have heard from thousands of providers and they have told us our system is cumbersome,” Garcia says. “…This bill really does take a huge step forward to cure that issue.”

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services director Kelly Garcia (official photo)

The proposed plan would go into effect July 1st of next year. Flora Schmidt is the executive director of the Iowa Behavioral Health Association. She says that timeline is a concern.  “Our members are – they’ve got a lot of angst right now they just don’t know what it’s going to mean to their workforce, to their funding, and ultimately, their ability to maintain a continuity of services over the next 18 months,” Schmidt says.

Iowa currently has 13 regions that provide state and federally funded services for Iowans with mental health issues and intellectual disabilities. There are 19 regions in charge of government funded care for substance abuse and gambling addiction. The governor’s plan creates seven districts that would each provide all those services.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Atlantic SplashPad project fundraising committee member Ali Pieken, Friday (today), said the Committee “Received almost $37,000 in donations within 48 hours following the city council meeting on Tuesday night.”  Pieken said one of the donations came in the form of “a $25,000 check from 1st Whitney Bank.”

SplashPad Fundraising Committee Co-Chair Jeremy Butler receives a check from the daughter of Pete & Ellie Smith. (All photo’s courtesy of Ali Pieken)

The Council meeting raised the ire of some residents, when it was alleged some at City Hall had blocked efforts by the Committee to obtain grants for the project.

The following day, Committee Co-Chair Jeremy Butler said the comments made during the meeting were not placed “In the proper context.”

He said also, the bottom line is that “The committee has never wavered from their primary focus which was getting the Splash Pad completed. It has been one of the things at the top of the community’s wish list for several years.”

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Red Oak Police say two people were arrested and released from the scene on citations, for littering. 32-year-old Jessica Lynn Hardman, of Red Oak, was cited at around 10:15-a.m. Friday (today), in the 100 block of W. Coolbaugh Street. 32-year-old Jamie Gene Neville, of Red Oak, was cited at around 10:30-a.m. Friday, in the 400 block of E. Grimes Street. Both were ordered to appear in court on the simple misdemeanor offenses.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – State Representative Thomas Moore, a Republican from Griswold, Friday, released his weekly report on activities in the Iowa Legislature. Moore said it “was a busy week as we prepare for funnel week.” He says the Health and Human Services Committee met and passed six bills that will now move to the House floor. Among them:

The HHS Committee also passed bill that requires the DHHS to create a website with information on perinatal hospice services available in Iowa and nationally. Moore says HF2070 requires DHHS to establish an indoor mold public information and awareness program. House Study Bill (HSB) 596 comes from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, it allows regulatory violations by licensees to be reported to other regulatory agencies, and makes technical corrects to the dependent adult abuse code chapter.

Moore said also, the Education Committee passed several bills, including the previously reported-on Governor’s Women’s Bill, which defines the terms sex, female, male, woman, girl, man, boy, mother, father, and that equal does not mean the same or identical.

HF2197 provides for education on the holocaust for students and teachers in school districts. HF2081 modifies provisions related to the curriculum provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve by allowing instruction related to agriculture to meet a portion of the unit requirements related to science. HSB568 relates to mandatory reporting to the BOEE of licensed school employees who engage in grooming behavior toward students or the abuse of students.

And, Representative Moore says the Labor and Workforce Committee passed SF319 which is the Private Sector Employee Drug Testing bill. It allows the employer to designate what a “safety-sensitive” position is and allows the employer to offer and the employee to choose to receive electronic communication. It also changes the burden of proof from the employer to the employee to prove by a preponderance of evidence that the employer acted improperly.

Constituents with questions or comments can contact Representative Moore, at tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov and (712) 789-9954.

At the end of his report, Moore extended his congratulations to area students whose names were on the college Dean’s and other academic achievement Lists at the end of the Fall, 2023:

Central College Dean’s List

• Angelica Anderson of Marne
• Jenna Stephens of Stanton

Simpson College Dean’s List

• Caroline Pellett of Atlantic
• Grant Sturm of Atlantic
• Joe Weaver of Griswold
• Makenna Askeland of Griswold
• Landon Couse of Red Oak

Simpson College President’s List

• Haley Rasmussen of Atlantic

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Dean’s List

• Say Wah of Atlantic
• Ty Lantz of Shenandoah
• Elijah Schuster of Shenandoah
• Aubrey Herzberg of Villisca
• Sam Fields of Red Oak
• Colton Leece of Shenandoah

University of Delaware Dean’s List

• Taylor Wagoner of Clarinda

Moore says “Congratulations to all of these students on their hard earned academic success!”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The School Board in Atlantic, this week, heard a presentation from iJAG instructor Guy Somers. IJAG stands for “Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates.” The Atlantic School Board approved participation in iJAG in April, 2021. The program for High School Juniors and Seniors connects businesses and education, to provide the most cost-effective dropout prevention and school career solutions.

Somers introduced Brianna “Bree” Atkins to the School Board. He said she’s the district’s longest-tenured iJAG student. She spoke from a student’s perspective about the program. Somers said he didn’t have to ask her to talk about iJAG, she volunteered. Bree said the program has helped her to become a better person and taken her out of her “comfort zone,” with regard to public speaking and in other areas. She credited Somers with taking her through that phase of her personal development, in the iJAG program.

She said Mr. Somers helped her to get a job following an apprenticeship. She spoke also about an iJAG community service project to reorganize the Clothing Closet, which provides students in school with appropriate clothing if what they are wearing is deemed inappropriate for the classroom environment.

She said also, she attended a leadership conference last year.

She said iJAG is a really fun class, and had high praise for Guy Somers.

Guy Somers said he had 19 students in iJAG last semester, which he said, is low compared to the previously registered number. The program helped to increase most student’s grades in other classes, but not all. He says he’s working to turn those numbers around.

He said 12.5-percent of iJAG graduates went-on to further their education at college.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests:

Taken into custody on January 30th, was: 45-year-old  Anthony Karns, of Wiota, for Burglary in the 3rd Degree.  Karns was booked into the Cass County Jail and later released on bond.

There were two arrests January 29th, in Cass County: Deputies arrested 22-year-old Haley Helinksi, of Harlan, for Theft in the 2nd Degree.  Helinski turned herself in to the Cass County Jail where she was booked, held and later released on her own recognizance; 19-year-old Dakota Allmer, of Lewis, was also arrested Jan 19th for Theft in the 2nd Degree.  Allmer was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked, held and later released on his own recognizance.

All criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – The idea of naming the tiny Iowa Darter as the official state fish has sailed through a House subcommittee. Representative Elinor Levin of Iowa City said it’s a great way to raise awareness about the only fish that has “Iowa” in its name. “It’s a pretty fish,” Levin said during a brief subcommittee meeting on the idea. “I think it’s going to be a nice symbol for our state.”

Representative Shannon Latham of Sheffield agreed. “I was surprised to find out we didn’t already have a state fish,” Latham said.

Darter Fish (IA DNR photo)

Every state that surrounds Iowa has a state fish. The walleye is the state fish of both Minnesota and South Dakota. Wisconsin’s state fish is the musky. The bluegill was named the state fish of Illinois in 1986. And, in 1997, the channel catfish became the state fish of both Nebraska and Missouri.

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa Senate committee has approved a bill to remove the requirement that state and local government boards and commissions have an equal number of men and women. A federal judge recently ruled that Iowa’s gender balance requirement for the State Judicial Nominating Commission violates the U-S Constitution’s equal protection clause. Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, says a woman who’s a former constituent wanted to serve on the commission, but couldn’t because a man had to be appointed to meet the gender balance requirement.”We’ve just reached the point where this is just getting silly,” Schultz says. “We’re seeing just mathematical gymnastics  trying to match an outdated, possibly wrong-headed law in the first place.”

Senator Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig) is chairman of the Senate State Government Committee, which passed the bill earlier this week. (Official Photo)

Senator Claire Celsi, a Democrat from Des Moines, says women have not yet reached gender parity in Iowa. “Especially in our smaller cities and towns and counties, we have a long way to go ’til we get to that gender balance that this law was supposed to help us achieve,” Celsi says. Senator Carrie Koelker, a Republican from Dyersville, says the gender balance requirement muffles input on boards and commissions. “This is appalling to me that we’re even sitting here and even having this conversation,” Koelker said. “…Therdfe’s a lot of men out there’s a lot of women out there that have expertise and voices that need to be heard.”

Senator Janet Weiner, a Democrat from Iowa City, says the gender balance requirement has given women the confidence to seek leadership roles in state and local government. “Having this sitting here in law gave them the ability to say: ‘You know what? I’m as qualified as someone else. I can apply for this,'” Weiner said.

The bill cleared the Senate State Government Committee and a House subcommittee this week. Last year, Governor Reynolds said she favors getting rid of Iowa’s gender balance requirement for all state and local government boards and commissions.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Police in Glenwood report a Nebraska woman was arrested Thursday, on drug charges. 43-year-old Lydia Robinowitz, of Omaha, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1,300.