(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says Iowans would still get a small property tax break under her updated proposal for Area Education Agencies. Earlier this month Reynolds called for A-E-As to focus solely on services for students with disabilities. Reynolds originally proposed doing away with the property tax levies that support the educational AND media services A-E-As provide for all students and staff. She’s now proposing property taxes be retained for educational services, like curriculum for math, science and reading classes as well as for talented and gifted programs, but Reynolds says the property tax levy for A-E-A media services should be repealed.

“That was designed in the ’70s and we’re using property tax dollars for it and a lot of it was like printing and laminating and some of those things and a lot of these schools have a business on Main Street that does it or they can form a coop and joint purchase some of these,” Reynolds says. “…It’s kind of weird, I think, that it’s being funded by property taxes. That’s inappropriate. It’s 2024. It’s not 1970 and we have access to a lot of resources that we didn’t have before.”

Under current law, state and federal funds and local property taxes for A-E-A services go directly to the A-E-As. Reynolds wants all of that money to go directly to school districts instead, then local school officials will decide whether to use an A-E-A, a private contractor or hire staff to provide the services. “Rural school districts out there or urban or anybody that’s using AEA services bottom line is if they like what they’re getting right now they can on day one transfer those funds to the AEA or they can find out what the cost of some of those services are,” Reynolds says. “Right now they don’t know what they’re paying for.”

School districts that wish to use an A-E-A digital lending library or other A-E-A media services would have to use money from the education services account to pay for it under the governor’s latest plan. Reynolds says her overarched goal is to improve test scores among Iowa students with disabilities, scores which have been well below the national average for years. Advocates for A-E-As say the governor’s plan poses a significant threat to the quality of education Iowa children receive and a reduction in the resources and learning tools currently available to students.

(Sidney, Iowa) – Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports a student with the Sidney Community School District faces Threat of Terrorism charges following an incident that occurred Thursday afternoon. The Sheriff says at approximately 3-p.m., the Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer was alerted of threats made by a student towards other students at the Sidney Community School District.

Deputies learned a student made threatening statements indicating they had an explosive device and had threatened to harm a student. It is alleged the student also made statements to several other students indicating they had a firearm and threatened to harm classmates.

School officials immediately made contact with the student and simultaneously engaged their lock out procedure and the school safety plan was enacted. Law enforcement conducted a search and no suspicious devices or weapons were found.

The student was taken to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and charged with two counts of Threats of Terrorism. The student is being held at the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs pending further court proceedings.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who are anxious to get their federal tax returns done in hopes of securing a refund can submit the forms yet today, if they want. IRS spokesman Christopher Miller says the agency won’t formally start accepting returns until next week, but you can get your electronic filing done right now. Miller says, “In that case, your tax return will simply be held until it can be submitted to the IRS at the end of the month.”

E-filing is typically more accurate than using the paper forms, he says, as there are built-in aids that help with the math, and it should mean a more swift refund. Plus, for Iowans with an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less, they can e-file using IRS Free File.

Miller says people who are e-filing can get at it this weekend. “Those returns filed early will also be held until the IRS begins processing tax returns at the end of January,” he says. Miller says there’s no rush to start filing. “A lot of people like to file their tax return early,” he says, “but the more important thing to remember is to file your taxes when you have all the paperwork together and can file a complete and accurate tax return.”

The filing season opens Monday, January 29th. For most filers, the deadline for 2023 federal tax returns is Monday, April 15th.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she had no role in the investigation of alleged illegal sports betting among college athletes in Ames and Iowa City. During an interview with Radio Iowa today (Thursday), Reynolds said state law requires the Division of Criminal Investigation through the Iowa Department of Public Safety to monitor sports gaming in Iowa.

Reynolds said.

Last May, officials at Iowa State University and the University of Iowa announced dozens of athletes at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University had been caught up in the DCI’s investigation of underage wagering as well as betting on teams at their own schools.

Governor Kim Reynolds spoke with Radio Iowa on Jan. 25, 20924. (RI photo)

Court documents released this week allege a whistleblower in the DCI says he was misled about the investigation and asked to be reassigned after another agent congratulated him for getting an athlete to confess. Reynolds declined to comment on those allegations.

Reynolds said.

According to Reynolds, the state’s public safety commissioner is “getting ready to provide some information” about the investigation.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports two female residents of the community said today (Thursday) their vehicles were burglarized. Additional information was not provided in the Police report.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of a Decatur County man who rammed the bale spears of a tractor into the sheriff’s S-U-V. Gerry Greenland was convicted of attempted murder and assault on a peace officer after the incident near Grand River in May of 2019. The sheriff was responding to a fight involving Greenland and family members. His S-U-V was damaged, but the sheriff escaped injury.

Greenland’s appeal says there was no evidence he knew the unmarked S-U-V contained a law officer, and questioned whether the slow-moving tractor was a dangerous weapon. The Court of Appeals ruling says the red and blue flashing lights and a sheriff’s department license plate were a clear indication it was a law enforcement vehicle. It says if the sheriff had been driving a less sturdy vehicle, the bale spears would have penetrated the door and caused serious injury or death.

Atlantic, IA — Officials with Cass Health in Atlantic, say they are excited to announce that a new partnership with Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates (MGI), PC will bring two GI specialists to Atlantic. Beginning February 1, 2024 Dr. Benjamin Hall and Dr. Helen Fasanya-Uptagraft will alternate travel to Cass Health monthly. Appointments will be available on the first and fourth Thursday of every month, and both doctors will provide care for conditions such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, Hepatitis C, diverticulitis, and other GI issues. While in Atlantic, they will also perform colonoscopy and EGD (upper endoscopy) procedures.

Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft

Dr. Benjamin Hall

Dr. Hall is originally from Topeka, Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine, and then completed a fellowship program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology from the University of Wisconsin. During this training, he completed a six-month sub-fellowship training in the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Dr. Hall is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Gastroenterology, and a professional member of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft received her medical degree from Creighton University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and her fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Duke University. Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Gastroenterology, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and a professional member of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Patients are encouraged to talk with their primary care providers about making appointments for procedures or clinic visits with Dr. Hall and Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft.

AMES, Iowa – Jan. 25, 2024 – The heavy snow and arctic temperatures we’ve experienced the past month seem to have passed for now, but with the recent fluctuating temperatures and ample moisture, you’re likely seeing potholes popping up. Potholes are mostly caused by moisture getting into or underneath the pavement. During freeze and thaw periods, moisture causes the asphalt or concrete to shift, buckle, or break. When vehicles drive over these weakened areas, leaving those dreaded potholes.

The Iowa Department of Transportation maintenance forces, as well as city and county crews, are patching potholes as quickly as they can using cold-mix asphalt. In many cases, it’s not a long-lasting solution but it improves your driving experience until the weather warms up enough to place a more permanent patch in the spring. Permanent patches use hot-mix asphalt or Portland cement concrete and work best when the temperatures are above freezing and stay that way. So this work is usually completed in the spring and summer. We are also proactive in the spring and summer, patching roads where we see significant cracking or deteriorated pavement, which can eventually lead to potholes.

To report potholes on streets or county roadways, contact the local city administrator/engineer or county engineer. You can report potholes on the interstates, Iowa numbered routes, and U.S. highways to the Iowa DOT’s maintenance manager located nearest the problem roadway. Go to this website to find that contact information.

(Washington, D-C) – Officials in Washington, today (Thursday), announced more than $4.9 billion in funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to 37 projects through two major discretionary grant programs, the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) grant program and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program. This includes $34 million in funding for the Southeast Connector: SE 30th to US 65 project, in Des Moines

The project will construct the final approximately 2.2-mile roadway section of the Southeast Connector between SE 30th Street in Des Moines to US 65 in Pleasant Hill. The project will also modify public infrastructure to accommodate the planned expansion of a freight facility. The project provides two vehicular travel lanes, curbs and gutters, street lighting, and an approximate 12-foot multi-use trail with green space on the south side. The project also includes an approximately 1,515-foot long seven span bridge that will traverse over Fourmile Creek. The project will improve safety for vulnerable roadway users by adding a multi-use trail separated from the roadway. The project will also improve safety by eliminating three at-grade crossings.

(Radio Iowa) – Health care workers, including pharmacists, could refuse to provide any service that violates their ethical, moral or religious beliefs under a bill that’s cleared an Iowa Senate subcommittee. Tom Chapman is executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference, which supports the bill. “No medical practitioner should be forced to participate in a procedure or medication to which he or she has an objection of conscience or violate their oath to do no harm,” Chapman said.

For more than four decades, Iowa law has said doctors cannot be forced to perform abortions. This bill would let health care professionals refuse to make referrals or provide any surgery, medication or service. Dane Schumann, a lobbyist for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, says the bill is very broad. “Say a practitioner is hired by an OB practice…and decides later on that they object to providing c-sections. That can be a religious objection that some people actually do have out there. The bill makes it impossible to accommodate the practice,” he said. “You can’t change them to a different shift. They can’t reduce their hours.”

Jan. 24 Senate Subcommittee hearing (RI photo)

Connie Ryan, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, says the bill meddles in the lives of patients. “A medical professional, institution or payer should never impose their religious beliefs on the health and life of a person or their family,” Ryan said. Pastor Brad Cranston of Burlington is founder of Iowa Baptists for Biblical Values, which supports the bill. “I encourage you to ensure that Iowa is a place where every citizen can not only live and worship in freedom, but also work according to the dictates of their own beliefs without fear,” Cranston said.

Doctors and other medical professionals who testified at the hearing said the bill could alter the basic standard of care for Iowans based on what hospital they enter or doctor they see.