(Radio Iowa) – Brides who want intricate braids, up-dos or chignons for their wedding day could have a professional stylist on site if a bill that cleared the Iowa House becomes law. Representative Ann Meyer of Fort Dodge explains: “It will allow licensed cosmetologists to practice cosmetology at a wedding venue, on the day of the wedding,” she says. “Currently they can only practice in a licensed salon.”

In addition to hair styling, some licensed cosmetologists do nails. That means if this bill becomes law, brides could get touch ups on their manicures and pedicures at their wedding venue, too. Hair salons took a hit during the pandemic as they were closed for weeks last spring to curb the spread of Covid. Supporters say this bill could provide cosmetologists with a welcome source of new income.

A Red Oak man was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant, Wednesday evening. Red Oak Police report 22-year old TYson Joseph Uhlmann was arrested at around 7:50-p.m. in the 2400 block of N. 8th Street. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $2,000 cash-only bond.

(Radio Iowa) – All Republicans and ten Democrats in the Iowa Senate have passed a bill designed to penalize cities that “defund” the police. Republicans senators passed another bill that would boost penalties for rioting. Senator Julian Garrett, a Republican from Indianola, says it’s about supporting law enforcement officers who dealt with violent rioters last summer.

“Those are folks out violating the law,” Garrett said. “That’s why we’ve got these provisions…to try to make the penalties enough that people will think twice about it.”Garrett’s bill would keep arrested protesters in jail for 24 hours before they’d be eligible for release. Garrett calls it a cooling off period.

“Someone who is out rioting and violating the law who is arrested, just hang onto them a little while so they don’t go right back out and start rioting again,” Garrett said. Democrats called Garrett’s list of enhanced penalties extreme. Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines, says Republicans seem to have forgotten why people were protesting last summer. “We’re acting now like it was an isolated incident of a bunch of nuts that came out and just started destroying property. We’re not ever talking in this place about the inequality,” Bisignano said.

“…It’s like the freedom of speech, you only get excited when we don’t like what somebody says…You didn’t like what you saw last summer, but what I saw last summer was frustrated people who have been mistreated for hundreds of years.” Senator Kevin Kinney, a Democrat from Oxford, is a retired Johnson County Sheriff’s deputy. He questions boosting the penalty for criminal mischief — for painting graffiti, breaking windows or defacing statues.

“Do we really want that to be a Class D felony that affects a kid the rest of their life?” Kinney says. The bill also creates a new crime called “interference with public disorder control.” Senator Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs, is a special agent with the Division of Criminal Investigation. “What our law enforcement saw around the Capitol last summer that while there were many peaceful protesters to show up…there were also actors out there who decided to agitate,” Dawson says.

Dawson says it’s a charge that could be leveled at someone who does something like throw tear gas canisters back at police.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans on a senate committee have voted to phase OUT the state inheritance tax. The bill also would accelerate the plan to phase IN state income tax cuts. Democrats oppose the moves, warning the state’s budget could take a billion dollar hit in a couple of years. Senator Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, says the original plan in 2018 put guard rails in place, so income tax cuts were only triggered if total state tax revenue rose to certain levels.

“So that deep cuts were not going to be required on public safety — we would not have to defund the police,” Jochum said, “that we would be able to meet our obligations on educating our children and all those other services and programs that Iowans need.”

Senator Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs, says for Iowa to be more competitive, the tax burden must be lowered. “It’s permanent tax relief for a vast majority of Iowans who earn income in our state,” Dawson says. And Dawson says the state doesn’t have a compelling interest to collect inheritance taxes. “Whoever you choose to give your money to in the end after you pass from this Earth, it’s between you and the individual and not some concocted, morbid, 24-page section of code that says that you can do this at 0% or give it to this person at 15%.”

Under current Iowa law, lineal descendants — that would be children, grandchildren and great grandchildren — pay no income tax on inherited property. Brothers, sisters and inlaws pay between five and 10 percent, while uncles, aunts and cousins could pay up to 15 percent.

A woman from Missouri was injured during a collision Wednesday afternoon, in Fremont County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 61-year old Barbara Simmons, of Fairfax, MO.,  was injured when her 2014 Chevy Cruze struck the rear of a 2008 Ford Expedition. The accident happened at around 4:30-p.m. at the intersection of Highway 2 and 195th Street, near Sidney. Simmons – who was not wearing a seat belt – was transported by Sidney Rescue to CHI Hospital, in Nebraska City.

The Patrol says the Expedition, driven by 61-year old Tad Nenneman, of Sidney, was stopped behind a vehicle on eastbound Highway 2 at 195th Street, and waiting to turn left onto 195th, when the eastbound Chevy failed to stop for reasons unknown, and struck the SUV from behind.

Following the collision, the Chevy spun off the road and just into the eastbound ditch before coming to rest. The SUV came to rest on the traveled portion of the road.  The accident remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Sidney Fire and Rescue.