(Radio Iowa) — Two key Republicans in the Iowa Legislature say they’re willing to consider a hike in the state sales tax, if it’s coupled with cuts in other state taxes. Iowa voters in 2010 approved creation of a state fund to pay for water improvement and outdoor recreation projects — but the legislature has never passed the 3/8ths cent increase in the state sales tax to fill the Iowa Water and Land Legacy Fund. Senate President Charles Schneider, a Republican from West Des Moines, says he’s willing to “keep an open mind” as he discusses the idea with his G-O-P colleagues.

“I’m open to it,” Schneider says. “That’s all I’ll say on it at this point…We’ll see what everyone else has to say and we’ll see what happens to it during the upcoming session.” Republicans in the Senate AND the House will meet privately later this month to map out their policy agenda for the 2019 legislative session. House Majority Leader Chris Hagenow says raising the sales tax for Iowa Water and Land Legacy initiatives will be discussed. “Yeah, I’m open to it,” Hagenow says.

Schneider says raising the sales tax would be part of a broader discussion of tax policy. “We have high income tax rates, both personal and corporate, so we need to be focusing on driving those down to encourage business development in the state, to encourage people to move here, to encourage people to stay here when they retire,” Schneider says. “That will help, I think, the entire state grow and develop, including providing more funding for water quality and some other quality of life improvements.”

Schneider was not ready to discuss with reporters what other “quality of life” initiatives might be financed with a sales tax increase. Hagenow told reporters Republicans will be “much more likely” to raise the sales tax if it’s coupled with a tax cut of some sort. “One of the things that we’re always going to keep in mind is what is Iowans’ tax burden overall,” Hagenow says. “And we’re going to be cognizant of that, whatever we do, because we want at the end of the day Iowans to have a lower tax burden and not a higher one.”

Hagenow and Schneider made their comments after a legislative forum sponsored by the Des Moines Partnership, a coalition of 24 central Iowa chambers of commerce. The group supports a regional “water trails” project that could be financed with sales tax revenue in the Iowa Water and Land Legacy Fund, if legislators approve the SALES tax increase. Iowa purchases are generally assessed a seven percent sales tax rate, with one percent being used exclusively on school infrastructure AND many cities and counties collecting a one percent local option sales tax.

(Radio Iowa) — Des Moines Police have filed charges against a Drake University student accused of leaving a racist note under a dorm room door. Police have charged 18-year-old Kissie Ram with making a false report to a public safety entity for the note that was found November 28th. Police were already investigating two other racist notes at Drake reported by Ram and another female student when they determined that Ram wrote the third note herself. She was given a misdemeanor summons and released. The spokesman for the Des Moines Police Department says no charges will be filed in connection with the first two notes.

No injuries were reported as a result of a two vehicle accident in Red Oak on Monday. At 12:11pm Officers were called to the accident on Coolbaugh Street in downtown Red Oak. A 2013 Chevy Suburban operated by a 16-year-old juvenile from Corning was legally parked on the south side of Coolbaugh Street in downtown Red Oak. A 2017 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup owned and operated by 66-year-old Ricky Dean Taylor of Red Oak was legally parked on the north side of Coolbaugh Street. Both vehicles began backing out of their parking stalls at the same time and did not see one another. The vehicles struck in the rear.

The Chevy sustained an estimated $1,000 damage and the Dodge an estimated $500 damage. No injuries were reported as a result of the accident and no citations were issued.

MEAD, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a woman who was fatally injured in a collision with a semitrailer in eastern Nebraska’s Saunders County. The accident occurred around 7 p.m. Sunday on Nebraska Highway 92 about a mile and a half west of Mead. The Saunders County Sheriff’s Office says the eastbound pickup went out of control and was struck broadside by the westbound semi, which was being driven by 53-year-old James Cooler, of Smithland, Iowa.

The sheriff’s office says the passenger was pronounced dead at a hospital in Wahoo. She’s been identified as 52-year-old Peggy Havener. She lived in Fremont, NE. The pickup driver was identified as her husband, 58-year-old Scott Havener. He was taken to a Lincoln hospital. Another eastbound pickup sustained minor damage when it collided with the other pickup.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A complaint alleging that employees at Iowa’s workplace safety agency used a toy banana to make sexual jokes triggered an investigation that led to the removal of two top officials, according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press. The complaint, sent anonymously in July to Gov. Kim Reynolds and the state’s human resources agency, the Department of Administrative Services, threatened that the information would be released to the media if the “disgusting” behavior wasn’t addressed.

Both of the accused employees say the allegation was false, that the toy was actually a stress ball and that it was never used for sexual innuendo. But the complaint triggered a Department of Administrative Services investigation that cast a harsh light on the work environment inside the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health enforcement unit, leading to a management shake-up. Supervisor Deborah Babb retired after the investigation concluded in October. The same day , Commissioner of Labor Michael Mauro terminated Babb’s boss, OSHA director Jens Nissen, the state’s top investigator of workplace deaths and injuries.
The complaint alleged that office assistant Dawn Chamberlain and OSHA consultant Ben Brightman routinely passed around a child’s banana toy made of soft, stretchy material that they pretended was a penis and waved at passing employees. Uncomfortable colleagues couldn’t complain because Babb joined in the horseplay, it alleged. Chamberlain and Brightman said investigators ultimately deemed the allegation was unfounded.

Chamberlain confirmed she brought the banana to the office but said it was never used in horseplay. The governor’s press secretary declined comment on the handling of the complaint, which said it expected quick action given Reynolds’ goal of making state workplaces harassment-free. A lawyer for Babb had no immediate comment. The complaint was lodged during a hard-fought campaign in which Democrats were accusing Reynolds of mishandling sexual harassment cases inside state government. Reynolds, a Republican, won a four-year term last month.

The letter also alleged that several of Babb’s subordinates had quit or transferred due to her management style, which included intimidating employees and playing favorites. It alleged that Nissen said he couldn’t take action because Babb was protected politically by Mauro and Deputy Commissioner Pam Conner. In a whistleblower complaint last month, Nissen wrote that two subordinates complained to him about Babb’s management in July and that he reported their concerns and his own to Mauro. Nissen said Mauro told him he had spoken with Babb and that everything would be OK. He said Mauro was later upset when he learned about the Department of Administrative Services investigation. Nissen alleges he was fired for speaking out about the unprofessional and hostile environment.

An Iowa law passed in 2017 requires agencies to release the “documented reasons and rationale” when public workers are fired, demoted or resign in lieu of termination. But a lawyer for Iowa Workforce Development said it doesn’t have to provide the reasons for Nissen’s termination and Babb’s departure because Nissen was an at-will employee and Babb technically retired. Mauro, one of the few high-ranking Democrats in Iowa’s Republican-dominated state government, has said that he can’t comment on personnel matters. The Iowa Senate last year reconfirmed Mauro, 70, as commissioner for a six-year appointment that runs until 2023.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — More than 60 percent of Iowa voters cast ballots in last month’s election, the highest percentage for a midterm election in 24 years. Secretary of State Paul Pate released election details Monday showing a voter turnout of 61.55 percent. That’s the highest for a midterm election since 1994. Pate says 1,334,279 people voted, setting a state record for voters in a midterm election.
The highest turnout was in southern Iowa’s Ringgold County, where 71.49 percent voted. About 41 percent of voters cast absentee ballots.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three accidents occurred over the past few days . At around 5:30-p.m. Sunday (Dec. 2nd), Deputies in Cass County responded to a report of a two-vehicle accident on I-80 eastbound at the 64 mile marker. Authorities say a 2016 Toyota owned and driven by 27-year old Martin Joseph Broderick, was eastbound on I-80 when it was struck in the side by a 2007 Chevy 2500 owned and driven by 81-year old William J. Rinn, of Crystal Lake. The accident happened when Rinn’s vehicle hit a slick spot on the road. Damage from the collision amounted to $9,000.  There were no injuries.

On November 30th at around 5:30-p.m., Cass County Deputies responded to a report of a two-vehicle accident at 650th and White Pole Road. Officials say a 2005 Chevy Malibu owned and driven by 21-year old Alexis Raelyn Widen-Evans, of Adair, was eastbound on White Pole Road when a westbound 2003 Pontiac Bonneville driven by 42-year old Amanda Kay Bashor, of Atlantic, crossed over into the eastbound lane of traffic, striking the driver’s side of Widen-Evans’ car. Damage from the crash amounted to $7,000. There were no injuries. As a result of investigation, Deputies arrested Bashor on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. She was also cited for Failure to Maintain Control, Open Container, and Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident. Bashor was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on her own recognizance.

About 12-hours earlier, deputies responded to a report of a single-vehicle accident on North Olive Street, where a 2002 Oldsmobile owned and driven by 49-year old Melanie Dawn Chamberlin, of Atlantic, was found in the east ditch. Chamberlin was traveling northbound on Olive Street when her vehicle slid out of control on the icy roadway before entering the ditch. Chamberlin was taken to CCMH via Medivac. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $3,000.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two, recent arrests. On Nov. 28th, 22-year old Nathaniel Roger Johnson, of Lewis, turned himself in on a Sheriff’s Office Felony warrants for Possession with Intent to Deliver Meth (a Class-B Felony) and Drug Tax Stamp Violation (Class D Felony). Johnson was booked at the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $10,000 bond. And, on Nov. 27th, 30-year old Jessica Lynn Pedrin, of Audubon, was arrested by Cass County Deputies, on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Felony Theft 2nd Degree (D Felony). Pedrin was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $5,000 bond.

Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman reports, that through donations by local community foundations and grants, Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency (MCEMA) has received thermal imaging technology for their small unmanned aerial vehicle system (or, drone). The small and effective camera will provide an aerial view of dangerous situations, emergency incidents and provide live streaming video back to incident commanders and ground crews. Hamman says there are many useful applications for this camera including fire incidents, damage assessment, search and rescue missions and law enforcement applications such as large-scale area searches for wanted and missing persons. The camera will also allow authorities to fly during nighttime hours, whereas before, they were restricted to daylight hours, making it available 24 hours a day.

According to Hamman, “Officer safety is our number one goal and by having this camera and being equipped with this technology, we cannot only search a large area in a shorter time frame, we can also provide officers with live information from the command post and direct those resources in safely and effectively.”

Images from a November training exercise with area law enforcement K9 teams to show off the newly acquired FLIR/Thermal Camera technology with a small unmanned aerial vehicle(drone). (MCEMA photos)

The total cost of the camera was $10,500 and was completely funded by generous donations and grants from the E. F. Sylvia Schildberg Foundation, Montgomery County Community Foundation, Mid-American Energy Foundation and the Alliant Energy Foundation.

While the thermal imaging camera is just one part of the drone system, it offers one authorities another tool that enables better service to citizens and area first respondersm during dangerous and high-risk incidents to ensure everyone is safe and goes home at the end of an incident. The MCEMA drone system has been in operation for over one year and has already been used to provide aerial views of large structure fires, missing person searches as well as local law enforcement K-9 training. The drone is available to all area counties through mutual aid requests and 28E agreements.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Democratic candidate for a northeast Iowa House seat who is trailing by nine votes has won a court ruling that gives her the right to determine whether 33 absentee ballots were mailed on time. The ruling could potentially change the results of the race if the ballots are counted. Democrat Kayla Koether sued election officials who refused to count the ballots, saying they lacked a postmark that would indicate when they were mailed. The ballots do contain a postal bar code that Koether says Iowa law allows to be used as proof of mailing.

Incumbent Republican Michael Bergan leads Koether by nine votes in the three-county district. Judge Scott Beattie’s order Monday does not hold up certification of the race with an injunction but does say Koether can contest the results of the election, which means a winner will not be determined until the ballot dispute is resolved. Beattie ordered the ballots preserved, scanned by the Postal Service and a date of mailing determined by Wednesday. That information must be provided to the court and the attorneys by Friday.