(Radio Iowa) — The chief jail inspector for the Iowa Department of Corrections is praising county jail administrators who allow inmates to have limited access to cell phones for texting. Calling it a “positive movement,” Delbert Longley estimates over half of Iowa’s county jails have implemented the practice within the past couple years.

“It gives them an additional communication tool that prisoners have with their families,” Longley said. According to Longley, jail inmates “deserve to be treated with respect” and giving them an easy way to reach family or friends is part of that effort.

“This is a public record. It can be monitored, so we don’t have to worry about improper language or improper communications of any sort going on with it,” Longley said. Many county jail administrators across Iowa have told Longley the text program has helped improve inmate behavior in their facilities.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa farmland values have dropped four of the last five years in the Iowa State University survey — but some farmland owners are still optimistic that will change in the new year. Iowa State University economist Wendong Zhang conducts the annual survey. He says one third of those in the survey expect a modest decline, while 15 percent see no change. “So roughly half are in the camp of a modest decline or no change — half (expect) an increase.”

The optimism about the land values extends beyond this year. “Five years from now a vast majority of people are thinking the land value will be higher than the current level,” he says. Zhang takes a more guarded approach in predicting what might happen. “I think I’m probably a little more pessimistic than the average respondents. In general I see a stabilizing land market. I probably wouldn’t expect a significant increase in the land market — at least in the immediate future,” Zhang says. The limited amount of land available was the top factor cited on the price of land by those in the survey.

Zhang doesn’t expect the number of sales to increase. “In general yes we’ll see more transition, but I don’t think that you will see a large influx at the same time. What you see this year, there is a 22 percent increase in the number of auctions across the state,” Zhang says, “remember that 2017 is really, really low in terms of sales.” The majority of farmland sales — 72 percent — were to existing farmers and that included 69 percent of the sales to local farmers and only three percent were to existing relocating farmers. He doesn’t expect things to change much in 2019.

He says the farm land market will continue to be a tight market. Zhang says much of the land is passed through families — and about the only thing that would change that process is a change in tax law. “If you delay your sales until death, then you avoid paying capital gains taxes. That is maintained in the tax reform and that is one of the major things,” Zhang says. “If that changes then I think that will cause a lot of rethinking in terms of when and how you sell land.” The majority of farmland sales, 52 percent, were from estate sales, followed by retired farmers at 23 percent. Active farmers account for 15 percent of sales, while investors accounted for eight percent.

(Radio Iowa) – A school district in southwest Iowa is being awarded a half-million dollar federal grant for security upgrades through the STOP School Violence Act. Steve McDermott, superintendent of the Creston Community School District, says the 500-thousand dollars will go a very long way in the district, which has an an early childhood center, an elementary, a middle and a high school.

McDermott says, “We have a lot of money invested already in our safety and security but this will really round out and really advance what we’re doing in terms of tightening up security.” The grant includes funding for a shooter alert system, advanced technology which uses sensors which detect if a firearm has been discharged.

“A lot of times you’ll hear where they have an incident or a tragedy where people heard noises but they thought it was firecrackers or some other noise,” McDermott says. “This actually, from air pressure, can determine if a gun goes off and then it sends automatic messages to local law enforcement.” There’s also a “panic button” system being installed, a new entry system and new exterior lighting. The federal dollars will also pay for mobile metal detectors.

“We won’t set those up at a specific door permanently. We’ll move those,” McDermott says. “They’ll be at one door one day and possibly at another door another. We also hope to set those up at football games in the fall.” The district also plans to add more advanced paging systems and expand the current two-way radio system for communications between schools.

GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) — A federal board has approved a request by students at Grinnell College to withdraw their request to expand a union representing student workers. The National Labor Relations Board on Friday notified the college and students that a regional director at the agency had approved the withdrawal of the union petition. Given that, the board considers the matter closed.

Grinnell students had voted overwhelmingly to expand a union of food service workers to include all student employees, leading to a standoff with college administrators. The college sought a board review, prompting the Union of Grinnell Student Dining Workers to withdraw their request. The students feared a board appointed by President Donald Trump would side with Grinnell, setting a precedence that would hurt similar student unionization efforts at colleges across the country.

In an update to our earlier reports, the Iowa State Patrol reports an Ames woman was cited following an investigation into a rollover accident near Menlo, Sunday morning. 22-year old Rashmi Kuntala was cited for Failure to Maintain control.

Authorities say Kuntala was driving a Ford Fusion on Interstate 80 westbound in the left lane, a little after 9-a.m., when she noticed she was going too fast. The woman tried to brake, but the brakes failed. She then panicked and jerked the steering wheel to the right. The car entered the north ditch and rolled several times before hitting an Iowa Department of Transportation information sign.

Two of the occupants of the vehicle complained of pain, but refused medical treatment.  Stuart Fire and Ambulance, and Menlo Ambulance assisted the State Patrol at the scene.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an apparent home invasion Sunday night that resulted in shots fired, with a man and his dog being shot. Authorities say officers were called at around 8-p.m. 1030 5th Ave. Officers arrived and found that a male victim at that location had been shot in the left arm. His dog had also been shot. The dog died at the scene.  The male victim was treated and released from UNMC a short time after the incident.

An investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be released when it becomes available.

SILVIS, Ill. (AP) — Authorities say a northwestern Illinois police officer fired a gunshot that wounded an Iowa man following an attempted traffic stop. Police say the shooting happened Sunday night in Silvis, Illinois, just east of Moline in the Quad Cities area. The Rock Island County Integrity Task Force says a 24-year-old man from Davenport, Iowa, was shot in the leg when the officer fired at the fleeing vehicle. Officials say police in nearby Colona, Illinois, spotted the vehicle, which soon crashed.

Police say the man was arrested and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police says the Iowa man was wanted on an federal arrest warrant that was issued last month. The task force says it is investigating the shooting’s circumstances.

Three people were arrested over the weekend, in Pottawattamie County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 41-year old Edward Allan Blough, of Henderson, was arrested Sunday afternoon, for Driving While Barred. His arrest took place following a traffic stop at 230th and Highway 92. 31-year old Travis Wayne Cole, of Council Bluffs, was arrested also arrested Sunday afternoon following a traffic stop. Cole was taken into custody for Driving While Barred. And, Saturday night, 29-year old Christopher James Westcott, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Serious Domestic Assault with injury, following an incident involving his 24-year old ex-wife. The woman suffered apparent, minor injuries during the incident.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — A judge has dismissed a harassment charge filed against a former Libertarian candidate for an Iowa House seat. Polk County court records say the charge against 39-year-old Chad Brewbaker, of Clive, was dismissed Wednesday. Prosecutors requested the dismissal after their request for a trial delay was rejected. Police said in the criminal complaint that Brewbaker repeatedly ignored requests to stop all communication with a woman.

Brewbaker received about 2 percent of the votes Nov. 6 in the race for the 43rd District seat. It was won by Democrat Jennifer Konfrst.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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