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Iowa Public Information Board sued over alleged open-meetings violation

News

July 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The state panel charged with ensuring transparency in government is being sued for allegedly violating Iowa’s Open Meetings Law. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Briana Reha of Polk County is suing the Iowa Public Information Board and its members for the manner in which they approved a pay raise for the board’s executive director, Erika Eckley.

The lawsuit alleges that on June 25, IPIB posted an agenda for its June 27 board meeting. Nine minutes into the meeting, Monica McHugh, the board chairman, proposed an increase to Eckley’s salary as a topic for board deliberation and action. After briefly discussing the matter, the board approved a 6% salary increase for Eckley by unanimous vote, bringing her total annual salary to $103,307.60.

The video of the board meeting indicates the board was informed that anything above 6% would exceed the allowable salary range for the position. Eckley was appointed to the job in March 2023. The lawsuit alleges the board did not include on its agenda a salary increase as a topic of board discussion or as an action item for the board. The agenda and the related board materials contained no reference to a possible salary increase, and only indicated that the board chairman would make comments pertaining to  “Eckley’s evaluation.”

That notice “did not sufficiently apprise the public and give full opportunity for public knowledge and participation on the issue of the proposed salary increase,” the lawsuit claims. The lawsuit seeks a court finding that IPIB violated the state’s Open Meetings Law and asks that the court void the salary increase and issue an injunction ordering the board to refrain from any future violations.

The Iowa Public Information Board is a nine-member panel appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate for the stated purpose of fielding complaints about local and state boards, commissions and councils’ compliance with Iowa’s Open Meetings Law and Open Records Law.

In 2018, Iowa’s Office of Ombudsman issued a report on IPIB called “No Model for Transparency.” The report was critical of the manner in which IPIB handled complaints and of the manner in which IPIB responded to the ombudsman’s inquiries on two issues. As part the ombudsman’s investigation into that matter, the office had asked for, and eventually subpoenaed, tapes of IPIB’s relevant closed-door meetings. IPIB refused to turn over the tapes, and the ombudsman’s office opted not to pursue the issue in court.

Credit/Debit card skimmers found at Hamburg convenience store

News

July 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday, credit/debit card skimmers were located on pumps 3,4, and 5 at the Casey’s Store in Hamburg, Thursday afternoon. Authorities said the skimmers have been on the pumps for an unknown period of time. Deputies are currently investigating the case and hope to have a timeline for the transactions where skimmers were used, as soon as possible.
The skimmers were placed inside of the fuel pump, on a circuit board which had been pried open. The sheriff’s office said the public would NOT have been able to locate the electronics without accessing the inside of the fuel pump.
Authorities say if you used pumps 3,4 or 5 at the Hamburg Casey’s Store recently, please check for any fraudulent activity in bank accounts, and if any fraudulent activity is observed, please call the Fremont Sheriffs Office to report it.

Man from Elliott arrested Thursday afternoon in Griswold

News

July 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Elliott was arrested Thursday, in the 900 block of Cass Street, in Griswold. 40-year-old Quintin Perdue was taken into custody at around 3:50-p.m., on an active Pottawattamie County warrant for Violation of Parole. Perdue was transported to the Montgomery County Jail in Red Oak, and held without bond.

Climate experts: All dryness has left Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

July 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – All parts of Iowa — for the first time in more than four years — have sufficient soil moisture to not be considered “abnormally dry” by national climate experts, according to a U.S. Drought Monitor report on Thursday. That dryness designation can indicate an area is on the cusp of drought conditions, under which affected areas can have negative impacts for agriculture and water supplies.

An example: After years of drought, a lake that supplies water for the city of Osceola had lost so much of its volume that the city considered recycling its wastewater. Significant rainfall in recent months has restored the lake to nearly its normal surface elevation, according to city data.

Drought developed in Iowa in July 2020 and persisted until May 2024, after the state had one of its wettest starts to a year on record. It marked a dramatic recovery since September, when the state was the driest it had been in a decade. Last week, Iowa had rainfall that was below average, according to State Climatologist Justin Glisan. However, heavy rain fell along the eastern edge of the state where the last remaining pocket of abnormal dryness lay.

A month ago, about 31% of the state was abnormally dry, according to Drought Monitor reports. The last time there was no drought or dryness was May 2020. The federal Climate Prediction Center does not foresee drought reemerging in Iowa in the coming months. Iowa lies in the center of a multistate area that has no drought and little abnormal dryness.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported this week that more than 90% of Iowa’s farm fields have adequate or surplus moisture for growing crops. Last year, only 57% of topsoil was rated the same way.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Friday, July 19, 2024

Weather

July 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy w/a 40% chance of showers & thunderstorms. Low around 62.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy w/a60% chance of showers & possibly a thunderstorm. High near 73. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tom. Night: Mo. Cldy w/a 30% chance of showers & thunderstorms. Low around 60.
Sunday: Partly sunny w/a 30% chance of showers & thunderstorms. High near 76.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Monday: Partly sunny w/a 30% chance of afternoon showers & thunderstorms. High near 78.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Tuesday: A chance of afternoon showers & thunderstorms, otherwise mostly sunny. High around 81.

Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 82. Our Low was 53. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 83 and the Low was 62. The All-Time Record High in Atlantic on July 19th, was 110 in 1934. The Record Low was 47 in 1891 & 1947. Sunrise: 6:02; Sunset: 8:49.

National party rules keep Iowa GOP Caucuses first in 2028

News

July 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Republican Party leaders say there have been clear signals this week that their Iowa Caucuses will be first-in-the-nation again in 2028. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann was chosen to deliver the nominating speech for former President Trump and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird was chosen to preside over the V-P’s nomination at the party’s national convention. Bobby Kaufmann, the son of the state party’s chairman, is a senior advisor to Trump’s reelection campaign.

“President Trump has repeatedly told many people that he values Iowa’s first-in-the-nation status,” Kaufmann says. “…He is what kept us first-in-the-nation when other states were coming after us, he stepped in and said, ‘No, we’re going to have Iowa (first).’ And I think him putting us in prominent roles in the first day of the convention just solidifies what he’s already said I’m confident we will have his backing for 2028.”

Steve Scheffler — Iowa’s Republican National Committeeman — says national party rules approved last week keep the Iowa Caucuses first, followed by New Hampshire’s Primary. “When you’re from Iowa, you’ve always got to keep two eyes in the back of your head to make sure that nobody’s trying to take us out,” he says. Nearly 30 percent of the Republican National Committee members are new this year, so Schefler says he and other Iowa G-O-P leaders will be meeting with them to tout the Caucuses.

“Making them understand we play a unique role and there is no reason on God’s green Earth that you should upset the apple cart and start from some other direction,” Scheffler says. Governor Kim Reynolds says having the Iowa Republican Party’s chairman AND Attorney General Brenna Bird in prominent speaking roles this week is a good indicator Iowa’s Caucuses will remain first.

“Just super proud of them and the role they’ve been able to play in the convention and really bringing Iowa just front and center,” Reynolds says. The Democratic National Committee kicked the Iowa Democratic Party’s Caucuses out of the lead-off position in 2024. Some Iowa Democratic Party leaders have said they intend to try to get their Caucuses back in the first voting slot for the 2028 presidential campaign.

Rock Valley to start school in temporary spaces

News

July 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa law allows schools to start on August 23rd this year — but the fall semester will begin September 5th in the Rock Valley school district as the community recovers from severe flash flooding that hit in June. In a message posted online, Rock Valley Superintendent Mike Van Voorst says district officials hope returning to classes can bring some normalcy back to students’ lives. School rooms aren’t ready, though, so students in kindergarten, first and second grades will start classes at a Rock Valley church.

Third, fourth and fifth graders will start school in cleaned, sanitized but unfinished classrooms. The State of Iowa is constructing six temporary classrooms that will be used by students in sixth through 12th grades and those older students will rotate back and forth to unfinished spaces in the school building where reconstruction is underway.

The superintendent says while the situation is far from ideal, the plan provides staff with the necessary space to educate students in person.

5 More Games Sell Out

Sports

July 18th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Six of seven University of Iowa home football games for the 2024 season are officially sold out, the announcement was made Thursday by the UI Athletics Department.

Hawkeye home games against Illinois State (Aug. 31), Iowa State (Sept. 7), Troy (Sept. 14), Northwestern (Oct. 26), Wisconsin (Nov. 2) and Nebraska (Nov. 29) are sold out.  Less than 650 tickets remain for the Oct. 12 game against Washington.

Limited Hawkeye Village Ticket & Tailgate packages remain for select home games. Secure your game tickets and the best gameday tailgate here: hawkeyesports.com/hawkeye-village/

Tickets are only sold and issued by the UI Athletics Ticket Office and its authorized agents. Persons buying tickets from other entities do so at their own risk. Fans should use caution if buying tickets from unauthorized outlets and are strongly encouraged to use SeatGeek, the official fan to fan marketplace of Hawkeyes, for sold out events. The UI Athletic Ticket Office (hawkeyesports.com/tickets) is only able to service/support purchases made through that office, or on SeatGeek. Iowa Athletics reserves the right to cancel any ticket purchases, less fees, made for the purpose of resale without notification.

All tickets for University of Iowa athletic events are distributed electronically and should be downloaded to a smartphone device. If you do not have access to a smartphone, please contact the ticket office to make arrangements.

Tickets are distributed no earlier than three weeks prior to the start of a season. If applicable, season tickets and/or parking will not be released until all required contributions have been received and processed by the I-Club. For more information, please visit hawkeyesports.com/mobiletickets.

Miranda Qualifies for 124th U.S. Women’s Amateur

Sports

July 18th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Rising University of Iowa senior Paula Miranda fired a three-under par 67 on Thursday during a qualifying event at the Franklin Bridge Golf Club to finish as the individual runner-up to earn a spot in the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur for the first time in her career.

The Puebla, Mexico, native was one of four players in the field to finish in the red and one of seven at or below par.

The 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur will be played Aug. 5-11 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where 156 competitors will battle it out for the gold medal and the Robert Cox Trophy.  The championship format begins with 36 holes of stroke play to determine the low 64 players who move on to the match play portion to determine a champion.

Miranda finished with four birdies, 13 pars and a single bogey during her round.  She finished the front nine at -1 before recording a pair of birdies over her final nine holes.  She birdied the par five 17th to get to -3.

It is the second straight year the Hawkeyes will be represented at the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

DAVID BOCK, 71, of Atlantic (Visitation 7/26/24)

Obituaries

July 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DAVID BOCK, 71, of Atlantic, died Thursday, July 18, 2024 at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital, following a fishing trip with his best friend Scott Small. An open visitation for DAVID BOCK (without the family present) will be held on Friday, July 26th. at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic

Visitation with the family present, will be held from 5-until 7-p.m. Friday, at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the family for later designation.

DAVID BOCK is survived by:

His daughter – Stacey Bock, of Omaha.

His son – Cody Bock, of Ankeny.

His brother – Howard (Karen) Bock, of Atlantic.

His Special Companion – Rocka Rasmussen, of Atlantic.

and 1 grand-daughter.

Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.