The National Weather Service has issued a “Red Flag Warning,” for the southwest corner of Iowa. The warning currently affects Fremont and Page Counties, where potentially dangerous fire weather conditions will exist this afternoon. The warning is in effect from 1-p.m. today until 7-p.m.

Gusty southwest winds (at 15-to 25-mph) combined with low relative humidity values and dry fuels, will result in dangerous fire weather conditions across parts of southeastern Nebraska and southwestern Iowa this afternoon. As temperatures climb well into the 60s today, humidity levels will drop below 20 percent. These low relative humidity values, along with southwest winds gusting to 25 mph, will make any fires that develop difficult to control.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

A new leadership team is now in place in the Iowa Senate, changes prompted by a G-O-P senator’s dramatic exit Monday. Senator Bill Dix had been the top Republican leader in the senate, but he resigned after images posted online showed him kissing a lobbyist. The 28 Republicans who remain in the senate met this (Wednesday) morning and elected Jack Whitver, of Ankeny, to be the Senate Majority Leader. “I believe it is a new day in the state of Iowa and in the Iowa Senate,” Whitver told reporters shortly after the private meeting, “and we look forward to moving forward.”

Whitver had been the number two Republican in the senate, serving as Senate President. Senator Charles Schneider, an attorney from West Des Moines, was chosen by his fellow Republicans to replace Whitver as president. Senator Amy Sinclair, a Republican from Allerton, is the newly-elected G-O-P whip in the senate.

(Radio Iowa)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An economic development nonprofit wants to enhance lighting in portions of Sioux City’s downtown to make it safer for pedestrians. The Sioux City Journal reports that Downtown Partners outlined plans at a Tuesday meeting with City Council for a multi-phase project to brighten two major streets and the Missouri riverfront area. The organization’s board members say they’ve worked with city staff and several electric utility companies to identify dim or dark areas along downtown sidewalks as well as lighting solutions.

The first phase would include installing festooned lighting on one of the streets as early as this summer. Downtown Partners Executive Director Ragen Cote says the board estimates initial costs may be around $20,000. Cote says she hopes to have some lighting up as early as June.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), adopted the Fiscal Year 2019 County Budget, Secondary Roads Budget, and acted upon a recommendation from the County Compensation Board, for elected officers’ salaries. The adopted budget calls for a decrease in the levy of around 15.5-cents per thousand dollars assessed property valuation. Auditor Dale Sunderman said a majority of the decrease was attributable to the County MH/DS (Mental Health) Fund, which went from$305, 371 in the current FY, to $276,297 in FY 2018-19. The reason, he said, is to reduce the cash balance for the reserve that’s fairly large, trying to bring that down to a lower level.

The Capital Projects budget is fairly large, Sunderman said, because of the ethanol plant. The budget for that line item is over $3.4-million. The FY 2018-19 budget calls for $3.95-million.

As far as the County Compensation Board’s recommendations for elected officers, the Board of Supervisors cut 25-percent from the recommendation across the Board, to increase the salaries one-percent over last year. The annual salaries include:

• County Attorney $100,000 (New, full-time position)
• County Auditor, Recorder and Treasurer $59,339 each (last year $57,354)
• County Sheriff $77,831 (Last year $74,324)
• Supervisors $29,808 (Last year $29,232)
• Supervisor Chair $30,808. (Last year $30,232)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports one arrest took place, Tuesday. 26-year old Shialea Kay Cozad, of Pacific Junction, was arrested at around 12:35-p.m., for Interference with Official Acts. Her bond was set at $300.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials have set new goals for monarch butterfly habitat to help keep the insect from being listed as an endangered species. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Iowa Department of Natural Resources wants to have 480,000 to 830,000 acres of habitat across the state. That’s room for about 127 million to 188 million new milkweed stems, which is the only plant monarch butterflies lay their eggs on. The goal: plant about double Iowa’s estimated amount of milkweed.

It would be part of a national effort to get 1.3 billion new milkweed stems for the monarch’s migration. Resources department director Chuck Gipp told station KCRG that, without adequate action to increase the monarch numbers, it could get listed. Iowan landowners then would have to contend with national species protection laws.

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

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The Iowa House has unanimously approved a bill that calls for state investment in new programs designed to improve the skills of future Iowa workers. Representative Peter Cownie, a Republican from West Des Moines., says “Today is the first step to allow Iowa to begin to reach its full workforce potential. Iowa has a good problem. We have low unemployment in this state…but we also have a need for skilled workers. We have a need for more jobs to be filled,” Cownie says. “We hear this from all corners of the state and we need to help solve this problem.”

The bill calls for a new a program in the Iowa Economic Development Authority to help finance apprenticeships in small and medium-sized Iowa companies. Summer youth internship programs for “at-risk” students and mentoring for college students are included as well. While House Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill, they raised concerns the money to finance these projects might not follow. Representative Chris Hall is a Democrat from Sioux City. “If we’re not able to find funding to back up the policy, this is something that is really just lip service,” Hall said. “I think we all need to put effort into make sure that the things we’re identifying as priorities for the legislature are also funded by the legislature.”

Governor Kim Reynolds has made the so-called “Future Ready” ideas in this bill a priority and she’s recommended an additional 18 million dollars in state funding for the projects. The package includes state scholarships and grants for students seeking degrees in “high demand” subjects at community colleges and universities.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst attended a news conference in Washington, D-C Tuesday, in support of a bill designed to stop violence in schools. Ernst is supporting the bill proposed by Utah Senator Orrin Hatch that would authorize the U-S Justice Department to provide grants to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement to identify signs of violence and intervene to prevent people from hurting themselves or others.”This bipartisan legislation will provide our schools with additional resources to prevent senseless and tragic violence,” according to Ernst.

The bill also includes funding for technology and equipment to improve school security and prevent school violence. Ernst, a Republican, says it is important to pass the “STOP School Violence Act” to prevent any more tragedies like the school shooting in Florida.”It will empower our states and local communities to take the steps they deem necessary to deter future threats and ensure our students, teachers and faculty can focus on what is most important at school — learning and growing,” Ernst says.

This bill funding to develop anonymous reporting systems, and security infrastructure improvements. It also provides funds for school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams to help schools intake and triage threats before tragedy strikes.

(Radio Iowa)

Three people were arrested on separate charges in Creston, Tuesday. The Creston Police Department reports 59-year old Mary Hansen, of Pella, was arrested on a Union County Warrant charging her with eight counts of Dependent Adult Abuse – by Exploitation (amounting to more than $100). Hansen was released on a $10,000 bond.  27-year old Brooke Carter, of Creston, was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree. Carter was cited and released on a Promise to Appear later, in court. And, 45-year old Dianna Cutting, of Des Moines, was arrested Tuesday in Creston, on a Polk County Warrant  for Pretrial Release Violation on an original charge of Theft in the 3rd degree. Cutting was being held in the Adams County Jail while awaiting transport to Polk County.