DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill requiring schools to adopt return-to-play rules for students who may have concussions. The Republican governor signed the bill on Thursday. The new law received bipartisan support from both legislative chambers. Schools will be required to adopt medical review protocols. Those protocols were first developed in 2013 by the associations that oversee high school athletics in Iowa. Most schools already followed the protocols, but they have been optional until now.

Legal liability will be limited for schools that choose to have a health care provider present at games. The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency says the law is expected to result in “minimal” costs for schools.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police say a man surrendered after firing a pistol at an officer, who fired back. Police say no one was injured in the exchange, which occurred around 2 a.m. Thursday toward the end of a pursuit on northbound Interstate 35. The chase began a few minutes earlier, when officers spotted a vehicle believed driven by a man thought to be suicidal.

Officers deployed stop sticks that disabled the vehicle. Police say the man fired as his vehicle slowed, and a Des Moines officer returned the fire. He’s been identified as a 13-year veteran of the department, Dustin Wing. The man surrendered after a short standoff and was hospitalized for observation. His name hasn’t been released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Newly released records are raising questions about the planned $17 million move of an Iowa agency that was led by an official abruptly fired by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The Des Moines Register reports that former Iowa Finance Authority Director Dave Jamison requested in February to relocate the authority from state-owned offices to a long-term lease in another building. Jamison had said the current building was in poor condition and unable to meet long-term needs.

Records indicate the state Executive Council wasn’t informed that a third-party recommended the agency stay put, which would save about $6 million. State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald is reviewing if the council has the authority to rescind its decision. Reynolds fired Jamison in March for “credible allegations of sexual harassment.”

FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) — Siemens Gamesa says it plans to rehire more than 100 laid-off workers at its Fort Madison plant to make electrical turbine blades for a proposed Kansas wind farm. The Hawk Eye reports that the company said Wednesday the workers will be working full time because of the increased production demands. In January Siemens laid off about 195 employees in Fort Madison, leaving about 330 still on the payroll at the 11-year-old plant.

The company says the turbine nacelles and hubs will be made in Hutchinson, Kansas. The wind farm location hasn’t been disclosed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A board that enforces Iowa’s government ethics laws hasn’t been following a rule that requires its meeting minutes to be available online. An administrative rule says minutes of Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board meetings will be “available for viewing” on its website, but the board hasn’t posted any since its November 2016 meeting. That means citizens who want to easily review actions taken by the board since then are out of luck.

Board director Megan Tooker says the agency is no longer able to update its website and is building a new one, which it expects to launch in the next few weeks. Tooker said the same thing in early January, when she explained why an upcoming meeting date hadn’t been posted. She explained then that the board was waiting to launch the site until after a Jan. 19 campaign finance filing deadline.

(Radio Iowa) — The deadline is next week for Iowa schools to apply to have their water fountains swapped out for water bottle filling stations. Suzanne Heckenlaible, executive director of the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation, says they’ve budgeted 300-thousand dollars for this year’s “Rethink Your Drink” program, which should be enough to outfit about 60 schools statewide. “Priority will be given to schools that have a large percentage of students on free and reduced-price lunch, they don’t have a current water bottle filling station, and they’re in optimally fluoridated communities,” Heckenlaible says.

Last year was the first year for the program and Delta Dental spent 230-thousand dollars to retrofit water fountains in 54 schools in 26 Iowa counties. That reached about 28-thousand students, encouraging them to quench their thirst without buying a sugary soft drink. “Not only are we bringing the water bottle filling station to the school, we’re also bringing water bottles to every child there,” Heckenlaible says, “so they actually have the tool to fill up their bottle throughout the day to ensure they are hydrated.”

Each child also gets a toothbrush and a book mark. Despite efforts by families, schools and public health agencies to educate students on better drink choices, kids often choose caffeinated beverages, sports drinks and energy drinks — or they just go without. “We know that more than 50% of children and teens in the U.S. are not properly hydrated during the school day,” Heckenlaible says. “Certainly, that can impact cognitive functions and energy levels throughout the day.”

By choosing water, she says students and staff are more alert, better hydrated, protect their tooth enamel and make their teeth more resistant to cavities. An added plus, in the first three months of the program, she says more than 200-thousand plastic water bottles were saved from Iowa landfills. The deadline for schools to apply is May 1st at the following website: www.deltadentalia.com/H2O

The East Pottawattamie County 4-H is offering an Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium overnight trip.  You’re invited to come camp out overnight with the sharks at the Zoo.  The campout is open to all area youth completing grades 4, 5, and 6.  The campout will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2018 where we will meet outside the Zoo entrance at 6:30pm.  The evening will consist of evening & morning zoo hikes, programing, snack, an overnight stay, breakfast, drinks and a souvenir campout patch.  Parents will pick up youth at the zoo entrance on Sunday morning at 9:00am where participating youth will then have a day pass into the zoo for Sunday.  Registration and health forms can be found on our website https://www.extension.iastate.edu/eastpottawattamie/news/sleeping-bags-sharks-zoo-overnight .

Registration forms and fees are due to the East Pottawattamie County Extension by April 30th.  All spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.  A limited number of spots are available.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert reports, the local fire Danger will remain HIGH through Monday. If you plan to burn, PLEASE, contact your local Fire Chief.   Seivert says they have had several fire dispatches in the last few days where the volunteers are called from home and work to respond to a fire, only to arrive and find someone has started a controlled burn, and not called their local Fire Chief or Emergency Management 911. He asks persons planning a controlled burn, to “Please respect the time our volunteers spend protecting your property. Plan your burn in advance, use a burn plan, and call in prior to starting. 712-755-2124.”

Seivert warns also, that the chances for severe weather are expected to increase next week, so be prepared for weather bulletins and to take cover when warnings are issued.

MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) — A man accused of robbing a gas station in Mitchell, South Dakota, earlier this month has been arrested in Davenport, Iowa. Police last week issued an arrest warrant for 18-year-old Montez McClain after viewing surveillance camera video and investigating other leads. The Daily Republic reports McClain was apprehended Wednesday. Police say a man walked into the Easy Come Easy Go store on April 12, threatened the clerk and fled with about $800 in cash. He did not display a weapon. McClain was wanted for second-degree robbery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

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

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