An eastern Iowa lawyer is applauding a bill now before the U-S Senate which aims to make it harder for companies to file bankruptcy in states other than where they do business. Attorney Joe Pieffer represented farmers who invested in VeraSun Energy, a company that filed bankruptcy in 2008. Pieffer says investors need protection and the Bankruptcy Venue Reform Act of 2018 would help. “Who knows when we’re going to have another ethanol company file bankruptcy, but we all remember the VeraSun bankruptcy that affected the whole Midwest,” Pieffer says. “They had 23 plants in six Midwestern states and they filed in Delaware. Farmers ought to be able to go to court close to where they do business with the company and not be stuck going to Delaware where there aren’t any ethanol plants.”

Pieffer says companies that file for Chapter 11 protection shouldn’t be allowed to seek court venues other than where their investors are located.  “We ought to have access to justice and easy access to justice,” Pieffer says. “Instead of letting companies make it difficult for the people they’ve done business with to participate in the bankruptcy, it works a lot better if we can make them file bankruptcy either where their primary assets are or where their headquarters are.”  Peiffer says the Commercial Law League of America did a study of bankruptcies filed in Delaware. “From 2003 to 2016, 735 bankruptcies were filed in Delaware where the companies weren’t doing any business there,” Pieffer says. “Maybe they had an affiliate that was incorporated there and everybody else followed suit. We’ve got companies out in California filing bankruptcy in Delaware.”

That practice makes it difficult for practically everyone who will be impacted by the bankruptcy. “You’ve got the retirees who might have their pensions affected having to trek out to Delaware to deal with things,” he says, “or you’ve got farmers who were involved with a company like VeraSun was going to Delaware.”  VeraSun had Iowa facilities in Albert City, Charles City, Dyersville, Fort Dodge and Hartley. Peiffer works for Ag and Business Legal Strategies based in Hiawatha, near Cedar Rapids.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Department of Human Rights is hosting the annual state Martin Luther King Junior celebration today (Monday). Kim Cheeks of the Department’s Office on the Status of African Americans says the celebration begins at 10:45 at the Des Moines Botantical Center. “It will be our 29th annual celebration commemorating the life and legacy of Doctor Martin Luther King. We will have opening remarks by Governor Kim Reynolds.” Cheeks says the keynote speech will be delivered by Izaah Knox, Executive Director of Urban Dreams. She says the entertainment will feature Julius Brooks, a jazz musician and poet Emmett Phillips.

Cheeks says everyone is invited to attend the event honoring the slain Civil Rights leader. “To remember his values, to remind people of his principles of non-violence and to celebrate the holiday,” Cheeks says. Governor Reynolds will sign a proclamation designating it Martin Luther King Junior Day, and the period of January 14-20th as Martin Luther King Junior Week.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Council Bluffs, Sunday night, responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 1800 block of 28th Ave. They were dispatched to the scene at around 10:15-p.m. A caller told authorities two males parked the vehicle and walked west. Officers arrived on scene and while they were checking on the vehicle they heard two shots fired close by. A short time later two males were seen running back toward the suspicious vehicle. Officers took both parties into custody and transported them both to the Criminal Investigations Division for questioning.

One male was questioned and released. The second male is juvenile and his name was not  released. Officers located a stolen semi-automatic pistol on the juvenile, who was charged with trafficking in stolen weapons, unauthorized possession of a weapon, obtaining weapon without a permit, and reckless use of a firearm. The juvenile was being held at the Southwest Iowa Juvenile detention center.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds highlighted multiple policy priorities in her Condition of the State speech, but recent history shows plans can change. Republicans have indicated strong support for several proposals in the Jan. 9 speech, like reducing taxes and expanding workforce opportunities. But issues not discussed such as the death penalty and immigration, or only briefly mentioned like abortion and school choice, could surface to the top of lawmakers’ agenda.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Eastern Iowa is seeing the annual return of bald eagles, attracting area residents and tourists alike. The raptors hunt over open water. So, as other rivers ice over, the eagles return to open waters along the Mississippi River in the Davenport area, an annual event that also draws countless bird watchers. The Quad-City Times reports that LeClaire offers a prime spot to view bald eagles.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new facility in the Omaha area will help food businesses get started. The 2,500-square-foot Kitchen Council plans to open in early February. Its commercial kitchen and business development experts will help entrepreneurs launch food-related businesses. The Kitchen Council’s director Holly Benson Muller says the facility is designed to make it easier for food businesses to get started.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northeastern Iowa have released the names of three people from Waterloo killed in a crash that also seriously injured three others. Police say 20-year-old Elijah James Showalter, 21-year-old Daniel James Delagardelle and 16-year-old Brady Hagenstein died in the Friday evening in Cedar Falls. Police say the three were traveling in a speeding westbound car on Viking Road that crossed the center line and hit an eastbound SUV head-on.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon, Sunday, provided KJAN with pictures from one of the many accidents that occurred during the day Sunday, into late Sunday night. The semi in the photo’s below, was involved in an accident that happened at around 10:12-p.m. Sunday, as the winds were picking up and fresh fallen snow began to swirl, making the roads completely covered with snow, ice or slush, and very treacherous. Atlantic Fire, Marne Fire, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Iowa State Patrol responded to the scene. Earlier in the day, Sunday, a semi hit a pickup on I-80 eastbound near mile marker 64 in Cass County. At least one injury was reported. Soon thereafter, numerous accidents were reported near the Anita exit (70-mile marker), as vehicles began to slip and slide on the road.

Photo’s courtesy Mike Kennon w/Cass Co. EMA

No fewer than four area school district Boards of Education are set to meet Monday evening. The Griswold School Board meeting gets underway at 5:30-p.m. in the Central Office, Middle School/High School Building.

On their agenda under “Old Business,” is an update from KPE/Estes officials with regard to District facilities, along with the second reading of 507- and 508-series Board Policies, a presentation and possible approval of the purchase of a school sign to replace one that was damaged. “New Business” for the Griswold Board includes: action on a possible rejection of building project bids; information with regard to financial projections; action of approving the 2017-18 Individual Career and Academic CTE Plan; An informational presentation pertaining to Building Goals; Approval of a copy machine lease, and Chemical application specifications.

The CAM School Board meeting begins at 6:30-p.m. in the CAM High School Media Center. Discussion and/or action items include, but are not limited to: The purchase of new computers; a revised Early Retirement Incentive Policy; Capital Projects; Bids for Audit services and the consideration of a bid for an old school bus; and, the approval of revisions to board policies.

The Audubon School Board meeting will be held in the Boardroom at the High School in Audubon, beginning at 7-p.m., Monday. Their action items include: Approval of new math textbooks for FY 2019; Action on the transfer of City land for the baseball field along with approval of additional fencing at the baseball field; approval of bargaining groups for FY 2019, and moving the date for their February Board meeting. The Audubon School Board will also discuss the District 2018-19 School Calendar.

And, the Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School Board meeting takes place 7-p.m. Monday, in the Conference Room at the Elk Horn building. The Board is set to receive an update from KPE architects and hold discussion on the information presented. They will also discuss an update with regard to a plan for realignment, act on setting the date and time for a Public Hearing on the 2018-19 Calendar, as well as discussing and taking action on personnel hires, transfers, resignations, etc.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Some Nebraska colleges are offering tuition discounts to students from other states in the hopes of filling classrooms, balancing budgets and expanding programs. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the pool of new high school graduates in the state isn’t expected to grow much in the short term.

Some schools are offering nonresidents lower tuition rates with the hope of boosting enrollment. Peru State University has been offering in-state tuition to out-of-state students since 2009.

The Midwest Student Exchange Program has offered nonresidents a rate of 150 percent of resident tuition at participating public colleges in 10 states. Many Nebraska institutions participate in the program, which has been operating for about 25 years.

While Iowa doesn’t participate in the exchange program, the University of Nebraska at Omaha has been offering Iowa students that rate since 2008.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new facility in the Omaha area will help cook up new food-related businesses. The 2,500-square-foot Kitchen Council plans to open in early February. Its commercial kitchen and business development experts will help entrepreneurs launch food-related businesses.

The Kitchen Council’s director Holly Benson Muller says the facility in Council Bluffs, Iowa, is designed to make it easier for food businesses to get started. The facility will work with entrepreneurs from around the region.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds highlighted multiple priorities in her Condition of the State speech, but recent history shows plans can change. Republicans have indicated strong support for several proposals in the Jan. 9 speech, such as reducing taxes and expanding workforce opportunities.

But topics not discussed such as the death penalty and immigration, or only briefly mentioned like abortion and school choice, could rise to the top of lawmakers’ agenda.

In last year’s Condition of the State address, former GOP Gov. Terry Branstad didn’t stress proposals that later dominated the session, including eliminating most collective bargaining rights for public workers, requiring voter identification at the polls and banning local minimum wage increases.

Republicans say lawmakers have different priorities than the governor. Democrats say looming budget cuts deserved more attention.

Emergency responders from Anita and Wiota, as well as law enforcement are on the scene of a collision between a vehicle and a semi on Interstate 80 in Cass County. The collision was on I-80 eastbound at the 64-mile marker. It occurred at around 8:50-a.m.

Two subjects were transported to CCMH. One person was said to have been seriously injured. The left lane of the eastbound Interstate was partially blocked and traffic was moving slowly. Be prepared for stop and go traffic in the area. There’s also a “massive pile-up” at the 70-mile marker, according to dispatch.

A Veterinarian was called to check on a horse being hauled in a trailer that was involved in an accident. Numerous other, non-injury accidents are being reported along the same stretch of road from the 64 to the 70 mile markers, both east and westbound.

No other details are currently available.