DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state agency is collecting data to better understand whether the Iowa Legislature’s move to cut funding for Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers is resulting in less access to reproductive health care.

Iowa Department of Human Services officials have told lawmakers the agency has been compiling data on its state-run family planning program since it took effect in July.

The analysis follows a decision by the Legislature’s Republican majority to forgo federal funding and instead spend about $3.1 million in state money on a family planning program that excludes clinics affiliated with abortion services. Even before the state’s actions, no federal or state dollars were spent on abortions in Iowa.

Wendy Rickman, a top DHS administrator, says a new workgroup will meet within weeks to figure out how to interpret the information the agency gathers.

Officials with the City of Atlantic say the next “Atlantic 150” Committee meeting will be held Tuesday, September 19th at 5:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers. All interested persons are invited to attend.

During their meeting last month, the Atlantic 150 Committee, which is planning activities for the City’s Sesquicentennial Celebration that will take place in 2018, it was determined the events will kick off on December 2, 2017 at the city’s Lighted Christmas Parade with the Mayor proclaiming 2018 as the City’s Sesquicentennial Year.

Organizers say rather than one large celebration, the city will be celebrating each month in 2018. Each month has been assigned a theme in order to assist individuals/groups/organizations/businesses in creating ideas for activities they may want to sponsor throughout the year. The Calendar of Events will also be made available on the atlanticiowa.com website, as well as found on the Sesquicentennial Facebook Page – Atlantic Sesquicentennial.

Officials with the Cass County Memorial Hospital/Cass County Health System, invite you to register for this Thursday’s “Healthy U” session, presented by Senior Life Solutions. The event begins at Noon on Thursday, September 21st, in Conference Room 2 at Cass County Health System (CCMH).

Senior Life Solutions is a program dedicated to addressing the emotional and behavioral health of adults over the age of 65, and it begins this month at CCHS. Participants have individual assessments, and then regularly meet in a supportive group setting. The staff includes a board-certified psychiatrist, licensed therapists, nurses, and other geriatric professionals.

Healthy U is a free educational lunch series at Cass County Health System held monthly in Conference Room 2. The public is invited and welcome to attend, but reservations are required as lunch is provided for all attendees. Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:30 a.m. CDT

LOCKRIDGE, Iowa (AP) — A southeastern Iowa man has been charged with vehicular homicide for a March crash that killed a passenger in his car. The Hawk Eye reports that 21-year-old Maxwell Spalla, of Lockridge, was charged earlier this week with vehicular homicide while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The crash happened around 1:30 a.m. March 6 near Brighton, killing 21-year-old Jacob Nelson of Lockridge, and seriously injuring another passenger. Investigators say Spalla was driving the pickup.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Nearly a dozen church properties in eastern Iowa are getting roof repairs because of a tornado last fall, including some projects that have required intricate scaffolding that surrounds soaring spires. The Quad-City Times reports that the damage to the Davenport area churches was caused by an Oct. 6 tornado. An Insurance agent says the Diocese of Davenport inspected the roofs of church properties in the Iowa Quad-Cities and determined that 11 sites need repairs.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A Nebraska tribe has received a more than $17,000 grant meant to help address elder abuse throughout its 15-county service area in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. The Press & Dakotan reports that the Ponca Tribe received the Elder Abuse Innovation Grant Award through the National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative Innovation program. Andrea Rodriguez is the tribe’s domestic violence program coordinator. She says the grant allows the tribe to offer outreach and prevention work on elder abuse.

HAMPTON, Iowa (AP) — With Friday marking four years since the disappearance of a Hampton man, police are reminding the public of a $100,000 reward for information in the case. Hampton police say they’re still searching for answers in the 2013 disappearance of Ethan Kazmerzak. Kazmerzak was 22 years old when he was last seen in the early morning hours of Sept. 15, 2013, at a party northwest of Hampton. No one has reported seeing Kazmerzak or his car since.

Police in Council Bluffs, Saturday afternoon arrested a man from Nebraska following an investigation into a road rage incident that escalated into a car-verses-pedestrian accident. Officers were called to 1801 Valley View Drive at around 12:37-p.m. After an initial investigation, it was determined that 27-year old Randall Maresch, of Bellevue, NE.,  and 41-year old Anthony Kimball, of Crescent, were involved in a road rage incident which continued into the Family Fare parking lot.

Kimball exited his vehicle in an effort to confront Maresch. Maresch then accelerated his 2005 Chevy Malibu towards Kimball striking him and causing him to roll across the hood of the vehicle before falling to the ground. Kimball was transported to the UNMC in Omaha, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Maresch was located inside the store and was cooperative with officers. Maresch
was transported to Pottawattamie County Corrections where he was charged with Willful Injury.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Nearly a year after Des Moines Airport Authority’s board adopted a $500 million plan to expand the airport’s terminal, officials now say funding problems may delay the project for years. The Des Moines Register reports that a consulting firm told the board earlier this week that construction on the terminal may not start until 2026 because of federal delays on funding airport upgrades. The board had planned to start construction on the 14-gate terminal in 2022.

About $300 million in funding was identified last year for the project, coming from cash on hand, passenger and airline fees, authority-issued bonds and grant money. But that left a funding hole of about $200 million. Since then, officials say, rising construction costs have pushed that deficit up by another $25 million.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The FBI’s Omaha field office is warning college students in Nebraska and Iowa of a phone scam that spoofs the FBI’s telephone number on the victim’s caller ID.

The FBI says its offices in at least eight states have received multiple calls reporting the scam involving someone claiming to be an FBI agent and demanding repayment of a school loan and tuition. The caller sometimes threatens the victim with arrest and not graduating from school if payment isn’t immediately made via MoneyGram or some other method.

The FBI says the caller often knows the name of the victim and calls a personal cellphone number, as well as a work number, to reach intended victims.

The FBI says it does not call people demanding money.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Red Oak Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office report the arrest of two men after officers were called to the intersection of North 8th and East Reed Streets in Red Oak late Friday night. At 11:37pm Officers arrested 48-year-old Darrell Lee Walter and 29-year-old Mark Frederick Meyer, both of Red Oak, for Public Intoxication.  Both men were taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond each.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest early this (Saturday) morning of a Red Oak man. At 1:02am Officers arrested 24-year-old Dillon Roy Karwal for Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree. Karwal was arrested in the 300 block of East Prospect Street. He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.