Governor Terry Branstad’s plan for erasing the anticipated red ink in the current year’s state budget may be overhauled by legislators.  “We’ve been warning that the level of spending was culminating to a point where this kind of crisis was going to occur and we’re prepared to fix it.” That’s Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix of Shell Rock. While there’s not as much tax revenue as originally predicted, Dix says the state is still collecting more taxes this year.

“We only have so much money,” Dix says. “…I would suggest that should be plenty for us to find a way to accomplish a balanced budget that treats the state budget like a family budget.” Republicans and Democrats have raised concerns about the depth of Branstad’s proposed cuts to the agencies that run the state’s prisons and put troopers on the highways. Others have suggested the governor’s proposed cut to the judicial branch is too steep.

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, a Republican from Clear Lake, isn’t ready to share details, but she does confirm legislators will adjust Branstad’s plan. “We’ve got a couple of different ideas than the governor, so we’ll have those conversations and by early in the week we’ll be able to hopefully file a bill and get it moving through committee and get it done,” Upmeyer says. Other issues are on hold, so legislators can make this budget decision first.

Upmeyer says the longer legislators wait, the worse the current year’s budget dilemma will be.”It’s tough. We know that, so we want to make sure we get it done and we get it done as quick as we can.” Branstad has proposed 110-million dollars in cuts to the current year’s state budget.

Republicans will match that. Some Republicans are even hoping to award MORE tax cuts to small business and farmers for the depreciation of equipment. The governor did not include that tax adjustment in his budget outline.

(Radio Iowa)

Slick sidewalks, parking lots and roadways could remain a problem this morning (Tuesday) as temperatures across the state hover around the freezing point. A slight warmup is expected to arrive tomorrow (Wednesday), but National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Small says that could bring another danger along rivers — ice jams.

“So, as all of this ice that’s accumulated on the grass thaws and releases into the streams and we get a little more melting…the potential for those ice jams will increase,” Small says. There’s little that can be done to prevent ice jams from happening and they can quickly lead to flash flooding.

“The ice just bottles-up, blocks up the flow, and anywhere upstream of that potentially could see flash flooding…you could get water and/or even ice chunks in your yard,” Small says. “You’re pretty much at the mercy of the river.” High temperatures on Wednesday are expected in the upper 30s to near 50. Highs on Thursday are forecast to reach the 40s to low 50s.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:38 a.m. CST

WALNUT, Iowa (AP) — Residents hope streetscape work and building renovations will help return their small town of Walnut to its former glory. The Pottawattamie County community of around 775 residents has long been known as the Antique City for its many antique shops. Mayor Gene Larsen told The Daily Nonpareil that the project is part of the community’s effort “to maintain the vitality of the antique trade.”

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been scheduled to begin Feb. 14 for the last of three people accused of kidnapping an Ottumwa woman. Court records say Joel Herrarte Jr. has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and other charges. Two others convicted already have been sentenced.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have listed an inmate as escaped from the state work release facility in Waterloo. The Iowa Corrections Department said in a news release Monday that Shawn Washington didn’t return Sunday from a furlough. Washington was convicted in Black Hawk County of intimidation with a dangerous weapon, ongoing criminal conduct and with prohibited acts.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — A driver has died at a hospital after his vehicle was hit by a train in Marshalltown. The Marshalltown Times-Republican reports that the accident occurred around 8 p.m. Saturday. . Authorities say Kyle Quick was driving across tracks when his vehicle was struck. Authorities say he died Sunday at a Des Moines hospital.

A federal report finds the problem with pregnant women abusing opioids and other prescription drugs is worse in rural farm states like Iowa than in more populous urban states. U-S Surgeon General Doctor Vivek Murthy says the problem is only continuing to grow as more babies are born with symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

“This is a real tragedy,” Doctor Murthy says. “I’ve visited hospitals and heard from neonatal ICU nurses and doctors and about how heartbreaking it has been to see children who are withdrawing from opioids in the first hours and days of their lives.” A new report found five out of every one-thousand births in urban areas involve babies suffering from opioid withdrawal symptoms due to the mother’s abuse, while in rural areas, the figure rises to eight in every thousand.

He says women with addictions owe it to their unborn babies to seek help immediately. Murthy says, “Treatment can help pregnant women who are dealing with addiction to opioids and it can reduce the liklihood their children will have adverse affects when they’re born.” The trouble is, rural areas may offer few treatment facilities, if any. Murthy says the first step is for the mothers to admit they have a problem.

(Radio Iowa w/thanks to Karla James in Omaha)

Police in Council Bluffs say a man walking around naked late this (Monday) morning around Big Lake Park, was treated for exposure and then committed to a local hospital for psychological evaluation. A caller reported to police at around 11:15-a.m., that they asked the unidentified male subject if he needed help, but the man refused to answer and continued to walk toward the park.

Officers checking the area were unable to locate the man. The Council Bluffs Fire Department responded with their hovercraft and thermo imaging equipment. After approximately 2 ½ hours of searching, the man was located in the wooded area along Monument Road just north of Council Bluffs.

He was transported to Jennie Edmundson Hospital.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a single vehicle accident occurred Monday just outside of Elliott.  Deputies were called to the accident at 9:25am  in the 2300 block of 110th Street. A white 2016 Freightliner Semi-Tractor and Trailer owned by Ryder Truck Rental Inc. of Des Moines and operated by 44-year-old Steven S. Couchman of Norwalk crashed due to the icy conditions. Couchman was traveling west on 110th Street when the vehicle lost control  on the ice covered road and went into the north ditch. The semi and trailer came to rest on its right side.

No injuries were reported and damage to the semi and trailer was estimated at $4,000.

Ames Police are investigating a violent sexual assault which occurred over the weekend on the city’s west side. Ames Police Commander Geoff Huff says a woman was in a driveway north of Franklin Park when she was attacked around 2:45 a.m. Saturday. “The victim was getting into a car when she was forcibly removed from the vehicle by our suspect and she was dragged into the park where she was sexually assaulted multiple times,” Huff said. The suspect left the victim and fled the park on foot around 5:15 a.m. Police are asking for the public’s help, specifically if anyone in the area heard or saw anything.

“We’re obviously going around and looking for any kind of surveillance footage that may be in businesses, but we don’t know who may have private cameras at their home or apartment,” Huff said. The suspect was reported to be wearing baggy clothing, a hooded sweatshirt, possibly gray in color, and jeans.

“Our victim described him as a light-skinned, non-white male, about 5-foot-9, with possibly a heavier build,” Huff said. The victim is not an Iowa State University student, Huff added.

(Radio Iowa)

In an update to our reports over the weekend, Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports an Indiana man was being held in the Adair County on $5,000 bond, in connection with a crash that caused severe head lacerations to his 5-year old son. The child, Logan Lester, of Ft. Wayne, IN., also suffered from a broken wrist. He was  transported by Stuart Rescue to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.

His father, 30-year old Patrick Thomas Lester, of Ft. Wayne, IN., was arrested for: OWI/1st offense; Child Endangerment with bodily injury; Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana; Possession of Drug paraphernalia (A glass pipe); Open container; Failure to secure a child in a child safety seat; No seat belt (driver); Reckless Driving; Excessive Speed, and Failure to provide proof of financial liability/accident related. Lester’s Blood Alcohol tests results indicated he was more than twice the legal limit for intoxication (0.176%). In his vehicle, authorities found two jars with a green leafy substance, and cookies with marijuana as an ingredient.

Moments before Lester’s 2007 Honda CRV rear-ended a pickup truck on Interstate 80 eastbound near mile marker 83 at around 9:15-p.m. Saturday, motorists called 9-1-1 to report the vehicle was traveling at approximately 100-mile per hour. After the collision, the pickup left the road and entered the south ditch.

Lester’s SUV then swerved left and side-swiped a 2009 Saturn Outlook, causing both vehicles to enter the median, where they hit the cable barriers before coming to rest. None of the drivers involved in the crash were injured.

Atlantic Police Monday (today), reported several arrests took place over the past week. Today (Monday), 35-year old Brian Beard, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication, 3rd or subsequent offense. On Sunday, Atlantic Police officers arrested 32-year old Daniel Fredericksen, of Atlantic, on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear for Probation Violation on an original charge of Failure to Comply with the Sex Offender Registry. Also arrested Sunday, was 25-year old Morgan Dvorak, of Atlantic. She was taken into custody on a Cass County warrant for Probation Violation. That same day, 38-year old Kimberly Ruiz, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Illegal Dumping.

On Saturday, Atlantic Police arrested 43-year old John Eichelberger, of Atlantic, for Harassment in the 3rd degree, and 25-year old Joshua Peters, of Brayton, for OWI/1st offense. Police also cited into court, 42-year old Teresa Lennon, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

And, on Jan. 9th, 18-year old Austin Boggs, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear. Each of those individuals, with the exception of Teresa Lennon, were booked into the Cass County Jail.

(12:40-p.m. News)

Shelby County Engineer Dan Ahart has advised that they are pulling the Motor Graders off the gravel roads.  With the freezing rain still falling they are not able to make much progress.  Ahart advised that the Motor Graders would start back up at 6-a.m. Tuesday.  Shelby County Engineers Office wanted to assure the public that the Sanding Trucks would remain out at this point.

Road conditions continue to deteriorate, travel is not recommended unless it is an Extreme Emergency.