Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:20 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds’ refusal to specify why she forced the head of the Iowa Department of Human Services to resign has prompted accusations that she’s violating a 2017 law requiring the state to disclose why it has fired employees or officials. Then Gov. Terry Branstad sought the bill, which Republicans included in a larger collective bargaining measure that reduced public worker union rights. But after asking DHS Director Jerry Foxhoven to resign, Reynolds has declined to specify the reason.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state board has approved a measure expanding the number of medical conditions that can legally be treated by medical marijuana in Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board voted Friday to allow those with chronic pain to have legal access to medical marijuana. The board denied allowing generalized anxiety disorder and opioid dependency as qualifying conditions.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A former eastern Nebraska postmaster has been sentenced to probation for embezzling from the Fort Calhoun Post Office. Federal prosecutors say 54-year-old Steven Whitesel, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced Friday in Omaha’s federal court to four years’ probation, 160 hours of community service and ordered to pay nearly $70,000 in restitution. Prosecutors say Whitesel submitted false mileage reimbursement requests to illegally collect nearly $70,000.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Swarms of mayflies have emerged from under water along the Missouri River and are caking drivers’ windshields. The Omaha World-Herald reports mayflies spend 99% of their lives in water, but they rise above when they become winged adults to take part in a mating swarm. They quickly die after that. Dominator Fuel in Rock Port, Missouri, sold out of windshield wiper fluid in light of the mayflies’ arrival. Urban entomologist Jody Green says mayfly hatches are a yearly event.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating a homicide. Authorities say officers were called at around 5:15-p.m. Sunday to 2103 6^th Ave. in Council Bluffs to assist the medics with a suspicious death.  When they arrived, officers found 52-year old Jerrot Clark deceased inside of his residence.

At this time the cause of death is being withheld due to this being an ongoing investigation.  If anyone has information on this incident please contact the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-328-4728 or Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.  As updates arise information will be provided.

DES MOINES — Sen. Bernie Sanders will return to Iowa for stops next Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Clear Lake, Williams, Carroll, Adel, Avon and Orient. Sen. Sanders last visited Iowa in July and held stops in Council Bluffs, Afton, Nevada, Ottumwa, Fort Madison and announced a comprehensive plan to expand and improve healthcare for senior citizens.

Here is the itinerary for the area:

Saturday, August 10

1:30 p.m. Rural Healthcare Town Hall with Sen. Bernie Sanders
Cafeteria, Carroll High School, 2809 North Grant Road, Carroll, IA 51401
Information for the public: This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is encouraged. Entrance is provided on a first come, first served basis.

4:00 p.m. Adel Sweet Corn Festival with Sen. Bernie Sanders
301 South 10th Street, Adel, IA 50003
Information for the public: This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is encouraged. Entrance is provided on a first come, first served basis.

Sunday, August 11th
12:00 p.m. 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights Town Hall with Sen. Bernie Sanders
Henry Wallace Farms, 2773 290th St, Orient, IA 50858
Information for the public: This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is encouraged. Entrance is provided on a first come, first served basis.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said Sunday, that at around 2:30-p.m. Saturday, 28-year old Daniel Ryan Linderman, of Waukee, was tubing behind a boat being operated by Timothy Heitland of Buffalo Center, when Linderman fell off the tube into the water. The accident happened at Clear Lake. According to witnesses, Linderman was swimming back to the boat when he possibly suffered a medical emergency and went face down in the water for a short period of time. Linderman was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident. A DNR Water Patrol Officer was nearby and immediately rushed to the scene while one person from Heitland’s boat tried to hold Linderman above water. The water patrol officer and the other person were able to get Linderman’s body into a DNR boat.

Another DNR Water Patrol Officer and a DNR Conservation Officer arrived on scene and took Linderman to shore and performed CPR. He was then transported to MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy will be performed at the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny to determine the exact cause of death. The Clear Lake Fire Department, Ventura Fire Department and Mason City Fire and Rescue assisted the Iowa DNR with this incident. The incident remains under investigation by the Iowa DNR.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds’ refusal to specify why she forced the head of the Iowa Department of Human Services to resign has prompted accusations that she’s violating a 2017 law requiring the state to disclose why it has fired employees or officials.

Reynolds was lieutenant governor and stood by then Gov. Terry Branstad when he signed the disclosure bill into law. Branstad had pushed for the bill, which Republicans included in a larger collective bargaining bill that reduced union rights for 180,000 public workers.

But after asking DHS Director Jerry Foxhoven to resign June 17, Reynolds has declined to specify the reason other than saying “there are several factors that went into this decision and I made the decision to go in a different direction.” On Thursday, Foxhoven said he would file a whistleblower claim with the State Appeal Board, the first step toward pursuing a lawsuit against Reynolds and the state.

Foxhoven alleges wrongful termination and retaliation for being ousted after objecting to a request to have his department continue funding the salary of Paige Thorson, deputy chief of staff for Reynolds. Foxhoven, a former law professor, said he was pushed out after saying he wanted to get a legal opinion to be sure the arrangement was proper.

Reynolds has repeatedly said Foxhoven never raised concerns about the matter and isn’t being truthful. Foxhoven responds that it’s the governor’s staff that isn’t being honest. Regardless of who is telling the truth, Reynolds may be violating the 2017 law that requires disclosures of the factors behind a state employee’s firing.

The law states that when “officials, officers and employees of government bodies” are fired or asked to resign as the result of a disciplinary action, the documented reasons and rationale must be publicly released. The 2017 law does not offer an exemption for the governor. A spokesman for Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said the office has not issued a legal interpretation of how the law applies to the governor’s appointees.

When asked Tuesday why she feels she doesn’t have to comply with the law, Reynolds answered: “We have complied with the law.” She didn’t elaborate further on how she believes she’s complied. Democrats have said Reynolds isn’t complying with the law and sought Government Oversight Committee hearings about Foxhoven’s ouster.

“Right now she is not following the law,” Senate Democratic leader Janet Petersen said. “Iowans shouldn’t have to play a guessing game about one of the top state officials running programs Iowans depend on. She should not be above the law.”
Republican legislative leaders rejected Democrats’ call for oversight meetings.

Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver said he considers the Foxhoven matter closed. He said Reynolds should be free to select department directors to best implement her priorities. He didn’t directly respond to a question about whether the governor should comply with the disclosure law.

However, he debated a similar proposal on April 25, 2014, as Republicans were pushing to include the provision in an amendment to a Democratic Senate bill establishing new hiring procedures and expanding whistleblower protection for workers.

“This amendment would add that the public should know if someone has resigned in lieu of termination or if they were demoted in lieu of termination so it gives the public the entire story on what is happening with the terminations and settlement agreements,” he said. “Iowans have the right to know about the misconduct of state workers when it’s serious enough that they’re fired.”

The Iowa Freedom of Information Council, a nonprofit consortium of newspapers, radio and television stations, educators and others interested in openness in government and First Amendment rights, contends the governor cannot ignore the law. “She was part of the team when this change in personnel records law was made two years ago,” said Randy Evans, the council’s executive director. “If she disagrees with the premise, which was Gov. Branstad’s position on this change was based, she ought to share that with the public and be asking the Legislature to change the law rather than choosing to ignore the law.”

Here’s a reminder from the Station where your friends are: The Cass County Democratic Party is holding its 8th Annual School Supply Drive for students attending Cass County schools. The event takes place through August 15th. County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle says of the strictly non-partisan event, “It is important for a child to have new school supplies when school starts so that their self worth is not damaged by a lack of new supplies. Not every family can afford to buy all the supplies on the schools’ recommended list. That is where this drive comes in.”

She says “We are asking the community to donate school supplies, including non-traditional items such as facial tissues, disinfecting wipes, pint and quart sized plastic bags, and copy paper to name a few.” School supplies will be distributed to the three school districts in Cass County before school starts.

Drop-off sites are available across the county:

• Anita: City Clerk’s Office; Library; Main Street Market; Rusty Razor; Rolling Hills Bank
• Atlantic: Fareway; private home at 10 E. 13th St.; YMCA; Rolling Hills Bank
• Cumberland: Telephone Company; Library; City Hall; Houghton State Bank
• Griswold: Rolling Hills Bank; Library; City Hall; Telephone Company, Houghton State Bank
• Lewis: Library
• Massena: Library; FNBank; Economy Food Mart