Advocates say it’s time for legislators to investigate the recent increase in Iowa court orders to terminate parental rights. “What’s going on here? Are all of a sudden the parents in Iowa becoming evil?” That’s Nancy Augustine. She became an advocate for change after her son and daughter-in-law were investigated by state government social workers in 2012.

“They went through the whole court system — the juvenile court, which I refer to as a kangaroo court system because everything about it is the opposite of ‘innocent until proven guilty,’ etc.,” Augustine said. “They got their children back after going through all the hoops and whistles…but, but I could not let this drop.” Toya Johnson of Iowa Citizens for Justice says Iowa ranks 36th in population, but sixth in the number of children who are removed from their parents’ home after an allegation of abuse.

“We have a serious problem that needs to be addressed not only with the Department of Human Services, but it also needs to be addressed in the way our judicial policies and procedures are going,” Jackson says. Jackson and Augustine testified yesterday (Wednesday) before the Iowa House Government Oversight Committee. The panel’s chairman said state officials will be given a chance to respond to the allegations at a future committee meeting.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Senate has passed legislation that would expand state oversight of Iowa’s Medicaid program under private management, but the measure’s future is unclear. The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 32-18 Wednesday for the measure, which would expand the state’s authority to review how three private companies handle the $4.2 billion program when they take over on April 1st.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators are disputing a claim by University of Iowa public safety director David Visin that they harassed his hospitalized stepson with questions about whether Visin was involved in a hit-and-run. The Associated Press reported Monday that David Visin is accused of interfering with the investigation into the June 25th accident involving stepson Sean Crane. Visin says that officers “badgered” Crane in his hospital room with questions about Visin and Crane told them “the truth, that I knew nothing.”

AMES, Iowa (AP) — A U.S. Labor Department initiative has found that a handful of Ames restaurants violated federal labor standards and owed thousands of dollars to workers. Department officials announced Wednesday that Ames employers owed nearly $100,000 to 158 restaurant and hotel workers after investigators looked into hospitality industries in Midwest college towns.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — City Council members have declined to allocate public funds to support a 30-foot sculpture on pedestrian mall in Iowa City. KCRG-TV reports a majority of the council on Tuesday night voted against a plan to give $50,000 to the Iowa City Downtown District for the project.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved a Resolution in support of the Schildberg Recreation Area Committee and Atlantic Parks and Rec Department Board, to secure a Vision Iowa CAT (Community Attraction and Tourism) Grant for Phase 1 of the Schildberg Recreation Area improvements. The project will cost $635,000, but Atlantic Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring said they anticipate reducing that amount by as much as $13,000 by working with local vendors and local contractors.

Schildberg Rec Area Master Plan (click on image to enlarge)

The application to Vision Iowa, which must be submitted by April 15th, will request $360,000. It requires a 50-percent match, meaning $180,000 would have to be raised through other sources. The City Council, in its action Wednesday, approved $100,000. The rest, according to Herring, will possibly come from a REAP (Resource Enhancement and Protection) grant, and local sources, which would help fund some portion of the proposed, phased-in improvements to the Schildberg Rec Area.

Campground area site plan (click to enlarge image)

He says within the next 2-3 years, they could fund the playground, an ADA compliant fishing pier, the west side shelter house, and parking lot, not only through REAP, but through the Local Option Sales Tax, the Hotel-Motel Tax and the regular budgeting process, as well as local donations. In addition, the Schildberg Rec Area Committee will talk with the Board of Supervisors for a possible contribution. The CAT grant, according to Herring, allows for up to 25-percent of what the request is as in-kind, or about $40,000. He says they’ve already met that requirement “Three-times over,” because of all the time, labor, and other efforts put into improvements.

The goal of the CAT grant application, he says, is to make Atlantic, a “Destination Point [Place], a place where people can spend time and money while they are enjoying the outdoors and our community. The City should know sometime late this Summer or early Fall at the latest, whether it’s request for grant funds will be met in whole, or in-part.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones announced Wednesday, At Large Councilman Bob Cord will be stepping down from his seat sometime in the near future, due to relocation to another community. A more precise time-frame for his departure has not yet been set. Jones said anyone with interest in filling the soon-to-be vacant seat, should let him know, or contact City Hall. The position is available for anyone within the City Limits of Atlantic. Jones said he’d like to get some names as soon as possible so the process of finding a replacement for Cord can begin.

Whomever fills the seat will do so until the next election for that position is on the ballot. Jones thanked Cord for his service, and letting him know well in advance he intends to depart from his position on the Council.

In other business, Atlantic Public Library Director Natalie Struecker reported to the City Council, that there is changes in-place at the library this month, that patrons will want to be aware of. She said for adults, no new classes will be offered except on how to download e-books on March 16th. Technology classes will be offered March 10th and 24th, and again April 4th and 18th. Cass County Master Gardeners will talk about adding vegetable plants to your landscape or garden, on March 22nd.

Looking ahead to next month (April), Struecker says anyone with documents to shred will want to plan to bring them to the library April 4th, from 1-untiol 4-p.m., when a mobile shredder will be available in the parking lot. She said you can drive up and drop-off up to three containers of paper or documents to be shredded.

And, two traveling exhibits “History of the Book,” and “At Home in the Heartland: Forgotten Stories of how Iowans got to be ‘us’,” will be at the library, thanks to sponsorship from the Cass County Genealogy Society. The “History of the Book,” from stone tablet to the inventing of the printing press, will be on display from April 18th thru May 15th, while the other exhibit on what makes Iowans and the Midwest different from other areas of the country, will be on display April 29th, from 9-a.m. until 12-p.m. For more information on the programs and activities available at the Atlantic Public Library, go to www.atlantic.lib.ia.us, or call 712-243-5466.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones announced Wednesday evening, his intention to run as a Republican in June, for a seat on the Cass County Board of Supervisors in District 1. That seat is currently held by Duane McFadden, who announced in February that he would not be running for re-election after 12 years on the Board.

Jones said he’s spoken with McFadden since last year about running for the seat, and since “The Council’s in pretty good shape…the City’s in pretty good shape, so maybe {it’s time to] move up a little bit on the ladder of the political scene.”

Jones said infrastructure and economic development are his primary focus. He says the people he’s spoken with tell him the County roads infrastructure is their main concern. They’ve mentioned the base is gone from many of the gravel roads, especially north and west of town.

Dave Jones

Jones was elected to the City Council At Large in 1996,and later was elected Mayor.
He says his goal has been and will continue to be to never say “I will cut taxes, because I don’t want to lie to the public.” He says his philosophy is to manage tax money like a business…make the tax base grow…you don’t have to worry about raising taxes.”

He’ll be running for the District 1 seat against Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green, who is also a Republican, in the June Primary. The other seat up for grabs in November is in District 4, which is currently held by Chuck Rieken, of Griswold. Rieken has also announced he will not be running for re-election. No one has presently filed to run for that seat.

MAPLETON, Iowa (AP) – A man has been sentenced to five years in prison after authorities say he shot another man in western Iowa. The Sioux City Journal reported Tuesday that 23-year-old Joshua Beam had pleaded guilty in September to reckless use of a firearm for the Dec. 16, 2014, shooting of Eric Franco.

Monona County court documents say Beam and Franco had been drinking in a Mapleton home and began wrestling. The documents say that Beam fired three shots during the altercation, and that one of the rounds struck Franco. Franco was not seriously injured.

Beam was sentenced to seven years in prison in January in an unrelated case of willful injury and assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. He pleaded guilty in that case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A 21-year-old Council Bluffs man has been given 20 years in prison for injuring a baby. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Rodney Weatherwax was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of child endangerment causing injury.

A court document says Weatherwax injured the baby at least three times between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30. The 5-month-old child suffered at least 20 fractures. The child’s mother told doctors that Weatherwax punched the child in the face.

Weatherwax says he was intoxicated when the infant was injured.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Another man charged with murder has taken a plea deal in the death of a Council Bluffs resident. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 18-year-old Caine Petersen pleaded guilty Tuesday to vehicular homicide. Prosecutors lowered the charge in exchange for Petersen’s plea. Petersen was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Authorities say Petersen, Sarael Duncan, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Christopher King, of Lincoln, Nebraska, robbed 20-year-old Jacob Combs of marijuana on Aug. 15 last year. Authorities say Combs jumped onto Petersen’s vehicle as the three men fled but then fell or was thrown, suffering head injuries. Combs died in a hospital later that day.

Prosecutor Jon Jacobmeier says King also has agreed to a deal and will plead guilty to a lesser charge and be sentenced on March 22.

Gov. Terry E. Branstad, Tuesday, announced appointments to fill Iowa’s various boards and commissions. Included among the appointees whose term begins May 1st, is:

• John Pauli, of Carroll, to the Alcoholic Beverages Commission
• Emily Forquer, of Afton, to the Architectural Examining Board.
• Lindsey Nielsen, of Missouri Valley, to the Board of Behavioral Science
• Michael Knedler, of Council Bluffs, to the State Board of Education
• Eric Green, of Creston, to the Engineering and Land Surveying Examining Board
• Eugene Meiners, of Templeton, to the Mental Health Risk Pool Board
• Karol Dammann, of Manning, to the Board of Nursing Home Administrators
• Gina Primmer, of Council Bluffs, to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC)

Their appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.

Authorities in Montgomery County report two drug-related arrests. At around 1:20-a.m. today (Wednesday), Red Oak Police arrested 34-year old Paul Earl Lemburg, II, of Red Oak, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 3rd or subsequent offense. Lemburg was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 cash bond.

And, a traffic stop north of Red Oak Tuesday night resulted in the arrest of 24-year old Eric David Taylor, of Red Oak. Taylor was stopped by Sheriff’s Deputies for speeding at around 11-p.m. near the intersection of Highway 48 and 165th Street. He was subsequently charged with Possession of Marijuana and brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond. Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Iowa State Patrol.

And a little after 11-p.m. Tuesday, Red Oak Police arrested 30-year old Jason Paul Crouse, of Plattsmouth, NE., on a Trespass charge. Crouse was taken into custody in the 600 block of Sunset Avenue and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $300 cash bond.