DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad has reiterated he does not have the legal authority to stop a Planned Parenthood affiliate in Iowa from receiving state funding, despite public calls to do so from presidential hopeful Bobby Jindal and others.

Branstad said Monday his office has spoken with the Iowa Attorney General about the state’s options in removing taxpayer funding that Planned Parenthood of the Heartland receives for Medicaid services. He says the state would need to show Planned Parenthood has violated terms of the grant money it receives. Branstad emphasized no state dollars are used to fund abortions.

Republicans around the country have targeted Planned Parenthood after several videos were released by an anti-abortion group. Louisiana Gov. Jindal and Republican legislators in Iowa have asked Branstad to cut funding.

The 2015 Atlantic Coca-Cola Days Coloring contest was held in September and was a huge success with over 100 participants from Atlantic, CAM, Lewis, and Walnut school districts. The first and second place winners each received a Bonnesen’s Gift Card. The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce says the Kindergarten classes were sponsored by the Atlantic Business and Professional Women and Bonnesen’s.  First Place winner Madison McLaren of Atlantic. Second Place winner Kyler Nichols of Anita.

First Grade classes were sponsored by Salute Gymnastics and Steffens Cycle Shop. First place went to Alexia Larson from Atlantic. Second place went to Rayden Wheeler from Atlantic.

The Second grade classes were sponsored by McDermott & Son Roofing and Salute Gymnastics. Daphna Wahlert from Anita was the first place winner. Jayci Reed from Atlantic was the second place winner.

Third grade was sponsored by McCurdy’s Pumpkins and Nishna Valley Credit Union. First place went to Luke Irlmeier of Atlantic. Second place went to Claire Mertz from Walnut.

Police in Glenwood report four recent arrests, two of which took place Saturday. Officials say 34-year old Christopher Chardoulias, of Glenwood, was arrested for OWI 3rd offense. His bond was set at $5000. And, 37-year old Wendy Meadows, of Glenwood, was arrested for Public Intoxication. With her bond set at $300.

The other two arrests took place Friday. 30-year old Chanel Nord,  of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills County warrant for Driving under suspension. Her bond was set at $500. And, 39-year old Gabriel Dabney, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for Motor vehicle theft, Burglary, Criminal mischief 2nd degree, Obstruction of emergency communication and domestic Abuse assault causing bodily injury. He was being held in the Mills County Jail on $37,300 bond.

(updated 11:30-a.m.)

Two people were injured this (Monday) morning during a two-vehicle accident on Highway 6 west of Atlantic, near the Lewis turn-off (Cass County road M-56). The crash was reported at around 10:45-a.m. Both persons were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. One of the victims suffered from head injuries during the crash, and was transported by LifeNet helicopter to a trauma center, presumably in Omaha.

No other details were immediately released.

Iowa’s governor and lieutenant governor say they plan to work with educators and the business community to find new ways to ensure that 70 percent of Iowa workers have more than just a high school degree by 2025. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds calls it the “new minimum.”

“The goal demonstrates that we want to empower more Iowans with the degrees and the credentials that really will enable them to attain the rewarding careers that are available right here in our great state.” Neither Reynolds nor Governor Branstad are calling for more state spending on their “Future Ready” initiative. They’re calling for collaboration between colleges, universities and businesses to get more Iowans earning two- and four-year degrees, becoming apprentices and taking courses for new work certifications.

“We’re excited about the initiative,” Reynolds says. “I think it’s the next step that we need to take to make sure that we have a talent pipeline to meet employers’ needs.” According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 68 percent of jobs in Iowa in 2025 will require some form of training beyond a high school degree. Nicole Smith is a senior economist at Georgetown.

“A perennial problem for every state, indeed especially since the Great Recession, is how to find the skilled workers necessary to compete,” Smith says. Smith says Iowa has more advanced manufacturing jobs than its Midwestern neighbors and those jobs require more skills — and they pay higher salaries, too. The governor and lieutenant governor will hold public meetings in Waukee, Cedar Falls and Sioux City this month to discuss their “Future Ready” initiative.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, is expected to act on the appointment of a City Attorney. Former City Attorney David Wiederstein, who also serves as the Cass County Attorney, has been filing-in as needed since the departure in August, of former City Attorney Jamie Arnold. The Council has considered proposals for the position from Clint Fichter, J-C Van Ginkel and Wiederstein, and conducted interviews with both Wiederstein and Van Ginkel in closed sessions.

The City’s Personnel and Finance Committee also discussed each of the proposals but decided to forward the matter to the Council without making a recommendation. Mayor Dave Jones made it clear during the Council’s session Sept. 16th, that he prefers Van Ginkel for the job, but according to City Administrator John Lund, the consensus of Council following the closed session interviews, was to appoint Wiederstein. Lund said he remains neutral and will not offer a recommendation during the Council’s 5:30-p.m. meeting, Wednesday.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hear from Fire Chief Mark McNees, with regard to the Fire Department providing commercial fire extinguisher inspection and servicing. And, the Council will act on a Resolution “Approving the Transfer of Surplus Funds from the Atlantic Wastewater Utility Fund to the City Employee Benefits Fund.”

The move is being considered according to John Lund, because the City was recently forced out of its health insurance plan due to a $2-million dollar deductible being placed on a member of the group plan. That was a substantial increase from the $40,000 deductible the City had been paying from its insurance underwriters. When the contract ended, the underwriter was no longer responsible for any billing or claims being processed after May 1st, 2015.

Once claims in the system had been processed, that left the City with run-out claims amounting to over $1.28-million. Lund says the City has exhausted all of its employee benefits fund, and reduced the balance to just over $600,000. The City, he says has five options, with the most logical being the transfer of surplus Wastewater Utility funds to the Benefits Fund, as allowed under Iowa Code. The City will have a “sizable reserve” of more than $638,000 in the Wastewater Utility Fund as of July 1st, 2016 , according to Lund, largely due to cost overestimates for the treatment plant construction and ongoing operations.

Lund says using those funds would be “The most cost-effective, taxpayer friendly and expedient manner,” with which to address the Run-Out claims issue.

More news w/KJAN News Director, Ric Hanson.

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Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater has released his department’s latest report on arrests. In it, the Sheriff notes 52-year old John William Scott, of Mt. Ayr, was arrested Saturday night for OWI/2nd offense. Scott was released Sunday on a $2,000 cash bond. On Friday, 23-year old Taylor Florencia Kraus, of Des Moines, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, with seven withdrawals in effect. He was later released on $300 bond.

On Sept. 28th, Stuart Police arrested 31-year old Jason Dearl McGowan, of Stuart, for Arson in the 1st degree, in connection with a motel room fire that same day. McGowan was being held without bond in the Adair County Jail. On Sept. 27th, 60-year old David Joseph Convery, of Greenfield, was arrested by an Adair County deputy. Convery was charged with Public Intoxication and Simple Assault. He was later released on $300 bond.

Also on Sept. 27th, 36-year old Jason Bruce King, of Stuart, was arrested for OWI/3rd or subsequent offense, and Driving While License Suspended or Revoked for Implied Consent, following an investigation into an ATV accident that happened May 25th. King’s Blood Alcohol Content was determined to be .209, or more than twice the legal limit. He was released from the Adair County Jail on a Recognizance Bond.

And, 34-year old Raymond Scott Davis, of Creston was arrested Sept. 27th, on a warrant for Harassment in the 3rd degree. Davis was later released on $300 bond.

The Creston Police Department reports a juvenile from Creston was referred to Juvenile Authorities on charges of Careless Driving and Eluding. 16-year old Patrick Farlow was then released Sunday to the custody of his mother. Last Friday, Creston Police arrested 46-year old Jerry Chapman, of Creston, on a charge of Theft in the 5th degree. Chapman was cited and released on a promise to appear later, in court.

And a resident of the 1000 block of 190th Street, in Creston, reported to police Saturday, that someone vandalized his semi that was parked at the Creston Hy-Vee parking lot. Two lights on the left side trailer of the semi were broken out, with damage estimated at $60. The incident happened sometime between 8 and 8:30-p.m., Friday.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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