(Radio Iowa) — An annual review by the State Auditor’s office found not all Iowa Workforce Development employees appear to be reporting “actual hours worked” on specific programs.  According to the auditor’s report, the Department “has not effectively communicated” the proper procedures for keeping track of employee work hours. As a result, payroll costs could be charged to the wrong program.

The agency has a wide-range of duties — it manages unemployment benefits and job training programs, for example — and many operate with a combination of state and federal funds. The auditor says if employees aren’t properly tracking their work hours, payroll costs may be “over reported” to federal programs.

The department says it has directed supervisors to more closely review hourly pay records. In addition, the agency will generate “payroll variance reports” each quarter for employees “who appear not to be changing their time records.”

The auditor also found the agency’s initial report on unemployment insurance payments from Iowa businesses was off by nearly 13 million dollars. The figure was corrected in a final report, but the auditor has recommended that the agency upgrade the software it uses to calculate unemployment insurance payments. The auditor also found the agency does not routinely conduct background checks of people applying for “sensitive” jobs in the department, particularly I-T staff and employees who handle cash. Iowa Workforce Development officials say they’re talking with the state’s H-R agency to come up with a list of sensitive jobs that should require background checks.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 24-year-old Jesse Dean Uhlmann of Red Oak on Wednesday at 1:32pm. Uhlmann was arrested at the intersection of North 4th Street and East Valley Street in Red Oak on a valid Red Oak PD Warrant for Simple Assault. Uhlmann was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

A woman from Shelby County was appointed as an Iowa Supreme Court Justice, Wednesday. Governor Kim Reynolds announced Susan A. Christensen, District 4 Court Judge from Harlan, was her selection out of three nominee finalists. During a press conference Wednesday afternoon, the Governor said in making her selection, she received numerous input from Iowans. Christensen was selected because has devoted her professional career to public service. Reynolds said “She has served as a prosecutor, a juvenile court judge, and most recently, a District Court Judge. She’s passionate about improving the judicial system, serving on multiple Supreme Court Committees to improve juvenile justice. (Listen to full audio here: https://www.radioiowa.com/2018/08/01/reynolds-appoints-female-judge-from-harlan-to-iowa-supreme-court/)

She said Iowans have told her Christensen is “The most prepared and passionate person in the courtroom. She’s dogged in pursuing excellence. She’s more than just a sharp legal mind, she has an incredible heart.” Reynolds pointed out that Christensen didn’t take a typical path into the court system: “She attended law school later than most, working for years as a legal secretary to support her family, and her schooling, and she understands the challenges of everyday Iowans.”

Judge Christensen (left) and IA Gov. Kim Reynolds during Wednesday’s announcement (Radio Iowa photo)

“She’s a mother of five and a grandmother of four…and will be the only justice to work outside one of our metro areas. And with her appointment, there will once again be a woman’s voice on the Iowa Supreme Court,” said Reynolds.The last women to serve on the Iowa Supreme Court, was Linda K. Neuman, who served from 1986-2003, and Marsha K. Ternus, from 1993 to 2010.

In her statement, Christensen said “I am honored and humbled to be appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court by Iowa’s first female Governor. Today marks an important day in my life, as well as my professional journey.” Christensen has a family connection to the court. Her late father, Jerry Larson, served on the Iowa Supreme Court for 30 years — longer than any other justice in state history. Larson died this past April. Jeffrey Larson of Harlan, his son and the brother of the new Iowa Supreme Court justice, is also a district court judge.

Christensen’s mother and kids were in attendance for the announcement. She thanked her family for their support and encouragement. Current Iowa Supreme Court Justice Mark Cady said in a statement after the appointment was announced, “I am very pleased to welcome our new colleague, Judge Susan Christensen, to the supreme court. She is extremely well qualified and is a fine jurist. I look forward to serving with her and to having her vision and experience become a part of our state’s highest court. I want to thank the members of the Judicial Nominating Commission for nominating three outstanding candidates and Governor Reynolds for appointing Judge Christensen to the Iowa Supreme Court.”

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, Wednesday, said effective August 5th, 2018 all signs in the city right-of-way will be removed by city staff and discarded.  The right-of-way is the area between the street and sidewalk or, in the case of no sidewalk, seven (7) feet back from the curb.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new audit says the director of an Iowa housing agency improperly spent more than $800 renting hotel rooms near his home in central Iowa.
The audit released Wednesday by the Iowa Finance Authority concludes that most of former director Dave Jamison’s credit card expenses were work-related and properly documented.

However, the report by an outside auditing firm said that Jamison shouldn’t have been reimbursed for six hotel stays in the Des Moines area between 2016 and 2018. Iowa travel policies indicate Jamison, who lives in Ames, was close enough to his workplace that he shouldn’t have needed state-funded lodging.

The report says the authority could find no explanation for some of the hotel charges, while others were related to flights and meetings Jamison had in Des Moines. The agency claims the review disputes allegations of widespread financial mismanagement made by a former employee.

Jamison was fired in March by Gov. Kim Reynolds over allegations of sexual harassment. A separate investigation into harassment issues is ongoing

BROOKLYN, Iowa (AP) — The reward for the safe return of a missing University of Iowa college student has jumped to $30,000. Television station KCCI reports that the reward for the safe return of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts comes mostly from donations. A fund for the reward is set up at First State Bank in Brooklyn.

Tibbetts was last seen jogging on the evening of July 18 in Brooklyn, a small Iowa town where the University of Iowa student had been living this summer. Her family reported her missing the next day after she didn’t show up to work.

Dozens of local, state and federal agents are working to determine what happened to Tibbetts, but investigators said at a news conference Tuesday that they still don’t know what happened to her.

(In an update to our earlier reports) — A man from South Dakota died in a collision between a semi and a pickup truck Tuesday afternoon, in northeast Iowa’s Woodbury County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of the 2015 Ford F-150, 59-year old Robert Ray Brewer, of Utica, SD, died at the scene of the collision that occurred at around 1:56-p.m. on U-S Highway 20, just east of Correctionville.

The 2011 Peterbilt semi driven by 30-year old Matthew William McNeil, of Rippey, was transporting hazardous materials, but Sioux City Fire declared none of the materials were spilled or damaged. McNeil was not injured in the collision.

The accident remains under investigation.

Former Iowa Assistant Attorney General Rob Sand will hold a meet and greet event in Harlan on Tuesday, August 7th. His campaign says the visit is part of Sand’s commitment to making the Iowa Auditor work for all Iowans. The 35-year old Sand is visiting all 99 Iowa Counties before the General Election. The Harlan “Meet and Greet” takes place at Milk and Honey (1107 7^th St.), from 10:30-until 11:30-a.m., Tuesday.

Rob Sand

Campaign officials say “For the past decade, Rob has been the chief public corruption and financial crimes prosecutor in the Iowa Attorney General’s office. Most recently, Rob led the nationwide lottery-fixing investigation that uncovered seven fixed lottery tickets across five states with total face values of nearly $25 million. He also led the prosecution to a resolution between six states and two defendants. All told, three criminals entered guilty pleas to six different counts and agreed to repay every dollar they stole. The lead defendant is now in prison for up to 25 years; the others served time or have a permanent felony conviction.”

Rob Sand was born and raised in Decorah. He’s a graduate of Brown University and the University of Iowa Law School. Rob and his wife, also a small-town Iowa native, have two young sons.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Barack Obama is making good on his promise to use his political cache in the 2018 midterm elections. He’s endorsing 81 Democrats up and down the ballot in 13 states around the country, with an emphasis on younger, diverse candidates. In a statement, Obama says he’s publicly supporting candidates for governor and the U.S. Senate but also for state legislatures. They include better-known names as well as rising figures.

He’s endorsing Democratic nominee for California governor Gavin Newsom, as well as Deirdre DeJear, Iowa’s Democratic candidate for secretary of state and its first African-American nominee for statewide office. Obama’s moves follow former first lady Michelle Obama’s commitment to help lead When We All Vote, a non-partisan, not-for-profit group working to help register new voters.