DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa school district is hiring more security personnel after receiving special permission to spend $1.1 million beyond state spending limits. The Davenport Community School District received approval Tuesday from the School Budget Review Committee to hire 18 unarmed security supervisors, even as the district works to cut spending in other areas. Superintendent Art Tate says the personnel costs will be covered by grants or other funding in future years.

Davenport’s plan comes as schools across Iowa are working to comply with a new law requiring security plans developed in coordination with law enforcement and emergency management officials. Iowa Department of Education director Ryan Wise says Iowa schools are safer than they were five years ago, but more can be done. Schools must have plans finalized by June 30, 2019.

A Red Oak man was arrested Tuesday evening on an alcohol-related charge. Red Oak Police report 34-year old Kirby David Stoneking was taken into custody for Public Intoxication at around 7:45-p.m. in the 100 block of W. Coolbaugh Street. Stoneking was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, and held on a $300 bond.

**A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM TODAY (WEDNESDAY), FOR ALL BUT THE NORTHWEST CORNER COUNTIES IN IOWA**

Heat Advisory (Counties in orange) from Noon-to 8-p.m (7/4/18)

* TEMPERATURE… Temperatures in the lower 90s coupled with dewpoints in the middle 70s will result in heat indices between 100 and 105 degrees in most areas, and from 105 to 110 degrees in the far west/southwest counties.

* IMPACTS…Heat illnesses are possible for those active outdoors this afternoon. Vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly are especially susceptible. Those planning outdoor holiday activities need to take necessary precautions to beat
the heat.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Heat Advisory means that a period of hot temperatures is expected. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a situation in which heat illnesses are possible. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned
room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

Fewer communities are allowing their residents to use fireworks this year, the second Fourth of July holiday since Iowa lawmakers legalized fireworks sales in the state. Many cities made changes to their fireworks policies after receiving numerous complaints last year. Marion, in Linn County, is among the communities limiting when fireworks can be used – from noon till 11 p.m. on the Fourth. Marion Police Department spokesman Tom Daubs is hopeful it will mean fewer complaints than last year.

“But, if you have too many people violating that, and too many people are upset and present a case to cancel the fireworks, I can see a case where we would go along the lines of a Waterloo or other communities and cancel it,” Daubs says. “But, I don’t think we’re to that point yet. I hope we’re still hoping people will use their common sense and be respectful, and we’ll see how it shakes out.”

Waterloo Fire Chief Pat Treeloar says local leaders banned the personal use of fireworks after getting about 800 complaints last year. He hopes this will be a quieter Fourth. “We’re certainly under the impression that the first year, last year…I think the novelty will wear off a little bit,” Treeloar says. “We’re sure hoping that our complaints and calls for service go down.”

Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Dubuque are among the other cities NOT allowing personal use of fireworks this year. Cities such as Council Bluffs and Sioux City, like Marion, ARE allowing their use, but for a shorter period of time than last year. Today (Wednesday) is the last legal day for fireworks use in Atlantic. They are permissible on private property only, from Noon until 11-p.m.  After today, fireworks are allowed from 6-p.m. New Year’s Eve 2018 through 12:15-a.m. New Year’s Day, 2019.

(Radio Iowa)

As Iowa’s first female governor seeks election to a full term as governor, she is calling on women to be “disruptive voices” in the workplace. Kim Reynolds has been the chief executive of the State of Iowa for 406 days — ever since Terry Branstad resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to China. Last week, Reynolds spoke about female empowerment at a gathering of women bankers in West Des Moines.

“Iowa needs women who are competitors and provide the big ideas that shape how we live and work now and in the future,” Reynolds said, “women who are not afraid to challenge outdated concepts and they see problems not as barriers, but as opportunities.”

According to Reynolds, this is a “time of transformation” for women in Iowa. “Iowa needs women who share their intellect and their creativity to drive diversity of thought in the workplace and women with transformational attitudes and disruptive voices that aren’t afraid to confront the status quo,” Reynolds said. Reynolds has said she sought a seat at the decision-making table from her very first days in the state senate. This is her advice to women who are reluctant to voice their opinions in the workplace:

“First of all, you don’t have to know everything and you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to have a passion for what you’re doing and your willingness to make a difference. If I…had waited until I thought I knew everything until I ran for office, I guarantee you that I would have never ran.”

Reynolds first ran for office in 1994. She wound up serving as Clarke County Treasurer for 14 years. As Reynolds prepared to run for the state senate, she attended a candidate event and a man walked right past her to asked her husband what senate seat he was running for.  “That poor guy, he felt so embarrassed. He was just mortified that he hadn’t thought it might be me that was running for the state senate and not my husband,” Reynolds said.

It happened again this year, as the governor and her husband, Kevin, were entering an event at the National Governor Association meeting in Rhode Island. “The people at the check-in said…not to me, to Kevin: ‘Governor, which state is it that you’re here with?’ And again, poor (Kevin), he’s like: ‘Well, I’m not the governor. I’m the first dude. It happens to be her that’s the actual governor of the State of Iowa,” Reynolds said.

Women who are forging a path in business and in politics have “moxie” according to Reynolds. “I love that word because it’s defined as having spirit, determination, courage, energy, know-how and attitude,” Reynolds said.

(Radio Iowa)