NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Facing opposition from staunch conservatives, the Common Core education standards designed to improve schools and student competitiveness are being modified by some Republican governors. They cite concern about the federal government’s role in the classroom.

The educational standards were not on the formal agenda during a three-day meeting of the National Governors Association in Nashville, but were discussed along the sidelines of the meeting.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says the words, “Common Core,” have become “radioactive,” echoing a sentiment from tea party leaders who say the education plan amounts to a federal takeover of local education.

Governors in Indiana, South Carolina and Oklahoma have signed legislation to repeal the standards while Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is taking steps to block the use of tests tied to the standards.

Motorists who travel Interstate 29 between Highway 92 and Council Bluffs will want to plan an alternate route early this week. The Iowa Department of Transportation says the southbound lanes of I-29 between Exit 37 for U-S Highway 92, and Exit 4 for I-80 and Council Bluffs, will be closed for construction beginning today (Sunday) at 7-p.m., through 5-a.m. Monday.

Monday night at 7, the northbound lanes of I-29 in those same locations will be closed due to construction, until 5-a.m. Tuesday. Work on the highway is part of the DOT’s project to improve Interstates 80, 29 and 480 around Council Bluffs.

For more information, go to www.councilbluffsinterstate.iowadot.gov.

Two Red Oak teens were arrested late Saturday night on alcohol-related charges. According to Red Oak Police, 16-year old Heath Robert Woods was arrested for an OWI .02 (point-oh-two) violation, and possession of open container of alcohol. And 16-year old Nicholas James Terry was arrested for possessing an open container of alcohol. The teens were taken into custody in the vicinity of 4th and Senate Streets, in Red Oak, at around 11:30-p.m. They were subsequently released to the custody of their parents.

An investigation by the Des Moines Sunday Register reveals a Red Oak woman who served as a supervisor for a charity providing services to disabled adults, was fired from her job after mishandling more than $2,700 in funds belonging to at least nine clients. State records show that until late last year 33-year old Jennifer Koppa, of Red Oak, was employed by Nishna Productions, a Shenandoah charity that provides a wide variety of service to disabled Iowans.

As a team leader, Koppa oversaw operations at four separate homes for people with disabilities, supervised the staff, and had access to the checking accounts of nine clients. Last November, Nishna officials learned that the Internet service had been shut off in one of the homes where clients were living, and some utility bills appeared to have been unpaid.

Agency officials examined their expenses and concluded that Koppa, who was supposed to write checks from clients’ accounts directly to their landlords and to various utilities, had instead written checks from those accounts to the clients themselves — a process that converted those checks into cash, which Koppa could access. In another instance, Koppa wrote checks totaling $1,400 to pay for the utilities of some clients, but the utility bill was $945.

When confronted by her superiors at Nishna Productions, Koppa immediately stopped reporting for work and then stopped responding to phone calls and emails. Ultimately, the agency could not account for $2,730 of client funds, so it reimbursed all of the clients, fired Koppa and reported the matter to state and county authorities.

When Koppa did not appear at the unemployment hearing, an Administrative Law Judge ruled against her with regard to her claim of benefits and ordered that she repay $1,930 in benefits she had already collected. The Register’s investigation revealed eight other Iowans were recently fired from their positions at various locations around the state, and were denied unemployment benefits or have their cases pending in court.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) — Hospitals across Iowa are preparing for a possible influx of people later this month when thousands of bicyclists pedal through their cities. Up to 10,000 riders are expected to traverse the state in the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Race Across Iowa, also known as RAGBRAI. Buchanan County officials say they can reasonably assume at least some riders will require medical attention.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — Charles City police are looking for a dognapper. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports a male pit bull mix was taken from the PAWS Humane Society shelter sometime during the night of July 5th. Shelter manager Julie Taylor says the dog was in a kennel with an outdoor run and someone broke the padlock on the run.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines Public Schools has announced its five schools will remain with the Central Iowa Metropolitan League. At least eight schools had discussed breaking away from the activities conference, but many of the schools had backed off that suggestion by Friday. The district announced that its five members would remain in the CIML at least through the 2015-16 school year.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque mental health counselor who admitted to abusing a dependent adult has been sentenced to one year of probation. Sixty-nine-year-old Lowell Routley was sentenced last week after he pleaded guilty to dependent adult abuse. Court documents say that between November 2010 and October 2012, Routley withdrew funds for personal use from the special-needs trust fund of a patient.

Police in Council Bluffs say a motorcyclist who witnesses say was hit and run over by a car, was in critical condition Saturday afternoon. 27-year old Daniel W. Starkey, of Council Bluffs, was transported to Creighton Medical Center in Omaha, where he was being treated for life-threatening conditions. Witnesses told police an older, red car, possibly a Toyota, was chasing Starkey’s motorcycle before hitting the bike and possible running Starkey over. The driver of the car was described as being as white man in his 40’s, with longer, greyish hair.

Police found Starkey and his cycle in an alley in the 2400 block, between west Broadway and 2nd Avenue, at around 9:10-a.m., Saturday. After hitting the cycle, the car continued through the alley and turned southbound onto south 25th Street.  If you have any information about the incident or can help identify the driver of the car, please call -712-328-STOP.

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) — Those with an eye toward healthy living have probably noticed the words “aronia berry” in everything from juices and powdered supplements to baby food. Midwesterners probably know it as chokeberry, the name European settlers centuries ago gave the berry they found tart, astringent and more pretty than palatable.

The native North American plant is in the midst of a transformation, prized for its exceptional health benefits and easy cultivation. The almost black-purple, pea-sized berry gets its more agreeable name from its genus, Aronia melanocarpa.

Now dubbed a “superfood,” research shows the berries packing more antioxidants than blueberries, acai and goji berries. Producers are also taking notice, with thousands of the shrubs being planted by farmers — mostly in Iowa, but also in other upper Midwest states — every year.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Drug Paraphernalia charges after a traffic stop Saturday (7/12) morning.  At approximately 12:45am officers conducted a traffic stop in the 600 block of East Hammond Street.  During the stop officers conducted a search of the vehicle which was driven by 18-year-0ld Dylan Elwood Taylor of Red Oak.  Officers discovered a makeshift pipe used for smoking marijuana.  Taylor was then cited into court for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor, and was given a court date.