(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds talked more about her proposal to ban cellphones in classrooms Tuesday. The governor says she wants to add to what some districts are already doing. “First of all, I want to just give a lot of respect to the really large number of school districts that have already implemented the policies, that have listened to the parents, that have listened to the educators that are in the classroom,” she says. Reynolds says she wants a policy that will blend in with what is already being done.

“The stories that I’ve heard from the different school districts that have implemented are really encouraging. Parents are very, very supportive of this, and there’s been different variations. So whatever I put forward, I want to make sure that I’m respecting the hard work that’s already gone into place by the school districts that have stepped up and implemented it,” Reynolds says. She says they need to work out a plan that helps the schools that have phone policies in place, while looking to get more schools to take part.

” I want to supplement that and enhance that. I don’t want to really step on anything that they’ve done. So it’ll probably be more of a floor, is what we’re looking at, but just to encourage people to really move in that direction in time,” she says. Reynolds says some schools have gone bell to bell and restrict cellphone use all day, while others give them back to the kids to used during lunch.

“And some of the stories I’m hearing is, even when they’ve let them use their phone during the lunchroom, the kids aren’t that. They really are starting to reconnect with the kids and doing and being kids, and that’s what they, you know, should be doing,” Reynolds says. “They should be learning while they’re in the classroom that should be where their full attention is at, and when they’re with the kids in the lunchroom or whatever, during the breaks, then talk. Let’s get back to communicating and having a conversation with each other. We’ve gotten so far away from that, I think that’s part of the problem.”

Reynolds says she’s excited to work with schools that have already done it and come up with a plan.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds is using eight-and-a-half million dollars of federal pandemic relief funds to provide bonuses to teachers whose students make big gains in the classroom. The money may be used to supplement the salaries of the top 10 percent of teachers in a district whose students show their reading, math, and other skills have advanced beyond their grade level.

Each Iowa school district may apply for up to half a million dollars in grant money for the current year and another 500-thousand in the next academic year.

An individual teacher may receive a bonus of up to 25-hundred dollars in both years. Schools have until January 10th to apply for the grants.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Creston man was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography.

According to public court documents, between approximately September and November 2023, Bryan Michael Vannausdle, 34, communicated with a minor victim. Vannausdle used his cell phone to send, receive, and store images and videos of child sexual abuse material, including material of the minor victim.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Vannausdle will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Creston Police Department, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigations.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.

(Radio Iowa) – A Luther College student has been charged after allegedly posting threats on social media early Monday. Decorah Police say 20-year-old Peter Bumba of Illinois has been charged with terroristic threats, a Class D Felony. A post on Instagram referred to a violent anime series and suggested killing 80 percent of students at Luther and police say Bumba confessed the post was his. A search of Bumba’s room and vehicle found no weapons and authorities say there is no ongoing threat to Decorah or Luther College.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber’s Annual Scrooge Contest was held the month of November. This year’s contestants included Graydon Schmidt, Schmidt Family Funeral Home; Randy & Michelle Roy, Randy’s Computers; Jeremiah Thompson, Landus & Atlantic Volunteer Fire Department, and Ben Winford, New Life Church. This year’s winner is Graydon Schmidt, who raised $8,611 and 90 food items. Together, they raised a total of $26,859 and 1,666 food items.

“Every year, I ask myself how the community can one up themselves and, every year, I’m always impressed that they manage to do just that. This benefits a growing number of individuals and families in our community,” Bailey Smith, Executive Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce stated.

In 2016, the Atlantic Food Pantry saw an average of 18 homes each week. Today, they are averaging 110 homes weekly with the need expected to rise. This contest allows the food pantry the monetary funds to purchase food items and continue serving a large population in Atlantic.

Scrooge contestants

This Year’s Scrooge winner: Graydon Schmidt

“Our food pantry continues to see an increase of individuals and families in need of food assistance. We had such a great group of candidates this year and I’m grateful to Jackie Sampson and Karen Miller for volunteering a lot of their time to make this contest happen. What a blessing to live in a community that serves others so well,” mentioned Smith.

Past Scrooge titles have been awarded to: Mary Ann Moorman 2007, Dana Halder 2008, Tammy Wise & Janet Huey 2009, Ritchie Anderson 2010, Janet Cappel 2011, Melanie Petty 2012, David Miller 2013, Mark McNees 2014, Ted Robinson 2015, Jon Johnson 2016, Rob Stamp 2017, Rob & Sonya Clausen 2018, Billie Hoover, Jackie Sampson & Lori Christianson 2019, Brain Ruge 2020, Ray Paulin 2021, Dr. Matt Weresh, 2022, and Sheryl Dusenberry 2023.

(Iowa DNR News) – Nearly $416,000 in 50 percent cost-share grants were recently awarded to 138 Iowa rural fire departments to help their efforts to protect Iowan’s and their property from wildfires. The grants offer valuable funding assistance for wildfire suppression, personal protective and communications equipment.

Among the fire departments receiving 2024 Volunteer Fire Assistance grants, are those in:

• Anita
• Avoca
• Clarinda
• Creston
• De Soto
• Early
• Farragut
• Glenwood
• Grant
• Hamburg
• Jamaica
• Logan
• Menlo
• Oakland
• Onawa
• Shelby
• Shenandoah
• Sidney
• Stuart
• Underwood
• and Yale.

The grants are made possible through Iowa DNR Forestry, in cooperation with US Forest Service – State and Private Forestry. Jason Walker, fire supervisor with DNR Forestry, reminds all fire departments of the importance of submitting Wildland Fire Reports whenever they respond to a wildland fire or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire. Wildland fire reporting forms are available atwww.iowadnr.gov/fire.

Departments returning these reports receive priority points when the Fire Assistance grant applications are scored. These wildland fire reports are compiled locally and nationally and are reported to Congress.