The Government Oversight Committee in the Iowa House will ask a group of paid state commissioners why they missed the alleged misuse of tax dollars by the now-fired director of the Iowa Communications Network. House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, a Republican from Clear Lake, says it’s a disappointing situation.

“Any commission like the commission that is in place has a fiduciary responsibility and I’m disappointed that somebody wasn’t looking through those budgets…line by line,” Upmeyer says. “…On occasion, you have to do that.”

The Iowa Communications Network is a state-owned system that provides high-speed voice, video and data service for state government, schools and some hospitals. An audit released last week indicated nearly 380-thousand dollars was misspent at the network, equipment was delivered to the now-fired director’s home in Marion and he hired people he knew who had no experience for jobs at the network. The five-member commission — each paid between 14-thousand and 20-thousand dollars a year — will be called to testify before the House Oversight Committee.

“I have no doubt that other commissioners on other boards throughout the state are going to be looking closer at budgets as they move forward,” Upmeyer says. “It certainly is a wake up call for all of them because there is a responsibility when you agree to sit on one of those boards.” And Upmeyer says selling the Iowa Communications Network is also on the table.

The fiber optic lines were buried in the 1990s. Upmeyer says it may be time for the state to get as much as possible from selling the fiber, although she cautions private sector networks are likely newer and faster.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers are sending a voluntary water quality bill to Gov. Kim Reynolds that doesn’t require comprehensive monitoring of water pollution. The Republican-controlled House voted 59-41 Tuesday for the legislation, which passed in the GOP-majority Senate last session and remained alive in the two-year legislative calendar. The bill would create a fund that redistributes tax money currently going to Iowa’s state budget. It also takes money from an existing infrastructure fund.

Iowa has faced water pollution issues for years, and research shows it’s tied in part to farm runoff. A state-supported water quality initiative, known as the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, estimates effectively addressing the issue would cost billions of dollars. The bill is expected to generate $282 million over 12 years. Reynolds and other Republicans who back the bill say it’s a first step.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois man arrested on charges that he opened fire on a motorist on Interstate 80 in eastern Iowa and exchanging gunfire with state troopers has told investigators he targeted truck drivers because he was angry over a fatal truck crash. The (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald reports that a sheriff’s deputy in Cedar County, Iowa, explained in a search warrant application that Charles Johnston had become “obsessed’ with the crash and told investigators after his Jan. 11 arrest that he wanted to harm at least one trucker in retaliation.

The 60-year-Johnston is charged with attempted murder and assault on a peace officer with a dangerous weapon. He is being in Cedar County Jail on $1 million bail. The paper reports that Johnston is a professor at Harper College in Palatine.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say one child was taken to a Dubuque hospital after a school bus crashed off an icy road in eastern Iowa. The accident occurred around 6:40 a.m. Monday, about 2½ miles (4 kilometers) east of St. Donatus. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says the bus slipped off an ice-covered road into a ditch as it was making a left turn, coming to rest on one of its sides.

The extent of the child’s injuries is unclear. His or her name hasn’t been released. A news release from the Sheriff’s Office says there were six other children on board, and their injuries appeared to be minor. The driver and bus attendant refused treatment. The Dubuque Community School District bus was driven by David Jaeger, who was not issued a citation.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers could choose a 500-million-year-old species known as a crinoid as the state’s officially recognized fossil. Geologists have called Burlington the “crinoid capital of the world” since its home to more than 300 species, which are similar to starfish or sea urchins. The Hawk Eye reports that a resolution to establish the crinoid as the state fossil was introduced in the Senate by seven Democrats last week. The resolution says the crinoid has contributed to Iowa’s history and economic benefit, including “a significant portion of lime deposits” that has been used for roads, agriculture, building and raw materials.

If approved in the Senate and House of Representatives, the crinoid would join Iowa’s Official Register along with other state symbols, like the goldfinch, rose and oak tree.

Atlantic Police, Monday, arrested a Council Bluffs man, for Driving While License suspended, and Violation of a No Contact Order. 36-year old Bret Hauptman was brought to the Cass County Jail, and booked-in.

WAUKEE, Iowa (AP) — School officials in central Iowa have reached a nearly $1 million settlement with a former employee who alleged he was wrongfully fired after reporting improper conduct by a high-ranking district officer. The Des Moines Register reports that the Waukee Board of Education unanimously approved the settlement with former Human Resources Director Terry Welker on Monday.

Welker’s position was eliminated by the school board in July amid budget cuts. Welker alleged he was terminated after he reported the district’s Chief Operating Officer Eric Rose to administrators. A district investigation found that Rose mismanaged money, abused authority and violated policies. Welker served as a key source for investigators and provided details of Rose’s misconduct.

The district doesn’t admit wrongdoing in the settlement. Two other similar lawsuits against the district are ongoing.

DES MOINES – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 2.8 percent for December. The state’s jobless rate was 3.5 percent one year ago. The U.S. unemployment rate remained at 4.1 percent in December for the third straight month. Beth Townsend, Iowa Workforce Development Director, says “Iowa businesses finished 2017 strong, bolstering payrolls by 7,100 jobs in December. Iowa factories have added 11,700 jobs in 2017. With an unemployment rate at 2.8%, Iowa must address the shortage in skilled workers. It will take all hands on deck to sustain this economic growth including support from our partners in K-12, community colleges, universities, business and industry, economic developers and non-profits – all of whom participated in writing the Future Ready Iowa strategic plan. The plan will put Iowa in a position to create and sustain the skilled workforce we need now and in the future.”

The number of unemployed Iowans decreased to 47,000 in December. The current estimate is 12,000 lower than the year ago level of 59,000. The total number of working Iowans increased to 1,637,800 in December. This figure was 200 higher than November and 3,200 higher than one year ago.

Seasonally Adjusted Non-farm Employment:

In December, Iowa establishments added 7,100 jobs and lifted the total number of jobs to 1,600,100. This month’s increase marks the eighth monthly increase in 2017 versus just four months of losses. Growth was fueled by several sectors of the economy, particularly manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation. Additionally, the December gain follows another sizable increase in November. In total, private sectors advanced by 5,800 jobs this month. On the other hand, government added 1,300 jobs this month due to gains in local government and now stands 1,000 jobs higher than last year.

Manufacturing added the most jobs in December (+3,300) with the largest gains being in durable goods factories (+2,400). Non-durable goods factories added 900 jobs due in part to hiring in food production. This gain marks the fourth-consecutive for manufacturing to end the year. Healthcare and social assistance added 1,600 jobs to fuel all of the growth in the education and healthcare super sector. Healthcare and social assistance also had a sizable gain in November (+1,200). Trade and transportation fared well due to larger-than-expected gains in transportation and warehousing this month and was up 1,400 jobs. Much of this spike was due to a surge in parcel delivery related to holiday shopping. Like years past, retail was somewhat sluggish to end the year and was down 300 jobs in December. This trend in decreasing retail employment may be partially attributable to a shift toward online shopping and decreased reliance on brick-and-mortar stores during the holidays. Smaller sector gains this month included leisure and hospitality (+1,000) and financial activities (+700). Private sector losses were limited to construction (-1,300), professional and business services (-500), and other services (-400).

Annually, the state of Iowa has gained 28,300 jobs. Manufacturing leads the way in jobs added with 11,700 over the last twelve months. Growth for this sector began in May with 12,400 jobs being added over the past eight months. Education and healthcare has gained 6,900 jobs annually, followed by leisure and hospitality, up 6,600 jobs. Sector losses have been strongest in construction (-7,500) in the wake of a booming 2016. Smaller losses occurred in other services (-1,600) and information (-700).

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Dallas County was arrested over the past weekend. 46-year old Donald Eugene Conroy, Jr., of Dexter, was arrested just after 5-a.m. Saturday, and charged with Driving While Suspended. Conroy later posted bond and was released.