DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – State officials say a projected shortfall in Iowa’s roughly $7.2 billion budget has shrunk and will not require a special legislative session to fix. The Iowa Department of Management and the Iowa Department of Revenue say the state budget that ended in June has about a $13 million shortfall. That figure is much smaller than projections earlier this summer.

The announcement Wednesday means Gov. Kim Reynolds will not have to call lawmakers back to the Capitol. She has authority without legislative action to transfer up to $50 million in emergency funds to plug a budget shortfall. The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency estimated earlier this summer a possible shortfall of about $100 million. State officials say final adjustments on a range of incoming revenue shrunk the expected shortfall.

LSA tax analyst Jeff Robinson later said data does show major revenue improvements in the final months of accounting. Democrats in the Republican-majority Legislature expressed skepticism at the figures. State officials offered to meet with anyone to go over the numbers.

The deadline is quickly approaching for persons in Cass County to submit nomination papers for the Nov. 7th City Elections in Cass County, and the Auditor’s Office is putting out a plea for anyone thinking about running for office, to do so now. If you’ve ever thought about being involved in civic government, get a nomination form and the required 10 signatures, and turn it in by 5-p.m. Thursday!

The following cities are still in need of people to file to run for city office:

Anita– 2 Council positions
Cumberland– Mayor position & 2 Council Positions
Massena-Mayor Position
Wiota– 2 Council Positions

Contact Shari Karns at the Cass County Auditor’s Office, or your city clerk. They can get you the paperwork you need immediately. You can also go to the Secretary of State’s website. You only need 10 signatures to get your name on the ballot!!

The Iowa Supreme Court has taken the unusual move of hearing a small claims case stemming from a speeding ticket. The court today (Wednesday) heard a case brought by 67-year-old Marla Leaf, who argued her constitutional rights were violated after an automated camera ticketed her for speeding on a freeway in her hometown of Cedar Rapids. It was her first speeding ticket, and Leaf says she wasn’t speeding.

Her attorney, James Larew, argued Cedar Rapids violates equal protection and due process clauses of the Iowa Constitution in part because it delegates police power to a private, for-profit company. Attorneys for Cedar Rapids say the city’s system abides by state law. After the hearing, Leaf said she pursued the case simply because, “Why should I pay for a ticket I didn’t do?” The fine for the ticket, which was issued in Feb., 2015, amounted to $75.

Leaf’s case is unusual because the Iowa Supreme Court rarely takes small claims cases. Such cases are closely watched by other communities with automated traffic equipment.

Officials with Essex-based Sorensen Brothers Southwest Iowa Tree Service,  Inc. said on their social media page today (Wednesday), that an employee of the company, died Tuesday in a job related accident. Keith Sorensen died during the accident that is believed to have taken place near Sidney, in Fremont County, but local authorities have not released any further information.

A statement from the company said also, “Those who had spoken to Keith and gotten bids or scheduled work, please call the Sorensen Law Office at 712-246-1924 for arrangements to have the work completed.”

Officials at Cass County Health System today (Wednesday) announced the resignation of Dr. Vanessa Cook, family medicine physician.  CCHS CEO Brett Altman says Dr. Cook and her husband, Steve Brunin, will be moving her practice back to her home state of Kansas.  She has been caring for patients at CCHS since February 2010. Her last day at CCHS will be December 17th, 2017.  Altman said “It is with very mixed emotions we share this news. We are very pleased for Dr. Cook and her family for this opportunity to move closer to home. We will, however, truly miss her and appreciate her contributions to our organization. ”

Vanessa Cook, M.D.

Dr. Cook said in a statement that her “Decision to leave has been a difficult one,” and that she has enjoyed her time at CCHS, working with a great team and wonderful patients. ” I wish I could take CCHS with me!” Dr. Cook said.  “However, after my mother’s death last summer I have felt a pull to get back closer to family, which this change will allow me to do.”

Altman says CCHS has been and continues to be, actively recruiting physicians and advanced practice clinicians to ensure patients’ needs are met.  Recent additions of Dr. Ben Howard, Jessica Jackson, ARNP; Max Starlin, PA-C;  and Elisha Hardy, ARNP;  along with the 2018 addition of Dr. Autumn Keiser, will help to absorb the loss of Dr. Cook.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Frontier Airlines will offer nonstop flights from Omaha and southwest Florida this winter. The Omaha World-Herald reports the service will begin Nov. 9 and will be offered Thursdays and Sundays through Dec. 7. It will fly on Mondays and Fridays after Dec. 15th. The flight will leave Fort Myers, Florida, at 10:20 a.m. and arrive in Omaha at 12:53 p.m. It will leave Omaha at 1:50 p.m. and arrive in Fort Myers at 5:55 p.m. Frontier also flies nonstop to Denver and seasonally to Orlando International Airport.

A woman involved in a brief police chase in Spirit Lake has died after her vehicle wound up in East Lake Okoboji. Police say it started at about 12:30 Tuesday morning when an officer tried to pull over a vehicle. The driver didn’t stop and a pursuit began. Officers lost view of the vehicle, then found it a short time later after it had gone through a residential yard, hit a shed and wound up in the lake. The driver was taken to the hospital in Spirit Lake and was pronounced dead a short time later. Authorities say the incident is still under investigation and additional details will be released later.

(Radio Iowa)