(Radio Iowa) – Daylight Saving Time starts Sunday and as Iowans move their clocks forward an hour on Saturday night, Emily Holley, with the Iowa Chapter of the American Red Cross, suggests you do a quick safety check of your smoke alarms, too. “We’re recommending that everyone tests their smoke alarms and replace the batteries if needed,” Holley says. “A smoke alarm that is 10 years old or older definitely needs to be replaced. And we want to make sure that everyone has working smoke alarms on every level of the home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.”

Last year, Red Cross volunteers helped more than 18-hundred people in Iowa who were affected by 584 home fires. Nationwide, home fires account for most of the 65-thousand disasters to which the Red Cross responds. Holley says every second counts when there’s a fire, so making sure those smoke alarms are working is key. “We also recommend folks take the time to practice a two-minute home fire escape. It’s critical that you have escape routes out of your home and a joint meeting place,” Holley says. “Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half, and on average, you only have about two minutes to get out of the home.”

She says you should have at least two ways to get out of every room, and select a spot at a safe distance away from your home, like a tree or mailbox, where everyone can meet. For more information, download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores.

redcross.org/homefires

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has passed a plan to raise the minimum salary for teachers by nearly 50 percent within two years. The current minimum salary is 33-thousand-500 dollars a year. Republican Representative Henry Cisneros of Muscatine was the only “no” vote on the bill.

Republican Representative Bill Gustoff of Des Moines says the plan would bring about the largest single boost to teacher pay in state history.  “The bill achieves a significant goal set forth by Governor Reynolds to move Iowa’s minimum starting teacher salary to $50,000,” Gustoff said, “and I thank her for setting a bold target that will vault Iowa to the top of the list to attract teachers in terms of pay.” The plan includes money to help districts not only raise the pay of current teachers who aren’t being paid 50-thousand dollars a year, but to pay a 15-dollar-an-hour wage to other school staff, like paraeducators.

Representative Sue Cahill, a Democrat from Marshalltown who’s a retired teacher, says there’s bipartisan agreement this is the right move. “It provides recognition of educators and those who work in our educational settings,” Cahill said, “and it shows the value we have for them.” The bill passed on a 93-to-one vote. House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst says that margin sends a message to the governor and state senators who’ve tied a teacher pay decision to bills that overhaul Area Education Agencies.

“The House of Representatives is united in support of paying our teachers, paying our educators, paying our paraprofessionals in a way that is non-politicized,” Konfrst said, “…and is good for Iowa kids.” Gustoff calls it a “kumbaya”  moment. “This is a good bill that checks a lot of boxes and reflects the input of many stakeholders and many policymakers,” Gustoff says. “It brings the parties together and showcases that the legislative process does work.”

The Senate Education Committee’s A-E-A plan would raise minimum teacher pay, but to a lower level around 46-thouand dollars a year. In January, Reynolds also proposed a minimum salary of 62-thousand dollars for teachers with at least 12 years of experience. That’s not included in the House-passed plan or the one Senators have drafted.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has voted to increase penalties for the death of an unborn person. Current law provides penalties for causing a human pregnancy to end without consent. Democrats like Representative Beth Wessell-Kroschell  f Ames say the change could make introit fertilization illegal and they cited the recent Alabama supreme court ruling that embryos are children.

“This measure is a blatant attempt to advance an anti-abortion agenda and further enshrine the myth of fetal personhood in our state code,” she said. Representative Heather Matson of Ankeny says her two children are the result of fertility treatments. “What can people who simply want more than anything to become a parent realistically expect if IVF is no longer available to them?” Matson said. “What a tragedy.”

Representative Skyler Wheeler, a Republican from Hull, says the bill raises the penalty for killing a mother and her unborn baby and has nothing to do with I-V-F.  “When it comes to the Alabama stuff that you guys continue to talk about, that is in regards to their own constitution, their own laws, their own code, etc.,” Wheeler said, “not to mention the Alabama governor already signed a bill protecting IVF.”

Representative Zach Dieken of Granville says fetus is a Latin word and he prefers that English be used in Iowa law. “I do believe my two year old is a person,” Dieken said. “I believe that my 13 month old is a person and, when my wife gives birth to my third child in November, because she informed me three days ago she’s pregnant, I do believe that person is a person.”

The bill passed with the support of 58 House Republicans. Two Republicans and 34 Democrats voted against the bill, which now goes to the Senate for consideration.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Members of the City of Atlantic’s Personnel & Finance Committee will meet at 3:30-p.m. Friday (March 8th), in the City Council’s Chambers at City Hall. Among their agenda items is to Review and make a Recommendation to the City Council, with regard to the City Clerk’s position and Contractual Services.

City Clerk/Treasurer Barb Barrick told KJAN News she has “reached a mutual agreement” with the City of Huxley, which is expected to become official on March 12th. Barrick said the Council has received her written resignation.

She cited as a reason for the change is to be closer to her family. Her husband is in Postville, one daughter is in Cedar Falls, her son and grandchildren are in the Pella area, and other two daughters are in Iowa City.

Barrick had succeeded Deb Wheatley Field in 2017, after she retired as City Clerk following 35-years of service.  In other business, the Personnel and Finance Committee will review and make recommendations on the following:

• Police Staffing
• A YMCA Management Contract for the Sunnyside Pool
• and a new Retainer Agreement for the City Attorney.