(Radio Iowa) – Two Iowans have filed a lawsuit accusing Governor Kim Reynolds of violating state law when she ended federal unemployment benefits that had been expanded at the beginning of the pandemic. Americans who were eligible for unemployment benefits were getting an extra 300 dollars a week under a program first approved during the Trump Administration. The number of weeks someone was eligible for unemployment was also extended. That federal expansion ended in September of 2021, but Governor Reynolds and some other Republican governors ended it a few months earlier, arguing the expanded benefits were hurting the job market and allowing people to choose not to work.

The Iowa Capital Dispatch was first to report on the lawsuit filed on behalf of Holly Bladel of Clinton and Karla Smith of Pleasantville. The lawsuit claims the governor violated a state law which requires the state to cooperate with the U.S. Department of Labor and get all advantages available for unemployed Iowans.

Governor Reynolds has issued a written response. She says the federal government doesn’t get to run the state of Iowa and paying people to stay home at a time when there are more jobs available than people to fill them defies common sense.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court has thrown out a lawsuit against the D-C-I by a Marion County man who was accused of killing his mother. Jason Carter was found liable in a civil action for the wrongful death of his mother Shirley Carter in 2015 and was ordered to pay ten million dollars to her estate. Another jury acquitted Carter on the criminal murder charge. Carter filed the lawsuit accusing the D-C-I agent who investigated the murder of wrongly targeting him. The Iowa Supreme Court dismissed that lawsuit based on its recent ruling that overturned a 2017 opinion allowing such claims. The High Court says under their recent ruling, the D-C-I agent has immunity and Carter’s case cannot proceed.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston DOT Construction Office report motorists who travel on Iowa 92 between U.S. 59 and Pottawattamie County Road M-47 east of Carson should be aware of an upcoming bridge deck replacement project that could slow down their trip.

Beginning on Tuesday morning, May 30, until Thursday, Aug. 24, weather permitting, construction crews will work on replacing the bridge deck on the Iowa 92 bridge over Graybill Creek, 1.2 miles east of the junction with U.S. 59. Motorists on the bridge will be directed by traffic signals. A 10-foot-4-inch lane-width restriction and a 15-foot height restriction will be in place during this project.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

(Glenwood, Iowa) -Officials with the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Friday, reported four recent arrests. On Thursday, 48-year-old Anthony Troy Adams, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Theft in the 1st Degree (Bond: $10,000), and 42-year-old Randy Dean Burton, of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant for Theft in the 3rd Degree (Bond $5,000). On Wednesday, Mills County Deputies arrested 34-year-old Brittney Nicole Jenkins, of Malvern, for Violation of a No Contact Order. She was being held without bond. And, 42-year-old Kenneth Wayne Jenkins, of Malvern, was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order, on a Warrant for Contempt of Court – Violation of a No Contact Order. He was also being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

(Audubon, Iowa) – Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley made stops in Council Bluffs, Atlantic and Audubon, Friday, before heading home to his farm in rural New Hartford. In Audubon, Grassley spoke at the Feed Mill restaurant with a small group of farmers and those with Ag interests, as well as a Waspy’s owner Lawrence Handlos & his wife Lois. He was asked questions about the county’s Debt Ceiling and Farm Bill, Reparations “being pushed by the Biden Administration,” EPA control over WOTUS (Waters of the U-S), E-15, the Cattle Bill and the recent U-S Supreme Court 5-to-4 ruling in favor of California’s Proposition 12, with regard to animal confinement operations and the sale of pork and chickens.

Grassley was able to make his planned stops because Congress was not in session. Otherwise he would be in Washington, D-C Monday through Friday’s.  He said he enjoys having the opportunity to speak with Iowans face-to-face.

Grassley said “We have a lot of serious issues facing our country.” He said the Farm Bill get can’t get any traction right now, because it’s tied in with other bills related to the Debt Ceiling.

Senator Charles Grassley speaks at the Feed Mill restaurant inside Waspy’s Truck Stop in Audubon, 5-12-23 (Ric Hanson/photo)

He says “Until we get an agreement on what we call the “Top Line” in spending for all government for the next year, we really don’t know what will be allocated to agriculture.” Grassley says farmers have told him what their most important Ag issues are: Crop Insurance; Increase Ag Research & Foreign market sales; and a “tweaking of CRP.” He said if he can’t get his Cattle Bill passed separately, he wants to include it in the Farm Bill.

Grassley said also, with regard to the U-S Supreme Court passage Proposition 12, he’s in favor of adding the “Exposing Agriculture Trade Suppression Act” to the Farm Bill which would federally preempt laws like those in California. But it must be bi-partisan to get a better chance of getting in the bill. Proposition 12, the “Humane Pork Law,” bans the sale of pork within the state of California unless pregnant pigs are allowed at least 24 square feet of space and the ability to stand up and turn around in their pens. The National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation, which sued in 2019, say the measure violates the so-called dormant commerce clause, a doctrine that says the U.S. Constitution limits the power of states to regulate commerce outside their borders without congressional authorization.

Senator Grassley, a former chairman and senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, began his day, Friday, welcoming juniors and seniors from southwestern Iowa high schools to his fourth annual Federal Judiciary Youth Summit in Council Bluffs. Grassley was joined by Chief Judge for the Southern District of Iowa, Stephanie Rose, who gave high school students and educators a glimpse into the daily workings of the federal justice system. Each high school was invited to bring juniors or seniors to the summit. In total, 13 high schools from eight counties participated in the program with 57 students in attendance.  Students and teachers from Griswold, CAM and Tri-Center were among those in attendance.

Federal Judiciary Youth Summit in Council Bluffs May 12, 2023 (Photo courtesy Grassley’s Office)

From there, he traveled to Atlantic for a luncheon, Q&A Town Hall at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA, where he spoke about the “Stop Pills that Kill Act,” which would implement new penalties for counterfeit pill production.

May 12, 2023 (DES MOINES, IA) – Today, the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board approved awards for an established company in Ankeny and innovation funding in support of four startups located in Ames and Des Moines.

SPAL-USA to expand manufacturing operations from Italy to Ankeny

SPAL-USA, Inc. is the North American subsidiary of Italian company SPAL Automotive Srl, a market leader in the design, manufacture, sales and distribution of products across all types of vehicles and equipment. The company plans to build a 160,000-square-foot building to localize manufacturing and assembly operations in Ankeny with plans for further expansion. The existing sales and distribution center will be consolidated under the new structure. The project represents a $33.5 million capital investment and is expected to create 39 jobs, of which 15 are incented at a qualifying wage of $33.31 per hour. The board awarded the company a $200,000 forgivable loan and tax benefits through the High Quality Jobs program.

Awards made to four startups

Ag-tech startup SoilSerdem LLC in Ames provides scientific soil mapping to help with agronomic decision making. The service streamlines soil fertility mapping through high-resolution, up-to-date, accurate digital models for organizations that provide agronomy support to farmers. The company was awarded a $32,000 POCR loan for market and competition analyses and proof of concept work.

Varsity Music, Inc., owned and operated by marching band enthusiasts in Ames, produces illuminant instrument lights. The product is a programmable lighting unit that can be placed on instruments or uniforms to be used as a teaching tool or to enhance performances through a mobile app or computer software. The company was awarded a $50,000 Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR) loan for product refinement, key personnel and equipment.

Ames-based Zymosense, Inc. created a platform to enable faster and more accurate high-throughput discovery of new enzymes for food, feed and pharmaceuticals. The technology will be used by enzyme manufacturers to secure intellectual property rights and get to market faster. The company was awarded a $100,000 Demonstration Fund loan for market and competition analyses, market planning and entry activities and key personnel.

Upvote, LLC, headquartered in Des Moines, is a scalable communication platform where users can find summarized, objective information related to policy and current events in plain language. Through advanced technologies, the model allows for constituents and elected officials to communicate real-time updates and messages on issues with access to different viewpoints and data insights. The company was awarded a $50,000 POCR loan for IP development and evaluation, market analysis, product refinement and marketing planning and entry activities.

Award recommendations for these funds are made by the Technology Commercialization Committee to the IEDA Board for approval.

(Radio Iowa) – The governor has signed a bill into law that’s designed to enhance the criminal charges for people arrested more than once of domestic abuse. It will change guidelines which have prevented prosecutors from charging someone arrested for domestic abuse assault with committing a second or third offense if their previous conviction occurred more than a dozen years ago. Senator Jeff Reichman, of Montrose, was the only lawmaker who spoke during senate debate of the change.

“It’s sad to see these convictions and usually people do have a history,” Reichman says. “I look back at some of the deaths we’ve had in our area and a large amount of them, unfortunately, are because of domestics, so I’m glad we can do some legislation to help out.”

A prosecutor who was a key advocate for the bill told The Cedar Rapids Gazette the change was needed because violent offenders have been able to avoid felony or serious misdemeanor charges simply because 12 years had passed since a previous domestic abuse assault conviction or deferred judgment.

(Radio Iowa) – There are Iowans who continue to struggle to put food on the table. Food Bank of Iowa spokesperson, Annette Hacker, says their demand has not eased at all. “We have really seen the numbers just continue to rise for the last 12 months or so ever since. The emergency proclamation lifted and SNAP benefits returned to normal levels back in April of 2022. Nearly every month since then has been a record in terms of people needing food assistance,” she says. The Food Bank of Iowa serves 55 of the state’s 99 counties.

“We served about 110-thousand in March of 2022 compared with 169-thousand in March of 2023,” Hacker says. Hacker she fears the numbers aren’t going to drop anytime soon. “I hate to say it but we don’t see any ceiling in sight. The people who need food assistance are being crushed from all sides with the SNAP legislation that appears it will be signed soon,” Hacker says. “That will make SNAP benefits even more difficult to get. It will make some people not even not even apply and others perhaps eliminated from SNAP benefits.” Hacker said the summer ahead will be a critical time.

“Because kids are out of school, and those children who rely on free and reduced price meals suddenly don’t have those at school. And parents who have kids at home have to come up with an extra 10 to 15 meals every day per child,” she says. “And if your budget is stretched thin and you’re already having a hard time affording groceries, that just makes it even more difficult.”

Saturday is the Iowa postal service annual “Stamp Out Hunger” event. The carriers will pick up non perishable food items from customers at their mailboxes to be delivered to the community food banks. A reminder also, that Atlantic Post Office employees will be collecting non-perishable food items and/or monetary donations, Saturday.  All donations will benefit the Atlantic Food Pantry. Your cash or check donations can be left with your letter carrier this weekend, mailed to the Atlantic Food Pantry at P.O. Box 285 (Atlantic, IA 50022), or dropped-off at the Pantry, which is located at 704 W. 7th Street (The former “After 5 Somewhere” building). Drop-off hours for monetary donations are Mondays and Thursdays, from 9-until 11-a.m.

Customers wishing to contribute through their postal mail carrier should clearly address an envelope as a food pantry, or food drive donation, and leave visibly as outgoing mail. No stamp is required for this type of donation. Checks should be made out to the Atlantic Food Pantry