Governor Terry Branstad today (Thursday), announced the appointments of individuals to Iowa’s various boards and commissions.  Several western and southwest Iowans were among those appointed. Their terms begin on May 1st, 2012, unless otherwise noted and are subject to Senate confirmation.   Here are the Boards and/or Commissions, and those from our listening area appointed to them:

Accountancy Examining Board: Robert Snodgrass, Creston; Evelyn Rank, Clarinda

Alcoholic Beverages Commission: Tami Doll, Council Bluffs

Board of Barbering: Gwendolyn Ecklund, Denison

Commission on Community Action Agencies: Kelly Busch, Creston

Credit Union Review Board: Timothy Marcsisak, Atlantic

Early Childhood Iowa State Board: Jean Stadtlander, Manning; Robert Ockerman, Adel Michael Bunde, Denison

Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa Board (HAWK-I): Mary Mincer Hansen, Panora

Landscape Architectural Examining Board: David Fjare, Council Bluffs

Board of Medicine: Julie Perkins, Carroll

Mental Health and Disabilities Service Commission: Suzanne Watson, Council Bluffs

Board of Pharmacy: Susan Frey, Villisca

Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Examining Board: Rodney Schultz, Council Bluffs; Patricia Weese, Bedford

Board of Podiatry: Sarah Kleffman, Harlan

Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology: Jon Schuttinga, Denison

Commission of Status of Women: Brian Mueller, Winterset

Iowa Telecommunications and Technology Commission: Kathleen Kohorst, Harlan

Commission of Veterans Affairs: Mickey Williams, Harlan

 Free women’s health screenings are still available from the Cass County Health System and Cass County Home Care.  Karla Akers, Care for Yourself Coordinator of Cass County Home Care says the screenings are made available through the Iowa Care for Yourself program and a grant from the Iowa Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  Screenings include mammograms, clinical breast exams, and pelvic exams with or without pap smears.

Some age, income, and insurance guidelines apply, but Akers encourages women to call about availability.  Enrollment numbers are limited and services must be completed by the end of March.  Women interested in accessing the women’s health screenings should contact Karla Akers at 712-243-7443.

The National Weather Service in Des Moines says in its latest Flood Outlook there’s not much change in the forecast for the risk of flooding as we head into Spring in a few weeks. The outlook, issued this (Thursday) morning, covers a time frame from early March through early June, and includes the Nishnabotna and 102 Rivers. Officials say the risk of flooding continues to be near or below normal at all locations. Current conditions, they say, are not conducive to major, large-scale flooding, since the last outlook was issued on February 16^th.  The outlook does not include the heavy snowfall which fell earlier this week across the northern U-S (The Dakotas, Minnesota & Wisconsin). 

The Weather Service says people should continue to monitor conditions for any changes. On March 14^th, the Weather Service will change the Flood Stage, Moderate Flood Stage and Major Flood Stage for 44 of its 47 river forecast points. The Flood Stage will change by several feet at many locations. For more information on the changes, go to www.weather.gov/desmoines. The most recent outlook uses the current flood stage predictors.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hosting public meetings on March 6th, to discuss possible changes in the hunting and trapping regulations for this fall. The changes would affect deer and waterfowl hunters as well as hunters and trappers who pursue bobcats and otters. Proposed changes would stabilize deer numbers in some areas, potentially add a third zone for waterfowl and increase the harvest number of otters and bobcats.

Dr. Dale Garner, chief of the wildlife bureau, says regulation changes for deer would allow deer numbers to stabilize in areas of the state where numbers have been reduced to the department’s goal while still allowing hunters to harvest extra does in areas of the state where numbers need to be reduced. He says “Without these changes deer numbers in some areas of the state will continue to decline and Iowa will lose its standing as one of the best states for hunting whitetail deer. Failure to make these changes could adversely affect rural areas since deer hunters spend nearly $200 million annually.”  The proposed changes for the waterfowl season are due to a change by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which now allow states to have three zones and a split waterfowl season.

The public meetings on March 6th from 6- to 9-p.m., will be held locally, in: Carroll; Council Bluffs; Creston and Onawa. The list of possible changes is available online at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/proposed_changes2012.pdf“  For those who cannot make the meeting, comments may be sent to wildlife@dnr.iowa.gov.

A public hearing will be held tonight (Thursday) in Walnut, with regard to the progress, budget, and status of, the 2009 Housing Rehabilitation Program. That, along with a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Budget, will take place during a meeting of the Walnut City Council, which begins at 5-p.m.

The Council will also act on adopting the FY 2012-2013 budget following the hearing, and consider the adoption of a resolution setting the date for a hearing on an economic development agreement, along with other matters.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Atlantic City Council Wednesday evening adopted a resolution expressing the City’s intent to enter into General Obligation (G-O) loan and Bond purchasing agreements with Ruan Securities, in the amount of $4.95-million. The move came during a special Council meeting, and followed public hearings on both issues. Chip Schultz, with Ruan Securities in Des Moines, acts as the City’s Bond Counsel. Schultz said the agreement with the City of Atlantic is exciting, because the timing is perfect, considering the current interest rates. Schultz said “It’s pretty spectacular that (the City) can borrow almost $5-million at just over 2% interest.” He said the bond issue covers the City’s planned Street and Storm Water Improvements, as part of the 2011 projects, Building and Park improvements and equipment acquisition, which the City has previously accomplished through an arrangement with Atlantic Municipal Utilities.

Schultz said the payment structure plan works out to 15-years, and includes Bond Issuance’s for 2013 and 2014. He says that makes for “A manageable Tax Levy, going forward.” He says interest costs on the bonds amount to $828,000, which is less than 20% of the issuance itself. Schultz said when started in the business 13-years ago, an interest cost less than one-half the amount par amount, or $2.5-million in this case, you thought you’d be getting a pretty good rate on your bonds.” But the City’s paying 18%, is advantageous.

Schultz says the City will have about 30% of its Debt Capacity remaining, or $4.9-million of legal debt capacity, after the new bond issuance is in place. Additional debt capacity will be made available after principal payments are made on June 1st. In previous years, the City ran it’s Debt Capacity at 45-to 50%, so being at around 70% is “getting up there,” according to Schultz, but since the City will be paying-off almost $2-million in debt through June 1st, 2014, that will make the capacity more reasonable. Schultz says the City of Atlantic currently has a Standard and Poor’s bond rating of A+, which is in the upper eschelon of the “A” category.The highest bond rating is “AAA,” next is “AA,” followed by “A”. Atlantic is in the latter category. Anything with a BA+ or worse, would be considered a “junk bond.”

During the Council’s meeting on March 7th, they’ll act on authorizing the issuance of the 2012 G-O Bonds, which will include authorizing the redemption of 2007 G-O Bonds. That takes place on June 1st, and will save the City $45,845 in interest costs over the next five-years. Schultz said funds from the 2012 G-O Bonds will be delivered to the City on Wednesday, March 28th. The bonds will be cull-able, on June 1st, 2019, if the City desires.

A Red Oak man faces Willful Injury and Violation of a Protection Order charges, following his arrest Wednesday night. Officials say 28-year old Brandon Scott Boydston was taken into custody at around 7:30-p.m., after Red Oak Police were called to a report from the City View Apartments, of a woman screaming for help. An investigation determined Boydston allegedly struck the unidentified woman with a baseball bat. The victim was treated for her injuries at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital.  Boydston was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

w/ Ric Hanson

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – An economist who oversees a monthly economic survey of nine states in the Midwest and Plains says the economic recovery has spread to more industries. The Mid-America Business Conditions Index rose last month to 58.4 from 55.9 in January. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the region’s growth had been limited to agriculture and energy sectors. He says the February survey indicates the growth has spread to most industries, except construction.
 
The survey of supply managers and executives uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say that any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below 50 suggests decline for that factor. The states are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.