For the past two days, Democrats have been staging a sort of filibuster on the bill Republicans in the state legislature have crafted that would scale back union bargaining rights for teachers and government workers in Iowa. Republicans began offering some rebuttals late Wednesday afternoon. Representative Dawn Pettingill, a Republican from Mount Auburn, says there’s nothing “nefarious” in the bill and she read email from supporters of the bill.

“It’s time to revert the progressive agenda in our state. I pray for you, your families and your colleagues in this difficult time. Stand your ground and keep the faith and persevere,” Pettingill said. Representative Rick Olson, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the bill will kill the bargaining rights of teachers and government workers in Iowa.

“If it was necessary to reform Chapter 20, it could have been tweaked, not twisted. It could have been modified, not mutilated,” Olson said. “House File 291 burns hard working public employees to the ground.” Olson compared the bill to “Sherman’s March to the Sea,” a reference to a Union general’s pivotal and destructive march through Georgia during the Civil War.

Tempers began to fray as the debate wore on into nighttime hours for the second straight day. Democratic Representative Mary Mascher of Iowa City and Representative Steven Holt, the Republican from Denison who is the bill’s floor manager, had this testy exchange: “It’s really unfortunate that you aren’t being clear and honest,” Mascher said and, as Mascher continued to speak, Holt talked over her: “I’m being quite clear, I’m just not willing to play gotcha questions.” The House suspended debate on the bill shortly after 10 p.m.

The SENATE debated into the early morning hours and Senate Minority Leader Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids hinted he and his fellow Democrats are ready to debate for days. “I’m prepared,” Hogg says. “We can spend the next 240 hours here at the senate, doing this.” Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, accused Republicans of “railroading” the bill through the legislature.

“Can you hear the train?…It’s on the track. It’s coming. This is a very complicated piece of legislation. It appears you’ve made up your minds. We’re going to get run over by the train. This commotion that you’re going to create with this is not going to go away by Saturday or Sunday or the next week,” Bolkcom said. “…It’s going to be around for quite a while.” Senator Bill Dotzler, a Democrat from Waterloo, predicted that the G-O-P’s plan will “backfire.”

“Sleep drunk. Don’t know what you’re doing,” Dotzler says. “You can make that excuse down the road when your constituents turn on you. ‘Well, I was there at three o’clock in the morning and if I’d had some sleep, maybe I’d have thought through that.'”

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A plan by Republican lawmakers in Iowa to pass a bill that would cut most collective bargaining rights for public workers could also tame a political force that often supports their opponents. The proposed changes to Iowa’s collective bargaining law would drastically change how public sector unions are able to negotiate on behalf of roughly 180,000 people in the state. Academics say it would weaken unions who usually support Democrats.

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — Police in central Iowa have arrested a man they say left messages at a high school threatening to kill a transgender student there. The Nevada Public Safety Department says police arrested 65-year-old Mondell Olson, of Ames, on Wednesday after an investigation into that threat and another harassing voicemail left for a Nevada High School teacher. Olson has been charged with three counts of harassment and remained Wednesday in the Story County Jail.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The longtime No. 2 administrator at the University of Iowa is leaving to become president of a Florida college that focuses on aerospace education. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University says UI Provost P. Barry Butler would start next month as the school’s president. Butler, a former engineering dean and professor, had been at Iowa since 1984.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley says Russia’s alleged attempts to meddle in November’s presidential election shouldn’t be a surprise given the United States worked to discredit the Italian Communist Party in Italy’s 1948 election. The U.S. was engaged in the Cold War with the Soviet Union at the time, and the CIA later acknowledged spending $1 million to try to sway the election away from communists. Grassley said Wednesday that the U.S. “doesn’t come to this table hands-free.”

Wednesday evening’s City Council meeting in Atlantic was the last official meeting for City Clerk Deb Wheatley Field, who has served the City for over 35-years. City Administrator John Lund took the opportunity to recognize her as a mentor and friend. Lund got some laughs when he said “She has been serving Atlantic since before I was born.” He said also “I see what goes on behind the scenes, and she has the highest level of ethical and professional standards and the City is going to lose a lot when she retires.”

Lund told her “It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work with you. You bring positive energy to this office and I appreciate working with you as a co-worker, but also as mentor in this field.”

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones (Right) reads from a plaque presented to Deb Wheatley Field (left) and her husband Jim Field (center).

Mayor Dave Jones also recognized Wheatley Field in his comments to the Council. He said “In January 1996 I became a City Councilman At-Large in Atlantic. I had a lot to learn about how the City of Atlantic was run. The one thing I did notice, was that when questions were asked at Council or Committee meetings, about the budget, what [something] cost or when it was built, or who was the people behind it, they would always say [ask] ‘Deb.’ It did not take me long to realize the wealth of knowledge she has.”

He went on to say “Come budget time, long hours were put in to get our budget ready for the City Council. The City of Atlantic is still in great financial shape and will be into the future because of Deb’s dedicated work.” He concluded by saying “Deb Wheatley Field, the City is going to miss you. Thank you for all you have done for the City of Atlantic.”

Deb and her husband Jim Field stood beside the Mayor as he presented her with a plaque. Deb thanked the Council members, Mayor and past Council members for the opportunity to have served for the past 35-years. She teared up as she said “It has truly been an honor and a privilege. I’m very grateful. Thank you.”

An official retirement party and open house will be held for her in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall on Friday, February 24^th, from 2:30-until 4:30-p.m.

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — Police in central Iowa have arrested a man they say left messages at a high school threatening to kill a transgender student there. The Nevada Public Safety Department says police arrested 65-year-old Mondell Olson, of Ames, on Wednesday after an investigation into that threat and another harassing voicemail left for a Nevada High School teacher.

Authorities say Olson left one message threatening to “kill, brand and cause bodily harm” to the student. Police say the other message for the teacher was sexual in nature. The messages were left Friday and Tuesday.

Olson has been charged with three counts of harassment and remained Wednesday in the Story County Jail in lieu of $4,300 bond.