(Radio Iowa) – Neither the governor nor Republican legislative leaders have indicated if new abortion restrictions or an outright ban on the procedure is the goal of next week’s special session, but a few rank and file lawmakers say it will be similar to the so-called heartbeat bill passed in 2018. That law would have banned most abortions after fetal activity can be detected. The Iowa Supreme Court deadlocked last month on the governor’s request to lift a lower court’s injunction that has prevented the law from taking effect. Representative Bob Henderson is a Republican from Sioux City. “It’s an interesting case,” Henderson says. “…I’m not sure exactly what it is that we’re going to do.”

But Henderson expects the bill that will be debated to be similar to the 2018 heartbeat bill that was the toughest abortion law in the country when it was passed. “I’m not exactly sure what the wording has to be because I don’t understand what the ruling says specifically,” Henderson says, “so whether we can pass exactly the same bill or we have to pass a slightly different one, I don’t know, but we’re going to find out.”

As we’ve mentioned, Henderson and other lawmakers are scheduled to return to the Capitol in Des Moines and convene the special legislative session at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

(Radio Iowa) – A  preliminary report indicates net taxes paid to the State of Iowa over the past 12 months declined slightly when compared to the previous fiscal year. The state fiscal year ended last Friday, June 30th. The initial report indicates the state collected nine-point-six BILLION dollars in taxes over the past 12 months. By last Friday, total personal income tax payments to the state were down three percent, but corporate income taxes increase more than seven percent during the fiscal year.

Sales tax payments were also up, two-point-two percent. However, SOME taxes that have been paid to the state haven’t been transferred to the proper accounts yet. Some sales tax payments that will be counted in the previous 12 months were actually made on Monday and not included in the current data.

(Elliott, Iowa) – A man from northern Iowa was arrested at around 5:15-p.m. Wednesday, in Montgomery County, following a report of a person trespassing in Elliott. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says 31-year-old Taylor Thomas Daub, of Mason City, was taken into custody for Interference with Official Acts – a simple misdemeanor. Daub was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

(Fort Dodge, Iowa) – Police in Fort Dodge report a warrant has been issued for the arrest of a a central Iowa man in connection with the fatal shooting Tuesday night, of a 15-year-old male. Authorities say the warrant charges 18-year-old Jamarrion James Davis (AKA J.J.), of Ankeny, with Murder in the 1st Degree, a Class-A Felony. Davis is a 5-feet 8-inches tall black male, who weighs approximately 115-pounds. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts should contact your local law enforcement immediately. Davis is considered armed and dangerous. A $500 Webster County Crimestoppers reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

The shooting occurred at around 9:44-p.m., Tuesday, in the area of S. 15th Street and Fourth Avenue South, in Ft. Dodge. The unidentified teen victim was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was being withheld until all family members are notified.

Jamarrion James Davis (AKA J.J.),

The incident remains under investigation by the Ft. Dodge Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, along with the Iowa DCI and Webster County Attorney’s Office.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A residential fire in Atlantic Wednesday evening is believed to have been caused by an electrical issue between the basement and first floor of the home. Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel explains what they encountered after crews were dispatch to 213 W. 14th Street, at around 7:02-p.m.

There were no injuries, as no one was at home, but a family dog succumbed to smoke inhalation. Crews were ventilating and rehabbing the scene until about 8:30-p.m.

Ric Hanson (Photo)

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Firefighters with the Atlantic Fire Department are on the scene of a house fire at 213 W. 14th Street. The call about a fire in the attic of the home was received at around 7-p.m.

No other details are currently available.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council, during their meeting Wednesday evening, reviewed and briefly discussed and then acted to approve a contract for the City’s website development. Code Enforcement Officer Kris Erickson presented the council with a fact sheet on three companies (A, B & C), who were not named so as to maintain a fair perspective on each companies services, and cost. After review, the Council voted to issue a contract with “Company B,” which, among other things, has support services in Iowa, as opposed to on either U-S Coast.

In other business the Council, following public hearings, passed an Ordinance to repeal an Ordinance, and grant Interstate Power and Light Company a non-exclusive, 25-year franchise to erect, construct, reconstruct, maintain and operate a plant and systems for the distribution of natural gas in the City of Atlantic, and “sell, distribute, and supply natural gas [to the city and it’s occupants],” and requiring the company to pay a franchise fee to the City. They Council also passed a resolution adopting a Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS), for the use of expenditures from the revenues gained through a natural gas service fee.

The move means a source to will be available to fund pay increases for the Police Department to make the City more competitive in the retention and hiring of new Officers. A five-percent natural gas franchise fee is expected to result in an increase of $4-dollar per month on the average gas bill. Conversely, it will eliminate the current local sales tax already charged to Alliant Energy gas customers.

The Atlantic City Council passed, after three readings, an Ordinance amending the City’s Zoning Code, because elected officials, it was noted, are concerned that low-value properties are being acquired and converted for rental apartments, with no consideration for the safety of the tenants or the well-being of the surrounding neighborhood. The change say first-story properties on Chestnut Street, north of 7^th, will be limited to commercial uses, unless a conditional use permit is allowed. Second story residential units would continue to be maintained as a permitted use.

And, the Atlantic City Council held the third and final readings of Ordinances that serve to discontinue the Cable Television and Community Promotion Commissions.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, accepted without comment, the resignation of Parks and Recreation Director Wyatt Adderton, retroactive to June 26, 2023. Adderton had taken over the Parks Director position in February, 2023. He submitted his resignation in May, citing a hostile work environment and issues of harassment. After much consideration and discussions with the Mayor and others, he had agreed to try and work things out, but is now moved on and left the City

The City Council Wednesday, heard a presentation from Library Director Michelle Andersen, with regard to her efforts to obtain grants and other funding opportunities to enhance the services and public accessibility to the Library. Andersen said they have received a $20,000 “Libraries transform communities accessible small and rural libraries” grant to improve library services for people with disabilities. The Atlantic Public Library, she said, was one of 240 nationwide, to receive the grant.

She wrote the grant with the idea of modernizing the library’s aging elevator, in-mind. The Library’s Board of Trustees has since signed a contract with Schumacher Elevator Company, out of Denver, Iowa. Work on the elevator is expected to begin this fall. Anderson said there may be times the library needs to close, to allow that work to take place. The grant funds, she said, will be applied to the $93,000 total project cost.

Another grant the Atlantic Public Library received, was from the American Libraries Association’s “The Great Stories Club,” with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Atlantic’s Library was one of 58 selected nationwide, to participate in the club, which is a reading and discussion program for teens. Youth Services Librarian Sue Petersen will work with small groups of teens to read and discuss stories that explore questions of race, equity, identity and history.  Family Crisis Network is the local partnering agency. The Atlantic Public Library, Andersen said, will receive a programming stipend of $500 and 11 copies of each of the books which will be gifted to book club participants.

And finally, the Library is participating in an American Heart Association (AHA) program, “Libraries with Heart,” in cooperation with Cass County Public Health. Andersen applied for, and was awarded three blood pressure monitors for home use. The BP cuffs and monitors will automatically measure a person’s blood pressure, and there are three sets, each with two-sizes of arms cuffs that will be available to check-out soon, from the library, and for weeks at a time. The monitor’s/cuffs have an option to run on a battery or through a wall outlet. A kit that comes with the units will have information from the AHA about how to take accurate BP readings, when to contact your doctor, and a log to record the readings.

She says the kits will hopefully be available for check-out, by the end of this month.

KIMBALLTON – The city of Kimballton in Audubon County has issued a bottled water advisory for the community of 291 residents through August 1st. Current construction of an upgraded water treatment plant has temporarily resulted in drinking water above the health advisory level for manganese at 1.77 mg/L.

Although manganese is a common, naturally-occurring mineral found in rocks, soil, groundwater, and surface water, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has developed a health advisory level for manganese in drinking water of 0.3 mg/L which is intended to be protective of lifetime exposure for the general population.

The US EPA recommends that infants up to 6 months of age should not be given water with manganese concentrations greater than 0.3 mg/L for more than a total of 10 days per year, nor should the water be used to make formula for more than ten days per year.

Please do not give the water to adults and children of any age. Adults, children, and infants who drink water containing manganese above the health advisory level may be associated with adverse health effects. Bottled water or an alternative source should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice.

The water may be used for bathing and other similar purposes.

• Water, juice, and formula for children under six months of age should not be prepared with tap water. Bottled or other water low in manganese should be used for infants until further notice.
• DO NOT BOIL THE WATER. Boiling, freezing, filtering, or letting water stand does not reduce the manganese level. Excessive boiling can make the manganese more concentrated because manganese remains behind when the water evaporates.

Additional information about manganese can be found here: Manganese in Drinking Water Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions