DES MOINES – Gov. Reynolds announced today (Wednesday), a third round of funding for the Child Care Business Incentive Grant Program to encourage employers to offer child care as a benefit to their employees.   

This round of the Child Care Business Incentive Grant Program will provide $5 million to support child care projects in Iowa.  Funds may be used to support arrangements between employers and child care facilities to reserve child care slots. Applicants can apply for up to $250,000. 

The Child Care Business Incentive Grant Program will be offered by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 

“Incentivizing child care initiatives through collaboration with local businesses can help Iowans pursue opportunities that are best for their families,” said Gov. Reynolds. “Tackling this challenge requires everyone in our communities to be part of the solution and this third round of funding underscores our commitment to making child care more accessible throughout the state.” 

“The dividends from these investments in Iowa’s child care system are immeasurable,” said HHS Director Kelly Garcia. “These formative years in a child’s life lay the foundation for future health and well-being and have significant, lasting effects that cut across all HHS programming.” 

A Request for Proposals will be released October 4, 2023 at  https://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/. Proposals are due November 2.  Those interested in learning more about this opportunity can join the Bidders’ Conference October 10, 2023 at Noon by visiting https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1606104580. Pre-registration is not required. 

(Radio Iowa) – Cedar Rapids students returned to school Tuesday with additional safety measures in place after a weekend social media threat caused the district to cancel classes Monday. The district announced only 60 percent of students were in attendance. For the rest of the week an escalated police presence and a prohibition on backpacks remain in effect. Parent Adam Mayer says the Tuesday press conference about the issue was a start, but he says the communication with parents has been lacking.

Superintendent Tawana Grover says mental health supports are available to district families and staff. Cedar Rapids Police Captain Charlie Fields says they continue to investigate and no arrests nor citations have been made in connection with the threat.
(By Zachary Oren Smith, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – Managers of the state’s largest airport marked the beginning of the construction of a new 445 million dollar terminal with a groundbreaking today (Wednesday) in Des Moines. Airport executive director Kevin Foley says it has taken some time to get things planned and underway.

He says 65 percent of the people who leave the state by air fly out of Des Moines. Foley says it will give the airlines and passengers more space.

Foley says the new terminal will replace the original which had been added onto several times.

DM-airport-groundbreaking-(RI-photo)

The plan is to have the building itself will be completed in 2026 and then they will tear down the existing terminal and get the road in by 2027.

The project includes federal, state and local funding. Polk County voters will be going to the polls to vote on allowing the county to take out 350 million dollars in bonds for the project.

(Griswold, Iowa) – Griswold School District Superintendent Dave Henrichs, today (Wednesday), issued a brief statement with regard to a special meeting that had been scheduled to take place Thursday evening. Henrichs said “The appeal request has been withdrawn. Therefore, the Oct. 5 special meeting / hearing has been cancelled.”

As we previously reported on KJAN, the Griswold School Board was set to meet at 6:30-p.m., Thursday, to conduct a hearing on “Imposed disciplinary action of a patron,” and includes action on a motion to “Affirm or overturn [the] Administration’s Disciplinary Action imposed on a patron.”

Henrichs told KJAN News that the incident which sparked the disciplinary action against the patron, occurred during a football game on Sept. 22nd, but he didn’t elaborate on what type of incident took place.

(Braddyville, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a man who ran on foot away from Deputies in Nodaway County, Missouri, was captured today (Wednesday), in Braddyville (IA). Joshua Lee Green was located in the 900 block of W. Main Street. He was taken into custody on an active Taylor County (IA) felony warrant for Violation of Probation.

Green was also arrested on an active felony Nodaway County Missouri warrant for failure to register as a sex offender. Following his arrest, Green was transported and released to Taylor County Deputy.

Joshua Lee Green

Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Nodaway County Missouri Sheriff’s Office.

A charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.