(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller announced Iowa is part of a multistate settlement with Ford Motor Company regarding gas mileage claims for pickups. The settlement came after allegations that Ford falsely advertised the fuel economy of its 2013-2014 C-Max hybrids and the payload capacity of the model year 2011-2014 Super Duty pickup trucks. Iowa will receive more than 289-thousand dollars for its Consumer Education Fund from the settlement.

The settlement agreement also prohibits Ford from making false or misleading advertising claims concerning the estimated fuel economy or payload capacity of a new motor vehicle. It subjects Ford to penalties under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act if a court determines that Ford violated the settlement agreement.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is proposing a bill to use materials stockpiled for the border wall that have been sitting since the Biden administration stopped work on the wall. The Republican says the federal report shows the government is paying three million dollars a day to keep the materials from being stolen, and her bill would solve that problem too. “This bill would turn over the unused materials purchased to construct the southern border barrier to any state wishing to finish the job,” Ernst says. “Both Arizona and Texas, for example, have initiated state action to continue construction on their sections of the border wall.” She says states would apply for the materials.

“They would have to certify that those materials were to be used to build that border barrier. So, a state like California couldn’t apply for those unused materials and then turn around and use them in San Francisco for a homeless camp,” according to Ernst. Ernst says they are working on getting some bipartisan support — especially from states like Arizona — where border crossings have increased. “They are in difficult campaigns. And we see that with Democrats that either reside along the border have those districts that are brought up against the border and those that are facing tough election — because we know the American people are for securing our southern border,” she says. “So we’ll continue to encourage those that are up for election, as well as those that live in those areas to be supportive of the initiative.”

Ernst made her comments during a conference call with reporters.

Police in Red Oak arrested a man and a woman a little after 5-a.m. today (Wednesday), in the 300 block of E. Market Street. Authorities say 32-year-old Dylan Thomas Griffith, and 24-year-old Abigail Jean Kates, both of Red Oak, were arrested for Disorderly Conduct – Loud Noise. They were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond, each.

Police in Red Oak have arrested a man wanted on a Fremont County warrant for Sexual Abuse/3rd Degree. 18-year-old Jordan Clements, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 1:18-p.m. Tuesday, and transported to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Dept. He was being held without bond in the Fremont County Jail.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A call from Zion Recovery Services in Red Oak about an abandoned, 41-day-old male child Tuesday, resulted in the arrest of the mother on Felony and other charges. Red Oak Police reports after the child was left with a counselor at Zion, his mother, 29-year-old Chantel Kaye Sperling, of Red Oak, left, and never returned. Red Oak Rescue transported the baby to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, where they were able to identify the boy and his mother.

About two-hours later, Sperling showed up at the hospital, showing signs of impairment. When she was given a breath test, the results showed she was more than three-times the legal limit for intoxication, at .251%. Sperling was taken into custody on a Class-C Felony charge of Abandonment of a dependent person, Child Endangerment (Aggravated misdemeanor), and Public Intoxication (Simple misdemeanor).

She was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $10,000 bond. Red Oak Police were assisted by Red Oak Rescue, Montgomery County Dispatch, the Montgomery County ER staff, and DHS.

(Radio Iowa) – The 2022 Iowa legislative session ended a few hours ago. The final votes were cast in the Iowa Senate at 12:10 this (Wednesday) morning.

House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl  and Speaker Pat Grassley wrapped things up in the House six minutes later

That phrase — sine die (SIGN-eh-DYE) — is Latin. Some people pronounce it as seen-ah-DEE-yah. It basically means the legislature is adjourning without setting a date for meeting again. So, unless the governor calls lawmakers back into a SPECIAL session, the two-year run of the 89th Iowa General Assembly is over. The 90th Iowa General Assembly is scheduled to convene January 9th of 2023.

(Radio Iowa) – Lawmakers took a flurry of votes over the past two days and early this (Wednesday) morning the 2022 Iowa Legislature adjourned for the year. Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver cite something that happened three months ago as the high point of the year. Republicans hold a majority of seats in the Iowa House and Senate and, along with Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, they agreed to shrink the state’s income tax down to one rate of just under four percent by 2026.

Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley says that tax plan is the crown jewel of 2022. The Republican-led legislature adopted a nearly eight-point-three BILLION dollar state budget this week. Democrats like House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst say it missed the mark in addressing the state’s child care shortage and the shortage of affordable housing.

The Senate adjourned at 12:10 this morning and the House completed its work six minutes later.

(Radio Iowa) – The 2022 Iowa legislative session ended early this (Wednesday) morning — just after midnight — with Republicans adopting a new proposal to let parents transfer their children from one public school to another, at any time.

Under current law, open enrollment applications must be made by March 1st and students may only transfer to a school in an adjacent district. Republican Representative Gary Mohr of Bettendorf says the new plan will let parents start transferring their children immediately to any public school, without citing a reason. Representative Mary Mascher, a Democrat from Iowa City, suggests the changes will lead to closures.

Republican Governor Kim Reynolds wanted to spend 55 million dollars on private school scholarships. As parents complained about some school materials, a couple of Republicans proposed new criminal penalties for teachers and school librarians, but all those proposals were scrapped. House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst says she’s not surprised.

Despite the focus on these in the closing weeks, Republican legislators say the tax cuts Governor Reynolds signed into law back on March 1st are the crown jewel of the 2022 legislative session.

(Radio Iowa) – A temporary moratorium on the use of eminent domain to seize property along carbon pipeline routes passed the House in March, but it was never considered in the Iowa Senate. The plan would have prevented pipeline developers from filing an application with the Iowa Utilities Board before February 1st, in order to acquire land where property owners are refusing to grant access. Representative Bruce Hunter, a Democrat from Des Moines, says lawmakers have played a shell game with Iowans who wanted some assurances their land won’t be seized against their wishes.

“We didn’t do anything for the farmers on this pipeline issue,” Hunter says. “Look what we’ve done: beat our chest and then con ’em.” Republican Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton says the threat of a moratorium got pipeline developers to assure him they won’t seek eminent domain authority until next March.

“We sent a message that we’re willing to act if property rights are attempted to be infringed on,” Kaufmann says. Kaufmann says state utility regulators have also told him their review of any eminent domain requests for carbon pipelines won’t start until after the 2023 legislature convenes.

(Radio Iowa) – Senate Democrats have refused to confirm the four Iowans Republican Governor Kim Reynolds selected to serve on the commission that nominates people to openings on the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Senator Nate Boulton, a Democrat from Des Moines who’s an attorney, says according to state law, political affiliation isn’t to be considered, but all of the governor’s nominees to the commission have been either Republicans and independents.

“This is the new level of partisan politics in our state,” Boulton says. “Controlling two legislative chambers and the governor’s office is not enough. Republicans now are insisting on controlling the judicial branch and Senate Democrats cannot stand for that.” Reynolds says she nominates highly qualified commissioners who share her judicial philosophy and she says it’s shameful for Senate Democrats to play these political games. It takes the “yes” votes of 34 senators to confirm the governor’s nominees to the commission.

Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale is one of thirty-TWO Republicans and Zaun says he’s looking forward to the day when Democrats don’t have the power to make these decisions. “And I look forward to our side being in the super majority because what’s being done with these great Iowans is disgusting,” Zaun said. A super majority would be 34 senators — enough to confirm ALL of the governor’s picks for position in state government.

The 17 member Judicial Nominating Commission has already begun the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Brent Appel (like “apple”) who will retire this summer. Every other justice on the court was nominating by Governor Reynolds or Republican Governor Terry Branstad. It appears state law allows the four people Reynolds had nominating for the commission to serve for two months. That means they’d complete the process of sending Reynolds a slate of three candidates for Appel’s seat on the Iowa Supreme Court before rotating off the nominating commission.