(Radio Iowa)- State Auditor Rob Sand says it’s unclear whether a new state law may restrict the ability of his office to review how a private company manages the new state-funded accounts for private school expenses.

The law forbids the state auditor’s office from going to court to force state officials and agencies to turn over documents. It also restricts Sand’s office from accessing personal information that an individual would reasonably expect to be kept private or consider unnecessary to an audit. Sand, the only Democrat in statewide office, says Republican lawmakers who approved those restrictions have limited the ability of his office to investigate potential fraud.

A New York firm called Odyssey was awarded the state contract to manage the new program. Parents seeking state funded accounts to cover their child’s private schooling have to provide financial data to the company through its website. The company then will manage all payments for tuition and other acceptable expenses like school fees.

Sand made his comments after a town hall meeting in Mason City Thursday afternoon. Sand also held town hall meetings yesterday (Thursday) in Algona, Garner, Forest City and Northwood.

(Lewis, Iowa) – A woman complained of shoulder pain and a male claimed to be uninjured, following a tractor-trailer rollover accident east of Lewis, late Thursday night. The semi rolled into the north ditch just west of 610th and Oxford Road, at around 11:55-p.m.

The Cass County Communications Center advised emergency responders to be aware “piglets” were “Running everywhere,” following the crash. Lewis 1st Responders, Griswold Rescue and Cass EMS were paged to the scene.

Cass County Sheriff’s deputies were also on the scene near the Bob Nichols Farm at 61228 Oxford Road. Additional details are currently not available.

DES MOINES – Iowa Gov. Reynolds, Thursday, announced appointments to Iowa’s boards and commissions.

The following area appointees (Name/County), are not subject to Senate confirmation:

State Historical Society of Iowa Board of Trustees 

Sarah Bowman, Dallas

Kevin Condon, Dallas

State Historical Records Advisory Board 

Andy Swanson, Dallas

Terrace Hill Commission 

Jerry Mathiasen, Pottawattamie

Council on Agricultural Education 
Nathan Van Zante, Pottawattamie

Statewide Independent Living Council 
Kyla Claussen, Pottawattamie

Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council
Mike Vratsinas, Dallas

Advisory Council on Brain Injuries
Andrea Gomez, Page

Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service 
Ashley Denton, Harrison

Iowa Arts Council
Lance Ehmcke, Woodbury
Tim Dickmeyer, Pottawattamie

The following appointments are subject to Senate confirmation:

State Board of Educational Examiners
Kathy Behrens, Carroll

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce reports AtlanticFest, presented by First Whitney Bank & Trust, will be held Saturday, August 12th rain or shine. AtlanticFest is an annual festival that serves as a fundraiser for the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

According to Chamber Executive Director Bailey Smith,  “AtlanticFest is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Chamber. Our sponsors help cover a lot of the costs of the event, allowing us to raise funds through registration fees, pop stand sales and the 50/50 raffle. We use the funds from AtlanticFest to continue to grow community events while also supporting business-based programs. We love this partnership with First Whitney Bank and the experience AtlanticFest offers the community. It also gives us the chance to support local businesses and civic organizations.”

Downtown Atlantic, Smith says, will be filled with fun activities for the whole family to enjoy. Come early and start the day with a pancake breakfast or a 5K run/2K walk in the Annual Road Race with chip timing. There will be crafters from all over the Southwest Iowa area, as well as some of the best food vendors that offer a wide variety of menu choices. Kids can enjoy fun bounce houses and games throughout City Park. The 25th Annual Car Show and 9th Annual Motorcycle Show will be taking place once again this year.

Returning this year will be a bags tournament that will be held in City Park. There is also free entertainment throughout the day.

Preregistration for the Car Show, Motorcycle Show, Road Race, and Bags Tournament is open now, with day-of registration accepted. Registration to be a craft or food vendor is also being accepted now through August 8th. To register for any activity, visit www.atlanticiowa.com, email chamber@atlanticiowa.com or call the Chamber office at 712-243-3017.

AtlanticFest partners include: First Whitney Bank & Trust, A.M. Cohron & Son, Atlantic Municipal Utilities, Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Roland Funeral Home, Armour Insurance, Brocker, Karns & Karns, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Brown’s Shoe Fit, Salute Gymnastics, Karl Chevy, Atlantic Ag & Auto Carquest, Camblin Plumbing & Heating, McAtee Tire, Rush, CPA & Associates, Rolling Hills Bank & Trust, Atlantic Home Reality, The Downtowner, and Wiota Steakhouse

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is making a renewed pitch for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act she and 20 other Senate Republicans are co-sponsoring. She opposes a Biden Administration proposal to allow some restrictions in competitive high school and college sports, but forbid outright bans on transgender athletes’ participation in female sports. Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says biological males should not be allowed to compete in girls’ and women’s sports.

President Nixon signed Title Nine in 1972. It bans sex discrimination in education and sports activities that are federally funded. Ernst says letting biological males compete against women and girls destroys the intent of the 51 year old law.

Ernst says forcing women to compete against biological men in sports robs them of privacy, critical scholarships and championship titles. The U-S Education Secretary says being on a sports team is an important part of the school experience for students of all ages and the Biden Administration’s proposed policy is designed to ensure equal opportunity in athletics.

The Exira-EHK School Board will meet this evening at 6:00 p.m. in the conference room in Elk Horn.

On their agenda is discussion of a weight room renovation proposal from Push, Pedal, Pull. The board is also set to act on 2023-24 milk, bread, and fuel bids. Setting substitute and activity trip rates.

They are also set to act on a design services proposal from Invision Architecture for building updates.

They will also review a large number of policy measures and discuss personnel changes.

At their meeting on Wednesday night, the Atlantic City Council passed a resolution for a Revenue Purpose Statement for a Natural Gas Service Franchise Fee.  The new fee will fund Atlantic Police Department pay increases.

Atlantic City Administrator John Lund said the Personnel and Finance Committee had a meeting in April to discuss personnel and pay issues with the Atlantic PD. They found that during the current union agreement the wages for a senior officer were $1.70 less per hour than the average wage of a pool of similar population communities. The committee felt this doesn’t make Atlantic competitive in the job market.

In order to boost wages, Lund proposed a 13-step wage schedule that will follow each year of service. Lund said the ten-year cost of the proposal will be a total of $533,696. The annual cost will range from $31,121 to $58,017 depending on retention of officers.

Lund said putting a five-percent natural gas franchise fee in place was the best way to pay for the increases. He said the committee also felt that revenue would make the city less dependent on property taxes to fund the PD and other city departments.

Alliant Energy customers will see an average bill increase of $4 per month. The franchise fee will replace the city’s local option sales tax that is currently charged to Alliant customers.

DES MOINES – Today, Governor Reynolds has announced a change in leadership at the Department of Education, appointing McKenzie Snow, presently Deputy Secretary of Education in the Commonwealth of Virginia, to replace Chad Aldis as department director.  Aldis, who was named director in March of this year, has resigned for family reasons.  

Snow’s appointment as Director of the Iowa Department of Education is effective Monday, June 26. Aldis will remain through June 30 to assist with the transition. 

“While a leadership change at this time was unexpected, I respect why it’s necessary. I want to thank Director Aldis for his service, and I wish him and his family the very best,” Governor Reynolds stated. 

“I’m confident that McKenzie Snow is the right leader for this promising time at the Department of Education. Her leadership experience over state education departments in both Virginia and New Hampshire, at the U.S. Department of Education, and for the White House has earned her the respect of educators and policymakers alike. She has worked to expand career and technical education opportunities that empower students to earn a credential or credit, implement the Science of Reading to drive literacy, and promote transparency and student-centered funding. She will be a tremendous asset as we continue to expand opportunity in Iowa’s education system.”  

“Governor Reynolds is an education champion, and I am humbled by her appointment to serve Iowa’s students in partnership with families and teachers,” Snow said. “All children—regardless of their background or zip code—deserve a great education that inspires and prepares them for the future. Together, we will continue to build upon Iowa’s commitment to educational excellence for all children.” 

Snow is a national education leader and dedicated public servant who has served students in the classroom, two states, and the federal government. Prior to serving as Virginia Deputy Secretary of Education over early childhood education through postsecondary pathways, she was confirmed and served as New Hampshire Division Director of Academics and Assessment, Special Education, Career Development, Adult Education, Wellness, and Nutrition. 

She also served in the federal government as a Special Assistant to the President at the White House Domestic Policy Council, Senior Adviser at the Office of Management and Budget, and Policy Director at the U.S. Department of Education. 

In the classroom, Snow taught remedial courses at the University of the Free State in South Africa. She has been named a Fulbright grantee, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, and Bush Institute and Clinton Foundation Presidential Leadership Scholar. 

Snow is a fifth-generation Kansan. She and her fiancé are excited to return to the Midwest. 

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests.

On June 18th Deputies arrested 23-year-old Brett Mikel Case of Omaha, NE on a charge of Theft 1st. He was arrested at 8:35 p.m. on Interstate 29 near mile-marker 44. Case was taken to the Mills County Jail and held on $10,000 bond.

On Wednesday, June 21st Deputies arrested 35-year-old Nicole Katherine Spracklin of Plattsmouth, NE on a Warrant for Failure to Appear. She was arrested at 10:22 a.m. a the Pottawattamie County Jail.

Also on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. 46-year-old Justin Dean Miller of Lenox was arrested at the Taylor County Jail on a Warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $5,000.

On Thursday morning at 12:58 a.m. Deputies arrested 29-year-old Patrick Clayton Giesting of Malvern on a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance on East 4th Street. Geisting was booked in to the Mills County Jail on $1,000 bond.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has released details on an accident that occurred on June 9^th, 2023. At approximately 10:20 p.m. that day area first responders were called to the intersection of Lewis Road and Oxford Road in Lewis for a single vehicle motorcycle accident.  Investigation found that a 2022 Honda Sport Bike was operating westbound on Oxford Road approaching the turn onto Lewis Road.  The operator, later identified as 28-year-old Christian Contreras-Pinera, of Schuyler, NE, failed to negotiate the turn and lost control. The sport bike left the roadway and struck a bumpy area in the adjacent grass and ditch.  This caused the motorcycle to flip end-over-end several times, ejecting the operator.  Contreras-Pinera was flown to a regional hospital for serious injuries.