(Radio Iowa) – A Senate committee has scaled back a House plan to provide 200-thousand dollars in state tax money to launch the U-S-S Iowa, a nuclear-powered submarine that’s scheduled to join the Navy fleet later this year. Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee have voted to reduce the state contribution to 150-thousand — and half of that would be withdrawn from a state fund for veterans.

Senator Bill Dotzler, a Democrat from Waterloo, says veterans groups strongly oppose the move and it taints the excitement of having a new sub named in honor of our state.

Iowans who get any of the two dozen specialty license plates for veterans pay a fee that goes into the Iowa Veterans License Plate Fund. Senator Mark Lofgren, a Republican from Muscatine, says it doesn’t seem outrageous to use some of that money for the U-S-S Iowa.

Money in the Iowa Veterans License Plate Fund is distributed by the Iowa Commission on Veterans Affairs. The state commander of the V-F-W says the money in that fund should be used for veterans who live in Iowa, not on a christening ceremony or Iowa-themed furnishings for a submarine.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court threw out one portion of the case, but has upheld an award to a transgender nurse who used to work for the Iowa Department of Corrections. Jesse Vroegh Jesse Vroegh sued after he transitioned from female to male in 2014 and was told to use a unisex bathroom in a different building instead of the men’s bathroom. He cited sex and gender discrimination and won in court.

The Supreme Court upheld the 120-thousand dollar jury verdict for gender discrimination but threw out the sex discrimination finding. The court also denied Vroegh’s cross-appeal against health insurer Wellmark for denial of coverage for gender transition surgery. The opinion says the state determined which procedures were or were not covered under the policy, not Wellmark. Vroegh was fired in 2017 for an issue unrelated to this case.

ATLANTIC, IOWA – Cass Health officials have announced board-certified hand and microvascular surgeon Dr. Caliste Hsu is the latest addition to the Atlantic Medical Center’s Surgery Clinic. Dr. Hsu specializes in hand and microvascular procedures and surgeries. Her discipline includes endoscopic and open carpal tunnel release, treatment for arthritis of the hand and wrist, as well as repairs for traumatic injury to the tendons, nerves, and arteries.

Tammy Bireline, Cass Health Chief Clinic Administrator, says “Cass Health is very fortunate to be able to add a needed orthopedic subspecialty to the many services we already have available. Adding someone with Dr. Hsu’s training and expertise will only raise the level of care we can provide our community.”

Dr. Caliste Hsu (Cass Health photo)

Dr. Hsu is board certified by the American Board of Surgery. She is fellowship-trained in Hand and Microvascular Surgery. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the American Medical Association. Dr. Hsu will provide care to patients on the second and fourth Fridays every month at Atlantic Medical Center Surgery Clinic. To make an appointment, please call 712-243-7535.

Police in Glenwood report two Glenwood men were arrested on separate charges, Thursday. 48-year-old Edwin Rogers was arrested on a Mills County warrant, with a cash-only bond of $5,000. And, 22-year-old Domonic Monson was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. His bond was set at $300.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a woman was arrested on OWI and other charges, after she nearly hit a sheriff’s deputy head-on early Thursday morning.  The Pott. County communication center put out a broadcast about vehicle traveling north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 29. Deputy Healey proceeded to the location. When he entered I-29 southbound, a 2011 Mazda 3 was traveling at him in a head-on fashion at around 1:50-a.m. The Deputy performed a traffic stop on the vehicle, and following an investigation, arrested 43-year-old Jessica Roseann Fettinger for OWI 1^st Offense, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana) 1^st Offense, and Driving on the Wrong Side of Roadway.

In other activity, Pott. County Deputies were called at around 12:12-a.m. Friday (April 1st) to the Casey’s Store on Virginia Hills Road, following a report of an intoxicated man out of control, and with a taser. Following an investigation, 47-year-old Frank Hartford Kretzschmarm of Carter Lake was arrested for Assault with Intent to Inflict Serious Injury, Criminal Mischief 4^th, and Public Intoxication 1^st Offense. His bond was set at $3,300.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, 30-year-old Donald Bouchard, of Elk Horn, Nebraska, was arrested Thursday, following a traffic stop. He was charged with OWI 1^st Offense ($1,000 bond). And, 32-year-old Ryan Thomas Shea, of Crescent, was arrested Thursday, for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order – Contempt of Court. Authorities report on March 10th, 30-year-old Macaulay Cy Brock turned himself-in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Department. Brock was wanted on a warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree, for damage ranging from $750-to $1,500. Brock was arrested and turned over to Pott. County Corrections.

Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, was one of two members of the Iowa delegation to vote against a U-S House bill that caps the cost of insulin at 35 dollars. Hinson says she doesn’t like the other costs that go with the bill. “It’s a serious issue we should be tackling here in Congress in a bipartisan way. It was disheartening for me to see Democrats and Speaker Pelosi mover forward with this legislation — because it will raise premiums for over 200 million Americans,” Hinson says.

Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra voted against the bill, while Republican Marionette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Cindy Axne voted for it. Hinson says the bill gives too much control to the government. “It also sets a dangerous precedent here that the governor should be able to control in the private sector the price of medications that Americans need,” she says.

Hinson says the favors another bill that includes several bipartisan provisions. “It caps seniors out of pocket for insulin at 50 dollars per month, and it also allows our high-deductible health insurance plans to cover insulin before the deductible kicks in. So, the Lower Cost More Cures Act is a policy of again, 40 bipartisan provisions,” Hinson says. “And that’s the direction we should be moving, not passing on that premium increase to more than 200 million Americans.”

Hinson is seeking her second term in Congress. Democrat State Senator Liz Mathis is challenging Hinson for the seat. Mathis released a statement which says Hinson “would rather protect the profits of her pharmacy donors than deliver on her promises to Iowans. Instead of honoring her word and Iowans’ wishes, Ashley Hinson sided with party bosses and her drug company donors.”

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa native and his wife have joined efforts to welcome refugees from Ukraine into neighboring Romania. Tim Bailey, a Webster City native, is a Christian missionary who’s part of a group called Youth With A Mission.“We have teams in Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Romania — countries around Ukraine — who are helping place refugees, get refugees out and bring aid into Ukraine,” he says. “We also have teams in Ukraine.”

Bailey says his colleagues are helping get much needed supplies to desperate areas of the county. Bailey and his wife have lived in Romania for 10 years and have made connections with people on both sides of the border with Ukraine. “It’s heartbreaking on so many levels and there’s such a variety of situations and people,” he says. “I mean there are people who have fled. Their husbands had to stay behind and others are in safer parts of western Europe and others said: ‘No, I’m going to go fight.’”

The Baileys. (photo provided)

Bailey says some of the refugees know their homes in Ukraine have been destroyed, while others have no idea if they have a home to return to. “Every single family is in a different heartbreaking situation,” he says. The Webster City Rotary Club is conducting a fundraiser for Bailey’s organization. Bailey graduated from Webster City High School 22 years ago.

(Radio Iowa) – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits were increased during the pandemic. That ends, starting today. Cecelia Profitt of Iowa City says she used the extra money to buy more fresh fruits and vegetables for her family of four.  “You don’t have to make every single decision based on maximum, you know, calories per dollar or whatever,” she says.

Profitt expects to lose around two-hundred-50 dollars ($250) in food assistance per month. Individuals could see their benefits reduced by up to two-hundred-30 dollars ($230) a month. Tara Kramer of Des Moines says during the pandemic she’d been getting two-hundred-50 dollars ($250) a month in food assistance and that will drop to 20-dollars ($20). “I have a dynamic disability, so I go to the doctor a lot and I am not going to be able to continue with physical therapy because I won’t be able to afford those co-pays,” she says.

According to state data, nearly 290-thousand Iowans receive SNAP benefits. SNAP benefits, previously known as food stamps, are paid out over the first 10 days of every month. The payment date is based on the first letter of the recipient’s last name.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Natalie Krebs)

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber Ambassadors, Thursday (March 31st), were hosted by Angie Johnson, owner of Gracefully Groomed, LLC.  The Ambassadors joined Angie in celebrating the opening of her pet grooming business in Atlantic.

Angie Johnson, a life-long resident of Cass County, has spent most of her adult life as a registered nurse, always having a passion for helping others. In her down time, she said her other passion was spending time with her animals and loved grooming them herself. A friend suggested she open her own grooming business, but Johnson never felt like the timing was quite right. Fast forward to late summer 2021 when a storefront became available downtown with the retirement of “Mike the Barber”. Johnson said everything began falling into place and she decided to take the leap and open her dream business.

Photo courtesy of the Atlantic Chamber.

Gracefully Groomed, LLC. specializes in the grooming of dogs and cats, with each pet being treated with care and respect. Gracefully Groomed, LLC. is open Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM and by appointment on Saturday’s. To book an appointment, call 712-249-5483. Gracefully Groomed is located at 9 East 4th Street in Atlantic.

Find them on Facebook at GracefullyGroomedLLC.

(Creston, Iowa) – Two people from Creston were arrested on separate Assault charges. Creston Police reports 37-year-old Santos Olivera-Martinez was arrested at his home in the 600 block of S. Elm Street in Creston, at around 12:50-a.m. Friday (Today). He was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault Strangulation with Bodily Injury. Olivera-Martinez was being held without bond in the Union County Jail until seen by a Judge. And, at around 4:07-p.m. Thursday, Creston Police arrested 56-year-old Rickie Allen Foster in the 300 block of N. Pine Street. Foster was charged with Assault. He was cited and released with a Summons to Appear in court.

Also arrested Thursday afternoon, was 32-year-old Chelsie Nicole Liesener, of Creston. She was charged with Driving While Suspended, cited at the scene, and also released on a Summons to Appear.