The newscast from 7:06-a.m., with News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – The monthly survey of business leaders and supply managers in Iowa and eight other Midwestern states shows a moderate drop in the region’s leading economic indicator for March. The Creighton University survey ranks the economy on a zero-to-100 scale, with 50 being growth neutral. Creighton economist Ernie Goss says it’s the tenth month in a row the region’s been above that growth neutral mark. “The Mid-America region was still a very strong 68.9, that’s down slightly from last month’s 69.6,” Goss says, “so it’s a very, very strong reading, indicating the manufacturing sector is proceeding with very strong growth.”

Iowa’s business conditions index for March also sank to 66.5, falling from 71.1 in February. The surveys in February and March found about eight in ten manufacturers reported bottlenecks in getting raw materials and supplies from vendors, curtailing what could be even stronger growth. Goss says the impacts of COVID-19 have been long-lasting. “In April, we hit a downturn in 2020 and since then, it’s been trending upward,” Goss says. “We’re still four-to-five-percent below pre-COVID levels. We’ve still got more to go. I expect us, by the end of the year, to be back to pre-COVID levels in terms of employment and overall economic activity.”

While more Iowans are starting to plan and take vacations, Goss says companies are not as quick to approve travel plans for their employees. “We think the vaccine is opening up the nation, and it is for consumer travel and family travel, but not for business travel,” Goss says. “Businesses are going to continue to do Zoom conferences and we’re not going to see as much as we’d like to see, so that’s going to hurt the hotel and restaurant industry, leisure and hospitality will be under pressure.”

He predicts those industries won’t recover and be back to pre-COVID levels until 2022. Compared to pre-COVID-19 levels, Goss says the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Iowa manufacturing employment is down 3,600 jobs, or 1.6%, while average hourly manufacturing wages are 1.8% lower.

(Radio Iowa) – The president of the union representing employees in Iowa’s correctional system says violence inside the prisons has become commonplace, due to depleted staffing. AFSCME (AFFS-mee) Council 61 president Danny Homan says since a nurse and a correctional officer were murdered inside the Anamosa prison last week, there have been at least three other assaults against corrections employees. In a letter to legislative leaders, Homan said there are 234 vacant correctional officer positions in the system today – including 14 at the Anamosa prison. Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville says last week’s attack at the prison in Anamosa should prompt decisive bipartisan action in the legislature. “It was obviously a tragedy and we’re at a point now where thoughts and prayers and flying the flag at half staff are not enough,” Wahls says. “We need action.”

Last week, the Senate’s majority leader indicated Senate G-O-P budget plans had already included four MILLIION more dollars for the Iowa Department of Corrections, so more prison guards may be hired. House Speaker Pat Grassley says House Republicans are planning something similar. “Obviously, we had a terrible situation happen at the prison,” Grassley said. “I think you were going to see a strong number in our budget, but I think it just further strengthens our option that was the right decision that we were working off of.”  Wahls says policy reforms are needed, too, like letting prison staff collectively bargain over workplace safety issues. “In order to truly make sure that our corrections officers and staff are able to work and do their jobs,” Wahls says, “and that they can leave home without having to worry about whether or not they’ll come home that evening.”

AFSCME’s president is calling on legislators to conduct their own investigation of the causes of last week’s attack at the Anamosa prison.

(Radio Iowa) – Police are searching for a Mason City man after a murder late Wednesday night in Mason City. Police Chief Jeff Brinkley says shortly after 10:25 Wednesday night, officers responded to a shooting in the northwestern area of the community, with the initial call being that one person had been shot. Officers confirmed this on arrival at the scene, with the victim being transported to MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center where they later died.

Benjamin B. Gonzalez

The name of the victim is being withheld pending the notification of relatives. A warrant for first-degree murder has been issued for 38-year-old Benjamin Gonzalez of Mason City, who should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Mason City Police Department at 641-421-3636. If you have any information about Gonzalez’s whereabouts, you are asked to contact your local law enforcement agency.

(Radio Iowa) – Some high-profile proposals have failed to advance past the final deadline requiring policy bills to have cleared at least five steps in the legislative process by the end of this week. One bill that stalled called for ending tenure at the three state universities. House Speaker Pat Grassley says Republicans will revisit the issue in 2022. “There still is interest within the legislature to do something within tenure, it just may be a different approach,” Grassley says. “It maybe is more of a reform proposal that we would see.”

One of Republican Governor Kim Reynolds’ education proposals has failed to advance in the House. It would have established state scholarships to cover private school expenses for students who transferred out of a few dozen public schools. Republican Senators included the proposal in a bill they passed early this year, but Grassley confirms there were not enough G-O-P votes in the House for what the governor called “Students First Scholarships.”

“We just were unable to find a path forward on that,” Grassley says, “but we feel very strongly about the charter piece.” A bill designed to let groups form publicly-funded charter schools in Iowa without approval from local public school boards passed the House in March and the Senate Education Committee took action on it yesterday (Thursday).

Proposals on to automatically restore felon voting rights and track racial profiling failed to clear today’s (Friday’s) deadline. The governor’s proposal to allow over-the-counter sales of birth control also stalled again this year. While today (Friday) is technically the deadline for action on policy bills, legislators typically do not meet on Fridays and are not meeting today.

(Updated) Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoege reports that on Tuesday April 13, a drive-thru USDA Farmers to Families Food Box distribution will be held at the Cass County Community Center from 3-6 PM, or as supplies last. Anyone is welcome to visit the drive-through food box pick-up, and no documentation or proof need is required.

Boxes will be given away at no cost. The USDA Farmers to Families Food Boxes are expected to contain 10 pounds of fresh produce, 5 pounds of pre-cooked meat, and 5 pounds of dairy with a gallon of milk. (this may change). People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome, and you may pick up an extra box for your neighbor or home bound friend.

Details: Cass County Community Center Farmers to Families Food Box Giveaway
What: Drive-through food distribution.
Where: Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th St. Atlantic, IA 50022)
When: Tuesday, April 13 3:00-6:00 PM (or as supplies last).
Who: Anyone is welcome! No documentation required. People from surrounding towns and
communities are welcome.
Cost: No cost!
Contact: Brigham Hoegh, Cass County Wellness Coordinator, 712-249-5870

JOHNSTON, Iowa –March 31, 2021­–Iowa Corn announced the 18 student recipients of the Iowa Corn Future of Agriculture Scholarship program for the 2020-2021 school year. Iowa Corn awarded the eighteen (18) $1,000 one-year scholarships to deserving, qualified students enrolled at an accredited U.S. 2-year or 4-year junior college, college or university, or graduate school, in a program of study to equip them to contribute to Iowa’s agriculture industry. The program is sponsored by the Iowa Corn Growers Association® (ICGA) and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board® (ICPB).

“Our industry’s success depends on our ability to offer relevant programming, advocacy, and services to developing young leaders entering Iowa’s agricultural sector,” said Gary Petersohn, a farmer from Tingley, Iowa, and chair of the Iowa Corn Grassroots Network, Membership & Checkoff Committee. “Iowa Corn is excited for the future of agriculture in Iowa with this group of recipients leading the way.”

Selection committees evaluated applications by their essays, applications, reference letters, current grades, and activities. They also must be an Iowa Corn Growers Association member or be a dependent of a member. Iowa Corn will recognize these scholarship recipients at the Grassroots Summit in August.

High school scholarship winners include:

District 3: Dallas Wittenburg of Readlyn, IA, Des Moines Area Community College
District 4: Rylee Sloss of Guthrie Center, IA, Iowa State University
District 5: Gavin Tindle of Montezuma, IA, Iowa State University
District 6: Dylan Engelbrecht of Davenport, IA, Drake University
District 7: Alexa McCunn of Red Oak, IA, Iowa Lakes Community College
District 8: Abby Benshoof of Winterset, IA, Iowa State University
District 9: Macy Moore of What Cheer, IA, Iowa State University

College scholarship winners include:

District 1: Adam Knoblock of Rock Rapids, IA, Iowa State University
District 1: Kaleb Schutte of Sibley, IA,Minnesota West Community and Technical College
District 2: Cole Eden of Titonka, IA, Iowa State University
District 2: Grant Kuehnast of Humboldt, IA, Iowa State University
District 3: Lydia Martins of Fairbank, IA, Iowa State University
District 4: Paul Schlotman of Sioux City, IA, South Dakota State University
District 5: Katie Hall of Clive, IA, Drake University
District 6: Courtney Vondracek of Fairfax, IA, Iowa State University
District 7: Nathan Behrends of Wiota, IA, Iowa State University
District 8: Ben Vos of Pella, IA, Dordt University
District 9: Sophia Breuer of Burlington, IA, Iowa State University

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s weather during March was a far cry from the bitter cold of February. State climatologist Justin Glisan says the state ended the month with an average temperature of 42 degrees, which is six degrees warmer than normal. Precipitation for March, including snow and rain, was also above-average, with southwest Iowa getting up to an inch more than usual.

“Which is good for that part of the state, given drought conditions,” Glisan says. “Also, in north-central Iowa, we had some improvement in the U.S. Drought Monitor depiction, given that we did see timely rainfalls on several days during March. So, the statewide average was about 2.7 inches and that’s a little over six-tenths of an inch above average.” While it’s been chilly all week with lows dipping into the 20s, the forecast calls for a warming trend to begin tomorrow (Friday), with temperatures promising to bound into the 60s and 70s this weekend.

“We are definitely seeing a signal for warmer-than-average temperatures and we’re kind of see-sawing back and forth in terms of precipitation,” Glisan says. “There is a signal in the six-to-ten day outlook for wetter-than-normal conditions across the state, and then we look to dry out as we get into the second week of April.” The entire spring season may be trending toward more summer-like weather.

“We are seeing a strong signal for warmer-than-average temperatures for the April-May-June seasonal time slice,” Glisan says. “We’re still in that La Nina phase but we do have a 60-percent chance of transitioning into what we call the enso-neutral phase, which is right between El Nino and La Nina.” Forecasters say parts of Iowa may reach 80 degrees next week for the first time in 2021 and the first time since last fall.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that shifts the responsibility for financing Iowa’s mental health system has cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now eligible for debate in the full Senate. Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, says ending county property taxpayer support of the system and having the state take over is the wrong step. “What you get with Des Moines control is unreliable funding, less accountability and more bureaucracy,” Bolkcom said.

Senator Ken Rozenboom, a Republican from Oskaloosa, says state tax dollars will be a long-term, stable source for mental health services. “This bill puts more money into mental health It doesn’t take money out of mental health and that’s worth noting,” Rozenboom said.

The bill also calls for ending state payments to local governments that started several years ago when a state law reduced commercial property taxes.

(Radio Iowa) – State officials say while millions of doses of Johnson and Johnson’s Covid vaccine that were produced at a Maryland plant are apparently ruined, they see no impact on Iowa’s shipments of the one-dose vaccine this week or next. It means the four mass vaccination sites at four Iowa college campuses will go on as scheduled.

Greg Christy, president of Northwestern College in Orange City, says his institution’s allotment next week is 500 doses. “With their college student now in their last month or so of class, we’re excited to get as many of them possible vaccines before they head out of the summer, wherever they may be going,” Christy says, “so our plan is to set up vaccine clinic here on campus late next week for our students and encourage as many of them as possible to participate.”

The vaccination clinic will be set up in the former library that was converted into a student center on the Orange City campus. Christy says all students are eligible. “It’s a first-come, first-served basis,” Christy says. “They just need to bring a copy of their insurance card with them, complete a brief form when they arrive and then I believe that the health system will be tracking data of who has been vaccinated because that could become important in the future.”

The Northwestern College president says having the student body get vaccinated will lead to the end of face coverings, quarantines and social distancing and a return to a more normal campus experience. “We’re not requiring students to get the vaccine,” Christy says, “but we’re obviously encouraging as many as possible to get the vaccine.”

State officials are also sending Johnson and Johnson vaccine doses to Dordt University, the University of Iowa in Iowa City and Des Moines Area Community College for mass vaccination clinics next week in Sioux Center, Iowa City and Ankeny. Governor Reynolds says the plan is to send more of the single-dose vaccine to other college and universities so students can be vaccinated before they leave campus for the summer.