(Radio Iowa) – Ten Iowa regions have launched a “wage enhancement program” for childcare workers. It was financed with three MILLION dollars in federal pandemic relief money and Sheri Penney of the Iowa Women’s Foundation says Iowa businesses in those areas committed one-and-a-half MILLION dollars in matching funds.  “We’ve had so much success in this,” Penney says. “We’ve had over 110 children in these 10 piloted communities in just six months time be able to be taken off of wait lists.” Penney says the program has helped existing child care centers hire and retain employees, plus it’s helping other centers get started.

“In Cerro Gordo County for example, we had a provider opening and they received over 18 quality applications because of this wage and incentive program that we have,” she says. Officials in Cerro Gordo County, along with Allamakee, Hamilton, Howard, Johnson, Mitchell and Story Counties have each established the incentives for child care workers in their areas. The program’s operating in the cities of Dubuque and Knoxville as well as the two Linn County cities of Mount Vernon and Lisbon.

The federal money for the programs must be spent by the end of September. Penney is encouraging the cities and counties involved to set up “child care solutions” funds with public-private funds to continue the effort. “Once we have providers in the doors, earning liveable wages, maybe the next need is going to be for capital to expand because now we have fully staffed centers, we still have long wait lists….we need to add an addition…into our child care centers,” Penney says. “The next step after that maybe it’s helping provide insurance premiums…because we know that’s hard for some of our child care providers.”

Penney’s job at the Iowa Women’s Foundation is to expand child care availability throughout the state and her work is being financed by grants from two state agencies. “I am now working with over 180 communities, 170 business leaders and over 40 economic development chambers in just two years,” Penney says. “That tells you the need is there.”

Penney made her comments at the recent National Childcare Innovation Summit hosted by the U-S Chamber of Commerce.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Tuesday) announced her appointment of Ashley West-Joons as a district associate judge in Judicial District 4.  Judicial District 4 includes Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby counties.

West-Joons, of Missouri Valley, Iowa, is an attorney at West Law Office and also serves as the Harrison County Attorney. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and her law degree from Creighton University.

West-Joons fills a vacancy created following the resignation of the Hon. Justin Wyatt.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a wastewater discharge at the City of Glenwood in Mills County.

On July 9, the Iowa DNR Field Office in Atlantic received a call from Glenwood Municipal Utilities (GMU) regarding a wastewater bypass due to a main which had become plugged.

The discharge was discovered around 7:45 a.m. near 901 North Vine St in Glenwood. It is estimated that up to 500 gallons of sewage flowed onto the ground and a portion of it flowed into a storm drain which outlets in a small creek that connects to Rogers Branch and then into Keg Creek. GMU staff were able to remove the blockage and officials say the discharge has stopped.

Cleanup efforts have begun. Residents are advised to avoid the area. No dead fish have been observed at this time. The Iowa DNR will follow up with the city for further assessment.

To report a release after hours, please call the DNR’s emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of an incident. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports a woman was arrested Monday on 3rd Degree Burglary, Interference with Official Acts, and Escape from Custody, charges. 35-year-old Jennifer Larson, of Atlantic, was taken into custody after officers responded to a report of someone trespassing at 702 Locust Street. During the investigation, Larson was found inside the residence without justification or permission. She was detained and placed in a patrol vehicle so the responding officer could fully clear the residence and assess the property. During that part of the investigation, authorities say Jennifer Larson got out of the patrol vehicle. She was located about an hour later, and placed under arrest before being transported to the Cass County Jail. In  addition to the charges mentioned, Larson was cited for Criminal Trespass.

Atlantic Police report also, 18-year-old Xavier Anaya, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday, for Simple Assault and 1st Degree Harassment. Others arrested in Atlantic between June 11th and July4th, include:

• On the 4th, 25-year-old Melvin Helson, of Atlantic, for Public Intoxication and Disorderly Conduct.
• On July 1st, 63-year-old James Cisar, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While Barred, and, 37-year-old Jeffery Knight, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intox.
• There were two arrests June 30th, in Atlantic:
  • 53-year-old Angela Crisafi, of Walnut, was arrested for Public Intox., Disorderly Conduct, and on three-counts of Violation of a No Contact Order.
  • 52-year-old Tochiro Kovac, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Violation of Probation.
• On June 27th, Atlantic Police arrested 37-year-old Lachelle Petersen, of Atlantic, on a Cass County warrant for Contempt of Court.
• Two arrests took place June 21st, in Atlantic:
  • 44-year-old Erick Watts, of Haysville, KS, was arrested on a Sedgick County, KS, warrant.
  • 57-year-old Rex Dean McDermott, of Elk Horn, was arrested for Driving While Barred, Eluding and Tampering with an Ignition Interlock Device.
• On June 18th, 24-year-old Matteo Antiunez, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Burglary in the 2nd Degree. And,
• on June 11th, 43-year-old Sonya Mills, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI/1st offense.

Atlantic Police also issued several citations between June 13th and July 7th. These individuals were cited into court and released:

06/13/2024: 18-year-old Xavier Anaya, of Atlantic for Theft 5th (shoplifting)

06/10/2024: 26-year-old Cassidy Borden, of Atlantic for Theft 5th (shoplifting)

06/25/2024: 55-year-old Alan Rice, and 56-year-old Sue Rice, both of Atlantic were cited for Theft 4th (shoplifting)

07/07/2024: 67-year-old Marcia Carlson, of Atlantic, for Theft 5th (shoplifting); 69-year-old James Nielsen, of Elk Horn, was cited for theft 4th (shoplifting)

(Radio Iowa) – The Wright County Fair will open on schedule today (Tuesday), despite the weekend downpour that brought significant flash flooding to Eagle Grove and the surrounding area. Tricia Rosendahl, the fair board secretary, says some areas of the fairgrounds are still saturated, but they’re working quickly to dry things out. “We do have some water that we’re still trying to drain through drainage district 94, but there’s other parts of the grounds that are getting set up and we’ll be ready to go to kick it off tonight.” Rosendahl says volunteers and fair staff are doing their best to get rid of the water.

“The areas that we need to use today will be ready and we’ll take it one day at a time,” Rosendahl says. “We are pushing forward. This is important for our kids that have been working so hard all year long to exhibit the things that they’ve been working on. And it’s important for our community to come together. We’ve all had tough times, but we’re going to come together and celebrate and have some fun together.”

The fair will kick off with a parade tonight. Parts of the Eagle Grove area got six inches of rain over the weekend.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is holding a roundtable discussion that will be livestreamed this (Tuesday) afternoon to discuss what he says are glaring failures in the Biden administration’s Unaccompanied Children Program. Under that effort, Grassley says the Department of Health and Human Services is to take children who arrive at the U-S border without their parents and place them with trusted sponsors. Grassley says, “HHS whistleblowers told me and my investigators that the Biden administration isn’t fully vetting those sponsors.” The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the administration knowingly placed unaccompanied migrant children with harmful sponsors in the U-S.

“That’s of great concern to me because as a result, innocent kids have been sent to potential criminals, abusers and traffickers,” Grassley says, “and that ought to send a chill up everybody’s spine.” Grassley’s roundtable is scheduled for 1:30 P-M/Central and can be accessed through his social media pages and his official website. Grassley, a Republican, has been highly critical of the Biden administration, but says he won’t call for Biden to end his bid for reelection. “I’m not going to dump on Biden as a person and his problems. Those are all within the Democrat party,” Grassley says. “I think the Democrat primary voters have given him enough votes that whatever happens is up to them and him.”

Grassley, who is 90 years old — which is nine years older than Biden, says he’s focusing on issues like the administration’s policies for the border and the economy.

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI-TV] — A Des Moines police officer and his K-9 partner were hurt in a crash this (Tuesday) morning. Police told KCCI that an officer driving in the 200 block of Southeast Sixth Street notified the department at around 7:08-a.m., that he had been involved in a crash. The officer, who police said was a 49-year-old male, and 23-year veteran of DMPD, was trapped in his vehicle after the crash.

Firefighters were called to the scene to mechanically extricate the officer from the vehicle. He was taken to a nearby hospital in serious but stable condition. The K-9 was treated at an emergency veterinary hospital and released.

Police say a preliminary investigation shows a southbound pickup truck crossed over the center line into northbound lanes of Southeast Sixth Street before crashing into the patrol car and a parked vehicle. Authorities say the pickup driver was listed in stable condition in the hospital.

(Sac City, Iowa) – The Sac County Sheriff’s Office reports today (Tuesday), a man suffered burns to the upper portion of his body during a house fire last week in rural Odebolt. A 60-year-old man residing in the 16-hundred block of 370th Street called the Sac County Communications Center at around 9:10-a.m. on the 3rd, and advised his house was on fire and he was still in the residence. The first responding deputy saw a foot sticking out of a sliding door on the south side of the home. The deputy made contact with the male resident and assisted him with getting up and out of the home before the Odebolt Fire Department arrived on the scene.

Members of the Odebolt, Wall Lake, Lake View and Kiron Fire Departments provided mutual aid during the incident. The resident was treated and stabilized by members of the Odebolt, Lake View and Sac County Emergency Services. A highway in the area was shut down to provide an L-Z (Landing Zone) for a MercyOne helicopter, which flew the burn victim to an undisclosed burn center. A report on the man’s condition is currently unknown.

Sac Co. Sheriff’s Dept. Facebook page photo

At the request of the Odebolt Fire Department, the State Fire Marshal’s Office was called-in to assist with determining a cause for the fire.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Treasurer Jackie Porter, this (Tuesday) morning, administered the Oath of Office to Trinity Oakleaf, Assistant to the Treasurer.

Her Oath was administered during a meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors.

Jackie Porter administers the Oath Of Office to Trinity Oakley.

The Board also approved the appointment of Christine Adams as Montgomery County Representative on the Red Oak Public Library Board for a six-year term. The Montgomery County Supervisors discussed and approved the abatement and refund of Red Oak City-owned property taxes paid in error by Bruce Reich, in the amount of $331-dollars. Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna explained…

The Board discussed renewing a contract with Family Connections, a home and office-based mental health agency, offering around the clock access to trained crisis counselors, and is renting county-owned property. The proposed contract calls for a 52-cent increase in their fee. No action was taken during today’s meeting. Jill Ozuna will have a draft contract finalized for the Board’s approval next week.

And, Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert provided the Supervisors will a weekly Secondary Roads Department report.

Montgomery Co. Engineer Karen Albert

In other business, the Board approved the Sheriff’s and Recorder’s report on fees for June 30, 2024, as well as claims.

(Walnut, Iowa) – Multiple agencies responded to a hazardous materials spill Monday evening in Pottawattamie County. According to Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Specialist Michell Bose, the incident occurred on the Exit Ramp from Interstate 80 westbound to Antique City Drive (Exit 46/Walnut), at around 5:30-p.m., Monday. The driver of a transport truck noticed something leaking from the cargo area, and pulled off the Interstate. The leaking material turned out to be Hydrogen Peroxide – a colorless liquid with a slightly sharp odor. Hydrogen peroxide can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, skin, and throat.

Emergency crews from Walnut and Avoca were first on the scene. Other responding agencies included the Council Bluffs Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa State Patrol and the Iowa Department of Transportation. Michell Bose said the leak was quickly contained to the shoulder of the exit ramp, through the use of absorbent booms.

The exit ramp was closed-off to traffic while the spill was being cleaned-up. No injuries were reported. Emergency crews remained on the scene for about three-hours before the exit ramp was re-opened to traffic.