(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa House and Senate have approved changes in the threshold for passing the exam college graduates must take before they may be hired as a teacher. The bill gives state education officials authority to lower what constitutes a passing grade to match surrounding states. Senator Amy Sinclair, a Republican from Allerton, says that’s important to schools in border areas trying to hire new teachers. “It’s great that they do know their content, but we shouldn’t make it so unattainable that they choose to leave our state,” Sinclair says.

The current cut-line for test results screens out far more teachers in science, for example, because fewer prospective teachers are taking that part of the test. Republican Representative Tom Moore of Griswold was a teacher for 33 years, and he says passing a test doesn’t mean you have the skills to motivate students. “Iowa was number one in education for many, many years and we didn’t have this false standard that was placed in front of us,” Moore says. “I didn’t have to take the test and I believe I became a quality teacher.”

Moore had hoped to eliminate the test altogether, but he supports this compromise. It will let college graduates who fail the test take it again. School districts would also be able to hire someone to teach in their first year out of college if they’re planning to take the test again. The bill passed the Senate unanimously last week and it passed the House last (Monday) night on a 71 to 28 vote. It’s now headed to Governor Reynolds who has not commented publicly on the concept.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two accidents occurred last week, and one arrest took place Sunday.  35-year old Matthew J. Bruns, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday on a Cass County warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. Bruns was being held in the Cass County Jail.

On March 28th, vehicles driven by Laurie Parrott, of Marne, and Shelby Franken, of Atlantic, collided at the intersection of 6th and Cedar Streets at around 12:05-p.m.   Officials say Parrott was traveling west on 6th and approaching Cedar, at the same time Franken was northbound on Cedar. Franken’s vehicle struck the Parrott vehicle in the intersection, causing $7,000 damage altogether. Parrott was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Police cited Franken for Failure to stop or yield at the intersection.

And, on March 29th, vehicles driven by Christine Chamberlain, of Atlantic, and Audra Honeyman, of Villisca, collided at around 6:50-a.m., at 11th and Chestnut Street. The accident happened when Honeyman failed to yield. Damage amounted to $16,000. Honeyman was cited for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign.

Police in Harlan report 23-year old Emily Emealia Watts, of Harlan, was arrested March 28th, following the execution of a search warrant. Watts was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with prohibited acts penalties, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. And, on March 24th, 29-year old Chelsea Rae Hill, of Harlan, was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released on the citation.

Voters in the Atlantic Community School District will head to the polls today (Tuesday), to decide the fate of a $9.5-million bond referendum for school improvements and safety upgrades. The polls will be open from Noon until 8:00 p.m. The Polling places for Wards two and three and all remaining school district residents will vote at the Atlantic Public Library. Wards one, four and five will vote at the Heritage House.

If approved, the bond issue would provide for improvements to the Trojan Bowl, plus the district’s baseball and softball complex and tennis courts. Also proposed is a renovation of a roadway for smoother access to the elementary building, and connection to the high school. The bond issues require a 60% supermajority in order to pass. If the measure passes, the indebtedness of the district will be in excess of 1.25-percent of the assessed valuation of taxable property in the School District.

The Resolution on the ballot asks: “Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District, in the Counties of Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness ans issue general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $9,500,000 for the purpose of furnishing, equipping, constructing, improving, repairing, and renovating school buildings and improving the sites thereof at the school district’s existing school buildings located in Atlantic, Iowa, including without limitation: (a) renovating, equipping and improving the football field/track/stadium, team building, concession and related buildings/site improvements, (b) renovating, equipping and improving  the softball/baseball fields and related buildings/site improvements, (c) constructing, relocating, equipping and improving tennis courts and related buildings/site improvements, and (d) improving and realigning a roadway for smoother access to the elementary school and connection to the middle school?”

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Officials say more than 40 Dubuque jobs will be lost after MidWestOne’s purchase of ATBancorp is completed. The two banking companies announced the agreement last August. Dubuque-based ATBancorp operates 12 Iowa branches of American Trust & Savings Bank and five American Bank & Trust branches in Wisconsin. Iowa City-based MidWestOne has 24 branches in Iowa, 13 in Minnesota, four in Wisconsin, two branches in Florida and one branch in Colorado.

MidWestOne’s senior vice president of communications, Greg Turner, said Tuesday that the deal is expected to close May 1. The transaction was valued at around $170.3 million, based on MidWestOne’s stock price last August. Turner says some of the 44 ATBancorp employees whose jobs will be eliminated because of duplication are retiring or already have found new positions.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Webster County was arrested at around 6:50-a.m. Monday at a hotel in Walnut. 35-year old Reino Valentino Dismute Bodady, of Ft. Dodge, was taken into custody for Criminal Mischief in the 4th degree (for damage ranging from $200-to $500)/Damage or destruction of property. Bodady’s bond was set at $1,000.

Authorities said also, an Omaha man turned himself-in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office Monday morning. 49-year old Tony Dennis Gustin was wanted on a warrant for Failure to Appear in court. He was subsequently booked into the Pott. County Jail. 36-year old Amanda Mae Smith, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Monday morning at the Pottawattamie County Courthouse. Smith was taken into custody on Pott. County warrants for Credit Card Fraud (loss under $1,000), and Theft in the 3rd degree. Her bond was set at $4,000.

And, 41-year old David Leroy Bishop, Jr., of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Courthouse Monday morning, on a State of Iowa Felony warrant for Child Endangerment/Abandonment with Bodily Injury. His bond was set at $5,000.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) — Today (Tuesday) is “equal pay day,” the symbolic day when women’s wages on average catch up to men’s earnings from the previous year. In Iowa, women generally make about 79-percent of what men do, less for women of color. University of Iowa business professor Beth Livingston says employers can counteract wage disparities by proactively reviewing their own pay scales. “Go in, look at your numbers. Be aware ahead of time if you have gaps within job level, across job level,” Livingston says. “Look at your pay bands. Determine who’s making more money and determine whether your compensation system is really set up to reward the things you want to reward.”

Livingston says employers should actively scour their policies and paygrades to look for disparities.  “Most of these companies, if they have any sort of HR system at all, have their employees, their employees sex and how much they make, including bonuses and contingent pay,” Livingston says, “so you can run that data.”

Livingston says gender discrimination is insidious, even among well-meaning companies. Pay disparities can be particularly costly for households led by single women. According to state data, 20-percent of Iowa families with kids under 18 are being raised by a single mother.

(Thanks to Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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STACYVILLE, Iowa (AP) — A man has been sentenced to 120 days in jail for ignoring orders to clear away thousands of tires from his Mitchell County property and pay fines. The judge found 63-year-old Gary Eggers, of Stacyville, in contempt for failing to pay the $110,000 in penalties and remove all but 500 tires from his Stacyville land. Authorities say some of the tires on the unlicensed salvage yard had washed into a nearby creek and onto neighboring property.

Judge Chris Foy writes in his ruling filed electronically on Sunday that the attitude displayed by Eggers toward the Iowa Natural Resources Department “and the laws of Iowa that seek to protect our environment and our waterways makes clear to the court he should be found in contempt.”