(Radio Iowa) — The U-S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded Iowa funding to help the homeless in the state. Iowa Finance Authority spokesperson, Ashley Jared, says it will help what’s call the Continuum of Care (CoC) program will fund 47 homelessness assistance initiatives. “It’s highly competitive. Iowa was awarded nine-point-five million statewide — which was an increase — and that’s really a credit to our amazing partners throughout the state that run these service programs for Iowans who need the help the most to get back on their feet again,” according to Jared.

She says a variety of programs won funding — including a unique one in Iowa City. “We’re actually calling it a national model. Shelter House has done a housing first project, helps Iowans who might have some other issues, who are chronically homeless, getting a roof over their head first, and then assisting them with some other issues,” she explains. Those other issues involve physical and mental health. Sioux City, Forest City, Davenport, Muscatine, Waterloo, Clinton and Oskaloosa are some of the other cities that received funding. Jared says homelessness impacts thousands of Iowans.  She says the Iowa Institute on Community Alliances 2018 report found around 16-thousand Iowans were homeless at one point in 2018
“So it is a problem. Of course, our goal is to eliminate that problem altogether,” Jared says, “and these projects that were awarded these funds will certainly help to do that.”

Jared says the funding to Iowa has been increasing in recent years, and that is because the organizations have done a good job of showing the need. She says HUD looks at things like data-driven results and the Finance Authority helps the organizations put together the grant requests. “And again we are thrilled with the nine-point-five million, it is the highest we’ve gotten in several years.” There are three CoCs, including Des Moines/Polk County, Sioux City/Woodbury County and the Iowa Balance of State CoC, which covers the rest of the state with the exception of Council Bluffs, as it is included in the Omaha CoC.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that would prohibit the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation from borrowing money from a state fund to purchase land for water quality projects. Senator Tim Kapucian, a farmer from Keystone, is among the 31 Republican senators who voted for the bill. “This bill is simply putting in place the intent of the original law and that is none of these dollars are to be spent for land acquisition and that’s all we ask here,” he said. “We want to continue to do water quality projects, use this money for what it was intended for.”

Farmers in the senate said too much Iowa farmland has been taken out of production for conservation projects, making it difficult for beginning farmers to buy land. Democrats like Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids say the bill will undermine efforts to create wetland areas upstream that will reduce downstream flooding. “This is a practical tool that Iowa has had to help fight future flood damage and we’ve got a bill here to take that away.” Hogg said. “That is one of the cruelest, meanest things you can do, especially while half the state of Iowa is underwater.”

The bill passed on a mostly party-line vote. One Republican voted against it and one Democrat voted for it.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa House has voted to remove a requirement that children between the ages of 12 and 15 complete a hunter safety course in order to hunt deer with a pistol or revolver. Republican Representative Matt Windschitl of Missouri Valley says this clarifies part of a 2017 gun rights law. “I believe that parents know best. I trust Iowans. I trust them to make the responsible decisions…when it comes to raising their children,” Windschitl said.

Under the bill, anyone under the age of 20 would be able to legally hunt deer with a handgun or pistol if they’re under the direct supervision of a parent or responsible adult who’s at least 21. Representative Art Staed of Cedar Rapids was among the Democrats who criticized the bill. Staed said it will cause more serious injuries and deaths. “I don’t have that same degree of trust in all the parents in Iowa,” Staed said. “Read the paper.”

House Democratic Leader Todd Prichard of Charles City unsuccessfully argued tweens and teenagers should complete a hunter safety course before being allowed to hunt with a pistol or handgun. “That is called common sense safety,” Prichard said. Representative Sharon Steckman, a Democrat from Mason City, says children need to take the course to learn how to properly handle and aim a gun. “Most hands of young children are not developed enough to hold one of these weapons,” Steckman said.

Windschitl says requiring hunter safety courses for kids is an arbitrary restriction on parental rights. “We should not sit up here on thrones on high and tell them that we know better because we, collectively, do not,” Windschitl said.

Fifty-seven members of the House agreed and voted to send the bill to the Senate. Under CURRENT state law, . Iowans between the ages of 12 and 15 may hunt without adult supervision, but they must have passed a hunter education course and paid for a hunting license.

BOONE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a 70-year-old man whose body was found inside the charred remains of a house in central Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports that the body’s been identified as that of Santos Guadalupe Calderon-Alvarado. Firefighters found his body Jan. 24 following an overnight fire in his home northwest of Boone.

Boone County Sheriff’s Deputy Andy Godzicki says Calderon-Alvarado likely died of carbon monoxide poisoning in his sleep the night of the fire. He says investigators think the fire was started after something went wrong with the handmade wood-burning stove that Calderon-Alvarado was using to heat the house.

Godzicki says four or five dogs also died in the fire. Others escaped.

DES MOINES – Two more counties were added to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ disaster proclamation Wednesday. Audubon and Marshall Counties are the latest to be include as parts of a response to flooding and flash flooding that began March 13th. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents, along with the Disaster Case Management Program. The addition of the two latest counties brings the total number of counties included in the proclamation to 43 that have been impacted by the recent flooding. Other (area) counties previously announced, include: Adair,Crawford, Dallas, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level or a maximum annual income of $41,560 for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim (May 4, 2019).

Disaster Case Management is a program to address serious needs to overcome a disaster-related hardship, injury or adverse condition. Disaster case managers work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice and referral to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.

Residents of counties impacted by the recent severe weather are asked to report damage to help local and state officials better understand the damage sustained. Damage to property, roads, utilities and other storm-related information may be reported. This information will be collected by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and shared with local emergency management agencies.

A traffic stop in Adams County at around 10:40-p.m. Wednesday, resulted in the arrest of a passenger in the vehicle. 38-year old Angela Meese, of Bedford, was arrested for Possession of a controlled substance and Possession of paraphernalia, following a search of the vehicle. Meese’ bond was set at $1,300.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation Wednesday, in response to flooding and flash flooding beginning March 13 and continuing. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents, along with the Disaster Case Management Program, for these two counties: Audubon and Marshall. With the addition of these two counties, the governor has issued proclamations for 43 counties impacted by the recent flooding. Other (area) counties include: Adair,Crawford, Dallas, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police in eastern Iowa have identified a man whose body was found this week in a burning car. Iowa City police say 72-year-old Donald Lee Schrader, of Iowa City, was found Monday night after firefighters extinguished the flames engulfing his car. Investigators say the fire started in the passenger compartment of the car and that no criminal activity is suspected in the blaze, although the investigation remains open.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke has been working to boost his liberal credentials while also offering a centrist approach. He’s vowing to work with Republicans and woo voters who backed Donald Trump. O’Rourke insists he’s not interested in adhering to a particular ideology. But trying to have it both ways can sometimes come across as a split political personality _ one that may weigh on potential supporters after the initial buzz of O’Rourke’s campaign launch has worn off.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa group is hoping to get permission to build a sculpture commemorating women’s voting rights in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that members of the Cedar Falls/Waterloo 19th Amendment Centennial Committee asked the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to authorize the monument. The group hopes to install the sculpture in front of the county courthouse. Board members are expected to vote on the proposal next week.

Deputies with the Fremont County K9 Unit, Tuesday, arrested 32-year old Michael Charon, of Thurman.  Charon was taken into custody on a Fremont County Warrant for Criminal Mischief.

Deputies allege that on March 16th, Charon had kicked in a door at a residence he was staying at in Thurman, causing damage. Deputies located Charon hiding inside of a camper located on a vacant property in Thurman.

He was later released on his own recognizance by the Magistrate.