DES MOINES – Organizations now have until 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 10 to submit proposals to Iowa Workforce Development to receive funding to grow Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in Iowa. Iowa Workforce Development was recently awarded an additional $1 million ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to strengthen and grow Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in Iowa. The grant is focused on expanding opportunities in healthcare and advanced manufacturing, the fastest growing and largest employment sectors in the state, as well as increasing the participation of women, youth, minorities, veterans and people with disabilities.

Organizations may apply for funding in five areas: Quality Pre-Apprenticeship; High School Registered Apprenticeship; Healthcare Sector Registered Apprenticeship; Advanced Manufacturing Sector Registered Apprenticeship; and Pilot Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Program.  The full Request for Proposal (RFP) and  the guidelines for submitting a proposal is available online for the following programs:

Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Programs: Recognized Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Programs may apply for a $10,000 award to focus on career pathways to create or provide on-going support of a Quality Pre-Apprenticeship program. The funds can be used for creation of curriculum, supportive services, participant support costs, outreach, and staff costs for developing and operating the program. Each Quality Pre-Apprenticeship program must have at least one Quality Pre-Apprentice or 10 percent of Quality Pre-Apprentices, whichever amount is greater, hired by a Registered Apprenticeship program by Oct. 31, 2020. Total funding available is $150,000.

High School Registered Apprenticeship Programs: High School Registered Apprenticeship Programs may apply for a $15,000 award. This award may be used to start or to support a current High School Registered Apprenticeship Program. The funds can be used for Related Training Instruction, supportive services and a Registered Apprenticeship coordinator. Total funding available is $145,000.

Healthcare Sector Registered Apprenticeship Program: This funding is to be used to grow at least 200 active Registered Apprentices in the healthcare sector. The funds can be used for Related Training Instruction, supportive services, stipends to apprentices or sponsors to incentivize retention, a Registered Apprenticeship coordinator and travel. Total funding available is $150,000.

Advanced Manufacturing Registered Sector Apprenticeship Program: This funding is to be used to grow at least 200 active Registered Apprentices in the advanced manufacturing sector. The funds can be used for Related Training Instruction, supportive services, stipends to apprentices or sponsors to incentivize retention, a Registered Apprenticeship coordinator and travel. Total funding available is $150,000.

Pilot Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Program: This funding will be used to provide a pipeline of at least 200 active pre-apprentices to Registered Apprenticeship Programs with a focus on underrepresented populations. The funds can be used for creation of curriculum, supportive services, participant support costs, outreach, and staff costs for developing and operating the program. Extra points will be awarded for programs targeting healthcare and advanced manufacturing sectors and programs that have a statewide presence. Total funding available is $125,000.

Iowa Workforce Development received an initial $1.8 million ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion Grant received from the U.S. Department of Labor in November of 2016. The additional $1 million in funding ends on Oct. 31, 2020.

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

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DECORAH, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a body has been recovered from the Upper Iowa River in northeast Iowa. The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office says the body was pulled from the water Sunday, northwest of Decorah. The person is believed to have drowned. More information about the drowning and the person’s name haven’t been released.

The Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa Transportation Commission are seeking public input regarding the Iowa Bicycle and Pedestrian Long-Range Plan. This plan will build upon the Commission’s long-range strategy for multi-modal transportation over the next three decades, Iowa in Motion 2045. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Long-Range Plan has three key objectives:

• Serve as the primary guide for Iowa DOT decision-making regarding bicycle and pedestrian programs and facilities.
• Help achieve improved project-level coordination within the Iowa DOT.
• Provide consistency and mobility for bicycle and pedestrian users statewide.

In addition, the plan will serve an important role in improving safety for all road users, reducing crashes, and bringing Iowa closer to the goal of zero fatalities on Iowa’s roadways, and aligns to federal regulations that require bicycle and pedestrian accommodations be routinely and consistently considered in the design of transportation facilities.   The Iowa DOT has drafted the Iowa Bicycle and Pedestrian Long-Range Plan to consistently implement best practices when considering such accommodations.

The Iowa DOT will be accepting public comments on the plan through Sept. 4, 2018.  You can view the plan and related information online at https://iowadot.gov/iowainmotion/modal-plans/bicycle-pedestrian-plan

A reminder today that the Iowa Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, July 24^th), to discuss the Interstate 80 Planning Study and to gather public feedback on the technical reports, including the final report, Vision for Infrastructure Investment. The reports and previous online meetings are available to view online at www.iowadot.gov/interstatestudy. All interested persons are invited to attend this meeting anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, 909 Robert D. Ray Drive, in Des Moines. The meeting will be conducted utilizing an open forum format. Iowa DOT staff will be present to informally discuss the planning study. No formal presentation will be made.

If you are not able to attend the meeting, information and materials will be available online at the project website mentioned above.

The Creston Police Department reports 30-year old Christopher Woolums, of Creston, was arrested Friday evening. Woolums was taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd offense, and Driving While Suspended. His bond at the Union County Jail was set at $5,000.

Authorities said also, two thefts were reported over the past few days. Friday afternoon, a man residing in the 1000 block of Crest Drive, reported that sometime between 10-p.m. Thursday and 8:30-a.m. Friday, someone broke into the trunk of his vehicle and stole a jewelry box containing numerous pieces of jewelry. The loss was estimated at $5,000. And, early Saturday morning, a man residing in the 400 block of W. Monroe, in Creston, reported that his vehicle had been broken into sometime between 3:55-and 4:25-a.m., Saturday. A Smith and Wesson compact handgun with a laser sight was stolen. The gun was valued at $400.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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LOUISVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Dozens of pigs died when a truck carrying nearly one thousand of the animals overturned in central Mississippi. WCBI reports the 18-wheeler was carrying over 900 pigs Sunday afternoon from Prestage Farms to Iowa when it flipped over. The High Point Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene and kept the pigs cool while they were stuck in the metal truck.

Jody Garrard, Winston County Fire Coordinator, said the fire crews sprayed the pigs with water to keep them from overheating. The truck driver was taken to the hospital to be looked over but neither the driver or the co-driver were seriously injured. The cause of the wreck is under investigation.

Red Oak Police say no injuries were reported following two separate accidents over the weekend. Just before Noon, Sunday, a 1998 Buick Park Avenue sustained $4,000 damage after it collided with a tree at N. 6th and E. Hammond Streets. Authorities say 97-year old Darrell Pratt, of Red Oak, had parked the vehicle in the 600 block of E. Hammond Street while he was attending church. After the services, he got back into the car and thought he had it started before putting his seat belt on and putting the vehicle in “Drive.” The car, with its engine not started, began rolling downhill westbound. Pratt was unable to turn the wheel due to a lack of power steering. His vehicle collided with a large Maple Tree on the north side of the street. The tree was not damaged in the collision.

And, at around 12:10-p.m. Sunday, vehicles driven by 18-year old Thomas Blocker, of Red Oak, and 26-year old Travis Kester, of Clarinda, collided at the intersection of N. 8th and E. Joy Streets, in Red Oak. The accident happened after Blocker came to the intersection but did not see Kester’s approaching 2009 Chevy Impala. When Blocker’s 1996 Dodge pulled into the intersection, it was struck on the driver’s side front fender by the Impala, causing a total of $3,800 damage. Blocker told police he didn’t think his brakes were working properly. He was cited for Failing to Yield from a Yield sign.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police have arrested a man shot at by an officer during a foot chase in Des Moines. Police say 21-year-old Michael Garrison was taken into custody Sunday and charged with assault and other crimes. The Des Moines Police Department says in a news release that Garrison had wielded a gun in threatening a person in a home and then fled. Police say Sgt. Jeremy Sprague spotted Garrison and chased him as Garrison ran. Police say Sprague fired at Garrison when Garrison pointed a handgun at Sprague.

Garrison was soon captured, and police recovered a pellet gun believed to be the weapon Garrison pointed at Sprague. Police say no one was injured.