A plan to speed up approval for new drug treatments has cleared congress this week and it includes a proposal from Senator Joni Ernst. Ernst is a co-sponsor of the “Mental Health Reform Act” — and those provisions are now part of the larger piece of legislation that’s headed to the president for approval.

“It focuses on streamlining the many, many different mental health programs that we have in existence in the federal government,” Ernst says. “It focused them, brings them together and makes them much more efficient.” Supporters say it’s the most significant piece of mental health-related legislation since congress passed a bill eight years ago requiring equal insurance coverage for mental and physical health. The new legislation sets up grants for states, to attract psychiatrists and psychologists to rural areas and beef up community-based mental health care resources.

“We are very hopeful with this legislation we’ll be able to prevent problems in the mental health area with our constituents in Iowa,” Ernst says. The bill calls for federal funding of training for local law enforcement who are often the first responders to someone suffering a mental health crisis. On a separate but related issue, Ernst is asking for more information from Veterans Administration officials on two cases in which Iowa vets committed suicide after seeking help from the V-A.

(Radio Iowa)

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Firefighters say a child has died in a fire at a rural central Iowa house. The fire was reported around 8 a.m. Thursday in a house northwest of Perry. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that firefighters were told a child was trapped in an upstairs area of the house.

Fire officials say that when crews arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames. Officials confirmed that a child died in the fire. The identity of the child has not yet been released. The Iowa State Fire Marshall’s office is helping with the investigation. A cause of the fire has not been determined, but fire officials said they do not suspect foul play.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released dashcam video of a traffic stop in which a white Iowa police officer shot and paralyzed an unarmed black motorist. Cedar Rapids officer Lucas Jones shot Jerime Mitchell on Nov. 1. The video was released Thursday after prosecutors announced Tuesday that a grand jury declined to charge Jones.

The county prosecutor defended the jury’s Monday decision, saying Jones fired in self-defense during a scuffle in which Mitchell was trying to drive away. Mitchell’s supporters have criticized the decision because the grand jury never heard testimony from Mitchell, who disputes the officer’s version.

In a statement Wednesday, Mitchell said Jones was combative. Mitchell says he got back in his truck to try to get away from an attacking police dog before Jones jumped on him and shot him.

Officials with SWIPCO (Southwest Iowa Planning Council) report the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has approved expansion of the target area in the city of Elk Horn’s Housing Rehabilitation Community Development Block Grant to include all homes within city limits.

SWIPCO is seeking two more applicants for the housing rehabilitation program.  Up to $24,999 in home repairs per home, with additional money for lead abatement, is available for this five year forgivable loan. Applicants must be income qualified, be the homeowner of record, and live in the residence.  SWIPCO staff is available to help all homeowners through the application, income qualification, and rehabilitation process.

Community Development Director Amber Carcel says “With the expansion of the target area to anyone within city limits we are able to include homeowners who would have been excluded before and hope to have more applicants.”

The funds are made possible by a Community Development Block Grant the City of Elk Horn received from the Iowa Economic Development Authority in 2015.  Elk Horn was awarded $304,000 for the repair of eight homes.  Six homes have been approved and are in the rehabilitation process.

Interested applicants should contact SWIPCO at 712-243-4196 for more information.

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) – Officials with Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha say the base’s popular annual air show and open house set for next summer has been canceled. The base’s 55th Wing sent a news release Wednesday announcing the cancellation of the 2017 Defenders of Freedom Open House and Air Show, which had been scheduled for July 1-2. The Navy’s Blue Angels precision fighter jet team was to headline the show.

Col. Marty Reynolds, 55th Wing commander, cited increased demands for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the cancellation. The last time the base canceled the show was in 2015 for runway repairs.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education met Wednesday evening at the Middle School Library to review the results of an online Superintendent Survey. Ray and Associates were hired to conduct the survey back in October. Representatives from the firm were on-hand during Wednesday evening’s meeting to go over the results. School Board member Kristy Pellett, who acted as Board Secretary for the meeting, told KJAN News 483 survey forms were filled out and submitted. The submissions she said, came from a wide cross section of the community and school district.

They included 98 teachers, 7 administrators, 35 support staff, 177 parents, 105 students, 42 non-parent community members, 14 “Other” persons, and five Board of Education members.

The surveys revealed there were 33 qualities those persons sought in a new Superintendent. The Board reviewed a matrix of those, along with a recommendation from the search firm. They then selected 10 of the top qualities based on the recommendation.

The next steps in the search process involve sending out search brochures and applications. The Board approved the promotional flier as well as the online application. The deadline for application materials to be submitted by prospective candidates is January 30^th. The Board will meet again with the consultants Feb. 13^th. The Board hopes to interview the top candidates during the week of Feb. 20^th.

The second round of interviews with the finalists will take place the week of February 27th. A final meeting with the consultants is set for March 1^st, with hopes an offer will be presented to the finalist soon thereafter.

RIVERTON, Iowa (AP) – A state audit of financial records for the Fremont County community of Riverton, has discovered nearly $331,000 in improper or unsupported spending and undeposited collections. The special audit was undertaken at the request of city officials concerned about transactions processed by former city clerk Carol Jennings from January 2008 through Feb. 28, 2015. The council fired Jennings on Feb. 26, 2015.

The audit report issued Thursday says more than $149,000 in undeposited collections included nearly $115,000 in utility payments to the city that weren’t deposited in city accounts. The report also says the undeposited collections included nearly $33,000 placed in two bank accounts Jennings had established without council authority or knowledge.

Online court records don’t show that Jenning’s been charged.

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

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The state of Iowa says it would damage public safety if the state were forced to refund traffic fines and remove wrongful convictions from motorists’ records. The state made those assertions in documents made public Wednesday as it asked the Polk County District Court to reject an effort to certify as a class action a lawsuit against the state. The lawsuit cites a judge’s October ruling that the Iowa Transportation Department didn’t have authority to issue a speeding ticket to a 16-year-old driver.

The state is arguing in part that district court decisions aren’t binding to other district courts. The lawsuit seeks an order barring the department’s officers from issuing tickets. A 1990 Iowa attorney general opinion said the officers’ authority is limited to drunken driving and commercial vehicle regulations.