(Elliott, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says a man was arrested Wednesday a little after 7:30-p.m., after authorities received a call about an allegedly intoxicated man who, while driving erratically in Elliott, nearly hit two children and a woman. While en route to the scene, Deputies were informed two men were fighting after an altercation. Upon arrival, Deputies made contact with multiple individuals, and upon further investigation found probable cause to arrest 29-year-old Caleb L. Walter, on charges of OWI/1st offense, and Disorderly Conduct. The man was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Senate Republicans have revived a plan to have the governor appoint the majority of those who serve on commissions that nominate candidates to be district court judges. Senator Todd Taylor, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says it gives the governor too much influence. “The deck is going to be stacked in favor of the governor picking judges,” Taylor says, “so it’ll probably be done on ideological balances instead of on, you know, their record.”

The proposal was one vote short of clearing a HOUSE committee this spring, so Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee have attached it to a budget bill. Republican Senator Julian Garrett of Indianola says for nearly three years, the governor has appointed a majority of members on the STATE commission that nominates candidates for vacancies on the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

“I really haven’t heard complaints that we’re not getting good quality judges at the state supreme court level and the appellate court level,” Garrett says. “This very same formula seems to have worked out fine there.” Iowa governors appoint judges, but must choose from a slate of candidates submitted by nominating commissions. The commissions for district court vacancies have 11 members. Five are elected by local lawyers and five are currently appointed by the governor, with the chief judge in each district serving as chair.

This proposal also removes judges as leaders of the commissions — since the governor would appoint six of the 11 members. Last fall, a judge in Humboldt chairing a nominating commission was accused of coaching one candidate and lying about another withdrawing from consideration for a district court opening in the Carroll area.

(Radio Iowa) – Senators are scrapping a moratorium that would have prevented developers from seeking eminent domain authority to seize property for carbon pipelines before next February. The Iowa House attached the plan to a budget bill in March. Late yesterday (Wednesday), Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a similar budget bill, but there was no reference to the carbon pipelines in the bill and lawmakers on the committee didn’t mention it.

“Senate Study Bill 3163 is an agreement between the House and the Senate on our path to adjournment. This is not one that will likely be amended from this point on.” That’s Republican Senator Dennis Guth of Klemme. In early April, Guth called the temporary moratorium meaningless. Guth says he’s been assured by the Iowa Utilities Board that it’s be after February when the process of seeking eminent domain to seize land along pipeline routes can start.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday, passed an Ordinance (#1018), amending the City Code of Ordinances to change how tall the grass must be by certain dates each month. City Clerk Barb Barrick explains the change was with regard to current Ordinance # 1016.

Barrick said Ordinance 1016 stated the height of the grass was to be changed (Cut) on the 1st and the 15th of the month. Ordinance 1018 simply states “the height of the grass.” The Council opted to let a motion for the Third and final Reading of Ordinance 1016 die, for lack of a second. They next voted to pass the third and final reading of Ordinance #1017, which amends the height of the grass to no more than 9-inches before it must be mowed.

Atlantic City Council mtg. 5/18/22 (Ric Hanson/photo)

Previously, the maximum height was 12-inches. They then proceeded to hold the first Reading of Ordinance #1018, entitled “Mowing of Properties,” and went on to waive the second and third readings to ultimately approve the Ordinance as written.

In her report to the Council and Community, Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett spoke with regard to the grass mowing ordinance, and clarified a comment she made in the local newspaper, with regard to the timing of lawn mowing.

“With that,” she said “I want to reiterate to our City, that we are seeing some common violations, over-and-over again.”

The Mayor warned against mowing your lawn clippings onto the streets and sidewalks, as it a Code Violation. She also reminded people it is a violation to park your vehicle or vehicles in your yard., and she addressed signs in the City Right-of-Way

Another issue the City will be cracking down on, is household trash and garbage removal.

She said “We as a Council..as a City…want to give you, the residents, the opportunity to make your own corrections.”

(Lenox, Iowa) – A traffic stop just outside of Lenox Wednesday afternoon, resulted in the arrest of a Montgomery County man. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the traffic stop took place at around 2:15-p.m.  Upon further investigation, 64-year-old John Richard Mullenix, of Red Oak, was arrested for Eluding, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Public Urination. Mullenix was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $1,600 cash bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Senate Republicans are scaling back the amount of money they’re willing to set aside to hire four new judges and provide pay raises to judges and other employees in the Iowa court system. Republican Senator Julian Garrett of Indianola says it appears some of those expenses can be covered with money no longer needed for the pension system for judges for those expenses.

“Their pension fund is in very good shape, so that will free up an extra $4.9 million, so in essence we’ve got roughly $5 million of new money for the judicial branch,” Garrett says. “…My understanding is the Department of Management’s opinion is that money can be used by the judicial branch.” Caitlin Jarzen, an administrator in the court system, says state law prohibits this kind of transfer.

“This leaves us with a considerable shortfall to cover the required new items in the budget,” Jarzen said. “We’re 97% employees, so if this happens, that’s where we’re going to be forced to make cuts.” Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee have approved an overall spending plan for the state’s court system that includes the five million dollars originally destined for pensions. Senator Todd Taylor, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says that budget gimmick won’t work and their plan will lead to layoffs in courthouses that have the lowest volume of criminal cases.

“I think, honestly, it’s going to hurt rural Iowa more than in the bigger counties,” Taylor says. The Senate G-O-P’s budget bill also calls for ending the practice of having the Iowa Supreme Court’s chief justice present lawmakers with a spending plan for the courts. That authority would be transferred to the governor. House Republicans have passed a separate budget bill for the state court system. It does not include the money transfer or ending the court’s direct input on budget matters.

(Radio Iowa) – The statewide average cost of gasoline rose several more pennies a gallon to set another record today(Wednesday), but the travel forecast for Memorial Day weekend calls for it to be the busiest in years. Meredith Mitts, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says despite the high price to fill the tank, people are ready to get out of the house and down the road.

“Most folks will be traveling by car, that is always our highest number,” Mitts says. “I believe about 90% of our Memorial Day travelers plan to travel by car, which is a 4.6% increase over last year, but we also have a significant rise in air travel.” The motor club says the statewide average for gas is now four-15 a gallon, the highest price Iowans have ever paid to fuel up, however, it won’t foil many of our vacation plans.

“We’re still going to see people traveling because there has been such a pent up demand for travel,” Mitts says. “So instead of choosing not to go, people are choosing to cut costs and other measures. That means taking a shorter-distance trip or staying at a less expensive hotel, maybe camping instead or cutting back on some of the shopping, dining and entertainment.”

Besides the high price at the pump, some Iowans are turned off by having to wear masks. While many airlines have eliminated the mask requirement, it would be wise to still pack plenty of them in your carry-on bag. Mitts says, “That is something that everybody should double check before they head out because the requirements are changing so often, whether it’s the airline that’s requiring a mask or it could be the airport itself.”

Triple-A projects Memorial Day weekend will be the busiest in three years. Reservations for flights, hotels and cruises for Memorial Day weekend are twice as strong as last year’s holiday. While Iowa’s average gas price is $4.15 a gallon, the national average is $4.56, versus the country’s most expensive gas in California at $6.05.

(Glenwood, Iowa) — A traffic stop this (Wednesday) morning on a vehicle traveling in excess of 100-miles per hour in Mills County, resulted in a pursuit and the arrest of three people. According to the Sheriff’s Office, at around 4:30-a.m., a Mills County Deputy attempted to stop a Nissan Maxima headed east at 103 mph on Highway 34 (a 55 mph zone). A pursuit was initiated with Mills County Sheriffs and Glenwood Police, during which the vehicle entered Glenwood city limits, drove recklessly, and crashed into a residence at 505 North Grove Street.

Upon crashing, three individuals exited the vehicle while two others that stayed inside were detained. A Glenwood Police Officer pursued one fleeing subject, and successfully deployed a taser to subdue and take them into custody. The Mills County Communication Center called the Mills County K9 Unit, Glenwood PD K9 Unit, Fremont County K9 Unit, and Mills County Drone Team. Responding units established a search perimeter to locate the last missing suspects.

To assist in the search, law enforcement released a description of the subjects on the “Mills Scanner” Facebook page. Shortly afterwards, a call was received about a young African American male matching the description being soaked with water and mud and riding a bicycle at 195 and Highway 34. Officers located the individual and began to question him, during which he denied any involvement in the incident. Upon further examination, a Mills County Sergeant noticed a Nissan key on the ground near the man– who was determined to be the owner of the vehicle.

Mills County Sheriffs then used the “Scanner” page to inquire about the owner of the bike the man was riding, which was later claimed and said to be stolen.  The Mills County Communication Center also received calls about another African American male matching the second description in the 160 Block of Glenbrook. After setting up a perimeter, another citizen located the subject in the Maplewood Drive addition. A short foot pursuit was initiated, and the suspect was taken into custody without incident.

Authorities say Hassan Mohamed is charged with felony eluding, interference with official acts, reckless driving, fifth degree theft, and multiple driving citations. Zouberou Issifou and Mauk Pal are charged with interference with official acts. The two subjects who remained in the vehicle were released without charges. Law enforcement checked with the residents of the house, who were determined to be safe and in no need of medical assistance.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Mills County K9 Unit, Glenwood Police Department, Glenwood K9 Unit, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Fremont County K9 Unit, Mills County Drone Team, Mills County Communication Center and the lowa State Patrol.

The case is being investigated by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office and Glenwood PD. The accident is being investigated by the Iowa State Patrol.

Atlantic, IA –  May 18, 2022 – Mediacom Communications announced the selection of Bryan York, a senior at Atlantic High School, as a recipient of the company’s World Class Scholarship program. The $1,000 scholarship recognizes the Atlantic resident for excellence in leadership and academics. “As a technology company, Mediacom understands how important it is to invest in future leaders like Bryan York,” said Mediacom Operations Director Richard Conger. “I’m proud that our company supports talented local students with scholarship support. We congratulate all graduates in the Class of ‘22, and particularly acknowledge Bryan for his outstanding achievements.”

This year marks the 21st consecutive year Mediacom has funded World Class Scholarships for students who live in areas where the company delivers high-speed broadband and digital video services. Mediacom annually selects 60 graduating seniors who each receive scholarships to support their post-secondary education. Recipients must attend an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or technical school within the United States.

(Des Moines, Iowa) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced today (Wednesday), announced a new Child Care Business Incentive Grant Program to encourage employers to offer child care as a benefit to their employees.  The Child Care Business Incentive Grant Program will provide a total of $25 million to support child care projects across the state. $20 million will be utilized to support local infrastructure investments to build or expand child care capacity, and $5 million will be used to support arrangements between employers and child care facilities to expand and reserve child care slots. Potential projects could include the creation and development of an on-site child care center or a partnership with an existing child care center to create new child care slots paid for by a local employer. Federal ARPA funds are being allocated for this grant program.

The Governor says “I’ve heard from both parents and employers that child care is a barrier to work in our state,” said Gov. Reynolds. “One of the top recommendations from my Child Care Task Force was to incentivize employer investment in child care. This program will do just that by encouraging employers to help deliver child care solutions to their employees, thereby bolstering opportunities for recruitment and retention of workers.” She adds, “Creating flexible options for child care at work not only helps families, but it also makes it easier for employers to recruit and retain the skilled workforce they need,” said Beth Townsend, Director of Iowa Workforce Development. “It is vital to our economic growth that we provide parents with reliable and affordable child care options, especially those who are looking to reenter the workforce.”

Kelly Garcia, Director of Iowa’s Department of Human Services, says “Access to quality child care is critical to the success of working families. This program underscores Iowa’s commitment to working families by putting child care where it’s convenient for parents, children, and employers.”  In March 2021, Gov. Reynolds launched the Child Care Task Force to address the child care shortage in Iowa. While Iowa is a national leader in the share of households with all parents working, 23 percent of Iowans live in a “child care desert,” and Iowa has lost 33 percent of its child care businesses over the past five years. It’s estimated that Iowa’s child care shortage costs the State’s economy roughly $935 million annually in lost tax revenue, worker absences, and employee turnover.

Gov. Reynolds has directed state agencies to implement many of the report’s recommendations, investing more than $500 million of state and federal funds to address the crisis. Investments include the Child Care Challenge Fund grants, which will help to create an estimated more than 9,000 new child care slots across the state, as well as the Child Care Stabilization Grants and Recruitment and Retention Bonuses for Child Care Workers.

Information on the Child Care Business Incentive Grant Program is now available here. The state will begin accepting applications on IowaGrants.gov starting on Friday, June 17th. Applications must be submitted by Monday, July 18th. To read the full Child Care Task Force Report, click here.