(Radio Iowa) — A legislative committee has taken the unusual step of giving immediate approval to new rules for how workplace misconduct complaints are to be handled in state government. Iowa Department of Administrative Services director Janet Phipps began drafting these changes a month ago — after an independent report was issued about sexual harassment allegations against the former director of a state agency who was fired by the governor in March. “Why the rush? Because this was an important issue and we had an horrific incident and there were recommendations in the Weinhart Report that I took very seriously,” Phipps told reporters late this morning. “We wanted people to feel comfortable in making complaints and I felt there needed to be an immediacy in getting this done.”

The Weinhart law firm’s report indicated the state’s employee handbook was unclear and employees could fear a complaint about harassment from a boss would be handled by the accused harasser. The new rules make it clear the Iowa Department of Administrative Services will handle all complaints made by state employees, unless the person makes their complaint directly to the governor’s office. Matty Smith of the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault says the rules lack clarity on how and when the agency will conduct an investigation. “From our perspective, this whole process has seemed rushed,” Smith says. “We have heard from far too many survivors and victims who have had experienced with ineffective processes. It’s really, really important that we get this right.” Daniel Zeno, the policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, says the new rules are a “step backwards.” “There should be more meat on the bones in these rules,” Zeno says.

The NEW rules, which go into effect today, were approved unanimously by a hastily convened legislative committee. Nine of the 10 members of the panel joined the meeting by phone. Senator Mark Chelgren, who convened the group, used the word “unusual” a few times to describe the situation. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming in on such short notice, for calling in on such short notice,” Chelgren said.

Advocates for openness in state government say they’re reviewing sections of the rules which say complaints and all records related to complaints are confidential and may only be released to the public by court order. The director of the Administrative Services Agency told reporters today that’s current practice.

BAGLEY, Iowa (AP) — A 25-year-old Guthrie County mother charged after her 11-month-old son drowned in a bathtub has pleaded not guilty. Court records show Seaira Briceno entered her pleas earlier this month to one felony and one misdemeanor count of child endangerment. The records don’t show that a trial has been set.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says Briceno’s baby drowned Aug. 10 when she left him and his 2-year-old brother in the tub at their Bagley home. Briceno told investigators she left the boys for about five minutes, but deputies believe the children were left alone longer.

Briceno was already facing a child endangerment charge from April. Authorities say she was driving under the influence of methamphetamine and marijuana while her older son was in the vehicle.

A Nebraska man was sentenced to to nearly five-years in prison Wednesday, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The 57-month sentence for 34-year old Christopher Coleman, of Omaha, was handed down in US District Court in Council Bluffs, by United States District Court Senior Judge James E. Gritzner.  Coleman was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term.

On May 24th, Coleman plead guilty to the charge that was the result of an incident that took place December 14th, 2017, at Harrah’s Casino in Council Bluffs. On that date, Casino Security responded to an SUV that was stopped on a roadway on casino property. Agents approached the SUV and found it was occupied by two individuals, Coleman and a female juvenile. It was determined the juvenile had been reported as a runaway from Omaha, resulting in her being taken into protective custody. The juvenile advised law enforcement there was a handgun in the SUV and Coleman had hidden it before the officers arrived.

A routine criminal history check confirmed Coleman was prohibited from possessing a firearm based on a 2013 felony conviction. Law enforcement re-contacted Coleman and located a HiPoint 9 mm handgun in the SUV.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, Iowa State Patrol, Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Deputies in Page County responded to a single-vehicle accident Tuesday. The Sheriff’s Office reports a 2011 United Parcel Service (UPS) Workhorse utility truck driven by 47-year old Brad Duane Ross, of Clarinda, was traveling north on F Avenue at around 3:55-p.m. about two-miles north of Northboro, when the vehicle drove over a rough spot in the road and went out of control. The truck entered the east ditch,  where it struck a metal tube before impacting a field entrance and started to roll onto its passenger side across the road. The truck finally came to rest on the passenger side, facing northwest in both lanes of travel, blocking the road. No injuries were reported. 

Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $10,000. No citations were issued. The Page County Sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by Coin Fire and Rescue.

(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Governor’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Advisory Council has awarded 13 new STEM BEST (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) projects across Iowa for a total of 50 since 2014. Among the 2018 STEM BEST program awardees, is the CAM and Woodbine Community School Districts in the Southwest STEM Region, and the Sioux City Community School District in the Northwest STEM Region.  The STEM BEST Program fosters a learning environment where students are able to participate in real workplace projects designed by business professionals and teachers and apply K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics to skills, knowledge and behaviors needed for STEM careers.

Gov. Kim Reynolds, STEM Council co-chair, said “STEM BEST opens the door to outstanding STEM careers that can transform lives, communities and our state’s economy. I appreciate the collaboration by educators and employers that makes this extraordinary public-private partnership successful. It’s in keeping with the Future Ready Iowa goal of 70 percent of our workforce having education or training beyond high school by 2025.”

The STEM Council Executive Committee voted unanimously to award 13 of 23 proposed new or expanded partnerships up to $25,000 each. Employer partners contribute a dollar-for-dollar match or, in some instances, well beyond a 50 percent cost-sharing commitment. Awards are used for equipping collaborative workspaces, educator training and development in workplace-classroom integration and curriculum development and coordination. Each STEM BEST Program awardee submitted an in-depth proposal, considering factors like education driven by industry need, rigorous, relevant and dynamic STEM curriculum, authentic partnerships and connection to post-secondary education or training. Each awardee will serve as a model to share unique perspective, strengths, demographics and program focus with others schools across the state.

To learn more about the STEM BEST Program and all 50 partners, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov/STEMBEST.

Officials with the Shelby County Emergency Management Office have released the procession route for the funeral of Earling Fire Chief Tom Henrich. The procession will start from the church in Earling, go South on M16 to F32, West on F32 to Hwy 191, then back North on 191 to Earling. An update on parking information will be provided later today or early Friday. Henrich fell ill at a fire scene last Saturday and died at the hospital in Harlan. (click on the image to enlarge)

The Page County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday) reported that at around 10-p.m. Sunday, deputies were dispatched to 504 Main Street in Blanchard, for a Domestic situation. During the investigation, 20-year old Hayden Allen Taylor, of Blanchard, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault, a simple misdemeanor. Taylor was transported to the Page County Jail and held without bond until seen by a Magistrate.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department reports 33-year old Laurel Curtis McDonald, of Exira, was arrested Monday evening, October 22nd, on three-counts of child endangerment. The charges are the result of an investigation in the 2000 block of 290th Street. McDonald was released the following day after his appearance before the magistrate. 32-year old Skielynn Laverne Stephens, of Audubon, was charged Thursday, October 25th, with 17 counts pertaining to Violation of a No Contact Order. She is currently in the Audubon County Jail serving time on a unrelated case.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque man has been given two years of probation for lying to Medicaid about care he provided for his father. The Telegraph Herald reports that 35-year-old Nicholas Brown also was recently sentenced to a two-year prison term, suspended, and told to pay more than $1,000 in damages to the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. He’d pleaded guilty to fraudulent practices and tampering with records.

Court documents say Brown was a caregiver for his father who documented his services in order to be reimbursed by Medicaid. The documents say that, between Oct. 22, 2016, and Sept. 19, 2017, Brown submitted records that falsely claimed he performed certain duties for his father.

A report of a reckless driver Wednesday morning in Pottawattamie County, resulted in the arrest of a Cass County man. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office reports just before 10-a.m., a deputy was notified by dispatch of a reckless driver on 290th and Highway 92, driving west bound. Caller then stated that the vehicle, a black Jeep was pulled over on 220th Highway 92. Upon further investigation, 23-year old River Dean Pecha-Nichols, of Griswold, was arrested for OWI/1st offense.

An inmate at the Pott. County jail faces additional charges after he allegedly communicated Wednesday, with a woman from Atlantic, against the rules of an Order of Protection filed against him.  34-year old Jeremy Thomas Reed, of Omaha, was charged with Violation of an Order/Contempt of Court. Bond on the charge was set at $2,000.

And, a man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a “General Purpose Complaint,” after a deputy on patrol in the area of Terrace Street and West Main Street in Treynor, noticed a Brown F150 Truck traveling eastbound on West Main Street. The vehicle had a defective windshield and a damaged rear license plate, both in violation of Iowa Code. The deputy later initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle in the 31500 Block of Highway 92 and arrested the driver, 35-year old Cody Miller-Bittner Carrigan, of Henderson.