Most employers in Iowa are optimistic about their hiring plans for the first three months of 2015. That’s according the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released today (Tuesday). Manpower spokesperson Karen Miller says 73-percent of the Iowa companies surveyed anticipate maintaining current staffing levels between January and March, while 21-percent expect to add employees. That’s good for a “Net Employment Outlook” of 16-percent — doubling the results from the survey conducted for the first quarter of 2014.

“Last year at this time, we were only looking at an 8-percent Net Employment Outlook,” Miller said. The companies that take part in the Manpower survey have been holding steady on their hiring plans for quite some time now. “I think this is our third year running, we’ve got about 12 straight quarters of really solid hiring within the state of Iowa,” Miller said.

Iowa’s job market is basically on par with the nationwide outlook. Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed in the U.S., Manpower found 19-percent expect to add to their workforces, while 6-percent expect a decline in their payrolls between October and December. The Net Employment Outlook nationwide is 16-percent, the same as Iowa’s Q1 figure.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities in northwest Iowa’s Woodbury County are investigating the mysterious death of 17 head of cattle this weekend. Lieutenant Charles Hertz of the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, says the cattle were discovered by a creek near Lawton around 1:30 Saturday afternoon. He says the cattle owner was checking on the animals and discovered 17 cattle in the creek dead, while there were 13 others nearby that were just fine. Hertz says the were no marks on the animals or anything else to indicate why they died.

“We had checked the creek to determine if there were any other deaths associated with these cattle and we could not determine anything. There were no fish that were killed or any other livestock or animals in the area that had been killed,” Hertz says. “The state vet did a field autopsy at the scene, and there was nothing readily apparent.” He says the county emergency manager took water samples.

“And found everything to be in normal parameters. These samples are going to be forwarded to Storm Lake to have further tests done on them. The state vet also took samples from these animals and there will be further tests conducted,” according to Hertz. Hertz says there are not indications of criminal activity as they continue to investigate looking for the cause of the death of the animals.

(Radio Iowa)

A western Iowa teen found not guilty by reason of insanity in the death of his foster brother poses “a great danger to others” and will need lifelong monitoring “to help minimize his risk to the public and to himself,” according to a judge’s order. The Daily NonPareil reports the order commits 18-year old Cody Metzker-Madsen to a psychiatric unit within the Iowa Department of Corrections for an indefinite period of time. Metzker-Madsen killed 5-year-old Dominic Elkins, of Atlantic, as the two played outside at a foster home north of Logan, in Harrison County.

Dominic’s body was found in a wooded ravine with a stream. An autopsy determined that he died from blunt force head injuries and drowning.  The two boys had been staying at the home of foster parents Don and Julie Coolman, who were not home at the time.

During his seven-day trial in late October and early November, Metzker-Madsen testified that he remembered killing a goblin with a brick while in a fantasy world. He said he didn’t realize until later that it was Dominic whom he had killed.  Metzker-Madsen’s mother also testified that she used methamphetamine during her first three months of pregnancy.

On Nov. 7th, District Judge Kathleen Kilnoski found Metzker-Madsen not guilty of first-degree murder by reason of insanity. She ordered him committed to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center at Oakdale and ordered the chief medical officer there to report to her a diagnosis and also an opinion on whether Metzker-Madsen was a threat to others. The report was not made public. But Kilnoski’s order, filed Thursday, quotes from it.

Metzker-Madsen’s provisional diagnoses include oppositional defiant disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, psychotic disorder not otherwise specified and personality disorder not otherwise specified, with anti-social traits. The order describes him as having “borderline intellectual functioning.”

According to the judge’s order, Metzker-Madsen “poses a great danger to others, and indirectly to himself, because of his limited functioning and mood instability. The evaluating psychiatrist said it was her opinion that the defendant requires ‘continued long-term placement in a highly structured and secure environment. … (H)e will need lifelong monitoring and structure to help minimize his risk to the public and to himself.’ ” The judge concluded that Metzker-Madsen is “seriously mentally ill and dangerous to himself and others.”  She ordered him committed to the Iowa Department of Corrections for placement at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital at Oakdale.

Robert Rigg, director of the criminal defense program at Drake University Law School in Des Moines, said Metzker-Madsen will probably never be released, unless some way is found to successfully treat him. Last month Dominic’s mother, Barbara Kunch, withdrew a lawsuit that she had filed in October accusing Don and Julie Coolman of failing to properly care for and supervise Dominic and Metzker-Madsen. Court documents did not list a reason why.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa says a student has reported a sexual assault on campus. The school says police received a report on Saturday about an incident at a residence hall on Friday. A female student says an unknown person sexually assaulted her. Additional details were not available. The school released the information in accordance with a federal disclosure law.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines officials have postponed plans for a new city ordinance aimed at regulating the ridesharing service Uber. The City Council pushed back a vote to January that would spell out how Uber should conduct business in Des Moines. Council members said they wanted more time to research the issue. Uber launched in Des Moines in September, despite warnings from officials that the company was violating city ordinances.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An Iowa venue says a Bill Cosby performance scheduled for next year has been postponed indefinitely. The Des Moines Civic Center says it notified ticketholders that they will receive a refund for the planned March 7 concert. Cosby stage shows have been canceled in several other states. The actions follow renewed allegations by women claiming decades-old sexual assaults by the 77-year-old comedian. Cosby has denied the allegations.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Trial has begun for a Georgia man charged with killing his former roommate in Iowa. Jury selection began in the trial of 55-year-old John Green. He faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of Mark Koster, of Sac City. Green has pleaded not guilty. Koster’s skeletal remains were found buried in the basement of his house in 2012. The new homeowners found them while renovating the basement.

An Adams County Sheriff’s Deputy serving civil papers on a man in Corning late Monday morning, ended-up arresting the man on a drug charge. Sheriff’s officials say 59-year old James Robert Brown, of Corning, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, after the deputy noticed a strong odor of marijuana in the home at 302 11th Street.

An investigation revealed a grinder located on a coffee table in the home contained a green leafy substance inside. Brown was being held in the Adams County Jail on $300 bond.

(DES MOINES) – House Speaker Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) recently announced that Rep. Jack Drake (R-Griswold) will serve as the chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources budget committee. Rep. Drake is an experienced leader who will work to control government spending
while also funding Iowans’ agriculture priorities,” said Speaker Paulsen.

Drake was also appointed to the following committees: Agriculture, Appropriations, State Government and International Relations. The legislative session begins January 12, 2015.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Trial has begun for a Georgia man charged with killing his former roommate in Iowa. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports jury selection began Monday morning in the trial of 55-year-old John Green. He faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of Mark Koster, of Sac City. Green has pleaded not guilty.

Koster’s skeletal remains were found buried in the basement of his house in 2012. The new homeowners found them while renovating the basement. Green, who briefly lived with Koster in 2009, was arrested in March. The trial was moved from Sac City to Fort Dodge after Greene’s attorney said pretrial publicity would make it impossible for Green to receive a fair trial.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An Iowa venue says a Bill Cosby performance scheduled for next year has been postponed indefinitely. The Des Moines Civic Center said Monday it notified ticketholders that they will receive a refund for the planned March 7 concert. Cosby stage shows have been canceled in several other states. The actions follow renewed allegations by women claiming decades-old sexual assaults by the 77-year-old comedian. Cosby has denied the allegations.

Last week, Los Angeles police opened an investigation into a woman’s claims that Cosby molested her in 1974, when she was 15 years old. The woman, Judy Huth, is suing Cosby for sexual battery. Cosby has never been charged with a crime and settled the only other sexual assault case against him. That case was filed by Andrea Constand, a former worker at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Six people were arrested in Mills County over the past few days. The Sheriff’s Office says 45-year old Mark Douglas Berggren, of Red Oak, was arrested early today (Monday) on a Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. Berggren’s bond was set at $300.

Sunday morning, 67-year old James Alfred McConkey, of Malvern, was arrested for 5th degree Theft. His bond was also set at $300. Saturday night, 24-year old Clinton James Durfey, of Pacific Junction, was arrested in Mills County for Public Intoxication and 4th degree Criminal Mischief. His bond was set at $1,300.

And, three people were arrested last Friday. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says: 33-year old Jerad Keith Perkins, of Pacific Junction was arrested on a Warrant for Failure to Serve Jail Time on an OWI charge. His bind was set at $5,000; 56-year old Earl Eugene Gordon, of Malvern, was arrested Friday evening on a Warrant for Sexual Abuse 2nd and Lascivious Acts with a Child. His bond was set at $35,000; and, 18-year old Johnathon Robert Sibbitt, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office at around 6-p.m., on a warrant for Burglary 3rd and Theft 5th degree. His bond was set at $2,800.

An accident that occurred early Friday morning south of Atlantic is under investigation. The Sheriff’s Department said Monday (Today), that  at approximately 2:10 a.m., Friday, deputies responded to a report of a 2012 Dodge Ram that left the roadway south of Atlantic on 620th Street. The pickup hit a fence and some other items near a private residence. The sound of the crash woke the homeowners. Upon investigation, one individual was detained temporarily by the Atlantic Police Department. This incident remains under investigation by the A-PD.

And, no injuries were reported following an accident Dec. 3rd. Officials say at approximately 7:30 p.m., deputies responded to a report of a trailer that struck a power pole. A trailer, loaded with a corn head, broke free from a K350 utility truck driven by 43-year old Anthony Lynn Behrens, of Harlan,  on 620th Street in Cass County.

The trailer and corn head went into the east ditch and struck a wire fence and a power pole, snapping it off at the ground. Damage to the pole is estimated at $1000; damage to the wire fence is estimated at $250. Damage to the corn head is estimated at $3000. No citations were issued.