Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Civil rights groups have made their case at the Capitol for legislation that would reform Iowa’s criminal justice system. Members of local chapters of the NAACP and other advocacy groups gathered Wednesday in Des Moines in support of multiple bills aimed at reform. It includes legislation that would ban racial profiling, keep juvenile records confidential and “ban the box” to expand work opportunities for people with criminal histories.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Security cameras and access control doors will be installed in the Webster County Courthouse in the next phase of security improvements in the building. The Messenger reports that the county will pay more than $7,200 for cameras on the first floor, and more than $11,600 for locked doors on the east and west sides.

NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — Tuesday’s winners in the New Hampshire primary might have gained momentum but they didn’t pick up many delegates. That’s because there weren’t many delegates at stake, and both parties awarded them proportionally, meaning even the losers got some. Bernie Sanders picked up a total of 15 Democratic delegates and Hillary Clinton won nine.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Zach Smith made two free throws with 18 seconds remaining in overtime to lead Texas Tech past Number 14 Iowa State 85-82 Wednesday night. It was the second straight year the Red Raiders beat the Cyclones in Lubbock. Deonte Burton scored a season-high 20 points and Abdel added 19 points to lead ISU.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two women accused of staging a bank robbery in Sioux City have each been sentenced to five years in prison. The Sioux City Journal reports that 19-year-old Heaven Zevenbergen and 18-year-old Angelica Perez were sentenced in separate hearings Wednesday. Both had pleaded guilty to second-degree theft.

Prosecutors said Perez entered a Security National Bank branch at a Hy-Vee supermarket last August in a disguise, and warned Zevenbergen via a note that she was armed. According to prosecutors, Zevenbergen, then a teller at the bank, knew Perez and gave her $10,000. Both women have been ordered to jointly repay the bank the $10,000.

Deputies in Fremont County were attempting to make a traffic stop Wednesday in Hamburg, when the driver failed to yield, and sped-off. The Ford F-250 pickup continued north on Main Street in Hamburg, at a high rate of speed. After a short pursuit the pickup stopped at a residence near the intersection of S Street and Main Street in Hamburg.

Chad Mayberry

The driver, 42-year old Chad Mayberry, of Hamburg, was arrested for Driving while Suspended, Eluding, Fail to Obey a Stop Sign, Expired Registration, Failure to have Valid Insurance, and Child Endangerment.

Mayberry was being held at the Fremont County Jail. The Fremont County K9 Unit assisted with the arrest.

Iowa’s treasurer is pitching a plan to provide private sector workers with a retirement account, if their employer doesn’t already offer such a savings plan. Michael Fitzgerald says “Retirement Savings Iowa” would be modeled after another program run by his office. “We had such great success 18 years ago when we started College Savings Iowa, we now believe this is a great opportunity to give Iowans the same type of opportunity for saving for retirement,” Fitzgerald said.

The government-run program would provide retirement savings options for small businesses that do not currently offer retirement plans. Fitzgerald cited an A-A-R-P report, indicating a lot of Iowans may not be saving money for their futures. “They say 42-percent of the people who work in the private sector do not have access to an employee-sponsored retirement account,” Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald believes the legislation should include a mandate for employers to offer the Retirement Savings Iowa to employees. However, it not apply to Iowa businesses that already offer retirement savings plans. Employers would not need to contribute to the program. Senator Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, is endorsing Fitzgerald’s proposal.

“There are so many Iowans who work in small businesses, and women in particular, who don’t have money saved for retirement,” Petersen said. She calls the idea a “no brainer” and believes lawmakers from both sides of the aisle will support it. “I’m hopeful this will be a bipartisan effort,” Petersen said. Fitzgerald said contributions to the savings plan would come from automatic payroll deductions.

The legislation calls for $1.5 million to establish and manage the Retirement Saving Iowa program. Fitzgerald said, if approved by lawmakers and the governor, he believes the fund could be up and running by July 2017 or possibly July 2018.

(Radio Iowa)

Four people were injured during a single vehicle accident this (Wednesday) afternoon, on Atlantic’s southwest side. Atlantic Police Officer Devon Hogue said an SUV was apparently exiting the parking lot from the Casey’s west store at 911 S.W. 7th Street, when the Ford Expedition entered a deep ditch and crashed into a concrete culvert underneath southwest 7th Street, or Highway 6.  A follow up report from Atlantic Police said the driver was Zachary Dill of Atlantic and stated that he failed to straighten the wheel while attempting to turn south onto Highway 6.

The accident happened at around 1:20-p.m. Four people were in the vehicle, and all were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  The vehicle sustained $10,000 damage. Atlantic Police were assisted at the scene by the Iowa State Patrol, Cass County Sheriff’s Department and other local agencies.

Photo by KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Officials with The Atlantic Business and Professional Women (BPW) say the organization is offering four scholarships this year.

1. A $1000 scholarship to a resident of Cass County, Iowa, giving financial aid to a man or woman needing education to either re-enter the work force, gain additional education for a career, meet educational requirements for employment, or to continue education interrupted for family or other reason. Application must be submitted by April 1.
2. A $500 Collen Scholarship, available to a female resident of Cass, Shelby, or Audubon County in Iowa, who is pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Computer Systems Management, Chemistry, or Engineering. The student may be of any age and attend school full or part time. Application must be submitted by April 1.
3. The $1000 Bev Mendenhall nursing scholarship, available to a female resident of Cass County, Iowa who wants to re-enter the work force, gain additional education for a career, meet educational requirements for employment, or to continue education interrupted for family or other reason. Application must be submitted by April 1..
4. BPW Iowa is awarding several $1000 Scholarships to a man or woman, who is a resident of Iowa.
The applicant must be a non-traditional student who:
a. Is a United States Citizen
b. Has been out of the work force and wants or needs to go back to work but needs additional education
c. Has completed High School five or more years ago and now wants to start or resume their college education.
d. Demonstrates financial need, scholastic ability, leadership skills and career goals.
Application must be postmarked by March 23.

You may contact Jolene Roecker, BPW Scholarship chairman, at 712-249-7700 or email jolene.roecker@greatwesternbank.com for an application.

Officials with Atlantic Specialty Care have announced that the annual Easter Egg Hunt held at the facility will not be held this year due to the Early Easter and the late snow. As occasionally happens Easter is coming early this year: March 27th. Due to the late snow systems that have been arriving in the area, the facility has made the decision to do a Easter Coloring contest thru the school system.

Kellie Jimerson, Administrator at Atlantic Specialty Care, says “This happened to us six years ago. Sometimes we have to make a decision very early before donations are requested and so forth. Usually the problem only occurs on that one year where Easter is in March.”

Jimerson said also, “In an effort to keep from having all of the eggs filled and all of the community supporters giving donations to something that may or may not occur, the facility made the decision to instead do an Easter Egg Coloring Contest thru the Atlantic School District.” She says “We will plan to come back next year with the annual Easter Egg hunt and look forward to seeing you all then. Until then – stay warm.”