(Radio Iowa) — The state fund which pays for road construction has a negative balance of around 80 million dollars one month into the new fiscal year. The director of the division which oversees construction planning told the state Transportation Commission Monday that will change. The D-O-T’s Stuart Anderson says they normally plan to be about 20 million dollars above the available money in case some projects run behind. “Typically in a year we’ll have a project or two where there are some development issues and it is just not going to be put out to bid as anticipated,” Anderson explains. “So, it’s always good to be a little over-programmed so you have a project ready to go in its place.”

He says the new fiscal year that started in July they had 50 million more in projects than they had funding for — and then a 30 million dollar bridge project for Highway 2 in the flooded area of southwest Iowa was added. Anderson says they normally take bids on one project each month, but had an unusual circumstance where they had several projects were let. “We had a letting for that overflow bridge at Iowa 2. We had our normal monthly letting — and then we also had another special letting for some major work happening on the 80-380 interchange west of Iowa City,” according to Anderson.

Anderson says the project bids came in higher than expected. He says they are also not yet up-to-date on the amount of new funding coming in and how that will impact the bottom line. “That number doesn’t reflect any adjustments for actual revenues — because there is a month’s lag in revenues,” Anderson says. “So, we didn’t report the actual July receipts to the Primary Road Fund. We have some preliminary numbers that show those are coming in higher than forecast, so that will offset that number.”

The receipts he’s talking about are the gas tax, license fees for cars and trucks, and fees for cars and trucks which are sold. Anderson isn’t sure why the bids for the projects are coming in higher. “I don’t know that we have come up with definitive answers on that. I think it could be a combination of just the amount of work happening in the state and in the midwest,” Anderson says. “There’s labor challenges in all sorts of areas related to transportation, whether it’s truck drivers or railroads are facing labor challenges as well. So, it’s possible the road construction industry is having some challenges as well.”

Anderson says they will know more about the actual deficit in the Road Program Fund once they get more information in. He says they will then determine if they need to move projects around in the five-year construction plan.

Iowa’s Third District Congresswoman Cindy Axne will be in Atlantic on August 28th at The Venue, sharing the stage with the three Democratic candidates for the US Senate seat–Kimberly Graham, Theresa Greenfield, and Eddie Mauro.The doors open at 5-p.m., with the candidates speaking beginning at around 6:15-p.m.

Cass County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle reports they will be in Atlantic to help the Cass County Democratic Party fundraiser for the local party.

Cindy Axne

Eddie Mauro

Kimberly Graham

Theresa Greenfield

According to County Chair Sherry Toelle, “This will be a great opportunity for residents of Cass County as well as the counties surrounding us to hear from the four candidates regarding their vision for the future and, for Axne, to also tell her story about the past seven months she has spent in Washington, DC. In a presidential election year, people tend to primarily focus on the presidential candidates, forgetting all about the as-important House and Senate elections. These candidates will directly affect our lives in a way the presidential race will not.”

Axne was elected to the US House of Representatives from Iowa’s Third District in 2018 and is running for re-election. She is among the Democratic members of the House who have passed over 100 bills that are sitting on Majority Speaker Mitch McConnell’s desk in the Senate, unable to move forward or even to be voted on. She has worked to secure workforce training and education and has worked on passing legislation to increase affordable rental housing options. She has also managed to secure an extra $3 billion dollars in flood relief for the Midwestern states, while creating a bill to support rural entrepreneurs, and holding corporations accountable for shipping American jobs overseas , and working to reduce healthcare costs while maintaining protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions. She has visited every county in her district at least once a month during her time in DC., earning her recognition as the most accessible member of Congress’ freshman class in June, 2019.

Kimberly Graham is an attorney. “I never thought in a million years I’d run for office. But it’s time for a government “by the people, for the people.” Senator Joni Ernst campaigned on a promise to “make ’em squeal” in Washington D.C. and get rid of corruption, but the only people squealing are Iowans harmed by her votes. My goal is to be the best senator money *can’t* buy.”  Theresa Greenfield is a small business owner. “Now, more than ever, Iowans need more leaders: a farm kid with farm kid values whose get-it-done attitude will help get things done for working families — from investing in education, to making it easier for small businesses to thrive, to cutting healthcare costs.”

Eddie Mauro is also a small business owner,  whose website calls him a “business owner, father, coach, community volunteer and former teacher who is committed to working hard to improve the performance of our government and empower people.”  Graham, Greenfield, and Mauro are running for the nomination in order to oppose Iowa’s current junior senator, Joni Ernst. A full dinner will be provided at a cost of $25 per person. Everyone is invited to attend the event. Toelle asks that you RSVP her by August 20th. She can be reached at shtoelle@gmail.com or at 243-4861.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man whose body was found under a bridge in Iowa City died of natural causes. The body of 45-year-old Eric Riskedahl was found July 1 at a homeless camp under a U.S. Highway 6 bridge. The Johnson County medical examiner’s office says Riskedahl died of a condition related to his diabetes. The body of another man was found earlier that day in Ralston Creek in Iowa City. The death of 26-year-old Jonathan Guerrero was ruled an accident.

A collision between a car and and semi late Monday morning in Carroll County, resulted in the death of a woman from Kentucky. The Iowa State Patrol reports 29-year old Tia Monique Newsome, of Radcliff, KY, died at the scene of the crash that happened at around 11:43-a.m., at the intersection of County Road H-33 and E. 18th Street.

The Patrol says Newsome was driving a 2007 Dodge Caliber eastbound on E. 18th Street and failed to stop at the posted intersection. Her car ran into the side of a southbound 2006 Peterbilt semi driven by 24-year old Cody Michael Farrell, of Glidden. Farrell was not injured in the crash.

Following the collision, the Dodge came to rest in the west ditch. The semi came to rest on the shoulder of the road.

Sheriff’s deputies in Adams County were dispatched at around 9:30-p.m., Monday, to a situation in Prescott involving a “Potentially dangerous individual.” A caller stated that there was a bald man, possibly in the 30’s or 40’s, walking around outside and shouting that “He was going to start killing people.”

Adams County Deputies located and detained 40-year old Casey Claiser, of West Des Moines,, in the 400 block of 6th Avenue, in Prescott.

Upon further investigation, Claiser was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Red Oak Police report a woman was arrested on assault and other charges early this (Tuesday) morning. Authorities say 29-year old Mildred Helenora Douglas, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 1:34-a.m. on active warrants for Domestic Abuse Assault/2nd offense, and Violation of a No Contact Order. She additionally faces a new, Violation of a No Contact Order charge.

Douglas was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.