(Radio Iowa) — A retooled state website has a list of more than 80-thousand job openings in Iowa and adjacent areas in the states that SURROUND Iowa. “Around a 25-mile radius because we do have many Iowans who work across borders, but live in Iowa.” That’s Beth Townsend, director of the state’s Workforce Development agency. She says IowaWORKS-dot-O-R-G launched in June.

“Users have access to various tools such as assisted job search, creating resumes or building resumes and having an individualized portfolio that they can access 24/7,” she says. Iowa companies submit job listings, plus the website uses what Townsend calls “spidering” technology to find job openings online, then the software sifts through the data so a job opening won’t be listed more than once on the site. Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg says health care, information technology, and advanced manufacturing appear to be the industries with the most open positions.

“Make no mistake, the path to a new career is available at the click of a mouse,” Gregg said, “any time, anywhere.” The site also collects labor market data, like wage information for specific jobs. Job listings may be sorted, too, by location, by business or by certain industries.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa is scheduled to be the first state in the country to launch “model legislation” designed to fight human trafficking in the lodging industry. Workers in hotels and motels in Iowa and nationwide took part in training sessions about human trafficking today (Tuesday), what the industry calls a Day of Action. Chip Rodgers, president and C-E-O of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, says hotel employees can play a key role in spotting and stopping what he refers to as modern-day slavery.

Rodgers says, “When you have two people coming to the front desk and one of them may be a child and that child doesn’t look comfortable or that child looks to be out of place, you’ve got to be able to detect the signs of what may be a situation that needs to be looked into further.” He says hoteliers are in a unique position to identify and disrupt this terrible practice.

“Traffickers are seeking anonymity and they feel like if they check into a hotel, they can get that anonymity and carry out these illegal acts,” Rodgers says. “We’re going to stop that. We’re going to let them know this is not the place this can ever happen.” Human trafficking is a 150-billion dollar industry worldwide, with 40-million people trafficked every year.

“Because we have, as a society, not done a very good job recognizing this, sometimes it’s difficult to know just how many people in a given state are being effected by it,” Rodgers says. “There is no question that it’s happening in Iowa and all of the other 49 states.” The American Hotel & Lodging Association is working with Governor Kim Reynolds and Senator Joni Ernst on creating legislation to fight trafficking. An announcement is planned in Iowa on August 13th.

“We will be having an event in Des Moines to train employees at a local hotel,” Rodgers says, “but to also highlight this and begin the process of what we believe will be model legislation for the country in making sure every hotel employee is trained so they can detect the signs of human trafficking.” While thousands of hotel employees are trained every year already, the association is working to convene the entire industry with the goal of training every hotel worker.

For more information, go to http://www.ahla.com/noroomfortrafficking

Officials with Democrat Joe Biden’s Presidential campaign report the former Vice-President’s wife, Jill Biden, will travel to Iowa this Thursday and Friday, to hear from supporters, volunteers and, community members.

On Thursday, Jill Biden will attend “Biden for President” office openings in Sioux City and Council Bluffs. Then on Friday, she will attend community meet-and-greets with supporters, volunteers, and activists in Glenwood and Clarinda.

The following schedule is subject to change:

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1st: –

• Sioux City Biden for President Campaign Office Opening, Sioux City, Iowa; 4:00-p.m., 1754 Hamilton Boulevard.
• Council Bluffs Biden for President Campaign Office Opening; 6:30-p.m., 530 West Broadway St..

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2nd:

• Meet and Greet with Jill Biden in Glenwood; 10:00-a.m, .United Congregational Church Fellowship Hall, 109 North Walnut Street.
• Meet and Greet with Jill Biden in Clarinda; 12:15-p.m., Garrison Coffee House, 106 North 16th Street.

The Harlan Police Department reports the following arrests:

On July 20th – 23-year old Gage Wylie Spencer, of Audubon, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia; 39-year old Jason Robin Conway Emery, of Harlan, was arrested for carrying weapons and public intoxication; 47-year old Jamie Dean Anderson, of Harlan, was arrested for driving under suspension and possession of a controlled substance; and, 44-year old Steven Duane Carroll, of Harlan, was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and prohibited acts.

On July 25th – 34-year old Brandon Lee Mapes, of Harlan, was arrested for domestic abuse assault and public intoxication.

And on July 28th, 45-year old Lyle James Kline, of Harlan, was arrested for public intoxication.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department report several arrests were made following the execution of a search warrant at a residence last Friday (7/26).  The following people were arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail:

• 25-year old Brett Allen Ballantyne, of Harlan, was charged with distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and gathering where a controlled substance is unlawfully used.

And, the following Harlan residents were each charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and gathering where a controlled substance is unlawfully used…

• 47-year old Gerry Dean Ballantyne, Jr.; 43-year old Kimberly Ann Ballantyne; 19-year old Dylan Ray Janssen; 24-year old Brandon Lee Anderson, and 39-year old Larry John Chambers.
• 47-year old Andrea Christine Wyatt, of Shelby, was also charged with possession of a controlled substance and gathering where a controlled substance is unlawfully used.

Pottawattamie County Emergency Management officials put out a notice at around 2:45-p.m. today, that the City of Carson is currently under a 48-hour Boil Water Advisory. The City has experienced a water and sewer main break. Citizens of Carson are encouraged to boil water meant for consumption and let it cool prior to use. Boil tap water for at least one minute before cooling and drinking it, using it for washing fruits and vegetables, or using it for brushing teeth.

Bottled water is acceptable for those purposes, as well.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors are dismissing several criminal charges and traffic tickets against people arrested by an Iowa police officer who is no longer considered credible. Cedar County Attorney Jeffrey Renander said Tuesday his office is dismissing cases tied to officer Robert Smith “in the interest of justice.” He says his office has concluded it is unlikely to obtain a conviction in criminal cases where Smith is the primary or only state witness.

Court records show that cases involving at least three people have been dismissed since Friday, and Renander says more will be tossed in coming days. Smith resigned last week as an officer in the town of Durant, after video surfaced showing him striking a motorcyclist during a 2017 traffic stop. He previously worked 30 years for the Iowa State Patrol.

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) — A reward has been doubled to $50,000 for information leading to an arrest in the slayings of two Iowa cousins. Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers said Tuesday the increase was possible because of a donation from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. Waterloo Police Department investigator Brice Lippert coordinates the Crime Stoppers program, and he says the Crime Stoppers reward is separate from another reward being offered for a conviction in the case.

Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins were 10 and 8 when they disappeared in Evansdale on July 13, 2012. Their abandoned bikes were later located on a trail near Meyers Lake in Evansdale. Hunters found their bodies at Seven Bridges Park in rural Bremer County, about 25 miles from where they disappeared, on Dec. 5, 2012.