Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — Authorities say a Wyoming man has been ordered to pay $373,000 in restitution and penalties for allegations that he convinced two Iowa residents to invest in his company and then used the money to pay his personal credit card bill. The Casper Star-Tribune reports that the Iowa Insurance Division in August ordered Bruce Hauptman to pay the restitution.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A man who mailed at least 45 pounds of methamphetamine from Arizona to Iowa has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors for Iowa say 38-year-old Anthony Robert McCarron, of Dubuque, was sentenced Wednesday in Cedar Rapids to 190 months in prison. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine near a school and money laundering.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republicans in control of the Iowa House have announced their proposal to cut state taxes, but it’s unclear if it has support in the GOP-majority Senate. House leaders released a plan Wednesday that they say would cut state tax revenue by $1.3 billion over five years. It would keep a contested deduction on federal income taxes known as federal deductibility.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Camanche woman has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for carrying out insurance fraud involving a fire that destroyed her boyfriend’s vacant house. Federal prosecutors for Iowa say 42-year-old Beth Galloway was sentenced in Cedar Rapids’ federal court. She was also ordered to make $152,875 in restitution. Galloway was convicted last month by a jury of mail fraud, using fire to commit mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Investigators in Pottawattamie County, Wednesday, filed criminal charges on a man who is alleged to have enter a home on Coldwater Avenue in rural Honey Creek, early Monday morning. A resident saw an unknown male with long hair and dressed in a black hoodie inside their home. While police were investigating the scene, another report came in about a similar incident in a different jurisdiction. The same subject was believed to be involved in both incidents. A man was arrested, and later identified as 49-year old John A. Pehanich, of Council Bluffs.

John Pehanich

Pehanich was charged with Burglary in the 2nd Degree and two counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree. He was arrested Monday in Fremont County, on charges connected with the theft of a semi from Omaha. The vehicle was later recovered in Thurman.  Evidence located by both Pottawattamie and Fremont County investigators, along with assistance from the public led to the charges being filed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republicans in control of the Iowa House have announced their proposal to cut state taxes, but it’s unclear if it has support in the GOP-majority Senate. House leaders released a plan Wednesday that they say would cut state tax revenue by $1.3 billion over five years. It would keep a contested deduction on federal income taxes known as federal deductibility.

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, a Clear Lake Republican, says the House plan “tweaks” a tax bill proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, who suggests cutting $1.7 billion in tax revenue over six years. Senate Republicans passed a bill earlier this session that would eventually cut $1 billion in taxes annually.

Upmeyer says their plan is a “wonderful first start,” an indication she anticipates changes. Tax-writing committees in both chambers are scheduled Thursday to review possibly competing versions of the bill.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A man who mailed at least 45 pounds of methamphetamine from Arizona to Iowa has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors for Iowa say 38-year-old Anthony Robert McCarron, of Dubuque, was sentenced Wednesday in Cedar Rapids to 190 months in prison. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine near a school and money laundering.

Prosecutors say McCarron was living in Phoenix when he shipping packages of “ice” meth in 2016 and 2017 to another man in Dubuque. The Dubuque man paid for the meth by shipping packages of cash to McCarron. Prosecutors say the two used aliases when shipping the drugs and money.

The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday night, approved the hiring of Fort Madison (IA) Activities Director Andrew Mitchell, as Assistant High School Principal and Activities Director for the Atlantic School District.

Andrew Mitchell

Superintendent Steve Barber made the recommendation for the Board to approve Mitchell to succeed Matt Alexander, who has accepted a position as Superintendent of the OA-BCIG School District.
Barber said Mitchell has been the A.D. at Ft. Madison, for the past five-years.

Prior to that, he served as the Principal for a school district in Illinois, and an Assistant Principal and A.D. for two other districts. Barber said Mitchell “Impressed the interview team with his authenticity and passion for kids’ positive relationships. His experience with the finance and management of activities in a 3A/4A school, benefits Atlantic in the transition, as we look for great individuals to lead at the high school and our activity program.”

Barber said Mitchell will be working closely with Matt Alexander during the transition phase. The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday night, also approved the resignations of Andrea Reilly, TLC Model Teacher, Paul Iekel, Achievement Center 6-12 Teacher, and Lisa Munsey, 8th Grade Math Teacher/Track Coach, 7th Grade Volleyball Coach, MS/SE TLC Supporting Instructional Coach.

Steve Barber recommended, and the Board approved, the hiring of Hillary Zimmerline as Math Teacher. She has four-years experience in that subject, serving in a neighboring district. They also approved Molly O’Hare as Assistant Softball Coach this Summer. And, the Atlantic School Board approved the 2018-19 School Calendar as proposed, along with the 2018-19 Certified Budget.

And, a Public Hearing will be held May 9th at 5:30-p.m., with regard to an amendment to the 2017-18 budget. The amendment is necessary, due to some discrepancies between what different governmental agencies have on file for the Certified Budget.

More than 70 teachers, and in some cases their family members, attended the Atlantic Board of Education meeting Wednesday night, to present their concerns and frustration with what they understood would be a zero percent increase in their pay raise and supplemental pay, in light of declining enrollment and questions over State Supplemental Support, which is still being debated in the legislature.

Some of the more than 70 estimated teachers and families who attended the Atlantic School Board meeting. (Ric Hanson/photo)

The first to speak was Lisa Krogman, Title 1 Reading Teacher at Washington Elementary School, who’s been an educator for 27-years. Krogman said teachers take on many different roles inside and outside of the classroom, and in many cases spend their own money for supplies. She said those efforts are paying off in the form of Iowa Assessments and other criteria.

She said they feel like they are worth “More than zero,” on their pay increase and Supplemental pay. “We are disappointed that you [The Board] doesn’t feel the same way, that you maybe don’t feel that we’re valued, because we work really really hard.”
Carolyn Hunt, Elementary Behavioral Interventionist, said “We are discouraged, and quite frankly insulted, to hear about the opening proposed lane freeze one-time payment and zero raise in supplemental pay.”

She said it seems like a “Slap in the face for the services that we all provide.” She said the staff questioned “Why do we need to save money in this way, what are other alternatives to saving the district money, or are we just the easiest cut?” Liz Reid, Middle School Special Ed Teacher, a sixth-year teacher in the district, said her  concerns with a possible zero-percent raise, lies with the rate the district is losing coaches, sponsors and teachers.

“We need to be a district that attracts good coaches, not one that pushes them away. We currently have a large and growing coaching shortage in our district. We need to be asking ourselves ‘are activities a priority?’ Do we want good coaches? If so, how should we prioritize funds to show coaches and sponsors that they are needed and valued?”

Last year, she said, “Our coaches received a whopping $40 raise. Is it any wonder why our coaches are resigning?” The district has eight teachers who are leaving at the end of the current school year, and seven coaching positions that now need to be filled. School Board member Jenny Williams strongly encouraged teachers and their families to take the passion they have for their pay, and storm the Iowa Legislature to voice their outrage and concerns.

Williams said the Board has “No intention of not giving the raises…that is not how it’s going to end up. But when it comes down to it, we are only getting so much money, and we need to be at the capital and saying these things. She said they should “demand more pay” from the State. “It ends with us,” she said, “It doesn’t start with us. We are not bad people. We think you’re amazing.”

The simple fact, she said is that “We’re dying. We’re down 32 students this year. I don’t know what we can do to change that.” Board President Ally Bruckner said nothing had been decided with regard to a raise in the base salary and step schedule, contrary to rumors, and that some of the issues raised by the teachers are covered in the handbook, and cannot be included in negotiations with the Teacher’s Union.

Bruckner said also, that by law, that while negotiations are underway, the Board cannot openly speak with regard to what has been discussed during those sessions. She encouraged the teachers to talk to their union representatives, “Because they’re your voice at the negotiations table.”