Democrats in the legislature says Republicans are “railroading” a bill that narrows union negotiating rights public sector workers. The bill was revealed last Tuesday and it’s likely to be debated in both the House and Senate this week. “Republicans need to slow down the bill on collective bargaining and take time to listen to Iowans.” That’s Senate MINORITY Leader Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids. HOUSE Minority Leader Mark Smith, a Democrat from Marshalltown, says “thousands” of Iowans attended forums and rallies this weekend to raise concerns about the bill.

“Iowans want to be heard on this issue and are fed up with this being ‘fast tracked,'” Smith says. A public hearing on the bill is set to begin at 6 p.m. tonight (Monday) in a statehouse committee room. Nearly a thousand people have registered to speak. House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, the top Republican in the legislature, says the G-O-P is not skipping any of the traditional steps for this bill.

“We’ve said all along we plan to use a pretty normal process,” Upmeyer says. “So the bill was introduced, subcommittee, committee, public hearing and then we’ll have a full debate on the bill.” However, the length of the debate may be measured in days rather than hours. The Democratic leader in the senate says Democrats intend to discuss each of the 67 sections of the bill in detail.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University has lost an appeal in a federal free speech lawsuit that affirms student rights regardless of political viewpoint. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Monday that ISU administrators including President Steven Leath violated First Amendment rights of two students who were top officers of the ISU chapter of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws.

The students planned to print T-shirts depicting the school mascot and a marijuana leaf but Leath and others claimed it violated the school’s trademark policy. The appeals court upheld a federal judge’s ruling that declared the school’s policy violated the students’ free speech rights and barred the university from prohibiting printing the T-shirt.

The case drew support from conservative Christian groups which say they’ve faced free-speech discrimination on campuses.

Iowa’s cattle producers are asking their fellow Iowans to help find Iowa’s Best Burger in 2017. In this year’s quest, the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) are encouraging you to nominate your favorite burger, whether it’s gourmet or down-home style. This is the eighth year the two groups are holding the annual Iowa’s Best Burger contest, which officially kicks off February 13. All nominations must be in the IBIC office by 5 p.m. on March 13, 2017.

In order to recognize these great burgers, IBIC and ICA are asking Iowans to nominate their favorite burger for the award, and those nominations can be made by mail, text, or online. Details about the contest, rules, and nomination forms are available on the Iowa Beef Industry Council’s website, www.iabeef.org. Burger lovers can also find a link to the online nomination form at the Iowa Beef Council Facebook page; or by texting BEEF to 313131. Photos of your favorite burger can be shared socially using #IABestBurger.

Katie Olthoff, Director of Communications for the ICA, says “There are three ways to nominate your favorite burger. We are accepting nominations online at www.iabeef.org; by texting BEEF to 313131, which will provide a link to the online voting page, or a paper nomination can be mailed to the IBIC office.”

The nomination period ends March 13, 2017. The top 10 restaurants with the most votes are eligible for the title of Iowa’s Best Burger. The top ten finalists will be announced on March 20. Finalists will receive a certificate and will be eligible for the secret taste-test of contest judges. The 2017 Best Burger in Iowa will be announced on May 1 and will kick-off May Beef Month.

In 2016, more than 6,200 nominations for 311 restaurants were received in the contest. The final winners in previous years are: 2016 – The Chuckwagon Restaurant, Adair; 2015 – The Cider House, Fairfield; 2014 – Brick City Grill, Ames; 2013 – 61 Chop House Grille, Mediapolis; 2012 – Coon Bowl III, Coon Rapids; 2011 – Rusty Duck, Dexter; 2010 – Sac County Cattle Company, Sac City.

Authorities say a Des Moines woman was murdered early this (Monday) morning by her estranged husband who was also killed during a police chase. Police and first responders were called to a home at 2:30 A-M on a report of a stabbing and found the body of 51-year-old Rasema Keco. The suspect was identified as her husband, 58-year-old Ekrem Keco. They no longer lived together and there was a no contact order on Mr. Keco for a child who lived at the house.

Within minutes, police in Altoona spotted the man’s vehicle but he refused to stop. During the chase, police say it appears Keco stabbed himself in the neck, then rammed the back of a semi-truck on Interstate 80 near Mitchellville and was killed. The woman’s death is the seventh homicide in Des Moines this year.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two Atlantic men were arrested on drug charges, Sunday. 35-year old Aaron Lee Latus was arrested for felony Possession of Meth 3rd/Subsequent Offense. Latus was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond. And, 26-year old Troy David Garrison-Romick, was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine 2nd Offense and Possession of Marijuana 2nd Offense. Garrison-Romick was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $3,000 bond.

On Saturday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 42-year old Matthew Paul Hardick, of Council Bluffs, on a charge of OWI/2nd Offense. Hardick was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $2,000 bond.