As Iowans head off on their summer vacations, more of them are taking their work along for the trip. A survey by the staffing service Robert Half International shows 68-percent of people on vacation still check in with the office or do work online. Mike Gremmer, regional vice president for Robert Half in Des Moines, says that number took a big bounce since the last survey in 2012. “It’s up 20% so that’s up what I would consider substantially,” Gremmer says.

Today’s electronic gadgets are making it harder and harder to unplug, even if the boss isn’t demanding you stay in close touch. “Definitely the advancements in technology and on-demand access to financial information is making it so much easier and tempting,” Gremmer says. “As far as how much is self-inflicted versus the boss, I think a lot of it is self-inflicted, to be honest with you.”

He says workers sometimes feel obligated to check in with the office because their boss set that trend. Supervisors should reverse that habit, if possible. “There’s a way you can do that by setting the expectations with your team members and then sticking to it,” Gremmer says. “It also gives one some work-life balance. It shows your team that if you’re leading by example and if you’re doing it, then they will do it as well.”

Gremmer says everyone needs to recharge their own personal batteries while on vacation, and not the ones on their smart phone, laptop or tablet.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Court of Appeals rules the Dunkerton School District superintendent’s search a football player’s gym bag in 2013 was legal. Mar’Yo Lindsey was seriously injured during a football game and was taken to the hospital. Lindsey asked about his gym bag several times — which raised concern and prompted the Dunkerton superintendent to confiscate and search the bag.

The search turned up a loaded gun and drug paraphernalia. Lindsey was charged and later convicted of possession of a firearm as a felon, carrying weapons on school grounds, going armed with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a controlled substance.

The district court denied Lindsey’s request to throw out the evidence on the grounds the search of the gym bag was an unconstitutional invasion of his privacy. The Iowa Court of Appeals upheld Lindsey’s conviction — saying as a student athlete using a school-issued equipment bag — Lindsey had a lowered expectation of privacy.

The court says the superintendent knew of previous drug and weapons charges against Lindsey, and Lindsey’s preoccupation with his bag while in the hospital would have led a reasonable person to suspect the bag contained something illicit. Lindsey is serving consecutive sentences on the charges, which means he could spend five years in jail.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Court of Appeals says there’s not enough evidence in a Polk County case to show that brass knuckles are a dangerous weapon. Jason Eaton was pulled over in April of 2014 after a deputy noticed the windshield on his pickup was cracked. Eaton told the deputy he had a set of brass knuckles in the glove box because friends of his ex-girlfriend had been bothering him.

Eaton was charged and entered a written plea to carrying weapons. He later asked to have the plea thrown out — saying his lawyer had given him insufficient representation as prosecutors did not prove the brass knuckles were a deadly weapon. The Iowa Court of Appeals says there is a question as to whether all brass knuckles can be considered deadly. It says there was no evidence presented, and Eaton did not admit that his set of brass knuckles were deadly.

The Appeals Court vacated Eaton’s sentence, but sent the case back to district court to allow the state a chance to present more evidence on whether Eaton’s brass knuckles may be a deadly weapon.

(Radio Iowa)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says a Bellevue, NE., man was arrested Tuesday night on drug charges. 20-year old Chey Matthew Bullis faces charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug paraphernalia after the Mills County K-9 was used to locate the drugs. Bullis was being held on $1,300 bond in the Mills County Jail.

On Monday, deputies in Mills County arrested 45-year old Tony Dennis Gustin, of Omaha. Gustin was charged with Theft in the 2nd degree and hold on $2,000 bond.

And on Sunday, 19-year old Mariah Clare Storrow, of Plattsmouth, NE., was arrested in Mills County on a warrant for Failure to Appear in court. Her bond was set at $1,000.

(12-p.m News)

The Atlantic Police Dept. reports the arrest on Tuesday of 26-year old Kasandra Mesa. Officials say the Atlantic woman was arrested on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault. Mesa was booked into the Cass County Jail.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s public universities can’t be sued for allegedly refusing to pay their share into a state program that subsidizes insurance for Iowans with health risks. The Iowa Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal Wednesday of a lawsuit that seeks millions in assessments from the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

The Iowa Individual Health Benefit Reinsurance Association contends that the universities, like other agencies that offer self-funded health insurance plans, are legally required to pay those fees. ISU and UNI had paid them for years but all three universities refused to participate when the University of Iowa became self-insured in 2010. The Board of Regents contends the schools aren’t covered by the law.

The court says the program doesn’t have the authority to sue.