DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lawmakers in the Iowa House have approved an anti-bullying measure that would emphasize teacher training standards. The House Education Committee passed the measure 19-4 Wednesday. The bill is now up for debate on the House floor.

The legislation would require parental notification in bullying situations, as well as bullying prevention and response training for educators. School officials would also be granted permission to get involved in certain instances of cyberbullying as they pertain to the school.

Some committee members said they wanted the bill to focus even more on training. Republican Representative Quentin Stanerson of Center Point said future discussions on the measure would flush out those details. The education committee in the Senate passed a similar bill Wednesday.

The forecast of blizzard conditions in parts of the state today (Thursday) prompted many legislators to head home last night. Senator David Johnson of Ocheyedan was among them. “Concerned about how road conditions might be when you live probably closer to International Falls than you do to Des Moines,” Johnson says. Johnson was stranded overnight in a pick-up during a blizzard in 1997.

“I ended up in a ditch, tried digging myself out twice and was soaking wet and knew better than to try to walk to the nearest farmhouse — which was about three-quarters of a mile away — in blizzard conditions,” Johnson says. “I was rescued the next morning after sunrise by a couple of high school students who got into a tractor and decided to go into town to see how bad it was.”

Johnson’s pick-up had two fuel tanks, so he was able to start the engine periodically, run the heater and keep himself warm until that help arrived. There are no events scheduled in the Iowa House today (Thursday) and most House members are out of Des Moines. Four committees in the Senate are scheduled to meet and Democrats say there’ll be enough Democrats who’ve stayed in Des Moines so committee work can be done.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Weather officials are predicting several inches of snow over a large swath of Iowa overnight and through Thursday evening. Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg says thundersnow — an area of heavy snow with embedded thunder — could occur today. The winter storm system will be largely out of the state by Friday morning as it moves northeast into Wisconsin.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lawmakers in the Democratic-majority Iowa Senate are advancing a bill that would establish a state facility for delinquent girls. The Senate Human Resources Committee approved the bill yesterday in a party-line vote with eight Democrats in favor and five Republicans opposed. The legislation was originally designed to reopen the Iowa Juvenile Home in Toledo, but now just says there must be a state-run facility for delinquent girls.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lawmakers in the Iowa House have approved an anti-bullying measure that would emphasize teacher training standards. The House Education Committee passed the measure 19-4 on Wednesday. The bill is now up for debate on the House floor.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State has hired Buffalo defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator Maurice Linguist as its new secondary coach. The Cyclones announced yesterday that Linguist has been hired to replace Troy Douglas, who left for Pittsburgh last week. Coach Paul Rhoads says Linguist is a “dynamic personality” who should also bolster Iowa State’s recruiting efforts.

The Atlantic City Council held a shorter than normal session Wednesday evening, due to some items on the agenda being tabled or withdrawn entirely. During the meeting, the Council adopted the proposed Fiscal Year 2015 Budget. City Administrator Doug Harris reminded the Council the budget as submitted amounts to $9,373, 546 (9-million 373-thousand 546 dollars). He said that would generate a 32-cent tax increase or 1.8-percent over the last Fiscal Year.

The Atlantic City Council holds their meeting in the Senior Center while renovations are under way at City Hall.

After adopting the Budget, the Council set  March 12th at 5:30-p.m. as the date and time for a public hearing on the budget. After the hearing, the Council may decrease the budget, but cannot increase it. And, because the budget must be filed with the State and County Auditor’s Office by March 15th, the Council will hold back-to-back Wednesday meetings on March 5th and 12th instead the 5th and 19th as would normally be the case.

In other business, Doug Harris recommended the Council table action on approving a Resolution accepting Public Improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. He said the final bills for the plant are in, and it turns out Hawkins Construction owes the City $5,361 net. Harris said before the City settles with the Contractor, they still have leverage with liquidated damage it could assess, and/or go after the Performance Bond.

The issue the City has with the company was over the matter of defective work on the blower building caused by settling ground, which was due to improper compaction of fill materials. In his report to the Council Harris said he has held discussions with CGI Communications, Inc. in Rochester, NY. (www.cgi.com). The discussion centers around a proposal to add a video feature to the City, Chamber and CADCO websites.

It’s meant to showcase Atlantic to visitors, help retain and attract residents and businesses. The National League of Cities is promoting the feature, and about one-dozen towns in Iowa are looking into signing-on. Harris said there would be no cost to the City. There would be two or three one-minute video clips highlighting education, housing and recreational opportunities.

Harris said he’s expecting a call from CGI next week to continue discussions.