Hospitals around the state are projecting a slight increase in birth rates. Nurse Deborah Tell at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines says the economy is finally stable enough for people to have children.  “You know I do think it has increased, especially here at our hospital. You know I look at the national statistics that have said the last few years the birth rates went down, but now they are coming back up again,” Tell says. Tell says the weather in the winter months at the start of the year can sometimes have an impact on the birthrate.

“We can look back and see when there was maybe a major storm and schools were closed and businesses were closed — or if it’s extra cold and people don’t go out as much,” Tell says. The eighth and ninth months of the year, August and September, are known for having some of the highest birth rates of the year.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democrat Bruce Braley is focusing on policy in his bid to win Iowa’s U.S. Senate contest and his recent television ads have featured others talking about the four-term congressman’s record. Braley’s Republican opponent Joni Ernst has built her campaign around telling voters her story as a down-home farm girl and military veteran. A poll of likely Iowa voters released Wednesday by Quinnipiac University showed Ernst leading Braley 50 percent to 44 percent. The poll — which had a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points — was the first recent survey to show Ernst with such a lead.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad issued a disaster emergency proclamation yesterday regarding four Iowa counties in response to recent severe weather. The proclamation covers Adair, Guthrie, Ringgold, and Warren counties following severe weather and heavy rains on September 9th.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport alderman has defended his right to carry a concealed weapon into City Hall. Alderman Bill Edmond told the Quad-City Times on Tuesday that he carries his weapon for personal protection.

OELWEIN, Iowa (AP) — The former mayor of a northeast Iowa city pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges alleging he sexually abused two girls. Court records show 36-year-old Jason Manus entered the plea to five counts of second-degree sexual abuse. The former mayor of Oelwein was scheduled to go on trial October 8th.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones announced during Wednesday’s City Council meeting, that action on a request to vacate a Lot in the Southern Heights Subdivision Second Addition would not be taken during the meeting. Instead, he said the matter being sent to the Community Development Committee for further discussion, because the “Language was not quite right.”

Southern Heights II Subdivision. (Courtesy Don Sonntag)

Local developer Don Sonntag asked if there would be a timeline for the transferring of the street vacation. Jones said there would need to be a date set for a public hearing after the matter comes back from the Community Development Committee, and the hearing held before any further action could be taken. Sonntag said he has two units “spoken for,” but he can’t get started until the vacating of the street is approved.

In a letter to the Council, Sonntag said the City of Atlantic’s Planning and Zoning Commission “Has thoroughly discussed, reviewed and unanimously voted twice that [the] street easement is not needed, and the layout [he] presented to them was discussed for approval.” Sonntag Development, LLC is considering building a total of more than 30 condominium units over a period of time, which he says would bring in a minimum of $215,00 in tax revenue annually for the City. He said “…if [the] land is not vacated, [the] project will not proceed.”

In other business, the Council set October 1st as the date for a public hearing on the disposal of City properties located at 1200 Birch and 1106 Poplar Streets. The lot on Birch Street is vacant, while the other property has a house on it. After the public hearing, the person who buys the property on Poplar Street would be responsible for tearing the house down. Mayor Dave Jones also set October 31st as the date for Halloween trick-or-treating. The hours are from 5-to 7-pm.

And, the Mayor made mention of efforts to bring an electronics recycling service to Atlantic. The company would bring a tractor trailer to the community that would allow old TV’s, microwaves, computers and other small electronics for free drop-off and recycling. It would cost about $5,000 to bring the service to town for a limited time. The Public Safety Committee would be responsible for coordinating the date and times. Donations to help pay for the service will be solicited from public sponsors, and maybe the Community Protection Committee. More details on the program will be released later.