Two state anti-drug groups are launching a series of town hall meetings that will be held in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. The focus is on how each of the counties is addressing substance abuse. Peter Komendowski is president and C-E-O of the Partnership for a Drug Free Iowa, which is working with the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy on the statewide effort.

“One of the reasons we do it is that the governor’s office and our legislators actually like hearing what we find,” Komendowski says. “They’re interested in what’s going on in Iowa because at some point, the voters will speak out in the polls but the elected officials need to know what’s going on so they can be proactive while they’re in office. It’s not just about getting elected. It’s about doing a good job.” These town hall meetings are an opportunity for Iowans to speak their minds, he says, and to have their concerns transmitted directly to the state leaders who may be able to make a difference.

Komendowski says, “Knowing that these concerns are there and the community can rally together to work on these issues I think empowers them to put into play the kind of legislation it’s going to take to have strong and effective drug policy that gives the coalitions, the drug treatment people and law enforcement the tools that they need to keep our communities safe.” The project, he says, is a blueprint for healthy communities for the state. The goal is to tour all 99 counties by the end of next year and present the information to state lawmakers in early 2016. Town hall meetings have already been held in Webster City and Jewell, with more scheduled in the coming weeks in Clinton, Shenandoah and Iowa City.

Learn more at the website: www.drugfreeiowa.org

The two major party candidates for the U.S. Senate spoke to a crowd of Iowa business leaders Thursday afternoon. Republican Joni Ernst outlined her record as a member of the state senate and called for junking the federal tax code, while Democrat Bruce Braley laid out a series of steps he says the federal government could take to boost the nation’s manufacturing sector. Ernst spoke first.

“We need to start by lowering taxes immediately on our hard-working families, but then working over the long term to scrap the existing tax code and work toward something that is fairer, flatter and simpler,” Ernst said. “Something that is much more competitive.” Braley says the U.S. has to do what competitors like China, India, the European Union and Russia have done and develop a national strategy to boost manufacturing and a national infrastructure plan.

“Every year Texas A&M publishes a report on the hidden costs of our failure to meet our aging infrastructure problems,” Braley said. “The latest report estimates we pay a hidden tax of $121 billion because we’re failing to meet these infrastructure needs. They delay the shipment of the goods you manufacture and cost all of us money.” Braley suggested creation of a new bank that could pool public and private resources to finance critical infrastructure projects in the U.S. The two were the final speakers at the day-long Advanced Manufacturing Conference sponsored by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry. Ernst was asked what could be done to increase the number of American workers who have the necessary skills to work in the manufacturing sector.

“The federal job training programs or workforce investment programs, I believe there are 40, 45 or so more programs, but they all overlap in one way or another and they’re administered by nine different departments and it becomes so very confusing,” Ernst said. “…What we need to do is really streamline down our job training programs, make them much more efficient and much more effective.” Braley called for making the federal tax credit for research and development permanent, along with changes in federal grants for students attending community colleges and technical schools.

“Pell Grants which are available over a nine-month academic year penalize community colleges that are helping to train your workforce for tomorrow because many of those students are on year-long programs and the lack of Pell Grants for many of these students in that summer semester poses a substantial economic challenge for them,” Braley said. Go to www.radioiowa.com to listen to all of what the candidates had to say yesterday (Thursday). The two candidates are scheduled to debate one another Saturday night in Davenport.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A lawyer for a female prison guard suing Iowa for sexual harassment says the Department of Corrections practice of allowing violent inmates to watch sexually graphic movies encouraged prisoners to harass and threaten her. Kristine Sink’s attorney, Paige Fiedler, told jurors in closing arguments yesterday that Sink tolerated threats of rape and murder. She is seeking up to $4.5 million for emotional distress. Sink contends supervisors at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison allowed harassment by inmates and co-workers.

WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Waverly say a longtime city employee has died while working at a site. City administrator Phil Jones tells the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier 62-year-old Dan Sinnwell, a senior employee in the city’s engineering department, collapsed Wednesday morning.

MONTROSE, Iowa (AP) — Officials in the southeast Iowa city of Montrose are considering banning residents from keeping a variety of livestock within city limits. The Keokuk Daily Gate City reports the Montrose City Council discussed a ban last week and could take up the matter again at its November 6th meeting. Montrose is a city of about 900 residents along the Mississippi River.

Police in Audubon are warning residents to lock their vehicles! In the past several weeks, as recent as this (Thursday) morning, a few vehicles in the City of Audubon have been entered and had items such as wallets, purses, checkbooks, and loose change stolen. All the vehicles that were entered were unlocked, making it very easy for the criminal.

Officials say the suspect in the Thursday morning thefts wore a black hooded sweatshirt and black sweatpants. The only other description of the suspect is that they are of medium build. The incident in question happened at about 6-a.m., in the 200 block of Scott Street, in Audubon.

Police are asking residents not to leave your personal items in your car and to keep it locked. If anyone has any information regarding these incidents, please contact the Audubon Police Department at 712-563-2500.