Governor Terry Branstad is asking state workers to accept a pay freeze for the next two years — and to cover more of their own health insurance costs. Governor Branstad’s lead negotiator in contract talks presented the pay and benefit proposal Friday. In mid-November AFSCME — the union that represents the largest share of state workers — launched the latest round of contract talks by asking for wage increases of one percent next year and two percent the following year. Not only is the Republican governor asking for a two-year pay freeze, he wants employees to give up four holidays and pay 20 percent of their health insurance premiums. The governor’s lead labor negotiator says union leaders have done “an outstanding job” in the past decade in bargaining, but he suggests state worker pay is too high and state workers have too much power when it comes to workplace grievances and “bumping rights” during layoffs. Long-time employees who’re laid off can take jobs still held by workers with less seniority. The governor is seeking changes in those areas, too. AFSCME’s leader calls the governor’s proposal “appalling” and an attack on “basic union rights.”

(Radio Iowa)

An illegal immigrant from Mexico who was caught in Iowa has been sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison. On November 30th of 2009 Juan Cardona-Tinajero was convicted of a drug crime in Iowa District Court in Woodbury County and deported. This past May Cardona-Tinajero was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped in western Iowa by a state trooper and he’s been in federal custody ever since. He’s now 23 years old. This summer he admitted to reentering the country illegally. In late November he was sentenced to 30 months in a federal prison.

Forty-seven-year-old Javier Garnica-Rodriguez, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced to six months in federal prison. Garnica-Rodriguez was being held in the Webster County Jail for driving without a license when federal authorities picked him up. Another man, 38-year-old Jose Bautista-Perez of Mexico, has also been sentenced to six months in federal prison. He was caught by Homeland Security agents doing a records check to see if deported immigrants had returned to the U.S. Both Bautista-Perez and Garnica-Rodriguez had been deported once before.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Concert and Angels of Christmas presentation is set to take place Saturday, Dec. 8th. The concert will be held at the First United Methodist Church at 800 Poplar Street. Chamber officials say the seats traditionally fill up fast for what has become a holiday tradition for many. The concert begins at 7-p.m., however those who arrive early will hear a violin prelude by local instructor and performer Pat McCauley.

Coordinated by Guy Somers of Somers Guitar, the Holiday Concert will officially begin with the Atlantic First United Methodist Joy Ringers Bell Choir directed by Sheryl Sunderman. Adults and teens comprise this well-seasoned group of ringers. The finale  features area youth who represent the Wilson Performing Arts Center’s Southwest Iowa Youth Chorale, directed by Terra Marsden. The choral consists of nearly 20 auditioned third to eighth graders from around the Southwest Iowa region.

The Holiday Concert is once again sponsored by two local business women, Jan Kinnison and Rebecca Power, whose ventures include Aunt B’s, Bonnesen’s, J&R Tax Service and Unique Salon and Spa. The concert is free and open to the public. Another part of the evening is Stifel Nicolaus’  “Angels of Christmas” presentation. The recipients of the award embrace the true meaning of giving and holiday spirit, according to Stifel Nicolaus branch manager Larry Turner. Two recipients are selected each year. The announcement will come a surprise, during the Concert, with the winners recognized in front of the audience and honored with a special gift from Stifel Nicolaus representatives and the Chamber.

More information about the Holiday Concert, Angels of Christmas presentation and other holiday happenings can be found at ChristmasInAtlantic.com or by contacting the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at 712.243.3017.

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce said Friday, that their “Scrooge” contest, which serves to raise funds and collect non-perishable good for the Atlantic Food Pantry, is over, and the winner of this year’s contest is Melanie Petty, representing the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund, who collected 6,367 donations.  Oddly enough, her donations represented the lowest cash total of all the candidates, with 6,017 of her points coming from food items. Each food item counts as one unit and each dollar counts as one unit. Overall, the Scrooge contest brought in a total of 17,542 donation units. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans donated supplemental funds to each candidate for the benefit of the food pantry.

Atlantic’s 12th Scrooge will take her place at the head of the Lighted Christmas Parade on Saturday (Dec. 1st) at 6 p.m. on Chestnut Street. Petty will be leading Saturday’s lighted parade as Grand Marshal on the Wal-Mart sponsored float. The other four Scrooge candidates (Frank Rizzo, Mark Jacobsen, Greg Franken and Bruce Kreutzer) will also be featured behind her in a limousine. Eleanor Hoover, Scrooge contest coordinator, said many thanks go out to the five candidates for their tireless efforts in the contest which benefits the Atlantic Food Pantry and many community members throughout the whole year.

Prior to the parade on Saturday, there will be carriage rides, Santa will be in his cabin at the City Park, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and there will be living window displays, which are available for viewing beginning at 5-p.m., in downtown Atlantic.