(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Supreme Court heard oral arguments, Wednesday, from two public-sector unions that are challenging a 2017 law that limits collective bargaining rights. The law bars most public unions in the state from negotiating things like health insurance and overtime in employment contracts. But it doesn’t apply to unions made up of at least 30 percent public safety workers. Lawyer Mark Hedberg, representing AFSCME Iowa council 61, says the law is unconstitutional because it gives some public safety workers fewer collective bargaining rights than others. “Campus police are excluded. They do the identical work of any other police force in the state of Iowa,” Hedberg says.

The attorney representing the state, Matt McDermott, says lawmakers had legitimate reasons for the differing policy.  “They were trying to limit the number of people that would be subject to these enhanced bargaining rights,” McDermott says.

He says that would ensure that some police would still be working if others went on strike. The Iowa Supreme Court heard the arguments and will issue a ruling at a later date.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:25 a.m. CST

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — Voters in the Bettendorf school district have rejected a proposed $30 million bond issue to renovate several school buildings. The Quad-City Times reports that more than two of every three voters cast ballots Tuesday against the bond. The money would have been used to remodel, renovate or improve the district’s high school and middle school, as well as Herbert Hoover, Paul Norton and Neil Armstrong elementary schools over the next 3-to-6 years.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Police in a suburban Des Moines city say the shooting death of a man inside a home was accidental. Urbandale police say the shooting happened late Sunday night when 20-year-old Anthony Taylor accidentally shot himself inside a friend’s home. Police believe Taylor was handling a gun when he accidentally shot himself.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Sen. Charles Grassley says President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen may be truthfully pleading guilty to federal crimes, but he doubts Cohen can be believed when he implicates the president in crimes. Cohen was sentenced to prison Wednesday in part for campaign finance violations tied to illegal payments made during the campaign to women alleging they had affairs with Trump. Cohen says he paid them at the direction of Trump, potentially implicating the president in a crime.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — A 19-year-old Iowa man has been arrested hours after police say he stabbed his grandmother to death. Darian Lensgraf was arrested in Muscatine after a convenience store clerk called 911 to report that he was in the store holding a bloody knife. About 15 minutes earlier, police had received another call reporting that a woman was found stabbed to death at a home in Muscatine.

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — Voters in the Bettendorf school district have rejected a proposed $30 million bond issue to renovate several school buildings. The Quad-City Times reports that more than two of every three voters cast ballots Tuesday against the bond, which would have increased local property taxes.

The money would have been used to remodel, renovate or improve the district’s high school and middle school, as well as Herbert Hoover, Paul Norton and Neil Armstrong elementary schools.

Superintendent Mike Raso had said that if the bond were approved, the projects would have been completed in phases over 3-to-6 years. Without the bond, it will take between 12 and 15 years to accomplish everything on the list.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education has officially set April 2^nd, 2019, as the date for a Special Election for a $9.2-million bond referendum to carry out school building and site improvements. A petition with 55 signatures was submitted to the administration, requesting the Board call for a special election on a bond proposition. Afterward, Board member Alison Bruckner made the motion to approve a Resolution calling for special election, and seconded by Kristy Pellett. All Board members voted in favor.

The Atlantic School Board held their meeting at the Achievement Center on S.W. 7th Street, Wednesday evening

The Resolution states: “Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District, in the Counties of Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $9,500,000 for the purpose of furnishing, equipping, constructing, improving, repairing, and renovating school buildings and improving the sites thereof at the school district’s existing school buildings located in Atlantic, Iowa, including without limitation: (a) renovating, equipping and improving the football field/track/stadium, team building, concession and related buildings/site improvements, (b) renovating, equipping and improving  the softball/baseball fields and related buildings/site improvements, (c) constructing, relocating, equipping and improving tennis courts and related buildings/site improvements, and (d) improving and realigning a roadway for smoother access to the elementary school and connection to the middle school?”

If approved during the Special Election, the indebtedness of the district will be in excess of 1.25-percent of the assessed valuation of taxable property in the School District. The polls for the April 2nd, 2019 Election will be open from 7-a.m. until 8-p.m.

Last month, the Board, along with members of the Facilities Planning Committee, an engineer and financial expert met at the High School to discuss a proposal for a bond referendum calling for up to $9.5-million to improve certain district facilities. Superintendent Steve Barber told KJAN News afterward, that the proposal concentrates on improvements to the Middle School and redoing the softball/baseball diamond, refurbishing the Trojan Bowl, creating a road from 11-th to 14^th to help with the congestion that occurs at Washington during student drop-off and pick-up. He said basically the scope is centered around creating safety at the Middle School Athletic Facilities, and making all of the facilities ADA compliant and accessible to everyone.

Some of the proposed improvements to the Trojan Bowl include using an all-synthetic turf, a new and wider soccer field, a four-lane rubber track, visitor parking, and new bleachers with 1,500 seat capacity on the home side and 500 seat capacity on the visitor’s side. The proposal also includes lighting and sound improvements, and a new scoreboard. The baseball and softball complex improvements would include new dugouts, batting cages, six tennis courts and lights at the existing high school practice field.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved seven requests to participate in the Retirement Incentive Program. The Board also approved Early Resignation Incentives, which calls for a stipend in the amount of $500 for the participants.

The Empowering Adair County Foundation (EACF) has awarded funding for fifteen projects/programs for the grant cycle of 10-15-18.

Front Row (left to right): Danielle Morgan (Adair County ISU Extension), Stacie Hull (Greenfield Chamber/Mainstreet), Tyson Sickles (Fontanelle Fire & Rescue), Lynn Hansen (Boys & Girls Club of Central-Southwest Iowa, Inc), Mandy Breheny (Adair County Fair Foundation), Kristen Renslow (City of Stuart), Hesper Jameson (Warren Cultural Center)
Middle Row: Mary Dunn (City of Bridgewater), Grace Evans (Ag 4 All), Annie Brincks (Adair Public Library), Anna Shilling (Greenfield Public Library), Melissa Menefee (Fontanelle Public Library)
Back Row: Jim Stalder (Iowa Aviation Museum), Matthew Heinz (Adair Fire & Rescue), Sharon Mensing (Orient Public Library), Beth Baudler (Ag 4 All) (Photo submitted)

The following organizations received funding:

·        Ag 4 All – Project: Celebrating Our Communities; Celebrating Agriculture

·        Adair County Fair Foundation – Project: Adair County Fairgrounds Campground Electrical Hookups Extension

·        Adair County ISU Extension – Project: Youth Hunger Project; Club House Wolverines After School Program

·        Adair Fire and Rescue – Project: New Gear Lockers

·        Adair Public Library – Project: Summer Library Programs

·        Boys & Girls Club of Central Southwest Iowa, Inc. – Project: Daily Stations Enhanced

·        City of Bridgewater – Project: Bridgewater Park Electrical System Improvement

·        City of Stuart -– Project: Stuart Waste Receptacles Project

·        Fontanelle Fire and Rescue – Project: Power Cot Purchase

·        Fontanelle Public Library – Project: Summer Library Programs

·        Greenfield Chamber/Mainstreet – Project: Wayfinding System

·        Greenfield Public Library – Project: Summer Library Programs

·        Iowa Aviation Museum – Project: Collecting and Recording Historical Information

·        Public Resource Technology Center (Orient Public Library) – Project: Summer Library Programs

·        Warren Cultural Center – Project: Warren Cultural Center Programming 2019

Grant applications were scored and reviewed by the Empowering Adair County Foundation Committee members. Applications were scored on the following criteria: Completeness of Application; Benefit to Adair County Residents; Support of Entrepreneurial Activity, Community and Leadership Development; Identification of Community Needs; and Addressing Community Needs. The Committee’s recommendations were sent on to the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines for final approval of grant disbursements.

Empowering Adair County Foundation (EACF) was formed in 2005 to coordinate and provide philanthropic support for community betterment and to enhance the quality of life for communities in Adair County. The Foundation is governed by a 9-member board representing all areas of Adair County. For more information, visit the website http://www.extension.iastate.edu/adair and scroll down the homepage to the EACF logo and links.

Two people suffered minor injuries during a collision that took place at around 8:02-a.m. today (Wednesday), in Stanton. The collision happened in front of the Viking Center, after a 2007 Ford Explorer driven by 16-year old Rylan Houston, of Stanton, took off from the stop sign at the intersection of Hilltop and Elliott Streets, and was struck by a 1999 Buick Century, driven by 44-year old Tanya Danick, of Stanton. A front seat passenger in Danick’s car, Faith Ogletree, complained of a headache, was checked by Stanton Rescue personnel, but refused further treatment.

Three-year old Addison Danick, of Stanton, was a rear seat passenger in the Buick. She suffered a cut when she bit her lip as a result of the crash. Two other children, ages one and two, were uninjured. All three of the children had been secured in child safety seats. Houston, and a passenger in the SUV, also escaped injury. Damage from the collision amounted to $10,300.