(Radio Iowa) – It’s the end of the 2022 Iowa legislature’s 12th week and some of the priority issues Republican Governor Kim Reynolds unveiled in January remain in legislative limbo. Reynolds wants to establish state scholarships for parents to send their kids to private schools. Senate Republicans voted for her original plan last year — and this week they passed the governor’s revised proposal. Speaker Pat Grassley says Republicans in the HOUSE are working through concerns raised by rural lawmakers, discussing alternatives, trying to line up more yes votes.

“Ultimately at the end of the day from our perspective, we understand that you’re not going to get every single piece in every bill,” Grassley says. “That’s just the legislative process. There are some things that we hope to work on with the Senate and find some common solutions.” Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Ankeny, says any adjustments House Republicans hope to make have to get a go ahead from the governor.

“We’re on the same page with the governor. It’s a very important thing in our eyes to get done and now it’s the House’s court and hopefully we can get something done on that,” Whitver says. “…This is one of (the governor’s) major priorities for the year, so I’m not going to unilaterally negotiate with (the House GOP). It’s going to have to go through the governor.” Reynolds says she meets regularly with these two leaders and is optimistic they’ll find a path forward.

“As we get down to, hopefully, the last few weeks of the legislature — so who’s ready? I am! God bless them. I love them. At one point, I was a legislator…so everybody’s talking. That’s a good thing,” Reynolds told reporters earlier this week. House AND Senate Republicans have voted for the governor’s plan to reduce the maximum number of weeks someone can receive unemployment from 26 to 16 — but only the Senate has agreed to a one-week delay in payment of the first week of unemployment benefits.

“We’re one of the few states that don’t do that. Almost every other state does,” Reynolds says. “Iowa is really an outlier when it comes to that.” Whitver says these two moves have been priorities for the governor from day one of the 2022 legislative session. “And we passed exactly what she laid out and the House has watered that down a little bit,” Whitver says. “We’ll see if we can find agreement on that and everything else here at the end.”

Grassley says House Republicans approved the major piece of this particular puzzle — reducing the duration of unemployment benefits by 10 weeks — to ensure the solvency of the fund that covers the checks. “That’s the good news, that on that piece, it looks like there is that level of agreement,” Grassley says.

Reynolds, who served two years in the state senate, says momentum for reaching agreements and ending the 2022 legislative session will build — as the temperature OUTSIDE the Capitol rises and it feels more like spring planting season.

(Emerson, Iowa) – A narcotics investigation Thursday evening in Mills County resulted in the arrest of two men on drug charges and separate warrants. According to the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, deputies conducted a narcotics investigation in Emerson, at around 6-p.m., Thursday. During the course of their investigation, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle just south of Emerson, on Highway 59.

Authorities say during the traffic stop, the driver, 41-year-old Louis Hardrock Younger, of Bedford, and his passenger, 37-year-old Andrew Thomas Copeland Falk, of Council Bluffs, were arrested on several felony charges, including the delivery of methaphetamine.

Records indicated Younger was also wanted on a nationwide felony warrant out of Washington State, for narcotics-related offenses. Falk was also found to have a nationwide warrant out of Pottawattamie County, where he was wanted for Parole Violation. Both men were transported to the Mills County Jail. In total, more than 38 grams of meth were recovered.

Assisting Mills County deputies during the investigation, was the Mills County K9 Unit and Drone Team, the Montgomery County K9 Unit, and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies.

(Radio Iowa) – Two Republican voters are asking a judge to rule that Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abby Finkenauer failed to qualify for the June Primary ballot. Finkenauer’s campaign was required to submit petitions from at least 19 counties showing the signatures of at least 100 eligible voters had been collected in each county. On Tuesday, the State Objections Panel decided some of signatures on her nominating petitions were invalid, but she had enough.

Republican attorney Allen Ostergren argued during Tuesday’s hearing that more signatures should have been thrown out. He said the panel was not following the same standards in Finkenauer’s case as it used on the first case of the day — and more signatures for Finkenauer should have been thrown out. In the morning, Secretary of State Paul Pate and Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg were the Republican majority on the Objections Panel. In the afternoon, it flipped to two Democrats — Attorney General Tom Miller and State Auditor Rob Sand.

At the conclusion of the Objection Panel’s review, the final tally on Finkenauer’s petitions from Allamakee County was just 100 signatures. Petitions from two other counties ended up with just one extra signature above the minimum requirement. Finkenauer’s campaign manager says the court challenge shows the GOP is insecure about Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley’s reelection and “terrified of a matchup” with Finkenauer.

Two other Democrats running for the U.S. Senate have qualified to have their names printed on the June Primary ballot. Mike Franken is a retired Admiral from Sioux City. Glenn Hurst is a doctor from Minden.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man was arrested Wednesday afternoon after Montgomery County Deputies investigated a reported suspicious person in the area of 1969 Evergreen Avenue. During their investigation, 64-year-old John Richard Mullenix, of Red Oak, was identified as the subject in question. After he left the scene in what was described as a careless manner and failed to yield to emergency vehicles, he led authorities on a chase.

Mullenix was finally stopped and taken into custody. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail, and held on $2,000 bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man was arrested following the theft of a vehicle from Griswold. Authorities were notified about the theft late Wednesday night. The vehicle was located near the 1100 block of Highway 48, and a traffic stop was initiated.

The driver of the vehicle (subsequently identified as 31-year-old Eric Vannausdle, from Red Oak) refused to yield and led deputies on a chase through Montgomery County. The chase finally ended when the vehicle ran over spike strips and became disabled.

Vannausdle was arrested and charged with Theft in the 2nd Degree. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $6,000 bond, with additional charges pending in Montgomery County.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County, Thursday, reported that three individuals were taken into custody on felony charges connected with a burglary and attempted burglary in the county. Authorities say 38-year-old Garret Allen Horgdal, of Henderson, was arrested March 8th, 38-year-old Jannell Marie Davis, of Henderson, was arrested March 11th, and 39-year-old Jacob Kimball, of Carson, was arrested March 30th.

An investigation into their alleged activities began on February 21st. A burglary at 1377 130th Street resulted in the loss of an estimated $117,927 in tools. An attempted burglary at 1172 D Avenue resulted in damage to a door.

The Sheriff’s Department says Garrett Horgdal was originally charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver (Class B Felony) following a traffic stop. He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held without bond. Four additional charges arose after search warrants were conducted on his vehicle and residence. Law Enforcement found three loaded firearms while searching his Chevy Pickup on March 9th. This resulted in three Class D Felony Counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Two days later authorities uncovered numerous suspected stolen tools during a search of Horgdal’s residence at 501 Maple Street in Henderson. The search of the residence resulted in a Theft 1st Degree (Class C Felony) charge against Horgdal along with the arrest of Jannell Davis, who was also charged with Theft 1st Degree (Class C Felony) and transported to the Montgomery County Jail. Davis was arrested again on March 22nd, taken back into custody, and charged with Transfer of a Firearm to a Felon (Class D Felony).

On March 30th, the Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 412 N Commercial Street in Carson. More stolen tools were seized and Jacob Kimball was arrested, for on a Theft 1st Degree (Class C Felony) charge. Tools seized from all three warrants have been identified as those of the 130th Street burglary. The incident remains under investigation.

CRESTON, Iowa – March 31, 2022 – A bridge deck and joint repair project on westbound U.S 34 between U.S. 71 and Montgomery County Road M-65 near Villisca will require reducing traffic to one lane in each direction beginning on Monday, April 4, until Friday, Aug. 26, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston construction office.

Work will begin on the westbound lane of U.S. 34. Temporary barrier rail will be in place. There will be a 12-foot-7-inch lane-width limit restriction during this project.