DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate approved a bill to provide emergency funds to low-income families struggling to pay their utility bills. The Senate voted 41-to-8 Tuesday to approve the bill allocating money to supplement federal funds. The legislation now goes to the House.

The bill would appropriate $2 million to Iowa’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps people unable to pay their utility bills. The federal government funds the program, but states can supplement it.

Democratic Sen. Liz Mathis, the bill’s sponsor, says soaring propane prices and a frigid winter have left many Iowans struggling to afford heating bills. The program assists families with anything from broken furnaces to emergency propane deliveries. Mathis says funds are dwindling. House Republicans have called for waiting to ensure the extra funding is needed.

Authorities in Montgomery County say a Nebraska woman was cited following a collision this (Tuesday) morning, in Red Oak. Officials say a 2009 Hyundai Elantra driven by 58-year old Heidi Adams, of Papillion, NE, was stopped at the intersection of Highways 34 and 48 in Red Oak at around 10-a.m., when she pulled out into the intersection and hit the passenger side of a 1993 Ford Ranger pickup driven by 74-year old Fred Espinosa, of Red Oak, as he was headed southbound.

Damage from the collision amounted to $7,800. No injuries were reported. Adams was cited for Failure to stay stopped at a stop sign.

(12-p.m. News)

The Harlan Community School Board, Monday, received the initial bargaining proposal from the Harlan Education Association (HEA), which represents the district’s teachers and staff. In a regular board meeting, Brian Kaster, representative of the HEA said they are asking for a 6.92% increase in salary for the staff at the Harlan Community School District. The meeting was just the first of what are usually several meetings between the board and the association. The school board did not make a counter offer, and future discussions will be held in closed session.

In other business, the school board held a public hearing with regard to the High School Gym Air Handler. The district is looking at replacing the air conditioning unit in the High School Gymnasium and held the hearing as required by Iowa Code, because the district will be soliciting bids for a project or projects. Having received no written or spoken comments on the matter, the board approved the preliminary plans for the air handler and moved to request bids for the project.

The board is expected to receive bids and finalize the project at a school board meeting in March. The school district will also be saying goodbye to eight teachers who qualified for early retirement. Superintendent Justin Wagner said teachers taking early retirement had to meet certain qualifications. “They have to be in the district ten years and be 55 years old. Basically that’s the IPERS eligibility age for them. With this group of eight, we have over 260 years of experience walking out the door.”

Wagner discussed the vacancies later in the meeting and said the district has already seen interest, and candidates applying for the positions. In one of the final motions, it was approved to hold a public hearing at the next Harlan Community School Board meeting February 24^th, with regard to the 2014-2015 school calendar.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)