(Radio Iowa) – Advocates for prisoners says Iowa’s new system of screening mail that’s sent to inmates is confusing and hard to navigate. All non-legal mail is sent to a third-party company to be opened, screened and scanned, then a color copy is sent to the inmate. Professor Alison Guernsey, in the University of Iowa College of Law, says communication between inmates and people on the outside is valuable in maintaining strong connections.

Guernsey says, “I think taking that away from people really contributes to the overall dehumanization that prison inflicts and makes it harder for people to feel like they are still members of their families, still members of their community.”

The new policy was instituted after it was found people were soaking letters in drugs and sending them to inmates who could chew the paper to ingest the drugs. Guernsey, who’s director of the UI’s Federal Criminal Defense Clinic, worries about whether the policy could have negative effects for inmates. “My first gut instinct, when I heard that Iowa DOC was transitioning to a photocopy mail system,” Guernsey says, “was that it was yet another way in which we deny people that we incarcerate a bit of their humanity.”

Guernsey says communication between inmates and people on the outside is valuable in maintaining good relationships and she says this new policy chips away at that. “There is value and humanity in the physical mail that people receive,” she says, “from the smells of their house, to the ability to touch the words on the page and maybe feel the cursive of their husband or wife, or to be able to see the crayon drawing that their seven-year-old child made for them.”

Nancy O’Geary Smith has a son in an Iowa prison and used to send him mail frequently, but she says the new system is confusing and made it difficult to communicate in a system that already has a lot of rules and policies. “It’s very frustrating,” O’Geary Smith says. “They say they want interaction with loved ones, but what they are doing is a contradiction. It is the definite opposite.”

The policy was instituted in July over concern about drugs, particularly a synthetic drug known as K-2, getting into prisons through the mail. The Iowa Department of Corrections says people can continue to send mail to inmates through the postal service, as long as the senders are properly addressing the envelopes with the right information and the mail meets guidelines.

(Catherine Wheeler, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa)  – Campaign finance reports show all but one of the Republicans running for statewide office have a fundraising advantage over their Democratic challengers. That fundraising advantage translates to a sizable campaign spending edge in the governor’s race in particular. Campaign finance reports show Republican Governor Kim Reynolds spent about five million dollars from mid-July to mid-October. Democratic challenger Deidre DeJear spent one-fifth as much and had about 366-thousand dollars left in her campaign account last week. Rob Sand, who’s seeking a second term as state auditor, was the only

Democrat running for statewide office to raise more than their G-O-P challenger. Todd Halbur, Sand’s opponent, ended the reporting period with just about four-thousand dollars in his campaign account. Sand had 600-thousand.

Rick Stewart, the Libertarian candidate for governor, raised about 54-thousand dollars for his campaign from mid-July to mid-October. That includes 25-thousand dollars of his own money. His campaign finance report indicates Stewart spent less than three-thousand dollars on his gubernatorial campaign over that three month period.

Atlantic, IA – SHIFT ATL in Atlantic, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is delighted to announce the purchase of the Sunnyside Putt ‘Em Up from Tim and Cindy Teig.

SHIFT ATL President Jessie Shiels says “After the Teig’s announced they were retiring, we, as a group, thought this could be an exciting opportunity to further our mission by continuing to provide a great recreational opportunity for our community. The space that Tim and Cindy created and maintained for the past 40 years is an incredible asset to Atlantic, and we are honored to be able to carry on their legacy. ”

Pictured left to right: Kat Niemann, SHIFT ATL Board Member, Alexsis Fleener, SHIFT ATL Board Member, Cindy & Tim Teig, Emily Kennedy, SHIFT ATL Board Member, and Jessie Shiels, SHIFT ATL Board Member. Not pictured, Makenzie Bandow, SHIFT ATL Board Member.

The Sunnyside Putt ‘Em Up is currently closed for the season and a grand re-opening will be announced at a later date. Follow SHIFT ATL on Facebook at facebook.com/shiftatl for updates.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s unemployment rate of two-point-seven percent for September is slightly higher than the previous month. Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says it was a tenth of a percent increase. “Certainly the uptick in unemployment is an indication that Iowa is not entirely immune to some of the financial and economic conditions that are being faced around the country with the increase in inflation, supply chain issues,” Townsend says. Several sectors of the Iowa economy recorded job losses last month, while Iowa manufacturers added 600 jobs.

“They’re up over 8800 jobs over the course of a year, so that was good,” Townsend says. “In September we saw the health care and social assistance industries shed a thousand jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities also shed a thousand jobs and finance and insurance also shed 600.” Those 600 job losses were primarily in the insurance industry. The number of Iowans above the age of 15 who are working or looking for a job was about the same in August and September. Federal data shows that so-called labor participation rate in Iowa peaked in 1996 at more than 73 percent and got close to that level at the end of 2008. Over one-point-six million Iowans were working last month — a labor participation rate under 68 percent.

“I do think it’s a good sign for our labor force that the labor force rate remained the same,” Townsend says. “…We do have over 83,000 jobs available in Iowa today.” Townsend says it’s still a buyers market in Iowa if you’re looking for work. “Starting wages are up, employers are looking for new ways to attract a workforce, including changes to shifts, changes to work,” Townsend says, “whatever they can do to retain a good workforce.”

The new state law that reduced how long unemployed Iowans are eligible for benefits took effect July 1st and its potential effect in the state’s unemployment rate could be reflected in October’s data.

(Radio Iowa) – Cherokee County officials say four people were hospitalized after a semi – driven by 61-year-old James Nieuwenhuis, of Hospers – hit a school bus traveling east of Marcus at about 7:35 this (Thursday) morning. The 2011 Bluebird bus was carrying students in the Marcus Meriden Cleghorn Remsen Union (MMCRU) school district. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened as the 2007 Mack semi was traveling north on F Avenue and failed to stop at the intersection with 470th Street. The truck entered the intersection in front of the school bus, which was westbound on 470th. After the bus struck the right side of the trailer, and both vehicles partially entered the ditch northwest of the intersection.

The district’s Facebook page indicates all aboard the bus were evaluated at the scene. Three students and the bus driver 62-year-old Leslie Pedersen, of Cleghorn – were taken to Cherokee’s hospital for treatment of what’s described as minor injuries. The rest of the students were loaded onto another bus and taken to school, where a school nurse and a secretary checked again to make sure they were not injured.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Public Library report the elevator inside the library is in need of a replacement part. Therefore, the decision was made to turn-off the elevator, until the full repair can be done. There is no timeline on how soon to expect the part.

Library Director Michelle Anderson and her staff say :We apologize for the inconvenience but will continue to assist however we can for those who cannot use the steps.” 

Atlantic Public Library (Kathy Somers, photo, via www.atlantic.lib.ia.us)

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports two people were arrested Sunday (10/16): 30-year-old Asher Herrin, of Carroll, was arrested for Theft in the 3rd Degree, and Public Intoxication. And, 24-year-old Jeff Edecker, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

Last Saturday, 60-year-old Julie Peck, of Walnut, was cited and released on a charge of 5th Degree Theft (shoplifting).

On Friday,Oct. 14th, Atlantic Police arrested 33-year-old Antonio Billy, of Atlantic, for Disorderly Conduct and Public Intoxication. And, on Oct. 11th, 45-year-old Samuel Mills, of Atlantic, was cited for Child Endangerment, and released.

Des Moines, IA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa and U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal joins the Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), advocates, survivors, victim service providers, justice professionals, police and first responders, and communities across the United States in observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

For too many victims, domestic violence impacts their life every day. The devastating consequences of domestic violence are widespread and affects the victims as well as the victims’ family and friends, and can cross generations and last a lifetime. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes. These rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence. 

“Domestic Violence Awareness Month reminds us of the human impact of domestic violence and our role along with the dedicated victim advocates, service providers, police and first responders in ensuring that victims and survivors have a path to safety, access to services, and a voice in justice,” said U.S. Attorney Richard Westphal. “Domestic violence happens in our homes, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, and our communities and a top priority of our office will continue to be assisting victims, prosecuting offenders, and supporting our community’s awareness of available resources.”

Targeting gun violence is a key part of combatting domestic violence and reducing violent crime. Domestic violence abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners, and in addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. Under federal law, people convicted of a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or are subject to a protective order are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. This crime is punishable by up to fifteen years in prison.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE), or the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence at 1-800-770-1650. Additional resources for victims and survivors of domestic violence can be found on the Resources page of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website at https://ncadv.org/resources.