DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Bicycle Coalition announced today (Wednesday) that HF 2568 passed the Iowa Senate unanimously without debate today and will be sent to the Governor for signature. The measure previously passed the house in February with a large majority.

HF 2568 establishes critical protections that benefit everyone who uses crosswalks including pedestrians, cyclists, and other people on any other mobility device or personal conveyance. The legislation was led in the Senate by Iowa Senator Mark Lofgren and in the Iowa House by Representative Thomas Gerhold.

Luke Hoffman, Executive Director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition,  said in a statement on the bill’s passage, “Inevitably everyone will use a crosswalk as a pedestrian, so passing this bill is a clear and convincing victory for the individual rights of all Iowans. This bill closes a loophole in state code that brings us in line with surrounding states including Nebraska which already affords the same protections to all pedestrians regardless of your form of transportation.

“Whether you are out on the trails as a cyclist, a person with disabilities in a wheelchair, a senior citizen on an electric scooter, a kid on a skateboard, or a parent with a baby in a stroller, it’s a win for all Iowans. No matter if you are traveling in a car, by foot or by bike, your safety matters, and you deserve the peace of mind to know you are afforded the same individual rights as everyone else by the State of Iowa.”

Hoffman said also, “The Iowa Bicycle Coalition commends the legislators who worked hard to pass this bill and our friends in our coalition including AARP who supported this bill with us and the University of Iowa Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Safety Lab researchers who helped develop the brief on the impact of this policy on Iowans.”

(Radio Iowa) Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that lets Iowa law enforcement arrest and deport people who are in the country illegally. Reynolds says the law will give Iowa the power to enforce U-S immigration law, something Reynolds says President Biden is unwilling to do.

The law, which will go into effect July 1st, would let Iowa judges issue deportation orders. It’s similar to a Texas law that’s on hold due to a court challenge and a lawsuit may block Iowa’s new law as well. Last month, after the bill cleared the legislature the executive director of the A-C-L-U of Iowa said the policy would consume already strapped law enforcement resources and lead to racial profiling.

Governor Kim Reynolds held a news conference in her Iowa Capitol office on April 3, 2024. (RI file photo)

Federal courts have previously ruled that the federal government has sole authority to enforce immigration laws. Reynolds says the Biden Administration is failing at that task and putting the protection and safety of Iowans at risk.

(Radio Iowa) – Changes in tax structures mandated by the legislature are forcing smaller Iowa communities to make difficult cuts to recreational programs, like in the northeast Iowa town of Waverly which is having to close its community swimming pool. Anne Duncan is coach of the Waverly swim club, which serves about 80 kids during the summer. Duncan says those children say they feel as though they’ve lost a home.

“They’ve found a place and they have found a community in swimming,” she says, “and they felt like that was threatened when the pool wasn’t going to open.” The summer swimming team has been a staple in Waverly for nearly 50 years, but the city was forced to cut one-point-eight million dollars from its budget, and pool services were a part of that. Duncan says she’s concerned about the future safety of the kids who won’t have access to the pool, swim team or not.

“When those kids become teenagers and young adults, are we going to see an uptick in aquatic-related accidents?” Duncan says. “Especially for families that might have a financial barrier to private lessons or group lessons and they never get that formal education, going to the pool is the only way they learn.”

Duncan says her team members have petitioned the city council with their concerns. The team involves youth from five additional communities outside Waverly. The town is considering building a new pool, which would displace the swim club and residents for at least two more years.

(Coon Rapids, Iowa) – No injuries were reported when a semi hauling grain flipped over and on landed on its side this (Wednesday) morning, about two-miles east of Coon Rapids. The accident happened at around 11:45-a.m. on Highway 141, between County Roads N36 and N33 and County Road N70. Additional details were not immediately available.

DES MOINES — Governor Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education today announced $900,000 in competitive grants to help more Iowa children and teens access nutritious meals and snacks during the summer months. The grants will support school districts and other qualified organizations to serve additional communities through expanding participation in two existing federally funded summer child nutrition programs.

The Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option, administered by the Iowa Department of Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, help ensure Iowa children ages 18 and under have access to healthy meals and snacks during the summer. Through the new state-directed Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant, additional summer meal sites will be launched through these two existing federal programs to serve more children in currently underserved areas across the state.

“Providing young Iowans with access to free, nutritious meals in their communities during the summer months has always been a priority,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds. “With the Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant, we will expand these well-established programs across our state to ensure Iowa’s youth have meals that are healthy and use local community farms and vendors when possible.” 

Qualifying Iowa schools participating in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program may apply as either a Summer Food Service Program or Seamless Summer Option sponsor. Private nonprofit organizations, community and faith-based organizations, higher education institutions and local government agencies are eligible to participate as a sponsor for the Summer Food Service Program.

“Through partnerships with community-based providers and schools, the Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant will build upon family-focused solutions to support child nutrition and well-being in the summer,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “The Iowa Department of Education remains committed to supporting students with healthy meals and food options, as it supports communities in growing the impact of existing child nutrition programs.”

Summer meals can be served at a variety of sites within the community, such as schools, churches, community centers, parks, libraries and camps. Prospective new meal sites must be located in an area where at least 50 percent or more of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Priority consideration will be given to applicants that establish a new open meal site, where all children ages 18 and younger are served. Summer Food Service Program or Seamless Summer Option sponsors that did not operate in 2023 or are in a county with two or fewer current meal sites will also be given stronger consideration.

“Many children rely heavily on these meals during the school year to provide them with the fuel and nutrition to grow healthy and become successful–the summertime is no different,” said Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Director Kelly Garcia. “Together, we are leveraging public-private partnerships to care for our children most in need.”

Eligible current and new sponsors that plan to add open meal sites may apply for reimbursement funding for up to $10,000 for the first new site and $5,000 for each additional site. Current sponsors may apply for a total of $20,000, and new sponsors can apply for up to $30,000. Sponsors who did not participate in 2023 and intend to provide meals to targeted groups may also apply for up to $2,500 per site. Allowable reimbursement costs will include items such as local food purchases, program outreach and other operational expenses not currently covered through program reimbursement.

Applications for the Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant are now being accepted at IowaGrants.gov. The application deadline is May 7, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. The number of eligible applicants and corresponding budget proposals will determine the number and amounts of grants awarded.

Additional information on the Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant can be found on the Department’s website.

Funds for the Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant are provided through State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office says two accidents occurred last Friday, one of which resulted in injuries. Authorities say the first accident happened at South 18th and West Boundary Streets, in Clarinda. Alan Marion Searl was driving south on 18th Street. He stopped at the intersection with West Boundary Street and then backed-up to check on a piece of roadway that needed repair. In the process, his vehicle backed into a vehicle driven by Marcia Lea Cline. Both vehicles sustained minor damage in this accident.

The other accident happened at 190th Street and C ave in Page County. Phillip James Ranney was driving East on 190th Street. Just East of C Avenue, Ranney looked out into an open field. One of the vehicles’ tires dropped off the pavement, causing the vehicle to enter a ditch, where it struck a road sign and a fence. Ranney was transported to Shenandoah Medical Center.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports the following arrests took place April 1st through the 9th:

4/1/2024 Brandi Renae Johnson (21) of Clarinda Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for domestic assault. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office.
4/2/2024 Gary Lynn Runyon Jr. (51) of Coin Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail to serve time; Brandi Renae Johnson (21) of Clarinda Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail or violation of a no contact order. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office; Vincent Michael Martin (41) of Imogene Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for an active warrant for assault on a peace officer, disarming a police officer, interference with official acts and assault on law officer. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office.
4/4/2024 Michael Leroy Poore (42) of Essex Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for domestic assault. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office; Rachelle Dawn Hunt (52) of Clarinda Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for an active warrant for two counts of failure to appear. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office at the Douglas County Nebraska Jail; Sayj Elizabeth Martin (26) of Clarinda Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for an active warrant for possession of a controlled substance and driving while barred. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office.
4/5/2024: Sean Dylan Watson (28) of Clarinda Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail to serve time; Corbin Gail Link (26) of Quincy Illinois. Booked into the Page County Jail for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; Nathan Rick Gordon (44) of Council Bluffs Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail on an active warrant for lascivious act with child. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office. Arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail.
4/7/2024 Leanna Louise Berringer (60) of Shenandoah Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for possession of a controlled substance (X2), possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of prescription drug; Zachary Michael Setterburg (45) of Omaha Nebraska. Booked into the Page County Jail for theft, possession of controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and prohibited acts; Blas Rendon Luevanos (22) of Shenandoah Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for domestic assault, criminal mischief and child endangerment; Jessie Gregory McFarland (47) of Farragut Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for OWI and driving revoked; Dawn Lorren Fink-McFarland (40) of Farragut Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for OWI second offense.
4/9/2024 Mark Andrew Devine (31) of College Springs. Booked into the Page County Jail for an active warrant for failure to appear; Cristobal Mercado Serna (64) of Clarinda Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for an active warrant for Lascivious Acts with a child (X2) and indecent exposure.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Police in Glenwood report three recent arrests. Two arrests occurred Tuesday (April 9th): 57-year-old Patrick McDonald, of Glenwood, was arrested for Harassment 2nd degree and criminal mischief in the 4th degree. McDonald was being held without bond until seen by a magistrate judge; and, 19-year-old Cameron Doggett, of Papillion, NE, was arrested for Contempt of court. He was released on his own recognizance.

Today (Wednesday, April 10th), 20-year-old Obbie Avirgin, of Omaha, NE, was arrested in Glenwood for Possession of a controlled substance 2nd offense. Bond was set at $2,000, cash or surety. And, 22-year-old Ceaunie Marks, of Omaha, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Bond was set at $1,000 cash or surety.

Glenwood Police report also, there were no injuries resulting from an accident Tuesday afternoon on S. Locust Street. Authorities say a semi driven by 74-year-old Alvin Henry Horgdal, of Henderson, was traveling northbound at around 3:35-p.m., when the semi/dump truck lost a tire, which rolled and struck a legally parked & unoccupied 2022 Honda Accord in the parking lot at 508 S. Locust Street. Damage to the Honda was estimated at $5,000. The truck also sustained $5,000 damage.

No citations were issued.