County officials in central Iowa who’re acting to raise the local minimum wage are getting criticized for the lower, “starter” wage for teenagers. Polk County Supervisors have voted twice to eventually raise the minimum wage to ten-75 ($10.75) an hour by 2019 — for adults. The county’s ordinance allows businesses to pay workers under the age of 18 a base wage that’s 15 percent below that. Sixteen-year old Alexa Rodriguez says that’s not fair because she does the same work her older colleagues do.

“When there’s a spill in the aisle or when it comes to providing good customer service, I’m able to do all of those,” she says. Des Moines resident Ashley Parker says she had to go to work at the age of 15 to support herself. “I was working many nights and every single weekend because my mom who struggled with addiction wasn’t working,” she says, “and my father refused to help me.” Polk County Supervisor Tom Hockensmith says the two-tiered wage proposal is the recommendation from a task force and is the result of plenty of compromise.

“Is it everything we wanted? Absolutely not,” Hockensmith said at Tuesday’s board meeting. “Is it a good start? We think it is.” Michelle Hurd of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association says with that starting wage, employers can afford to hire teenagers. “It is in the best interest of youth in our state to provide young people with first time job experiences,” Hurd says.

The Polk County minimum wage ordinance gets its third and final reading next week. Officials in three other Iowa counties have passed ordinances to raise the minimum wage at the local level.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A three-judge federal appeals court panel is set to hear a dispute over the $3.8 billion four-state Dakota Access oil pipeline. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is being asked to keep a temporary stop of construction in place while the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe appeals a lower-court ruling from September that didn’t block the pipeline.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University pilots have flown President Steven Leath and his wife to and from the North Carolina city where they own a home and business on several occasions, at a cost of thousands in university donations. An Associated Press review also found the university plane flew Leath’s brother and sister-in-law to and from an NCAA basketball tournament game. The university says all flights have had legitimate business purposes.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — One of the three women who filed a sex discrimination lawsuit against the West Des Moines police chief has agreed to a $30,000 settlement. The Des Moines Register reports (http://dmreg.co/2db5jIh) the city council approved the settlement with former animal control officer Carol Gass on Monday.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — In the wake of recent flooding, some Cedar Rapids property owners have shown interest in moving quickly on flood buyouts. Cedar Rapids television station KGAN reports that the city’s Flood Control Committee heard recommendations Tuesday morning to buy the Best Western Hotel and Cooper’s Mill Restaurant, both located just hundreds of feet from the Cedar River that overran its banks last week. The city has a signed purchase agreement with the owners for more than $5 million.

(Update 4-a.m. 10/5 – Traffic flow in the left lane is no longer restricted according to 511ia.org)

The Iowa Department of Transportation reports traffic is restricted to the left lane on eastbound Interstate 80 due to a truck carrying an oversize load on U.S. 169 under I-80 that hit both I-80 bridges at exit 110. The Iowa DOT has placed a weight restriction of 80,000 pounds and a 20,000-pound axle weight limit for the eastbound I-80 bridge at exit 110. Oversized loads will be routed around the eastbound I-80 bridge using the entrance and exit ramps at exit 110.

Motorists should expect traffic delays in the area. The Iowa DOT’s bridge inspectors are in the process of evaluating the damage. The right lane of the eastbound I-80 bridge will remain closed until that inspection is completed and the bridge is deemed safe.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department Tuesday afternoon, released a report on recent arrests. On Monday, 28-year old Eric Brandt, of Griswold, was taken into custody when officers were called to the 1600 block of 8^th Street for a subject who might be suicidal.  Brandt was taken to Myrtue Medical Center for evaluation.  While at the Myrtue Medical emergency room Brandt allegedly became aggressive and officers were called to assist.  When Brandt was medically cleared by the emergency room staff, he was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and assault. Brandt was later transferred early Tuesday morning to the custody of Pottawattamie County Deputies, for transport to the Pott. County Jail under authority of a warrant for Failure to Appear in Court.

On Sunday, three subjects were arrested in Harlan after officers were called to investigate the theft of a purse from the 1000 block of 7^th Street.  As a result of the investigation a search warrant was served on a residence in the 1300 block of Hawkeye Avenue.  29-year old’s Bryan Schuemann and Jackie Thielen, along with 21-year old Julia Comstock, all of Harlan, were taken into custody and transported to the Shelby County Jail.  Schuemann was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Comstock was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of stolen property theft 4^th, and prohibited acts penalties.  Thielen was charged with theft 4^th possession of stolen property.

And, 48-year old Demetrius Moungo, of Harlan, was taken into custody Sunday, following a traffic stop.  Moungo was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and failure to have a valid driver’s license.

Saturday, Harlan Police arrested 51-year old Amy Jo Ross, of Harlan, after officers were called to the 500 block of Market Street for an intoxicated female.  Ross was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with intoxication in public. Also arrested Saturday, was 48-year old Lisa Giles,of Harlan, following a traffic stop.  Giles was cited for driving under suspension, given a court date and released.

State tax collections increased just one percent over the past three months, far short of the more than seven percent revenue growth that was projected. Legislative Services Bureau analyst Jeff Robinson says it’s too early to detect a big trend, though.
“Yes, the fiscal year is behind estimates at the moment, but that often happens and the year turns out differently than those first three months look,” Robinson says. The state fiscal year started July 1st. During July, August and September, Iowans HAVE paid about four percent more in income taxes to the state.

“But it’s growing kind of at a muted level compared to normal non-recession years,” Robinson says. “Part of that is refund issues.” The State of Iowa has paid a higher-than-normal amount of income tax refunds in the past three months. State sales tax collections have grown more than three percent in the past three months, but Robinson cautions some of that growth came from accounting transactions that aren’t related to actual retail sales. The three-member panel of financial experts who set the official prediction for state tax collections will meet October 13th.

“It’ll be interesting,” Robinson says. “I think people should pay attention to what happens.” The total amount of state spending is based on the predictions from the three-member Revenue Estimating Conference. In the fall of 2009, former Governor Chet Culver enacted a 10 percent across-the-board cut in the state budget based on the group’s decision to dramatically lower its estimate of future state tax collections. Current Governor Terry Branstad has said if state spending plans have to be changed, he will call legislators back into special session to make selected budget cuts.

(Radio Iowa)