(Radio Iowa) – Three lawmakers have given the green light to a bill that would limit the length of trains passing through Iowa, but all three say it could get stopped in a House committee. The bill would make it illegal for trains to be more than one-point-six miles long. That would be up to 130 rail cars according to Chris Smith of Tama, a Union Pacific conductor and engineer. He’s a local leader in the SMART T-D union that represents railroad workers.

“Currently, there is no legislation that restricts the length of trains,” Evans says. “Right now they’re operating up to 15,000 feet, which is three miles. Infrastructure in this state was never designed to handle that…It blocks crossings in towns for extended periods of time.”

Mike Triplett, a lobbyist for Union Pacific, says train traffic is regulated by the federal government because it’s interstate commerce — and the proposed eight-thousand-500 feet limit on trains running through Iowa is unconstitutional. “If this bill were to pass and Nebraska says I’d like to do one better and we’re going to go 8000 and then Illinois goes 6000, the supply chain gets wrecked,” Triplett says.

Brad Epperly, a lobbyist for B-N-S-F Rail, says states can’t preempt federal law when it comes to regulating trains.  “It would be something along the lines of nullification,” Epperly says, “and that was decided by the Civil War.” Republican Representative Brent Siegrist of Council Bluffs has some concerns about the bill, but voted in subcommittee to keep it alive for further debate. “I’ve been stuck like we all have at rail crossings,” Siegrist says.

He said “Once it gets to 100 cars..” he starts getting irritated. Republican Representative Tom Determann of Camanche says lawmakers need to gather more information before taking action on the bill.

“We have some problem in eastern Iowa with the CP/KCS thing and especially so I’m inclined to take it to committee for more discussion,” he said. The merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads is expected to increase train traffic between Sabula, Iowa and Kansas City according to the Iowa D-O-T.

(Radio Iowa) – Relatives of Alexander Jackson reacted after he was found guilty by a Linn County jury Wednesday of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents and sister. The jury didn’t believe Jackson’s claim that an intruder killed his dad Jan, mom Melissa, and sister Sabrina. Jackson’s cousin, Danielle Jackson-Parsons, didn’t either and spoke with KCRG TV after the verdict.

”Alex wanted everyone to think that he was a victim in this case and we’re very glad today that that was proven to not be true,” she said. She says the pain of the family’s loss will never go away.

Relatives say they will not forget slain Cedar Rapids family

”We just want everyone to know that Jan, Melissa, and Sabrina were incredibly loved, and they have a family who loves them and a family that will keep them in our hearts,” Jackson-Parsons said.  Alexander Jackson’s defense attorney, Tyler Johston, tells KCRG TV the defense team believes he didn’t do it, and they plan to appeal.

”Alex is 22 years of age and is going to spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime that he didn’t commit,” Johnston said. “We’re just very sorry for Alex, I feel very bad for him and hopefully we’ll prevail on appeal.” They have 45 days to appeal. Jackson will be sentenced on March 3rd to a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that would let Iowans pay extra for a license plate that bears the message “don’t tread on me” has cleared a Senate subcommittee. If the bill becomes law, a specialty Iowa license plate in the image of the yellow Gadsden Flag would be created, with a three inch tall coiled rattlesnake on the left side of the plate and the phrase “Don’t Tread on Me” along the bottom.

Republican Senator Scott Webster of Bettendorf said he voted to advance the bill out of a subcommittee to continue discussing the proposal. “I have a lot of veterans in my district that I think may be supportive of this,” Webster said.

Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines, opposed the bill. “I do want to emphasize there’s no disrespect in my comments, but it has become a different symbol,” Bisignano said. “It’s become an extreme right symbol, an aggressive symbol, a challenging symbol.” Senator Mike Klimesh, a Republican from Spillville, said he’s not sure whether the bill will get approved in the Senate Transportation Committee, but it’s now eligible for debate there.

Missouri has a license plate similar to what is being proposed in Iowa. (photo from Missouri DMV website)

About a dozen states sell Gadsden Flag specialty license plates, including Missouri and Kansas. The Gadsden Flag design dates back to the Revolutionary War. More recently, Libertarians have used the flag as a symbol of limited government. It was flown at tea party protests against President Obama’s health care law and it was among many banners carried into the U.S. Capitol during rioting two years ago on January 6th.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has been called in to review the death of a child from Emmetsburg.

The DCI says Emmetsburg Police received a 911 call on January 19th about an unresponsive child. Police and EMT’s performed life-saving measures before transporting the child to the Palo Alto County Hospital.

The child was then transferred to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, where it died on January 24th. The DCI was called in after an autopsy was conducted the next day by the State Medical Examiner. No other details on the investigation are being released at this time.

Officials with the Glenwood (IA) Police Department report the arrest on Wednesday (1/25/23), of 22-year-old Desean McVay, of Glenwood. McVay was arrested on a Mills County Warrant. He posted a $2,000 bond and was released from custody.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by the staff and board members of New Hope on Thursday, January 26th, 2023, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Bargain Shoppe location in Atlantic.

New Hope originally began in 1978 with a group of parents that had children with disabilities getting services from organizations throughout the state. The parents decided to open a thrift shop in Carroll to raise money to purchase land that would eventually become a campus for their children to receive the care they needed while being close to home.

Today, New Hope has five Bargain Shoppes in Carroll, Coon Rapids, Perry, Jefferson, and Atlantic. The organization has evolved beyond thrift stores, and now offers day programs and services, residential services, home support, employment services, and are working to add childcare to the long list of services. 100% of the proceeds from the donations and purchases at the New Hope Bargain Shoppe help support New Hope’s mission of enriching the lives of individuals with disabilities.

(Photo submitted)

The Atlantic store is located in the Hy-Vee Plaza in the building previously known as the Salvation Army. New Hope is open to shoppers on Tuesday-Friday 10AM-7PM and Saturday & Sunday 10AM-5PM. Donation items are accepted Monday – Friday 10AM-5PM and Saturday & Sunday 10AM-4PM.

New Hope Bargain Shoppe is located at 1600 E 7th Street in Atlantic. Their number is 712-250-8310.

For more information about the services New Hope provides, how to get involved, or to donate, visit http://www.newhopevillage.org.