The Creston Police Department reports one person was arrested Wednesday night. 34-year-old Matthew Rinehart, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a charge of False Report of [an] Indictable Offense to a Public Entity. Rinehart was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Some of the latest local/area news at 7:07-a.m., with Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – Brides who want intricate braids, up-dos or chignons for their wedding day could have a professional stylist on site if a bill that cleared the Iowa House becomes law. Representative Ann Meyer of Fort Dodge explains: “It will allow licensed cosmetologists to practice cosmetology at a wedding venue, on the day of the wedding,” she says. “Currently they can only practice in a licensed salon.”

In addition to hair styling, some licensed cosmetologists do nails. That means if this bill becomes law, brides could get touch ups on their manicures and pedicures at their wedding venue, too. Hair salons took a hit during the pandemic as they were closed for weeks last spring to curb the spread of Covid. Supporters say this bill could provide cosmetologists with a welcome source of new income.

A Red Oak man was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant, Wednesday evening. Red Oak Police report 22-year old TYson Joseph Uhlmann was arrested at around 7:50-p.m. in the 2400 block of N. 8th Street. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $2,000 cash-only bond.

(Radio Iowa) – All Republicans and ten Democrats in the Iowa Senate have passed a bill designed to penalize cities that “defund” the police. Republicans senators passed another bill that would boost penalties for rioting. Senator Julian Garrett, a Republican from Indianola, says it’s about supporting law enforcement officers who dealt with violent rioters last summer.

“Those are folks out violating the law,” Garrett said. “That’s why we’ve got these provisions…to try to make the penalties enough that people will think twice about it.”Garrett’s bill would keep arrested protesters in jail for 24 hours before they’d be eligible for release. Garrett calls it a cooling off period.

“Someone who is out rioting and violating the law who is arrested, just hang onto them a little while so they don’t go right back out and start rioting again,” Garrett said. Democrats called Garrett’s list of enhanced penalties extreme. Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines, says Republicans seem to have forgotten why people were protesting last summer. “We’re acting now like it was an isolated incident of a bunch of nuts that came out and just started destroying property. We’re not ever talking in this place about the inequality,” Bisignano said.

“…It’s like the freedom of speech, you only get excited when we don’t like what somebody says…You didn’t like what you saw last summer, but what I saw last summer was frustrated people who have been mistreated for hundreds of years.” Senator Kevin Kinney, a Democrat from Oxford, is a retired Johnson County Sheriff’s deputy. He questions boosting the penalty for criminal mischief — for painting graffiti, breaking windows or defacing statues.

“Do we really want that to be a Class D felony that affects a kid the rest of their life?” Kinney says. The bill also creates a new crime called “interference with public disorder control.” Senator Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs, is a special agent with the Division of Criminal Investigation. “What our law enforcement saw around the Capitol last summer that while there were many peaceful protesters to show up…there were also actors out there who decided to agitate,” Dawson says.

Dawson says it’s a charge that could be leveled at someone who does something like throw tear gas canisters back at police.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans on a senate committee have voted to phase OUT the state inheritance tax. The bill also would accelerate the plan to phase IN state income tax cuts. Democrats oppose the moves, warning the state’s budget could take a billion dollar hit in a couple of years. Senator Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, says the original plan in 2018 put guard rails in place, so income tax cuts were only triggered if total state tax revenue rose to certain levels.

“So that deep cuts were not going to be required on public safety — we would not have to defund the police,” Jochum said, “that we would be able to meet our obligations on educating our children and all those other services and programs that Iowans need.”

Senator Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs, says for Iowa to be more competitive, the tax burden must be lowered. “It’s permanent tax relief for a vast majority of Iowans who earn income in our state,” Dawson says. And Dawson says the state doesn’t have a compelling interest to collect inheritance taxes. “Whoever you choose to give your money to in the end after you pass from this Earth, it’s between you and the individual and not some concocted, morbid, 24-page section of code that says that you can do this at 0% or give it to this person at 15%.”

Under current Iowa law, lineal descendants — that would be children, grandchildren and great grandchildren — pay no income tax on inherited property. Brothers, sisters and inlaws pay between five and 10 percent, while uncles, aunts and cousins could pay up to 15 percent.

A woman from Missouri was injured during a collision Wednesday afternoon, in Fremont County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 61-year old Barbara Simmons, of Fairfax, MO.,  was injured when her 2014 Chevy Cruze struck the rear of a 2008 Ford Expedition. The accident happened at around 4:30-p.m. at the intersection of Highway 2 and 195th Street, near Sidney. Simmons – who was not wearing a seat belt – was transported by Sidney Rescue to CHI Hospital, in Nebraska City.

The Patrol says the Expedition, driven by 61-year old Tad Nenneman, of Sidney, was stopped behind a vehicle on eastbound Highway 2 at 195th Street, and waiting to turn left onto 195th, when the eastbound Chevy failed to stop for reasons unknown, and struck the SUV from behind.

Following the collision, the Chevy spun off the road and just into the eastbound ditch before coming to rest. The SUV came to rest on the traveled portion of the road.  The accident remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Sidney Fire and Rescue.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Jurors have acquitted an Iowa journalist who was pepper-sprayed and arrested by police while covering a protest, in a case that critics have derided as an attack on press freedoms. A jury on Wednesday acquitted Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouri and her ex-boyfriend on misdemeanor charges of failure to disperse and interference with official acts. The two were arrested last May while Sahouri was covering a Des Moines protest over racial injustice. Sahouri told reporters after the trial that she was relieved by the quick acquittal, which she called a victory for press freedom and democracy. She also said the case had taken a toll on her personally and professionally, but that she would continue reporting the news.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa woman and former paralegal working for the federal Justice Department has been sentenced to six months in prison for leaking the identities of informants working with federal authorities in a drug trafficking case. The Justice Department said in a news release that 37-year-old Danielle Taff, of Ankeny, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty in November to one count of fraud.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An organization representing Iowa’s Hispanic population has filed a lawsuit to challenge a new Iowa voting measure passed with only Republican votes a day after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed it into law. The League of United Latin American Citizens is represented by Washington-based voting rights lawyer Marc Elias in the lawsuit filed in state court in Des Moines. The law shortens time for voters to cast mail ballots, reduces days voters can request a ballot and shortens the time polls are open on Election Day. The lawsuit claims it creates an undue burden on the fundamental right to vote citing numerous violations of voters’ constitutional rights.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — As Iowa ramps up vaccinations to include everyone between age 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions, the state has turned to the honor system with no validation required when someone claims to qualify for a shot due to a health issue. The state is allowing adults Iowans to get vaccinated if they have any one of several conditions including cancer, lung disease and heart disease that create a higher risk for severe illness if they get a coronavirus infection. Obesity and smoking also qualify. Iowa health officials say the system is relying largely on Iowans being honest about their health when arranging for a vaccine. Gov. Kim Reynolds says the process is working well.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education, Wednesday evening, voted 4-to 1, with Nick Hunt against, extending the mask mandate until April 5th. The expectation remains in place that masks will be worn when social distancing is not possible. Their decision followed a lengthy discussion, which included acknowledgement the County’s positivity rate is under 10-percent, and that most teachers who wanted the COVID-19 vaccine have, or will receive it before Spring Break.

Hunt said he was in favor of doing away with the district imposed mandate, at least with regard to students being outside during recess, because “I think we’re over the period where somebody is going to get really sick and die, and we’re not talking about the staff. The staff had an opportunity to get a shot.”

In other business, the Atlantic School Board passed a Resolution approving the plans, specifications, and form of contract, for the High School Parking Lot and Sidewalk Improvements. Their action followed a Public Hearing, during which no one made written or spoken comments on the project. Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm, said there were six bids, all of which came in under the engineer’s estimate of $728,892. The low bidder was Precision Concrete Services (PCS) of Atlantic, at $620,084.30. Sturm will send out the contract for the project, on Thursday.

The School Board expressed their frustration with the status of the district’s facilities project. Superintendent Steve Barber said it despite the fact the weather has cooperated, they’ve experienced issues with the original PCC (Portland Cement Concrete) contractors, another one has taken over. As far as the time frame is concerned, completion of the baseball/softball complex will depend on how much grass is seeded in the outfield, and at the high school, some grading is needed on the dirt work and rocks on the infield. However, because the asphalt plant isn’t likely to open until the second week in April, “it will be nearly impossible to get that track done before the end of May,” according to Mr. Barber.

Dave Sturm added “everything hinges on the asphalt plant opening-up.” In other business, the Board approved Superintendent Barber’s recommendation for the following changes to the 2020-21 School Calendar, to make-up for lost hours on snow days:

• Add May 27th & 28th. Dismiss 1.5 (90 minutes early) on Friday
• Go to school all day on May 26th and May 19th.

Those changes, he says, would result in a total of 14.5 hours, and bring the total to 1,082.5, which meets the state requirements, and provides flexibility, he says, “in case we need to start school one-day late.” Barber says “If additional time is lost, we would have to look to have full days on Wednesdays, to still get students out before Memorial Day.” Teachers, he said, will need to return for three-days, after Memorial Day.

The Atlantic School Board approved the following resignations:

• Connor Larson, HS PE/Weight Training/Health Teacher, & MS Football/Assistant Wrestling Coach
• June Halder, Washington Elem. Secretary
• Riley Speer, Washington Elem. Office Paraeducator
• Jennifer Rumery, Food Service.

And, they approved the following Contract Recommendations:

• Mark Anderson, HS Boys Soccer Coach
• Payton Wilkenfeld, Jalen Petersen and Roger Warne: HS Track Volunteer Coaches
• James Northwick, HS Tennis Volunteer Coach
• and Cal Heuton, HS Boys Soccer Volunteer Coach.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds, Wednesday, signed Executive Order 8 launching a new Child Care Task Force to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the child care shortage and barrier to work in Iowa. The governor also announced awardees of two child care grant programs totaling $13,053,372 and contributing to the creation of more than 4,000 new child care slots across Iowa.

“When we remove the obstacles to high-quality, affordable child care, our families can nurture their kids while maintaining maximum freedom to enter and remain in the workforce,” said Gov. Reynolds. “Today’s announcement will further our efforts to provide high-quality, affordable access to child care in every corner of the state.”

The Department of Human Services and Iowa Workforce Development worked together to strategically award $12,052,958 from the DHS Investing in Iowa’s Child Care funding program and $1,000,414 in Child Care Challenge grants to all eligible applicants throughout the state. Child Care Challenge grants support community projects to establish local childcare facilities, while the DHS funding provides support for equipment, personnel, training, and supplies for new or ongoing child care facilities.

“The Child Care Challenge was created to bolster and support innovative partnerships between leaders in the community and key stakeholders in the private and public sector,” Gov. Reynolds continued. “Today’s investment allows us to leverage existing resources from DHS to further grow the scope of our program.”

“As a working mom, I know how important child care is. Child care is the backbone of our workforce and serves as an early learning platform for our children,” said Director Kelly Garcia, Department of Human Services.

“This is a big day for workforce development in Iowa because of the significant investment we are making in expanding child care availability through our investments in 64 different projects around the state, ” said Director Beth Townsend, Iowa Workforce Development.

To capitalize on this investment, and in furtherance of the recommendation of the Governor’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, Governor Reynolds announced an executive order to establish a new Child Care Task Force, led by Emily Schmitt with Sukup Manufacturing. In 100 days, the task force will present recommendations to the Governor to address Iowa’s child care crisis.

Additional members of the task force representing business, non-profit and community organizations, child care providers, and local government include (but are not limited to):

• Dianna Williams, Ann Wickman Childcare Center YMCA in Atlantic
• Jenna Ramsey, Stanton Community Development 
• Raven Walker, Child Development Home Provider, Council Bluffs