(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is applauding reports that say a bipartisan group of U-S senators will propose a massive economic stimulus package today (Tuesday) after many months of delays. Grassley, a Republican, says he’s encouraged that members of both parties are finally finding common ground in order to help the nation’s struggling economy survive the pandemic. Grassley says, “If it’s got any chance of passing, whatever number it adds up to, all of the components would have to be something where there’s already bipartisan agreement on.”

The 908-billion dollar package is said to include 300-dollars a week in federal unemployment benefits, 240-billion dollars for state and local governments, as well as a six-month moratorium on some coronavirus-related lawsuits. Grassley says if the issues already have bipartisan support, the measure has a much better chance of passing. “There’s just massive numbers of things that don’t get a lot of attention that have that sort of an agreement,” Grassley says. “The figure of 900-billion may be a little bit high but it sure sounds a lot less than two-and-two-tenths trillion is the last thing that Pelosi proposed.”

While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been negotiating with the White House on a stimulus plan since August, Grassley says Senate Republicans have offered four separate plans in recent months, all of which were rejected by Democrats. He says the focus needs to be on things everyone can agree upon. “More money for testing, money for K-through-12 education because our local school districts have a lot of expenses to keep their classrooms open or even for distance learning,” Grassley says. “And then more help for hospitals and front line workers.”

Another area with wide support, according to Grassley, is pumping more federal dollars into small businesses, especially restaurants and the Paycheck Protection Program.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports his officers, Monday, arrested an unidentified 13-year old male from Clarinda, in connection with a string of burglaries that occurred during the early morning hours of Saturday, November 28th. Ding’s Honk-n-Holler Liquor Store, the Clarinda Lied Recreation Center and the Clarinda Community Center were all forcibly entered, resulting in damage and the theft on consumable goods and an undetermined amount of cash.

The juvenile was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Southwest Iowa Juvenile Detention Center pending additional action by the Page County Attorney’s Office and Page County Juvenile Court Services. He is alleged to have committed three counts of burglary in the third degree, theft in the second degree and criminal mischief in the second degree.

An investigation into the burglary and thefts continues.

After being offline for several weeks, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office is once again issuing reports on arrests and incidents. Authorities say at around 7:30-p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 25), Deputies responded to a report of an armed subject, in Oakland. After an investigation, 55-year old Brian Edward Colvin, of Oakland, was arrested: for Harassment in the 1st Degree/Threaten forcible felony; Assault/use or display of a weapon; and Carrying/transporting a weapon in a vehicle. Authorities say the victim in the case was a 40-year old female.

Friday afternoon, Pott. County Deputies arrested 38-year old Nathan Duane Blue in Council Bluffs, for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense – causing injury. Friday night, 47-year old Todd Alan Salmons was arrested following a traffic stop near Avoca. He was charged with OWI/2nd offense. At around 1:50-a.m. Wednesday, 23-year old Sarah N. Gough was arrested in Council Bluffs, on charges that include OWI/1st offense, and Child Endangerment. Wednesday afternoon, Pott. County Deputies arrested 20-year old Isabelle Lyn Chene Narrons, at the Davis County Jail. Narrons was wanted on valid felony warrants through the State of Iowa for: Fugitive from justice; Possession of a controlled substance; Theft in the 1st degree, and Violation of Probation. She was transported without incident, to the Pott. County Jail.

On Nov. 24th, 26-year old Jessica Allouise Simmons was arrested at the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office, after she turned herself-in. Simmons was wanted for Violation of Probation. She was read the warrant and turned over to Corrections staff.  Pott. County Deputies were called to the Administrative Offices of the AHSTW High School on Nov. 24th, with regard to a juvenile female and a possible narcotics investigation. The 15-year old was referred to juvenile court authorities on a Possession of Controlled Substance charge.

And, on Saturday, 55-year old Michael Anthony Weltch, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a Felony Theft in the 1st degree charge. His bond was set at $10,000.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – The Christmas shopping season is underway and an Iowa State University logistics expert says finding the items you are looking for is going to get tougher as we get closer to the holiday. Scott Grawe says the pandemic shutdowns earlier this year caused problems with the shipping containers that are key to the supply chain. “It created this great imbalance of containers — so you’ve got containers that normally would be flowing all the time and making their way back to their original points of origin in China and other places overseas. And now they are stuck in other parts of the globe,” Grawe says.

He is an associate professor and chair of supply chain management, and says it could take some time for the container issue to get worked out. Grawe says the imbalance will likely hit later in the season as the store shelves are stocked right now, but as the shelves empty out, the next wave of products may be more delayed. Grawe says the last couple of years there have already been issues with getting final deliveries done on time in the days before Christmas. “This year you are going to see even more that — because as people don’t flock to the shopping malls and to the big box retailers and other stores — they are instead turning online and they’re letting the U-P-S drivers and FedEx drivers, and Amazon drivers and other delivery professionals take care of that job for them,” according to Grawe.

He says online retailers are already trying to deal with the delivery backup. Grawe says companies like Amazon are encouraging customers to go to brick and mortar stores and other hubs to pick up their products to ease the pressure on delivery drivers. Grawe says waiting until the last minute to order gifts and get them delivered this year is really going to be a risky proposition. “I would say shop early and get ahead — because you don’t want to be really counting on that same day, next day or two-day service right before people are getting ready to open up their presents — because they may not happen,” Grawe says.

Grawe says you can always help your hometown merchants by shopping locally and picking up your gifts. And he says if you get too far behind in shopping — you can get a gift certificate or gift card.

Officials with the Creston Police Department say the Creston Parks and Rec Department reported Monday afternoon, that a slide was vandalized at McKinley Park. The incident happened sometime in mid-June, 2020, and resulted in damage amounting to $9,384.  And Creston man reported to Police Monday morning, that a building he owns at 105 W. Adams Street, was vandalized. A window was broken, with the damage estimated at $1,300.

A Creston man was arrested Monday night. Authorities say 25-year old Austin Blass was arrested at his residence, on two counts of Theft in the 5th Degree. His bond was set at $600.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – The 50-thousand Iowans who are enrolled in the Affordable Care Act health insurance have until December 15th to make changes to their current policies — with the same deadline for new participants. The open enrollment period started on November 1st and takes effect on January 1st. Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen says prices rose quite a bit since the A-C-A was first rolled out in 2014. “The prices got higher and higher every year until it drove about 25,000 people out of the market,” Ommen says. “But since that time, since most of the folks who are still in the ACA market receive some benefit associated with a tax credit system, that market has now remained relatively stable.”

Ommen says he does not believe the COVID-19 pandemic will have much impact on ACA enrollment because the cost of policies is the main factor people use to make decisions. “But if people have been experiencing unemployment, they would actually qualify for Medicaid,” he says, “so this market is probably less related to the changes that might have been occurring due to the pandemic.” Premiums for Iowa non-smokers will average about 530 dollars a month next year, which is down as much as 100 dollars from this year. Ommen says Iowa enrollees in the ACA plans are mostly in one demographic group.  “For people over 65, they’re going to be in the Medicare system, but for folks that are under 65, we have a greater-than-normal participation by people that are middle-aged,” Ommen says. “That is related to the way the pricing structure works and it does drive higher costs.”

That’s one of his main criticisms of the current system, as he says changes are needed in how subsidies and tax credits are calculated for participants. “They’re currently income-only and that does not recognize that younger populations, younger families, have lower risk,” he says, “and so that’s how we ended up with more middle-aged folks in it than is going to be appropriate in order to have an effective, actuarially-based insurance pool.”

Ommen strongly advises people interested in enrolling to start now, go online and shop for a plan, don’t wait until the last minute. He says the Iowa Insurance Division website has a lot of information and help finding local insurance agents who can answer questions. For 2021, Medica and Wellmark will offer ACA-compliant health insurance plans in all 99 counties, while a third company, Oscar, will only offer plans in 24 counties.

A little after 2-a.m. today (Tuesday), Atlantic Fire was dispatched to a possible fire at Duke Aerial, Inc., at Highway 71 and Boston Road. According to Firefighter John Johnson, a propane leak on a line leading to a pre-heat mixer was leaking at a fitting, creaking a sort of “blow torch” effect. No structures were nearby, and no injuries were reported. The owner was notified and the valve was shut-off until repairs could be made.

Crews were on the scene for about 20-minutes.

Cumberland-Massena Rescue crews were dispatched to a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of  Highways 92 & 148 (750th & Richland Road), this morning. The call went out at around 6:37-a.m.  The vehicles are blocking the road at the intersection. Three subjects were in the vehicles altogether. According to law enforcement, two subjects were been injured and transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Massena and Cumberland Fire/EMS.

Photo submitted to KJAN News

The Iowa State Patrol is handling the accident investigation. No other details are currently available.