(Radio Iowa) — The 2020 Iowa Legislature convenes this (Monday) morning, with lawmakers from both political parties pledging action to ease the child care concerns of Iowa parents. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds signalled this past summer she’s exploring a number of options, like tax credits for businesses that provide on-site child care to workers or state grants to help establish new child care centers. There’s also been discussion among Republicans and Democrats about state child care assistance for low-income Iowans. The idea? Implement a gradually diminishing level of child care support as workers get raises, work more hours or take a better job.

Senate President Charles Schneider, a Republican from West Des Moines, says current policy creates a child care cliff. “Right now, if you’re at 144% of the federal poverty level you get child care benefits and if you’re at 145%, they’re completely cut off,” Schneider says, “and that does not incent anyone to work harder or take a promotion.” Senate Minority Leader Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines, says legislators tried in 2015 to begin addressing this issue, but then-Governor Terry Branstad vetoed the additional money. “I’m hopeful with Governor Reynolds calling attention to this issue that we may be able to make some progress on child care,” Petersen says. Senator Schneider is expressing optimism about action.

Republican House Speaker-select Pat Grassley of New Hartford says helping ALL Iowa parents find affordable, quality child care fits with another goal of increasing the number of Iowans in the workforce. Grassley says legislators are also discussing how to address the shortage of child care workers. House Minority Leader Todd Prichard, a Democrat from Charles City, says communities need help in establishing new child care centers.

Senator Petersen says legislators need to provide more money for state oversight of child care operations, to address safety concerns. The legislative leaders made their comments during a forum organized by The Associated Press.

(Radio Iowa) — An Arlington man was arrested Friday after allegedly kidnapping a victim, leading police on a chase and trying to run over officers attempting to put stop sticks on a roadway.
The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office says 20-year-old Maxwell Liebe was arrested and charged three counts of attempted murder of a peace officer, first degree kidnapping, first degree burglary, possession of a firearm as a felon and eluding a pursuing law enforcement officer.

Authorities say Liebe led officers on a chase and attempted to run over officers at a high speed. Stop sticks eventually slowed and stopped the vehicle. Authorities say Liebe was taken into custody. The Sheriff’s office says the victim was found in Liebe’s vehicle bound with zip ties but safe. Authorities say the victim was taken to Palmer Hospital in West Union to be checked for injuries.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Caucuses are three weeks away and a new poll suggests many Iowa Democrats are still evaluating their field of candidates. Daniel Schoenfelder of Newton is like a lot of Iowans who’re planning to attend a Caucus on February 3rd. He hasn’t picked a candidate yet. “Really undecided, so really like to keep all the options open,” he says. For Tom Moburg of Altoona, it’s a coin flip between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. “Probably the one that can take down Trump,” Moberg says. The Des Moines Register/C-N-N Iowa Poll released Friday night showed 13 percent of likley caucus-goers are undecided plus another 45 percent who said they were supporting a candidate indicated they might be persuaded to support someone else Caucus Night.

Sixty-seven-year-old Mary Jane Spies of Ankeny has ruled a couple of older candidates. “Partly because of the age thing and partly because of what they’re suggesting is wonderful, but I don’t see that it can be paid for,” Spies says. “Everybody else that isn’t in that realm they’re so close that I haven’t decided.” Bindy Brown of Des Moines has narrowed her choice down to Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar. So when will she decide? “Caucus Night,” she said, laughing.

Hundreds turned out this weekend to see some of the candidates campaign in Iowa. Tomorrow (Tuesday) night, six candidates will debate on C-N-N. The Des Moines Register is co-host of the event, which will be staged at Drake University.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:48 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Presidential candidates have swarmed Iowa’s rolling landscape for more than a year, making their pitch to potential supporters on college campuses, county fairgrounds and in high school gymnasiums. But three weeks before the caucuses usher in the Democratic contest, the battle for the state is wide open. A cluster of candidates, including Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, along with former Vice President Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, enter the final stretch with a plausible chance of winning Iowa’s caucuses. A poll released Friday by The Des Moines Register and CNN found them all with similar levels of support.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature convenes Monday with majority Republicans in the position to set the agenda for another year. Leaders say top topics likely will include tax policy, finding more workers to fill jobs and funding education and health care programs. The state’s financial condition is good with a surplus of nearly $300 million. Discussion may include providing grants or tax credits to help working families pay for child care, funding the children’s mental health program created last year and considering a sales tax increase to pay for water quality and environmental programs.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Waterloo firefighters rescued two young girls from a burning home. Waterloo Fire Battalion Chief Ben Petersen said the 2-year-old and 3-year-old girls were taken to the hospital after the fire along with an adult man who escaped the home and a firefighter who was injured during the fire. The condition of the home’s occupants wasn’t immediately available Sunday. The firefighter was treated and released. The fire was reported around 12:45 a.m. Sunday. The two girls were rescued from a bedroom inside the home. Petersen said the fire was extinguished quickly, but the home sustained fire and smoke damage.

DOVER, N.H. (AP) — Democratic voters across the country are grappling with a core question as they size up their party’s leading candidates just three weeks before primary voting begins: How much change is too much in 2020? It is a question that has plagued candidates and voters alike over the last year in the Democratic Party’s dire quest to identify the person best positioned to defeat President Donald Trump in November. And on the eve of the party’s first primary contests, voters remain torn over a slate of high-profile candidates — ranging from a self-avowed socialist to a billionaire Wall Street baron — who represent the broad spectrum of change, ideologically and symbolically, that is today’s deeply divided Democratic Party.

BENTON COUNTY, Iowa — Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Sunday, said that around 12:21-p.m. Saturday, a man was shot in the leg in eastern Iowa, while pursuing a coyote across a field. The incident in Benton County happened in a field just north of Highway 30 at 13^th Avenue, southwest of Keystone.

Authorities say 41-year old Brian McManemy of Blairstown, was a passenger in a pickup truck while coyote hunting when one of the firearms in the vehicle discharged and struck him in the left leg. He was transported to a Cedar Rapids hospital with non-life threatening injuries. .

Thes incident remains under investigation by the DNR. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the incident.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – Bernie Sanders found himself on the receiving end of attacks from both President Donald Trump and Elizabeth Warren on Sunday. It’s a reflection of his rising status in the Democratic presidential race and perceived momentum just three weeks out from the Iowa caucuses.

Trump issued a tweet in which he called Sanders “Crazy Bernie Sanders.” But it was Warren who offered the sharpest criticism of the Vermont senator, saying she was “disappointed” by a report that the Sanders’ campaign is instructing its volunteers to speak negatively about her to win over undecided voters and suggesting he is too divisive to beat Trump.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Waterloo firefighters rescued two young girls from a burning home. Waterloo Fire Battalion Chief Ben Petersen said the 2-year-old and 3-year-old girls were taken to the hospital after the fire along with an adult man who escaped the home and a firefighter who was injured during the fire.

The condition of the home’s occupants wasn’t immediately available Sunday. The firefighter was treated and released. The fire was reported around 12:45 a.m. Sunday. The two girls were rescued from a bedroom inside the home. Petersen said the fire was extinguished quickly, but the home sustained fire and smoke damage.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature convenes Monday with majority Republicans in the position to set the agenda for another year. Leaders say top topics likely will include tax policy, finding more workers to fill jobs and funding education and health care programs. The state’s financial condition is good with a surplus of nearly $300 million.

Discussion may include providing grants or tax credits to help working families pay for child care, funding the children’s mental health program created last year and considering a sales tax increase to pay for water quality and environmental programs.

Democrat presidential candidate John Delaney will make a campaign stop in Cass County, Monday evening. The American attorney and businessman will be in Cumberland at the Middle of Nowhere Restaurant (112 S. Main St.) for a meet and greet from 5-until 6-p.m. There, Delaney will speak briefly about his campaign for President and take questions from the audience. Reserve your seat for the event on his campaign’s website.

Delaney served as a United States Representative for Maryland’s 6th congressional district from 2013 to 2019.

(Updated 1/13) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet in a regular session at 9-a.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 14th), in their Boardroom at the Cass County Courthouse. On their agenda for the day, is the interviewing of an applicant for the County Engineer’s position and a related closed session. Prior to the interview, the Board will act on assigning a Tax Sale Certificate for Lot 1 – Block 7, & Lot 6 – Block 6, and a vacated street between the two lots, Massena First Addition.

The Board will also receive a Quarterly report from Conservation Director Micah Lee, and regular department head reports, as available. As time allows, they will review the FY 2020 Budget and review the FY 2021 Budget, with consideration of funding requests for library contracts, an ambulance service contract, and individual departmental budgets.