The Atlantic Rotary Club recently donated $500 to the Washington Elementary Library and $500 to the Schuler Elementary Library, to help update the nonfiction section at each school. Atlantic Rotary is a long time supporter of local schools and supports education as one of their key pillars of community service.

Atlantic Rotary President Brian Harris presenting a check for $1000 to Atlantic Elementary Librarian Janice Dickerson. (Photo submitted)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Majority Democrats in the U.S. House say they intend to allow an Iowa Republican to take office while they review her opponent’s contest claiming the six-vote race was wrongly decided. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said “yes” when asked at a news conference whether Mariannette Miller-Meeks will be sworn in with other members of the House on Sunday.

Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said later that Democrats “intend to provisionally seat” Miller-Meeks pending a review of the challenge filed by her Democratic opponent, Rita Hart. Hart asked the House to investigate and overturn the state-certified results. The House Administration Committee is reviewing the matter.

(Radio Iowa) – State roadways are starting to improve as Departement of Transportation crews are out again cleaning up from the snowstorm. D-O-T Winter Operations Administrator, Craig Bargfrede, says they did some prep even before the storm hit.

Bargfrede says the pre-treatment helps keep the snow from sticking to the pavement — but in Tuesday’s storm, the biggest issue was the amount of snow. He says they are now working to scrape away what they didn’t get.

He says there were a lot of drivers who went into the ditch during the storm.

Snowfall ranged from four to 12 inches and Bargfrede says the day after involves making room along the roadways.

Bargfrede says one ally in the clean up is the sun heating up the pavement and melting snow.

A majority of the roadways were listed as partially covered with snow early this (Wednesday) morning — with a few completely covered. That situation has improved. For more information on the road conditions go to the Iowa D-O-T’s 5-1-1 travel information page.

(Radio Iowa) Parents of children with mental health issues are pleading with Iowa lawmakers to take action and improve children’s mental health services in the state. Cayleen Mesecher of Ankeny says when she’s taken her child to the emergency room, she’s often told to go to a psychiatrist instead — and it can take months to get an appointment.

Mesecher and other parents spoke at a meeting of the state children’s behavioral health board this month about the challenges they’ve faced in trying to find the appropriate help for their kids. Sarah Nelson of Iowa City says her 12-year-old daughter was having a mental health crisis and had to spend six days waiting in an emergency room.

The board is asking state leaders to ensure funding for children’s services and find ways to address Iowa’s shortage of mental health professionals. The group also recommends universal screening of kids for mental health issues.

(Reporting by Katarina Sostaric, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – The top Republican in the Iowa Senate says the 2021 Iowa legislature may debate tax changes for the 19 state-licensed casinos. It’s not a sure bet at this point, but Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver of Ankeny says legislators have begun discussing options.  “That’s an industry that has been hurt severely through the pandemic, as many others have as well,” Whitver says. “We want to make sure that those jobs are saved, that industry is still strong and so that’s something we would consider.”

Casinos were among the businesses Governor Reynolds ordered to close on March 17th. Casinos were allowed to reopen June 1st.  “There has been an increased push to look at some of the taxation regarding casinos,” Whitver says. The state-licensed casinos paid more than 230 million in taxes to the state in the last fiscal year. Those taxes are deposited in a “Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund” and used on a wide variety of projects. House Speaker Pat Grassley of New Hartford says he and other House Republicans have not discussed tax changes. But Grassley says they’re keeping an eye on looming competition for Council Bluffs and Sioux City casinos from Nebraska, where voters just legalized casino-style gaming — because it may reduce the amount of casino tax money for infrastructure projects. “That could have long-term consequences,” Grassley says.

Nebraska voters have just legalized casinos within race tracks in their state and some developers have said they hope to open casinos in Omaha, Lincoln and South Sioux City by this time next year. “When it comes to the western part of the state and the pressure that’s going to come from the Nebraska gaming, the competition from across the river there,” Grassley says, “as we’re making those decisions when it comes to infrastructure, that’s definitely a part of the conversation.”

Grassley says the western Iowa casinos have been generating about a third of all the gambling taxes paid to the State of Iowa.