DES MOINES — The state of Iowa and the Iowa Department of Education Thursday (today) announced 43 Iowa colleges and universities have been awarded nearly $4.4 million to increase internet connectivity for students in the 2020-21 school year.  Among them is Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs ($186,000), and Southwestern Community College in Creston ($45,861).

The funding is part of the state’s $26.2 million in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Funds, and is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. The awards will help colleges and universities address barriers to online and remote learning opportunities for the 2020-21 school year and help ensure students have equitable access to technology needed to continue their education throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each college and university submitted an application indicating how it would use the funds to increase connectivity for students. Allocations were based on the financial need of undergraduate students at each of the colleges and universities, as determined by the number of students who receive federal Pell grants. A list of recipients and allocation amounts is available on the Department of Education’s website. Earlier this year, approximately $19.3 million in GEER funding was provided to all 327 school districts as well as accredited nonpublic schools to increase internet connectivity. An additional $1 million in GEER funds was designated for providers of adult education and literacy services.

In addition, $1.5 million in GEER funds will be available for professional development to support effective online and remote instruction at Iowa’s colleges and universities. Applicants have until Dec. 11 to apply. More information is available on the Iowa Department of Education’s website

(Radio Iowa) – Shortly after eight o’clock this (Thursday) morning, Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst voted with other Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee to advance President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee for a vote in the full Senate. Grassley gave a short speech after the vote, saying Amy Coney Barrett’s would practice judicial restraint. “She has the temperament and humility that we would expect of a judge,” Grassley said. “…Most importantly, she understands that a judge should interpret, not make the law.”

Grassley criticized Democrats on the committee for boycotting today’s (Thursday’s) vote.  “Our colleagues don’t think that they ought to represent their states and that’s what they’re not doing is representing their people when they don’t show up here,” Grassley said. Democrats placed large photos of Americans who’ve benefited from the Affordable Care Act on their chairs in the committee room. During last week’s committee hearing, Democrats argued Barrett would side with conservatives on the court and nullify the Affordable Care Act. Grassley says that’s nonsense. “They claimed her critique of Chief Justice Roberts’ reasoning in the 2012 ACA case dictates how she’d vote in the upcoming case and we all know that that’s bunk,” Grassley said. …She testified: ‘I have no hostility to the ACA.'”

Senator Ernst did not speak in committee, but gave a speech on the Senate floor yesterday (Wednesday) about Barrett. “Judge Amy Coney Barrett is a wise, experienced, compassionate and strong woman and this past week Iowans and all Americans had the chance to see that,” Ernst said. “No matter the question or the topic, she was calm, cool and collected.” Ernst accused Democrats of trying to score political points during Barrett’s testimony last week.  “What has become crystal clear to me throughout this process is that Judge Barrett’s academic and professional qualifications are above reproach,” Ernst said.

Ernst says her test for a Supreme Court justice is whether he or she will defend the Constitution.  “Far too often politicians in Washington want the Supreme Court to be a super legislature,” Ernst said, “to push policy that can’t make it through congress.” Ernst says the soon-to-be-justice should be viewed as a role model for all women. “I’m struck by the irony of how demeaning to women some of the left’s accusations really are,” Ernst said, “that Judge Barrett, a working mother of seven with a strong record of professional and academic accomplishment, couldn’t possibly respect the goals and desires of today’s women.”

The Republican-led senate is scheduled to take its final vote on Monday to confirm Barrett as a Supreme Court justice.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a man from Council Bluffs was arrested at around 1:25-a.m. Thursday (today), following a traffic stop in Crescent. 30-year old Casey Michael Rounds was taken into custody for OWI/2nd offense after he was pulled over on I-680 for a traffic infraction. His bond was set at $2,000. At around 1:50-a.m. Wednesday, 59-year old Lee Jung Hoon Hansen was arrested following a traffic stop in Avoca. He was charged with Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender, and transported to the Pott. County Jail.

Monday night, 49-year-old Tina Marie Gomez, of Omaha, Nebraska, was arrested on numerous charges after Deputies were dispatched to the Minden Hotel for a female with a possible warrant. Gomez was charged with Providing False ID Information. She was also arrested on a felony charge of Possession of Contraband in a Correctional Facility. Her previous charges includeFugitive from Justice, Interference with Official Acts, Open Container – as Passenger, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) 1^st Offense,  and Theft in the 2^nd Degree (Possession of Stolen Property). Her bond on the latest charges amounts to $5,300.

Monday afternoon, 21-year old Angel Lou Griffis turned herself in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office. Griffis was wanted on a warrant for Hit and Run/vehicle damage only, and Reckless Driving.

The face covering policy for students and staff in the Exira-EHK Community School District will not change anytime soon. Superintendent Trevor Miller says the school Board discussed masks/face shields during their meeting Monday evening, in Elk Horn.

(The district will continue with language that says face coverings are “expected,” because there hasn’t been a major issue with students being exposed, to date.)

Miller said also, the Board discussed the District’s Certified Count numbers.

(He said “Like a lot of districts in rural Iowa, we’re down. Our certified numbers are 401.2” which is down 15.7 from last year. He said “Our largest class graduated and our incoming kindergarten was less so I had estimated us being down 13 students when I did the forecast for the future budgets.”

In other business, the Exira-EHK Board approved the “Chain of Command” document, which Miller says is simply a flow chart of whom to contact if there is an issue or concern.

The District’s Certified Annual Report according to Trevor Miller, showed an increase in the general and LOST/SAVE accounts.

(The general fund increased slightly more than $40,000, while the LOST/SAVE account increased by $65,576.)

The PPEL fund increased by $122,000. Miller said that will be going down, once the new air conditioning units are installed at the main gym in Elk Horn. The work is taking place taking place this week.

(By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer) – OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific’s third-quarter profit declined 12%, but the volume of shipments it handled surged as the economy rebounded from the worst of the virus-related shutdowns earlier this year. The railroad said it earned $1.36 billion, or $2.01 per share, during the quarter. That’s down from $1.56 billion, or $2.22 per share, a year ago. The results fell short of the $2.03 per share that analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research expected, on average. The railroad said volume was still down 4% in the quarter, but that represented a significant improvement over the second quarter when volume plunged 20%.