Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Senate Democrats are calling for Gov. Kim Reynolds to quickly sign an executive order allowing felons to vote once they have completed their sentences. But voting right experts say the details of her directive are just as important as the timing of her action. In a letter sent Wednesday, the 18 Democratic senators asked Reynolds to sign an order without exceptions or limitations by Independence Day. That would end Iowa’s status as the only state that disenfranchises all felons. Experts on voting rights and racial disparities said the way she frames the order will significantly impact the number of felons who will register and vote.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — An inmate at an Iowa prison in Fort Dodge has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of another inmate at the prison last week. The Des Moines Register reports that 44-year-old Eric Hall was charged in the June 14 death of 59-year-old Thomas Andrew Daleske, who was found dead in his cell. Authorities charged Hall on Tuesday, saying he confessed to killing Daleske. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office’s says Daleske died of strangulation with blunt force injuries to the head. Daleske had been imprisoned since 2000 on a 45-year sentence for child sexual abuse counts. Hall has been in prison since April 2019 for a string of burglaries.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Des Moines are investigating the fatal shooting of a man in a city park. Police say officers were called to Prospect Park around 8 p.m. Tuesday for reports of a shooting and found a man critically injured with a gunshot wound. The man was later identified as 31-year-old Paye Blawou of Des Moines. He was taken to an area hospital, where he later died of his injuries. Police have not released information on what may have led to the shooting, and no arrested had been reported by Wednesday morning. Police say Blawou’s death is the city’s 13th homicide of 2020.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education held a meeting via YouTube, Wednesday evening. They spent well over 75 minutes discussing the District’s Return to Learn Plan which must be submitted with 15 assurances to the State, in order for the plan to be approved by the Iowa Department of Education. Superintendent Steve Barber listed the assurances in certain areas that the State requires.

They include:

• All students have accessibility
• Modifications to ensure every student has access to the curriculum.
• Meeting Federal and State Guidelines
• Meet Teacher requirements so they are qualified for online instruction
• Standards are aligned
• Credit content (grading) requirements
• Equal access and service
• Meeting career and technical education requirements
• Protecting family education rights and privacy
• Access to the internet
• Responsibilities for web systems and content offered.
• State Assessments Requirements are met
• Notification of any changes to the program
• A provision for in-person instruction.
• Any other, additional requirements.

Over three months have passed since the District closed school buildings by order of the Governor, due to COVID-19. Since then, some of the guidelines have been removed, and as of Wednesday, districts across the State were still waiting for reopening guidelines in which schools must meet in order to start school. As of now, Atlantic plans to resume school August 24th.

Barber says over the past month or so, Atlantic has been collaborating and preparing for three different instructional delivery methods, which include Continuous Learning, a Hybrid model and an On-site model. He says the desire of most parents and administrators, is to open school in a traditional, on-site environment. Because some students who are at high risk may require distance learning, the District’s Equity Committee has recognized a procedure to help identify and develop plans for those students.

The Continuous Learning model incorporates a required, online learning experience. The CLP Committee has determined Google Classroom is the best way for teachers and students to interact on assignments, and provide immediate feedback – on the Secondary Level. The Elementary selected Seesaw, which is more friendly for the lower grades. Zoom will remain as the instructional platform for secondary teachers. And, the Iowa Academic Standards Committee identified two content systems for schools to use: IXL, which has been used in the past for some Middle School Students for interventions, was chosen for grades K-thru 8. The resource provides the four core areas with content and differentiation.

Acellus at the high school level has previously been used for credit recovery, and is able to be infused into the classroom setting. In other discussion, the District will offer teachers the last two week of July some different learning opportunities facilitated by District staff. Three Professional Development Days prior to the first day of school, will be scheduled to complete the mandatory training for those programs.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved Contract Recommendations for Ashley Coffman as 7th Grade/Middle School Special Education Teacher. Sandy Cooper will be moved up from 7th to 8th Grade Special Ed Teacher, and, Marnie Leiferman transfer from 6th Grade Language Arts to Title 1 teacher. Kendra Henningsen would then move from 8th Grade Language Arts to 6th Grade Language Arts.

(Des Moines, IA) – Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) officials today (Wednesday) said they have used the state’s safe haven procedure for the 44th time since the law went into effect. A baby boy, born June 5, was released to the custody of DHS. Specific details are withheld in order to protect the identity of the parents and the children. Through Iowa’s Safe Haven law, parents, or their authorized representative, can leave infants age 30 days or younger at a hospital or health care facility without fear of prosecution for abandonment.

“The purpose of this law is to protect the lives of newborns who are in danger of abandonment,” said Janee Harvey, DHS Division Administrator of Adult, Children and Family Services. “We want to ensure Iowans know that Safe Haven is an available option if they cannot care for their newborn safely. We recognize that these decisions are often made in the midst of crisis and the protocols are built accordingly.” Safe Haven prioritizes the health and physical safety of the infant(s), as well as the anonymity of the parent or authorized individual who relinquishes custody of the child.

The Safe Haven law was approved in the wake of a high-profile case in 2001 involving a teen mother in eastern Iowa who killed her home-delivered newborn. Infants who are safe haven babies are placed with currently-approved foster or adoptive families. All states have Safe Haven laws, although provisions differ.

If you are interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please visit www.iowafosterandadoption.org.

For more information on the Safe Haven procedure: http://dhs.iowa.gov/safe-haven

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Senate Democrats are calling for Gov. Kim Reynolds to quickly sign an executive order allowing felons to vote once they have completed their sentences. But voting right experts say the details of her directive are just as important as the timing of her action. In a letter sent Wednesday, the 18 Democratic senators asked Reynolds to sign an order without exceptions or limitations by Independence Day.

That would end Iowa’s status as the only state that disenfranchises all felons. Experts on voting rights and racial disparities said the way she frames the order will significantly impact the number of felons who will register and vote.

The City of Atlantic’s Community Protection Committee (CPC) met Tuesday evening (June23rd), to discuss the City’s Code of Ordinances with regard to: Truck and Large Vehicle Parking; Parking for Personal Vehicles, and, the Zoning Code pertaining to the location of boats, boat trailers, campers and travel trailers. City/Zoning Administrator John Lund told KJAN News their recommendation to the full City Council during their next regular meeting, will be to allow parking of boats, boat trailers, campers, RV’s, etc. on a property owner’s front yard, but with some stipulations.

An “improved surface” includes grass, all gravel or limestone. Owners of corner lots will need to check with the Atlantic Police Department to make sure your camper, etc., isn’t creating a visual hazard for motorists. The CPC voted to repeal a redundant section of the Zoning Ordinance that addresses those issues.

Lund says the CPC discussed requiring property owners to park their vehicles and other such large items on a concrete, asphalt or limestone, but there wasn’t a lot of support for that.