DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is traveling to Washington to discuss trade with President Donald Trump amid escalating tensions with China over tariffs. Reynolds’ staff says in a press release Wednesday that the governor will be in Washington on Thursday to meet with Trump, governors and congressional leaders. The press release says Reynolds will discuss “issues impacting the agricultural community, including trade.”

Reynolds has said she’s closely monitoring communication between the countries over proposed tariffs on a range of products. China’s tariffs on U.S. exports could have a huge economic toll on soybeans, ethanol and pork.

Reynolds’ trip caused her to cancel an event in Muscatine. She plans to return to Iowa by Thursday afternoon and will attend an event in Bettendorf.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republicans in control of the Iowa House have announced their proposal to cut state taxes, but it’s unclear if it has support in the GOP-majority Senate. House leaders released a plan Wednesday that they say would cut state tax revenue by $1.3 billion over five years. It would keep a contested deduction on federal income taxes known as federal deductibility.

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, a Clear Lake Republican, says the House plan “tweaks” a tax bill proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, who suggests cutting $1.7 billion in tax revenue over six years. Senate Republicans passed a bill earlier this session that would eventually cut $1 billion in taxes annually.

Upmeyer says their plan is a “wonderful first start,” an indication she anticipates changes. Tax-writing committees in both chambers are scheduled Thursday to review possibly competing versions of the bill.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A man who mailed at least 45 pounds of methamphetamine from Arizona to Iowa has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors for Iowa say 38-year-old Anthony Robert McCarron, of Dubuque, was sentenced Wednesday in Cedar Rapids to 190 months in prison. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine near a school and money laundering.

Prosecutors say McCarron was living in Phoenix when he shipping packages of “ice” meth in 2016 and 2017 to another man in Dubuque. The Dubuque man paid for the meth by shipping packages of cash to McCarron. Prosecutors say the two used aliases when shipping the drugs and money.

The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday night, approved the hiring of Fort Madison (IA) Activities Director Andrew Mitchell, as Assistant High School Principal and Activities Director for the Atlantic School District.

Andrew Mitchell

Superintendent Steve Barber made the recommendation for the Board to approve Mitchell to succeed Matt Alexander, who has accepted a position as Superintendent of the OA-BCIG School District.
Barber said Mitchell has been the A.D. at Ft. Madison, for the past five-years.

Prior to that, he served as the Principal for a school district in Illinois, and an Assistant Principal and A.D. for two other districts. Barber said Mitchell “Impressed the interview team with his authenticity and passion for kids’ positive relationships. His experience with the finance and management of activities in a 3A/4A school, benefits Atlantic in the transition, as we look for great individuals to lead at the high school and our activity program.”

Barber said Mitchell will be working closely with Matt Alexander during the transition phase. The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday night, also approved the resignations of Andrea Reilly, TLC Model Teacher, Paul Iekel, Achievement Center 6-12 Teacher, and Lisa Munsey, 8th Grade Math Teacher/Track Coach, 7th Grade Volleyball Coach, MS/SE TLC Supporting Instructional Coach.

Steve Barber recommended, and the Board approved, the hiring of Hillary Zimmerline as Math Teacher. She has four-years experience in that subject, serving in a neighboring district. They also approved Molly O’Hare as Assistant Softball Coach this Summer. And, the Atlantic School Board approved the 2018-19 School Calendar as proposed, along with the 2018-19 Certified Budget.

And, a Public Hearing will be held May 9th at 5:30-p.m., with regard to an amendment to the 2017-18 budget. The amendment is necessary, due to some discrepancies between what different governmental agencies have on file for the Certified Budget.

More than 70 teachers, and in some cases their family members, attended the Atlantic Board of Education meeting Wednesday night, to present their concerns and frustration with what they understood would be a zero percent increase in their pay raise and supplemental pay, in light of declining enrollment and questions over State Supplemental Support, which is still being debated in the legislature.

Some of the more than 70 estimated teachers and families who attended the Atlantic School Board meeting. (Ric Hanson/photo)

The first to speak was Lisa Krogman, Title 1 Reading Teacher at Washington Elementary School, who’s been an educator for 27-years. Krogman said teachers take on many different roles inside and outside of the classroom, and in many cases spend their own money for supplies. She said those efforts are paying off in the form of Iowa Assessments and other criteria.

She said they feel like they are worth “More than zero,” on their pay increase and Supplemental pay. “We are disappointed that you [The Board] doesn’t feel the same way, that you maybe don’t feel that we’re valued, because we work really really hard.”
Carolyn Hunt, Elementary Behavioral Interventionist, said “We are discouraged, and quite frankly insulted, to hear about the opening proposed lane freeze one-time payment and zero raise in supplemental pay.”

She said it seems like a “Slap in the face for the services that we all provide.” She said the staff questioned “Why do we need to save money in this way, what are other alternatives to saving the district money, or are we just the easiest cut?” Liz Reid, Middle School Special Ed Teacher, a sixth-year teacher in the district, said her  concerns with a possible zero-percent raise, lies with the rate the district is losing coaches, sponsors and teachers.

“We need to be a district that attracts good coaches, not one that pushes them away. We currently have a large and growing coaching shortage in our district. We need to be asking ourselves ‘are activities a priority?’ Do we want good coaches? If so, how should we prioritize funds to show coaches and sponsors that they are needed and valued?”

Last year, she said, “Our coaches received a whopping $40 raise. Is it any wonder why our coaches are resigning?” The district has eight teachers who are leaving at the end of the current school year, and seven coaching positions that now need to be filled. School Board member Jenny Williams strongly encouraged teachers and their families to take the passion they have for their pay, and storm the Iowa Legislature to voice their outrage and concerns.

Williams said the Board has “No intention of not giving the raises…that is not how it’s going to end up. But when it comes down to it, we are only getting so much money, and we need to be at the capital and saying these things. She said they should “demand more pay” from the State. “It ends with us,” she said, “It doesn’t start with us. We are not bad people. We think you’re amazing.”

The simple fact, she said is that “We’re dying. We’re down 32 students this year. I don’t know what we can do to change that.” Board President Ally Bruckner said nothing had been decided with regard to a raise in the base salary and step schedule, contrary to rumors, and that some of the issues raised by the teachers are covered in the handbook, and cannot be included in negotiations with the Teacher’s Union.

Bruckner said also, that by law, that while negotiations are underway, the Board cannot openly speak with regard to what has been discussed during those sessions. She encouraged the teachers to talk to their union representatives, “Because they’re your voice at the negotiations table.”

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests on Wednesday. The first arrest was at 5:49am as deputies stopped a vehicle driven by 23-year-old Anthony Michael McCoy of Atlantic. He was charged with Speeding and Driving While License Suspended. He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $556.26 cash bond.

At 2:15pm Wednesday Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 34-year-old Shawn Michael Jones of Clearwater, FL on a Carroll County Warrant for Theft 2nd Degree. He was being held on $5,000 cash bond.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials have marked the end of an Omaha National Cemetery construction project. The open house held Wednesday included a flag-raising ceremony. The events celebrated the start of operations out of the permanent facilities. The cemetery opened for burials and other services in September 2016.

Marolyn Swanson stands among veterans as she holds the dog tags of her deceased husband Bob Swanson, during a flag raising ceremony and open house at the Omaha National Cemetery in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

The first phase of construction is providing burial options for about 10 years. Officials have said the entire 236-acre cemetery will serve the needs of more than 112,000 veterans and their families in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa for the next 100 years.

The closest national cemetery is about 180 miles away in Leavenworth, Kansas. There is a Nebraska veterans cemetery near Alliance in the Nebraska Panhandle.

The Harlan Police Department reports 21-year old Cody James Varnes, of Walnut, was arrested Tuesday, following a call about a shoplifter.  Varnes was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with theft in the 5th degree.

An accident in Harlan, Tuesday, resulted in two vehicles being declared a total loss. Officials say the collision between a 2004 Pontiac Vibe and a 2007 Audi Q7 happened at the intersection of Highway 59 and Durant Street, when the driver of the Audi, Divine Lokange Kanioka, of Harlan, failed to yield the right-of-way. Kanioka’s car collided with the Vibe, driven by Susan Lynn Findlay, of Harlan, causing front end damage to the Pontiac.

Today (Wednesday), a 1996 Buick Park Avenue driven by Richard Loe Finken, of Earling, struck a 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage broadside. The Mirage was driven by Khamtanh Leng, of Denison. The accident happened at the intersection of Highway 59 and Lincoln Avenue, after Finken pulled away from the stop sign heading eastbound on Lincoln, across Highway 59. Leng was traveling north on Hwy 59 and was unable to brake before hitting the Buick. Both vehicle came to rest in the southbound lane of Hwy 59.

An investigation into an accident at around 12:45-a.m. Wednesday (Today), resulted an arrest. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a deputy was dispatched to a property damage accident at Mynster and Old Lincoln. Dispatch advised also, that a brown Cadillac left the roadway, and a passer-by said the driver suffered no injuries. When the deputy arrived on the scene, he initially couldn’t locate a driver. The driver, 44-year old Donald Christopher Van Gieson, of Crescent, was located at Honeysuckle and Old Lincoln. He was arrested at around 1:25-a.m. for Operating while Intoxicated 1st Offense, and transported to Pottawattamie County Corrections

MARION, Iowa (AP) — Linn County authorities in eastern Iowa have arrested a school nurse who’s accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student. Cedar Rapids police say 46-year-old Angela Beik is being charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee. Beik was the school nurse at Linn-Mar High School in Marion and also employed at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Police began an investigation of Beik last month. They’d learned that state officials were checking a report that Beik told fellow St. Luke’s nurses that she’d had consensual sex with the boy. They reported the conversation to officials.