DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials have set new goals for monarch butterfly habitat to help keep the insect from being listed as an endangered species. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Iowa Department of Natural Resources wants to have 480,000 to 830,000 acres of habitat across the state. That’s room for about 127 million to 188 million new milkweed stems, which is the only plant monarch butterflies lay their eggs on. The goal: plant about double Iowa’s estimated amount of milkweed.

It would be part of a national effort to get 1.3 billion new milkweed stems for the monarch’s migration. Resources department director Chuck Gipp told station KCRG that, without adequate action to increase the monarch numbers, it could get listed. Iowan landowners then would have to contend with national species protection laws.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Iowa House has unanimously approved a bill that calls for state investment in new programs designed to improve the skills of future Iowa workers. Representative Peter Cownie, a Republican from West Des Moines., says “Today is the first step to allow Iowa to begin to reach its full workforce potential. Iowa has a good problem. We have low unemployment in this state…but we also have a need for skilled workers. We have a need for more jobs to be filled,” Cownie says. “We hear this from all corners of the state and we need to help solve this problem.”

The bill calls for a new a program in the Iowa Economic Development Authority to help finance apprenticeships in small and medium-sized Iowa companies. Summer youth internship programs for “at-risk” students and mentoring for college students are included as well. While House Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill, they raised concerns the money to finance these projects might not follow. Representative Chris Hall is a Democrat from Sioux City. “If we’re not able to find funding to back up the policy, this is something that is really just lip service,” Hall said. “I think we all need to put effort into make sure that the things we’re identifying as priorities for the legislature are also funded by the legislature.”

Governor Kim Reynolds has made the so-called “Future Ready” ideas in this bill a priority and she’s recommended an additional 18 million dollars in state funding for the projects. The package includes state scholarships and grants for students seeking degrees in “high demand” subjects at community colleges and universities.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst attended a news conference in Washington, D-C Tuesday, in support of a bill designed to stop violence in schools. Ernst is supporting the bill proposed by Utah Senator Orrin Hatch that would authorize the U-S Justice Department to provide grants to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement to identify signs of violence and intervene to prevent people from hurting themselves or others.”This bipartisan legislation will provide our schools with additional resources to prevent senseless and tragic violence,” according to Ernst.

The bill also includes funding for technology and equipment to improve school security and prevent school violence. Ernst, a Republican, says it is important to pass the “STOP School Violence Act” to prevent any more tragedies like the school shooting in Florida.”It will empower our states and local communities to take the steps they deem necessary to deter future threats and ensure our students, teachers and faculty can focus on what is most important at school — learning and growing,” Ernst says.

This bill funding to develop anonymous reporting systems, and security infrastructure improvements. It also provides funds for school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams to help schools intake and triage threats before tragedy strikes.

(Radio Iowa)

Three people were arrested on separate charges in Creston, Tuesday. The Creston Police Department reports 59-year old Mary Hansen, of Pella, was arrested on a Union County Warrant charging her with eight counts of Dependent Adult Abuse – by Exploitation (amounting to more than $100). Hansen was released on a $10,000 bond.  27-year old Brooke Carter, of Creston, was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree. Carter was cited and released on a Promise to Appear later, in court. And, 45-year old Dianna Cutting, of Des Moines, was arrested Tuesday in Creston, on a Polk County Warrant  for Pretrial Release Violation on an original charge of Theft in the 3rd degree. Cutting was being held in the Adams County Jail while awaiting transport to Polk County.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a semitrailer filled with hogs tipped over on a northeast Des Moines interstate exit, forcing 10 of the injured animals to be euthanized. Lt. Rich Blaylock of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office says the truck was leaving Interstate 80 around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday when it tipped. The driver wasn’t injured.

Tom Colvin with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa says around 140 hogs had to be removed from the trailer, and 10 had to be euthanized. He also says it’s possible some hogs had died by the time veterinarians and volunteers arrived to get them out of the trailer.

A makeshift fence was used to guide the hogs into another trailer after they got out of the damaged trailer.

Eight Iowans, including a man who works in Atlantic, will be among the 200 craft trainees and apprentices from across the country traveling to Long Beach, California on March 18 – 20 to compete in the annual National Craft Championships competition, hosted by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). For competitors, the National Craft Championships allows them to demonstrate their superior skills, training and safe work practices all while representing their state on a national level. Five Iowa apprentices qualified for the national competition during ABC of Iowa’s state event this fall and three are sponsored and trained by Interstates Companies in Sioux Center, an ABC of Iowa member.

There are 15 competitions and 12 crafts. Each competition consists of a written exam and a practical performance test, testing apprentices’ skills during a six-hour project. Prizes are awarded to the top three finishers in each craft. Among the eight apprentices representing Iowa in California next week, is Michael Jensen from Camblin Mechanical, Inc. in Atlantic – for HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning).

Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa is a non-profit construction trade association that boasts the largest construction apprenticeship-training program in the state. ABC members build commercial buildings, industrial plants, municipal and public works projects, roads and highways, homes and provide an array of construction services. For more information, visit www.abciowa.org.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will meet this (Wednesday) evening at 5:30, in the High School Media Center. Discussion items on their agenda include: the 2018-19 School Calendar, Driver’s Education Services, Summer 2018 Capital Projects/request for bids, and facility planning. With regard to the Calendar, a committee was formed and two calendars were provided to staff in each of the District’s buildings, for feedback. Given that the first allowable start date is Aug. 23rd, 2018, the final day for school using the current calendar would be the Friday before Memorial Day. School officials say 20 instructional hours were missed due the weather to date, with total being 1,073. This year, the district will add the 25th as a student day, and other small tweaks to the calendar to meet the requirement. Any additional weather delays will result in the make-up of additional instructional hours.

The 2018-19 School Calendar would be different from 2017-18, in that First Semester will have students in school on Dec. 21st. Last year, they did not have school on the Friday before break. The committee thought having Martin Luther King as a professional development day, was too close to the extended break. They agreed President’s Day would be a better time for Prof. Development. The calendar discussion will also include moving spring conferences to later in the school year, or make sure the P/T Conference is the only activity on two evenings. District staff were split 50-50 with regard to changing the week-long break to an extended break around the time of Easter. By doing that, officials say they were able to increase the number of instructional hours in the schedule to create more flexibility with the hours.

Action items this evening include approval of Resolutions pertaining to: the 2018-19 Budget Guarantee, in the amount of $217,766; 2018-19 Board-Approved PPEL in the amount of $152,452, or .33-cents per thousand dollars assessed valuation, and, a 2018-19 Fund Transfer of $8,000, from General to Activity, for Protective Equipment. The Board will also act on the resignation of Emma Bireline as Head Varsity Volleyball Coach, and approve a contract/Letter of Assignment with Kelly Simonton, District Maintenance.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man has been imprisoned for possessing illegal drugs and child pornography. Federal prosecutors say 23-year-old Jose Ortega-Ramirez was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to 7½ years. He also must serve five years of supervised release after he leaves prison. He’d pleaded guilty on Nov. 1.

Police say they intercepted a package from Mexico containing nearly 291 grams (10.26 ounces) of cocaine addressed to Ortega-Ramirez’s apartment. Police executed a controlled delivery, then searched Ortega-Ramirez’s home and found the package. He also admitted to having images of a nude minor.