(Radio Iowa) — The U.S. House has approved a 19 BILLION dollar disaster relief package that includes flood aid for Iowans and the president’s likely to sign it into law yet this week. The bill passed the U.S. Senate late last month, but three House Republicans blocked a procedural move last week to send the bill to the president. They argued it added to the deficit and failed to provide money to federal agencies that manage migrants at the southern border.

Fifty-eight House Republicans voted against the aid package last (Monday) night, but it passed with the support of 354 House members, including all four Iowans.  Third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines says it’s a “crucial bill” that provides money to help Iowans “rebuild and recover.”

Senator Chuck Grassley says the bill includes financial help for farmers who lost stored grain to flooding. First district Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer of Dubuque says Iowa flood victims “desperately need” this help from the federal government.

Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa City says while he’s pleased the bill passed, he said it was “despicable” for Republicans to block its advance last week.

(Radio Iowa) — A Creighton University economics professor predicts many Nebraska sports fan will start trekking to Iowa for game days because the state’s casinos will soon start taking bets on sporting events.  “It will move them over to Council Bluffs, there’s no doubt about that.”

Ernie Goss is co-author of a 2007 book titled “Governing Fortune: Casino Gambling in America.” Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for states to legalize betting on sports. Officials say some time this summer, the rules will be in place and gamblers will be able to wager on sports inside one of the 19 casinos in Iowa.

They’ll also be able to sign up at one of the casinos for a sports betting app — letting them place bets from anywhere in Iowa. “Is it a wise move? It’s an inevitable move,” Goss says. “And we’re going to more and more to where we’re going to have parties at our houses where you don’t even have to go to the bar, you can sit in your house and bet at the same time.”

Goss made his comments during a weekend appearance on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program. Goss has consistently argued casinos profit off habitual gamblers and that the industry’s benefit to the economy is “an illusion.” Goss released a report five years ago indicating states with casinos had lower economic growth than states that did not legalize casino gambling.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Jury selection has begun in what is expected to be a monthlong civil trial over allegations that former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad pressured an official to quit because he was gay. Branstad’s attorney predicts it will escalate into an “unhinged attack on the Republican Party.” An attorney for Chris Godfrey, the former official, says his 2011 pay cut must be viewed in light of the political upheaval in Iowa at the time involving gay rights.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Thanks to wet weather, it has been decades since Iowa farmers were so far behind in planting their expected corn and soybean crops. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Monday that 80% of the expected corn crop had been planted in Iowa in the week ending Sunday. That’s three-weeks behind the five-year average and the smallest percentage planted since 1982, when 76% of the crop had been planted. The 41% of the soybean crop that has been planted was the smallest percentage since 1993.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller is asking Roman Catholic officials in Iowa to provide records on clergy sexual abuse so his office can launch a third-party review. Miller says he’s sent letters to bishops overseeing church organizations in Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque and Sioux City seeking lists of priests and other church employees deemed “credibly accused” of sexual abuse and lists of accusations deemed not credible.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man who drowned Friday in an Iowa City lake. Police identified the man as 22-year-old Eric Mutarika. He drowned Friday afternoon in a lake at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area. Searchers with law enforcement and the Johnson County Metro Dive Team found the body about an hour after the incident was reported.

Des Moines – The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a fraud alert warning the public about a preventive genetic (DNA) testing scam.  Iowans have reported being contacted about this testing scam.

“Scammers are promoting a so-called free genetic (or DNA) test to Iowans on Medicare.  People are falsely told that Medicare will pay for a preventive genetic test to check for cancer,” said Kris Gross, director of the Iowa Senior Medicare Patrol.  “Iowans are being targeted in a wide variety of ways including at health fairs, door to door and through telemarketing calls.”

Scammers ask for a cheek swab to send to a lab for analysis. The individual is then asked for their Medicare number to cover the costs of the test.   Don’t become a victim to this scam.  Medicare does not cover genetic testing, except in very rare circumstances and such a test must be medically necessary and ordered by your own doctor.

“Walk away from this scam and hang up on any calls that attempt to secure your Medicare number,” encouraged Gross.

Iowans can report suspected Medicare fraud, including the genetic (DNA) test scam to the Iowa Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) by calling 800-351-4664 (TTY800-735-2942) or reporting at https://iid.iowa.gov/iowa-smp-fraud-reporting-form.

More information regarding current scams can be found at http://smp.iowa.gov.  The Senior Medicare Patrol is a service of the state of Iowa Insurance Division.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Universities in Nebraska and Iowa are seeing an uptick in humanities courses in some medical schools. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the University of Nebraska at Omaha got the green light last month to offer a major in medical humanities. The subject areas include art, philosophy, ethics, religious studies, and the history of medicine among others.

Faculty members at Creighton School of Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center say studying humanities can promote empathy and help students learn to listen.

Creighton has just created a department of medical humanities in its medicine school. The University of Iowa College of Medicine’s bioethics and humanities program also offers med students elective courses in creative writing.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller is asking Roman Catholic officials in Iowa to provide records on clergy sexual abuse so his office can launch a third-party review.

Miller says Monday he’s sent letters to bishops in Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque and Sioux City seeking lists of priests and other church employees deemed “credibly accused” of sexual abuse and lists of accusations deemed not credible. He also wants notes from board meetings where accusations were considered, documentation of reports of abuse received by church officials and actions taken, and copies of settlement agreements with abuse survivors.

Miller says he wants a response by Aug. 1. He says survivors have urged his office to investigate and “bring attention to the injustice they and others have suffered.”

Iowa Catholic Conference spokesman Tom Chapman says each diocese plans to comply with Miller’s request. He says if there have been failures in the past, it is not for lack of trying, adding “there is no perfection this side of heaven.”

Miller’s office has a report form and a hotline for survivors on his office website .

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Thanks to wet weather, it has been decades since Iowa farmers were so far behind in planting their expected corn and soybean crops.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Monday that 80% of the expected corn crop had been planted in Iowa in the week ending Sunday. That’s three-weeks behind the five-year average and the smallest percentage planted since 1982, when 76% of the crop had been planted.

The 41% of the soybean crop that has been planted was the smallest percentage since 1993. The soybean crop is 13 days behind the five-year average.

Last week, Iowa farmers had an average of 1.3 days suitable for fieldwork. The number was even smaller in the lower third of the state.

Deputies with the Page County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday, arrested 21-year old George William Douglas, of Osceola, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Douglas was arrested at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, and transported to the Page County Jail where he was being held on $2,000 bond, pending further court proceedings.

George W. Douglas

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has appointed a Des Moines woman to head the Iowa Department of Corrections. Reynolds on Monday announced she had named Beth Skinner as director of the department, which oversees nine correctional institutions. Skinner will replace interim director Dan Craig, who will retired in June.

Skinner has been working as the department’s director of risk reduction, in which she led recidivism reduction efforts. She also lad the department’s research division and training department.
She has bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Iowa.

Officials with the CAM School District report that on Tuesday, May 28th, seven semi-finalists interviewed with the two district school boards for the shared CAM/Nodaway Valley School District Superintendent position. The screening interviews included electronic interviews for 25 minutes with each candidate. The board reports the following three finalists that have been invited to the district on June 6th for formal interviews with multiple interview teams:

Brian Wall-Mr. Wall has served the IKM Manning School District as the High School Principal since 2008. He was the Manning High School Principal for 7 years prior. Before his tenure in school administration he served as a math teacher and coach. In 2014, he was named Iowa Association of Student Councils Administrator of the Year. He has also routinely served as a mentor for new principals through School Administrators of Iowa. One of Brian’s accomplishments is helping to lead the Irwin-Kirkman-Manilla and Manning School Districts through whole grade sharing and reorganization. He has also led the district in integration of Professional Learning Communities and the Teacher Leadership and Compensation Grant.

Paul Croghan-Mr. Croghan current serves as the Shared Superintendent between the East Mills and Essex School Districts. He has served in this role for the last 5 years. Prior, he served the East Mills District as the High School Principal and Activities Director from 2010-2013. He also served as the Assistant High School Principal and AD in Atlantic and Walnut High School Principal prior to that. His leadership efforts have expanded vocational opportunities for students, improved the financial conditions of both districts and also included multiple facilities improvements.

Brad Anderson-Mr. Anderson currently serves as the Woodward-Granger Superintendent. Prior to being named superintendent in 2011 Brad served the district and the PK-5 Principal. On top of his superintendent duties, Brad also serves the district as Special Education Director, Curriculum Director, Transportation Director, Title I Coordinator and CRISIS Coordinator. As the district leader, Brad was responsible for adding both voluntary pre-school and after school care for students, among other notable accomplishments. His prior experience includes serving as an elementary principal for United Community Schools, 3rd grade teacher in Earlham and 5th grade teacher in Gilman City, MO.

The school board will consider feedback from the formal interview teams as they decide who will be the new shared district superintendent. The new superintendent will officially begin their duties on July 1, 2019