(Radio Iowa) — The Senate’s Republican leader has promised a vote will be held next week on a disaster relief package and Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican, says she’s encouraged by progress toward a final deal. “Hopefully it is a bipartisan one that we can actually get to the desk of the president,” Ernst says.

Congress has been deadlocked over disaster funding since December and Democrats now in majority control of the U.S. House are insisting Puerto Rico get additional aid to recover from 2017 hurricanes. Funding for this spring’s flooding in Iowa has been included in recent proposals. Ernst toured flood damage in Davenport and Buffalo, Iowa, this past weekend. “I was just reminded of the time that I spent mobilized as a National Guardsman in the Iowa floods of 2008 and 2011,” Ernst said. “Not knowing if these families are going to be able to get back into their homes, not knowing if those businesses will be able to return — the economic damage to those communities is significant and they need assistance.”

The Democratically-led House passed a disaster aid package last week. The Senate’s G-O-P leader wants to include provisions to ensure hemp farmers can buy federal crop insurance. President Trump is asking that the disaster aid package include extra money for border security to deal with a surge of immigrants at the southern border.

The DAV and RecruitMilitary will host an Omaha Veterans Job Fair at CHI Health Center tomorrow (Thursday, May 16) from 11-a.m. to 3-p.m. for veterans, military spouses, transitioning military, National Guard members and Reservists.  The free event features 30+ employers ready to hire this May during “Military Appreciation Month.”

Just last week, Google announced a new feature of its partnership with RecruitMilitary that provides “remote work” search options for those seeking flexible, remote work opportunities.  This feature is especially important to the underemployed and underutilized military spouse demographic that currently accounts for 25% unemployment among its 600,000 eligible work-force.  This is the highest unemployment rate of any demographic in the U.S.

RecruitMilitary is providing a solution to this staggering unemployment issue by working with Google to bring 8,000 remote jobs directly to military spouses and veterans through this week’s Omaha hiring event, as well as its mobile-friendly online job board.  For more information, or to register, go to: https://success.recruitmilitary.com/events/omaha-veterans-job-fair-may-16-2019

There were four arrests in Mills County, Tuesday. 34-year old Jeremiah Louis Roenfeld, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving While Barred.His bond was set at $2,000.  27-year old Michael Xavier Simpson, of Lincoln, NE., was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear (in court). His bond was set at $10,000. 18-year old Sydnee Kay Wiese, of Glenwood, was arrested Tuesday for Possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $300. And, 22-year old Brennen Joseph Carter, of Carson, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. His bond is $1,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Current and past attorneys general from both major political parties from several states are imploring Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to veto a measure that would force Iowa’s attorney general to seek permission to file out-of-state lawsuits. They think the move designed by Republicans to keep Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller from joining lawsuits against the Donald Trump administration violates basic checks and balances.

Iowa would be the only state with such limits on an attorney general. Reynolds is considering the measure passed in the final days of the legislative session. It would require the attorney general to get the permission of the governor, the Legislature or the state executive council, which includes the governor and other statewide elected officials, to file any out-of-state court action.

Red Oak, IA— The Montgomery County Extension Council and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach have announced the hiring of Meghan Gray as Montgomery County’s Youth Coordinator. Gray began work on May 6th. As the County Youth Coordinator, her primary duties are to strengthen youth development through research-based education and interactive learning opportunities. Gray will coordinate the planning and implementation of 4-H youth outreach and development programs. Examples of said youth outreach are 4-H summer day camps, workshops or clinics, or afterschool groups. As an integral part of the 4-H program, she will focus on positive youth development by establishing various community partnerships, not only supporting the 4-H youth- but the adult volunteers, County Youth Council, and other necessary project committees.

Gray is originally from Mills County, where she was a member of the Loess Hills Trailblazers 4-H Club. She participated in Mills County Council, Region 17 Council, and State Council. She also was a recipient of a State 4-H Leadership Project award. She is a Fall 2018 graduate of Iowa State University where she received her Bachelors of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology and Forestry-with an emphasis in Conservation and Restoration of resources. Gray is enthusiastic about the 4-H program and brings in various experiences which will help her create sustainable programs for the county and youth.

Gray will work closely with Montgomery County’s 4-H program and coworkers, Lori Mitchell, Program Coordinator and office assistant Katie Hart, as well as other Field Specialists serving Montgomery County. Please stop by the Montgomery County Extension Office and welcome Meghan to her new position! Feel free to contact her at mcgray@iastate.edu or 712-623-2592 regarding any questions you may have about Montgomery County’s 4-H program and other resources available through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Montgomery County. Extension resources are always available at www.extension.iastate.edu/montgomery. Be sure to “Like” Montgomery County-IA Extension on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Dept. of Corrections reports 27-year old Dustyn Lowell Thomas, who was convicted of Robbery 1st Degree, left the Des Moines Residential Facility without permission last (Tuesday) night. Thomas is a white male, 6-feet tall. He weighs 171 pounds. Thompson was admitted to the work release facility on April 23, 2019.

Persons with information on Thompson’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Escapee Dustyn Thomas

Two people were arrested on separate charges Tuesday, in Pottawattamie County. The Sheriff’s Office reports that at around 2:45-p.m., 26-year old Dakota Lee Koehrsen, of Council Bluffs, was arrested after he turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office on an active warrant. After the warrant was confirmed, Koehrsen was taken into custody for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense – causing bodily injury, and on two-counts Violation of Probation. He was being held on a $1,000 bond associated with the assault charge.

And, 31-year old Mallory Alece McCabe, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 6:20-p.m. Tuesday, following a report of suspicious activity near a rural residence in the 14,500 block of Rosewood Road, near Avoca. McCabe was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $300.

There were also numerous prisoner transfers from jails in eastern Nebraska and elsewhere, to the Pott. County Jail, where those subjects were wanted on a variety of warrants.

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

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(Radio Iowa) — A safety expert says as Iowa boaters plan to make their first voyage on the water this season, they should check the boat’s life jackets.  Susan Stocker, the boating law administrator and education coordinator in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says “Make sure that there aren’t any rips or tears in it.”  The major concern is to ensure the life jacket fits whomever may be wearing it on the boat. “Every life jacket has a label on it that tells the weight and the size for the intended wearer,” Stocker says.

There are more than 230-thousand registered boats in Iowa. Stocker says all boaters should use the buddy system — and give a “float plan” to someone who is NOT out on the water. “Where you’re going to go, when you’re going to be back and potentially even what ramp you’re going to be putting in at,” Stocker says. “With any high water, we may have some snags or debris that’s in the rivers and streams and being able that if you don’t show up back at home at 6:30 in the evening, that somebody starts looking for you.”

Flood conditions in some areas of the state may make boating impossible. Stocker says boaters must realize in high water, submerged trees and other objects can wreck the boat. “The other thing is when you are in a paddle-craft, whether it’s a canoe or a kayak, you’d better expect to be dumped and put in the water because that’s just the nature of those,” Stocker says, “and unfortunately I can say that we just had our third boating accident and it was a paddler.”

It happened within the last few days in southeast Iowa. Stocker says the paddler tipped over and “almost died from hypothermia.”

A woman from Creston reported to Police, Tuesday, that sometime during the day, someone cut a rear tire on her vehicle, while it was parked outside her residence. The incident, which took place in the 600 block of Grand Avenue, caused about $100 damage.

(7-a.m. News)