WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Steve King says he was told that victims of Hurricane Katrina only asked for help, unlike people in his home state of Iowa, who “take care of each other.” The Iowa congressman told a town hall meeting in Charter Oak he visited New Orleans multiple times after the deadly 2005 storm.

Referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he said, “Here’s what FEMA tells me: We go to a place like New Orleans and everybody’s looking around saying, ‘Who’s gonna help me, who’s gonna help me?’ When FEMA responds to problems in Iowa, they’re just always gratified when they come and see how Iowans take care of each other.”

King has been under fire from his party for remarks about race. New Orleans is mostly black.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that expands the availability of grant funding for seriously injured veterans to provide money so that family members may be with the veteran during a lengthy recovery.

The bill, which lawmakers passed unanimously, also allows the spouse of an active duty soldier to get expedited professional licensing in Iowa if the spouse was licensed in another state and the requirements were substantially the same.

At Reynolds’ invitation U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson attended the bill signing Friday at the 132nd Wing Iowa Air National Guard base in Des Moines.

She says allowing spouses who must frequently transfer from one state to another to get licensed in professions including financial planning, health care and real estate is an important priority for military families.

Officials with the Cass County Health System say several scholarships are available to area students through CCHS and its affiliate organizations:

• Cass County Health System offers a $1,000 scholarship to southwest Iowa students pursuing a four-year degree in a health-related career. Deadline is April 1, 2019.
• Cass County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary provides grant-in-aid scholarships for students pursuing a health-related career. Deadline is April 1, 2019.
• Cass County Health System Foundation is offering $10,000 in scholarships to students who are enrolled and have been accepted into a nursing or medical doctor educational program.

The scholarships were established by a bequest from Louie and Elsie Hansen. Deadline is April 1, 2019. Applications are available on the Cass County Health System website, www.casshealth.org, and can be turned in to the Human Resources Office or the guidance office at any Cass County high school by the respective deadlines listed above.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — The manager of an eastern Iowa county dispatch and communications center is accused faking hours on her time sheets, hours that investigators say she spent working as a bartender. Muscatine County court records say 46-year-old Beverly Griffith is charged with misdemeanor records tampering. The records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for her.

An arrest affidavit says she recorded hours on several time sheets in January and February that she didn’t work because she was tending bar. The Muscatine Journal reports that Griffith was hired May 31 to manage the Muscatine County dispatch center after spending the past 10 years as a dispatch supervisor in Naples, Florida. She’s been placed on administrative leave.

IDA GROVE, Iowa (AP) — A small town in northwestern Iowa has ended its decades-long practice of treating the city’s drinking water with fluoride. The Sioux City Journal reports that the Ida Grove City Council voted Monday to halt fluoride treatment in the city’s water supply. The move comes after city leaders and residents questioned whether fluoride in the water was effective at preventing tooth decay or presented health risks.

The city clerk’s office says a recent survey distributed through utility bills found that most respondents didn’t support fluoridation. Many cities use the mineral in drinking water to promote dental health, but the practice has been debated across the country. The city of roughly 2,000 residents began the practice in 1971.

COUNCIL BLUFFS – Officials with the Iowa DOT’s Council Bluffs Interstate Project Office report the westbound Interstate 80/northbound I-29 segment of the dual, divided freeway is expected to open to traffic on Wednesday, March 27, weather permitting. Several overnight closures and detours will be in place on the evenings before the traffic shift occurs. Closures will occur as follows:

Sunday, March 24:

Westbound I-80 is expected to be closed at southbound I-29 (exit 4), from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. During this closure, motorists on westbound I-80 and southbound I-29 will use the westbound I-80 Express and will not have access to South Expressway, 24th Street, or northbound I-29. Northbound I-29 traffic will follow the westbound I-80 Express detour and continue to 13th Street (exit 454), where drivers can turn around and use northbound I-29 (exit 1a). The southbound I-29 exit to westbound I-80 (exit 51), is expected to be closed from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Drivers will continue on southbound I-29 to 24th Street (exit 52), and follow the detour to westbound I-80. Drivers wishing to access westbound I-80/northbound I-29 between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. at 24th Street and South Expressway will need to follow the detour to U.S. 275/Veterans Memorial Bridge Road.

Monday, March 25:

Westbound I-80 will be closed at southbound I-29 (exit 4), from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Motorists on westbound I-80 and northbound I-29 will use the westbound I-80 Express and will not have access to the South Expressway, 24th Street, or northbound I-29 during the closure. Northbound I-29 traffic will follow the westbound I-80 Express detour and continue to 13th Street (exit 454), where drivers can turn around and use northbound I-29 (exit 1a). Drivers wishing to access westbound I-80/northbound I-29 between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. at 24th Street and South Expressway will need to follow the detour to Nebraska Avenue and I-29. Tuesday, March 26:

The 24th Street on-ramp to westbound I-80/northbound I-29 northbound will remain closed for the day.

At the West System Interchange, westbound I-80 drivers traveling to Omaha will need to use the right lanes to access westbound I-80 (exit 51). Northbound I-29 motorists will use the left lanes to travel on northbound I-29. Westbound I-80 will be closed at southbound I-29 (exit 4), from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Drivers should follow the detour to U.S. 275/Iowa 92, where drivers can turn around and use northbound I-29.

By Wednesday morning, March 27, drivers will be able to travel on newly constructed westbound I-80 Express and northbound I-29/westbound I-80 local dual, divided freeway. This design physically separates through traffic on I-80 from local traffic on I-29 destined for Council Bluffs. Drivers wanting to travel within Council Bluffs will choose local lanes to access exits. If drivers accidentally choose Express lanes and need to go back to a Council Bluffs exit, drivers can exit at 13th Street in Omaha, Nebraska and turn around.

Drivers should note that westbound I-80 Express traffic destined for northbound I-29 (exit 1) will not be able to access the exit until the permanent pavement is constructed in approximately three months. In the meantime, drivers should use northbound I-29 /westbound I-80 local lanes. The Iowa DOT encourages motorists to follow signs and use caution while becoming accustomed to the traffic shift.

The State of Iowa’s Judicial Nominating Commission has posted the interview schedule for the thirty Iowans who have applied to fill the two vacancies on the Iowa Court of Appeals. The vacancies were created when Chief Judge David Danilson retired on January 4, 2019 and Judge Christopher McDonald filled the Supreme Court vacancy on March 7, 2019. Among the Iowans who has applied for one of the vacancies, was 3rd Judicial District Court Judge Julie Schumacher, from Schleswig, who’s set to be interviewed 9:40-a.m. Friday, March 29th.

You can view her application here: https://www.iowajnc.gov/media/cms/SchumacherPart1_98C9A2D4DB5E0.pdf

DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 2.4 percent in February. The state’s jobless rate was 2.7 percent one year ago. The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 3.8 percent in February. Beth Townsend, Iowa Workforce Development Director said Friday (Today), that “Despite the brutal winter we have had the past two months, the unemployment rate remains steady at 2.4 percent. Remarkably, we have maintained that rate since June, 2018.”

She said also, “The total number of working Iowans increased to 1,660,100 which is 5,700 higher than January and 25,500 higher than one year ago. In even more good news, the biggest segment of Iowans who found employment in February are those who have been out-of-the-workforce for more than 12 months.” Townsend urged employer looking for workers to stop by or call one of the IowaWORKS Centers around the state. And, if you are looking for a better job or your next job opportunity, she says “We can help you update your resume and sharpen your interview skills as well as assist you in finding new training opportunities available around the state. The time is now to become Future Ready!”

• The number of unemployed Iowans decreased to 40,000 in February from 40,600 in January.  The current estimate is 6,100 lower than the year ago level of 46,100.
• The total number of working Iowans increased to 1,660,100 in February. This figure was 5,700 higher than January and 25,500 higher than one year ago.

Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment

In February, Iowa establishments cut payrolls leading to a drop of 5,500 jobs in total nonfarm employment. This was the first monthly drop since September and fueled by losses in private services. Unusually cold and forbidding winter weather may have had some influence on payrolls. Both construction and leisure and hospitality had losses this month. Private sectors accounted for most of the drop this month (-5,000); however, government also decreased slightly due to losses at the local level (-800). Compared to last year, government is now down 1,900 jobs due mostly to cutbacks at the state level and Iowa total nonfarm employment combined is up just 5,800 jobs (+0.4 percent).

Leisure and hospitality pared the most jobs in February (-2,400) with virtually all of the losses stemming from accommodations and food services. Eating and drinking establishments contracted this month, but should rebound in March when the weather supports more traffic and with regional basketball tournaments in the Des Moines area. This super sector has displayed mixed signals over the past several months and shrank slightly versus last year. Trade, transportation, and utilities shed 1,500 jobs due mostly to declines in transportation and warehousing (-900), although retail continued to trend down in February (-700). This was the first monthly loss for this super sector since October. Smaller monthly losses this month included professional and business services (-900), construction (-400), and education and health services (-300). Only three sectors added jobs this month. Other services added 400 jobs to lead all sectors. The financial services sector gained 200 jobs but has shown evidence of tapering down following expansion over the past several years. Natural resources and mining added 100 jobs.

Compared to last February, manufacturing continues to lead all sectors in job growth (+8,400). All other super sector gains are small by comparison and include professional and business services (+600) and construction (+400). The largest notable losses in Iowa’s economy occur in retail trade (-3,000) and accommodations and food services (-1,700).

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds sent a letter on Thursday, March 21st, 2019  to President Donald Trump requesting that he grant an expedited Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for 57 counties that have been severely impacted by the recent flooding along the Missouri River and other parts of the state. In the request to the president, Gov. Reynolds also indicated the State of Iowa will need federal recovery assistance in addition to what is granted through a Presidential Disaster Declaration, for agriculture, businesses, homes, and levees. The projected impact to the State of Iowa in these areas is nearly $1.6 billion.

The governor requested funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program for 12 counties, including (Locally): Crawford, Fremont, Harrison,  Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby counties.  Initial estimates gathered by local officials indicated 23,540 structures were affected or received minor damage, and 1,201 received major damage or were destroyed. Individual Assistance Program funding provides disaster-impacted homeowners and businesses with programs and services to maximize recovery, including assistance with housing, personal property replacement, medical expenses and legal services.

Gov. Reynolds also requested funding under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program for the repair or replacement of public infrastructure, including roads and bridges, for 57 counties, including: Adair, Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Dallas, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Madison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Sac, Shelby, and Union counties. Local emergency management coordinators, working with local representatives and jurisdictions, estimate damage eligible for funding under the Public Assistance Program at $77.4 million.

The governor also requested funding to conduct hazard mitigation activities for the entire state.

(Radio Iowa) — Extreme flood damage to Missouri River levees has officials concerned they won’t be fixed in time for more possible flooding this spring. The Benton/Washington Levee District runs from just south of Thurman to the Missouri line. District president Pat Sheldon says that stretch of levee has had numerous breaches. Sheldon worries the U-S Army Corps of Engineers may not be able to get the levee repaired quickly enough and they’ll have to let Mother Nature run her course. Sheldon says, “There’s not much we can do unless they can come in and do some temporary repairs around our breeches to give us some protection so people can go home.”

Sheldon says it’s unclear how much repairs may cost, but in 2011 — following the last major floods — about 150-million dollars was spent to repair levees just in Fremont County. He fears this time, it will be much more costly as the damage is severe.  “Big ruts of erosion down the side where we had overtopping, which is water flowing over the top of our levees, eating away the sod and the soil, and the material that makes our levee strong,” Sheldon says. “That’s how our breach on our district started.”

He says it’s possible the entire system may need to be rebuilt, but with more flooding likely in the weeks ahead, he’s not sure anything can be done in time.

(Thanks to Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)