(Radio Iowa) — The education committees in the Iowa House and Senate have approved a bill that would ensure school districts have tens of millions of dollars in sales taxes to pay for improvements to school PROPERTY for decades to come. Margaret Buckton, a lobbyist for Rural School Advocates of Iowa, says this is the group’s number one legislative priority. “People have often thought that it’s more of an urban or suburban thing, but our rural schools need updated buses,” Buckton says. “They need computers and technology in addition to safe, right-sized facilities, so it’s critical to them.”

The one percent sales tax established statewide in 2009 for school infrastructure is due to expire in 2039. The bill legislators are considering would extend that another 20 years. Representative Cecil Dolecheck, a Republican from Mount Ayr, says most bonding agencies require a 20-year repayment plan, so schools will start to face higher interest rates on bonds if this bill doesn’t pass. “All school districts are tremendously appreciative of the fact that they are able to spend more money in the classroom because they don’t have to spend their General Fund revenues to repair roofs, make improvements, fix furnaces and those type of things,” Dolecheck says.

In 1999, the Iowa legislature allowed local option sales taxes to be raised for renovating or building new schools. Within a decade, 96 counties were collecting the sales tax, but critics said districts near retail centers got a higher proportion of those taxes. Ten years ago, legislators made the switch to distributing the one-cent sales tax for school infrastructure on a per pupil basis.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa hotel has settled a lawsuit with a New Jersey woman who was raped and battered after the front desk gave the attacker her room key. Attorneys for Cheri Marchionda say the operators of the Embassy Suites Hotel in Des Moines agreed to a settlement before she was set to testify Wednesday. Terms were not disclosed. Christopher LaPointe, of New York, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for the 2014 attack

ELDORA, Iowa (AP) — The injuries prosecutors say an 8-year-old boy sustained at the hands of his father and a woman who confined the boy in a basement have been detailed in court. Pediatric nurse practitioner Ann Swisher said Wednesday one of the U-shaped marks on the boy’s buttock was likely the result of him being spanked by a flyswatter.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A jury has ruled that the Iowa Department of Corrections discriminated against a transgender employee by denying him the use of men’s restrooms at the prison where he worked. Jurors also ruled that the state violated the Iowa Civil Rights Act by offering health insurance plans that didn’t cover gender reassignment surgery. The ACLU says its Jesse Vroegh’s lawsuit was the first of its kind since lawmakers amended state law in 2007 to bar discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — A boom being used at an interstate bridge over the Mississippi River near Moline, Illinois has fallen into the water. Iowa Department of Transportation officials said Wednesday the agency is working to remove the lattice boom of the crane working at the Interstate 74 bridge site. IDOT has not said what caused the boom to fall. Construction on the bridge began in July 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2020.

The Atlantic School Board and representatives with the Atlantic Education Association, representing the Teacher’s Union, met Wednesday evening at the Middle School Media Center. During the session the Board received and AEA presented their respective Collective Bargaining Proposals for the 2019-2020 School Year. Atlantic Superintendent Steve Barber told KJAN News, that Union requested the District use a Salary Schedule, including Teacher Supplemental Salary (TSS) money. And a raise on the base salary of $990. They also requested a couple of Supplemental B changes, and that all of Appendix A get back into the contract.

The School District’s proposal was to give $650 on the base, minus the current TSS Schedule, and not “Age” the schedule. He said that would be a total package of 2.02-percent and approximately $136,000. The two parties have not yet set the next closed meeting with the Teacher’s Union.

In other business, Superintendent Barber said the School Board talked about the fact the District is on course to have an aviation program. He said they’ve been accepted to be trained and have access to an Aviation curriculum provided by the AOPA [The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association]. He says the Board is excited to offer the program next year. More details on the program will be released soon.

The School Board also set their next regular meeting on March 13th, as the date for aPublic Hearing on the proposed 2019-2020 School Calendar. Mr. Barber said “The Weather has been a challenge” this year. Because of the number of missed days and or required time for education, there are some changes to the current school year calendar. He said they’re going to add the Friday before Memorial weekend to the make-up schedule, and the Board talked about going to school the following Monday, but given the time-frame, they will look at all the ways possible to meet the minimum required hours for the school year.

Red Oak Police, Wednesday afternoon, arrested 38-year old Luke Daniel Rinehart, of Red Oak. Rinehart was arrested at around 4:20-p.m. in the area of Short and Broadway Streets, for Disorderly Conduct. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $300 bond.

After about 25 minutes of discussion, the Atlantic City Council, during a Special Meeting Wednesday evening, voted 4-to 1, to seek sealed bids for the Atlantic Senior Center. The building will be sold as-is, with bids due by April 1st. The Council has the right to reject any and all bids. Their decision means a 13.5-cent per thousand dollars levy on property valuation will not be included as part of the FY 2020 budget being finalized by City Administrator John Lund and City Clerk Barb Barrick. Councilman Gerald Brink was the lone no vote, with Councilpersons Dana Halder and Kathy Somers were absent.

Atlantic City Council Special meeting 2-13-2019

Councilman Brink explained prior to the vote, why he was opposed to the sale. He said that’s because he said the roof could be fixed for much less that what has been quoted. During the discussion phase of the meeting, Elks representative Mark McNees said members of the Elks and representatives with the Senior Center, met Monday to talk about how the two groups could share the building, if the Elks took ownership. He said they discussed their concerns and the concerns of the Elks. He said there weren’t any issues that couldn’t be overcome if the Elks did get the building. That being said, McNees said nothing was written “in stone,” but they walked away being “okay” with the possibilities. Gerald Hansen, speaking on behalf of the Senior Center, agreed the discussion was amicable.

The Elks had expressed their intent to purchase the building “as-is,” and replace the leaking roof. Earlier this month, McNees said “We did not come to the City to ask for this to be sold. We came to ask about Bingo being in there, and if potentially Seniors could run it a night, and share. It’s never been our desire [as some have said might happen] to kick anybody out in the cold.” He said also, if the Elks bought the building, there would be minimal remodeling as necessary, to accommodate their needs. ”All we’re looking at,” he said, “is for a potential new home. And whether it’s that building or another one…it would not be an instant process. Not on our part.”

There were concerns among some in the audience at the meeting, that if the Senior Center is sold (to an entity other than the Elks), there won’t be anyplace for the Seniors to go. Mayor Dave Jones mentioned the Nishna Valley YMCA expressed a desire to serve as a meeting and activities place for Seniors, but some in the crowd said that isn’t possible without a membership to the Y, and that it wouldn’t be feasible when the kids are out of school. Mayor Jones said the whole thing boils down to a declining senior population and decreased use of the facility.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak woman on Wednesday after she was accused of stealing merchandise from her employer in Red Oak. At 11:50am Officers arrested 31-year-old Rosann Dawn Randall of Red Oak at the Family Dollar Store in Red Oak. Randall was an employee of the store and was believed to have taken at least $800 in merchandise from the store. Randall was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 cash bond.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Cass County, Saturday (Feb. 9th), arrested 37-year old Ryan Michael Paul, of Adair. Paul was taken into custody on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Possession with Intent to Deliver Meth (a Class-C Felony) and Possession of Marijuana 3^rd or Subsequent (D-Felony).

Upon arrest, Paul was also charged with Possession with Intent to Delivery Meth (C-Felony) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (a Simple Misdemeanor). He was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $50,000 bond.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a Red Oak man was arrested late this (Wednesday) morning on three warrants. 58-year old Terry Joe Halvin was arrested on the warrants for Contempt of Court – Resisting an Order of Process of District Court – to serve a court ordered sentence. Halvin was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail to serve 30-days on each charge.

(Radio Iowa) — No one was hurt this (Wednesday) morning when a school bus was struck by a train at a rural crossing in northwest Iowa’s Woodbury County. Major Todd Wieck, of the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Department, says the accident happened just after 7:30 a-m.  “The driver told our personnel that the bus had stalled on the tracks and he couldn’t get it started to get it off the tracks and they saw the train coming,” Wieck says. “The driver and another occupant that were on the bus obviously got off the bus because they knew it was going to get hit by the train.” The bus was from the Westwood Community School District. It was struck near the rear end and was spun around almost 180-degrees. The Iowa State Patrol is conducting the crash investigation.

Persons with an interest in tourism in Cass County are invited to attend the annual meeting of the Cass County Tourism Committee. The meeting takes place 9-a.m. Monday, Feb, 18th, in the meeting room of the recently renovated Whitney building. The Cass County Tourism Council’s purpose is to promote area attractions, and to continually develop and market the culture, history and economic well-being of Cass County, Iowa.

According to the 2017 Economic Impact Assessment of Travel in Iowa, domestic travelers spent a total of $8.50 billion in Iowa during 2017, a 3.3% increase from 2016. Cass County’s percent change over 2016 in expenditures was an increase of 5.85%. Total payroll increased by 2.9% to nearly $1.4-illion. On average, every dollar spent by domestic travelers produced 16.3 cents in payroll income for Iowa residents. Cass County’s percent change in payroll income was an increase of 5.42%. Domestic travel supports payroll directly of food service, entertainment and recreation and lodging sector.