(Updated) — COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A western Iowa jail inmate infected with HIV has been charged with felony assault after officials say he threw a carton of his urine on a detention officer in Council Bluffs. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 52-year-old Charles Perkins, of Youngstown, Ohio, is charged with assault by inmate with bodily fluids or secretion. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

Police say the incident occurred Feb. 8 at the Pottawattamie County Jail. Investigators say Perkins told them he intended to throw the urine on another inmate, but his aim was off and hit the jail officer.

The officer is being evaluated for HIV exposure. Perkins’ public defender declined to comment to the Daily Nonpareil about the case.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Who knew unemployment insurance could be so risque? At least 78 Iowa businesses received letters this week from Iowa Workforce Development that mistakenly directed their questions about unemployment insurance payments to a phone sex hotline.

The Des Moines Register reports that the agency’s Feb. 13 letter went to people who had return-payment notices. It informs them to call the Unemployment Insurance Tax Bureau, then gives a telephone number. But instead of answers, callers to the number get a seductive female voice giving out less than work-friendly sentiments.

Iowa Workforce Development Unemployment Insurance Administrator Ryan West says the erroneous number was a typo and that correct letters were mailed late Friday. West said no employee is expected to be disciplined.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — For decades, Iowa represented the crossroads of prairie populists and checkbook conservatives. Now it has become solidly Republican like many of its Midwestern neighbors. Iowa’s rush of new legislation has been the most intense of the four states that flipped to complete GOP control in the November election.

In an all-night session last week, Iowa lawmakers approved a bill similar to one enacted in Wisconsin six years ago that strips most public sector unions of long-held collective bargaining rights, including health insurance.

Among other items, Republicans also are pressing to eliminate state money for all Planned Parenthood services and outlaw the use of fetal tissue for medical research. There’s also talk of a tax cut, despite a $110 million shortfall in the current budget year.

School Board members in Griswold, CAM and Audubon are set to hold their regular monthly, separate meetings Monday evening. The Griswold School Board will gather for a 5:30-p.m. session in the Central Office at the Middle School/High School Building. During the meeting, the Board will act on approving a Construction Manager in advance of the possible of constructing a new District building. They’ll also act on approving Chemical Application bids and mowing specifications. The meeting will conclude with a closed session.

In Anita, the CAM School Board meeting gets underway at 6:30-p.m., Monday, and it will begin with a Public Hearing on the plans, specifications, Form of Contract and Cost Estimates for a new addition to the Massena building. Following the hearing, the CAM School Board will act on approving a Resolution for the Plans, Specs and Form of Contract, review the construction bids, and then act on awarding the Contract for the project. Other discussion and/or action items on their agenda include that which pertains to the Greenhouse, mowing bids, a bleacher stairs project in the high school gym, and a review of the school vehicle fleet along with discussion on plans to upgrade those vehicles.

Up on Audubon, the School Board for the Audubon School District will start with a work session at 6:30-p.m., followed by their regular session at 7. Action items on their agenda include: The purchase of Baseball Field Property; Setting the date for the Fiscal Year 2018 School Calendar Public Hearing, as well as discussion on possible action with regard to an Administrative Survey. The Board will also discuss FY 2018 Calendar and Staffing Options.

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

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Sioux City Council has voted to delay outfitting its police officers with body cameras until at least next year, citing a lack of state policy governing the cameras’ use. The Sioux City Journal reports that council members don’t want to rush in only to have legislation or courts change the standards for maintaining and using video as evidence. Mayor Bob Scott says the city needs direction on how much body-camera video police departments are required to store and for how long.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A retired Catholic priest in western Iowa has been given a suspended jail sentence and ordered to register as a sex offender for invading the privacy of several male students who accused him of ogling them in a high school restroom. The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports that the Rev. Paul Monahan was sentenced Friday. The 83-year-old Monahan got a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail for each of five counts.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Two people have died in a crash involving a pickup and two semitrailers at a central Iowa intersection. The Des Moines Register reports that the crashed happened early Friday morning at the intersection of Highways 14 and 96 north of Marshalltown. The Iowa State Patrol says pickup driven by 32-year-old Brandon Paul Skidmore, of Marshalltown, and semi driver, 33-year-old Kaleia Shana Grant, of Springdale, Arkansas, were killed.

ANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two people suffered injuries from smoke inhalation in a blaze that saw multiple fire departments called to a downtown building in the eastern Iowa town of Anamosa. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that the fire was reported early Saturday morning in an apartment above the Thou Art Gallery on Main Street. The Anamosa fire chief says a man jumped from a second-floor window in the apartment to avoid the flames, and a woman used stairs to flee another apartment.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A retired Catholic priest in western Iowa has been given a suspended jail sentence and ordered to register as a sex offender for invading the privacy of several students in a high school restroom. The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports that the Rev. Paul Monahan was sentenced Friday. The 83-year-old Monahan got a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail for each of five counts. Monahan plans to appeal, his attorney said.

The judge in the case said in December that he found credible the testimony of five male high school students who said Monahan repeatedly entered the high school restroom and looked at their genitals at an open urinal.

Monahan was suspended in July after the Diocese of Des Moines learned of the investigation.

Iowa Republican Senator Tom Shipley, from Nodaway and Republican Representative Tom Moore, of Griswold, spent about 90-minutes taking questions and defending their position on the issues, Saturday, before a large crowd at the Walnut Street Farmer’s Diner, in Atlantic. The men spoke during a legislative coffee sponsored by Farm Bureau. Among the hot topics of interest among those in attendance, was the role of Managed Care Organizations (MCO’s) in the area of mental health, the recently signed bill by Governor Branstad pertaining to Collective Bargaining, and the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

Pastor Nancy Jensen said she buried two people last year who had mental health issues but had nowhere to go for treatment. One of the individuals ended up committing suicide. The other died from an accidental overdose.

Rep. Tom Moore (R) – Griswold

One of the persons was in their 20’s, the other in their 40’s. Jensen said the wait time for mental health care is days, and even months, because the system has been “completely overwhelmed,” over the past couple of years. She asked if Shipley and Moore would be willing to “take a stand” and help oversee Managed Care companies.

Moore said the Iowa Department of Human Services is taking an extensive look into the system that finds beds for mental health patients.

Senator Tom Shipley (R) – Nodaway

One person said providers for mental health care are not getting paid by Managed Care companies. Shipley suggested anyone with concerns e-mail him with the pertinent information, so that he can resolve provider pay errors and delays. Both men agreed the “system” is a long way away from being fixed.

Shipley came under fire when it came to the topic of Collective Bargaining. He said he voted for the bill signed by Governor Branstad, but then admitted he didn’t read the bill that closely. Shipley later backtracked, and said his interpretation of what was in the bill was different that what it actually said.

The question of “What’s next” was brought up, with regard to concessions over Collective Bargaining, and the topic of IPERS was mentioned. Specifically, Senate File 45, a bill which was introduced by Republican Senator Brad Zaun, and is entitled “An Act providing for the development of a mandatory defined contribution pension plan for certain public employees.” It states peace officers (State Troopers/DCI/DPS/Fire Marshal and Narcotics Division) hired after July 1st, 2019, ARE NOT eligible to participate in the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS). (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/87/SF45.pdf)

Representative Tom Moore said he knows what his vote would be on the bill.

(He says he would be a “No” vote if there are any detrimental changes to IPERS benefits are brought before him.)

Senator Shipley said he contacted the Governor’s Office about the bill, but hasn’t heard back on any proposed amendments.

A man who was allegedly acting in a disorderly manner at a Red Oak pawn shop, was arrested Saturday morning for Breach of Peace. Red Oak Police say 43-year old James Reed Mitroff II, of Red Oak, was found to be intoxicated and acting in a disorderly manner. He was taken into custody at around 10:30-a.m. and held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 cash bond.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A group associated with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce has hired a director to focus on boosting activities near the Missouri River. The Omaha World-Herald reports that former Lincoln Railyard employee Rachel Halbmaier began Monday at the Missouri River Commons initiative.

The push to bring more events to the riverfront comes after a 2014 Urban Land Institute study. The group suggested the Omaha-Council Bluffs area come together to bring more people to the riverfront, and even potentially hold a national festival.

Chamber President David Brown says that before anything big can develop, Halbmaier will work to ensure people are using the current riverfront amenities. Brown says residents can expect to start seeing results from Halbmaier’s work by next year.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – U.S. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska says he will re-introduce a measure aimed at helping secure citizenship for the widower of an Omaha police officer killed in the line of duty nearly two years ago. The measure, first introduced by former Nebraska Congressman Brad Ashford and dubbed the Kerrie Orozco Act, would expedite the citizenship process for spouses of first responders who are killed on the job.

Bacon, a Republican, defeated Ashford, a Democrat, in November in the race to represent the state’s 2nd congressional district, which encompasses the Omaha area.

Kerrie Orozco was fatally shot in May 2015 while trying to make an arrest. Her husband, Hector Orozco, is now a single father to three children, including the one Kerrie Orozco delivered only three months before her death.