After a few down years, pork and beef production are doing much better this year. In one recent week, the two meats together reached an all-time production high. That pushes prices down. Iowa State University livestock economist Lee Schulz says the various meats are always competing for consumer food dollars. This holiday season, beef may have an edge over Christmas hams or turkeys.

“That doesn’t mean that we’re going to steal all the competition from those, but I think with lower prices for beef, you’re seeing them able to compete a little bit more with those traditional proteins for each holiday,” Schulz said. He suggests more families may choose prime rib for their big Christmas meal. “Now with lower beef prices, you are starting to see some more advertising in the form of rib roast…I think retailers do believe they can compete with some of those more traditional dishes,” Schulz said.

Low prices aren’t good news for Iowa farmers and ranchers. But, Schulz says producers remain optimistic – especially on the pork side – as Iowa prepares for two new slaughterhouses to come on line.

(Reporting by Amy Mayer, Iowa Public Radio)

Iowa officials have formed a partnership with two other states on a “technology upgrade” to process unemployment insurance payments from companies and checks to laid-off workers. Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says the state’s current system is operating off a computer server that was built in 1973. “We want to get to the iPhone 7.0,” Townsend says.

Townsend’s agency is working with the states of Idaho and Vermont on this project. “We are buying from the State of Idaho a program that they developed internally to get themselves off the main frame to run their (unemployment insurance) benefit and tax programs,” Townsend says. The program is “cloud-based” which means it’s available over the internet via servers owned by a “cloud computing” provider.

Townsend says converting the unemployment insurance program to “the cloud” will cost the State of Iowa between six-to-seven MILLION dollars. “Just for comparison, there have been states nationwide that have put hundreds of millions of dollars into these programs and been unsuccessful and walked away,” Townsend says. “The State of Pennsylvania hired Xerox to create their program. They’ve put about $168 million into it and it’s still not working.”

Townsend says Idaho’s “cloud based” program has been operating for 20 months. “It’s been working very, very well for them,” Townsend says, “so we’re buying something that’s tried and true.” The State of Idaho touts its “Internet Unemployment System” as a revolutionary change. Idaho officials say their agreement with Iowa and Vermont will upgrade the system for “seamless” navigation among devices, be it a “smart” phone or a laptop.

(Radio Iowa)

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s one-year-old wrongful conviction division is getting a new director, following the departure of its first leader this fall. The State Public Defender’s Office says that it has hired Illinois attorney Erica Nichols Cook to lead the division charged with investigating cases in which inmates claim they are innocent. The hiring comes after the previously unannounced resignation in September of director Audrey McGinn.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A woman has been arrested after protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline at the Iowa Utilities Board building in Des Moines and demanding a meeting with the board’s chairwoman. The Des Moines Register reports that Jessica Reznicek was arrested Wednesday on a trespassing charge after refusing police orders to leave the building.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Plans for a Marriott hotel in downtown Mason City are dead after a developer failed to meet the latest deadline to start construction. The Globe Gazette reports that San Diego developer Philip Chodur failed to break ground on Wednesday _ the last of three deadlines he missed as he tried to secure financing for the project. The hotel was part of a planned $36.2 million downtown development that includes the hotel, an ice arena, parking ramp and music pavilion.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A 46-year-old Marion man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after his conviction in a child pornography case. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Cedar Rapids says Bryan King was sentenced Wednesday. Prosecutors say King persuaded a 15-year-old child to produce an image depicting sexually explicit conduct and that King distributed that image and an image of another child to another person.

Members of the Griswold City Council and Griswold Rescue Department have agreed enter into mediation to resolve their differences with regard to matters that led up to the resignation of former Rescue Captain Julie Kline and nine members of the squad.

During last night’s (Wednesday evening’s) Work Session, Griswold City Attorney David Wiederstein mentioned that a complaint had been filed by Kline with the Iowa Public Information Board (IPIB) following a closed session that was held Nov. 12th. Wiederstein said on behalf of the City, he gave IPIB the materials they requested with regard to that meeting, and that the Board is conducting an investigation into whether there was a violation of the Open Meetings Law. He could say nothing further on that topic.

Wiederstein said in response to numerous requests for there to be mediation, he reached out to an area mediator and asked Dan Bechtol with Southwest Iowa Mediation Services, in Atlantic, to put together a plan how he would envision the process moving forward. His proposal was submitted to Wiederstein Sunday evening, who in-turn submitted it to City Manager Lora Hansen. It was also received by some members of the Council.

Rescue Squad member representatives requested the formal mediation process, which involves both sides meeting separately with a mediator in private sessions to discuss relevant issues. Eventually, a joint session will be scheduled between both parties, the City and Rescue Department.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A former Nebraska jail employee convicted in western Iowa of child sex and pornography counts has been sentenced to 45 years in prison. Omaha television station WOWT reports that Shawn Beu was sentenced Wednesday in a Council Bluffs courtroom. The 37-year-old Beu was convicted in October of 10 counts of sexual abuse and video recording of young girls.

Prosecutors say videos of Beu sexually abusing a young girl and of young girls taken on a hidden camera in Beu’s bathroom were found in his home. Beu, who lives in Council Bluffs, was a corrections sergeant at the Douglas County Jail in Omaha when he was arrested in March. Beu has said he plans to appeal his convictions.

Shawn Beu

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest on Wednesday of a Red Oak woman for stealing an iPad.  At 2:01pm officers arrested 63-year-old Marsha Ann Wagaman of Red Oak at her residence on East Coolbaugh Street in Red Oak for 5th Degree Theft.  The theft of an iPad from the Chat Mobility Store on Senate Avenue in Red Oak occurred on November 23rd.  Wagaman was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

Authorities in Page County have arrested a man who allegedly assaulted an inmate on Oct. 26th, at the Page County Jail. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says 34-year old Joshua Jay Martin, of Clarinda, was charged Tuesday with Assault, a Serious misdemeanor.  Martin is currently incarcerated in the Page County Jail.

An investigation determined Martin assaulted 24-year old Jerry Knight, of Shenandoah, who was also incarcerated in the Page County Jail at the time of the assault. Martin is being held on a felony charge of Burglary 3^rd Degree along with the Assault charge. His total bond amounts to $6,000.

Knight was being held on charges of Driving while Barred along with Possession of drug paraphernalia, and Possession of a controlled substance. His bond is $2,000. Both men are awaiting further court proceedings.

joshua-jay-martin

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a juvenile was arrested Tuesday, following an investigation into the theft of $400 from a woman’s purse located inside her rural Essex home. The investigation revealed the unidentified juvenile was responsible for the theft and had spent some of the money. The youth was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs for holding, pending further court proceedings.

Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad today (Wednesday) announced the appointment of Iowans to the Judicial Nominating Commissions. From western Iowa, Dr. Robert Stewart, from Sioux City and Arlan Ecklund, of Denison, were nominated to Judicial Nominating Commission 3B (serving Crawford, Ida, Monona, Plymouth, Sioux & Woodbury Counties). The terms of both men are effective through January 31st, 2022.

The Governor also nominated three persons to Judicial Nominating Commission 6, which serves the eastern Iowa Counties of Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Tama.

Council Bluffs Police report one person was arrested and warrants were issued for the arrest of three other people, in connection with 10 separate vehicle burglaries in the Council Bluffs area. The incidents occurred during a period spanning October 16th to the 23rd, in the area of Lake Manawa and Lewis Central High School in Council Bluffs.

Officers and detectives of the Council Bluffs Police Department were able to develop information on a burglary ring that was responsible for the break-in’s and obtained arrest warrants for the listed subjects.

Authorities say 27-year old Travis M. Schmidt, of Council Bluffs, is currently in custody and being held at the Pottawattamie County Jail. He faces charges that include 1st Degree Robbery, 1st Degree Theft, 8 counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree, 2 counts of Credit card Forgery, and Ongoing Criminal Conduct. Arrest warrants were issued for: 30-year old Katie L.Rief of Council Bluffs;25-year old Elizabeth M. Cozens, of Omaha, and 29-year old Jessica A. Fryrear, of Bellevue, NE.

Rief faces charges that include Robbery in the 1st Degree, 7 counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree and Ongoing Criminal Conduct. Cozens is wanted for Robbery 1st Degree, 5 counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree and Ongoing Criminal Conduct. Fryrear is wanted for Theft in the 4th Degree and Ongoing Criminal Conduct.

The Robbery 1st charge stems from an October 17th incident at the Council Bluffs Country Club, when an Omaha man witnessed a female breaking into his vehicle on the parking lot. As the man approached the woman, she noticed him and got into a Green Jeep Compass driven by Schmidt and they fled the area. The victim had jump out of the way of the oncoming Jeep to avoid being intentionally run over. The Jeep Compass was later discovered to be stolen and has since been recovered.

Anyone with information concerning the location of Rief, Cozens and Fryrear is encouraged to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department at (712) 328-4721 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-7867.

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