NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — A Newton company that builds wind turbine blades has settled with state regulators following an investigation into workplace safety violations. The Des Moines Register reports that TPI Composites didn’t acknowledge any wrongdoing in the settlement with Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration signed last month.

The settlement requires TPI to restrict employee contact with hazardous chemicals, eliminate fall dangers and alter how the factory stores combustible liquids. The company has adopted new polyethylene suits to protect workers against the chemicals. Iowa regulators gave TPI until Aug. 31 to fix all of the residual safety hazards.

Iowa OSHA levied nearly $155,000 in fines against TPI last year due violations including fire dangers, airborne contaminants, improper record keeping, fall hazards and a shortage of adequate protective gear for employees.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Tuition increases of 3.9% have been recommended to the Iowa Board of Regents. The regents are expected to vote on the proposal Wednesday at their meeting in Urbandale. The increases would take effect next fall at the University of Iowa in Iowa City and Iowa State University in Ames. But no increase was recommended for the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Officials say Northern Iowa has a different competitive landscape and student body makeup.

The tuition increases are being sought because the Legislature has approved an education budget that includes $6 million less than university officials had sought.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting 9-a.m. Wednesday in the Greenfield City Hall Meeting Room. On their agenda is the setting of a Public Hearing for a FY 2019 Budget Amendment, and discussion with regard to Tax Increment Financing(TIF), and the Urban Renewal Plan. The Adair County Engineer will present his weekly report, and the Board will review/and or act on a Manure Management Plan, a change to the Courtyard Use Permit, cancellation of the SIRWA Grid Project, and discussion pertaining to the Secondary Roads’ Union Contract.

(Radio Iowa) — State flood aid is included in a bill that cleared the Iowa legislature on Saturday — the final day of its 2019 session. Republican Representative Ray Sorenson of Greenfield says 15-million dollars will be available for local governments in the seven counties hardest hit by this year’s flooding. “These communities would be able to apply for funds to assist with flood response, flood recovery and flood mitigation efforts,” Sorenson says. “These funds could be used to meet federal match requirements or as part of further flood recovery or flood protection efforts in their communities.”

The Flood Recovery Fund will be managed by an already-existing state board created after the massive flooding that hit Iowa in 2008. “This approach will allow us to maximize federal funding and allow communities to move quicker in recovering from this spring’s floods,” Sorenson says.  Senator Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says the legislature should have committed more to deal with the “extraordinary damage” from this year’s flooding.  “Based on my experience in the flood of 2008…I am highly skeptical that $15 million is going to be enough before the legislature reconvenes next January,” Hogg said.

He said also, “…I think it is crystal clear that the homeowners and the businesses and the families that have lost so much need more help.” Two weeks ago, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds asked legislators to set aside the 15-million dollars for flood recovery and mitigation. Senator Michael Breitbach, a Republican from Strawberry Point, says the governor has a team of experts on the ground and he trusts her judgment. “One of the determinations that’s made when you apply for federal funds is if the need is actually here,” Breitbach said. “If we can show we don’t have a need for those funds because we’ve already appropriated more money than is needed, it can hinder some of our qualifications to receive some of those funds.”

Legislators did commit another 10 million dollars to state tax credits for home building, hoping to help RE-building in devastated communities like Pacific Junction and Hamburg.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Police say there’s no indication a woman who was fatally shot while driving over a highway bridge in northeast Iowa was targeted, and they’re seeking the public’s help in determining if the gunfire came from nearby woods. Micalla Alexis Rettinger was shot about 2:30 a.m. Sunday as she drove over a wooded area along the Cedar River in Waterloo. The shot shattered the driver’s side window of her Jeep and hit her neck, then hit one of her two passengers.

The 25-year-old former University of Northern Iowa softball player pulled over and died. The injured passenger was taken to a hospital. Police are offering a $6,000 reward for information and seeking surveillance or trail camera video from the area. Investigators want to know if someone was hunting near the river.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Tuesday), approved a joint agreement between Cass and Montgomery Counties, for interim County Engineer services in Montgomery County, using Cass County Engineer Charles Bechtold. County Auditor Dale Sunderman read from the motion to approve the agreement, which stipulates Bechtold will serve as the interim Montgomery County Engineer until June 30, 2019, or until Montgomery County hires a full-time professional engineer. Bechtold said he didn’t have a problem with filling the temporary post, as long as most of the necessary paperwork for Montgomery County road and bridge projects can be reviewed and approved electronically, and the scope of the work is defined.

Bechtold also said he would be willing to help Montgomery County in the search-hiring process for a new Engineer. The timing for getting an Engineer in place is critical, he said, because the County’s Iowa DOT Budget Amendment has to be filed before June 1st. In Cass County, Bechtold said that’s not a problem. And, while the Cass-Montgomery County matter was approved, the Supervisors tabled action on a FY 2020 Employment Agreement with Bechtold until their meeting May 14th at 9-a.m.

In other business, the Board approved the first amendment to the Child Support Staffing Contract with Child Support Recovery, incorporating the program budget for State Fiscal Year 2020. Auditor Dale Sunderman explained Cass County is paid to administer flow-through funding from State funds.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 30-year old Christopher John Hazen, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a hold for another agency Monday night, after a deputy was called to a residence in the 18,300 block of School Hill Avenue, in Council Bluffs. The deputy was sent to investigate a suspicious vehicle and found a running pickup truck just east of a residence. Hazen was located and taken into custody.

Monday afternoon, 42-year old Gordon Lee Nash, III, of Holstein, was transported from the Woodbury County Jail to the jail in Pottawattamie County, where he was wanted on a Pott. County warrant for Probation Violation. And, a traffic stop Monday night in Council Bluffs resulted in the arrest of 21-year old Eduardo Andy Mora, for Driving While License Suspended or Revoked. His bond was set at $1,000.

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa man has again been sentenced to four years in prison for beating an 11-year-old boy. Sioux County District Court records say 37-year-old Matthew Spaans was re-sentenced Monday. The Iowa Appeals Court in December ordered a resentencing after ruling that the trial judge considered an improper factor a year ago when sentencing Spaans the first time.

Spaans and his wife, Nina Spaans, of Hawarden, pleaded guilty to four counts of child endangerment. She received a four-year suspended prison sentence and was placed on two years’ probation. Court records say Matthew Spaans beat his stepson with his hands, a 56-inch sword and another item. The documents say the boy was told to make up stories about his bruises or his next beating would be worse.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests, two of which occurred Saturday. At around midnight, authorities arrested 30-year-old Jacob Le Miller, of Harlan, on a Class-D felony charge of operating while intoxicated 3rd offense. The charges was the result of a traffic stop along Highway 44.   Miller was transported to the Shelby County Jail and held under bond and was then released the following morning after posting the required $5000 surety bond. And, at around 9-p.m. Saturday, Shelby County authorities were called to a disturbance at a residence along Highway 44. Further information revealed that a party involved had left the scene.  Authorities located the vehicle traveling on Highway 44 and performed a traffic stop and upon further investigation it was determined that 42-year-old Jennifer Marie Rowedder, of Harlan, was intoxicated and charged with operating while intoxicated 1st offense.  Rowedder was transported to the Shelby County Jail without incident and held under bond until being released by the magistrate the following morning on her own recognizance.

And, there were two separate arrests on April 19th. At around 9-p.m., deputies arrested 45-year-old Bruce Daniel Peters, from Walnut, following a traffic stop for speeding along Highway 59 in Shelby County.  Upon further investigation Peters was taken into custody for operating while intoxicated 1st offense, and he was cited for speeding.   Peters was transferred to the Shelby County Jail without incident and released later that night after posting the $1000 cash bond. Also arrested, following a traffic stop in Earling April 19th, was 25-year-old Brett Scott Wilke, from Irwin.  Wilke was stopped around 1-a.m. for speeding, and upon further investigation was placed under arrest for operating while intoxicated 1st offense. Wilke was transported to the Shelby County Jail without incident and held till the following morning after he was released on his own recognizance.