Gov. Kim Reynolds, Friday, extended existing proclamations of disaster emergency for counties impacted by March flooding. The proclamation extends the governor’s March 14 activation of Iowa’s disaster response and recovery efforts for an additional 30 days, to May 12, 2019, and allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather across the entire state.

The proclamation also provides impacted Iowans additional time to apply for the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program. The new deadline to apply for the program is May 12, 2019.  Among the counties covered under the extended proclamation for the Individual Assistance Grant Program is: Adair, Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Dallas, Guthrie, Madison, Montgomery, Page,  Pottawattamie, and Shelby.

The Disaster Case Management Program remains in effect for all counties currently covered by governor’s disaster proclamations. For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.

Friday’s proclamation also extends the governor’s temporary suspension of regulatory provisions pertaining to hours of service for disaster repair crews and drivers delivering goods and services while responding to disaster sites during the duration of this disaster, along with weight limits related to disaster repairs. In addition, the proclamation waives fees for issuance of replacement motor vehicle registrations cards, plates and driver licenses, additional fees for car and travel trailer lots, and waives some types of recycler licenses.

The proclamation also suspends length-of-stay and fee requirements at Waubonsie State Park located in Fremont County. Requirements suspended include:

• Limiting campers to no more than 14 consecutive nights
• Requiring a minimum of three nights separating each two-week stay
• Camping and related transactions fees
• Establishing a minimal number of campground sites that must be made available through the online reservation system

To be eligible for the fee waivers, persons displaced by this disaster should show up in person to check for availability. For more information, visit the DNR Disaster Assistance website or the Waubonsie State Park website. For more information on Iowa’s flooding and disaster assistance, visit floods2019.iowa.gov.

PACIFIC JUNCTION, Iowa (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence is touring areas in Iowa and Nebraska devastated during last month’s flooding. Pence was joined by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst in touring an area around Pacific Junction, a community in southwest Iowa where floodwaters still prevent some residents from returning home more than three weeks after the flooding began.

Iowa officials have estimated the March flooding caused $1.6 billion in damage in the state. Pence last month toured areas swamped by floodwaters in Nebraska , where state officials estimate nearly $1.4 billion in damage and losses.

Democratic presidential candidate and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee also was in southwest Iowa on Friday. He toured the flooded town of Hamburg.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Transportation says Iowa may make immediate use of $9 million in Federal Highway Administration emergency relief funds to repair roads damaged by flooding. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao announced the emergency grant on Friday.

The money can be used to begin short-term repairs while further damage assessment for long-term repairs takes place. The money is allocated for federally eligible highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley says the money will help get roads reopened in southwest Iowa. Heavy rain and rapid snowmelt in March resulted in widespread flooding that closed many primary and secondary routes as well as interstate routes.

Damaged federal-aid routes include Interstate 29, Interstate 680 and U.S. Highway 34.

(Radio Iowa) — Cedar Rapids police say burglars broke took dozens of wedding and prom dresses from a local seamstress. Police say they broke into “Seams Easy” store and two other businesses sometime late Wednesday. The shop’s owner, Loiza Edgington, told K-C-R-G T-V that the burglars threw everything about looking for things to steal. She says she first looked for the wedding dresses and found them gone and then saw that the prom dresses were also taken. It’s believed they made off with at least 30 different articles of clothing, ranging from prom and wedding dresses to t-shirts. Edgington thinks the cost of the loss is about 10-thousand dollars in money in merchandise, and is a difficult situation to accept.

“I just cried and cried yesterday waiting for my husband and police to come,” Edgington says. Valerie Porter told K-C-R-G T-V she found out her wedding dress for a June ceremony was stolen after getting a call from her seamstress. “I thought she was calling to say, hey you have an appointment come back in and I was in the car crying,” Porter says. “I really didn’t know how to take it.” It’ll be tough to track down those responsible because there’s no surveillance video or any witnesses. Edgington is hoping social media will help I-D the burglars.

“We’re trying to check Facebook market or if somebody tries to sell them maybe that would lead us,to finding this guy,” said Edgington. “Find the guy, please.”
Seams Easy is asking anybody who’s seen any prom or wedding dresses at consignment stores, or even online, to call the store. Cedar Rapids police are also asking any information on the burglary to contact them or Crimestoppers. Meanwhile, Porter has a wedding to prepare for. She’s scraped together the money for a new dress and has ordered it. Even so, she and her soon to be husband hope the original returns.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A second man has been arraigned on murder and robbery charges in connection with the slaying of a 19-year-old woman in Davenport. Scott County court records say 26-year-old Arthur Lobley is being held without bond pending hearings scheduled next week in Davenport. Authorities say Lobley and Craig Coleman Jr. robbed and then fatally shot Destiny Orr-Clark south of Davenport Memorial Park on May 4 last year.

The Atlantic Police Department reports three arrests took place Thursday. 29-year old Justin Jacobs, of Atlantic, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Interference with official acts, and Public Intoxication/3rd or subsequent offense. 46-year old Dwayne Rollins, of Atlantic, was arrested Thursday on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear in court. And, 27-year old Paige Boken, of Carroll, was arrested for Theft in the 3rd Degree (Shoplifting).

On April 6th, Atlantic Police arrested 19-year old Drew Steckelberg, of Atlantic, for Domestic Abuse Assault and Theft in the 4th Degree. And, 27-year old Stephen Ross, of Atlantic, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts, as well as Public Intox.

On April 4th, 30-year old April Medina, of Atlantic, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. All of those individuals were booked into the Cass County Jail.

(Radio Iowa) — As dozens of Iowans die every year from opioid overdoses, the state is sponsoring a new initiative offering every law officer in the state a free two-pack naloxone kit. Kevin Gabbert, the state health department’s opioid treatment program director, says the kits are easy to use and they’re genuine life-savers. “This nasal spray can be used to provide naloxone to the person and it’s something that’s done through the nose,” Gabbert says, “and the intent is that it will reverse the opioid overdose that’s occurring and allow time until medical care can be provided.”

Gabbert says if the spray is used on someone who is -not- having an overdose, there are no ill effects. In 2017, there were 206 opioid-involved deaths in Iowa. Preliminary data for 2018 shows that number has dropped to 137. Until those numbers drop to zero, Gabbert says it’s important that our police officers, sheriff’s deputies, state troopers and others are prepared. “Quite often, our law enforcement personnel are the first to a scene when a suspected overdose has occurred,” Gabbert says. “Having the ability to administer naloxone without delay could mean the difference between life and death. In some cases, it may actually be the law enforcement officer whose life is in danger because of accidental exposure to an opioid or suspected opioid.”

There are about six-thousand law officers in the state and it’s unclear how many individuals or departments may request the kits. The state is planning to make one large purchase, at a discount. “Typically, if a person were to go to a pharmacy and purchase the two-pack Narcan kit that we’re providing, it would be about $150,” Gabbert says. “We’re able to purchase it directly from the manufacturer and obtain what they call ‘public interest pricing,’ and so we can get it for $75 for the same two-pack kit.”

The program is being sponsored by the Iowa Department of Public Health, with support from the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association and the Iowa Police Chiefs Association. Law agencies can request the free kits by calling the IDPH at 515-281-7689.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa legislature has unanimously voted to cut some government red tape that low-income Iowans encounter as they try to kick an opioid addition. Medicaid patients getting prescription meds like Methadone for substance abuse treatment must get approval from a private company managing Medicaid before the medication can be dispensed. Senator Marinnette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa says that creates problems for low-income Iowans, because Medicaid won’t pay for the prescription unless it’s authorized beforehand. Lawmakers want state officials to make at least one medication for opioid addicts available without prior authorization.

“This helps to fix that problem,” Miller-Meeks says. “In addition to which, when we have a provider shortage in our state, we don’t want our providers spending hours on the telephone in a day or weeks, trying to get prior authorization.” Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City agrees. “It is very important that we offer this opportunity to the providers,” Ragan says, “and I think it’ll make a huge difference in many lives.”

Advocates say the next step is expanding the number of Iowa clinics where recovering addicts can get the prescription medications that are part of their substance abuse treatment plan.

(Radio Iowa) — More than one-thousand motorists got citations from the Iowa State Patrol for texting while driving last year and the numbers are still climbing. Patrol Sergeant Nathan Ludwig says it’s now a primary offense, meaning, you can be pulled over just for texting.”I think the misconception people have is that you can still text if you’re at a red light or a stop sign and that is not the case,” Ludwig says. “If you’re on the travel portion of the roadway, you cannot be texting, writing, sending or receiving a message.”

April is National Texting and Driving Awareness Month and Ludwig has some advice to motorists when it comes to their phones. “Just have your phone out of your hand when you’re driving,” he says. “It’s better because that way, you’re not concentrating on that, you’re looking down the road, you’re seeing what’s going on. Studies show that if you glance down at your phone for five seconds at 55 miles an hour, that’s like traveling the length of a football field. You’re covering a lot of ground when you’re looking down at your phone.”

Ludwig says the patrol is educating Iowans about the continuing problem. “We’re out there every day trying to enforce the law of people having the phone out of their hands,” he says. “We’ve got a YouTube video out and our Facebook messaging, basically because it’s National Texting and Driving Awareness Month, just to get people to know the dangers of it.”

See the video called “Windshield Time” at the Iowa State Patrol Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/IowaStatePatrol/videos/2456733737683662/