The Red Oak Police Department reports two arrests on Friday.

At 6:53pm Friday Red Oak Police arrested 20-year-old Michael Wade Hamilton of Red Oak for Simple Assault, a simple misdemeanor. Hamilton was arrested in the 700 block of N. Broadway Street in Red Oak and taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $300 bond.

At 10:35pm Friday Red Oak Police arrested 38-year-old Christopher Michael Lowrance of Red Oak for Simple Assault, a simple misdemeanor. He was arrested in the 300 block of N. 4th Street in Red Oak and taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $300 cash bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has met with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, legislators and advocates of private schools to promote a proposal that would provide grants to students to attend school anywhere they choose including private and religious schools.

The proposal DeVos outlined on Friday would provide up to $5 billion in federal tax credits to donors to a nonprofit organizations set up in participating states that would distribute the grant money.

DeVos called the Education Freedom Scholarships program introduced in Congress by Sen. Ted Cruz and others “a historic opportunity to expand education freedom.” She denied the proposal will take money away from public schools. Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price says Reynolds and DeVos are working together to “enact their secretive school voucher tax credit scheme.”

Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett says Reynolds is open to looking at innovative ways to help public and non-public schools as well as homeschooling. Rep. RasTafari Smith, the top Democrat on the Iowa House Education Committee says he’s disappointed public education supporters were not invited to the closed-door invitation only discussion arranged by DeVos’ office.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man has testified in the murder trial of his son, who police say fatally shot his mother and staged the crime scene to look like a burglary. The Des Moines Register reports that 73-year-old Bill Carter’s testimony Thursday at the Pottawattamie County Courthouse in Council Bluffs helped establish a timeline for the killing of his wife, Shirley Carter.

The couple’s 46-year-old son, Jason Carter, is accused of fatally shooting Shirley Carter at her Marion County home in 2015. Bill Carter testified that investigators found many of his wife’s valuable belongings untouched, which prosecutors say proves that it wasn’t a burglary.

Marion County Attorney Ed Bull alleges that Jason Carter killed his mother for financial gain. Defense attorney Christine Branstad says investigators failed to follow up on significant pieces of evidence.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State budget experts say revenue for next year will be about $20 million less than they had anticipated in December but it’s not enough of a difference to cause lawmakers to adjust their budget plans. The state Revenue Estimating Conference, a panel of three budget experts, said Friday they expect revenue to be $7.84 billion, up 1.5 percent from the current year but about $20 million lower than December estimate.

A lower estimate in March usually means the Legislature must adjust its budget plan to consider the difference but lawmakers are discussing a budget of around $7.6 billion so it requires no adjustment. The panel expects current year revenue of $7.73 billion, an increase of 4.7 percent from the previous year. That’s about $5 million more than the group’s December estimate.

The last two years state officials have had to cut budgets after actual revenue came in less than the estimates. The group also made its first estimate for fiscal year 2021 expecting revenue to grow 2.6 percent to $8.05 billion.

COUNCIL BLUFFS – Pottawattamie County Officials continue to encourage residents in rural areas unprotected by levees along the Missouri River to voluntarily evacuate. Voluntary evacuations are based on expected inundation of flood waters later today and over the next week. Missouri waters are anticipated to reach 32’ later today which would cut off access to areas north of Council Bluffs to Harrison County and west of I-29. Additionally, some residents south of Council Bluffs along and west of I-29 south to Mills County could also be impacted by encroaching waters.

Flood waters impacting several roads in the areas described will be completely inaccessible making any essential and emergency services to those areas delayed and near impossible to reach. The American Red Cross continues to operate a shelter for displaced residents affected by the flood at Salem United Methodist Church at 14955 Somerset Avenue, in Council Bluffs.

Although most of the resident in the described areas have already self-evacuated, those remaining are encouraged to follow suit. The last sweeps of the identified areas are being conducted today as access allow.

Anyone evacuating to a shelter should bring essential items for each member of the family, including:
• Prescriptions and emergency medications
• Foods that meet unusual dietary requirements
• Identification to show residence is in affected area and important personal documents
• Extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies and other comfort items
• Supplies needed for children and infants, such as diapers, formula and toys
• Special items for family members who are elderly or disabled.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation today (Friday) for 15 more counties, in response to flooding and flash flooding beginning March 13 and continuing. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents, along with the Disaster Case Management Program, for the 15 counties, which includes Adair, Dallas, Guthrie and Shelby.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level or a maximum annual income of $41,560 for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim (April 29, 2019).

Disaster Case Management is a program to address serious needs to overcome a disaster-related hardship, injury or adverse condition. Disaster case managers work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice and referral to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.

Yesterday, the governor activated the State Emergency Operations Center and issued a proclamation to allow state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather across the entire state. The proclamation also made the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Management Program available in 21 counties, including Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Pottawattamie and Woodbury.

Residents of counties impacted by the recent severe weather are asked to report damage to help local and state officials better understand the damage sustained. Damage to property, roads, utilities and other storm-related information may be reported. This information will be collected by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and shared with local emergency management agencies.