(Radio Iowa) — Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate have again drafted a resolution to give gun rights the highest level of protection possible under the Iowa Constitution. Secretary of State Paul Pate’s staff missed a deadline for publishing the proposal last fall, so Republicans who’ve championed the amendment had to re-start the process. Richard Rogers, a lobbyist for the Iowa Firearms Coalition, says Iowa is one of six states that doesn’t specifically include gun rights in its constitution.  “This simple amendment will ensure that these basic rights are protected for future generations and will not be affected by shifting and transitory political whims,” Rogers said. “Our grandchildren’s grandchildren will be guaranteed the right to keep and bear arms for all legitimate purposes.”

Opponents of the proposal goes further than the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Reverend Wendy Abrahamson, an Episcopal pastor from Grinnell, points to the inclusion of “strict scrutiny” language in the proposal. “Strict scrutiny would really make it, we think anyway, almost next to impossible to enact any kind of gun safety regulations,” she said.

Others say it makes current gun laws vulnerable to legal challenges. Supporters say it’ll keep lawmakers and courts from infringing on the right to keep and bear arms. The resolution triggering a statewide vote on the plan has cleared subcommittees in the House and Senate. 2022 is the earliest the proposed amendment could be presented to Iowa voters.

City officials in Corning and Glenwood have declared Snow Emergencies for the impending snow storm. In Corning, the 24-hour Snow Emergency begins 8-p.m. today (Tuesday). No parking will be allowed on marked snow route streets during the first 12 hours of the snow emergency. Except for the business district, parking during the first 12 hours on all other streets will be on the south and west sides only. For the remainder of the snow emergency, parking will be allowed on the north and east side of the street in Corning, if not prohibited by signs. All No Parking and direction of travel parking signs will be enforced.

In Glenwood, the Snow Emergency begins 10-p.m. today (Tuesday) and states “No person shall park, abandon or leave unattended vehicle(s) on any public street or City-owned parking lot, other than designated overnight parking areas. The snow emergency ban shall continue…until the snow ceases and the roads are plowed.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A nonpartisan public policy research institute has announced plans for an $8 million expansion of Drake University in Des Moines to create more space for public events. The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement has outgrown its current offices, which house six full-time employees, 15 undergraduate student workers and five research fellows, institute officials said. It will build a new two-story, 16,000-square-foot building on campus, The Des Moines Register reported. “The Institute’s new home on the Drake campus will enhance our ability to conduct a robust research agenda and to expand our engagement with Drake community members, Iowans, and individuals throughout the country and the world,” Marsha Ternus, chair of the Harkin Institute National Advisory Council, said in a news release.

The institute has already raised $6.6 million in private donations for the project. Construction is expected to start this year, according to the release. Retired U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin established the institute in 2013 to conduct public policy research and analyze issues including labor and employment, disabilities, retirement security and nutrition. The expansion is part of several developments planned along University Avenue. The university announced a long-term redevelopment plan near campus in October 2016 with the sale of 2.7 acres of university-owned land to a private developer. Hilton Hotels & Resorts plans to build a five-story, 86,300-square-foot hotel in the area, which will also feature retail and restaurant space. Real estate developer Nelson Construction & Development is building a 110-unit apartment building next to the hotel.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports three arrests. On Feb. 10th, 19-year old Koy Alan Brandt, of Greenfield, was arrested at the Adair County Jail on out of County warrant. He was released later the same day on a $235 cash or surety bond.  40-year old Daniel Richie Vais, of Casey, was arrested Feb. 11th on warrants for OWI/1st offense, Failure to Appear in court. Vais was released the following day on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. And, 58-year old Andrew Dean Nelson, of Casey, was arrested Feb. 15th on warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, and for Probation Violation.

When Nelson was brought to the Adair County Jail, a search of his person resulted in the discovery of a blue metal canister in the pocket that contained a substance which later tested positive for methamphetamine. He was being held on a $5,000 bond for the Possession charge, and without bond for the Probation Violation warrant.

The Audubon School Board, Monday, approved the sale of a small parcel of land on the south end of the Elementary School playground, and that is not used by the District and extends right up to a house next door. Superintendent Brett Gibbs told KJAN News the parcel sold for $500. The home, he said, is for sale. The prospective buyers wanted to purchase the parcel so they could install a driveway and a small garage. He said the entire process should be wrapped-up within the next month, so the sale of the house can proceed.

In other business, Superintendent Gibbs said the Audubon School Board approved the 2019-2020 School Calendar, with a start date on August 23rd. A wrinkle in the Calendar this coming year, adds a week-long Spring Break in March, in order to accommodate the Band trip to the southern U-S, which is something they do every four-years. 2019-20 is the year for the trip under that schedule. The change essentially puts the District right up to the end of May 2020 to finish the school year. In other business, the Audubon School Board accepted the initial proposal from Audubon Education Association’s Bargaining Unit, representing the District’s teachers. Both public meetings on the proposals will take place during the Board’s regular meeting on March 18th.

And, the Audubon School Board agreed to hire Kelsey Griffith as Elementary Special Education Teacher for the 2019-2020 School Year. That still leaves four openings to fill in the District. Gibbs said they hope to have an announcement this Friday morning on who they’ve hired as Middle School/High School Principal. Eric Trager, 5th-through 12th grade Principal, was hired as Superintendent to succeed Gibbs at the end of the current school year. Gibbs had earlier announced his resignation as Superintendent, and retirement.

The Exira-EHK School Board and Education Association – representing the Teacher’s Union – presented their initial contract proposals during a meeting Monday night. Superintendent Trevor Miller told KJAN News that the Education Association proposed a three-year contract and a 3.25-percent raise. The District proposed in its initial offering, a zero-percent increase in salary. The two sides will meet again March 12th to get further into the process.

Miller said also there were no concerns from the Board or those in attendance, with regard to the 2019-20 School Calendar, which the Board ultimately approved, and which begins in August. Classes start on the 23rd of August, end finish May 21st 2020. In other business, the Exira-EHK School Board approved the hiring of Andrea Nulle as High School Science Teacher and Assistant Softball Coach. Nulle graduates from Morningside College this year, and has been an Assistant Softball Coach for IKM-Manning the past couple of years.

The Griswold School Board, Monday night, accepted an offer from Chris Jahnke, with 3-H-O, LLC in Atlantic, for the purchase of the former Lewis Elementary School Building. Griswold Superintendent Dave Henrichs told KJAN News the Board and Jahnke agreed the building would be purchased for $9,000, which is considerably less than the $40,000 he proposed during a meeting last month. Henrichs said the offer was lower, due to the amount of work that must be done on the building before it can be occupied.

Jhanke said he would be willing to pay between five- and 15-thousand dollars, because through his research, he had concerns over the potential cost he would incur over asbestos abatement, an improperly working air conditioner unit in the gym – his main business would be located in that area. The cost to abate the asbestos would be somewhere between 60-and 80-thousand dollars, and to replace the A/C, another 5-thousand dollars. In addition, Jahnke was concerned with asbestos under the floor tiling. Pallet jacks would be used in that area. If that gets disturbed, there’s another issue. An epoxy covering would cost him $20,000 to 25,000. Carpeting is an option, but he would need to get a motorized pallet jack, at a cost of $8,000-to 10,000.

In addition to settling on the $9,000 purchase price, the Board made an agreement with Jahnke for trucking and manpower services to help move all the materials from the Lewis and Elliott buildings to the new building. Henrichs said it would have been very costly if the District chose to reject the agreement and demolish the building, instead, it would costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. And, he said it keeps their promise to District patrons and residents of Lewis, not to let the building become an eyesore.

In other business, the Griswold School Board agreed to leave the 2019-2020 School Calendar the same as this year, with the start date in August, on the 23rd.