AMES, Iowa (AP) — A software company wants more than $2.5 million in state aid to expand in Ames. Station KCCI reports that the Ames City Council voted Tuesday to endorse the aid application by Vertex Software, which says the expansion could bring 300 new jobs to the area. Many of the jobs would pay more than $100,000 a year. The company says it’s developed a cloud-based software product that lets users securely share 3D product data to any computing device.

Founder and CEO Dan Murray wants to build a 60,000-square-foot building in Iowa State University’s research park. Ames finance director Duane Pitcher says it’s “a good news story for Ames, a homegrown company.”

(Radio Iowa) — Whether it’s covered with melted cheddar and grilled onions or just topped with the traditional ketchup, mustard and pickles, Iowans are being enlisted to help find the state’s best burger. Kylie Peterson, spokeswoman for the Iowa Beef Industry Council, describes the qualifications for the annual Best Burger Contest. “The burger can have any combination of condiments and toppings but the burger is judged based on the taste of the patty and the appearance and the proper cooking temperature, which is 160-degrees,” Peterson says. “We’re also looking for a patty that is 100% beef.”

Learn more about the contest and cast a vote at: i-a-beef-dot-org. The deadline for entries is March 11th and Peterson says the finalists will be named a week later. “The top ten will be announced on March 19th and after that, a secret panel of judges will visit each top ten restaurant to help determine the winner of the Best Burger Contest,” Peterson says. “The winner will be announced to kick of the start of May Beef Month on May 1st.”

2018 Best Burger Winner

Last year’s winner was Café Baudelaire in Ames. In 2018, nearly 10,000 nominations from around 700 restaurants were received for the contest.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — A September trial has been scheduled for an Iowa woman accused of using pajama pants to strangle her 5-year-old daughter. Wapello County District Court records say 23-year-old Kelsie Thomas, of Ottumwa, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. Her trial start is set to start Sept. 10. Police and medics were sent July 19 to Thomas’ home in Ottumwa after a 911 call. Her daughter, Cloe Thomas, was pronounced dead later at a hospital. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has said Kelsie Thomas told investigators that she killed Cloe.

(Radio Iowa) — A senate committee will soon consider a plan to have Iowans on public assistance programs like Medicaid and food stamps to submit documents every three months to prove they’re still eligible. Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, is the bill’s sponsor. “I am going to do whatever I can try to find savings for taxpayers if somebody’s defrauding them,” Schultz says. “I don’t think this will hurt anybody who is legitimately on the program.”  Under the plan, a private company may be paid to process the information and cross check for identity theft or people claiming benefits in other states. Critics say Iowans who qualify for public assistance may unfairly lose their health care coverage or food stamps.

Laura Hessburg of the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence says welfare fraud isn’t a huge problem in Iowa. “I don’t know why in an effort to save taxpayers’ money by finding five people who commit fraud we are going to kick off thousands from the benefits they need,” Hessburg said, “and for some people this will be a risk to their health and their life.” Tyler Raygor of Americans for Prosperity says 10 other states have passed similar legislation. “Public assistance programs should be narrowly tailored to those who need them,” Raygor says, “and for those who don’t, we should be encouraging those folks to get back in the workforce.”

The proposal is scheduled for debate in the Senate Labor Committee next week. Senator Schultz, who is chairman of that committee, has tabled a separate plan to require Iowa food stamp recipients to show some sort of photo I-D at the check-out counter. “The rules are fenced in so tight,” Schultz says, “this is one of those deals that states don’t have any say on.” Schultz says he was trying to address misuse of the cards by people who are not eligible for the benefits. “These are taxpayer dollars and I was looking for ways to safeguard them,” Schultz says.

Schultz considered having the recipient’s photo on the “SNAP” benefit cards — which look like a credit card. According to the Iowa Child and Family Policy Center, food stamp benefits are issued to the head of household, but anyone in the home may use the card to buy food. Requiring a food stamp beneficiary to show a driver’s license or some form of photo I-D in order to use their card at a store is not allowed under federal regulations.

(Radio Iowa) — A senate committee has unanimously approved more than tripling the fine for people caught handling their smart phone while driving. Drivers gripping their cell to text or talk when they’re involved in serious accidents could have their driver’s licenses suspended for three months if the bill becomes law. Senator Jeff Danielson, a Democrat from Cedar Falls, says modern technology provides plenty of “hands-free” options for drivers.”I am a fire fighter,” Danielson says. “…It is a pretty common occurrence on accident scenes to see the phone somewhere on the dash, in the driver’s seat on and clear that they were using it during the accident.”

Senator Mark Lofgren, a Republican from Muscatine, says as a runner, he’s worried about drivers distracted by their smart phones.  “It’s dangerous out there,” Lofgren says. “The last few years, as I run through intersections and everything, you have to be really careful.”

The current fine for drivers caught texting and driving is 30 dollars. This bill would raise that to 100 dollars. Drivers involved in serious accidents while they’re texting or handling their cell phone could be fined five-hundred dollars. If the accident causes a death, the fine would jump to one-thousand dollars. The bill cleared the Senate Transportation Committee Wednesay afternoon and is now eligible for debate in the full Senate.

(Radio Iowa) — The education committees in the Iowa House and Senate have approved a bill that would ensure school districts have tens of millions of dollars in sales taxes to pay for improvements to school PROPERTY for decades to come. Margaret Buckton, a lobbyist for Rural School Advocates of Iowa, says this is the group’s number one legislative priority. “People have often thought that it’s more of an urban or suburban thing, but our rural schools need updated buses,” Buckton says. “They need computers and technology in addition to safe, right-sized facilities, so it’s critical to them.”

The one percent sales tax established statewide in 2009 for school infrastructure is due to expire in 2039. The bill legislators are considering would extend that another 20 years. Representative Cecil Dolecheck, a Republican from Mount Ayr, says most bonding agencies require a 20-year repayment plan, so schools will start to face higher interest rates on bonds if this bill doesn’t pass. “All school districts are tremendously appreciative of the fact that they are able to spend more money in the classroom because they don’t have to spend their General Fund revenues to repair roofs, make improvements, fix furnaces and those type of things,” Dolecheck says.

In 1999, the Iowa legislature allowed local option sales taxes to be raised for renovating or building new schools. Within a decade, 96 counties were collecting the sales tax, but critics said districts near retail centers got a higher proportion of those taxes. Ten years ago, legislators made the switch to distributing the one-cent sales tax for school infrastructure on a per pupil basis.