IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A political appointee who works for three Iowa government agencies blasted an ethics law Friday that requires him and others with multiple state jobs to disclose them on a specific form. Employment Appeal Board member James Strohman called the law “kind of a dumb thing” in an interview, saying no one knows about the requirement, it’s not enforced and it gives the public little information. “It’s a goofy rule,” he said.

Strohman earns $84,000 on the full-time board, which Gov. Terry Branstad appointed him to in 2014. Strohman also has a halftime lecturer appointment at Iowa State University, where he teaches two online courses per semester and earned $42,000 last year. In addition, he teaches two or three courses each semester through Des Moines Area Community College, either online or at its campuses, earning an additional $15,000 per year, on average.

Under a 2006 law, state employees “shall not receive compensation simultaneously” from multiple agencies unless they file the disclosure with the ethics board within 20 days of accepting their secondary employment. The goal was to bring scrutiny to employees with multiple publicly-funded jobs to make sure they had no conflicts of interest and could perform both.

The law was passed after a lawyer with the Iowa Workforce Development agency was found to be working extensively as a contract public defender, including on days when she used sick leave. Dozens of notices have been filed over the last 12 years. They’re supposed to be posted on the ethics board’s website , but the agency has stopped doing so for a year due to its long-running technical inability to update the site.

Strohman recently filled out the form for the first time, under protest, in response to an inquiry from ethics board director Megan Tooker. Strohman said he had been unaware of the requirement and doesn’t believe it applies to his situation. He argued that his teaching jobs Iowa State and DMACC shouldn’t be covered by the law, even though administrative rules make clear that they are.

He told Tooker that he was filling out the form only “in the interest of complying with a perceived requirement, however misconstrued it may be.” He’s not expected to face consequences for his earlier noncompliance. Strohman said he puts in a full-time workload and is proud of his service at the board, which rules on appeals of unemployment benefits decisions, OSHA violations and other matters.
The obscure agency was in the news last year after one of its other members, Kim Schmett, and his wife were criticized for side work in which they lobbied on behalf of the Saudi Arabian government. Lawmakers this year barred state officials from outside jobs that require registering as a foreign agent.
Strohman said that he’s only missed one of 910 daily board meetings and does most of his teaching at nights and weekends. When he teaches during the day, he said he takes vacation that he’s accrued from his decades in state service. “I turn on my computer at night and on weekends and grade papers and have discussions with students. It’s not hard to do,” he said. “I’ve been doing it 12 years. I have it down. I enjoy it.”

Strohman said that when Branstad appointed him, the governor only asked that he stop writing about politics for an independent newspaper in Des Moines. Months before his appointment, Strohman had written a glowing piece about Branstad’s historic political career. Strohman said he’s no different than others who work two or three jobs to make ends meet. “That’s just an economic reality for a lot of Iowans,” he said.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s top public safety official says she’s informed Gov. Kim Reynolds that she will be leaving her job next month. Department of Public Safety Commissioner Roxann Ryan told employees in an email Friday that she’ll step down Jan. 2 after leading the department for four years.

She says she’s proud of progress that’s been made in the department, which includes the Iowa State Patrol, the Division of Criminal Investigation and other public safety units. The move comes as Reynolds is making some personnel changes after winning a full four-year term in office in last month’s election.

Before then-Gov. Terry Branstad promoted her to commissioner, Ryan worked as an attorney and an intelligence analyst for the department. A replacement for Ryan wasn’t immediately named.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 36-year old Jeramy Jerard Overstreet, of Essex, was arrested at around 6:30 this (Friday) morning, following a traffic stop. Overstreet faces charges that include Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Driving Under Suspension, Speeding and Providing False Identification Information. He was taken into custody near 280th Street and Highway 34. Bond was set at nearly $2,830.

And, 28-year old Thomas Michael Cash, of Pacific Junction, was arrested at around 12:18-a.m. today (Friday), on warrants for three counts of Probation Violation.  His bond was set at $60,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state court judge says he will take up to 60 days to consider arguments in a legal challenge to Iowa’s fetal heartbeat law, an abortion bill considered one of the strictest in the country.
The law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in May would prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, typically around six weeks of pregnancy. The law was to take effect in July 1, but a legal challenge by abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood and the Emma Goldman Clinic, halted its implementation.

The abortion providers and the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa argued today (Friday) to Judge Michael Huppert that the primary issues in the case have been decided by the Iowa Supreme Court and they asked the judge to declare the law unconstitutional and end the case without a trial in what is called a summary judgment. The attorney for Reynolds and the state says there are many disputed issues different in this law that must be heard at trial.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two arrests. Today (Friday), 38-year old Mitchell Mullins, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault/2nd offense. On Wednesday, 50-year old Dana Cisar, of Atlantic, was cited for OWI/1st offense, and then released. And, on Tuesday, 42-year old Amanda Bashor, of Atlantic, was arrested on Cass County warrants for Violation of Probation. Bashor and Mullins were booked into the Cass County Jail.

(Radio Iowa) — Gas prices continue to drop across the country and in our state. Triple-A Iowa reports that the average price for a gallon of gas nationwide is now at a record low of two-dollars, 43 cents-a-gallon. The average in Iowa dropped 13 cents compared to last week to hit two dollars 16 cents-a-gallon. That’s 30 cents a-gallon lower than last year at this time. Some areas of the state saw gas drop below two dollars. Tripple-A says the oil supply is growing faster than anticipated and production levels hit the highest level ever recorded.

A traffic stop Thursday night in Pottawattamie County resulted in the arrest of two people. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office reports a deputy on patrol in the area of 9th Avenue and Interstate 29 at around 10-p.m., noticed a Buick Century traveling westbound on 9th Avenue before it proceeded onto I-29 southbound. The car was pulled over a short-time later near mile marker 52, and the driver, 19-year old Jazzmaine Ann Coan, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody for Eluding. Her passenger, 23-year old Brandon Michael Eugene Miedl, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody and charged with Possession of Contraband (2-grams of marijuana).

And, 26-year old Dennis Michael Colclasure, of Council Bluffs, was arrested a little before 1-a.m. today (Friday), following an investigation into an accident, where his vehicle drove off Highway 6 at 340th Street, and ended-up in snowbank. Colclasure displayed signs of impairment, and was placed under arrest for OWI/1st offense. He was also cited for Driving Without a License.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A report shows Iowa’s largest public employee pension fund has stabilized thanks to solid investment returns but still has $6.8 billion in unfunded liabilities. The Des Moines Register reports that study released Thursday on the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System predicts that the system’s long-term unfunded liabilities will likely grow to $7 billion over the next five years.
The study predicts the unfunded liabilities will then begin to gradually decline and fully disappear by 2046.

Brent Banister is the chief pension actuary at Cavanaugh Macdonald Consulting, LLC, which prepared the report. He says there’s no concern that the system’s retirees won’t get their pension checks. The pension fund has 360,000 members, including current, former and retired employees of state government, cities, counties, school districts and other government agencies.

(IA News Service) DES MOINES, Iowa – The holiday season is ramping up, and while most people look forward to festivities with friends and family, for others this time of year can worsen stress, sadness and depression. Some people have increased anxiety due to travel obligations, or the expenses of gift-giving. Others neglect self-care trying to make the holidays special for family or loved ones. There is no evidence that the suicide rate spikes at Christmas, but suicides have dramatically increased in the U.S.. And Dennis Gillan, a mental-health and suicide-prevention advocate who lost two brothers to suicide, says each person needs coping mechanisms to help maintain their holiday equilibrium.

“Let’s get comfortable talking about mental health, so we don’t have this increase,” says Gillan. “And then, too, if you’ve been down this road take care of yourself – self-care is not selfish.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is now the 10th-leading cause of death nationwide, and the second-leading cause for people ages 15 to 34. Since 1999, Iowa’s suicide rate has increased by 21 percent. Matt Wray, associate professor of sociology at Temple University, has studied why suicide rates are higher in the American West than other parts of the U.S.. He says people thrive on strong friendships and family relationships, and too much solitude at any time of year can bring on feelings of despair.

“Social isolation,” says Wray. “And I’m not talking here about loneliness, although loneliness can be a factor in suicide, but more about geographic and social disconnectedness.” Mental health experts say for people who struggle during the holidays, this is not the time to cancel therapy sessions. And to reach the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).