As fires from overnight riots in Baltimore still burn, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s considering calling on the U-S Justice Department to review all cases where minorities die at the hands of police. Grassley, a Republican, is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and he says all options are on the table as these cases appear to become more frequent, with very violent public reactions.

(R-IA) Sen. Charles Grassley

“We’re in the early stages of looking at what the committee can or should do, perhaps it’s a hearing, perhaps it could be legislation or it could be nothing. We just don’t know yet,” Grassley says. “I think we need to be very judicious in any response.” Starting with the Ferguson, Missouri, case last summer, there have been multiple, high-profile incidents in recent months in many states, including New York, Maryland and South Carolina, where lethal force was used by law officers against minorities. Grassley says he’s not sure about any of the options as possible solutions.

“There have been many suggestions, including one by my friend, Senator (Tim) Scott of South Carolina, who is a minority, that would require the federal Justice Department to review any deaths of minorities by law enforcement.” The latest case involves 25-year-old Freddie Gray of Baltimore, whose funeral was Monday. Gray died earlier this month while in police custody, sparking riots that culminated overnight with dozens of large fires, more than 200 arrests and at least seven police officers injured.

“People have every right to protest peacefully, but the looting and unrest only shows disrespect for Baltimore and disrespect for Mr. Gray’s family,” Grassley says. As the law now stands, the Justice Department can involve itself in instances where it’s believed federal laws may have been violated, but an investigation is not mandatory in all cases involving police-involved minority deaths.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Community School District needs to do a better job of reigning-in spending and taking in cash. That’s the word from Gary Sinclair, with PMA Financial Network, who handed out a half-inch thick booklet to the school board and discussed for more than 40-minutes, ways to continue to improve upon financial planning. The information he presented during Monday night’s board meeting, was compiled through the use of IASB (Iowa Association of School Board) reports.

Areas of concern included the district’s Unspent Balance, its Cash Position, Spending Authority, and Solvency ratio. He said the district has been “trending down,” and at the end of FY 2014 was -3.6, which means if all the bills had been paid, the district would not have had enough money. The district’s Unspent Balance has also been trending down.  He says eventually, unless that’s turned around, it will continue to accelerate.

Sinclair also pointed out the district has fewer students per full-time employee teachers, than four other, comparable districts, which results in higher salaries and benefits in the General Fund, and which “Has contributed to the financial challenges” the district is experiencing.

The district has been working with the Financial Planning Program (FPP) to better track and control its spending. The program is based on past spending, future spending, projected enrollment, income, and numerous other factors. The data show over the next two years, the district has to have a net reduction in salaries and one a one-year net reduction in benefits, to turn the budget around. If not, the district will show a negative balance in two-years.

Sinclair said there’s not much the district can do on the revenue side of the equation. PMA projects a reduction of eight teaching positions next year, but also adds fractional teacher hiring positions based on enrollment increases. Atlantic will start the TLC (Teacher Leadership and Compensation) system next year, which will bring in needed revenue, but part of activities the district is currently doing, will qualify for TLC spending, which will supplant the General Fund. Attrition of staff, by retirement, or by transfers to other districts, are also factored in to the financial picture.

He says the bottom line is the district needs to take in more cash next year in order to bring the solvency ratio back into a positive range.

An Atlantic man was arrested Monday, for Violation of a No Contact Order. The A-PD says 44-year old Carl Kemp was taken into custody and booked into the Cass County Jail.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating a shooting that took place early this (Tuesday) morning. Authorities say 31-year old Aaron Caddell, of Council Bluffs, walked into the Emergency Room at Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital at around 2:40-a.m., suffering from a gunshot wound to his right ankle. He was treated at the hospital, and released.

Caddell told police he had been walking east on Kanesville Boulevard near the intersection with Main Street, when he heard a “pop,” and was shot. The bullet came allegedly from someone in a red car that was also traveling east on Kanesville Blvd.

Caddell was unable to provide any information on the occupants of the vehicle, or a better description of the vehicle itself. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-328-STOP. You can remain anonymous, and are eligible for a cash reward if the information leads to an arrest and conviction.

More area, and state news, from Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

DES MOINES, Iowa – Use of e-cigarettes among young people in Iowa and across the United States is topping regular cigarettes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that, for the first time in the history of its National Youth Tobacco Survey, e-cigarette use is higher than all other forms of tobacco use, including cigarettes.

CDC director Tom Frieden said the increased popularity of the product is working against other progress made in the fight against cigarette smoking. “Big picture here is, we’re seeing a striking increase,” he said. “It’s very concerning. It more than counterbalances the decrease in cigarette smoking, which we’ve seen occurring over the last few years.”

Brian King, deputy director for research translation in the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, said the many flavors offered with e-cigarettes and hookah tobacco make them interesting options to young people. “Hookah, like e-cigarettes, are not regulated, although they have proposed to be regulated,” he said, “and they’re still available in flavors, and particularly kid-friendly flavors that can increase appeal and access.”

Last year, the CDC estimated, 2.4 million youths were users of e-cigarettes, and an estimated 1.6 million young people who used hookahs, the large pipes used to smoke flavored tobacco. The agency said those numbers have tripled since 2011. The report is online at cdc.gov.

(Iowa News Service)

The Creston Police Department reports a woman from Cromwell, in Union County, was arrested Monday night. 36-year old Carrie Nawacy Parcher was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for a Controlled Substance Violation. Her bond was set at $10,000.

The 7:07-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Residents in Adair and Guthrie County can access a new application for their cell phones, tablets and other electronic devices. Bob Kempf, Emergency Management Coordinator for Adair and Guthrie Counties, says the new app available through the Google Play Store, allows residents “one-stop location” for all sorts of important information. He says it’s an all-in-one mobile app with information on what to do and expect before, during and after an emergency.

Kempf acknowledges there are other sources from which persons can glean emergency and weather information, including the NOAA weather radio and the Code Red system for emergency notifications via text and land-lines that covers Adair and Guthrie County, the Adair-Guthrie County Emergency Management Commission wanted a more concise way to reach the mobile user.

The two counties will be the first in the State to offer an app that offers weather, weather alerts, radar, a way to push out emergency notifications such as Boil Orders or evacuations, as well as links to the EMA’s Facebook and Twitter sites, contact information, and how to send a damage report to the Adair-Guthrie EMA if your property is hit by a storm or other disaster.

The system is not affiliated with the “Alert Iowa” program, which is a statewide mass notification and emergency messaging system. Kempf says because the two counties still have a year remaining on their Code Red contract, they won’t be switching over to Alert Iowa until the contract expires. He says if you come home or get in your vehicle and catch the tail end of a weather alert broadcast from your weather radio or local radio station, you can go to the new app on your cell phone and read exactly what the message from the National Weather Service was. You simply open up the app and access the type of information you want.

That includes preparedness information for example on what to do after a power outage. Kempf says the app has been under development since last fall. He says you can find and download it from the Google Play Store by searching for Adair (space) Guthrie (space) EMA, or at the iTunes app store under the iPhone section, not the iPad.

The body of an Iowa State University student was discovered Monday afternoon.  A resident of Friley Hall on the Ames campus found her female roommate inside their room. Iowa State University Police and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene. The female was pronounced dead by authorities.

No foul play is suspected in the case. The name of the individual has not been released pending notification of family members.

(Radio Iowa)