Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Federal officials say the former director of Iowa’s workforce agency created a “perceived pressure” to favor employers over workers in unemployment benefits decisions. The U.S. Department of Labor made the assessment about Teresa Wahlert in a recent letter to Beth Townsend, the new director of the Iowa Workforce Development. The letter makes recommendations, including that the position of a chief administrative law judge be merit based. That protects certain state workers from being fired for political reasons.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – A woman has died in a hospital after a fire damaged her home in Davenport. The fire was reported shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday. Authorities say the fire started in a kitchen. The cause is being investigated. The woman, who officials have identified as 34-yer-old Stephanie Ford, was alone in the home when the fire broke out.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A plan for Iowa to hire an outside contractor to vet some Medicaid recipients is under review in the Iowa Senate. The proposal would require the state to contract with an outside vendor to set up a computerized system that would assess whether people who are elderly, blind or disabled meet Medicaid eligibility rules. This would apply to about 78,800 people currently on Medicaid, out of about 550,000 in the program in Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Federal prosecutors say a former Des Moines police officer who was sentenced to less than two years in prison for severely beating a man during a 2012 traffic stop should be locked away for up to 14 years. Merced Dautovic was convicted of using excessive force and obstructing justice in 2012. Federal Judge John Jarvey sentenced him to less than two years and he was released in January 2014.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education Monday night held a public hearing with regard to the district’s proposed 2015-16 Certified Budget. Hearing no comments for or against the proposal, the budget was approved. The Fiscal Year 2016 Budget, which amounts to $6,512,112, is $226,089 more than last year’s (FY2015) budget (of $6,286,023). The school district’s levy will increase from $14.91-per thousand dollars valuation in FY2015 to $15.22-per thousand, for FY 2016.

The Board however by unanimous vote declined to ratify the Non-Certified Employees 2015-16 tentative contract agreement, thereby sending the matter to mediation, then arbitration, if necessary beyond that. Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said the negotiations went fairly fast this year. The tentative agreement they had reached was for part-time employees to receive time-off with pay for the holidays, which only affected two employees. They also granted an hourly increase of 47-cents, which would cost the district $87, 584.

Amstein said that factored in a state supplemental aid increase from 2 to 2.5-percent. Board member Phil Hascall said “He struggled with” the 3.28-percent increase, and other board members agreed. Hascall said “I really think that we should have done maybe a better job of trying to settle for half of that. It’s tough for me to vote for something like that when we’re going to get two and a half percent [from the Legislature] as a district. I wish our bargainer would have done a little better job than that…somebody that can take the heat rather than you [Amstein] or the board…and hold the line.”

Hascall said it’s not that he doesn’t think people don’t deserve a raise, but in his business and elsewhere, it’s hard to justify a nearly three-percent raise. “It’s sends a message to the rest of the employees who haven’t [yet] settled.” Board member Rod Hartwig said the amount was “A little higher than I thought it would be,” and Hascall said he didn’t want to vote for something that might result in the elimination of the para-educators.

In his report to the Board, Superintendent Amstein said the legislature’s failure to act on State Supplemental Aid continues to frustrate administrators such as himself. He said it’s been over the month since the deadline has past under Iowa Code for the amount of aid to be set. Amstein said in talking with Superintendents in other districts, he isn’t optimist they’ll have the final number by April. That he says is sad, because “It holds districts hostage in trying to create budgets, when you don’t know what amount it going to be available for school funding.”

The legislature’s inaction on Early Start Waivers has also impacted districts. Atlantic has created two calendars, one with an August 31st date, and one for August 24th. If they don’t hear anything from the legislature by mid-April, Amstein said the district will have to act on its own accord.

HONEY CREEK, Iowa (AP) – Officials say a large grass fire in western Iowa caused by what was meant to be a controlled burn has been contained. The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports  that three area fire departments responded at about 12:15 p.m. Monday to the fire in northwestern Pottawattamie County. Emergency crews contained the fire within an hour.

Deputy Crescent Fire Chief says dry and windy conditions contributed to the fire. No injuries have been reported. The National Weather Service had issued a red flag warning to western Iowa and parts of central Iowa, that was in effect until 7 p.m. The warning indicated dry conditions and low humidity that can lead to flames that spread more quickly than usual.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines Water Works has filed a lawsuit against three northern Iowa counties, alleging they are violating federal law by running drainage systems that contribute to high nitrate levels in rivers the utility uses for source water. Details of the lawsuit against Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac counties were released Monday. The Des Moines Register reports  the lawsuit was filed Friday and seeks reimbursement after spending $540,000 to operate a nitrate removal facility for 97 days this winter.

Water Works officials say the counties’ 10 drainage districts allow excessive nitrate levels into the Raccoon River, a primary central Iowa water source. In the lawsuit, the utility alleges such systems limit the area’s drinking supply. The law firm representing the counties didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday.

A Red Oak man was arrested Monday (3/16) afternoon after he was discovered inside a residence breaking items.  Red Oak Police responded to a call of someone in a house at 107 4th Avenue breaking things at 2:35pm Monday.  Upon arrival officers arrested 35-year-0ld Kim Jack Douglas Trost who was inside residence.  He will be charged with Burglary in the 3rd Degree and was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $5,000 bond.  The Red Oak Police were assisted by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

The nominations for Iowa’s Best Burger show that whether you live in a town of 1,000 people or in a metropolitan area of more than half a million people, great hamburgers are being served across the state. Officials with the Iowa Beef Industry Council said Monday (today), Iowans submitted more than 4,000 nomination votes between Feb. 11th and March 10th that selected the 2015 Top Ten restaurants and their burgers.

In its sixth year, Iowa’s Best Burger contest received nominations for 286 Iowa restaurants. The Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association counted the nominations that came in via online, texting and paper ballots. Those making the Top Ten list are (in alphabetical order):

Ankeny Diner, Ankeny
Big City Burgers & Greens, Des Moines
Down Right Delicious, Clarinda
Elm’s Club, Creston
First Street Grille, Keosauqua
Ride’s Bar & Grill, Fort Dodge
Saucy Focaccia, Cedar Rapids
The Cider House, Fairfield
The Ritz, Arnold’s Park
Zombie Burger, Des Moines

Saucy Focaccia and The Cider House joined 102 other new restaurants at being nominated for the contest. Those two, along with Down Right Delicious, are also in the Top 10 for the first time. Iowa’s Best Burger contest now moves to the next stage. All Top Ten restaurants will be visited by judges who will evaluate the hamburgers based on taste, appearance, and proper serving temperature (160 degrees).

The winner will be announced May 4th. To continue to learn more about the contest, you can visit www.iabeef.org where you’ll find a map showing the locations of the Top Ten restaurants, or “friend” the Iowa Beef Council Facebook© page.

Last year, Brick City Grill of Ames too home the final prize. Winners in previous years are: 2013- 61 Chop House Grille, Mediapolis; 2012- Coon Bowl III in Coon Rapids; 2011- Rusty Duck in Dexter; and 2010-Sac County Cattle Company of Sac City.

A special enrollment period for the federal health insurance marketplace is open from March 15, 2015 to April 30, 2015. You may enroll in a health insurance plan through the Marketplace during this period if you:

• Are currently not enrolled in coverage through the Federal Marketplace for 2015
• Paid a fee on your 2014 tax return for not having health coverage in 2014
• Can attest you did not understand or become aware of the Shared Responsibility Payment until after the open enrollment deadline had passed (February 15th, 2015) in connection with preparing your 2014 income taxes

In order to help eligible people understand their choices and assist them with the enrollment, health insurance enrollment fairs will be held at Cass County Memorial Hospital, 1501 E. 10th Street in Atlantic, on the dates below:
• Saturday, March 21st, 10:00am to 4:00pm
• Saturday, April 11th, 10:00am to 4:00pm

To schedule your 30 minute personal appointment, call Cass County Memorial Hospital at 712-243-3250 and ask for extension 3411 or extension 4111.

These events will provide Iowa residents with one-on-one enrollment assistance from licensed navigators. At the enrollment events, individuals can obtain detailed information about each Marketplace Health Insurance Plan offered in Iowa and can receive help determining their eligibility for Marketplace subsidies as well as eligibility for public programs such as Medicaid.

In order to complete the enrollment application at the fair, please bring the following information:
• Current ID
• Social Security numbers of all members of the household
• 2013 Income Tax Returns
• If working, last pay stub

Information about Marketplace Enrollment is also available at the federal helpline at
1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325) and at www.healthcare.gov.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – When faced with sensitive and potentially embarrassing inquiries, government agencies in Iowa often use the same legal rationale to keep the public in the dark. It’s an exemption to the Iowa open records law that shields “personal information in confidential personnel records.”

Though the precise meaning is unclear, agencies often cite it to reject requests that involve their management, discipline, handling of complaints and many other subjects about publicly-funded employees. As part of Sunshine Week, The Associated Press is highlighting how the exemption limits the public’s ability to access records.

In recent years, agencies have cited it in refusing to release a broad range of information, from employees’ letters of resignation to internal and external complaints, findings in misconduct investigations, even statistical information.

The Atlantic Police Department reports a local man was arrested Saturday on an assault charge. 31-year old Terence Magill, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was booked into the Cass County Jail.

And an accident Friday afternoon at 7th and Linn Streets in Atlantic caused $6,500 damage. The A-PD says a vehicle driven by Brian Holmes, of Shenandoah, was traveling east on 7th Street at around 12:20-p.m. and was slowing to stop for traffic backed up from the traffic light at the intersection of 7th and Olive Streets.  As he slowed down, his vehicle was hit from behind by a vehicle being driven by Colton Williamson, of Atlantic. A passenger in one of the vehicles complained of pain, but neither driver was injured.

Authorities cited Williamson for Failure to reduce speed, and Failure to have proof of liability insurance.

(12-p.m. News)

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – A two-year investigation conducted by western Iowa police has yielded the arrests of 17 people on drug-related charges. The Storm Lake Police Department said Monday that the expansive drug sweep is aimed at stemming the sale of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana. Police began making arrests Thursday, seizing drugs and money throughout the weekend.

The Sioux City Journal reports that those arrested face conspiracy to manufacture and delivery charges involving methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana. Eleven were arrested on felony charges and six on serious misdemeanor charges. Police say the arrests are ongoing as they continue to locate more people linked to their investigation.