Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has promoted a female district judge to the Supreme Court in Iowa, the only state where all of its current justices are men. Susan Christensen will be the first woman on Iowa’s high court in roughly eight years. The appointment doesn’t require confirmation by lawmakers. During brief remarks from her formal office at the state Capitol, Reynolds praised Christensen’s background, including as a district judge in southwest Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s governor has signed a letter asking President Donald Trump for a presidential disaster declaration for 30 Iowa counties that sustained significant damage from severe storms and flooding from June 6 through July 2. Gov. Kim Reynolds requested funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program. Funding from that program is used to rebuild damaged infrastructure, including roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a Coralville attorney has pleaded guilty in a fraud case that saw him file false tax returns and steal money from clients. Soo Hyun Jung, also known as Jay Jung, pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of mail fraud and one count of false claims. Jung faces up to 45 years in prison when he’s sentenced in December.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new audit says the former director of an Iowa housing agency spent more than $800 renting hotel rooms near his home in central Iowa. The audit released by the Iowa Finance Authority concludes that most of former director Dave Jamison’s credit card expenses were work-related and properly documented. But the report by an outside auditing firm said that Jamison should not have been reimbursed for six lodging charges in the Des Moines areas that totaled more than $800.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved entering into a contract with SWIPCO to pay for a portion of the costs necessary for a Downtown Revitalization CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) application, as it pertains to downtown store front (Facade) improvements. The vote to approve was 5-to 1, with Councilman Dick Casady opposed, and Councilperson Kathy Somers absent. The City will now commit $45,000 for the various studies required to develop the application, including: Slum and blight; Historic District and the project architect fee.

Prior to the vote, Casady asked SWIPCO Lead Planner Alexis Fleener, Lead Planner with SWIPCO, if she feels the City should giveaway taxpayer’s money for the project, and why? She said “If you kind think of Chestnut Street as the experience people have in Atlantic…Chestnut Street is a big draw in Atlantic…you can say that in a way, the appearance of buildings and the experience that people have and the draw that people have to Chestnut Street, is a public good.”

She added that it’s been seen to be a good investment as a way to revitalize the area and help other buildings keep up with the pace. Fleener cited Ottumwa as an example, saying they’ve done multiple phases of the project and now they’re moving towards streetscapes and upper story investments with residential properties, etc. “So it’s really been an economic booster.”

Fleener said to date, 17 downtown property downtown building owners are very interested in participating in the facade program, while another eight are somewhat interested. In order to receive a CDBG award managed by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), and the State requires 25-percent Sponsor (City) funding ($250,000), as well as 25-percent Property Owner Funding ($250,000), or a total of $500,000. The State would provide matching funds of $500,00, if the CDBG application is approved.

Fleener said with the current level of interest in the program by business owners, it’s certain that the project will have to be done in two phases, with some of the properties improved at the onset, and others as time moves on. She said it takes a year to complete the studies required, and then another one-to two-years before any work can actually begin, assuming the grant is approved.

Working in phases would also give the city some “Breathing room,” for financing, with cash available again in 2023, according to City Administrator John Lund, who said also he’s already adjusted the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Progress Fund budget for FY 2019 to reserve the $45,000 needed for the study. And, he’s addressed the City’s grant match of $250,000, by proposing the City use the remaining $140,892 in the Economic Development Revolving fund in FY 2020, and then transfer $77,055 from the LOST progress fund in both FY 2019 and FY 2020 to cover the expenditures related to the project.

(Radio Iowa) — An annual review by the State Auditor’s office found not all Iowa Workforce Development employees appear to be reporting “actual hours worked” on specific programs.  According to the auditor’s report, the Department “has not effectively communicated” the proper procedures for keeping track of employee work hours. As a result, payroll costs could be charged to the wrong program.

The agency has a wide-range of duties — it manages unemployment benefits and job training programs, for example — and many operate with a combination of state and federal funds. The auditor says if employees aren’t properly tracking their work hours, payroll costs may be “over reported” to federal programs.

The department says it has directed supervisors to more closely review hourly pay records. In addition, the agency will generate “payroll variance reports” each quarter for employees “who appear not to be changing their time records.”

The auditor also found the agency’s initial report on unemployment insurance payments from Iowa businesses was off by nearly 13 million dollars. The figure was corrected in a final report, but the auditor has recommended that the agency upgrade the software it uses to calculate unemployment insurance payments. The auditor also found the agency does not routinely conduct background checks of people applying for “sensitive” jobs in the department, particularly I-T staff and employees who handle cash. Iowa Workforce Development officials say they’re talking with the state’s H-R agency to come up with a list of sensitive jobs that should require background checks.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 24-year-old Jesse Dean Uhlmann of Red Oak on Wednesday at 1:32pm. Uhlmann was arrested at the intersection of North 4th Street and East Valley Street in Red Oak on a valid Red Oak PD Warrant for Simple Assault. Uhlmann was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

A woman from Shelby County was appointed as an Iowa Supreme Court Justice, Wednesday. Governor Kim Reynolds announced Susan A. Christensen, District 4 Court Judge from Harlan, was her selection out of three nominee finalists. During a press conference Wednesday afternoon, the Governor said in making her selection, she received numerous input from Iowans. Christensen was selected because has devoted her professional career to public service. Reynolds said “She has served as a prosecutor, a juvenile court judge, and most recently, a District Court Judge. She’s passionate about improving the judicial system, serving on multiple Supreme Court Committees to improve juvenile justice. (Listen to full audio here: https://www.radioiowa.com/2018/08/01/reynolds-appoints-female-judge-from-harlan-to-iowa-supreme-court/)

She said Iowans have told her Christensen is “The most prepared and passionate person in the courtroom. She’s dogged in pursuing excellence. She’s more than just a sharp legal mind, she has an incredible heart.” Reynolds pointed out that Christensen didn’t take a typical path into the court system: “She attended law school later than most, working for years as a legal secretary to support her family, and her schooling, and she understands the challenges of everyday Iowans.”

Judge Christensen (left) and IA Gov. Kim Reynolds during Wednesday’s announcement (Radio Iowa photo)

“She’s a mother of five and a grandmother of four…and will be the only justice to work outside one of our metro areas. And with her appointment, there will once again be a woman’s voice on the Iowa Supreme Court,” said Reynolds.The last women to serve on the Iowa Supreme Court, was Linda K. Neuman, who served from 1986-2003, and Marsha K. Ternus, from 1993 to 2010.

In her statement, Christensen said “I am honored and humbled to be appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court by Iowa’s first female Governor. Today marks an important day in my life, as well as my professional journey.” Christensen has a family connection to the court. Her late father, Jerry Larson, served on the Iowa Supreme Court for 30 years — longer than any other justice in state history. Larson died this past April. Jeffrey Larson of Harlan, his son and the brother of the new Iowa Supreme Court justice, is also a district court judge.

Christensen’s mother and kids were in attendance for the announcement. She thanked her family for their support and encouragement. Current Iowa Supreme Court Justice Mark Cady said in a statement after the appointment was announced, “I am very pleased to welcome our new colleague, Judge Susan Christensen, to the supreme court. She is extremely well qualified and is a fine jurist. I look forward to serving with her and to having her vision and experience become a part of our state’s highest court. I want to thank the members of the Judicial Nominating Commission for nominating three outstanding candidates and Governor Reynolds for appointing Judge Christensen to the Iowa Supreme Court.”

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, Wednesday, said effective August 5th, 2018 all signs in the city right-of-way will be removed by city staff and discarded.  The right-of-way is the area between the street and sidewalk or, in the case of no sidewalk, seven (7) feet back from the curb.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new audit says the director of an Iowa housing agency improperly spent more than $800 renting hotel rooms near his home in central Iowa.
The audit released Wednesday by the Iowa Finance Authority concludes that most of former director Dave Jamison’s credit card expenses were work-related and properly documented.

However, the report by an outside auditing firm said that Jamison shouldn’t have been reimbursed for six hotel stays in the Des Moines area between 2016 and 2018. Iowa travel policies indicate Jamison, who lives in Ames, was close enough to his workplace that he shouldn’t have needed state-funded lodging.

The report says the authority could find no explanation for some of the hotel charges, while others were related to flights and meetings Jamison had in Des Moines. The agency claims the review disputes allegations of widespread financial mismanagement made by a former employee.

Jamison was fired in March by Gov. Kim Reynolds over allegations of sexual harassment. A separate investigation into harassment issues is ongoing

BROOKLYN, Iowa (AP) — The reward for the safe return of a missing University of Iowa college student has jumped to $30,000. Television station KCCI reports that the reward for the safe return of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts comes mostly from donations. A fund for the reward is set up at First State Bank in Brooklyn.

Tibbetts was last seen jogging on the evening of July 18 in Brooklyn, a small Iowa town where the University of Iowa student had been living this summer. Her family reported her missing the next day after she didn’t show up to work.

Dozens of local, state and federal agents are working to determine what happened to Tibbetts, but investigators said at a news conference Tuesday that they still don’t know what happened to her.

(In an update to our earlier reports) — A man from South Dakota died in a collision between a semi and a pickup truck Tuesday afternoon, in northeast Iowa’s Woodbury County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of the 2015 Ford F-150, 59-year old Robert Ray Brewer, of Utica, SD, died at the scene of the collision that occurred at around 1:56-p.m. on U-S Highway 20, just east of Correctionville.

The 2011 Peterbilt semi driven by 30-year old Matthew William McNeil, of Rippey, was transporting hazardous materials, but Sioux City Fire declared none of the materials were spilled or damaged. McNeil was not injured in the collision.

The accident remains under investigation.