(Radio Iowa) – More than 100 members of the legislature have voted to get rid of the requirement that tattoo artists show they’ve completed high school in order to get a state tattoo permit. Republican Representative Hans Wilz of Ottumwa says if the bill becomes law, you’d still have to complete first aid training, pass health screenings and have reached the age of 18. “Let us remind ourselves that the average age of a graduate in high school is 18 years of age. Do we require farmers to have a high school degree?” Wilz asks. “…This skill is learned through apprenticeship, which is one to three years if not more, yet another of the many ways to be educated in your chosen field. It gives another path to choose a career.”

Representative Josh Turek, a Democrat from Council Bluffs, is among the 43 lawmakers who opposed the bill. “It erodes a basic standard of education. We’re just talking about a high school diploma here. We’re not talking about an associates degree or a bachelor’s degree,” Turek says. “I think that this is incentivizing a few individuals, however just a few individuals, to not get their high school diploma.”

The bill cleared the Senate in March. House Republicans made a minor adjustment this week, to account for changes included in the state government reorganization plan the governor signed into law Tuesday.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans are seeing buildings lit up at night with blue lights, and gardens filled with blue pinwheels as part of an effort to raise awareness about April being Prevent Child Abuse Month in the state. Kylie Spies, spokeswoman for Prevent Child Abuse Iowa, explains the purpose of this month-long observance. “Child Abuse is preventable through things like social connections, building those really strong communities and strong families,” Spies says, “and we do that by getting to know our neighbors and learning the ways that we can be a positive force in the life of a child in the family.”

Studies show child abuse numbers dropped in Iowa during 2020, but rebounded in 2021, and Spies says there are a few theories about why. “One idea is that children in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, they spent less time around mandatory reporters like teachers, folks like coaches,” Spies says. “But there’s also been some research that’s come out since then that shows that there actually may have been a decrease in stress during that time, because there are also things like less emergency room visits for suspected abuse.”

A conference about child abuse prevention is scheduled for May 9th and 10th at the F-F-A Enrichment Center in Ankeny. “There’s an in-person conference in Ankeny or there’s a virtual option as well,” she says. “Our theme this year is called, ‘By Design, Creating Spaces Where Children Thrive.’ It’s a community issue. We can really build those spaces that are welcoming to families, that are supportive of families, and we’re going to have a lot of experts from all different fields, talking about ways that we can create those supportive spaces for families.”

To register and for more information, visit: pcaiowa.org.

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Business Council (IBC) has released its first-quarter Economic Outlook Survey (EOS) for 2023. The report measures member expectations for sales, capital spending and employment for the next six months. If the index measures above 50, sentiment is positive. The first-quarter survey’s overall economic outlook index is 59.72, an increase of 0.46 index points from the 2022 fourth-quarter report. Although the overall EOS index is flat, the results project continued confidence in Iowa’s economy and across all aspects measured by the IBC including expectations for sales, capital spending, and employment.

Sales expectations among IBC members decreased by 2.78 index points to a value of 65.28. Capital spending expectations increased by 2.77 index points to 56.94 and employment expectations increased by 1.38 index points to a value of 56.94. Concerns relating to workforce attraction and retention remain the number one concern with 83% IBC executives listing it as a primary business challenge. 56% of IBC executives surveyed stated inflation as a primary business concern while 56% further reported an unfavorable business climate as a top challenge.

From a workforce perspective, 94% of IBC executives surveyed report that it is somewhat to very difficult to hire employees while reporting more than 5,500 currently open/available positions in Iowa. “The fact that IBC members continue to project confidence in Iowa’s overall economy is significant,” stated Phil Jasper, President of Mission Systems for Collins Aerospace and Chair of the Iowa Business Council. “The business community continues to be optimistic about the future direction of our state and we will remain steadfast as an organization to bring forth policies and solutions that enhance Iowa’s ability to expand business in Iowa,” he added.

“As the legislature works towards adjournment, the IBC will remain engaged with the General Assembly and the Governor’s office in advancing pro-growth strategies that increase our ability to attract and retain business and workforce opportunities in Iowa,” said Iowa Business Council President Joe Murphy. The Economic Outlook Survey has been completed by IBC members on a quarterly basis since 2004. The report provides insight regarding the projected trends for the state of Iowa, which can be used for business and economic planning. The reported trends have a state-wide impact, especially when considering that IBC companies have a presence in all 99 counties.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – Guthrie County Youth “Investigated STEM” at STEM Fest 2023! The event was held April 1, 2023, at the ACGC High School in Guthrie Center, hosted by Guthrie County ISU Extension and the Southwest Iowa STEM Region housed at Southwestern Community College. At STEM Fest there were several educational stations held inside the school, as well as some educational stations outside. (See photos submitted from the event, below – click on an image to enlarge)

Krista Downing, Program Coordinator said hands-on activities included gear ratios on a conveyor belt, creating cover crop monsters, semi-truck driving simulator, ethanol’s pH changing demonstration and much more. Youth Coordinator, Laura Larson, said “STEM fest 2023 was a huge success. We had a great turnout from the community and so many youth got to take part in some hands-on learning activities. They were also introduced to some potential career paths they could take down the road. It was a great morning!”

Participants at STEM Fest included youth of all ages with their family’s attendance was around 300 participants total. There was participation from youth in multiple school districts in the county as well as some home-schooled youth, and multiple registrations from outside of Guthrie County! Door prize winners for teachers with the most youth at STEM Fest were from Guthrie Center Elementary – Gruber and Renslow. Youth door prize winners from around the county were Hunter Hays, Blythe Michelsen, Donovan Wetzel, Kroy Redfern, Blaine Udelhoven, Hazel Comly, Reed Leo, Hope Recker, Waylon Sudbrock and Charolette Owens.

Businesses and organizations that volunteered their time to host booths included: Guthrie County Master Gardeners; Blank Park Zoo; Panorama FFA; Iowa Motor Truck Association; Iowa PBS; New Opportunities Inc.; Iowa Corn Growers – Guthrie, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE); Whiterock Conservancy; Guthrie County REC; Guthrie County Farm Bureau; MidAmerican Energy; POET, Coon Rapids Plant; Guthrie County State Bank; Mary Barnett Library; Iowa DNR; Guthrie County ISU Extension; Rose Acres; Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office; Guthrie County Hospital and Clinics, and Guthrie County EMA.

Guthrie County ISU Extension officials say “We would like to extend an enormous thank you to all who helped make this event possible. Thank you to our businesses that volunteered time to host a booth, thank you to the youth and families that came out and participated, thank you to ACGC Schools for hosting the event, and thank you to the committee for all the background work they put into the event. Events like this are not possible without the support of the community.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – During their meeting Wednesday evening, the City Council in Atlantic passed two resolutions calling for Public Hearings on the Dissolution of the Community Promotion and Cable TV Commissions. City Administrator John Lund noted in his agenda notes, that the Personnel and Finance Committee reviewed the issues on January 27 and recommended the CPC be dissolved. The committee cited issues with attendance and engagement with the Community Promotion Commission. The Committee’s meetings require posting agendas and minutes, Lund said, while another issue is that amount of red tape for a body that distributes funds for important, annual community events planned and executed by the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber Executive Director Bailey Smith, and Brian Ruge Chamber Board President, said they were caught off-guard when they first learned of the plan to dissolve the Commission.

The dissolution means the Chamber of Commerce will receive $45,000 under the new L.O.S.T. progress budget, and Produce in the Park will receive $8,500. The remaining funds will be under the City Council’s discretion to allocate annually, depending on need and resource availability. Atlantic City Clerk Barb Barrick explained the procedure of dissolving commissions or boards approved by the City Council.

The Council set April 19 as the date for that public hearing. During the April 19th meeting also, there will be a Public Hearing on the dissolution of the Cable Television Commission.

City Administrator John Lund has said well before COVID-19 pretty much ended in-person meetings for a while, the Commission was informally dissolved for similar reasons as the Community Promotion Commission. He added “There were rarely any issues to discuss…”and the Commission members “…had no objections to the termination of the Commission.”

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Lottery has begun the process of transitioning from a 365 day to 180 day time limit for redeeming winning lotto tickets that was approved by the Lottery Board in December. Lottery spokesperson, Mary Neubauer, says 180 days is the standard for most lotteries in the country. “That’s still approximately six months — gives you plenty of time, to make decisions, you know, consult a financial planner or a lawyer if you need to, but get into claim the prize. It makes the process more secure, because obviously, with the passage of time, it gets harder and harder for everyone to remember all of the details involved in a ticket purchase, or even to hang on to a ticket,” Neubauer says.

The first step in the process is what’s called a step down, where the lottery gradually drops the limit on advance ticket purchases. “The number of drawings for which you can buy plays in advance in Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Lucky for Life, will be limited and the number will become less and less as we get closer to that changeover date,” she says. Players are normally able to purchase tickets for ten straight drawings which could lead to several tickets with different expiration times. “You might have a ticket that spanned multiple drawings, and some of those plays would have 365 days for you to claim the prize, and some of them would have 180 days,” Neubauer says. “That would be confusing for players and the lottery.”

Neubauer says the step down allows them to make a good transition to the new time limit. She says it is a temporary change for those who like to buy several tickets in one stop. “So I would just say to players, we know this is a bit of an inconvenience, please bear with us. It’s all part of this prize claim change that’s being made,” she says. “And by late April, everything will have gone back to normal and the prize claim change will have been made, and you’ll be able to buy tickets again for up to ten drawings in advance.”

Neubauer says the impact of the change has a little bigger impact than other changes because the step down is happening for four games.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Bicycle Summit will be held today (Thursday) in the Des Moines metro area to promote cycling as a form of transportation, recreation, and health. Mark Wyatt, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, says the conference will feature a variety of experts in the field of cycling and trail development. Wyatt says people who will attend include cycling enthusiasts, bike retailers, city planners, trail builders, tourism officials, and more.

Workshops will include topics like, “Building Sustainable Bike Trails,” “Seven Interventions for Bike and Pedestrian Safety,” and, “How to Maximize Your Trail Brand.” Wyatt says Iowa easily has more than two-thousand miles of dedicated bike trails, and he says more are needed as there are still “trail impaired” areas. The summit opens at 9 A-M at the Courtyard Marriott Conference Center in Ankeny.

(Radio Iowa) – Five Iowa companies are receiving more than eight million dollars in state water infrastructure grants.

AgCertain in Boone is getting a grant of three-point-nine million dollars for a new system that the company says will reduce city water usage by 85 percent and lower costs by one-point-two million dollars. Arconic in Davenport will use the two-point-two million dollar grant for a system it says will cut their water use by nearly 77 percent. C-J Bio in Fort Dodge says its one-point-eight million dollar grant will reduce its water draw from the city by 600-thousand gallons a day and their wastewater discharge will drop by 760-thousand gallons a day.

Prairie Farms, Dubuque says it will use the 275-thousand dollar grant to cut water used and wastewater from its dairy operations — saving them 85-thousand dollars in water costs. Hormel Foods in Dubuque says its 57-thousand dollar grant will help reduce water demand from the city by nine percent and waster water discharge by nearly 12 percent.

(Story County, Iowa) – A vehicle eluding law enforcement crashed into the rear of a another vehicle Wednesday night, resulting in the death of the driver of the second vehicle. The accident happened on Highway 210 near 630th Avenue, west of Maxwell, in Story County, at around 9:40-p.m.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, a marked law enforcement vehicle with its emergency lights activated, was pursing a 2018 Mazda 6 traveling at a high rate of speed and driven by 30-year-old Micah William Denman, of Ankeny, when the Mazda crashed into the rear of a 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo driven by 51-year-old Duane E. Sievert, of Maxwell.

The Chevy then traveled off the road and rolled over. Sievert died at the scene. He was wearing a seat belt. The crash remains under investigation. Denman is charged with homicide by vehicle. He was booked into the Story County Jail.