(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says he’s met with Iowa’s attorney general to discuss legal challenges to some federal regulations relating to wetlands. “In the conservation space, we’re having some real problems in getting with some of our projects through permitting with the Army Corps of Engineers,” Naig says. “You can be sure that we’re going to be looking at how Waters of the U.S. is defined and the Clean Water Act as it related to trying to go out and do conservation work.”

Naig says the lawsuit would follow the U-S Supreme Court’s recent decision that sharply curtails the authority federal agencies have to interpret the laws they administer. “What that sort of says is here congress has been outsourcing a lot of the detail and some of the specifics to agencies and…congress should do their job give specific direction and then perform oversight over agencies,” Naig says.

Naig suggests a prime target for litigation would be federal rules for wetland restoration projects that require work in connected streams. “Nitrate reducing wetlands and whether or not we need to do stream mitigation adds to the costs of these projects,” Naig says. “…We would argue the overall environmental and ecological impact, the positive impact to that stream segment overwhelms the need to go mitigate.”

Naig made his comments during a recent appearance on Iowa Press on Iowa P-B-S.

(Radio Iowa) – As part of flood recovery efforts, some officials in northwest Iowa are exploring the idea of joining a Water Management Authority that oversees the Little Sioux River watershed. The Little Sioux Headwaters Coalition currently includes agencies in areas along the Iowa-Minnesota border. Clay County Supervisor Allen Batschelet says rather than reinventing the wheel, joining the coalition — which was set up 15 years ago — makes sense.

To create a new one…we would have to go find every affected entity and get them…educated and informed on what this was all about and then get them to go through their approval process and then we’d have to identify who would lead the new agency, wherever it would be. What are the boundaries going to be for it? It would be a pretty heavy lift, I think, and not expeditious,” he says.

Dickinson County Supervisor Steve Clark says it may be time to have his county, along with Clay, Cherokee and Buena Vista Counties become part of the Water Management Authority for the Little Sioux. “We can have a fairly good impact on the whole watershed as we bring in stuff from the top it will slow the water down that goes on downstream,” Clark says.

Last month’s Little Sioux River flooding devastated swaths of Spencer and Cherokee. In the small community of Linn Grove, the crest was six feet higher than the previous record set in 1993. The Little Sioux Headwaters Coalition is scheduled to meet August 14th to hear from a consultant about flood control measures.

(Radio Iowa) – The Lyon County Fair is underway this week — but changes had to be made after high water from the Rock River heavily damaged the Lyon County Fairgrounds in Rock Rapids. Lori Rens is the secretary of the Lyon County Fair Board. “It just devastated and decimated our fairgrounds, all the way down to our infrastructure,” she says. “Some buildings were damaged and we just knew it wouldn’t be a safe place to host our fair this year.”

Lyon County livestock shows were moved to the Osceola County fairgrounds in Sibley. “They ran their fair last week, so there are so many of their fair board members and their superintendents for livestock who are putting in a second week to help us out, so it’s just incredible,” Rens says. “Words cannot express how grateful we are that they opened up their home to us.”

While the livestock shows were moved to Sibley, the Lyon County Fair Queen pageant was held at the community center in Rock Rapids and that’s where 4-H exhibits were judged last Thursday. The Lyon County Fairboard will host a street dance fundraiser in Rock Rapids Friday night to raise money to repair their fairgrounds and racetrack. The flooding not only damaged buildings on the fairgrounds, it left behind large holes in the ground and exposed electrical lines.

(Reporting by Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio)

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision Wednesday morning in Creston left two vehicles disabled, but no one was hurt. According to the Creston Police Department, 37-year-old Andrew J. Putz, of Greenfield, was driving a pickup northbound in the inside lane on N. Sumner Street at around 10:25-a.m, when he noticed an ambulance with visible lights and siren activated, traveling north on Sumner, coming up behind him.

Putz immediately merged over to the outside lane, unaware an SUV was next to him before he merged. The front bumper of the pickup caught the front driver’s side corner of a trailer being pulled by the SUV, driven by 67-year-old Danny Lee McIntosh, of Creston.

Damage to Putz’ 2016 GMC pickup was estimated at $4,000, according to police. The 2002 Ford Explorer SUV sustained $3,000 damage. While no citations were issued, the report said Putz’s failure to yield the right-of-way was a contributing factor in the accident.

(Des Moines, Iowa/Iowa Capital Dispatch) An Iowa pharmacy and two pharmacists have agreed to pay civil penalties for allegedly dispensing the incorrect medications to patients. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports, in three cases, all unrelated to each other, are detailed in the latest settlement agreements involving the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.

One of the cases involves Food Land Pharmacy in Woodbine. The board alleges that on July 18, 2023, a Harrison County home-health worker noticed that the medication she was giving her patient did not match the description on the pill bottle. A subsequent investigation revealed Food Land Pharmacy had provided the patient with the wrong medication, which was a drug that had never been prescribed for the individual. The next day, a woman went to Food Land Pharmacy to pick up a prescription for her son and was given a medication for a different individual.

In October 2023, the board alleges, the pharmacy failed to update its records by removing a “duplicative therapy” for a customer and as a result, the pharmacy dispensed the wrong strength of his medication for three months. Around that time, another patient was allegedly given a lower strength medication than was prescribed. The available board records give no indication as to what drugs were mistakenly dispensed or whether the patients in question suffered any adverse outcomes.

The board also alleges that in July and August 2023, Food Land Pharmacy employed Sabine Guinn as a pharmacy technician despite Guinn’s lack of a registration as a pharmacy technician. The store failed to determine whether Guinn had the required registration before putting her to work in the store, the board alleges. As part of a settlement agreement with the board, the store has agreed to pay a $2,500 civil penalty and have all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians undergo additional training in patient safety and medication errors. The settlement was signed by Dina Corbett of Woodbine, president of Food Land Pharmacy. Federal records indicate John Corbett of Omaha is the pharmacy’s designated representative.

Other pharmacists recently sanctioned by the board include:

— Jordan Gran of Sioux City, who was working at the Hy-Vee Pharmacy located at 2827 Hamilton Boulevard in Sioux City last October when a customer arrived there for a COVID-19 booster vaccination. Gran is alleged to have mistakenly entered data into the computer calling for an influenza vaccine, which was then administered.

As part of a settlement with the board, Gran agreed to a civil penalty of $1,000 and agreed to take additional training on patient safety and medication errors. Earlier this year, the board fined the pharmacy $2,000 for the error and ordered the entire professional staff to undergo training on medication errors and patient safety.

— Danelle Hudspeth of Delhi, who on Feb. 16, 2024, allegedly dispensed and verified an incorrectly filled prescription for a minor and then counseled the child’s mother on the administration of the drug. Hudspeth agreed to pay a civil penalty of $2,000 and take additional training on patient safety and medication errors. The available public documents do not state where Hudspeth was employed when the errors occurred, but indicate she was practicing in the city of Independence at the time.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – A former Council Bluffs police officer is suing the city in federal court, alleging gender discrimination and retaliation. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports 36-year-old Miranda Adams, who began working for the Council Bluffs Police Department in 2012, alleges she was fired in 2023 after she filed a complaint of discrimination and harassment with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The lawsuit claims that on Sept. 11, 2023, the Civil Service Commission for the City of Council Bluffs overturned the city’s decision to fire Adams, but the city has refused to reinstate Adams. Her lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for alleged violations of state and federal civil rights laws.

Adams alleges her problems began in March 2020 when, after several months of alleged harassment from a male coworker, she filed a formal internal complaint of gender harassment discrimination. In her lawsuit, she says she was not made aware of the ultimate findings of the complaint investigation, but that her direct superior, Sgt. Robert Radford, was given a written reprimand as a result of the complaint.

Subsequently, Radford and Lt. Chad Meyers, both of whom were named in Adams’ complaint, allegedly handled Adam’s performance evaluation. While her past reviews had been excellent, Adams claims, her 2020 evaluation was “decidedly negative” and made specific reference to her harassment complaint.

Adams appealed the evaluation, which according to her lawsuit led to an amended evaluation that resulted in higher scores for job performance and omitted any reference to her complaint. On Aug. 26, 2021, the last day of her 2021 evaluation period, Radford allegedly issued Adams a disciplinary action notice following an “interaction” of some kind between the two surrounding a controlled-substance purchase by a police informant. Radford allegedly felt that Adams showing him a page from her training manual concerning informants was “discourteous and disrespectful.”

Adams then filed a formal grievance on the matter, arguing the notice was retaliation for her prior complaint and that she feared “further retaliation and slander” by the police department. According to the lawsuit, the city rejected Adams’ appeal and in August 2022, she was the target of an internal affairs investigation concerning her interrupting fellow officers during their interview of a suspect. Adams alleges she was never made aware of the outcome of the internal affairs probe, and that in October 2022 she was the subject of another internal affairs investigation, this time stemming from concerns that she was rude to Radford.

Adams then filed charges of retaliation, discrimination, failure to promote and harassment with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and the EEOC. The city subsequently fired Adams, alleging she had made untrue statements in her complaint to the commissions. On April 13, 2023, Adams filed an appeal of her termination with the city’s civil service commission, which later issued a unanimous judgment overturning the City of Council Bluffs’ decision to fire Adams. The city refused to reinstate Adams.

As part her lawsuit, Adams says she is now unemployed and that it’s unlikely she will ever be “afforded the opportunity to work in law enforcement again” due to the city’s efforts to destroy her reputation. As of today (Wednesday), the city had yet to file a response to the lawsuit.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic met in a relatively short, regular session this (Wednesday) evening, during which they approved a request from Wild Wayne’s, for a Special Fireworks Display on Sept 14th at dusk. The private event is with regard to Duke Aerial’s Employee Appreciation event (on private property at 103 W. 29th St.). The show is expected to last about 20-minutes.

The Council then received an update from Cass County/United 1st Aid Program Coordinator Erik Johnson, who said there are currently 18 volunteers who “Dedicate their off-time to helping their neighbors, helping the community that they live in, being available when they travel between north-south, east-west of our county, to stop at a moments notice and go assist somebody in need.”

They are also equipped with Narcan and other supplies necessary to provide aid until an ambulance arrives on the scene. Johnson said between the three counties that have instituted the program (Cass, Van Buren and Calhoun), there have been 100 calls.

Erik Johnson

Erik Johnson said they hosted a First Aid station during RAGBRAI, in cooperation with Cass Health.

He said they have received an extension on the original grant for the program, which may result in the expansion of the program into a few additional counties. Ultimately, it’s hoped the program will go nationwide. Johnson said they will have a booth at the Cass County Fair in Atlantic, Thursday through Saturday, to answer any questions you may have with regard to the EMS levy that will be on the ballot for the November General Election.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed the second reading of an ordinance pertaining to the rezoning of the Camblin Hills Subdivision in Atlantic, from R-2 (Low Density/Single-Family residential) to R-4 (Multifamily residential) housing.  They also approved a Change Order for the Sunnyside Park Splashpad Project, and a related Pay Application in the amount of $316,087.41 to the Henley Group, LLC.

Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith and Police Chief Devin Hogue updated the Council on the RAGBRAI event that was held Monday and Tuesday, in Atlantic. Smith said it was a “I think it was a great day,” and the weather cooperated.

Atlantic Police Chief Hogue said he too had no complaints about how the event unfolded.

He said the most of riders were out of town by 9-a.m., Tuesday. He thanked the officers from around the county who came in to help with traffic control, safety and other duties.

There were only two arrests, Hogue said, and those persons were residents of the community.

(Radio Iowa) – A new report shows non-profit organizations across the region are facing severe workforce shortages, and potential solutions revolve around boosting salaries and benefits. Anne Hindery is C-E-O of the Omaha-based Nonprofit Association of the Midlands which surveyed the leaders of nearly 700 nonprofits in Iowa and Nebraska. Hindery says it’s always been a challenge finding and keeping qualified people, and it’s only gotten worse since the pandemic.

“We’re still seeing shortages in things like behavioral health therapists, childcare workers, accountants that understand nonprofit accounting — those are still some of the challenges that we’re seeing,” Hindery says. “So I think the Salary and Benefits Report really helps educate nonprofits on what they need to do to attract and retain talent.” The report finds the average yearly turnover rate among nonprofits in the two states is 29-percent, while most open positions are filled in less than two months.

“We unofficially track changes in leadership as we hear about it, and I would say before the pandemic, we used to see maybe three or so a month, and now it’s anywhere between eight to 10 a month,” Hindery says. “Some people are retiring, some people are just moving around in the sector. It’s just really an interesting thing to watch.” The report finds most nonprofits match market compensation and almost all of them post salaries in job listings. Hindery says it also found that almost all nonprofits granted salary increases of three-percent or higher last year and plan do so again this year. In addition, if shows 42-percent of surveyed nonprofits offer bonuses.

“I firmly believe that if we’re going to attract smart people to the nonprofit sector, we better pay them enough to pay off their student loans, give them benefits and flexibility,” Hindery says. “That is, as a membership organization for nonprofits, we try to help our members do just that.” She confesses that some charitable organizations face the stigma that working for them means you’ll pull down a very meager salary.

“That is an urban legend, that nonprofits mean no money. It just means our profits go back into the organization and into our people to better serve our clients, as opposed to going to shareholders like it does in private corporations,” Hindery says. “It’s a meaningful mission, and so you can go to work every day and whether you’re in direct service or not, you are making a difference in your community, and I think that’s very attractive to people.”

Other findings in the report find more than two-thirds of organizations offer medical insurance and retirement options, while more than half offer dental, vision and life insurance. Also, the majority of nonprofits offer paid holidays, paid time off and sick days, while nearly all have employees that primarily work on-site or use a hybrid model.

(Radio Iowa) – U-S Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says Vice President Kamala Harris had an obligation to be in Washington, D.C. today (1-p.m., Wednesday) for Israeli Prime Minsiter Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to congress. “Not having the vice president presiding over a joint session of congress with our closest ally in the Middle East present — that’s a disgrace,” Ernst said. The vice president’s appearance at a historically black sorority’s annual convention was announced several weeks ago, before Joe Biden dropped out of the race and Harris appears to have the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nomination secured. Ernst suggests Harris should have cancelled the trip to Indianapolis today (Wednesday) once the Netanyahu speech was scheduled.

“She’s abdicating her duties now as vice president. What is she going to do — and this will never happen — but should she become hypothetically President of the United States, what is she going to abdicate them?” Ernst said. “…Whether she likes the prime minister of Israel or not, whether she respects him or not, she should be here.” Harris is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu tomorrow (Thursday). The Israeli leader’s visit to the U-S includes a separate meeting with President Joe Biden tomorrow (Thursday) and on Friday he’s to meet with former President Donald Trump in Florida. Reports indicate pro-Palestinian activists released maggots and crickets into the hotel where Netanyahu and other Israelis are staying in Washington. Ernst says whatever the goal of those protesters might be, that is not constructive.

“To treat a friend and ally like that in that manner…is not helpful,”Ernst said. “…As a mom, I’d be swatting my daughter on the rear end if she had done something like that.” The senator’s daughter, Libby, is a graduate of the U-S Military Academy at West Point. Senator Ernst has made two trips to Israel for meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The first was just hours after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th. Ernst has often met in the U-S with the American families of Israeli hostages and she did so again earlier today (Wednesday).