Governor Terry Branstad is no longer asking state legislators to pass an anti-bullying law. “We have taken action through executive order last September. We’ve started the governor’s anti-bullying center at the University of Northern Iowa,” Branstad says. “We’re going to build on that.”

In each of the past three years, Branstad has forwarded a proposal to legislators that would have given school officials broader authority to crack down on bullying that happens off of school grounds and online. Branstad says he’d “love to have” legislators revive that proposal and pass the bill, but he’s not counting on it and that’s why he took executive action in September.

“We, through the two anti-bullying summits, and the involvement of more students in standing up to bullies,” Branstad says, “plus the better reporting and requiring every school to notify parents when bullying occurs I think is going to help reduce the amount of bullying that goes on in our state.”

The Governor’s Office for Bullying Prevention at U-N-I has worked with the Iowa Department of Education to develop the procedures Iowa schools should follow when bullying occurs and it includes notifying parents. Last September, Branstad went to a Cedar Rapids school to say he was done waiting for the legislature to act and he issued an executive order that addressed most of the issues he had hoped legislators would tackle by passing a bill.

The 2016 legislative session begins Monday, January 11th and Branstad’s “Condition of the State” message is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says “ObamaCare” is not working and President Obama made the wrong call by vetoing a Republican plan to repeal broad sections of the Affordable Care Act.  “The president had promised us that through ObamaCare we would see about $2500 savings per family,” Ernst says. “Unfortunately, the exact opposite has happened with rising health care and health insurance costs.”

Obama issued a statement, saying repealing the law would harm the 22 million Americans who are getting health insurance coverage through Affordable Care Act provisions.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

BREDA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say the body of a person was found in the remains of a burned house in Sac County, north of Breda. The Sac County Sheriff’s Office says deputies and firefighters from Auburn responded Friday morning to a rural home and found that it had burned to the ground. Investigators later found that the resident of the house hadn’t shown up for work and that all the resident’s vehicles were at the home.

The State Fire Marshal was called, and about 1 p.m. authorities found human remains inside the house. The remains have been taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny for an autopsy. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The name of the resident wasn’t released.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman has released information with regard to the June 7th Primary Election in Cass County. Sunderman says the first day for Democratic and Republican candidates for county offices to file nomination papers in the office of the county auditor is Monday, March 7th, 2016. Last day to file is Wednesday, March 30, 2016.

Nomination papers may be circulated prior to first date for filing as well as during the filing period. Nomination papers and candidate information are available at the office of the county auditor and from the secretary of state: http://www.sos.iowa.gov.

The county positions to appear on the Cass County ballot for the 2016 PRIMARY ELECTION are: Auditor; Sheriff; District 1 Supervisor; District 4 Supervisor and District 5 Supervisor.  Currently, the following individuals hold the aforementioned positions: Auditor (incumbent: Dale Sunderman, Republican); Sheriff (incumbent: Darby McLaren, Republican); District 1 Supervisor (incumbent: Duane McFadden, Republican); District 4 Supervisor (incumbent: Charles Rieken, Republican); District 5 Supervisor (incumbent: Frank Waters, Republican)

For additional information, contact the Cass County Auditor by mail, or by calling 712-243-4570. Email: auditor@casscoia.us

Atlantic resident Wendy Richter announced Friday afternoon that she will be seeking the position of Cass County Auditor. The primary election for this position will be held June 7th, 2016. Richter graduated from Atlantic High School, and received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts Degree in Political Science from Iowa State University. She has been the Executive Director of Family Crisis Support Network for 20 years.

In a press release, Richter said that the timing is right for her to begin her political career.

Wendy Richter, candidate for Cass County Auditor

She added “As much as I’ve enjoyed the position with Family Crisis, the reorganization of victim services across the state has changed the service delivery for victims of crime. It’s sad for those impacted and needing assistance, but fortunately Family Crisis has been able to continue by providing help to Cass County residents.”

Richter went on to say “Everything I’ve accomplished over the last two decades has prepared me to make this move and run for this position.” In addition to being the administrator for Family Crisis Support Network, Richter has served on numerous committees, state-wide and locally. Those include serving as a Board member of the 4th Judicial District Domestic Violence Council, and being responsible for organizing councils in the southwest Iowa Counties of Adair, Audubon, Montgomery, Page and Shelby.

She has served as treasurer for the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, secretary for the Atlantic Rotary Club, and is a member of the ATHENA Networking Team, the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council, and the Iowa Crisis Response Team. She has lobbied at both the state and federal levels regarding many issues. Wendy Richter is married to Tom Cappel, II; they have 2 children, ReAnn & Trey.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said Friday night, it was investigating reports of land application of process wastewater potentially entering a stream after receiving numerous telephone calls from concerned citizens. A contractor was land applying wastewater from Essentia, a processing facility in Harlan (Shelby County) under its chapter 200 license, which is issued by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. However, the DNR received reports that the processed wastewater was entering the West Nishnabotna River after it was applied.

DNR staff collected samples on Friday to determine if any of wastewater reached the river. Prior to DNR staff leaving the site, the contractor installed an earthen berm to prevent any further discharge. The investigation is ongoing. The DNR will consider appropriate enforcement action, if necessary. Jessica Montana, supervisor of the DNR’s Environmental Services field office in Atlantic, said “We really want to thank the people who took time to call us and alert us to this situation. The quicker we can get on the scene of a situation like this, the better chance we have of getting the accurate data we need to properly assess the potential impact, but more importantly, the quicker we can work with the responsible party to get material contained.”

Montana said it is important to avoid land application of wastewater and manure when conditions are not favorable like when the ground is saturated because it can result in the material being carried to surface water through runoff.

Travel on Interstate 80 in western Iowa is becoming hazardous this evening. Already two rollover accidents have been reported, one near Shelby at the 34 mile marker eastbound off ramp, the other in Cass County at the 71-mile marker of I-80 westbound. Wiota 1st Responders and Anita Rescue, along with Medivac ambulance were called to the scene at around 6:10-p.m.

Other vehicles have gone off into the median along I-80. No reports of injuries as of 6:18-p.m.

Roads in pink are completely covered in snow, ice or slush. Roads in blue are partially covered.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Monday of a Lewis man on a Felony assault charge. 21-year old Philip Reed Thompson, Jr., of Lewis, was taken into custody on a charge of Domestic Abuse 3rd or Subsequent Offense (a Class-D Felony). Thompson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.

On Thursday, deputies in Cass County arrested 30-year old Shaun Allen Williams, of Fremont, NE, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Williams was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000.