Area Catholic Schools Celebrate “National Catholic Schools Week”
(Le Mars) — Area Catholic Schools are celebrating National Catholic Schools Week this week. It is a time to recognize the efforts of everyone involved with a catholic-based education. Father Kevin Richter serves as the President for the
Gehlen Catholic schools in Le Mars. He says it is important to recognize the schools that offer a religious based education.
Many Catholic schools across the nation have encountered declining enrollments, however, Gehlen Catholic is fortunate to see an increase of enrollment in recent years. Father Richter offers his explanation as to why Gehlen is reversing the
national trends.
Securing enough funding to provide an excellent education experience is always a challenge facing Gehlen Catholic and other regional catholic schools. Father Richter says this era is a critical time for catholic schools.
The Le Mars Catholic priest says over the long-term future, it will continue to be difficult for Catholic schools to raise enough funds for educational purposes.
State Senate Approves Bill To De-fund Planned Parenthood
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Republican-controlled Iowa Senate has approved a bill that would pass up millions in federal dollars in order to avoid giving state funding to Planned Parenthood.
The Senate voted 30-20 along party lines to approve the bill. It now goes to the GOP-led House, where it has support.
The bill proposes Iowa give up nearly $3 million in Medicaid money to create a state-run family planning program that excludes funding for organizations that
perform abortions. No family planning money now funds abortions.
Iowa now contributes about $480,000, generating a $2.9 million federal match.
The bill would shift all expenses to the state. Republican lawmakers didn’t address how Iowa would pay for the new program, costing at least $3.4 million.
Gov. Terry Branstad supports using federal funding now spent on at-risk youth.
State Senate Republicans Look At Education Spending Bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Senate Republicans are considering an education funding bill that Democrats and some educators say is inadequate and will hurt schools.
The GOP-controlled chamber is expected to vote on the legislation Thursday.
It has support in the Republican-led House, where a vote is scheduled Monday.
The bill would add about $40 million to the roughly $3 billion K-12 education budget that goes into effect in July. It would add $73 to what’s spent on each Iowa student, which is currently just below $6,600.
Republicans say the amount is all the state can responsibly afford amid budget constraints. Gov. Terry Branstad has recommended more education spending.
Democrats say Republicans are not prioritizing students. Some educators say the proposal doesn’t account for increased operating costs at school districts, and would result in cuts.
Legislators Not Paying Enough For Health Insurance
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An analysis by The Des Moines Register shows more than two-thirds of Iowa legislators are paying hundreds of dollars less a month than appropriate for their health insurance, a potential violation of state law.
Data analyzed by the newspaper (https://dmreg.co/2jZAXvX ) shows that more than 90 of nearly 150 Iowa legislators pay as little as $20 a month in health insurance premiums, rather than the $142 to $334 a month those plans call for.
Another nearly 40 lawmakers pay up to $344 a month for coverage plans, rather than as much as $446 their plans call for.
The newspaper found the total underpayments are costing taxpayers more than $29,000 a month, about $350,000 a year.
The state Department of Administrative Services provided the data, but declined the newspaper’s request for comment. The Attorney General’s Office also declined to comment.
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Court Dismisses Judge’s Lawsuit
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a former high-ranking Iowa judge who was laid off in 2013 after he opposed efforts to make his job a political appointment.
Judge Michael Huppert’s ruling last month didn’t address the merits of claims made by Joe Walsh, former chief Administrative Law Judge in Iowa Workforce Development.
Instead, Huppert ruled that Walsh failed to exhaust administrative remedies before filing suit, saying he should’ve pursued his complaint through the Public Employment Relations Board. Walsh is expected to appeal.
Then-Workforce Development Director Teresa Wahlert changed Walsh’s job into an at-will political appointment in 2013. After Walsh complained that the change violated federal law, Wahlert reversed the decision but then eliminated Walsh’s job, citing budgetary reasons. Walsh contends that was a pretext and he was fired for opposing Wahlert’s efforts to pressure judges to favor employers in unemployment benefits disputes.
Police Investigate Shooting Death
CAMANCHE, Iowa (AP) – Police are investigating the death of a 22-year-old man who was found shot on the street of a small town in eastern Iowa.
An autopsy was scheduled Thursday on the body of Nicholas Jordan Luskey.
Police in Camanche say they received a call Wednesday of shots fired in a residential neighborhood. Officers found Luskey lying near a vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound to the chest.
He was transported to University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, where he was pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon.
Investigators didn’t release any information about who is suspected of shooting Luskey. In a statement, the Division of Criminal Investigation said the shooting was believed to be “an isolated incident” and that the public isn’t in danger.
Many friends took to Facebook to share memories of Luskey.
Trial Is Delayed For Woman Who Is Accused Of Flushing New Born Baby In Toilet
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The trial has been delayed for an Iowa woman accused of trying to flush her newborn down a toilet and then leaving it for dead in a trash can.
Court records say Ashley Hautzenrader is charged with attempted murder and child endangerment. Her trial was scheduled for Feb. 14. The new starting date is
Aug. 15.
University of Iowa police have said Hautzenrader gave birth May 8 in a bathroom at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Police say Hautzenrader tried to flush the baby down a toilet and then put it in a pillowcase and left it in the trash. The child was soon found alive.
Hautzenrader, who lives in Davenport, told authorities she left the baby in the trash because she thought the child had died.
