State Senate Passes Education Spending Bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Senate Republicans have approved an education funding bill that some school officials say will force increased class sizes and teacher layoffs.
The GOP-controlled chamber voted 28-21 Thursday for the legislation, which would take effect in July. It has support in the Republican-led House, where a vote is scheduled Monday.
The bill would add about $40 million to Iowa’s roughly $3 billion K-12 education budget. That means $73 would be added to what’s spent on each Iowa student, now just below $6,600. State Senator Bill Anderson of Pierson hopes the
Revenue Estimating Commission will increase its estimates in March, which he says perhaps may increase the funding devoted to Iowa’s public schools.
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.
State Senate To Work On Reducing Regulations
(Des Moines) — Next week the State Senate is scheduled to take up Senate File
number one, a bill that reviews the cost of regulations that are imposed on
businesses. Republican State Senator Bill Anderson is excited about the
legislation, and believes if it passes, it will have long-term benefits for Iowa
businesses.
Anderson says back in 2011, he participated on a state-wide tour with the governor, members of the governor’s staff, other legislators, and elected officials asking the question, “What had government regulations meant in terms of hurting their business?”
Heart Association Promotes “Wear Red Day” For Heart Disease Awareness
(Des Moines) — You may have noticed several people wearing red today as this is National Wear Red Day. It is a day devoted to calling attention to heart diseases. The American Heart Association, says heart disease takes a toll on many thousands of Iowans every year.
Cassie Wessing, with the Iowa chapter of the American Heart Association says
Cardiovascular disease and stroke are the leading causes of death in Iowa,
claiming almost ten-thousand lives every year.
Floyd Valley Healthcare is also participating in wearing red for today as Ann Cole-Nelson explains.
Nelson, the hospital’s Communications Manager, says Floyd Valley conducts several educational programs to draw attention to heart disease.
Sioux City Police Discuss Costs Of Body Cameras
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Sioux City Police officials have told the City Council that it would cost more than $97,000 to outfit Sioux City officers with body cameras.
Chief Doug Young and Lt. Mark Kirkpatrick said Thursday the money would cover software and hardware costs for 87 cameras.
Councilman Pete Groetken, who retired with nearly 38 years of police experience, says the cameras would provide video evidence in liability cases but wonders whether the technology is sufficiently mature to justify the expense.
Young says he doesn’t know of any instance in the past year that would have been helped or hindered by the cameras, but he says residents and officers support the camera idea.
The council didn’t vote on the proposal, which is expected to resurface during the council’s Feb. 16 meeting.
Vehicular Homicide Added To Charges Against Denison Man
DENISON, Iowa (AP) – A homicide count has been added to the charges against a man accused of crashing his car into a river, resulting in the death of a teenager in western Iowa.
The charge of vehicular homicide-operating under the influence was filed Thursday against Ramon Hernandez. He’s already charged with three counts of distributing a controlled substance to a minor, one of distributing a controlled substance to an adult and four counts of providing alcohol to underage people.
His attorney didn’t immediate return a call Friday from The Associated Press.
Authorities say Hernandez drove through a farm field with four teenagers in his car before it plunged into the Boyer River on Jan. 19. He and three of the others reached safety. The body of 15-year-old Yoana Acosta was found Jan. 26.
