Le Mars Little League Receives $25,000 Grant From MRHD
(Sioux City) — The Missouri River Historical Development, or MRHD the non-profit agency that acts as the agency to distribute funds generated from casino and gaming entities in Sioux City announced this week the various charities and organizations that received grants. One of those organizations to benefit was the Le Mars Little League. After last September’s flooding that destroyed facilities, equipment and uniforms, the Le Mars Little League has been trying to raise enough funds to get the program back before the spring baseball and softball season begins in April. Heath Husk is the president of the Le Mars Little League Association. He says the Le Mars Little League Association was notified by MRHD of being the recipient of a grant, but according to Husk, the amount of that grant was not initially
known.
Husk says the grant from the MRHD organization is the largest single donation made to the Le Mars Little League. He says the MRHD grant was a complete surprise.
Husk says the Le Mars Little League has a goal to raise
between S75,000 to $100,000. The Little League official says they are getting closer to their financial goal.
Husk says the Le Mars Little League program each year involves between 675 and 700 youth. He says it even goes beyond the city limits of Le Mars.
Husk says the board of directors with the Le Mars Little League are grateful for the generosity shared with the youth program whether it be from individuals giving, businesses, organizations, or from grants.
IPERS To See Additional Liabilities
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A report shows Iowa’s largest public employee pension fund has stabilized thanks to solid investment returns but still has $6.8 billion in unfunded liabilities.
The Des Moines Register reports that study released Thursday on the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System predicts that the system’s long-term unfunded liabilities will likely grow to $7 billion over the next five years.
The study predicts the unfunded liabilities will then begin to
gradually decline and fully disappear by 2046.
Brent Banister is the chief pension actuary at Cavanaugh Macdonald Consulting, LLC, which prepared the report. He says there’s no concern that the system’s retirees won’t get their pension checks.
The pension fund has 360,000 members, including current, former and retired employees of state government, cities, counties, school districts and other government agencies.
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Iowa’s Public Safety Director To Resign
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s top public safety official says she’s informed Gov. Kim Reynolds that she will be leaving her job next month.
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Roxann Ryan told employees in an email Friday that she’ll step down Jan. 2 after leading the department for four years.
She says she’s proud of progress that’s been made in the department, which includes the Iowa State Patrol, the Division of Criminal Investigation and other public safety units.
The move comes as Reynolds is making some personnel changes after winning a full four-year term in office in last month’s election.
Before then-Gov. Terry Branstad promoted her to commissioner, Ryan worked as an attorney and an intelligence analyst for the department.
Reynolds’ press secretary hadn’t responded to inquiries about Ryan’s future since Monday.
A replacement for Ryan wasn’t immediately named.
Judge To Decide On Abortion Issue
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A state court judge says he will take up to 60 days to consider arguments in a legal challenge to Iowa’s fetal heartbeat law, an abortion bill considered one of the strictest in the country.
The law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in May would prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, typically around six weeks of pregnancy.
The law was to take effect in July 1, but a legal challenge by abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood and the Emma Goldman Clinic, halted its implementation.
The abortion providers and the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa argued Friday to Judge Michael Huppert that the primary issues in the case have been decided by the Iowa Supreme Court and they asked the judge to declare the law unconstitutional and end the case without a trial in what is called a summary judgment.
The attorney for Reynolds and the state says there are many disputed issues different in this law that must be heard at trial.
College Instructor Opposes Ethics Law Saying He Has To Reveal All Current Held Jobs
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A political appointee who works for three Iowa agencies is blasting an ethics law that requires him and others with multiple state jobs to disclose them on a specific form.
Employment Appeal Board member James Strohman called the law “goofy” and “kind of a dumb thing,” saying no one knows about the requirement, it’s not enforced and it gives the public little information.
Strohman earns $84,000 on the full-time board, to which Gov. Terry Branstad appointed him in 2014.
Strohman also has a halftime lecturer appointment at Iowa State University, where he teaches two online courses per semester and earned $42,000 last year. In addition, he typically teaches two or three courses each semester through Des Moines Area Community College, either online or at campuses.
Strohman recently filled out the form for the first time, under protest.
