Authorities Need Help Finding Safe Owner
(Rock Valley)- The Sioux County Sheriff’s office is asking for the publics help to find the owner of a safe that was found on Grant Avenue three miles east of Rock Valley. A “Keep/Safe” brand safe that is tan in color with a brown door with red spray paint on the back was recovered. If anyone saw a suspicious person or vehicle in the area or know who owns the safe you are asked to cotact the sheriff’s office or use the text a tip program.
Severe Thunderstroms Cause Damge In Sergeant Bluff
(Sioux City)-Many Iowans will be spending this holiday cleaning up the aftermath of strong thunderstorms that struck overnight. Large tree limbs fell on some houses in Sergeant Bluff in far northwest Iowa. Woodbury County Emergency Services Director Gary Brown says there was some rotation in the storm, but no funnel was produced.
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Daniel Rosales of Sergeant Bluff had a tree in his family’s front yard fall through the front of their home.
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There have been no reports of injuries from the storms in Sergeant Bluff or Sioux City. In nearby Dakota City, Nebraska, two people sustained minor injuries when a tree fell on their camper. Flash flooding occurred over portions of western and central Iowa. A weather spotter in Crawford County reported 3.6 inches of rain fell in just over a two-hour period. Large hail fell in Carroll and Buena Vista Counties. In Guthrie County, winds of up to 80 miles an hour toppled trees and power lines.
Wages In Iowa Not Growing Despite Economy Growth
(Des Moines)- A report by the Iowa Policy Project finds wages in the state have not increased despite a growing economy. The research looks into decades of salary trends and the strength of the economy. Colin Gordon wrote the report, and says Iowa has a weak wage structure meaning employees make less here than in other places in the region.
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He says that means part of the workforce is left behind in the recovery.
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Gordon, says the economy grew steadily after the Second World War along with wages, but after the 70s wages barely increased while the economy doubled in size and more workers received higher educations.
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Gordon says the trends are true nationally and stem from three main problems. There are fewer members of labor unions, a lack of a decent minimum wage, and regular periods of high unemployment.
Driving Instuctors Allowed To Teach Despite Criminal Records or Infractions
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – At least 10 driving instructors licensed in Iowa have criminal records or driving infractions in their past, but they’ve been allowed to keep working with teens because of a forgiving state law.
The Des Moines Register reports at least three driving instructors have drunken driving convictions, two have assault convictions and four have more than a dozen driving citations and other infractions.
Ever since 2010, state law has been more forgiving to driver’s ed instructors who are involved in accidents or have multiple moving violations on their records.
Nationally, there isn’t a standard for driving instructor’s qualifications because each state determines what’s acceptable. But Sharon Fife with the Association of National Stakeholders in Traffic Safety Education says many states are more strict than Iowa.
No Plan To Change Ethics Rules In House or Senate
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa legislative leaders don’t plan to change ethics rules for political work after a former state senator admitted to lying about receiving payments to switch his support from one Republican presidential candidate to another.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced last week that former Sen. Kent Sorenson pleaded guilty to receiving thousands of dollars in “under the table payments” from a 2012 presidential campaign and lying about the money.
State Senate rules forbid sitting lawmakers from being paid by a campaign while in office. Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a Democrat from Council Bluffs, says in Sorenson’s case, the Senate oversight process worked
In the House, lawmakers can accept paid political work but must disclose the income. House Speaker Kraig Paulsen says there are no plans to change the rules.
Patrol identifies Rock Valley woman killed in crash
The Iowa State Patrol has released the name of the woman killed in two-vehicle crash in northwest Iowa on Friday night (August 29th). Scott Van Aartsen reports.
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