City Employees Present Collective Bargaining Proposal To City Officials
(Le Mars) — City employees presented to Le Mars city officials their initial proposal for the collective bargaining position on Monday morning. The city employees were being represented by Police Officer Jeff Kramer, and Officer John Kaskie, along with two employees of the Le Mars Public Library, Shelby Holbrook and Ranelle Irwin. Representing the city of Le Mars were Mayor Dick Kirchoff, Council members Rex Knapp and Mike Donlin, along with city administrator Jason Vacura and city finance director, Jacob Widman. City employees are requesting a contract for one year that would begin on July 1, 2022 and continue through June 30, 2023. Le Mars city employees are proposing to eliminate base pay from the wage schedule. The city employees bargaining unit is also proposing to eliminate the first wage schedule for police patrolmen. The city employees bargaining unit is proposing a wage adjustment of $3.00 an hour increase in the wage schedule for police officers and other city employees. After the wage adjustment is figured. The city employees are also proposing an eight percent increase for police officers and other city employees. This would take effect on July 1, 2022. City employees would also like to see a raise in longevity pay of 5.7 percent for years of service. Officers in the patrolman category shall receive top patrolman rate at four years completion of service. After six years of service, patrolmen are eligible for Senior patrol officer status, subject to Police Chief recommendation. Employees shall advance on the salary schedule as follows:
Step 1 Level at hiring date
Step 2 25-26 months
Step 3 36-48 months
Step 4 48 months plus
South Carolina Man Sentenced To 50 Years In Prison For Stabbing Mother To Death
(Sioux City, IA) — A South Carolina man who used two knives and a pair of scissors to stab his mother 16 times has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. Thirty-two-year-old Paul Belk was convicted on a charge of second-degree murder in October. Belk had been accused of killing his mother, Lisa Belk, in April of last year. Defense lawyers argued he was insane at the time, but a psychologist told the court he was able to distinguish right from wrong. Belk will have to serve at least 35 years before he will become eligible for parole.
Congresswoman Axne Not Worried That Inflation Will Be Long-Term Issue
(Des Moines, IA) — Congresswoman Cindy Axne says she isn’t worried that inflation will be a long-term issue. The Iowa Democrat was in Des Moines Friday to announce her plans to run for the state’s newly-configured Third Congressional District. Axne blames escalating prices the nation’s supply chain issues and worker shortages during the pandemic. She says the same issues are present all around the world and the U-S isn’t the only country dealing with them. Axne says economies are rebounding and people are ready to buy things, but not having a functioning supply chain is causing inflation.
Driver Arrested After Police Pursuit Through SE Iowa
(Davenport, IA) — A 30-year-old Davenport man faces several charges – including two felonies – after a police pursuit in southeast Iowa Sunday morning. Jarian T. Beason is being held in the Scott County Jail after driving through Duck Creek Park and several yards while trying to get away from the police. The chase started with an attempted traffic stop at about 1:40 a-m. A Bettendorf police officer reported witnessing Beason driving in excess of 100 miles an hour on Interstate 74. He was finally taken into custody after leaving his wrecked vehicle and taking off on foot.
Ames To Rename Street, City Park Over Indigenous Slur
(Ames, IA) — The Ames City Council has approved name changes for a street and a city park over an indigenous slur. Squaw Creek Drive and Squaw Creek Park are getting new names. The word squaw is considered a slur against indigenous North American women. The creek has been renamed Ioway Creek in an effort to recognize the indigenous group who lived in that area. Squaw Creek Drive has been changed to Stonehaven Drive after discussions with people living there. The park will be named Ioway Creek Park after a unanimous vote by the city parks commission.
Grassley Says California Governor Can Help Solve The Supply Chain Problem
(Washington) — U-S Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa addressed the supply chain issue during his weekly news conference with news media. Grassley was asked if the federal government could do anything to help alleviate the congestion of freighter ships that are anchored in the Los Angeles harbor filled with supplies and products waiting to be unloaded? Grassley informed the news reporters that he discussed the same issue with the Iowa Home Builders Association.
Grassley says in order to make a real difference, California Governor Gavin Newsome would need to waive or ease up on the environmental, and other regulations, placed on the nation’s trucking industry.
The Iowa Republican Senator says the federal government is limited on how much assistance can be offered to help the problem
He says part of the problem started when the state and federal governments paid unemployment benefits that were higher than an employee’s normal paycheck.
Grassley says the bottleneck of the supply chain is what is driving up inflation.
