Home News KLEM News for Saturday, February 1

KLEM News for Saturday, February 1

JENEARY ON GAMBLING MORATORIUM

The Iowa House has passed a moratorium on casino gambling in the state.

State Representative Tom Jeneary of Le Mars says most of the focus of discussion on the issue has to do with a push before the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to grant a new license for a Cedar Rapids Casino.

Rep. Jeneary says the bigger issue is that the state already has enough casinos, and neighboring states are expanding gaming.

A five-year moratorium on new state-licensed casinos easily passed the Iowa House Thursday, but Iowa Senate President Amy Sinclair suggests its chance of passing the Senate are far different.

 

POTENTIAL BUDGET BOOST FOR IOWA SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN DISASTER ZONES

A bill moving through the state legislature would provide some budget stability to public school districts in areas hit by last year’s devastating tornadoes and historic flooding. General state spending is distributed on a per pupil basis. If the bill becomes law, a district with declining enrollment before a disaster and even more student exits afterwards would get the same level of per pupil funding for the next academic year. Margaret Buckton, a lobbyist for Rural School Advocates of Iowa, says the proposal makes good sense.

Michelle Johnson is a lobbyist for the Iowa Association of School Boards.

Senator Lynn Evans, a retired superintendent from Aurelia, says Iowa law allows school districts in these kind of predicaments petition the School Budget Review Committee, but the bill clarifies the process.

Evans is chairman of the Senate Education Committee. The proposal cleared a House subcommittee this week.

 

ATV COLISION

Two people were injured in an ATV accident in a farm field west of Orange City.

Last night, the Sioux County Sheriffs Office investigated the accident that occurred in a field near the intersection of Iowa Highway 10 and Indian Avenue.

Bryce Scholten, age 23, of Sioux Center, IA, and Travis Mulder, 23 of Rock Valley, were driving ATVs in the field. Both ATVs were being driven in a reckless manner when Scholten struck the rear of Mulders vehicle, causing it to flip onto its side; both drivers were ejected from their ATVs.  Scholten and Mulder were transported by the Orange City Ambulance for treatment of their injuries.

Orange City Police Department and Orange City Fire Department assisted at the scene.

 

GRANVILLE WOMAN ARRESTED

A Granville woman was arrested for impaired driving.  Orange City Police say 911 received numerous calls Friday morning of a person driving in the wrong lane, and driving erratically west on Iowa Highway 10 into Alton.  The vehicle was stopped, and officers called in a Drug Recognition Expert with the Sioux County Sheriffs Department, who determined the driver, 50 year old Renee Towne, was impaired.  Towne was transported to the Sioux County Jail, and was charged with OWI 2nd offense, driving on the wrong side of a highway, and equipment violations.

 

ERNST DEFENDS TRUMP’S ORDER TO FREEZE SPENDING

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says President Trump is scrutinizing federal spending with his recent actions which at least temporarily suspended funding to some government programs and agencies. Ernst says she wants to reassure Iowans who are concerned about their benefits that the Office of Management and Budget has made clear that SNAP, Medicare and any direct benefits to individuals will not be affected. The Red Oak Republican says Trump is protecting funds that serve Americans. The O-M-B rescinded Trump’s pause on federal grants and loans after a federal judge temporarily blocked the aid freeze, but White House officials claim the executive order on funding reviews remains intact. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart says, “Widespread confusion is only making a bad situation worse.”

 

STATE REP. MARTIN GRABER OF FORT MADISON HAS DIED

A member of the Iowa House who has represented a district in the southeast corner of the state for the past four years has died. Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson reports.

Governor Reynolds says she’s heartbroken at the loss. Graber is survived by his wife Coni, who he married 49 years ago, his daughters and his grandchildren. Graber was a southeast Iowa native who graduated from Central Lee High School. Graber earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in 1976, a masters from St. Ambrose in 1987 and another masters from the U-S Army War College in 2002. House Speaker Pat Grassley recently appointed Graber to lead a new House committee, to take a deeper look at state accounts set aside for specific purposes as well as the block grants the federal government sends the State of Iowa. Graber had recently served on the Republican Party of Iowa’s State Central Committee and had been chairnan of Lee County Republicans.