Capitol Notebook: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds appoints new judges

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds last week appointed two new Iowa judges to fill vacancies.

Reynolds appointed Assistant Attorney General Matthew Schuling, of Council Bluffs, as a district associate judge, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Donna Bothwell, whom Reynolds appointed earlier this summer as a district judge in Judicial District 4.

District 4 includes Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby counties.

The governor also appointed Iowa magistrate Melinda Wicks, of Sergeant Bluff, as a district associate judge in Judicial District 3B.

Wicks currently serves as a magistrate in Woodbury County, and as a deputy county attorney in the Dakota County Attorney’s Office in Nebraska.

She fills a vacancy created by the retirement of Todd Hensley. Judicial District 3B includes Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Crawford, Ida, Monona, Plymouth, Sioux and Woodbury counties.

Iowa airports awarded nearly $15 million for improvements

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Three Iowa airports will receive nearly $15 million in federal assistance as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help pay for runway, terminal and other improvements.

“Iowa’s airports facilitate high volume passenger travel and move our world-class products to market. Keeping this critical infrastructure in top shape ensures travelers’ safety and strengthens our local businesses and communities,” Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said in a statement.

Grassley was one of just 19 Republican senators and the only Republican in Iowa’s congressional delegation to vote for the bipartisan law to enhance roads, bridges, airports and other infrastructure.

“I supported the bipartisan infrastructure law with Iowans in mind, and I’m glad our state continues to see a return on that investment,” Grassley said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation plans to disburse the funds as follows:

Clogged line releases sewage into Boyer River in Denison

A clogged service line caused the city of Denison in western Iowa to accidentally release 300 gallons of untreated sewage, some of which flowed into the Boyer River, state officials said.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating the discharge discovered about 7:40 a.m. Monday. A clogged lateral service line at the Denison Country Store, 1108 Fourth Avenue S., caused the sewage to flow onto the ground and into a storm drain leading to the river, the Iowa DNR reported.

Workers from Denison Municipal Utilities were able to remove the blockage. Officials said the discharge has stopped and cleanup has begun.

Residents are advised to avoid the area. Water samples have been collected for testing. No dead fish have been observed so far. The DNR said it will follow up with the city for further assessment.

To report a release after hours, call the DNR’s emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694. Quick reporting can help staff identify the cause of an incident. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.