(Radio Iowa) – The deadline to file your federal tax returns is under a month away now, and a certified public accountant in central Iowa is urging people to get their shoeboxes full of receipts together, pronto. Jeff Strawhacker, a C-P-A in Urbandale, says the majority of his clients are very aware of the looming deadline but there are always a few procrastinators who will end up having to file for an extension. “There’s a combination of both,” Strawhacker says. “Most people are very good about getting us the materials we need. Obviously, a lot of people are waiting either for 1099s from brokerage firms, maybe K-1s from partnerships and S Corporations, so those kind of get pushed to the end, but that’s just part of the normal process.”

The I-R-S touts electronic filing as the most accurate method to use, in addition to e-filing bringing a faster refund check. While there were delays during the pandemic, Strawhacker says refunds are back on track this year. “Usually those refunds are coming out within about a two- to three-week period,” Strawhacker says. “The things that make that go faster is, make sure things are accurate on the return, that things aren’t missing, proper lines are filled in. If they want direct deposit, that information is put in there, because if you’re doing direct deposit, it’s speeding up the refunds. You want a paper check? It may take a few more weeks to get that paper check.”

Strawhacker says there were a few minor changes on the federal side that folks will want to note, and big shifts are likely on the state side next year. “There’s been some changes to the Child Tax Credit rules and Dependent Care rules. Those had some expanded provisions back in ’21 due to the pandemic. Those were not extended, so that could impact some people,” Strawhacker says. “And in Iowa, Iowa has not gone through a lot of changes for the ’22 returns, but 2023 is a whole different story, because they’re going through some massive tax reform.”

While practically everyone likes to get a big, fat refund check, Strawhacker says it’s his goal to get his clients’ withholdings adjusted so they’re close to breaking even every year. “If you’re getting a refund, that’s simply dollars that you have paid into the tax system during the year, either through payroll tax withholdings or estimated payments, but that’s your money that you’ve paid in, and you’ve just paid in more than you need to,” Strawhacker says. “So all they’re doing really at the end of the year is giving you back the excess funds, so think about it as an interest-free loan to the government.”

The deadline for filing federal taxes is April 18th this year, while state tax returns are due May 1st.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Association of Business and Industry quarterly survey finds most of its members plan to make capital investments in the second quarter of the 2023. Mike Ralston is the president of the association which represents 15-hundred Iowa manufacturers. “You know, that’s a big deal. That’s a multi-million dollar piece of equipment. It’s a plant expansion. It’s something big it’s out of the ordinary. And boy business people wouldn’t do that if they didn’t feel pretty confident about the way things were heading,” Ralston says.

Ralston says the survey shows his members are still experiencing higher prices, longer waits and sometimes struggle to get needed parts or equipment. “Before the pandemic, somebody got their particular component it took them 30 days. Then after the pandemic, literally it took like maybe a couple of years,” he says “It’s still high, but that’s a lot better than two years.” Other questions in the survey show 50 percent of businesses expect sales to increase, and 70 percent foresee their workforce remaining stable.

(Radio Iowa) – More Iowa high school and middle school students are enrolling in educational programs offering courses directly related to employment in current or emerging occupations. Dennis Harden oversees the career and technical education area for the Department of Education, and says the number of courses increased seven-point-six percent in 2022 from the previous year. School districts are required to offer at least 12 units of coursework within four of the six C-T-E service areas.

Harden says all school districts experienced growth in courses with a statewide average of two courses being offered and the participation rate of students in 2022 was 73-point-one percent. He says the largest C-T-E service area with 90 programs is applied science, technology, engineering and manufacturing, followed by health science and information solutions, human services, business, and finally agriculture.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa is known for its many thousands of acres of fertile farmland which help to feed perhaps millions of people around the world, and a new report details just how valuable the agriculture industry is to the state. Brent Johnson, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, says the report just confirms what we already know, that agriculture is vital to our state’s economy and identity.

The report says Iowa has 326-thousand jobs that are directly tied to agriculture with an economic impact of more than 96-billion dollars tied to those jobs. When that 96-billion figure is trickled down to Main Street and other industries, he says it quickly more than doubles to nearly 222-billion dollars. Even through the past few years with the pandemic, Johnson says agriculture saw steady gains, and farmers are growing significantly more food on less land.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak arrested a woman and a man on separate charges, Thursday. Authorities say 40-year-old Mandy Marie Knapp, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 8:15-p.m. in the 1500 block of N. Broadway Street. Knapp was taken into custody on Adams County warrants for Trespass/1st offense, Open Container as a driver (21+) and Felony Burglary in the 3rd Degree. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

And , at around 5:25-p.m., Thursday, Red Oak Police arrested 24-year-old Austin Alexander Thompson, of Red Oak, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 1st offense, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. He was being held on a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks says congress cannot let TikTok stockpile sensitive information and spy on Americans. Miller-Meeks and other members of the House Commerce Committee quizzed TikTok’s C-E-O for more than five hours yesterday (Thursday).

“Certainly, as you can see, in a bipartisan way we have concerns,” Miller-Meeks told TikTok’s CEO, “and those concerns are valid.” The app, which has 150 American users, is owned by a Chinese company and the Biden Administration is demanding that the Chinese sell their stake in the company — or the app will be banned in the U.S. Miller noted the hearing began hours after China announced its opposition to the sale of TikTok.

“Why would China or the Chinese Communist Party be opposed to a forced sale of TikTok?” Miller-Meeks asked. “…That leads people to believe that there’s something more nefarious and that there is, in fact, data that is captured, is stored and poses a risk not only to children in the United States, but also poses a risk to national security.” Miller-Meeks, a Republican who represents Iowa’s first congressional district, says she believes TikTok is gathering personal data from Americans and sharing it with our adversaries.

Republican Ashley Hinson, Iowa’s second district congresswoman, says TikTok needs to be banned.  “I believe the time to act was yesterday here,” Hinson says. Hinson says the U.S. Treasury Department has been negotiating with TikTok’s owners for three years — since the Trump Administration — and cutting ties with China and it’s time to ban what Hinson calls a Trojan horse app. Hinson made her comments during a House Appropriations Committee hearing on Thursday.

(Sidney, Iowa – Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports that a man from northwest Iowa was arrested on Monday for driving a stolen vehicle, faces additional charges following the alleged assault of a Sheriff’s Deputy at the Fremont County Jail, on Wednesday. The deputy suffered minor injuries during the incident.

The Sheriff said that on Monday (March 20), Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible stolen vehicle near a truck stop at the intersection of Highway 2 and Interstate 29. Deputies located a 2015 Chrysler 200, reported stolen out of Dickinson County, Iowa at that location. The driver, 20-year-old Kendel Cole Schmidt, from Spirit Lake, Iowa was arrested for Theft in the 1^st Degree. Schmidt also had a warrant for his arrest out of Dickinson County, and was being held at the Fremont County Jail on $10,000 cash/surety bond.

Kendel Cole Schmidt

On Wednesday, Schmidt assaulted a Fremont County Correctional Officer, tearing the correctional officer’s uniform in the process, and attempted to steal items from their person in an attempt to escape.

Schmidt was additionally charged with:

• Criminal Mischief 5^th Degree, a Simple Misdemeanor
• Assault on persons in certain occupations, an Aggravated Misdemeanor
• Attempted Escape, a Class D Felony
• Robbery 2^nd Degree, a Class C Felony

He remains in the Fremont County Jail on an additional $17,300 cash bond.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – March 23, 2023 – Drivers who travel on Iowa 44 in Portsmouth need to be aware of an upcoming bridge deck replacement project that may slow down their trip beginning on Monday, April 3 until Friday, July 28, weather permitting. During this project, drivers on Iowa 44 will follow a marked detour around the work zone by using Iowa 191, Shelby County roads F-32 and M-16.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through the 511 system.

March 23, 2023 (Des Moines, Iowa) — The Iowa Tourism Office presented 25 awards recognizing excellence in the tourism industry during the 2023 Iowa Tourism Conference in Altoona this week. Council Bluffs and Winterset won awards for “Outstanding Community” (Council Bluffs in the Metro category & Winterset in the Rural category). Council Bluffs also won an award in the Metro category for Outstanding Event: “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience.” In the same award went to Sidney, Iowa for their “Championship Rodeo” event in the Rural category.

Outstanding Event (Rural): Sidney Championship Rodeo

Outstanding Event (Metro): Council Bluffs’ Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience

“We continue to see tourism rebound in Iowa,” said Amy Zeigler, state tourism manager for the Iowa Tourism Office. “Events are definitely back, as evidenced by the 25 nominations we received for Outstanding Event. We look forward to continuing the positive momentum in 2023.”

Awards, divided into metro and rural distinctions, were made in 13 categories. In addition, conference attendees voted for the People’s Choice Award; nominees were the second-highest scoring nominations. (See the complete list and more photo’s, HERE)

The Iowa Tourism Office, part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, works closely with community partners, attractions and events, to promote the state’s beautifully vast scenery and unique history. Tourism in Iowa generated $1.8 billion in tax revenues in 2021, with more than $1 billion supporting state and local governments, while employing a total of 65,000 people statewide. For more information on everything Iowa has to offer tourists, visit traveliowa.com.

(Radio Iowa) – The governor of Minnesota is blasting Iowa and Florida for efforts to ban books. Democrat Governor Tim Walz is installing a Little Free Library in the anteroom of his State Capitol office and says, “For every book you ban in Iowa and Florida, we’ll put ten of them out in Minnesota.”

Walz says, “We’ve got folks that want to make it harder to get ‘Lord of the Flies’ than to get a dang AR-15.” Books with obscene or graphic sexual content would have to be removed from Iowa school libraries if a bill that cleared the Iowa House becomes law. The Iowa Senate version calls for removing books from school libraries that describe or depict sex acts. Minnesota’s governor was asked if people on the other side of the political aisle can also put their books in his Little Free Library.

“Absolutely, you can put any book you want to in here,” Walz says. “We all know what the most-banned book in history is: the Bible. Bring it! Put it on there. That’s what this is about! This is about freedom.” Members of the Iowa group “Moms for Liberty” have led efforts to remove books they consider obscene from Iowa school libraries. They also support a bill to ban materials or instruction about gender identity in kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms.

Governor Walz acknowledges his actions are a pro-active effort “to make it very clear to Americans there is a vast number of people who disagree with these policies.” “This is a state where reproductive choices are yours,” he says. “This is a place where you can bring your authentic self and be protected. This is a state where you read what you choose to read.”

Walz says, “I want to be very clear: If you’re on the side of book-banning, they have never been on the right side of history.” The press secretary for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis indicates only pornographic and inappropriate books are being removed from that state’s schools and says, “We find it kind of strange that a governor would put pornography in a library outside of his office.”

(Thanks to Bill Werner, Minnesota News Network)