(Radio Iowa)  – It’s officially tax season as the Internal Revenue Service has started accepting digital tax returns. Christopher Miller, the I-R-S spokesman for Iowa, says most Americans qualify to file their taxes online for free. “Each software provider in the Free File program sets up their own eligibility requirements, so it’s important to check them out,” Miller says. “We have a special tool on the Free File site that will help you decide.” Miller says electronic filing of your taxes is the safest, easiest, fastest method to use, and it also means a speedier refund check, if you’re due one.

Miller says, “You could do your taxes 24/7 in the comfort of your own home, using a smartphone or a tablet, or of course, your computer.” Miller says there’s a wide variety of free e-filing software available online. “Free File lets anyone who earned $73,000 or less in 2022 use brand-name tax software to file their taxes online for free,” he says.

Learn more at I-R-S-dot-gov. This year’s tax filing deadline is April 18th.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s governor says she hopes to speak soon with the leader of a Des Moines youth program who’s in serious condition after a shooting at the facility. Des Moines Police have identified the two students who were killed yesterday.

In 2017, Governor Reynolds was in an anti-crime video produced by Will Holmes, the founder of Starts Right Here. “He’s a really good friend of mine and this is a man that has fought every single day to really help these kids that are at risk,” Reynolds said, “to help them get a GED, to help them get training, to help them get a job.”

Holmes, who raps under the name Will Keeps, founded Starts Right Here for Des Moines Public Schools students. In 2021, Reynolds held a public event at the facility in downtown Des Moines. “It was so important to Will that they had a beautiful facility to go to so that these kids felt that this was better than being on the streets and being involved in a gang and being involved in drugs,” Reynolds said.

Will Keeps talks about his anti-crime video in 2017 as the governor looks on. (RI photo)

Des Moines Police have charged an 18-year-old with two counts of first degree murder for killing students Gionni (jee-AH-nee) Dameron, who was 18, and 16-year-old Rashad Carr. Des Moines Police say 18-year-old Preston Walls was also a student at Starts Right Here and he’s been charged with attempted murder for seriously wounding the program’s founder. Holmes is in serious, but stable condition and has a long recovery ahead, according to a statement from his family. They said he’s “more determined than ever” to continue working with at-risk youth.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says a state website will be available later today to provide information to low income parents who want to sign up for nearly $7600 in state funding to cover their child’s private school expenses. “They can put their name on a list…a place where if they have questions, they can get those answered as well,” Reynolds said early this afternoon.

Reynolds spoke with reporters shortly after signing the bill creating the new program for parents with kids in private schools this fall. In 2026, the state funding will be available for all Iowa families with a student in a private school. “What an amazing day for our children and parents!” Reynolds said.

A crowd of legislators as well as state and national activists who’ve lobbied for the bill cheered as Reynolds spoke in the Capitol. “Major progress often comes from being willing to challenge the status quo, to think outside of the box, to be open to change, to lead,” Reynolds said. “…We’re rejecting the idea that the answer to improving education is simply pumping more money into the same system year after year without making significant changes.”

Supporters of the bill surround the governor. (RI photo)

Reynolds proposed far smaller programs in 2021 and 2022, but neither could win enough GOP support in the Iowa House. In the June Primary, the governor campaigned against some House Republican opponents and the bill easily cleared the House last night with 54 Republican “yes” votes. House Speaker Pat Grassley said it’s the culmination of what Republicans have been telling voters.

“We said the Republican Party of Iowa is going to take the lead of education issues in Iowa and I think this is just one more example of us delivering on that promise,” Grassley said, and the governor let out a whoop and led the crowd in applause.

Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver credited Reynolds for being “tireless” in pursuing this goal. “I also want to thank the many Senate Republicans who fought through the noise and misinformation — as you hear it — in some cases for decades and advocated for all parents to have the same choice in education as parents with the means to afford it,” Whitver said.

Democratic Senator Claire Celsi of Des Moines was the lone protestor, shouting, “Nobody wants vouchers,” during Whitver’s remarks and a few times during the event.

The new program to provide state money to cover private school expenses is on a fast track. The governor said companies that want to compete to manage the state-funded accounts will be able to submit bids later today.

(Breda, Iowa) – Iowa’s 2023 Legislative Session began Monday, January 9th. Following the start, broadband’s state association, Iowa Communications Alliance (ICA), co-hosted a Welcome Back Reception with other rural entities. Western Iowa Networks (WIN) attended welcoming Iowa’s legislators. The event allowed for connections to be made with both seasoned and new legislators and discuss the importance of ICA’s mission for broadband in Iowa.

Reliable broadband in Iowa is imperative to the state’s success. Not only for businesses but healthcare, schools, farming, and work-from-home employees. The WIN representatives in attendance discussed the importance of funding for rural broadband providers and the current legislative issues that may arise in the 2023 session. WIN is eager for Representative Best to dive into new laws benefiting the communities they serve.

Pottawattamie County, Iowa – The Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation presented an oversized check for $125,000 to the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, January 17th.

The ceremonial presentation took place at the weekly County Board meeting, recognizing partial repayment of a recent Pottawattamie County Conservation acquisition of 93 acres of land adjacent to Hitchcock Nature Center. The Board of Supervisors approved the purchase in November, with the agreement The Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation would commit $125,000 of its cash reserve towards the $1,175,000 investment.

“This was a parcel our department had been interested in for quite some time,” said Mark Shoemaker, Executive Director of Pottawattamie County Conservation. “It’s a beautiful piece of land, that we’ll be able to preserve and protect for years to come.”

Photo/story are courtesy Craig Carlsen; Public Relations Manager

Doris Ferguson, the previous landowner, had expressed interest in selling to the county when she could no longer take care of the property. Upon her passing, the land was gifted to the Doris Ferguson Estate and the long-term vision was kept alive by her son Mark Ferguson.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity Doris Ferguson and her family have provided our county,” said Shoemaker. “This wouldn’t have been possible without their support, the support from our Board of Supervisors, and the shared outlook towards the future with the Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation. It’s rewarding to be a part of all of it.”

Prior to approaching the Board of Supervisors for assistance, Pottawattamie County Conservation drafted a funding strategy to pay back land acquisition funds used by the Board for the acquisition. The strategy identified several partners, grants, and internal funds to replenish the land fund for Pottawattamie County. Shoemaker says he hopes to repay those funds over the next nine months.

For more information and the latest news and events from Pottawattamie County Conservation visit PottConservation.com.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests and a non-injury accident. Authorities say at around 6:52-p.m. Monday, 39-year-old Travis Jack Davis, of Omaha, was arrested on an out-of-state/out-of-county warrants. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail. Saturday afternoon, 22-year-old Dylan Ray Janssen, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation, with bond set at $10,000. And, on Jan. 18th, 36-year-old Zachariah Matthew Boyd, of Elk Horn (IA), was arrested on I-29 in Mills County, for Child Endangerment and OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $3,000.

Mills County Sheriff’s officials said also, 90-year-old Roland Albright, of Omaha, was driving a 2006 Chrysler southbound on 221st Street at around 10:24-p.m. Saturday, when his vehicle went out of control due to the extreme snow and slick road conditions. The vehicle went into the north ditch and struck multiple trees before it came to rest on its wheels. Albright was checked out by medics at the scene, but refused transport to the hospital.

(Radio Iowa) – A House committee has passed legislation that supporters say would equalize Iowa’s criminal sentencing guidelines. Representative Ann Meyer of Fort Dodge says when defendants accused of domestic abuse assault are sentenced, current law says any related conviction or deferred judgement in the past 12 years — in any state — may to be taken into consideration. “When determining whether the current violation is a second or subsequent offense,” Meyer says. That’s not the guideline in drug-related cases, when all previous conviction may be considered.

Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell of Ames is among the handful of Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee who voted against the bill. “I am concerned about completely eliminating this second chance,” Wessel-Kroeschell says. The organization that represents about one-thousand Iowa trial lawyers opposes the bill. County attorneys and the attorney general support it and the Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance backs the bill, too.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors have approved the resignation of a man who has served as the Grove Township Trustee for more than 25-years. Board Chair Steve Baier read from Robert Vernon’s letter of resignation.

Steve Bair thanked Mr. Vernon for his years of conscientious service as Township Trustee. The Board also approved the appointment of Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon as Zoning Administration. Once again, here’s Steve Baier.

Baier said Kennon has already stepped-up to the plate in a couple of recent Zoning matters.

In other business, the Board approved the appointment of Robert Kirchner to a Yardman’s position at a rate of $23.25/hour. The position was made vacant due to an internal Secondary Roads Dept. advancement. Kirchner currently serves as a truck driver. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken said that in-turn, creates another opening within the Department.

They passed a Resolution awarding a contract for Bridge #319 on G-30/Highland Road over Indian Creek (west of Atlantic), in the amount of $1.861-million, to Murphy Heavy Contracting, out of Anita. Theirs was the low bid. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken said the bids were very close to the estimate of $2.11-million. The Board discussed the future of Willow Heights. Some inquires have been made into making the former residential care facility into non-profit, Assisted and/or Independent Living-type apartments, or even a Veteran’s Home. Steve Baier said he’s received a lot of questions from attorney’s and others about the County-owned building and grounds. The facility failed to garner interest from bidders last Saturday, when the property and three other tracts were up for sale at an auction. The other tracts sold, but the building itself did not meet the minimum required bid of $250,000.

No action was taken on the matter during today’s (Tuesday’s) meeting.

(Radio Iowa) – What’s known as the Point in Time Count will be conducted tomorrow (Wednesday), involving community service agencies across Iowa who are working to gauge Iowa’s homeless population. Tanya Thielen is housing services coordinator for Upper Des Moines Opportunity, based in Graettinger. Thielen says the counts are required every year by the U-S Department of Housing and Urban Development. “The point behind the count is to get a good idea of how many people are out in our communities experiencing homelessness,” Thielen says. “The count that we get is entered into our Homeless Management Information System and those get streamed directly to HUD and that can help them determine how much and where the funding will be received throughout the state.”

The survey is done every year and Thielen says the Iowa numbers are continuing to rise. “Last year, when they conducted a Point in Time Count on a single night in January, there were 1,600 people experiencing homelessness,” Thielen says, “and 1,300 of those were residing in a shelter or another housing program, but there were still about 320 of those individuals who were literally homeless outdoors.” Upper Des Moines Opportunity serves a 12-county area in northwest and north-central Iowa and she notes, it seems like an uphill climb against homelessness.  “We do see some rises in the numbers but we’re doing the best we can with the funding we’ve got to try to fight that problem and get people housed,” Thielen says. “It’s definitely a basic need and that’s something that every human should have, so we’re doing our best to fight that battle.”

She says the results of the survey should be released in a few months.