(Monroe County, Iowa) – A crash between two pickups in southern Iowa Friday afternoon left one of the drivers dead, the other injured. Both men were from Albia. The Iowa State Patrol reports a pickup driven by 22-year-old Cody Christopher Kosman was traveling south on 655th Avenue (a gravel road) north of Albia at around 2:45-p.m. A pickup driven by 26-year-old Jonathan Michael Bedell was traveling north 655th, following a truck that was kicking up gravel dust.

The dust created a low visibility situation. The 2004 Chevy Silverado driven by Kosman passed by the truck and entered the dust on the front driver’s corner. The vehicle collided with a 2011 Silverado, driven by Bedell. Kosman died at the scene. Bedell was transported to the Monroe County Hospital by ambulance. Neither man was wearing a seat belt.

(Radio Iowa) – A rural Merrill man who was convicted last month of first-degree murder in the death of his stepson was sentenced this (Friday) afternoon to life in prison. Eighty-four-year-old Thomas Knapp, was found guilty of the shooting death of 51-year-old Kevin Juzek in May, 2020, at Knapp’s home near Merrill.

Knapp was also sentenced to up to ten years for willful injury in Juzek’s death. He was ordered to pay 150-thousand dollars in restitution to Juzek’s estate. Charges against Knapp for injuring his wife, Darlene, in the same incident, brought a sentence of five years in prison.

Knapp was given the opportunity to speak before sentence was handed down. He declined to do so.

(Radio Iowa) – The Republican candidate for state treasurer says if elected, he’ll be an advocate for more state tax cuts. Republican Roby  Smith of Davenport has served in the state senate for the past 12 years. “Most people don’t realize this, but at the Capitol, the treasurer’s office can actually go in and for each bill, they can register for or against the bill,” Smith said. “The largest tax cut in the history of Iowa in this year, 2022, the treasurer’s office didn’t register — didn’t register for that.”

The Democratic incumbent says his responsibility as state treasurer is managing the state’s money and keeping it safe. Democrat Michael Fitzgerald has been state treasurer since 1983. “Now if the legislators and the governor want to increase taxes or decrease taxes, that’s their decision,” Fitzgerald says. “It’s not something that directly affects programs we run in the state treasurer’s office.” Smith is accusing Fitzgerald of mismanaging “College Savings Iowa” — a so-called five-29 (529) program which lets parents and grandparents set aside money tax-free for a child’s education.

Smith cites a recent report from an agency that rates investments like mutual funds. “Morningstar rating agency out of Chicago rated the 529s all throughout the country and Iowa’s was downgraded. It was downgraded from a C to a D,” Smith says. “It is one step away from failing.” Fitzgerald says Morningstar analysts misunderstood some of the investment options in College Savings Iowa.

“Our program has been solid for 24 years,” Fitzgerald says. “We explained it to them just a couple of weeks ago. I think you’re going to see an upgrade in another couple of weeks.”

The candidates made their comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa P-B-S.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests over the past couple of days.

On Tuesday, Oct. 4th: 41-year-old Amanda Jean Schultz, of Omaha, was arrested at around 8:30-a.m. in the area of 195th Street & Lambert Ave. Schultz was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. (Bond $1,000); And, at around 3:30-p.m., 22-year-old Kpor Kue, of Omaha, was arrested at the Douglas County, Nebraska Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. Kue was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond.

On Wednesday (Oct. 5), 26-year-old Alesha Marie Young, of Carter Lake, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Failure to Appear. Bond was set at $5,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – If you signed-up for automatic payment of your Storm Water Utility bill, in Atlantic, and noticed your bank account hasn’t been debited yet, you’re not alone. City Clerk Barb Barrick reports “Due to (mega) issues with the city’s software “talking to” the bank’s ACH software, automatic payments for stormwater will be deducted from customers accounts on Tuesday, October 11^th. ”

The city apologizes for any inconvenience.

October 7, 2022 (DES MOINES, IA) – At yesterday’s (Thursday’s) meeting, the Enhance Iowa Board awarded Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grants totaling $1 million to pool projects in Hubbard and Laurens and a Sports Tourism grant to Des Moines in support of the USA Archery Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) Target Nationals.

The details for the projects receiving CAT grants follow:

Project Name: Hubbard Pool, Hubbard
Total Project Cost: $3,178,015
Amount Awarded: $500,000
Project Description: This project includes the demolition of the city’s existing pool and construction of a new 3,600-square-foot facility with two diving boards, a toddler slide, basketball hoop, volleyball net and ADA accessible hard surface parking.

Project Name: Let’s Create a Splash Together – The Laurens Pool Project, Laurens
Total Project Cost: $2,976,469
Amount Awarded: $500,000
Project Description: This project includes the construction of a 3,100-square-foot swimming pool with five 25-meter swimming lanes and a 1-meter diving tower, a new bathhouse and concession stand.

The details for the project receiving a Sports Tourism grant follow:

Event Name: USA Archery JOAD Target Nationals, Des Moines
Event Dates: July 12-16, 2023
Total Project Budget: $47,070
Amount Awarded: $23,535
Description: The Junior Olympic Archery Development Nationals is a USA Archery sanctioned event open to youth archers competing in the recurve, compound, fixed pins and barebow divisions. Event marketing and promotion will include airport baggage claim and other airport signage the week of the event, digital billboards around Des Moines welcoming the group and customized Snapchat filters for attendees to utilize and promote Des Moines while visiting.

The Enhance Iowa Program provides financial incentives to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa. To date, 103 CAT grants have been awarded by the board, totaling $33,283,183. The next Enhance Iowa Board meeting is scheduled for November 3, 2022.

(Audubon, Iowa) – Officials with the City of Audubon late this (Friday) morning, announced that a Boil Advisory issued Tuesday, has been LIFTED. Again, the Boil Advisory is no longer necessary. The City had issued a boil advisory Tuesday evening, after several residences on the north side of town lost water services due a broken water main.

The homes listed in the advisory included those on Division Street, north of Broadway Street, and the area north of Northwestern Avenue between U.S. Highway 71 and Division Street.

Individuals with questions should contact Audubon City Hall by calling 712-563-3269.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) have announced $14.1 million in grant funding for the following four projects through Destination Iowa. The $100 million program, announced in April, invests in transformational projects that will bolster the quality of life in Iowa communities and attract visitors and new residents.

The Hoover Presidential Foundation has been awarded $5,000,000 toward an overhaul of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch and the addition of 2,250 square feet of updated and interactive displays. The redesign and renovation will modernize the visitor experience, taking guests on a journey of learning about Iowa’s only U.S. president and his wife, First Lady Lou Henry Hoover. The award represents 25% of the total project investment of $20,309,426.

The Webster County Conservation Board and the City of Fort Dodge have been awarded $4,000,000 toward the Central River District Park and Discovery Center. The center will offer meeting spaces, indoor and outdoor classrooms, a large interpretive area, and a scenic overlook with views of the Des Moines River. The award represents 17% of the total project investment of $19,906,495, which also includes a 1.3-acre stormwater treatment wetland and in-stream recreational features such as a whitewater drop, fishing pools and access points.

The City of Mason City and Cerro Gordo County have been awarded $4,500,000 toward several projects that will enhance the area as a biking/mountain biking destination. These components include new single-track trails, a new bike park and pump track, and key connectors in the North Iowa trails system. The award represents 40% of the total project investment of $11,873,265 and will also play a key role in providing direct access to all trails, adding trailside amenities, and adding improvements to the Ingebretson Campground.

Cinema Paradiso, LLC has been awarded $600,000 toward transforming an unoccupied Davenport structure into a two-screen movie theater called The Last Picture House. With connections to Hollywood, the movie theater will be the home of exclusive events featuring actors alongside local filmmakers and film screenings. The space will also include a social lounge, cocktail bar, and a rooftop bar. The award represents 16% of the total project investment of $3,719,075.

IEDA began accepting applications on May 9 and will continue to review applications as they arrive through December 31 or until funding runs out.  Applications are scored based on eligibility, completeness, and the project’s ability to meet the program goal of creating transformational tourism attractions. Cities, counties, nonprofits and other organizations can apply for Destination Iowa grants through four separate funds: Economically Significant Development, Outdoor Recreation, Tourism Attraction, and Creative Placemaking.

Funded projects must be completed by June 30, 2026. For more information on the Destination Iowa program, visit iowaeda.com/destination-iowa/. Funding for this program is being made available through the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Des Moines, IA – A man from Victor, Iowa, plead guilty on October 5, 2022, to conspiracy to defraud the United States. According to court documents, Daniel Shawn DeRycke, age 59, admitted he conspired with one or more other persons to impede and obstruct the Internal Revenue Service in the assessment and collection of income taxes. DeRycke admitted that from April 2017 to March 2019, through his business, DeRycke’s Crop Depot, he engaged in conduct to help customers reduce income tax owed by accepting backdated checks, generating false expense invoices, and exchanging checks to give the appearance of an expense that was not in fact incurred by the customers.

DeRycke is scheduled to be sentenced on February 3, 2023 and faces up to 5 years in prison. DeRycke has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $189,919. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller says “This investigation is evidence to criminals that you cannot falsify figures on your own tax returns, let alone aid others with documents to bolster lies to the federal government on their tax returns. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue to be on the front lines to defend the American tax system from fraud and deception.”

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa and the Internal Revenue Service made the announcement. The Internal Revenue Service, United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.