Anytime you buy something online and don’t pay an Iowa sales tax, you’re breaking the law. The Iowa Department of Revenue is launching an educational campaign to get Iowans to start paying “use taxes.” Revenue spokeswoman Victoria Daniels says it’s not fair if main street business collect sales taxes while Amazon and other big online retailers don’t. Daniels says, “So, when you make a purchase on the internet and the sales tax isn’t collected, in effect, you’re putting those small businesses at a disadvantage.”

As part of the campaign, Iowa taxpayers will be urged to go to the Department of Revenue website, then to popular links, then to the consumer use tax page to report your purchases. The application will compute what is owed and accept payment. Daniels says all state employees, especially those at the Department of Revenue, will be expected to pay up. Daniels says, “Mind you, I plan to go through my credit card receipts and look at it and say, ‘Huh, this is a business that is not in Iowa. I owe tax on this.'”

There are two new methods for paying the tax online at the Iowa Department of Revenue website. Daniels says, “Look under the heading ‘Popular Links’ you’ll see ‘New Options to Pay Consumer Use Tax.'” Last year, conscientious Iowa shoppers voluntarily submitted only about 21-thousand dollars for the tax. Millions of dollars in state taxes that are required by law are going uncollected. Besides internet purchases, the rules also apply to catalog sales. Congress may act soon to require all online retailers to collect state sales taxes.

(Radio Iowa)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say the man who owns the reeking Sioux City home where dozens of cats were removed faces 14 counts of animal neglect.  The man was identified as 56-year-old Mark Lanning, of Sioux City.  More than four dozen cats were removed from the home on Monday, and officials found several cat carcasses as well. Cindy Rarrat, of Sioux City Animal Adoption & Rescue Center, says conditions inside the house were unbearable.  The hungry, thirsty cats were taken to the rescue center.  Neighbors say no one has lived in the home for a couple of months.

Authorities in Red Oak say a Red Oak man was arrested on a Criminal Mischief charge, following an alleged attempted residential break-in Wednesday afternoon. 47-year old Brian Keefe Ogletree was arrested for 4th degree criminal mischief and interference with official acts, in connection with an incident in the 700 block of East Coolbaugh Street.

Red Oak Police say officers arriving at the scene shortly before 5:30-p.m. found Ogletree with his hand through a broken window in the door. The man allegedly tried resist arrest, when officers confronted him.

Olgetree was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

Cass County resident and cancer survivor Deanna Spry is on a mission to raise awareness about the importance of having regular mammograms.

Cancer survivor Deana Spry raises money for cancer research. (Photo Courtesy CCMH)

Between managing the Casey’s store in Anita, spending time with her family, and going antiquing with the busy 49-year  almost missed getting a mammogram last December, but a couple of visits to the Cass County Memorial Hospital resulted in a diagnosis of breast cancer, and the decision to have a bilateral mastectomy.

Spry is organizing a special event scheduled to take place at Lake Anita on Saturday, Oct. 13, beginning at 1 p.m. She calls it “Trailing for TaTas,” and she’s urging people to come and walk the three miles of trails along the lake and take part in a wide variety of fun activities including hayrack rides and entertainment. (For more information or to sign up, visit http://tinyurl.com/8hvzt4q)

Spry says she wants to “Make it a fun get together to create an awareness about breast cancer and provide an opportunity to share stories and support others who have been touched by this disease.” Every dollar raised through Trailing for TaTas will be donated to the American Cancer Society, the nationwide voluntary health organization that, among other things, helps provide funding for research and mammograms.

Spry says she tells every woman she sees, to get a mammogram, because “It’s a simple thing. It’s only once a year and it only takes a half-hour.” Spry says she thinks “Everybody’s life is worth that much.”