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KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Radio Iowa) – Legislators will return to the state capitol today (Tuesday) to put the finishing touches on state spending plans for the budgeting year that begins July 1st. Republicans who hold majorities in the House and Senate have agreed to provide Iowa’s 15 area community colleges with six-and-a-half million dollars more for the next academic year. Republican Senator Chris Cournoyer of LeClaire says the three state universities will get a five-and-a-half million dollar boost.
“Which brings them up to $575 million in this budget,” Cournoyer says. And Cournoyer says that’s not a trivial amount. Democrats like Representative Cindy Winckler of Davenport say tuition at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa will have to go up, as state support of the universities today is less than it was in 2009.”It is unfortunate that we have such a backward view of our role in funding education in this state,” Winckler said.
Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, says the state universities are being starved. “To continue to bleed resources out of these universities is going to cause long term damage to this state,” Quirmbach says, “long beyond any of us in our tenure here in the Senate.” Representative David Kerr, a Republican from Morning Sun, says he fought with Senators to get as much as he could for scholarships for students planning to be teachers or mental health professionals, but wasn’t able to get as much as he had hoped in his final year as a legislator.
“What do I know? I’m just going to go home, turn the TV on and say: ‘What they heck did they do again?'” Kerr said. “…Why can’t certain things be done together?” As Radio Iowa reported on Monday, the governor’s plan to provide state scholarships to students in private k-through-12 schools has been tabled.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Local Food Policy Council (CCLFPC) sees farmers markets as playing an important role in
both increasing consumption of nutritious foods and supporting local farms and food businesses. In addition to promoting the farmers markets on the CCLFP Facebook page (@CassCountyLocalFood), and through posters and news releases, this year, the Council is adding new incentive programs with the goal of drawing even more people to Cass County’s farmers markets.
Produce in the Park – New drawings for $350 in produce, weekly farm-fresh eggs, and more Farmers market shoppers will want to mark June 2 on their calendars. The CCLFPC has purchased a 20 weeks of weekly produce box from Bridgewater Farm—a $350 value—to be given away to an attendee of Produce in the Park’s opening market on June 2. Market attendees who are 18 or older can sign up for the drawing at the June 2 farmers market. The winner will receive a weekly box of eight to 12 items of fresh produce grown at Bridgewater Farm for approximately 20 weeks (the length of the Produce in the Park season). Produce in the Park will be held weekly on Thursday evenings from 4:30-6:30 PM from
June 2 to October 15 in the Atlantic City Park (10 W. 7th St. Atlantic, IA 50022).
The CCLFPC is also providing funding for Produce in the Park to offer a free weekly drawing for a dozen farm-fresh eggs from Brun Ko Farm at every farmers market of the season. Market attendees ages 18+ will be eligible to enter the drawing every week of the Produce in the Park season. The CCLFPC purchased the produce boxes and eggs at the request of Produce in the Park to encourage people to visit the market and to draw attention to the range of produce and products—such as farmfresh eggs—available at the market.
This year, the CCLFPC is also providing funding for Produce in the Park to cover the cost of technology needed to accept SNAP/EBT (also known as food stamps). When a farmers market is certified to accept SNAP/EBT, all SNAP-qualified food products sold at the market can be purchased with a SNAP/EBT card—regardless of vendor. Produce in the Park began accepting SNAP/EBT in 2021.
Lewis Market – Free Produce Drawings, Taste Tests, and Guest Chef Samples
The CCLFPC will be providing funding to the Lewis Farmers Market for free produce giveaways, free taste tests of fresh produce, and free samples of recipes made with fresh produce. The funding makes it possible for the market to compensate vendors for their products while providing customers with the chance to try new fruits and vegetables and recipes.
All Markets – Farmers Market Coupons
For several years, the CCLFPC has sponsored “farmers market produce coupons.” These are redeemable only on produce from vendors at Cass County’s farmers markets. This year, all four farmers markets in Cass County will be accepting these coupons. Partner organizations will assist in distributing the coupons to lower-income people in Cass County.
Cass County Farmers Markets Summer 2022
Anita Farmers Market:
Location: Bandshell Park on Main Street in Anita
Time/Dates: Tuesdays 4:30-6:30 PM, June – August
Highlights: Fresh, locally grown vegetables, honey, farm-fresh eggs, Lion’s club nuts, fresh baked
goodies, popcorn, jellies, sauces, salsa, hand-crafted items, and metal yard art.
$: Some vendors accept Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) Senior vouchers and WIC checks.
Some vendors accept SNAP/EBT (also known as “food stamps”).
Contact: (402)677-2460
Atlantic Farmers Market:
Location: Farm Bureau (1501 East 7th Street, Atlantic, IA 50022)
Time/Dates: Saturdays 9:00 AM- Noon, May 21 – End of August
Highlights: Fresh produce, honey, pollen, popcorn, farm-fresh eggs, jellies, dressings, BBQ sauces, salsa,
baked goods, soaps, lotions & more.
$: Some vendors accept Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) Senior vouchers and WIC checks.
Some vendors accept SNAP/EBT (also known as “food stamps”).
Contact: (402)677-2460
Lewis Farmers Market:
Location: 3HO (201 1st St., Lewis, IA 51544)
Time/Dates: Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00-6:30 PM, May 31– October 13
Highlights: Fresh produce, baked treats, crafts, and pallet wood creations.
$: Some vendors accept Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) Senior vouchers and WIC checks.
Contact: (712)789)-9455
Produce in the Park:
Location: Atlantic City Park (10 W 7th St., Atlantic, IA 50022)
Time/Dates: Thursdays 4:30-6:30, June 2– October 13
Website: www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com
Highlights: Fresh, local produce, baked goods, farm-fresh eggs, honey, local meat, soaps, candles,
additional crafts and art, and weekly food truck. Live music, Guest Chef, free Samples, and activities for
young and old.
$: Some vendors accept Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) Senior vouchers and WIC checks. All
qualifying food vendors at Produce in the Park accept SNAP/EBT (“food stamps”). All produce vendors at
the market both accept and distribute Double Up Food Bucks ($1 coupons for fresh produce provided
for every dollar spent on fresh produce with SNAP/EBT up to $10 per transaction).
Contact: (712) 249-5870
More About Cass County Local Food Policy Council
For more information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood. To learn more about the Council, contact Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or (712) 249-5870. The next Council meeting is July 12 at 2:00 PM at the Cass
County ISU Extension Office (805 W. 10th St. Atlantic, IA 50022). Meetings are open to the public.
(Des Moines, Iowa) – Auditor of State Rob Sand today (Monday) warned Iowans about ways fraudulent emails can be designed to give scammers access to your tax dollars or bank account. The warning comes after a scammer attempted to defraud the state and Auditor Sand himself. A Human Resources Associate with the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) contacted Auditor Sand on May 13, 2022 to alert him to an email received by DAS requesting a change in Auditor Sand’s direct deposit. Auditor Sand confirmed the email was fake.
The (redacted) e-mail Sand received.
“I want to thank Marsha Webb from DAS for contacting me and identifying this email as fraudulent,” said Sand. “She did exactly what we advise all governmental entities to do when they receive requests to redirect payments. Her actions saved me and the taxpayers of Iowa money.” To ensure the validity of any instructions to revise bank routing information, Auditor Sand strongly advises representatives of all governmental entities to call any vendors or affected individuals to independently confirm instructions received electronically. Additionally, governmental entities should not respond to the email. Any correspondence should take place through previously held contact information to ensure the appropriate party is reached.
If a representative of a governmental entity learns it received an email improperly instructing them to revise bank routing information for future payments, this information should be reported to the FBI through https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx. In addition, the entity should immediately contact the Office of Auditor of State at 515-281-5834 to report the suspected irregularity as required by section 11.6(7) of the Code of Iowa.
The Office of the Auditor of State offers these tips to prevent email scams.
• Carefully examine the email address and URL. Slight variations in the email address or URL could be a sign of a scam.
• Look for grammatical errors or odd phrases.
• Verify payment and purchase requests in person or by calling the person via previously held contact information to ensure their legitimacy.
• Don’t click on links in unsolicited emails or text messages.
• Don’t download email attachments from people you don’t know or forwarded emails.
(Radio Iowa) – Students at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City are working to restore a large western Iowa prairie to its original ecosystem. Students cut down black locust trees from the Sioux City Prairie. Professor David Hoferer says the trees can cause prairie grass to die and subsequently force out species that nest in the land. Hoferer says the project is a part of a growing movement to “re-wild” Iowa.
“It takes all of us working together to want to do something better for the future,” Hoferer says. “And if we all come together and work better for the future, then this little effort here will help to keep the Sioux City prairie thriving.” The 150-acre property, located next to the university, is one of the nation’s largest urban prairies. Student Zach Allen, a junior at Briar Cliff, led a group of 20 students to cut down the black locust trees, which aren’t native to Iowa. Allen says he wants to see more efforts across the state to preserve natural habitats.
Allen says, “Instead of just looking at the current benefits they can get, year over year, to start looking into the further into the future and make sure that the ecosystems in our environment is going to be sustainable for those future generations.” He says he was inspired to action by what he learned in the classroom. Prairie used to cover around 80 percent of Iowa. Now, it’s down to less than one percent.
(Kendall Crawford, Iowa Public Radio)
(Radio Iowa) – For the first time in 44 years, lawmakers have voted to make changes in Iowa’s popular “Bottle Bill.” “I’m glad this is happening. It’s time.” That’s Senator Jason Schultz of Schleswig, one of 30 Republicans who voted to accept House adjustments and send the bill to the governor. The legislation would let grocery stores stop accepting empty bottles and cans and paying deposits. Redemption centers would see their per container handling fee increased to three cents. Wholesale distributors of beer and pop would be able to keep the money from un-redeemed containers.
“We’ve been working on this thing for years and this year we started with recognizing what the people of Iowa want,” Schultz says. “…They don’t want the deposit increased. They don’t want that tax on the can to go from a nickel to a dime. They want that left alone. This does that. They want more locations to redeem.” Schultz says more redemption centers will open once the per container handling fee is being tripled. There are only five dozen redemption centers in Iowa today. Senator Claire Celsi, a Democrat from Des Moines, says letting grocery stores and other retailers opt out of accepting empties means many Iowans will have nowhere to get their deposits back.
“It’s less convenient for consumers,” Celsi says. Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, says the bill will be a massive windfall to wholesalers who’ll continue to keep those un-redeemed deposits. “Iowa consumers will pay for these cans and bottles and they’ll never see the money again,” Bolkcom said. “What a sweet deal to our beverage distributors and there’s no accounting for it here.” And Bolkcom objects to the tax credit for beer distributors that’s included in the bill. The 15 “no” votes in the Senate came from Democrats.
The plan got bipartisan support in the Iowa House last month and now goes to the governor. Last month Governor Reynolds told reporters she was solely focused on rounding up votes for her private school scholarships and had not been negotiating with legislators on Bottle Bill changes.
(Radio Iowa) – The Grundy Center man found guilty of shooting and killing an Iowa State Patrol Trooper will be sentenced in June. A Jury took around two-and-half hours of deliberation earlier this month before finding 42-year-old Michael Lang guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Patrol Sergeant Jim Smith last April in Grundy Center.
Lang was also found guilty of attempted murder, and assault on a peace officer in connection with the standoff. He will be sentenced to life in prison on June 27th.
(Radio Iowa) – Without debate, the Iowa Senate has voted to block development of new casinos. This is how Senator Roby Smith of Davenport explained the plan. “It caps the number of licenses at the current amount of 19, which is in effect for the next two years,” Smith says.
The moratorium was attached to a bill that must be reviewed by the House. If the governor approves, Linn County’s application for a casino license would be blocked. State gambling regulators began developing a timeline for reviewing new casino applications after Linn County voters approved a gambling referendum last November. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has rejected two previous applications for state licensed casino in Cedar Rapids.
In March, Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell and developers said they had come up with a plan that’s bigger and more spectacular than Linn County’s previous applications. Iowa gambling regulators cited concerns that a Cedar Rapids casino would lure customers away from nearby casinos in Waterloo and Riverside in denying previous plans in 2014 and 2017.
(Radio Iowa) – Three men have pleaded guilty in an internet car selling scheme. The three admitted to replacing the odometers in cars so they showed lower mileage and the cars sold for more money. Fifty-year-old Jerret Schreiber of Parkersburg pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to six months in prison and six months home confinement –and ordered to repay nearly 91-thousand dollars in restitution.
Thirty-three-year-old David Stangeland of Cedar Falls was sentenced to one-month in prison fore pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit odometer fraud. He was ordered to pay 85-thousand dollars in restitution. Thirty-six-year-old Dustin Arends of New Hartford received three years’ probation after pleading guilty to odometer tampering. He was ordered to repay 23-thousand-200 dollars in restitution.
A traffic stop this (Monday) morning near Elliott on Highway 71, in Montgomery County, resulted in the arrest of a man from Polk County. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 27-year-old Martin Frazier, of Des Moines, was taken into custody for Driving While Suspended. His bond was set at $491.25.
The Glenwood Police Department reports the following arrests from over the past week:
There were five arrests take took place on May 20th…
On May 21st, 46-year-old Veronica George, of Glenwood, was arrested for Gathering, 2 counts of possession of a controlled substance 2nd degree, unlawful possession of prescription drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia, total bond set at $9300 cash or surety.