(Radio Iowa) — State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald says the amount you can take for a 2020 Iowa income tax deduction in the College Savings Iowa plan has increased. “In the year 2020, Iowans can put three-thousand-439 into their college savings account for each child they want to save for and deduct it right from their Iowa income tax,” Fitzgerald says. That is an increase of 52 dollars form the amount you could deduct for the 2019 tax year. “It’s written in to law that if the Consumer Price Index –the cost of living index — goes up, that’s the amount that will be the increase each year for what you can put into College Savings Iowa,”Fitzgerald says.

He encourages all parents to start a savings plan. “It’s never too early to get started saving, and the habit of saving is real, real important, because it surprisingly builds up over time,” according to Fitzgerald. “And I’ve had so many parents and grandparents tell me how happy they were with the growth of the college savings plan. When you get in you get to take advantage of that tax break and also — the federal government won’t charge you income tax on the growth either.” Fitzgerald says the College Savings Iowa money goes toward most college expenses. “Not only can it be used for tuition, but board and room when you go to school. And of course the computers, it can be used for buying books, all those expenses,” Fitzgerald says. “You cannot buy clothes and you cannot pay for transportation.”

Fitzgerald says it’s easy to start a savings plan for your child. “You can just go to College Savings-dot-com and it will take you about five minutes. You need to have your name and your Social Security number. And then you need to know the name of the child you’re saving for that’s under 18, and their Social Security number. And then you fill out the box for the 14 different ways you want to have it invested,” Fitzgerald says. If you already have a College Savings Iowa account, Fitzgerald says you still have time to put money in and get a tax break your 2019 returns. “You can still that for last year until April 30th when you file your Iowa income taxes,” Fitzgerald says.

Fitzgerald says College Savings Iowa has more than 248-thousand active accounts and almost three billion dollars has been used for qualified educational expenses.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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SAN TAN VALLEY, Az (AP) – The Iowa caucuses won’t all be in Iowa. Nearly 1,300 snowbirds, college students and others temporarily outside Iowa will attend the crucial first-in-the-nation caucuses from more than a dozen states and as far away as Europe. It’s the first time the Iowa Democratic Party is holding “satellite caucuses” in far-flung locales to let more people participate in a process often derided as opaque and exclusionary. Altogether, there will be 24 satellite caucuses in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Three international caucuses will be held in Paris; Glasgow, Scotland; and Tbilisi, Georgia.

Joan Koenigs sits in her backyard Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 in San Tan Valley, Arizona where she will host a caucus for fellow Iowans wintering in the Phoenix area. For Iowans, going to college out of state, studying abroad or wintering in Arizona used to mean giving up quite a bit of power in picking presidents. But this year, the Iowa caucuses won’t all be in Iowa. Nearly 1,300 Democrats temporarily away from home will still attend the crucial first-in-the-nation caucuses from Paris or Palm Springs or dozens of places in between.(AP Photo/Matt York)

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DES MOINES, IA – Today, 2020 Presidential candidate John Delaney announces his decision to withdraw from the 2020 race. This decision is informed by internal analyses indicating John’s support is not sufficient to meet the 15% viability in a material number of caucus precincts, but sufficient enough to cause other moderate candidates to not to make the viability threshold, especially in rural areas where John has campaigned harder than anyone. He strongly believes the Democratic Party should advance candidates with progressive values on the big issues of our time, but who are committed to governing with pragmatic, fact-based, bipartisan solutions.

This approach – which is what successfully won back the House in 2018 – beats Trump, unifies our nation and gets things done.  We have many candidates in the 2020 race, running in Iowa and otherwise, who meet these criteria.  John does not want the good work of his campaign to make it harder for those like-minded candidates on the bubble of viability in many Iowa precincts to advance in the Iowa caucuses and garner delegates.

Police in Creston say a man from Lorimor was arrested at around 6:55-p.m. Thursday, on assault/weapon & drug charges. 40-year old Michael James Wilson was arrested at 710 Main Street in Lorimor, for Domestic Abuse Assault, Assault with a weapon, Possession of drug paraphernalia, and Possession of a controlled substance. He was being held without bond in the Union County Jail until seen by a magistrate.

And, 32-year old Scott Andrew Johnston, of Essex, was arrested in Creston at around 1:10-a.m. today (Friday), for Driving While Suspended and Possession of a Concealed Weapon. Johnston was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,300 bond.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) –  A Feb. 24 trial start has been scheduled for a Davenport man accused of killing his wife. Court records say 38-year-old Casey Klemme has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and to domestic abuse assault, strangulation causing injury. Officers were to the Davenport residence July 26 to check a report about domestic abuse. They found Tiffany Klemme lying on a floor, bruising on her left eye, a bloody nose and other injuries. Police say her husband acknowledged only grabbing and pushing her.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) –  (UPDATE)  Police in Des Moines have identified three people found shot to death inside a duplex on the southeast side of Des Moines. Police said 19-year-old Devonte Swanks, 16-year-old Malachi Swanks and 15-year-old Thayne Wright appear to have died of gunshot wounds. Police said Devonte Swanks and Malachi Swanks are brothers and lived in the home at 619 East Hackley. Wright was a friend who was visiting. He is also from Des Moines.

Officers and medics responding to a report about a shooting found the bodies around 11:30 p.m. Thursday. No arrests have been made. The incident remained under investigation.

(9:48-a.m. Correction on which truck hit the other via ISP):

BOONEVILLE, Iowa – One person died, another was injured Thursday night, when one semi tractor-trailer collided with another semi tractor-trailer on eastbound Interstate 80, in Dallas County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a truck driven by 53-year old Darryl Jones, of Grovetown, GA. was traveling east on I-80 just past the Booneville exit (mm 117.5), when the 2020 Volvo tractor-trailer he was driving rear ended a 1993 Volvo truck driven by 36-year old Felipe Dirzo, of Columbus Junction (IA), as he was also traveling east on I-80.The accident happened at around 7:25-p.m.

Following the impact, Dirzo’s semi rolled onto its side into a ditch. He died at the scene. Jones was transported by private vehicle to a hospital. A report on his condition was not available.