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Bill would cut state taxes for casinos

News

February 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A bill under consideration in the Iowa House would lower the state tax rate for Iowa’s state-licensed casinos to be at or near the tax rate for casinos in Nebraska and Missouri. Illinois casinos have variable tax rates, based on the size of the market and the games offered. Mark Joyce is a lobbyist for the company that operates the Diamond Jo casinos in Northwood and Dubuque. Joyce says lowering taxes would be a welcome move. Lobbyist Doug Struyk represents the Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington, which he says is facing competition from new casinos in Illinois. Struyk also represents Caesars Entertainment which owns the Horseshoe and Harrah’s casinos in Council Bluffs that soon will be competing with a new casino in Omaha.

Gaming revenue for all three Council Bluffs casinos began to dip when the WarHorse Casino in Lincoln opened in September of 2022 and Harrah’s opened in Columbus, Nebraska in June of last year. Struyk says that has slowed the flow of gamblers from Nebraska into Iowa. Another WarHorse Casino is expected to open in Omaha by August of this year. Representative Jane Bloomingdale is sponsoring the bill to gradually lower Iowa’s casino taxes over a three year period. She’s from Northwood. The state-licensed Diamond Jo casino is nearby.

Bloomingdale’s bill has cleared a House subcommittee, but one member of the panel said she’s concerned cutting casino taxes will lower the amount of money deposited in the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund. Money from the fund is used on a variety of projects, from lake dredging to constructing or repairing state-owned buildings.

Purchase of Iowa fertilizer plant by Koch raises worries about monopoly

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Koch (coke) Industries has announced a three-point-six billion dollar deal to buy a fertilizer plant in southeast Iowa, and some ag leaders fear it could create a monopoly. The purchase of the Iowa Fertilizer Company in Lee County still awaits federal review. Jason Sporrer is a sales manager for a co-op that serves western Iowa. He says when the fertilizer company opened in 2017, it brought more competition to the marketplace.

“Some of that now is going by the wayside, in my opinion,” Sporrer says. Democrats in the Iowa statehouse also have questions about the acquisition. They want federal and state regulators to investigate the impact consolidation would have on prices and the 260 employees of the facility in Wever. Iowa State University economics professor Chad Hart says four of the top producers control 80-percent of fertilizer production.

Hart says, “I think that always puts up what’s called yellow caution lights within the sector about, okay, are we truly maintaining the competitive balance there or not?” Hart says the war in Ukraine led to major swings in fertilizer pricing. A U-S-D-A spokesperson says when dominant middlemen control so much of the fertilizer supply chain, producers, and consumers “bear the brunt.”

Red Oak man arrested on a Pott. County warrant

News

February 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, Monday, arrested 23-year-old Brandon Lane Good, of Red Oak. Officials say Good was taken into custody at around 6:40-p.m. in the 200 block of E. Hammond Street, on an active Pottawattamie County warrant for Failure To Appear on a Driving while license denied or revoked, charge. Good was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond, or until extradition to Pott. County.

1 injured in northeast Iowa crash

News

February 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Monona, Iowa – One person was injured during a collision Monday morning in northeastern Iowa’s Allamakee County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash happened just before 9-a.m. north of Monona, near the intersection of County Road X26 and Smithfield Drive.

Investigators say a 2007 Chevy Impala driven by 18-year-old Carter Mielke, of Monona, was traveling southbound when it crossed the centerline and struck a 2019 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 42-year-old Jeremy Geisler, of Waucoma, that was traveling northbound.

Mielke – who was wearing his seat belt – was injured in the collision. He was flown by helicopter to Gunderson Hospital. There is no word on his condition at this time.

Fire guts popular bar & restaurant in Redfield

News

February 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Multiple Dallas County fire crews battled a fire in downtown Redfield on Monday afternoon that severely damaged a bar and restaurant. Crews from Dallas, Guthrie and Madison Counties were called to the Dexfield Diner & Pub around Noon on Monday. Initial reports were that flames were shooting from the windows of the two-story building. Thick smoke was still pouring from the building more than an hour after first reports. The restaurant was closed as owner, Steve Roberts, spent the morning cleaning and preparing his business for the week ahead when the fire started.

There are no reports of injuries at this time. As the business burned, Dallas County Conservation officials worked with community members to remove relics and pieces from the neighboring museum from the Civil War up through the Gulf War. Firefighters were able to prevent the blaze from spreading. The center portion of the building is a total loss, and the cause is unknown at this time.  (Photos from the Stuart Fire Dept. Facebook page)

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Tue., Feb. 27, 2024

Weather

February 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: Mostly sunny, with a temperature rising to near 54 by 10am, then falling to around 36 during the remainder of the day. Windy, with a southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north northwest 16 to 26 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 32 mph. …WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 3 AM WEDNESDAY for sustained NW winds of 20-to 45 mph.
Tonight: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 11pm. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 11. Wind chill values as low as -5. Windy, with a north northwest wind 18 to 28 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 34. Wind chill values as low as -5. Breezy, with a northwest wind 8 to 17 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 56. Windy.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 62. Windy.

Monday’s High of 78 in Atlantic smashed the old record of 72 set in 1896 (128 years ago). The Low was 33. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 45 and the Low was 24. The Record High for Feb. 27th was 71 in 2016. The Record Low was -16 in 1960. Sunrise: 6:58. Sunset: 6:08.

Bill bolsters Iowa law banning foreign ownership of agland

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says American farmland needs to remain in American hands and she will quickly sign one of the first bills to clear the 2024 legislature. The bill closes a loophole that could let foreigners or foreign governments be investors in limited liability companies or involved in trusts that acquire Iowa farmland. The bill requires agland purchase reports filed with the state to include more information about ownership structures.

Republican Representative Derek Wulf, a farmer from Hudson, says purchasers will also have to file a complete list of all their landholdings in the United States. “Chinese nationals are buying farmland near military bases. They’re looking to steal our intellectual property from our seed and genetic companies. They’re trying to steal our livestock practices and advancements learned through generations of agriculturalists — and these are only some of the few things they’re doing. They’re coming for our way of life and, quite frankly folks, this needs to end,” Wulf said, pounding his desk on the House floor to emphasize his comments.

Representative J.D. Scholten, a Democrat from Sioux City, says now’s the time to act, because food security is national security. “With the average age of a farmer north of 58 years old, we’re going to see the largest amount of farmland transfer in Iowa’s history in the next 10-15 years, according to Iowa State University,” Scholten said. “Nationally, foreign ownership of American farmland is larger than equivalent of the entire state of Ohio and growing.”

The bill ensures Iowa’s attorney general has subpoena powers to investigate agland purchases and it significantly increases the penalty for any violations. Under current law, foreign entities caught owning more than 320 acres of Iowa farmland face a two-thousand dollar fine. The bill raises the fine to 25 percent of the assessed value of the land.

Iowa Wraps Up a Record-Breaking Westbrook Spring Invite

Sports

February 26th, 2024 by admin

PEORIA, Ariz. – The University of Iowa women’s golf team wrapped up a record-breaking weekend at the Westbrook Spring Invitational on Monday at the Westbrook Village Golf Club.  The Hawkeyes finished with team 18 and 54-hole school records and two individuals broke the top 54-hole program mark.

Iowa fired a nine-under par 279 — the top round in program history – with four players finishing the day with sub-par rounds.  It is the second straight team-record round as the Hawkeyes fired a 280 during Sunday’s second round.

Iowa finished with an 847 total (288-280-279) over the two-day event, shattering the previous mark of 864, which was set at the Johnie Imes Invitational in 2015.

Two individuals – sophomore Madison Dabagia and junior Paula Miranda – posted 54-hole scores of 209 to break the school record score of 211.  The top mark was previously held by sophomore Shannyn Vogler (2023) and Amy Ihm (2016).

Iowa improved every round of the tournament, opening with a 288 (+2) and 280 (-8) on Sunday before posting four sub-par rounds (five total including individual Ximena Benites) to fire the nine-under par 279 on Monday.  The 279 and 280 are the top two rounds in program history.

The Hawkeyes finished the tournament in ninth place out of 14 teams at 17-under par.  Kansas won the team title with a 43-under par 821 (277-269-275).

Dabagia had a team-best five birdies during her final round en route to a three-under par 69, while Miranda had a bogey-free day with 15 pars and three birdies to match the 69.  Both players tied for 18th place with seven-under par 209s.

Miranda finished in the red in all three rounds (71-69-69), while Dabagia had two sub-par rounds to go along with an even par 72 (68-72-69).   Dabagia has been at or below par in five of her six rounds at Westbrook the last two seasons.

The top 20 finish is the second of the season for Dabagia and the third of her career.  It was Miranda’s first top-20 showing and the fifth such finish of her Hawkeye career.

The Hawkeyes also got sub-par rounds Monday from sophomore Riley Lewis (70, -2), sophomore Kaitlyn Hanna (71, -1) and Benites (70, -2).  Benites’ round was a career best.   All three players also posted career-low 54-hole totals (Lewis, 215; Hanna, 216; Benites, 216).

Wisconsin’s Chloe Chan was the individual medalist as she shot a seven-under par 65 to take the title.  She finished the tournament with a 14-under par 202.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes return to action March 4-5, traveling to Jacksonville, Florida, for the Momentum Transportation UNF Collegiate.

Iowa’s gender balance law on government boards to be repealed

News

February 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has given final legislative approval a bill that gets rid of the gender balance requirement for Iowa boards and commissions. Republican Representative Jane Bloomingdale of Northwood says it’s an antiquated law. “Gender balance often causes us to eliminate some of the most qualified candidates and that’s the last thing we want to do,” Bloomingdale says. “We want the most qualified candidates on our boards, commissions and councils.” The bill passed on a 62 to 33 vote. The 33 nos came from Democrats, like Representative Elinor Levin of Iowa City.

“We have not achieved gender parity on our boards and commissions,” Levin says. “Perhaps when we have this conversation would be worth having.” The bill passed the Senate this week and is headed to Reynolds, who says it lets people with a passion for service fill slots on boards and commissions at the state and local level.

“I just feel like the best, most qualified and somebody who wants to do it is the person we should put in that position,” Reynolds said. The governor made that comment during an interview with Radio Iowa in 2023. Gender balance has been required on all boards and commissions in state government since 1987. In 2009, the legislature passed a law to require the policy in local government. This bill repeals both laws.

Wife of slain prison guard calls for expanding union rights

News

February 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The wife of a prison guard who was murdered by an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary is calling for changes in Iowa’s collective bargaining law. Sara McFarland joined an Iowa Federation Labor rally in the state capitol on Monday.

“My heart aches as I stand here today, not just as a grieving wife, but as a voice for justice and change,” she said.\ Her husband, Robert McFarland, and prison nurse Lorena Schulte were killed nearly two years ago as two inmates attempted to escape. Sara McFarland says prison staff like her late husband should be allowed to bargain over work conditions and safety issues. Under current law, prison staff not classified as public safety officers and are only allowed to discuss their wages during union contract talks.

“I promised Robert I would not stop fighting until his brother and sister officers were safe at work…To the lawmakers that say corrections work in a controlled environment so they should not be considered public safety…talk to the officers who do this job every day, then you will see just how wrong you are,” she said. “…My husband died stopping an escape attempt and keeping the public safe.”

Other union members at the event urged Iowans to rally around union priorities like raising the minimum wage and letting Iowans see a doctor of their choice if they’re injured at work. Iowa Federation of Labor president Charlie Wishman acknowledges it will require electing new people to the state legislature and congress who support union priorities.  “I know that everybody here, you’re going to do everything you can to get your members registered (to vote)” Wishman said, “…and we’re get out and we’re going to fight.”

There was no mention of a bill pending in the legislature that would change the rules for union recertification votes before collective bargaining talks begin in state and local government.