The state has launched a public-private effort to raise two million dollars to expand community broadband planning throughout Iowa. Iowa’s Chief Information Officer, Bob Von Wolffradt, says the state has been involved in many efforts to increase broadband access across the state, including the “Connect Every Acre” initiative that provided tax incentives.”Which is moving very, very quickly and we hope to publish the projects that were funded under that tax incentive in the next six months or so, so all the citizens can see it,” Wolffradt says.

Governor Terry Branstad says this new initiative is designed to build on the progress made with the state investment. “We want to also encourage the private sector to invest in this. And we are very hopeful that we will have foundations and individuals who recognize how important this is that will contribute from the private sector in this as well,” Branstad says.

Recent F-C-C and Census data shows access to advanced, fixed broadband service is available to about one-third of Iowa, coupled with a state broadband adoption rate of just 75 percent. Connected Nation President and C-E-O, Tom Ferree, says the state is leading the push across the country to improve broadband access. “Iowa is actually being recognized as an archtype in how to use local data to inform where infrastructure investments need to go — so that they make the wisest choices in those limited resources,” Ferree says.

Ferree says the money from the new initiative will continue helping communities determine what they need to do to improve broadband access. “It is in support of our connected program where we actually engage at the local level to take data and form action plans that will meet the unique circumstances of each community as it pertains to broadband deployment in the institutions and the various sectors that make up that community’s livelihood,” according to Ferree.

Governor Branstad says the “Connected Communities” under the Connect Iowa program have seen the benefits of the plan. He cites the town of Bloomfield as an example of a community that in the 1980’s was worried about its future. “It looked pretty bleak,” Branstad says. “Today it’s a robust growing community in the southern tier of our state and it is an example of what can be done when people work together. And it is one of those connected communities. And we’re encouraging other communities to do like they’ve done, and Woodbine and West Des Moines, and many other communities in our state.”

Branstad says there’s also the possibility of some federal dollars from the new administration to help with broadband access. You can find out more about the Connected Community Engagement program at: connectedcommunity.org.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold their regular monthly meeting Wednesday evening in the High School Media Center, beginning at 5:30-p.m. On their agenda, in addition to regular business and reports, is a Special Presentation from FFA Director Eric Miller, with regard to the FFA National Conference Trip, and, continued discussion with regard to the search for a Superintendent to succeed retiring Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein.

Prior to adjourning, the Board will enter into a closed session to discuss the purchase or sale of real estate. According to reports, Atlantic Developer Don Sonntag and businessman Bob Camblin will ask the Board (during the public comment period), to accept, at no cost, the deed to the old YMCA building at 14th and Olive. Their hope is that the school will use the building to train people in the Trades industry, including welding, mechanics, HVAC and other skills, which are experiencing a labor shortage.

The building is in need of a new roof and mold abatement. Other modifications and renovations would bring the cost of making the structure viable, to about $500,000.

A public hearing will be held Wednesday morning at the courthouse in Atlantic, with regard to a proposed development agreement between Cass County and Elite Octane, LLC, the company that wants to build an ethanol plant on the northern edge of Atlantic. The hearing takes place at the 9-a.m., during the Cass County Board of Supervisor’s meeting that begins at 8:30-a.m. in their boardroom at the courthouse.

Last Wednesday, the Board said the hearing would be contingent upon lawyers for both the County and Elite Octane reaching an agreement on the County’s financial obligation to help make the plant possible. On Friday, Nick Bowdish (B’oh-dish), President and CEO of N Bowdish Company, LLC, issued a press release saying their new proposal provides for new infrastructure to be completed in Cass County that will be paid for entirely by property taxes generated by Elite Octane.  Bowdish said at the completion of the proposed project, Cass County will have an additional two and a half miles of newly paved roads that should help facilitate development of the area surrounding the proposed plant.

The proposal says…based on a full assessment of $32-million…an annual tax payment of just under than $911, 500 would be made from Elite Octane to the County. It assumes 15-years of tax payments amounting to more than $13.6-million. If the assessment exceeds $32-million over the 15-years, Cass County would rebate 100% of the incremental tax payment dollars that Elite Octane incurs, if more than $911,497. If at any time during the fifteen years the actual assessment is less than $32,000,000, Elite Octane would be be held to a minimum assessment of $32,000,000.

The annual tax payments would begin on Sept. 1st, 2020, and by March 1st, 2021 would cover the debt payment Cass County incurs on infrastructure improvements intended specifically for the ethanol plant project. The annual Cass County debt payment for the infrastructure is estimated at $430,000 per year.

Prior to the public hearing, the Board will discuss the latest proposal. After the hearing, they’re expected to act on a Resolution approving the Development Agreement with Elite Octane.

The Creston Police Department reports an Adair County woman was arrested Monday morning in Creston, on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation. 32-year old Amanda Olivia Speed, of Greenfield, was taken into custody in the 100 block of N. Elm Street at around 8:45-a.m., and later released on $5,000 bond.

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

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The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Thomas More Society set up a nativity scene in the rotunda of the Iowa State Capitol for the first time ever Monday. Martin Concannon is with the Omaha chapter of the society and says setting up a nativity scene at the capitol raises lots of questions. “The first question I get is, ‘is that legal?’,” Concannon says. “And of course the answer is ‘yes’.  The public sidewalk is the quintessential public forum and this is the quintessential public sidewalk right here.”

Concannon says he was also asked if putting up the nativity scene in the rotunda is confrontational or provocative. “And that is a more interesting question. It somewhat answers itself,” according to Concannon. “The private display or private expression of faith has been somewhat frozen out of the public square for long enough now that people are not accustomed to seeing it. And it seems like there must be something combative when somebody shows up to engage in it.”

Concannon says the Thomas Moore Society isn’t trying to be confrontational. “The reason we are here is really simpler than that.  The creator of Satan himself has defeated evil and has invited us into his protection. That is the good news of the season and we are commanded to share it,” Concannon explains. He says the Iowa State Capitol is the perfect place for the nativity. “This building is the heart of our civic discourse and its rotundas are its hearthstone. So, of course we wont to be here, just to express the joy that we have,” Concannon says.

Concannon says they will have a sign up letting people know the nativity scene is not sponsored by the state of Iowa. “It’s not the state of Iowa, they haven’t funded it, they haven’t authorized it, they don’t promote it. They are simply allowing us to put it here as they might allow Cancer awareness week,” Concannon says. Concannon says they put a nativity scene in the State Capitol Building in Nebraska and that did draw some protest.

“The people who run the capitol in Nebraska didn’t give us any difficulty,” Concannon says, “but  people get very excited and complain about it, object to it, threaten lawsuits and stuff. Those never go anywhere because it is a settled issue. That’s why I can tell the people of Iowa that they are not stepping into a problem by doing this.”

Concannon says they want to put up nativity scenes in a couple of other capitol buildings too. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Bishop Richard Pates of the Des Moines Catholic Diocese were on hand Monday for the unveiling of the nativity scene, which will be in the capitol rotunda through Christmas.

(Radio Iowa)

A child who died in a Mason City house fire on Saturday night has been identified. Mason City fire officials say three-year-old Vicente Gonzalez died after he was found in the bedroom of the fire-damaged home at 118 13th Northeast. Fire officials say the fire broke out in the living room of the house at about 10:55 PM, but heavy damage to the home prevented investigators from pinpointing the exact cause of the fire. The fire has been ruled as accidental. Firefighters did not find any working smoke detectors in the home, as they say the family recently moved into the house.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:53 a.m. CST

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — The board that governs Iowa’s public universities is letting Iowa State University President Steven Leath keep his job after he admitted mistakes in using university airplanes. Iowa Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter is commending Leath for taking responsibility for problems identified in an audit of his use of planes. Rastetter says that he’s disappointed in the actions that required the audit and that “we can and must do better.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state panel that meets periodically has lowered Iowa’s revenue projection for the current budget year by roughly $96 million. The three-member group known as the Revenue Estimating Conference said Monday that Iowa is expected to take in about $7.21 billion during the budget year that began in July. That’s down from a projection in October of $7.31 billion.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to the shipping of guns to Lebanon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 31-year-old Bassem Afif Herz of Cedar Rapids was given the punishment Monday in federal court in Cedar Rapids. He pleaded guilty in March to conspiring to deal in firearms without a license and illegally shipping guns.

TAMA, Iowa (AP) — A former eastern Iowa police chief faces federal charges for allegedly stealing and selling guns from his department. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that Jeffrey Filloon is also accused of pocketing money from the sale of unclaimed vehicles the police department had impounded. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Filloon with two counts each of making false statements and selling a stolen firearm.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state panel has lowered Iowa’s revenue projections for the current budget year by roughly $96 million. The three-member group known as the Revenue Estimating Conference said Monday that Iowa will take in about $7.21 billion during the budget year that began in July. That’s down from a $7.31 billion projection in October.

Iowa Department of Management Director David Roederer said the state’s revenue is growing but not at the expected rate. He pointed to a range of issues but not one key reason. Roederer said the state will need to plug in the deficit when the GOP-controlled Legislature convenes in January.

Ben Hammes, Gov. Terry Branstad’s spokesman, declined to provide details on how that would be achieved. Hammes emphasized that K-12 school funding would not be cut.