(Radio Iowa) — Projects to rehabilitate old buildings in six Iowa cities were awarded a combined $23 million in state tax credits Tuesday. Brooke Miller is a spokesperson for the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), which helps administer the State Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program. “It’s designed to promote the retention of unique, character-defining buildings and building features that contribute to the community and the neighborhood overall,” Miller said.

There were 14 applicants requesting $62 million in tax credits, but just seven projects were selected for the $23 million made available for this round of funding. The tax credits were approved for two projects in Sioux City, along with other projects in Jefferson, Council Bluffs, Fairfield, Waterloo, and Des Moines.

In Council Bluffs, Pace Harvester II, LLC, received more than $3.6-million in the form of tax credits to turn the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company building into an educational/museum.

The communities benefiting from the program plan to turn potential eye sores into hotels, museums, office and residential space. For more details: https://t.e2ma.net/click/uf38qb/yikj6g/uvjkfo

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:15 a.m. CST

PLEASANTVILLE, Iowa — A 17-year old male died in a rollover accident Tuesday night, in southeast Iowa’s Marion County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the teen was driving a pickup too fast on a 90% ice and snow packed road south of Pleasantville at around 7:50-p.m., when the vehicle went out of control and rolled into a ditch before landing on its top. The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and died at the scene. His name was not immediately released.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A longtime Roman Catholic priest in Iowa has been removed from the ministry a year after a girl complained that he improperly touched her. The Diocese of Sioux City says a fourth-grader alleged that the Rev. Brian Danner rubbed the top of her leg while taking her confession at a church in Humboldt. The diocese lawyer says Danner’s actions were inappropriate but didn’t constitute sexual abuse. No charges have been filed.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A state audit says the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has been mismanaging a multimillion-dollar fund set up to help oversee Iowa livestock farms and their manure. The audit report issued Tuesday said the agency improperly transferred money from a state fund meant to finance oversight of livestock farms.

NORTHWOOD, Iowa (AP) — Officials say some of the nearly 170 Samoyed dogs seized from an overcrowded puppy mill in northern Iowa are being placed with shelters and rescue groups elsewhere in the Midwest. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals announced Tuesday that dogs have been sent to Iowa shelters in Mason City and Waterloo; to a Wichita, Kansas, shelter and to one in Omaha, Nebraska. The rest will stay at an undisclosed shelter where experts can complete assessments for the investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is replacing her legal counsel days after winning a four-year term in office. Reynolds’ press secretary Brenna Smith confirms that attorney Colin Smith has left the office as of Nov. 14. Smith says that Windsor Heights attorney Michael Boal will replace Smith beginning Nov. 28.

Firefighters in Atlantic were called to the scene of a residential structure fire Tuesday night. The call about a house on fire in the 1300 block of Birch Street (1308 Birch), came in at around 7:44-p.m. For a time, it was unclear whether the persons who lived there – a man and his adult son – were home or not. Crews later learned the two were not home when the fire broke out.

Crews were on the scene until about 10-p.m. There was no immediate word on where the fire started or a cause.  Atlantic Fire and Rescue was assisted at the scene by Atlantic Police, Medivac Ambulance, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Cass County Emergency Management Agency.

Ric Hanson/photos

The Atlantic City Council, Tuesday evening, recognized the Atlantic High School Girls Swim Team. Six members of the team attending the meeting posed for pictures by the media. Five others live out of town and were unable to attend. Mayor Dave Jones spoke about the commitment the girls have to training for their events, under the guidance of their Coach, Dean Junker. That includes practicing at around 5:30-a.m. and again later in the evening. They swim a total of five-miles per day.

AHS Swim Team: From left to right – Erin Barrick; Ava Bruckner; Bryer Rose; Annamrie Lowary; Cambry Miller; and Dazia Sorensen. Missing are: McKenna Ewoldt, of Harlan; Kate Landhuis & Paige Daly, of Clarinda; Clare Christensen & Aleah Hermansen, of Audubon. (Ric Hanson/photo – w/thanks to Barb Barrick)

The team also lifts weights to keep up their strength and stamina. Dean Junker has coached the team for 13-years. For the fifth-year in a row, the Atlantic Girls Swim Team made it to the State Competition this year, and finished strong, ranking 12th out of 40 teams.

In other business, the Council approved the Fiscal Year 2018 Urban Renewal Report. And, in his report, City Administrator John Lund said the Rental Inspection report had been completed and will be submitted to members of the Community Protection Committee (CPC) to review, and determine if and/or how they wish to proceed.

Lund said also, 16 final business owner applications for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) related to downtown facade improvements had been turned-in. He said the architects will be in town next week to conduct initial photography and taking down initial schematic drawings. Lund said “They won’t be ready to discuss details with the property owners just yet. Right now they’re just trying to draft stuff so they can be in compliance with the CDBG requirements.

He said also the property rollback figures for next fiscal year have gone up, which gives the city “A little breathing room” in the budget.” Roll-back is a term that applies to the property tax rate as it changes year over year, in relation to property values. In Iowa, more than 20 years ago, residential property values were rising quickly. To help cushion the impact of high inflation, the Legislature passed an assessment limitation law called rollback. Increases in assessed values for residential and agricultural property are subject to this assessment limitation formula.

Sheriff’s officials in Cass County have released the name of the truck driver whose vehicle, equipped with a crane, rolled onto its side into a ditch Tuesday morning, south of Wiota. Authorities say 50-year old Wesley Nicholas, of Essex, was driving a 2017 Peterbilt truck with a crane attached, when the vehicle slipped onto the shoulder of Cass County Road N-28 (690^th Street), at around 9:45-a.m. Nicholas had reportedly been adjusting the cab’s heater control knobs as wasn’t paying attention to the road, when the accident happened just south of Lansing Road.

Cumberland, Massena and Wiota Fire and Rescue responded to the scene, along with Medivac Ambulance, the Cass County Emergency Management Agency, and Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies. Cumberland Fire Chief Sean South told KJAN News Nicholas had to be extricated from the cab by crews using the Jaws of Life (a mechanical extraction tool).  Nicholas was conscious and breathing, and talking with rescuers before he was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac.

Both lanes of N-28 were blocked for a time. Damage to the truck and crane, which was owned by Bruce Supplies of Red Oak,was estimated at $500,000. Authorities cited Nicholas Failure to Maintain Control.

(Radio Iowa) — A 21-year-old who was living with his 66-year-old grandmother in rural western Iowa has been charged with killing her. In late June, Cheryl Stowe’s co-workers asked the Monona County Sheriff to do a welfare check at her home near Castana. She wasn’t there, but her grandson was and authorities arrested Eliot Stowe on an outstanding warrant.

He had threatened a parole officer and court records indicate he was charged in early June with false imprisonment and assault. A day later, officers went back to the area and found Cheryl Stowe’s body about one-and-a-half miles from her home. The state medical examiner has now classified her death as a homicide.

On Tuesday, Eliot Stowe was charged with first degree murder. He’s being held at the Monona County Correctional Facility on a one-MILLION dollar cash bond.