(Radio Iowa) – A House committee has approved a bill with guidelines for a limited revival of state incentives for movies and TV shows filmed in Iowa, but the original version has been altered. The plan no longer requires that actors be Iowa residents in order for the project to be eligible for the program.

Representative Chuck Isenhart of Dubuque, a Democrat, backs the bill, but he said that part seems contrary to the goal. “It could be used to inadvertantly prevent us from doing what I think we’re intending to do with this bill and that is employ Iowa actors and actresses and use Iowa vendors on the project,” Isenhart saod. “This throws that into question in my view.”

Under the bill, production companies could be eligible for a rebate worth up to 30% of the project’s expenses, but only $5 million in rebates would be available in each of the next two years. Republican Representative Brent Siegrist of Council Bluffs said it doesn’t matter who the stars of the movie are, it’s what the production spends in Iowa that’s important.

“They are going to be here in Iowa, staying in our hotels, eating at restaurants, probably using local craftsmen for their sets and everything else,” Siegrist said, “so whether they’re paying a big Hollywood a bunch of money or a bunch of lesser actors lesser money, it’s about the expenses.”

Fifteen years ago the State of Iowa cancelled its film tax credit program after auditors found the majority of credits were miscued and some Iowa vendors were never paid.

Republican Representative Jane Bloomingdale of Northwood said she’s confident the program’s second run can be successful. “The Iowa Economic Development Authority has worked with this, they’ve worked with so many grant programs that they know how to write the rules,” Bloomingdale said.

All 24 members of the House Ways and Means Committee voted for the bill today and it’s now eligible for debate in the 100-member Iowa House.

(Radio Iowa) – Woodbury County’s new law enforcement center won’t open on schedule next month as the new jail in Sioux City failed a state inspection this week. The Woodbury County Law Enforcement Authority says more mechanical work is needed, blaming an engineering firm for the problem. The jail’s new completion date is now planned for mid-May instead of April 9th, which was months behind the original date. Chief Deputy Tony Wingert says he is eager to make the move.

“We want to get in there because we know that it’ll be a much safer place for our staff, for our inmates, for the public,” Wingert says. The jail was originally scheduled to open six months ago. The new jail would have room for more than 500 beds, that’s more than double the current size.  “Everybody that is a danger to society is in jail,” Wingert says, “but we have people that probably need to spend some time in jail and they’re not right now because we’re so full, because we don’t have the bed space.”

Wingert says some people are waiting more than a year to serve their sentences due to overcrowding. County officials declined any further interviews due to potential litigation.

(Radio Iowa) – The U.S. House passed a bill this morning calling on the video app TikTok to divest itself from the Chinese company ByteDance to remain available in the U.S.

Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, said prior to the vote on the bill that ByteDance is beholding to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “I believe the nature of the threat is really threefold. It’s the data collection, that’s the most overt, of millions of users to advance China’s intelligence and influence operations. Its covert manipulation of their algorithm to not only sow divisiveness and discord in our society. But it’s also do things like promote pro Hamas content or videos downplaying 9-1,” Hinson said.

She said their point was proved last week after the bill was introduced and TikTok went into panic mode. “They lied to their users saying Congress was going to ban TiTok, and then prompted kids to call their representatives,” Hinson said. “They manipulated and they used our kids. It’s so unacceptable, and TikTok’s disregard for kids mental health was really on full display. ”

Rep. Hinson speaking on the House floor about the TikTok bill.

Hinson said that led to a lot of phone calls from people who were ticked off about TikTok. “I can tell you when I was picking up phones it was one after the after the other after the other so we were getting a barrage of phone calls,” she said.

Hinson said TikTok could send out much worse messages to influence its users. “Imagine if TikTok took the same tactic ahead of our elections. What if on election day, TikTok sends out an alert saying our elections are canceled or whatever message the C-C-P wanted them to disseminate,” Hinson said. Hinson said this is a national security issue and if TikTok does not cut ties from the CCP, it should not be able to operate in the U.S.

The bill passed the House on a 352-65 vote, but its future in the Senate is unsure.

(Radio Iowa) – A 9-1-1 dispatcher from northeast Iowa and two area residents are being honored for their efforts during an incident last November in Hopkinton. A suspect in a shooting at a grocery store in Monticello was spotted in nearby Hopkinton, and Delaware County Deputy Matt Menard fired shots when taking the man into custody. Jessica Kelly says in her 17 years as a dispatcher, she’s never had a call quite as chaotic.

“I would say it was a little bit intense, especially when Matt yelled ‘Shots fired!’ but you don’t know who’s shot and then he’s not answering because he’s busy with the situation,” Kelly says. “Waiting for somebody to respond, the unknown, because you can’t see what’s going on, but you just keep doing your thing, getting a helicopter in the air and ambulances going and other help sent that way.”

Kelly is being awarded the Delaware County Medal of Merit for how she handled the information and radio traffic from six different agencies and emergency medical services. Manchester Police Chief Jim Hauschild nominated Kelly for the award, saying she calmly handled the situation with professionalism. “I’ve seen some really good dispatchers and she is definitely one of the best I’ve ever worked with,” Hauschild says. “I mean that was a lot to take care of, and throw on top of that the emotions, that you know who’s there and what’s going on. That makes it even more challenging. She did an awesome job.”

Delaware County dispatcher Jessica Kelly (in grey jacket) flanked by law officers. (Photos by Janelle Tucker, KMCH)

Two Hopkinton residents are also being recognized for their actions that day. Scott Fjelstul and Nick Bossard saw a car that was out of place and approached it, only to find a man sleeping in the front seat and an A-R-15 rifle in the back seat. Bossard says they backed away and called the authorities, but stayed nearby to keep an eye on the car. “I just did the part that you’re supposed to, just being alert and doing what you should have done,” Bossard says. “Pay attention to your surroundings and do the right thing. I mean, that’s what I guess it all boils down to. We just did what we were supposed to do that day. We didn’t really go above and beyond what anybody else should have ever done. It’s just what you’re supposed to do as far as being a good citizen.”

Fjelstul says they didn’t realize it was the suspect from the Monticello shooting until shots were fired.  “I don’t think we did anything extraordinary,” Fjelstul says. “We both live in a small town. We noticed something that wasn’t right and we decided to check it out.”

Fjelstul and Bossard are being presented with the Delaware County Citizen Recognition Award. A few weeks ago, Deputy Menard was awarded the county’s first Medal of Valor for his bravery.