A motorcycle accident Thursday night in Montgomery County resulted in life threatening injuries to the operator of the machine. Montgomery County Sheriff’s officials say 44-year old Darin David Dykes, of Red Oak, was flown from the scene to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha, following the crash that happened at around 10:22-p.m., west of Red Oak.

Authorities say Dykes was traveling east on 200th Street near Boxelder Avenue, when for reasons unknown, the 2002 Harley Davidson he was driving, went out of control, ejecting Dykes, who was not wearing a helmet.

Multiple charges are pending against Dykes, as alcohol was considered to be a factor in the crash. Damage from the crash amounted to $1,000. The sheriff’s department was assisted at the scene by Red Oak Police, Red Oak Fire and Rescue, Montgomery County EMA, Emerson 1st Responders & Fire Dept., and Mercy 1 air ambulance.

State officials are focusing attention on a handful of arson fires that have occurred in the past two decades — hoping someone comes forward during Arson Awareness Week with information that could lead to arrests.  One fire happened in a Red Oak apartment building in September of 1997. An elderly woman died in the fire. Investigators determined the fire was set at two different places inside the building. While suspects were identified, there were no arrests.

The other arson fires the State Fire Marshal’s office is discussing publicly this week. One case involves a string of arson fires last year in Sioux Center. There were two different house fires in Council Bluffs as well as last year’s torching of a bowling alley in Mount Vernon that are featured.

Here is additional information on the Council Bluffs fires:

On September 10, 2013 a fire occurred at 2720 Ave. A in Council Bluffs, IA. During the investigation, racial and sexual slurs were found spray painted throughout the house. There were no signs of forced entry into the home. An accelerant canine was used during the investigation of the fire and alerted to two areas in the main bedroom of the house. The fire was determined to be arson. There were no injuries in this fire. Anyone with any information concerning these fires or any other fires in the Council Bluffs area is asked to call Fire Investigator Dan Roberts, Council Bluffs Fire Marshal’s Office 712-256-6953.

On January 16, 2015 a fire occurred at 2929 Ave. G Council Bluffs, IA. Gasoline was found poured throughout this residence and then lit on fire. Anyone with any information concerning these fires or any other fires in the Council Bluffs area is asked to call Fire Investigator Dan Roberts, Council Bluffs Fire Marshal’s Office 712-256-6953.

(Radio Iowa/IA DPS)

A new report from the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation is outlining “significant, structural reforms” to simplify Iowa’s tax system. First, Iowa’s income taxes LOOK higher than they actually ARE because of a rare tax deduction. Iowans get to deduct how much they’ve paid in FEDERAL taxes before calculating their STATE income taxes.

Jared Walczak, with the Tax Foundation, says “On paper, Iowa looks like it actually has some of the highest taxes you could possibly face in the country and that’s a competitive disadvantage” Getting rid of that deduction is the top recommendation in his report. Iowa’s income tax system has nine tax brackets, too. The Tax Foundation outlines a few alternatives, including one “flat” rate of five-point-eight percent for all taxpayers. In addition, the foundation’s report suggests Iowa’s property tax system should be dramatically simplified.

“Taxes in Iowa are too complex,” Walczak says. “On the property tax, very few people have a good sense of what they will be paying from year-to-year. On the individual income tax, no one really understand what the effective rates that they’re subjected to are. Complexity has its own costs.” The report outlines “revenue neutral” proposals, meaning the same amount of taxes would be collected by the State of Iowa after the proposed changes. Walczak says that’s different from the approach used in Kansas.

Lawmakers in Kansas dramatically reduced taxes altogether without making similar reductions in state spending and they’ve been grappling with deficits ever since. “Good tax reform is neutral,” Walczak says.”It’s also simple and transparent.” Walczak’s report was commissioned by The Future of Iowa Foundation, a sister organization of the Iowa Taxpayers Foundation. Jeff Smith — the president and C-E-O of the Iowa Taxpayers Foundation — says the report provides the research “legwork” and outlines a “menu of options” for legislator.

“Our first objective is what can we do structurally that will help our tax code become simpler and more fair, that doesn’t have a fiscal impact,” Smith says. The group analyzed all the taxes the state collects, including sales taxes. It recommends ending current exemptions for a long list of goods and services. For example, you pay sales taxes when you buy a television, but not an airplane in Iowa. Walczak says there’s “no good economic reason” to exclude airplanes from the state sales tax.

(Radio Iowa)

State tax collections were down dramatically in April, by almost 19 percent. Jeff Robinson of the Legislative Services Agency says since April ended on a weekend, that decline is exaggerated a bit, but state tax receipts are still lagging below expectations. “All three main tax revenue sources — individual income tax, corporate income tax and sales tax — were negative for April,” Robinson says.

Overall state tax collections for the past 10 months are running one-point-two percent ahead of the same period a year ago. It’s about 70 million dollars LESS than the experts had predicted. “The main source of revenue weakness the past three months has been tax payments made when individual income tax returns are filed,” Robinson says.

Iowans paid 148-million dollars in state income tax in February, March and April as they submitted their returns. That’s the lowest amount of income taxes paid during that period since 2007. More than 40 percent of income tax returns will be paid and processed in May, however. Robinson says that means the state’s tax revenue picture might improve this month.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines woman, sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2007 for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine has had her sentence cut shorter by President Barack Obama. Tomma Jean Kent is among the 58 federal prison inmates receiving presidential commutations on Thursday.

WEVER, Iowa (AP) — The company constructing a $1.9 billion fertilizer plant in southeast Iowa says the project has been delayed due to “defective work” by a Louisiana-based contractor. Orascom E&C USA claims Maintenance Enterprises didn’t employ enough workers, repeatedly raised costs and failed to meet deadlines while working on the Iowa Fertilizer Co. plant, in Wever. The claims were filed April 29 in response to a lawsuit filed in February by Maintenance, of White Castle, Louisiana.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Three campaign advisers to 2012 presidential candidate Ron Paul were convicted in a federal case alleging they conspired to cover up the campaign’s payments to a former Iowa state senator who had agreed to endorse their boss. Prosecutors said it is illegal to cause a campaign to file inaccurate spending documents. They’ve pursued charges since July 2015 when a grand jury first indicted the men.

SALINA, Kan. (AP) — A Western Illinois University official will be the new president of The Land Institute in Salina. The institute announced Thursday that the new president will be Fred Iutzi, the manager of agriculture, energy and cooperative development programs for the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs at Western Illinois. His appointment is effective Oct. 1. Iutzi will replace Wes Jackson, who co-founded the institute 40 years ago.

Officials with the Atlantic Police Department said (at 10:10-p.m.,) relatives of child found wandering at around 8:30-p.m. near 7th and Cedar, have been found and have spoken with Police. The matter is being handled accordingly. Authorities thank everyone who called them and provided, and/or posted on social media, information as to the parents of the 4-to 5-year old child.