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Lawmaker panel reviews proposed tax break for manufacturers

News

October 13th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state agency will delay the implementation of a proposed tax break expansion after a legislative panel expressed concern that the matter merits discussion during the upcoming legislative session. Victoria Daniels, a spokeswoman for the Department of Revenue, agreed to a request from lawmakers in the administrative rules review committee on Tuesday that the tax change date would be moved from Jan. 1 to until July 1.

The Department of Revenue plans to change a law exempting certain items used during manufacturing to broaden the exemption. Some Democrats have questioned whether the agency should take such action, noting that lawmakers have previously discussed the matter but didn’t approve a change.

Officials have said the change could reduce the tax burden for manufacturers by up to $46 million annually.

 

Cubs win NL Division Series, beat Cardinals 6-4 in Game 4

Sports

October 13th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs clinched a postseason series at Wrigley Field for the first time ever, getting home runs from Kyle Schwarber, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez in beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 Tuesday to win the NL Division Series in four games. A day after hitting a postseason-record six homers, the Cubs hammered their way into the NL Championship Series by taking the best-of-five set before a rollicking crowd.

Manager Joe Maddon’s bunch of wild-card Cubs will face the winner of the Los Angeles Dodgers-New York Mets matchup. The Mets took a 2-1 lead into Game 4 Tuesday night. The Cubs last reached the NLCS in 2003, when they lost in seven games to the Marlins. Chicago dropped those final two at home, including the infamous Bartman defeat in Game 6.

Wrigley Field hosted its first Cubs game in 1916, eight years after they last won the World Series.

 

Developing El Nino could bring Iowa warmer-than-normal winter. Or not.

News, Weather

October 13th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

We’re almost a month into fall and already talk is turning to the winter ahead. The weather pattern known as El Nino continues to strengthen and promises to be one of the strongest on record. State climatologist Harry Hillaker says it could mean Iowans are in store for a less severe winter ahead. “The stronger the El Nino becomes, generally, the higher the odds are that we’d have a warmer-than-normal mid-winter period in Iowa,” Hillaker says. “That would be from roughly early to mid-December to the early part of March.”

That’s usually the coldest time of the year anyway, so Hillaker warns it will still be cold, perhaps just not as cold as during a typical winter. Still, he says not to bet on the warmer winter. “Every once in a while, we do get exceptions to this tendency for mild El Nino winters in Iowa,” Hillaker says. “The last El Nino event, which was a medium-strength event six years ago, ended up bringing us an unusually cold and snowy winter.”

The El Nino is characterized by warm water in the central and east-central Pacific Ocean. Forecasters say the last time the El Nino system promised to be this strong was during the winter of 1997-98, which ended up being one of Iowa’s warmer winters on record.

(Radio Iowa)

No. 17 Iowa loses DE Drew Ott for season with knee injury

Sports

October 13th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa senior defensive end Drew Ott has torn the ACL in his right knee and is done for the season. Ferentz says tests confirmed Ott’s injury on Monday. Ott left last week’s 29-20 win over Illinois in the third quarter. He came back out for the fourth quarter on crutches.

Ott is one of the best players for the 17th-ranked Hawkeyes (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten). He ranks sixth in the Big Ten with five sacks despite an arm injury earlier this season. Freshman Parker Hesse will start in place of Ott on Saturday against No. 20 Northwestern.

SHARON VANATTA, 49, of Atlantic (Svcs. 10-17-2015)

Obituaries

October 13th, 2015 by admin

SHARON VANATTA, 49, of Atlantic died Sunday, October 11th at Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.  Memorial services for SHARON VANATTA will be held Saturday, October 17th at 10:30am in the Church of God of Prophecy in Atlantic.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

SHARON VANATTA is survived by:

Sons: Guy (Miranda) Vanatta of Fontanelle.  Jacob (April) Vanatta of Atlantic.  Joe Vanatta of Atlantic.

1 Grandchild

LISA ANN KEANE, 54, of Omaha (Formerly of Harlan) (Svcs. 10-16-2015)

Obituaries

October 13th, 2015 by admin

LISA ANN KEANE, 54, of Omaha (formerly of Harlan) died Monday, October 12th at Immanuel Medical Center.  Mass of Christian Burial for LISA ANN KEANE will be held Friday, October 16th at 10:30am at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church in Panama.  Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

Visitation will be held Thursday, October 15th from 3:00pm-9:00pm at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church in Panama with a Wake Service at 7:00pm.

Burial will be in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Panama.

LISA ANN KEANE is survived by:

Father: Donald Keane of Panama.

Husband: Rob Schartz of Omaha.

Daughters: Emma Schartz of Omaha.  Abby Schartz of Omaha.

Brothers: Jim (Jean) Keane of Panama. Joseph (Betty) Keane of Defiance.  Larry Keane of Panama.

Sisters: Peg (Mike) Hawkins of Omaha, NE.  Cindy (Randy) Hodapp of Littleton, CO. Janet (John) Henscheid of Westphalia.

Sister-in-law: Kelly Keane of Panama.

 

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14th

Trading Post

October 13th, 2015 by Jim Field

FOR SALE: Set of 4 tires. 205/60/16, like brand new with good tread.  1 of the 4 may have issues but is selling the set for $85.  Call 712-243-2979 or 712-254-0505.

FOR SALE:  1998 Chevy Tahoe, 4 wheel drive, 8 cyl. 167,000 highway miles, runs great.  can text pics. located near Atlantic.  Asking $2200.  243 9849.

FOR SALE:  We are selling a 2 year old Whirlpool, white refrigerator. It is 21 cubic feet and has the freezer on the top. We are offering it for $300, which is half of the ordinal price. It is very clean and in excellent condition. Phone 712-254-3416.

FOR SALE: Several horse collars and fly net, antique and not in great shape. All for $40.  Griswold area, phone numbers 712.778.4692 and 712.789.0360.

FOR SALE: Power Rider Exercise Machine. New. $25. 243 5652.

FOR SALE:  3 year old Black Kenmore refrigerator ( height 69 and width 36) with ice and water machine used just 2 years. Asking $500 or best offer. Please call 712-268-2236 in Exira.

FOR SALE: 2014 Tao Tao scooter. This is an almost brand new scooter. I bought it new in June to go to work and am moving so I don’t need it any more.Its a 2014 model but it was made in 2013. This is a nice scooter its almost brand new,just broken in.It runs well. Asking $1000. Call or text 712-355-3799.

DSC_0469

FOR SALE: Large settling and oxygen tank for cutting torch. Call for prices. 712-269-9384.

FOR SALE:  Graco Pack ‘N Play: Portable playard/crib incl. mattress. Still in box. Like new. $25.00 243-1149.  SOLD!

FOR SALE:  Evenflow Bed Rail: Slips under mattress for temporary railing. Like new. $5.00 243-1149.

Backyard and Beyond 10-13-2015

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

October 13th, 2015 by Jim Field

Lavon Eblen speaks with Linda Edelman, Cass County Public Health Nurse, about upcoming Flu Clinics.

Play

Iowa West Foundation Awards $7 Million in Funding for Cycle 2 of 2015

News

October 13th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

(Council Bluffs, IA) The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently awarded $6.6 million in grants and initiatives for the second cycle of 2015. The funding will assist 22 nonprofit organizations and governmental entities with projects and programs that directly impact southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska. The City of Clarinda received $55,975 for a downtown façade revitalization while the Audubon Recreation Foundation received $50,000 toward their proposed recreation center. The towns of Corning, Neola, Red Oak and Shelby also received grants toward placemaking projects.

Healthy families was another recurring theme for this cycle of grant funding. Heartland Family Service received $300,000 to administer years two and three of the Children’s Mental Health Initiative in Lewis Central Community Schools — a 3-year pilot program based on the high need for school-based mental health services as identified by local superintendents. MICAH House received $45,000 for general operating funds and Council Bluffs” Vocational Development Center (VODEC) was awarded $25,000 for residential home renovation.

The second funding cycle also included initiative dollars for the construction of a new veterans building in Council Bluffs. The Iowa West Foundation and the Charles E. Lakin Foundation each awarded $275,000 to the project, which broke ground in August. The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors also awarded $113,000 to the Fourth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services for the continuation of their successful drug court program. The Fourth Judicial District would have been forced to cancel the program on Oct. 1 due to insufficient funding had the Foundation not stepped in.

This is the second grants and initiatives funding announcement of 2015 after the Foundation restructured its grant cycles in late 2014 to be three times per year rather than four. The Letter of Inquiry period for the third cycle opened October 1. Those grant recipients will be announced in February of 2016.

Funding for the Foundation’s grants comes from investment earnings and the Iowa West Racing Association (IWRA), which receives contracted license fees from casino operators, Ameristar and Harrah’s. IWRA distributes funds to the Iowa West Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 organization under the IRS Code. The Foundation makes grants throughout southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska.

The complete list of grant/initiative recipients and their projects/awards are as follows:

  • Angels Among Us, Inc./Financial Aid for Families of Children w/Cancer – $20,000.
  • Audubon Recreation Foundation/Recreation Center in Audubon – $50,000.
  • Blue Barn Theatre/Expanded programming for the 2015-16 season, $9,200.
  • Carstens 1880 Farmstead/Restoration – $15,750.
  • City of Clarinda/Downtown facade restoration, $55,975.
  • City of Council Bluffs/Communications Officer, $152,000; Rental Housing Inspection, $64, 202.
  • Community Education Foundation/Classroom grants for 2015-16, $25,000; STARS Scholarship Program Initiative, $369,526,
  • Council Bluffs Housing Trust Fund/Affordable Housing, 2015-16: $45,058.
  • Downtown Omaha, Inc. Foundation/2015 Holiday Lights Festival: $15,000.
  • 4th Judicial District/Dept. of Correctional Svc./Drug Court: $113,000.
  • Heartland Family Service -Lewis Central Children’s Mental Health Program initiative: $300,000; Housing Emergency Assistance Task Force: $170,000; Iowa Family Works; $77,500; Substance Abuse Services: $37,500.
  • Habitat For Humanity/General Operating Funds: $100,000.
  • Hearts and Hugs Day Care, Inc./Facility renovation: $10,000.
  • Heritage Services/Riverfront Study initiative: $95,500.
  • Iowa West Foundation initiatives: Mid-America Center revitalization, $2-million; Park Landing at River’s Edge Park, $1.15-million; Public Art/Interactive Children’s art for Riverfront Park, $1-million.
  • Justice For Our Neighbors – Legal assistance for low-income immigrants in southwest Iowa, $32,500.
  • Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Inc./RSafe program: $15,000.
  • MICHA House Corp./General Operating Funds: $45,000.
  • Montgomery County Family YMCA – indoor tennis lighting/court enhancement, $20,000.
  • Neola Area Community Center/Stronger community, $10,000.
  • New Community Development Corp./Mynster Townhomes Development, $250,000.
  • Omaha Theater Company/Rose Theater Field Trips for Council Bluffs Students: $9,452.
  • Opera Omaha/2 productions: $30,000.
  • Pott. County Board of Supervisors/Veterans Admin. Bldg. initiative: $275,000.
  • Vocational Development Center (VODEC)/Residential Home Renovation: $25,000.

Shelby County implements Fire Danger Monitoring

Ag/Outdoor, News

October 13th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Shelby County Emergency Service Officials, including Fire Chiefs, Law Enforcement, and Emergency Management will begin twice weekly updates on local fire danger conditions. Signs placed strategically in each community, primarily at the fire Stations will indicate what the fire danger is for any particular day.

This program, implemented in 2010, resulted in a reduction of fire responses countywide. The continuous bi weekly fire danger assessments are provided by email to the media, Fire Chiefs, and others who support the program on their web pages, through radio, and cable TV information pages. Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says that has reduced the need for the county to implement a complete burn ban.

If you live in Shelby County and need to burn a pile of brush, debris, or buildings, contact the Emergency Management Agency at 755-2124. The dispatchers will obtain the location and nature of the planned burn and will provide the caller with the Fire Chiefs contact information. Through this expanded communication process, Seivert says they have found some burns can be rescheduled to a different time of day, where wind and moisture level is more acceptable. The Fire Chiefs can have input as to how the burn can be conducted safely and be aware of the activity should it become unmanageable.

Shelby County has four, distinct, color coded levels:
LOW – You are asked to call in and report your burning projects to dispatch at 712-755-2124, and notify your local Fire Chief.
Moderate – You are asked to call in and report your burning projects to dispatch at 712-755-2124, and notify your local Fire Chief. Timing for burns should be morning, or evening hours and extinguished by dark unless authorized by Fire Chief due to possible impacts to roads and health from smoke. Burns must be monitored at all times.
High – Burning of any kind is restricted unless approval is received from local Fire Chief. Controlled burns that are not reported will result in Fire Department being dispatched, and Fires extinguished if determined to be un-safe. Please call 712-755-2124 with questions.
Extreme – Burning is prohibited, unless you have a signed permit from the local Fire Chief. Fires on Extreme days can grow rapidly and pose a risk to the Health and Safety of the Community. If you have any questions please call 712-755-2124.

The Emergency Management Agency uses a combination of the National Weather Service, actual local field measurements, and assessment of local conditions in determining the potential for dangerous fires. With continuing dry weather expected, the availability of fuel through the drying out of the crops will continue to increase the potential for devastating fires, here, in Iowa. The goal is to prevent fires, through good communication, public cooperation, and planning.