DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature has approved a property tax bill that forces counties and cities to publicize and pass by a two-thirds vote any property tax increase over 2 percent. The bill was touted by Republican Sen. Randy Feenstra as a truth in taxation bill that creates transparency in the budgeting process at county and city levels. Democratic Sen. Pam Jochum says the bill flies in the face of the constitutional home rule amendment added in 1968 that grants cities and counties local control. She says there’s already adequate public input and visibility of local budgets and taxes.

Republican leaders began the session declaring property tax reform a priority but earlier bills that limited annual tax increases faded as criticism from local government officials intensified.
The bill passed the Senate on Wednesday 33-17 and the House took up debate at around 11 p.m. and finally passed it 53-46 just before 3 a.m. Thursday.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque woman accused of stealing more than $35,000 from late father’s estate has been given probation. Dubuque County District Court records say 54-year-old Molly Behnke was sentenced Monday to a suspended prison term of five years and two to five years of probation. She’d pleaded guilty to felony theft and forgery.

Authorities say an estate attorney told police that Behnke, as one of the executors for her father’s estate, was authorized to withdraw money to pay his final bills. But court documents say Behnke made withdrawals from May to July last year that were not used to pay off the debts.

(9-a.m. News) –Clarinda Police Chief Keith brothers reports two people were arrested during a search for a wanted person, Wednesday evening. Officers responded to 608 W. Nishna Street to look for 21-year old Ian Michael Young, of Clarinda, who was wanted on a Page County District Court felony warrant for probation violation. During the arrest, officers discovered a marijuana growing operation in the basement of the home. 35-year old Robert Kent Lee, of Clarinda was arrested for felony manufacturing marijuana, conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, gathering where drugs are manufactured/used and failure to have the required drug tax stamp. Lee was being held on bond in the Page County Jail. Additional charges on additional individuals located at the residence are pending upon completion of the investigation. The Clarinda Police Department was assisted by the Page County Sheriff’s Department.

Reports concerning the incident have been submitted to the office of Page County Attorney Carl M. Sonksen for review regarding the filing of formal charges.

An investigation in Pottawattamie County into the theft of a chainsaw from a residence in the 29,000-block of Juniper Road, Wednesday, resulted in an arrest. 39-year old William Holt Jensen was arrested for: Burglary in the 3rd Degree – Non Vehicle; Theft in the 3rd/larceny; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; and Interference with Official Acts. Jensen was also being held in the Pott. County jail for another agency. His bond was set at $7,000.

A traffic stop Wednesday night in Council Bluffs resulted in the arrest of 61-year old Daniel Bruce Liston, of Council Bluffs. He was taken into custody for Driving While Revoked and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $1,300. Wednesday afternoon, 46-year old Amy Jo Schovanec was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation. She had been visiting an inmate at the jail when she was taken into custody. And, 28-year old Cody Alan Hunkins, of Imogene, was transported from the Mills County Jail to the Pott. County Jail, where he was held on a $5,000 bond for a warrant charging him with Non-payment of Child Support.

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

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The Atlantic School Board, during their meeting Wednesday evening, discussed a possible change in the field surface at Trojan Bowl. The options include a natural grass surface, a synthetic field, or sod. Superintendent Steve Barber said they’ve learned since the $9.5-million bond issue passed, that two of those options are problematic, especially when it comes to the 2020-21 football season. Natural turf takes at least a year to establish, so they would need to wait for a whole season to play on the field. Sod costs more, and it doesn’t seat as well after the first season of use, likely resulting a muddy field more than anything.

Board member Keith Swanson asked if it was possible for the football team to play all of their games on the road instead of at the Trojan Bowl while the natural grass grows. The rest of the Board wasn’t receptive to that idea. There’s a $600,000 difference between using natural turf and synthetic turf. Since that would be a change from the original concept when the money was bonded for, if the Board elects to go with that type of turf, they would have to raise money privately to make up the difference, or hope for lower bids once the decision is made. Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm said they could hope for that…but the bids could be much higher. The $8.5-million dollar construction project, he said, will no doubt attract numerous bids.

There is a group looking to come up with extra funds to help pay for the synthetic turf surface. In-kind contributions from sub-contractors could also help reduce the costs. Superintendent Barber says the School Board needs to make a decision by their next meeting May 8^th. Board President Josh McLaren said if they don’t go after the synthetic turf now, in two-or three-years they’ll probably regret it.

The plan you may recall, also calls for upgrades to the baseball/softball complex, a new parking area at Washington Elementary, a safer unloading and loading area for middle school and Elementary students, and a new synthetic field turf at the high school soccer field and a complete renovation of the Trojan Bowl which initially included a natural grass surface.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Another trial starting date has been set for a 19-year-old in northwest Iowa accused of stabbing to death his ex-girlfriend and another young man. Woodbury Country District Court records say a judge cited scheduling and other problems in setting a new date to begin the trial of Tran Walker. The trial had been set to begin this coming Tuesday. The new starting date is May 2.

Walker’s pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. He’s accused of killing 17-year-old Paiten Sullivan and 18-year-old Felipe Negron Jr., who both lived in Sioux City. Police say Walker was in a car with the other two on Jan. 28 last year when he began to stab Sullivan because he was upset that she had broken up with him. Police say that when Negron tried to intervene, Walker stabbed him, too.

The Creston Police Department says a woman residing in the 400 block of N. Oak Street, in Creston, reported Wednesday that sometime between 1-and 9-a.m. Wednesday, someone cut the driver’s side rear tire on her vehicle, while the vehicle was parked outside her residence. The loss was estimated at $120. And, a Creston man reported Wednesday evening, that sometime over the course of the past five-to seven-months, someone had attempted to gain entry to his residence in the 500 block of W. Townline Street. Damage to the front and back doors of the home was estimated at $500. It’s not clear if entry into the residence was made.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) — Figures from the Iowa Association of Realtors show sale prices rose in March while the number of homes sold dropped a little more than 11 percent compared to last year. Association president John Goede says those who sell homes don’t have a lot to complain about. “If you look at our figures this last six years here — we’ve had a little drop in inventory and a little drop in sales made — but actually the last three years, 2016, 2017, 2018, have been like rock stars,” Goede says.  The median sale price for Iowa homes sold in March was up six-point-seven percent compared to last year at 160-thousand dollars. Goede says you have to look at the larger view. “This year’s rate that we have right now — the ten years previous to 2016 — that would have been the high point. So, we have a very, very good year, it’s just coming off an unbelievably stellar year,” Goede says.

Goede, who sells real estate in Spencer, says Iowa’s wage rate has gone up and that has helped the Affordability Index for home buyers. He says to buy a median home you need a median income, and Iowa’s median income is 100 percent more than needed to qualify for a median house. He says our median income is so good that it could actually buy twice the cost of a median priced home. Goede says interest rates remain low too — and that also helps home buyers. He says the drop in sales is also something that has to be seen in the bigger picture. “You know the sales are down….statewide they’re down about 280 homes in total,” Goede says. “That’s less than three a county — so it’s really not a big number — it’s just how statistics can play.”

The number of days a home was on the market before selling dropped by 14 days compared to last year in March. Homes sold in March were on the market for an average of 75 days compared to 89 days last year.