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IFA awards $6.3-million+ to Local Housing Trust Funds to advance affordable housing priorities

News

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors today (Wednesday), approved a total of more than $6.3 million in grants to 27 Local Housing Trust Funds to support local affordable housing initiatives which will assist 2,469 Iowa families. The funding is provided from the State Housing Trust Fund’s Local Housing Trust Fund program.

IFA logoThe grant funds will be used for initiatives such as preserving aging housing stock, subsidizing local down payment assistance programs, providing low-interest loans or grants to assist Iowans in home rehabilitation, financing construction of new single-family housing for low-income Iowans and supporting housing for persons with disabilities and homeless assistance programs.

Among the grant recipients is:

  • the Council Bluffs Housing Trust Fund, Inc., which received $152,788.
  • CDG Housing, Inc., which serves Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie and Sac Counties, received a grant for $243,339.
  • the Southern Iowa COG Housing Trust Fund, Inc., serving Adair, Adams, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor, Union and Clarke Counties, received a $236,394 grant.
  • the Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund, Inc. – serving Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Shelby and Pottawattamie Counties (excludng the City of Council Bluffs), received a grant amounting to $301,439.

IFA Executive Director Dave Jamison says “The partnership between the Iowa Finance Authority and Local Housing Trust Funds is one that pays dividends to affordable housing in Iowa. The grants announced today are leveraging an additional $2.7 million in local contributions, which is a testament to the shared commitment to meeting these vital housing needs.”

The State Housing Trust Fund was created by the Iowa Legislature in 2003. Since its inception, the program has provided $50.1 million in affordable housing assistance that has benefited more than 17,600 Iowa families. This funding has leveraged another $151.2 million in other funds or $2.68 for every dollar of State Housing Trust Fund investment.

Report say Iowa public pension fund has $5 billion shortfall

News

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A report says Iowa’s largest public employees’ pension fund has a long-term shortfall of about $5 billion. The Des Moines Register reports that Gov. Terry Branstad was briefed Tuesday on the status of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS), which has 346,000 members. The report says the pension fund’s assets total about $28 billion and is nearly 84 percent funded, slightly up from a year ago.

The system serves current, former and retired employees of state government, cities, counties and school districts. The contribution rate by local government and state public employees to the main pension fund has increased in recent years to almost 15 percent of an employee’s earnings.

Donna Mueller, the fund’s chief executive officer, says the report shows progress and stability. Mueller said the system’s $5 billion in unfunded liabilities could be paid off in 23 years.

Rollover accident in Union County

News

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a woman and a child suffered unknown, possible injuries during a single-vehicle, rollover accident this (Wednesday) morning. 27-year old Lindsey Weber, of Kent, was traveling north on Clover Avenue at around 8-a.m., when the 2008 Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup she was driving went out of control on the slick road. The pickup slid sideways before entering the east ditch and rolling once, coming to rest on the driver’s side. Weber, who was wearing her seat belt, was transported by ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center, in Creston. A passenger in the truck, 6-year old Karleen Kruse, of Lenox, also suffered possible/unknown injuries and was transported to the hospital, by ambulance.

Damage to the pickup the was estimated at $10,000.

Harlan Police report: 3 arrests, 1 accident

News

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Harlan Police Department today (Wednesday), released a report on recent arrests and an accident. Officials say 19-year old Gage Johnston, of Harlan, was arrested Nov. 24th on an active warrant for failure to appear on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. Johnston was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

Also arrested Nov. 24th, was 32-year old Malcolm McDonald, of Harlan, who was taken into custody following a traffic stop. McDonald was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while suspended. And, on Nov. 27th, Harlan Police arrested 34-year old Michael Wiser, of Harlan, following a traffic stop. Wiser was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while suspended. Wiser was also cited for failure to wear a seat belt.

And, no injuries were reported following an accident Nov. 23rd, in Harlan. Authorities say a 2008 Ford driven by Ruth Weaver, of Harlan, was hit by a 2000 VW, driven by Rufino Martinez, also of Harlan. The accident happened when Martinez turned right out of a trailer court driveway at 3002 12th Street. In doing so, police he he failed to yield to Weaver, who was traveling north on 12th Street. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,500. No citations were issued.

Former Sioux City coach gets probation in student sex case

News

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A former Sioux City high school soccer coach has gotten three years of probation and a suspended five-year prison term for having sex with a student. Thirty-year-old Erick DeLeon was sentenced on Tuesday after being convicted in October of sexual exploitation by a school employee.

DeLeon was in charge of the iJAG program, a nonprofit program that works with at-risk students at West high School. He also coached soccer at the school. Prosecutors say DeLeon, of Sioux City, exchanged inappropriate text messages with one of his 16-year-old iJAG students and had sex with her at her home in October and November last year.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 12/2/2015

News, Podcasts

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

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

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Slow down! Light snow continues to fall making for slippery roads

News, Weather

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

AREA COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-ADAIR-MADISON-UNION (713 AM CST WED DEC 2 2015)

…LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING COMMUTE…

LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE IN A SWATH FROM ALGONA…TO DES
MOINES…CHARITON AND OTTUMWA AND THEIR SURROUNDING AREAS THROUGH THE MORNING COMMUTE. ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE AN INCH OR LESS WITH VARIED ROAD CONDITIONS.

OUTSIDE OF SECONDARY ROADS AND BRIDGES…ROADS SHOULD MAINLY REMAIN WET FROM DES MOINES SOUTH. HOWEVER ROADS WILL BE MORE SNOW COVERED TO THE NORTH TOWARD THE MINNESOTA BORDER.

MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO SLOW DOWN AND DRIVE DEFENSIVELY WITH
EXTRA TRAVEL TIME POSSIBLY NEEDED.

(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & funeral report, 12/2/2015

News, Podcasts

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Iowa inmate convicted of killing 2 in Pott. County, dies at hospital

News

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Corrections Department says a Fort Dodge prison inmate serving two life sentences for the death of two western Iowa residents, has died at a local hospital.  A department news release says 62-year-old Jerimiah Connolly died Saturday of end stage emphysema. He was being taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City when he was diverted to the local hospital.
He had been serving his sentence at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility.

The life sentences stem from two convictions for first-degree murder in Pottawattamie County. In November 1980 he was arrested and charged with killing 80-year-old Alanson Beach and 83-year-old Mina Beach. Connolly began the sentences on Nov. 3, 1981.

Greenfield man arrested in Creston

News

December 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A man from Adair County was arrested Tuesday evening in Creston. Creston Police say 26-year old Zachary McNeeley, of Greenfield, was arrested in the Highway 34/Industrial Parkway area, for OWI/2nd offense and Driving While Suspended. McNeeley was being held in the Union County Jail on a $2,000 bond.