The Hard Rock Casino in Sioux City agreed to a five-thousand dollar fine Thursday, from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission for its second gambling violation in as many months. Iowa Racing and Gaming administrator, Brian Ohorilko, says the violation involved a person who had agreed to a self ban. “An individual that had signed up on the statewide list in 2007, that individual was able to obtain a player’s club card at the Hard Rock facility, so that was the triggering factor for the violation,” Ohorilko explained.

The fine was based on the casino’s history of violations. “The violation was one that was self-reported by Hard Rock. It is their second violation of this nature within the past 365 days, which past precedent called for a five-thousand dollar fine. That’s what the parties agreed to, and the commission did approve that stipulation,” Ohorilko says. The violation comes just one month after the casino was fined three-thousand dollars at the commission’s March meeting.

“The first incident occurred a few months prior to this, and the parties — Hard Rock and commission staff — entered into a stipulated agreement at that time,” Ohorilko says. The casino has only been open since August of last year. Ohorilko says management has been doing some retraining of staff following the violations.

“They’ve implemented additional procedures and controls to help prevent this,” Ohorilko says. “They do have a number of new employees at the new facility, however it doesn’t change our expectations and Hard Rock management recognizes that and has indicated that they are going to try to address it.”

The person in the first violation was able to gamble and was not caught until he tried to cash in the jackpot and his name turned up on the banned list.

(Radio Iowa)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Google Inc. wants to expand its Council Bluffs data center spending an additional $1 billion and doubling the size of its staff to 70. The California company is asking the state for an additional $19.8 million in tax refunds bringing its total tax incentives to more than $36 million. The company received nearly $17 million in tax incentives to build the first phase of its data center in exchange for a promise to employ 35 people. Google’s total investment in Iowa will come to around $2 billion.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority is to consider the project expansion, today (Friday). Microsoft is spending about $2 billion to build two data centers in West Des Moines and Facebook has invested about $1 billion in two Altoona data centers.

Atlantic Fire and Rescue personnel, along with crews from Audubon, Exira and Harlan responded to an incident at a grain bin northeast of Audubon Thursday afternoon. According to officials, the accident happened just before 1-p.m. There’s very little in the line of information available early this (Friday) morning, but on the Harlan Fire Department’s Facebook page, officials said “Unfortunately the outcome wasn’t as good as we had hoped.”

Atlantic, Exira and Harlan crews provided mutual aid to the Audubon Fire Department in handling the incident, with Atlantic providing its aerial truck. We hope to have more information later this morning, on KJAN and on the web at kjan.com.

Deputies in Montgomery County, Thursday, arrested 36-year old Kale Allen Wenberg, of Red Oak. Wenberg was taken into custody at around 4:45-p.m. in the 400 block of West Washington Street, on a warrant for Probation Violation. Wenberg was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

And, the Red Oak Police Department reports 25-year old Jessica Faye Davis, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 3:30-a.m. today (Friday). Davis was taken into custody near the intersection of N. 1st and E. Hammond Streets. She was brought to the Montgomery County Jail where Davis was being held on $1,000 bond on an OWI charge.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

(Audubon, Iowa/ KJAN) – A man from Central Iowa is dead and two other men were injured during a collision Thursday evening, about two-miles north of Audubon. The Iowa State Patrol says the driver of a 2013 Chevy pickup, 42-year old Kurt Robert Sulzman, of Polk City, who was wearing his seat belt, died in the crash that happened just after 7-p.m. on Highway 71 at the intersection with 170th Street.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Google is asking for an additional $19.8 million in tax refunds from the state to double the size of its Council Bluffs data center staff to 70, a $1 billion investment for the California company. The Iowa Economic Development Authority is to consider the project expansion Friday. Microsoft is building two data centers in West Des Moines and Facebook has invested in two data centers in Altoona.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief veterinary officer says the poultry industry may have to live with a deadly bird flu strain for several years, which could be devastating. Iowa’s first case of the H5N2 strain of avian influenza showed up earlier this week. Dr. John Clifford says that new cases should drop close to zero once the weather warms up but there is likely to be a resurgence this fall.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The city of Des Moines has appealed an Iowa Department of Transportation order to remove its automated speed camera on Interstate 235. A DOT report said Des Moines’ camera location had a low crash rate before the cameras went up, contrary to rules dictating that cameras target “high-crash or high-risk locations.” But the appeal claims the site has the highest level of traffic flow in the state and complies with DOT regulations.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gannett Co. has hired an Iowa native as president and publisher of The Des Moines Register. Thirty-nine-year-old David Chivers replaces Rick Green, who is now president and publisher of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Chivers most recently worked as chief digital officer at Jostens, which sells yearbooks and class rings.

A man from Central Iowa is dead and two other men were injured during a collision Thursday evening, about two-miles north of Audubon. The Iowa State Patrol says the driver of a 2013 Chevy pickup, 42-year old Kurt Robert Sulzman, of Polk City, who was wearing his seat belt, died in the crash that happened just after 7-p.m. on Highway 71 at the intersection with 170th Street.

Officials say Sulzman was traveling northbound at the same time a John Deere tractor driven by 45-year old Cory David Handlos, of Audubon, was traveling southbound. The tractor was pulling a planter. After the vehicles collided, each ended up in the southeast ditch near the intersection.

Handlos, and a passenger in the pickup, 24-year old Caleb Shawn Deist, of Grimes, who was wearing his seat belt, were transported to the Audubon County Hospital by Audubon Rescue. Deist was later flown by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. The accident remains under investigation.

Spring in Iowa is a time for new beginnings as trees, plants and yards awaken from the cold of winter. Spring is also a time when many Iowans make plans to begin a new chapter in their lives by purchasing a home. USDA Rural Development currently has $10 million available for loans for Iowans to purchase or refinance homes in rural Iowa through its Direct Home Loan Program. The program offers 100 percent financing, a 33-year loan term and payment assistance for eligible applicants. This funding will remain on a first come first served basis through September 30, 2015.

“Each year USDA Rural Development invests more than $200 million in loans and grants that provide rural Iowa residents with decent, safe and sanitary housing,” said Bill Menner, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa. “It’s through housing
programs like this one that we work to ensure that as many rural Iowans as possible
have access to adequate housing.”

Recently a rural Iowa family of seven was living in a rental property that was not
suitable for occupancy. They made an offer on a home that was move-in ready. USDA
Rural Development received their purchase agreement on March 19. Their loan closed
and the family moved into their new home just 19 days later on April 7. The family
is ecstatic with their improved living conditions, and their house payment is $80
less than what they were paying for rent.

To learn more about USDA Rural Development’s housing programs please call (515)
284-4444, email DirectIA@ia.usda.gov or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia.

USDA Rural Development also has a loan and grant program to help eligible homeowners make essential repairs such as a new furnace, roof, siding, or accessibility improvements, Homes repaired with these funds must be located in communities of less than 20,000 people or in rural areas.

USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural areas and communities. Office locations include a State
Office in Des Moines, along locally, with an Area Offices in Atlantic.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The economic outlook for rural areas of 10 states in the Plains and the West remained negative in April even though it improved slightly from the previous month. Creighton University’s Rural Mainstreet index grew to 46 in April from March’s 43.6, but any score below 50 suggests a decline. The indexes range between 0 and 100.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the strong U.S. dollar continues to hurt exports of agriculture and energy products. And demand for farmland remains weak, so land prices are declining. The farm equipment sales index sits at 15.6, up slightly from March’s 15.2, but well below the neutral level of 50.

Bankers from rural areas of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County say a Madison County man was arrested Wednesday night at the Union County Jail. 31-year old Joshua James Koder, Winterset, was arrested on a Department of Corrections warrant for probation violation. Koder was being held in the Union County Jail without bond until he appears before the Magistrate.