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KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Radio Iowa) – A new poll finds a majority of Iowans don’t think U-S Senator Chuck Grassley should run for re-election. The Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll says only 28-percent of Iowans surveyed think Grassley should seek an eighth term. Grassley, who’s 87, says he doesn’t put any stock in polls. “I’ve found similarities between that and what Branstad got in 2013 that half the people said he shouldn’t run for re-election. He won by 20 points,” Grassley says. “I don’t fear any poll like that.”
FILE PHOTO: US Senator Charles Grassley visits with Cass County Health System CEO Brett Altman (Photo provided by CCHS)
The Republican from New Hartford says he hasn’t yet made a decision about running again and says he won’t make the announcement until this fall. “In the meantime, I’ve got a responsibility to continue working hard for Iowans and I hope I do work hard by getting to the office at 6 in the morning and being around Capitol Hill until about 6 or 6:30 in the afternoon,” Grassley says, “and I enjoy my work.”
Grassley says he’s in no rush to retire. “I plan to make my announcement in September, October, November,” Grassley says. “A year is long enough to campaign so I’m just going to proceed and ignore polls that I find favorable — and unfavorable.” Should Grassley run for re-election and serve another six-year term, he’d be 95 upon its completion.
The Griswold School Board, Monday evening, passed the district’s 2021-22 Budget, following a public hearing. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said there’s a lot of good news, including the fact the district was able to reduce the Income Surtax from 9-percent to one-percent.
The Property Tax asking was reduced, with the end result being a savings to taxpayers. The Griswold School Board also approved his recommendation on the Mask Mandate.
In other business, the Griswold School Board approved contracts for those still employed by the district, for the upcoming school year.
The Board also approved numerous resignations.
And they approved the following new hires:
In other action, the Griswold School Board approved the Senior FFA Trip to Branson once the school year ends, contract renewals for the various sharing agreements currently in-place, and the purchase of a stage curtain, the price tag for which came in just shy of $10,000, which was way under the cost estimate. The colors will remain the same, with the main curtain Royal Blue, along with a black backdrop.
More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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A man and woman from Creston were arrested on separate warrants, Monday. At around 9:25-a.m., 23-year old Amanda Blakely-Luddington was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for Driving While Barred. She was later released on a $2,000 bond. And, at around 1:05-p.m., 44-year old Joel Gross was arrested on two Union County warrants, including Failure to Appear on Possession of Prescription Drugs and Possession of Marijuana/1st offense, and, Failure to Appear on a charge of Theft in the 5th Degree.
Gross was additionally charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $2,600 bond.
A call to Police from a woman in Creston with regard to someone being in garage, resulted in the arrest of a man on multiple charges. Officers responded at around 12:40-a.m. to the 300 block of N. Jarvis Street, and located 18-year old Chase Parascando, of Creston, who took off on foot. He was apprehended at around 12:47-a.m. in the 400 block of N. Spruce Street. Following an initial investigation, Parascando was charged with:
Parascando was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing. The investigation is ongoing, with additional charges possible.
The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:07-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, is expected to act on adopting the City’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget. Action on a Resolution to that effect follows a Public Hearing on the budget, which says there will be no increase in the tax levy, and despite an increase in property tax and rental property revenue of over $150,000 — will decrease the overall budget by more than 18%. The overall budget is listed at $14,740,571, a decrease of 18.25% ($3,289,610) from the 2021 budget. City officials say the city will receive $147,438 in additional property taxes and $3,600 from rental income. New expenses include: increased labor costs, $58,463.13; Health insurance costs of $40,350; Payroll taxes and IPERS, $1,563, and liability insurance, $23,950.
Atlantic City Administrator John Lund said the budget “accomplishes key priorities of the Mayor and Council in funding for economic development, housing incentives, community beautification and additional amenities for public.” Lund said also, the city is “continuing to budget any excess cash growth beyond required minimums towards inevitable liabilities in specialized funds, moving them away from operating budgets to minimize future debt assumptions or operating reserve deficits,” and there will be no increases to existing fees or utility rates.
In other business, the Council will hold a Public Hearing on adoption of the FY22 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the key elements, Lund says, include: 320 capital improvements in streets, sewers, vehicles, major and minor equipment, costing $23,455,727; 99.49% of the 10-year old has been financed, with all critical infrastructure fully funded (the only unfunded project in the CIP is the Atlantic Municipal Airport’s 8 Unit Nested T-Hangar, scheduled in FY24); and, Lund says only $10,150,000 of the capital improvements are scheduled to be financed by new debt, which is still $1.15-million less than the $11.3-million estimated in the FY21 Budget, and $3.75-million less than estimated in the FY2020 Budget.
The Council will also act on passing a Resolution amending seasonal wages for the Atlantic Parks and Rec Dept. for 2021, as proposed earlier this year, by the City’s Personnel & Finance Committee. They will also act on approving a Resolution “Setting Salaries for Appointed Officers and Employees of the City,” for the Fiscal Year that runs from July 1, 2021 through June 30,2022. The Resolution says all Union positions are scheduled for 2.4% wage growth as a COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). Exceptions to the wage increases include:
Chief of Police, 2.54% increase; Library Director, 2.9% increase; Adult Services Librarian, 6.38% increase; Youth Services Librarian, 4.19% increase; Parks & Rec Director, 5% increase; Street Superintendent, 5.8% increase; City Clerk, 7.84% increase; City Administrator, 2.4% increase. City Administrator John Lund says those increases will bring those positions closer to the current market average for communities of similar size. When combined with the automatic union compensation, the City’s total labor compensation (Not including health insurance and similar benefits) is scheduled to be $2,551, 431.57 in FY2022, or an increase of 2.35% over the FY 2021 estimated total labor compensation cost.
And, the Atlantic City Council is set to review and act on a recommendation for the purchase of a lot for new home construction, at 211 W. 6th Street. Jeff Pross has proposed purchasing the lot for $1,000, with the intention of building a new house with an estimated $110,00 cost in construction. The bid is more than what current policy requires, in addition to a minimum legal deposit. The Council will also act on an Order to approve a Professional Services Agreement with Snyder & Associates, for the West 22nd Street Sidewalk Project. The Council has previously received a petition with 94 signatures, requesting the installation of a sidewalk from Palm to Chestnut Streets. Their final order of business is to reappoint Jon Martens and Vicki Brown to the Planning & Zoning Commission.
The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.
Two people were arrested following a pursuit early this (Tuesday) morning, into Pottawattamie County. The Council Bluffs Police Department reports at around 1-a.m., Omaha Police advised they were pursuing a vehicle on I-480 into Council Bluffs. The vehicle had been stolen at gun point. Bluffs Police Officers responded to offer assistance. Authorities say Omaha Police had deployed a tire deflation device before coming into Council Bluffs, disabling some of the vehicles tires.
A Council Bluffs officer was also able to deploy a tire deflation device shortly before the pursuit ended at S. 19th St. and 8th Ave. The occupants were then detained without further incident. The driver, Christopher Petri, was arrested for Theft 1st and Felony Eluding. A rear seat passenger, Shaqula Rock, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
Atlantic Parks and Recreation Director Bryant Rasmussen, Monday, reported to the Parks and Rec Board, that after talking with Atlantic YMCA Aquatic Program Director Chelsie Huddleson, it was decided to eliminate the membership aspect of Sunnyside pool, due to issues with people sharing memberships and other such issues. Those problems he said resulted in a loss of revenue. Instead, there will simply be a straight, reduced daily fee for now, to see how that works out.
They are also working on using the City’s seamless doc program that would enable users of the pool to pay for admission and concessions with a card instead of just cash and change.
Rasmussen said they are going to move forward with as many summer programs as possible, taking into account safety protocols. He reported also, the Parks and Rec Department will host its 2nd nnual Easter Egg Cruise, in partnership with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.
The event takes place Saturday, April 3rd. Details are forthcoming.
Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:20 a.m. CDT
DOW CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Crawford County woman has pleaded not guilty in the shooting death last month of her boyfriend. The Sioux City Journal reports that 44-year-old Beth Guzman, of Dow City, pleaded not guilty Friday to a count of first-degree murder in the shooting death of 46-year-old Jeremy Frank. Crawford County Sheriff’s deputies say they found Frank unresponsive and bleeding after being called Feb. 21 to the home he and Guzman shared. Frank was taken to a hospital in Denison, where he was pronounced dead from a single gunshot wound. Prosecutors say Guzman told investigators she and Frank had argued and that she shot Frank in a bedroom as he tried to leave.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.5% in January as more residents joined the workforce. The state’s Workforce Development department reported Monday the rate was down from a revised 3.7% rate for December and compared to a 2.8% rate a year ago, before the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a severe economic slowdown. Workforce Development says the state added 8,200 workers in January. There were 57,400 unemployed residents. Iowa was tied with Kansas for the nation’s sixth-lowest unemployment rate. South Dakota and Utah had the lowest rate, at 3.1%. The national unemployment rate for January was 6.3%.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Heavy snow blanketed much of northern Iowa, Monday, snarling traffic and closing schools and services, as a late winter storm moved through the region. Online reports issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation show snow and ice covering roads in north-central Iowa and partially covering roads for much of the rest of the northern half of the state. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for three dozen counties in Iowa’s northern half and a winter weather advisory for several more counties in the region. The weather service expects some areas to see up to 8 inches of snow by Monday afternoon.
MAXWELL, Iowa (AP) — Sudden meat shortages last year because of the coronavirus led to millions of dollars in federal grants to help small meat processors expand. The goal was to help the nation lessen its reliance on giant slaughterhouses to supply grocery stores and restaurants. However, the money flowing to small slaughterhouses shows no sign of solving the meat problem. There’s little doubt the grants will help small processors and in turn provide sorely needed rural jobs, but the economics of meat now centers on larger, highly efficient slaughterhouses, not smaller plants whose numbers have been decreasing sharply.
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