(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has said her goal is to get rid of the state income tax by the end of her current term, which would be December of 2026. A bill that cleared an Iowa Senate committee last spring suggested elimination of the state income tax could be accomplished in the next decade. “The Senate Republican goal has always been to eliminate the income tax in a responsible and thoughtful manner,” Republican Senator Dan Dawson says. “and that is the pathway that we are going down this next session.”

Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver (on left) and Senate Ways and Means chairman Dan Dawson. (RI file photo)

Dawson, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, says he’s looking forward to seeing the tax plan Governor Reynolds is set to unveil in January. Under current law, the state’s personal income tax will become a flat three-point-nine percent by 2026, but Republican leaders say the state is still taking in far more tax dollars than needed to run the government.

Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum says the focus of tax cutting should be on helping working families and elderly Iowans. “Not on the wealthy and the big corporations who have quite frankly benefitted from this series of tax cuts we’ve seen in recent years,” Jochum says. Jochum and Dawson made their comments at a forum sponsored by the Iowa Taxpayers Association. The 2024 Iowa legislative session begins Monday, January 8.

(Glenwood, Iowa) –  Police in Glenwood report a man from Nebraska was arrested Sunday, on drug charges. Authorities say 39-year-old Cody Heanue, of Cedar Bluffs, NE, was arrested for Possession of a controlled substance and possession drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,300 cash or surety. Heanue posted bond, and was released.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) —Police in Iowa City arrested nine people, including a woman from Pottawattamie County,  for allegedly bolting themselves to a door at Kinnick Stadium, preventing university staff from entering on Saturday, KCRG reports. In criminal complaints, police said the group was protesting at around 4:30 p.m. when they chained themselves to an entrance door using U-bolts and shouted abusive language at police and university staff. Police said they had to use bolt cutters to cut the protesters free of the door. They then had to lift the protesters off the ground and take them to police vehicles after they allegedly refused to comply. Police said the group caused more than $200 in damage during the protest.

The following people were charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct and interference with official acts for the incident:

• Anthony Allou, 19, of Coralville
• Ariele Andalon, 27, of Iowa City
• Miriam Daoud, 22, of Cedar Rapids
• Ella Doolittle, 22, of Council Bluffs
• Jared Kula, 22, of North Liberty
• Brian Nilles, 23, of Ashton
• Clara Reynen, 26, of Iowa City
• Cassidy Slater-Scott, 24, of Iowa City
• Gabriel Sperry, 26, of Iowa City

Police did not confirm what the group was protesting.

ORLANDO, Fla. [KCCI] — The Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band will officially play at halftime during the Hawkeyes’ bowl game. The announcement was posted on the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band’s Facebook page on Sunday. Previously, the Hawkeye Band was only scheduled to play before the game for seven minutes, without a performance during halftime. Now, the Hawkeye Band and the Pride of the Southland Band will perform after Gavin DeGraw’s halftime performance.

The band shared the following message from The Citrus Bowl:

“We’re working closely with Iowa and Tennessee to design a great experience for this year’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. The university bands will perform on the field both in pregame and at halftime. We appreciate the creativity and goodwill of the university band leaders to make this possible.

“During the halftime show presented by Cheez-It Snap’d, our live performance will be followed by traditional bowl game performances from The Hawkeye Marching Band and The Pride of the Southland Band.

“We have a special day planned for the Vols, the Hawkeyes and the coast-to-coast audience who gather around their televisions for this New Year’s tradition. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Orlando for ‘The Best Bowl Trip in America’ later this month.”

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa man is charged in the slaying of a Nebraska priest. The Washington County, Nebraska, Sheriff’s Office arrested an Iowa man in the fatal stabbing of a priest in the rectory of a church in Fort Calhoun early Sunday. Deputies were called to the house on a report of an attempted break-in and found Reverend Stephen Gutgsell suffering from stab wounds. Gutgsell later died at an Omaha hospital.

Kierre Williams.(Washington Cty Sheriff’s-Office)

Deputies also found 43-year-old Kierre Williams of Sioux City in the rectory and charged him with homicide and use of a weapon to commit a felony. Williams is jailed in Blair.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular, weekly meeting at 9-a.m. Tuesday in their Atlantic Courthouse Board Room. On their agenda is action on passing a Resolution “Approving [a] Collective Bargaining Agreement between Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Local 1414 American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Union, Council 61, AFL-CIO, Iowa (AFSCME).”

The Board is also expected to act on removing Ronnie Ross as Medical Examiner Investigator, retroactive to Dec. 6, 2023, and passing a Resolution to set Posted Weight Limits on County Bridges. They will also continue, and possibly act on approving, the Cass County Wellness Plan (effective from Jan. 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024).

The complete agenda is shown below:

(Des Moines, Iowa) –  Iowa anglers can buy the Missouri and Big Sioux River paddlefish license and tags starting Dec. 15 through Jan. 7th. The Iowa DNR says you can buy your special paddlefish license and tags on the Iowa DNR online licenses sales website at https://gooutdoorsiowa.com. A resident license sells for $25.50 and a nonresident license is $49. You must also have a valid Iowa fishing license. You can buy up to two tags – one from Dec. 15 to Dec. 31 and an additional tag from Jan. 1 to Jan. 7, or two tags if you didn’t buy one in December. A limited number of paddlefish licenses are available – 950 resident and 50 nonresident.

The license, harvest tag(s), and regulations will be mailed to purchasers in mid-January. Purchasers will be asked to complete an electronic survey to help the Iowa DNR evaluate the success of the paddlefish season. Please complete the survey whether you harvested a paddlefish or not.  The Iowa DNR is always working to improve the paddlefish season for anglers; any input provided is considered and is greatly appreciated.

The Missouri and Big Sioux River paddlefish season opens Feb. 1 and runs through April 30. For more information about Iowa’s special paddlefish season, visit the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/paddlefish – click on Missouri River Paddlefish Season and Regulations.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowans can buy 2024 resident hunting, fishing and other licenses on Dec. 15.  Licenses purchased for 2023 expire on Jan. 10. The Iowa DNR says the menu of license options includes the popular Outdoor Combo annual resident hunting/fishing/habitat combo license for $55; the Angler’s Special three-year fishing license for $62; and the Hunter’s Special three-year hunting license with habitat included for $101. Also available is the Bonus Line option for $14 letting resident and nonresident anglers to fish with one more line in addition to the two lines allowed with the regular fishing license. Upgrade your paper license to a durable hard card with custom art from Iowa artists for only $6.

Download the GoOutdoorsIowa mobile app for iPhone and Android devices to buy and access your license information, no matter where you are.  Sync your hunting and fishing licenses on the app to show in the field.  You may download multiple customer licenses to offer one secure digital license document location for families, groups, and more. Licenses are available at 650 locations across the state, and on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/GoOutdoorsIowa.

Hunting and fishing are often enjoyed with family and friends. A fishing or hunting license makes a great stocking stuffer.

Ames, Iowa – Dec. 11, 2023 – If you plan to get on Interstate 35 from East 13^th Street in Ames this week, there is some construction work that you’ll want to be aware of. Crews are working on sanitary sewer construction along East 13^th Street in Ames. To give them room to work, the City of Ames will be closing the entrance ramp from East 13^th Street to northbound I-35, now (Dec. 11) through Friday, Dec. 15.  You’ll be asked to follow a detour using Dayton Avenue and 190^th Street to northbound I-35.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

(Iowa DNR News) – Every year over a hundred volunteers and DNR staff head out to spy on Iowa’s Bald Eagles. Thankfully, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the eagles usually don’t mind and official are able to get valuable data that helps the DNR to evaluate how the birds are doing in the state.

Volunteers help with two surveys: The Bald Eagle Midwinter Survey and the Bald Eagle Nest Monitoring Survey. The midwinter survey takes place in early January each year and requires surveyors to drive a standardized route, counting all eagles seen along the way. During the nest monitoring survey, volunteers collectively watch between 250 and 350 nests around the state and report on a nest’s activity and success in producing and fledgling eaglets.

Photo courtesy Abbie Sue Cartsensen. Taken near Smithfield Foods (Denison, IA).

Photo courtesy Abbie Sue Cartsensen. Taken near Smithfield Foods (Denison, IA).

Some important background to have before reading this year’s results, is that 2022 was the worst nesting season in many years for Iowa’s Bald Eagles. For the first time in the history of the survey the average number of young fledged per nest dropped below the important threshold of 1; only an average of 0.88 young were fledged per nest. This is thought to be the result of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak last summer. A total 1,663.5 miles of waterway were surveyed in January of 2023 and over 2,900 eagles were counted using these waterways!  That works out to almost 2 eagles per river mile surveyed. The most eagles were counted on the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers though the highest density (eagles per mile) was on the Iowa River.  One of the important things we keep an eye on, as it is a good indicator of population health, is the proportion of the count made up of immature eagles. Since the survey started in 1991, that proportion has hovered around 30% and this year was consistent with that at 32%.

From late winter to summer, another army of volunteers around the state monitored 329 bald eagle nest sites. They observed from a distance and recorded whether the nest was active and, if so, if it was successful fledgling eaglets. A total of 66% of the active monitored nests were successful, 12% failed (the remaining had an unknown outcome). There was an average of 1.77 fledglings produced per nest which is one of the highest rates in recent years. This represented a very good recovery after 2022’s poor nesting season! In addition, there was one very surprising observation – a nest that fledged 4 young! Usually, bald eagles only lay 1-3 eggs with the most common being 2 fledglings per nest. The DNR says “We had never even heard of a nest hatching 4 young, much less raising them all to fledgling! However, a very diligent nest monitor was able to capture this very rare phenomenon. Congrats to the parents of the fab four for a job very well done!”

According to the Iowa DNR, this year was characterized by a return to normal after a year of extremes in 2022.  The midwinter survey count was just below the average and the nest monitoring survey had an average number of successful nests and a high number of young produced. Taking into account the success rate, the overall number of known active territories and the average number of young produced by nest, a possible 720 young eagles were fledged by Iowa’s nests!

This paints a picture of a resilient and healthy bald eagle population in Iowa, which is great news for our nation’s symbol! For now, officials will continue to monitor both wintering and breeding eagles in order to help monitor the Bald Eagle’s recovery. The DNR wants to issued “A huge and very heart-felt thank you to the many volunteers and staff who help to make this monitoring possible!”