The Iowa House has overwhelmingly endorsed the idea of giving Iowa’s Secretary of State the authority to waive or reduce certain business fees during a “Start-Your-Business” month promotion. Representative Pat Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford, says it could save Iowa entrepreneurs between 50 and 100-dollars in fees that are required when filing the paperwork to incorporate a business. “It gives us an opportunity to show that the government’s not standing in the way of small businesses,” Grassley says. “And this would just be for start-ups.” When Republican Matt Schultz campaigned for the job of Secretary of State in 2010, he promised to make the office more “business-friendly” and this is one of the proposals Secretary of State Schultz asked legislators to approve this year.

Representative Mark Lofgren, a Republican from Muscatine who runs an investment firm, supported the proposal. “I work with a lot of small business owners and anything you can do to help them is great,” Lofgren said. “Eighty percent ofthe new job creation is in the small business area.” Representative Dan Muhlbauer, a Democrat from Manilla, backed the concept, too. “It’ll help promote the proper starts of new businesses,” Muhlbauer says. Representative Rick Olson, a Democrat from Des Moines, was among 17 House members who voted against the concept of waiving business fees.
“I think it’s a gimmick bill and that’s all it is,” Olsen says. “…Something tells me that a business is not going to start in the state of Iowa or move to the state of Iowa because they can save $50.”

The bill cleared the House with 71 “yes” votes, but it must win approval from a committee in the Iowa Senate by Friday of next week, or the idea’s dead for the year.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

The Harlan Police Department reports the arrest of two people this past weekend.

On Saturday (March 3), 31-year-old Randy Stolz of Earling was cited for fifth degree theft when Casey’s Store personnel notified police that Stolz had had taken items he didn’t pay for from the store.  Stolz was cited and released.

On Sunday (March 4), 39-year-old Nathaniel Coles of Chicago, IL was arrested for trying to elude police after police observed him speeding.  Coles was taken into custody and transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, felony eluding, three counts of failure to obey a stop sign, speeding, and reckless driving.

Harlan Police also report that on Monday morning (March 6) St. Michael’s Catholic Church reported to police the church van was missing.  The van was recovered the following day by the Omaha Police Department.  The case remains under investigation.

Police in Lenox say one person was taken into custody early Wednesday morning on drug charges. Chief Jon Huggins says at around 1-a.m., officers were checking a residence on West Nebraska street for an individual wanted on an arrest warrant. While searching the home, offciers discovered a small  amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Huggins says 18-year old Anastasia Imsland, of Lenox, faces a Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. She was subsequently released on a citation to appear to court.

The Lenox Police Department says no one was injured when a Sharpsburg man struggled with authorities Thursday, as they were executing a search warrant. Police Chief Jon Huggins says at around 8:30-a.m., Lenox Police, along with deputies with the Adams, Taylor and Ringgold County Sheriffs offices, the Tri-County drug Task Force and the State Patrol, served a search warrant at 707 West Nebraska Street.

The warrant was the result of a drug investigation, and an attempt to locate a convicted sex offender believed living at that address, who was in violation of registration requirements. As Officers entered the residence a man identified as 31-year old Aric Alan Clayton, of Sharpsburg, fought with an officer and allegedly attempted to take the officers’ service weapon. During the struggle the weapon discharged, sending one round into a wall.

After a Taser was deployed, Clayton was taken into custody on felony charges of Interference with official acts, Assault on a Police Officer, and Disarming a Police Officer. He was transported to the Taylor County Jail and held on $20,000 bond.

Officials with MidAmerican Energy today (Thursday) announced they are distributing a total of $239,000 in grants to 97 cities and community organizations in Iowa, in support of the utilities’ “Trees Please! Program. The funds are distributed each year to promote energy efficiency and environmental beautification, through the planting of trees.

Each of the 97 communities has been awarded at least $1,000. Among them is: Avoca; Bedford; Carson; Defiance; Earlham; Glenwood; Hancock; Kimballton; Red Oak and Shelby. The City of Council Bluffs received a $20,000 grant from the “Trees Please!” program.

The grants are based entirely on the individual merits of the project, benefit to the community, and the ability to obtain matching funds. Each of the 97 communities were notified in December, 2011, that they would be receiving a grant, and the checks are in the process of being delivered.

(DES MOINES) – This week Rep. Jack Drake (R-Griswold) filed nomination petitions with the Secretary of State’s office to seek re-election to the Iowa House in the newly-formed district 21.  After redistricting, district 21 is comprised of portions of Cass County (including Atlantic and Griswold), portions of Pottawattamie County (including Walnut), and all of Adams and Union Counties.

Drake was born and raised in district 21 as he attended country school in rural Pottawattamie County and graduated from Atlantic High School.  After he attended the University of Iowa, Drake returned home to farm.

Jack and his wife, Shirley, have four children and eleven grandchildren.  The family attends the Griswold United Methodist Church where Jack has been very active as a Sunday school teacher, chair of the finance committee and chair of the endowment committee.

Rep. Drake has served as a leader in the Iowa House, particularly in the area of agriculture.  He is currently the Chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget subcommittee where he has worked to adequately fund the budget while keeping a watchful eye on taxpayer dollars.  He also serves on the Agriculture, Appropriations and State Government Committees.

Drake will continue his focus on job creation, limited government spending, and strengthening Iowa agriculture.

“Generations of Iowans have created the rich farming history that represents our great state.  We must do all that we can to continue that tradition as it passes down to new generations,” said Drake.  “I will continue to work to fund the priorities of Iowans while also protecting the hardworking taxpayers of Iowa.”

In his community, Drake currently serves on the Walnut Telephone Company Board of Directors.  Additionally, he is a member of:  the Corn Growers Association, Soybean Association, National Federation of Independent Businesses and the Farm Bureau.  He has served as the Past-President of both the East Pottawattamie County Extension Council and the East Pottawattamie County Farm Bureau.  He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Iowa Farm Bureau.

“Rep. Drake is a caucus leader and true public servant, one who listens and is respectful of the will of his constituents,” said House Speaker Kraig Paulsen.  “There is not a more dependable, honest legislator than Rep. Drake.”

A school bond issue that failed twice isn’t slowing down the efforts by the Riverside Community School District to come up with solutions to their aging facilities problems. Twice within the past year a bond issue placed before the voters seeking to consolidate the districts three buildings into one location, failed. Superintendent Jim Sutton says their school board decided to go back to the drawing board. He says both sides of the bond issue are trying to find ways to make patrons happy, and not divide community.

Sutton says the board is starting a committee to help the school district decide on the next step. He says they’re putting out suggestion boxes within the district’s communities. A committee will review the suggestions and report back to the school board. Sutton says the committee will not determine the next steps for the district, but will provide a summary of public input. Any resident of the Riverside School District can sign up for the committee. Sutton says the school district is trying to move quickly on finding volunteers.

He says you can simply call the Central Office at 712-484-2291 by no later than March 16^th , to have your name included on the committee. Sutton says the list of volunteers will be taken to the next Riverside School Board meeting for review and a committee of no more than a dozen will be selected.

(Courtesy Joel McCall/KNOD – Harlan)

Three Harlan residents were arrested on multiple charges Tuesday following a joint investigation into illegal drug activities. According to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, 47-year old Jon M. Rodacker, 57-year old Mark E. Olson, and 53-year old Joleen M. Olson each face Serious Misdemeanor charges of Violation of Restricted Purchases of Pseudoephedrine from a Pharmacy (Rodacker – 18 counts; Mark Olson – 9 counts; Joleen Olson – 3 counts.).

Rodacker also faces Felony charges which include: Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine; Possession of Anhydrous Ammonia and Pseudoephedrine as Precursors; and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. Additional charges include: Tampering with, possessing, and transporting anhydrous ammonia, 2-counts of Prohibited Acts and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Mark Olson faces additional charges of Possession of Meth and Drug Paraphernalia.

All three suspects were being held in the Shelby County Jail. Rodacker’s bond was set at $100,000. Mark Olson’s bond was set at $25,000, while the bond for Joleen Olson was set at $10,000.

Authorities say the trio were taken into custody after the deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and officials with the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement served search warrants on several locations in Harlan, and for one vehicle. The locations included: 809 4th Street; 1603 Cheyenne Avenue, and at a storage unit located on Industrial Parkway. An  investigation into the suspects’ alleged drug activities remains ongoing.

(8-a.m News)

w/ Ric Hanson

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