Representatives of Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy coalition are traveling around the state this week, making their case for a three-eighths cent increase in Iowa’s sales tax to fund natural resources initiatives. Randy Munson of Ankeny is State Council Chairman for Ducks Unlimited.”We could generate anywhere from $150 million to $180 million that would be constitutionally protected,” Munson says. “That money, once it’s in the (trust fund), cannot go into the state’s general fund.”

In 2010, 63-percent of Iowa voters backed the creation of the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund. Six years later, the fund remains empty because it requires the three-eighths of a cent sales tax increase. A large chunk of the fund would support clean water initiatives, something Munson says farmers would welcome as they apply pieces of the state’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy. “Farmers want to participate in that program, but there is an added cost to that. Forty-percent of the funds allocated (to the trust fund) would go into cover crops and bumper strips to work on nutrient reduction,” Munson says.

On Wednesday, the coalition released a study that identifies over $673 million worth of “fully planned projects” that could be completed with money from a three-eighths penny sales tax increase. Munson says many of those projects would improve parks, hiking and biking trails, and other outdoor recreation areas statewide — and provide a boost to rural communities. “You look at the money being spent in restaurants, gas stations, and local stores…it’s an opportunity for small town Iowa to recapture tourism and strengthen economic development within their communities,” Munson said.

The Iowa Land and Water Legacy coalition held meetings on Wednesday in Mondamin and Cherokee. Meetings are scheduled for today (Thursday) in Le Mars (8am), Sioux City (9:30am), and Mason City (3pm) — and tomorrow (Friday) in Cedar Rapids (9:30am) and Davenport (3:30pm).

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report the arrest Wednesday evening, of 28-year old Cody Davis Sparks, of Villisca. Sparks was taken into custody for Driving While Revoked. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 cash bond.

The latest farmland survey by the Iowa State University Extension department showed a third straight year where land values dropped. Some people are worried the quarter-point increase in the interest rate announced Wednesday by the Federal Reserve could hurt land values even more. Economist Wendong Zhang conducts the I-S-U survey and says interest rates are an important part of land values. “Land value can be thought of simply as net income divided by interest rates. So when interest rates rise, land values tend to fall down,” Zhang says.

But Zhang says this increase shouldn’t have much impact. “What we are talking about will be a shift from an historically low environment to a low interest rate environment. So, it will have some impact, but probably not as much as some people are worried about,” He says.

The use of ethanol and its impact on corn prices led to an increase in farm land prices that saw them peak in 2013. But Zhang says the impact of ethanol on land prices is not as strong as it once was. “Comparing the current and future growth to what we experienced in the late 2000’s, the growth is much slower,” Zhang says. “Back in the 2000’s ethanol had been one of the primary factors in driving up the corn prices. I don’t think the factor is that strong (now) — at least compared to a few years ago.”

Zhang expects the drop in land prices to slow and eventually turn around, but he says it could take a few years.

(Radio Iowa)

A new survey ranks Iowa as the nation’s best state for drivers. The personal finance website Bankrate dot com says Iowa motorists pay, on average, just over $647 a year for auto insurance — the least expensive premiums of any state in the country. According to the survey, California is the worst state for drivers.

Car repairs in Iowa average $637 compared to $895 in California. Commutes in Iowa average only 19 minutes. Bankrate.com also based their rankings on gas prices, car thefts and deadly crashes.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Legislative Services Agency estimates Iowa faces a shortfall of about $132 million in its current budget. The estimate follows another panel’s forecast of $7.2 billion in revenue for the current budget year, down $96 million. The legislative agency tacked on an extra $22 million in additional Medicaid costs. A separate group previously determined the Medicaid shortage, which includes a decision by officials to pay about $33 million more to three insurance companies that oversee the program.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — A member of the Board of Regents says he would have preferred an outside audit into Iowa State University President Steven Leath’s potential misuse of school planes. Regent Subhash Sahai says he had the stomach flu Monday and missed a special board meeting to discuss an internal audit that detailed dozens of questionable personal flights by Leath. Sahai says an “external audit would have been much more helpful.”

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Linn County plans to enact a new higher minimum wage on Jan. 1, despite a request from one supervisor to delay the move until summer. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG says Supervisor Brent Oleson requested the delay until July 1 because he believes state lawmakers will throw out all county wage ordinances in the upcoming legislative session. Linn County supervisors voted in September to raise the $7.25 minimum wage by a dollar each Jan. 1 until 2019, when it will reach $10.25.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A Minnesota man has been sentenced to five years in prison for shooting at two Iowa sheriff’s deputies during a standoff. The Sioux City Journal says 46-year-old James Champion, of Mankato, Minnesota, was sentenced last week in Crawford County District Court. An investigation showed Champion fired a rifle at deputies on March 9. One deputy returned fire, hitting Champion twice.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A nonpartisan agency estimates Iowa faces a shortfall of about $132 million in its current budget. The Legislative Services Agency released the data Tuesday, one day after a panel lowered projections for how much money the state will collect during the budget year that began in July and ends in June 2017.

The panel estimated Iowa’s revenue intake at roughly $7.2 billion and decreased its budget projections by $96 million. The Legislative Services Agency tacked on an extra $22 million in additional Medicaid costs. A separate forecasting group previously determined the Medicaid shortage, which includes a decision by Gov. Terry Branstad and state officials to pay about $33 million more to three insurance companies that oversee the privatized health care program.

Citing athletic events and other scheduling conflicts, the Atlantic School Board Wednesday evening approved a recommendation by administrators and Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein, to move the date of the 2017 parent teacher conferences from the week of Feb. 13-to the 17^th, to February 28^th and March 2^nd. There will be no school, on March 3^rd.

In his report to the Board Wednesday night, Amstein said that last week, Superintendents with the Green Hills AEA (Area Education Agency) met with a handful of State legislators from southwest Iowa, and the legislators conveyed message of “Don’t be expecting much in the way of State Aid,” in 2017. One alluded to the possibility of a one- or two-percent increase. Amstein said “If that’s the case, that will be eight straight years.”

Nine years ago, he said there was a 10-percent across-the-board cut, which Amstein said the District never got back. He urged the Board to contact those legislators and express their concerns over the continued lack of funding. Amstein said the legislative track record of minimal funding increases “Is going to have an impact on school districts. It just comes down to numbers. The bottom line is that a District the size of Atlantic can weather that storm, but smaller school districts…they will not be able to weather that storm.

And, in an update on the search for a new superintendent, Board President Ali Bruckner said since the online application form went live last Thursday, they’ve had 20 applications submitted for review. On Feb. 13^th, a meeting will be held with all of the interview groups (10 students, 10 teachers and 10 community members), who will narrow down their list of questions for the candidates selected to be interviewed.

Afterward, that same day, the School Board will hold a work session to review the applicant videos and narrow down the selection. The Board will conduct 1^st round interviews Feb. 20^th and 22^nd, the groups will interview candidates Feb. 27^th & 28^th, and if needed, March 1st. The person selected will succeed Mike Amstein, who is retiring at the end of the current school year.

(Updated 8-a.m. 12/15 with decision that followed a closed session)

Members of the Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education, Wednesday evening, heard from local developer Don Sonntag, with regard to the potential for the old YMCA building near 14th and Olive to be used as a Technical/Trades facility. If the Board should eventually choose to accept the building as a gift from the current owners, the District would have to pick up the cost of repair and remodeling the structure to accommodate large machinery used in manufacturing and other industries.

Don Sonntag

Sonntag said of the 21 companies in this area he’s contacted about a potential trades program, nearly all were in support of the idea. Sonntag said there are companies who are willing to donate specialized machinery and other equipment, and even four employers who are willing to pay $10,000 each to help defray program costs.

He said employers are experiencing a shortage of qualified laborers in the technical and trades industries, and it’s his goal to see a trade program going in Atlantic to help bridge the gap, something that hasn’t been done in years. Once the program is up and running he said, other school districts could be invited to participate.

The areas of potential training include: Electrical; HVAC; Factory Machine Operation; Welding; Mechanics; Carpentry; Truck Training & Operation; Blue Print instruction and Mechanical. Sonntag said also, he wanted to dispel some rumors about his and businessman Bob Camblin’s reasons for wanting the school to have the old YMCA building. He said neither man has any interest, ownership or any connection,” to the building. He said also “We would not receive any commission or anything else for helping ’em do it [giving the building away]. The owners he said, are still considering demolition of the structure if it can’t be transferred to the District.

It’s been estimated the cost to repair, renovate and remodel the building would be around $500,000. It needs a new roof, a recommended geothermal system to replace the old and inadequate HVAC system, and mold removal, on top of a large door cut into the south wall to allow for the addition of equipment and machines. Sonntag said the bottom line is that the right instructors and right program have to be in place to make a technical/trades program work.

He was asked by Board Member Dr. Keith Swanson, why such a program shouldn’t be left to the community colleges. Sonntag said “When the community colleges were set up, Atlantic and this area were pretty much put on the ‘back burner’ by our community college (meaning Iowa Western Community College. He said Mahle for instance, is sending its employees to Clarinda for training, and “We’ve gotta do a better job than the other guy, or we’re gonna find ourselves going down hill.”

Swanson said it was the expense of the trades/technical programs that caused them to evaporate from the scene in the first place, and they are expensive to run. Superintendent Mike Amstein told KJAN News Thursday, that the Board decided during a closed session at the end of regular business, to look at all the options available to them, for expanding career tech programs, and to begin looking at all facilities to meet the growing needs of the program.

U-S Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel has announced that on Tuesday, December 13th, 23-year old Jonathan S. Featherstone, a resident of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey, to 33 months (Nearly 3-years) in prison followed by three years of supervised release for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Featherstone entered a guilty plea on July 14th, 2016, to the charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm as a result of his possession of a Walter P38 9mm pistol.  Featherstone was contacted on February 17th, 2016, by Council Bluffs Police Department officers following a traffic stop, where it was discovered Featherstone had a loaded 9mm pistol in his backpack. Featherstone had been convicted of a prior felony offense in July of 2015.

The investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A Minnesota man has been sentenced to five years in prison for shooting at Iowa sheriff’s deputies during a standoff. The Sioux City Journal says 46-year-old James Champion, of Mankato, Minnesota, was sentenced last week in Crawford County District Court. Champion pleaded guilty in November to a count of assault on a peace officer with intent to inflict serious injury. In exchange for his plea, more serious charges were dropped.

Crawford County sheriff’s deputies say Champion pointed a rifle at them and threatened to shoot after authorities went to check on him on March 9. Champion later opened a door and fired the rifle once. Lt. Corey Utech returned fire, hitting Champion twice in the torso.

Champion recovered from his injuries. An investigation found Utech’s actions were justified.