(Radio Iowa) – A University of Iowa study finds a significant number of homeowners who qualify for low-interest government loans to rebuild after a disaster choose not to apply, or they reject the loan after they’re approved. Finance Professor Cameron Ellis, in the U-I’s Tippie College of Business, says they’ve done extensive research on people’s post-disaster borrowing habits dating back nearly 20 years, and the loans are an excellent opportunity. “Oftentimes they’re lower than Treasury rates, the government can’t even borrow at these interest rates,” Ellis says. “And it’s not even just people who don’t apply. It’s people who do apply and go through the application process decline the loan after learning more about it. It’s very odd, because there’s not a private alternative that would even come close to being as good of a deal.”

The study looked at loan activity following every natural disaster between 2005 and 2018, including the 2008 Iowa floods, hurricanes like Katrina and Harvey, Superstorm Sandy, and numerous western wildfires. Ellis says some people just have an aversion to going into debt, especially when the federal government is involved. “Most people’s experience borrowing money from the government comes through student loans, which, student loans are famously survived through bankruptcy. You almost always will pay back your student loans unless you get a hardship exemption,” Ellis says. “These loans are not like that. People don’t realize that they’re just like a normal loan, like a mortgage you would get where, if you go bankrupt, it’s discharged. You’re not stuck with it forever.”

The administrator of the U-S Small Business Administration was in Iowa recently to visit the town of Greenfield, which was hit by a major tornado in May. Part of the trip was dedicated to educating people about the S-B-A’s loan programs to help businesses, homeowners and renters rebuild after a disaster. The U-I study found about 25-percent of people who qualified for such loans rejected them, or didn’t bother to apply. Ellis says some people get jumpy over interest rates, when they shouldn’t be. “When the interest rate goes up by, say, one percentage point, and the average interest rate in the program over our timeframe, going back to Katrina, is about two and a half percentage points. If it goes up by one percentage point, acceptance goes down by another 25%,” Ellis says. “Maybe it’s some debt aversion reasons why people would just decline at all. But it’s very odd that they’re so sensitive to interest rates, even though they’re a much better deal than you would get elsewhere.”

Ellis says more than one-million households -did- apply for loans during the period the U-I studied, and more than 12-billion dollars was dispersed to more than 285-thousand approved households. Ultimately, Ellis says fewer participants puts more financial pressure on homeowners, and slows the pace of disaster recovery for individuals and the community.

Norwalk, Iowa — Police in the central Iowa town of Norwalk say a man target shooting with a compound bow in his backyard missed a target and struck a moving vehicle last Thursday.

Officers responded to the intersection of Shady Lane Drive and East 27th Street just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday after receiving a call about an arrow shot into a vehicle. According to a news release, authorities report “On arrival, officers located a resident who was target shooting with a compound bow in his backyard,” according to a news release from police. “Further investigation revealed that the resident apparently shot an arrow that missed the target and struck the front windshield of a vehicle being driven on East 27th Street.”

Police said the “arrow pierced the windshield and came to rest on the dashboard.” No injuries were reported. The archer was cited with shooting a bow within city limits without a permit.

In the release, police reminded locals that permits are required “to lawfully shoot arrows, paintballs, slingshots, air rifles, BB guns or other dangerous instruments within the city.”

(Radio Iowa) –  Ruth Harkin — the wife of former U-S Senator Tom Harkin — has written a book titled “When My Husband Ran for President and Other Short Stories” and proceeds from book sales will go to the Harkin Institute at Drake University. Tom Harkin served for a decade in the U-S House and for 30 years in the U-S Senate, but Ruth Harkin won elected office in Iowa before he did. As Story County Attorney, Ruth Harkin was one of the first women in the country to be elected as a local prosecutor. She also ran a government agency that managed billions in investments in other countries and served on the board of directors for an international corporation.

“Each job that I had, I really found myself just by happenstance, the only female in the room,” Harkin told Radio Iowa. “And my goal, aside from doing my job, was to get more women to join me in the room.” Harkin said the best part of writing the book was laughing at the memories and she hopes that’s conveyed to readers. “Really to understand the fun and adventure I had in trying to get more women into responsible positions within the workforce,” Harkin said. “I just hope that people who read the book have as much fun as reading it as I did writing it.” Harkin, who served as deputy legal counsel for the U-S-D-A during the last two years of the Carter Administration, describes the initial push back she got from the U-S Secretary of Agriculture.

“Bob Bergland called me over and he said: ‘I don’t want you to work here with me at the Department of Agriculture because when I look at you, I see my wife, and my wife could never do this job,'” Harkin said. “I started work there with a little uneasiness, but I just did my job and finally one day Bob Bergland called me over and he said: ‘I was totally mistaken about you…and I’m really sorry that I misjudged you.” Harkin, who celebrated her 80th birthday last week, has a chapter in the book about the day she and Tom Harkin met. They were both in Tokyo, at a shrine during a once-a-year carnival. She was on R-and-R from her job, working for the Army, running a service club along the D-M-Z in Korea, and Harkin was on R-and-R leave from the Navy.

“As I was walking along I started eating cotton candy and suddenly some guy comes up to me and says: ‘Say, could I have a bite of that cotton candy?’ And I looked at him and I said: ‘Where are you from?’ because of his Midwestern accent,” Harkin said. “We were in the largest city in the world at the time — Toyko — and he was from Cumming, Iowa, a town of 150, and I was from Vesta, Minnesota, a town of 350.” The couple married in 1968. Her book — as noted in its title — provides her perspective to Tom Harkin’s 1992 presidential campaign — starting her account with their discussion about whether to run. “I really was not keen on this idea at all, then the highs and lows of doing a presidential campaign — always raising money, getting ready for all of these different venues and juggling home,” Harkin said. “…I was working full time.” She, however, uses the word poignant to describe the decision to end the campaign and Harkin shares those details in her book.

Harkin laughs when asked if her husband has the patience to follow her lead and write his own memoir. “I wish he did,” Harkin said. “I would love to have him write a book about some of the challenges and battles he had working in the House for 10 years and in the Senate for 30. especially working on his trademark legislation, the Americans with Disabilities Act,” she said. “He has great stories to tell, but I just don’t think he has the focus and patience to do it.”

A “book launch” event for Ruth Harkin’s collection of short stories will be held this Thursday, September 5th at the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center at Drake University.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak arrested a man at around 2:20-a.m. today (Monday), on felony and simple misdemeanor charges. Officers arrested 44-year-old Brian Wayne Price (no city of residence given), in the 1300 block of Miller Avenue. Price was charged with Operating While Intoxicated (OWI)/3rd offense (a Class D Felony), and Driving While(License) Suspended. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $5,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – A 67-year-old man from the small southern Iowa town of Promise City has pleaded guilty to robbing a bank about 45 miles away in Princeton, Missouri. Court records indicate Phillip Michael Blink admits he put on a cowboy hat, a trench coat and a red bandana to cover his face when he robbed in May of last year. He pointed a semi-automatic handgun at a teller, left with over 41-hundred dollars in cash and drove north in a pick-up truck. The bank manager took pictures of Blink and his truck and Blink was pulled over by a Knoxville police officer later that day — with his cowboy get up, the gun and the money in the vehicle. He faces a mandatory 30 years in prison on the armed robbery and gun charges.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Guthrie County are set to discuss and possibly act on a Resolution “Objecting to the Use of Eminent Domain by the Iowa Utilities Commission.” The subject will come-up as part of the Board’s regular weekly meeting that begins at 9-a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3^rd, in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Guthrie County Courthouse, in Guthrie Center.

Last week, the Board approved the DRAFT of a resolution objecting to the Iowa Utilities Commision’s authority to enact eminent domain authority within Guthrie County for privately owned and operated carbon dioxide pipelines. A copy of the Resolution can be found here: DRAFT Resolution 25-05 – Resolution Objecting to the Use of Eminent Domain by the Iowa Utilities Commission

The Board will also discuss an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Communications Plan, as part of a presentation from Wixted & Company. Other discuss and possible action, is with regard to a 175^th Anniversary Year Book.

The meeting will be held in-person, and electronically. More information is available here:

September 3, 2024

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County will meet 8:30-a.m. Tuesday, in their Red Oak Courthouse Board Room. On their agenda is approval of tax rebate requests for:

• The County Farm, in the amount of $4,938.
• City of Red Oak-owned property at 205 4th Avenue, in the amount of $188, and the rebate of property taxes acquired by Kimberly Lamb from the City of Red Oak, at 1210 N. 4th St., in the amount of $1,250.

The Board is also expected to act on a Tax Transfer from Rural Services Basic to Secondary Roads for FY 24/25, in the amount of $80,000, and from General Services Basic to Secondary Roads, in the amount of $1-million, for FY 24/25.

The meeting agenda and viewing options can be found here:

AGENDA 9-03-2024 Regular a

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Cass County will meet 9-a.m. Tuesday in the Board Room at the courthouse in Atlantic. On their agenda is action on approving an auditing firm contract with Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Co. P.C., for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.

They will also discuss and possibly act on a commercial lease for the premises located at 601 Walnut Street, Suite 1, in Atlantic, for the Fourth Judicial District/Dept. of Correctional Service. The matter was tabled during the Supervisor’s meeting on August 20th.

The Board will discuss and possibly act on a request from the Atlantic Public Library for ARPA funds to repair the roof of the Library. And, they will act on a recommendation from the Cass County Assessor’s Office to abate the taxes on 309 4th St. in Griswold, as well as authorizing Board Chair Steve Baier to sign a technical support agreement with ReNewGov.

In addition, the Cass County Supervisors, Tuesday morning, will act to appoint Jeals Brines, DO, and Jill Pollpeter, MD, as Medical Examiner Deputies, at the request of Cass County Medical Examiner Dr. Elaine Berry.

Agenda/meeting details can be found here: Agenda – 2024.09.03 – for Publication