(Clearfield, Iowa) – A fire at a large egg production plant in Taylor County over the weekend caused heavy damage to the facility, but there were no reports of injuries. The blaze at the 136,600-square foot Hen Haven egg plant in Clearfield, was reported at around 7:30-a.m. Saturday.

Law enforcement and at firefighters from at least six area departments and surrounding counties responded to the blaze at 1641 Yellowstone Avenue. Smoke that billowed from the facility was visible for miles.

To date, there’s been no word on what caused the fire, or a dollar amount of the loss. Additional information is expected to be released later this week.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Voters in the City of Atlantic will head to the polls for the second time this month, Tuesday (Tomorrow) to determine who will take the helm as Mayor in January. During the November 2nd City/School Elections, two candidates – Tim Teig and Grace Garrett – got the most votes, but didn’t reach that 50-percent-plus-one threshold. Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones did not run for re-election. Today (Monday) is the last day to vote absentee in the Cass County Auditor’s Office.

Teig received the most votes in the first election. He served as Mayor of Atlantic years ago. He also served on the city council in the 1980s. Grace Garrett was the second place finisher and will face Teig in the November 30 run-off. Garrett is currently an at-large member of Atlantic’s city council.

Tim Teig

Grace Garrett

Voting sites for this election will both be at the Cass County Community Center at 805 W 10th St. Atlantic 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Wards will use the main entrance; and Atlantic 4th and 5th Wards will use the south entrance. Polls will open at 7:00 A.M. and close at 8:00 P.M.

The results of the election will be posted on the kjan.com News page, as soon as they are final.

Grinnell, Iowa (KCCI) — A 13-year-old boy is facing an attempted murder charge following a stabbing on Saturday morning in Grinnell. Police officers received a call just before 8 a.m., leading them to respond to a home on Melrose Lane. A 43-year-old man was found inside the home injured by a stab wound to the abdomen. The man was taken to Unity Point Grinnell Regional Medical Center, where he’s expected to recover.

Grinnell police arrested the 13-year-old, who is at a juvenile detention center awaiting his initial court appearance. Police are still investigating the incident. If anyone knows anything, police are asking them to call (641) 236-2670. Authorities says it appears the attack was unprovoked.

JAMAICA, Iowa — In an update to our previous report, an Iowa family’s home was a total loss following a Thanksgiving night fire in Guthrie County. Pictures from Katelyn Renze’s Twitter account show massive flames in Jamaica, visible when crews arrived at the home on Second Avenue around 6:30 p.m.

The Jamaica Fire Department said it started in the garage and spread to the home. There were two people in the home at the time, but they managed to get out. There are no reported injuries.

Ten fire departments responded to the fire, most helped transport water since Jamaica doesn’t have a large water tower.

(Radio Iowa) – The state’s “Taxpayer Relief Fund” has grown from 74 million dollars two years ago to more than one BILLION dollars this fall — and the latest newsletter from Iowa House Republicans says there’s no valid reason that money should not be returned to taxpayers. There’s more than 800 million in two OTHER state funds designed to respond to emergencies and last spring, Democrats in the legislature called for spending some of THAT money on pandemic relief. Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley says the G-O-P approved a state budget that provided the highest amount of funding ever for broadband, with more money to K-through-12 schools and public safety — all while accumulating what amounts to a billion dollars extra.

“We continue to fund the priorities that we hear from Iowans, but also we hear from Iowans that if there is an overpayment — which I look at this as an overpayment — we need to figure out how we get that back in the hands of Iowans, so they can get that back in the economy,” Grassley says. The Taxpayer Relief Fund was created in 2019, so ALL state tax revenue that’s over and above the official projections set by a three-member state panel is deposited in the fund. Grassley says its exponential growth shows Iowa’s economy is resurgent.

“Our economy has really been strong here in this state,” Grassley says. “You go anywhere, people are hiring. People are buying.” Governor Reynolds and the Republican leader in the Iowa Senate have said their long-term goal is to eliminate the state income tax. Grassley, the top Republican in the House, agrees.  “I don’t think that there’s any elected Republican in our caucus that would say: ‘Oh, no we don’t want to work to get the state’s income tax as low as we can,'” Grassley says. “Obviously, the ultimate goal would be zero.”

Democratic leaders in the legislature say tax cuts should benefit working Iowans. In 2011, the legislature created a Taxpayer Trust Fund for up to 60 million dollars in unexpected state tax revenue every year. The fund originally provided state income tax credits, but was changed three years ago so ALL state tax collections that exceeded expectations have been deposited in the renamed Taxpayer Relief Fund.