The USDA’s Director of Rural Development in Iowa will be in Audubon this Friday, September 23^rd, as part of a “Rural Issues Listening Post” session with community and economic development leaders, as well as the general public. Director Bill Menner will listen as local officials discuss issues and opportunities they encounter in their ongoing efforts to help keep rural Iowa vibrant and prosperous.

The conversation takes place 9-a.m. Friday, in the offices of the Audubon County Economic Development Corporation, at 800 Market Street, in Audubon.

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich says he’ll unveil a new, 21st century “Contract with America” next week during a speech in Iowa. Gingrich was the architect of the first “Contract with America” which helped Republicans win the U.S. House in 1994. It contained things like a call for term limits on members of congress and for a balanced budget amendment. During an appearance in Sioux City Tuesday, Gingrich hinted his new “contract” will include proposals to reduce the size of the federal budget.  “I would apply the model of cutting out giving money to crooks, which we think is probably $150 billion a year. I would be prepared to reform the entitlements,” Gingrich said in Sioux City. “If you return Medicaid back to the states, the estimate is you save $700 billion over a 10 year period.” Gingrich said. Gingrich touts so-called “supply-side” economics, arguing by cutting tax RATES the government will collect more in total taxes because more people will be working.

“I’m for more revenue by putting Americans back to work so they pay taxes, I’m for more revenue for American energy productions, so I’m for more revenue. I’m just against tax increases,” Gingrich said. Gingrich made his comments after a forum at Morningside College. Last night in Sioux City, Gingrich and his wife held a public screening of one of the documentaries they produced.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa campaign tour of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul didn’t make it to Council Bluffs as planned Tuesday, but a crowd of about 200 people at Iowa Western Community College heard his message anyway. The Texas representative was forced to give his speech by telephone, because of mechanical problems on his plane. He spoke instead from a room at the Des Moines airport while waiting for another plane that would connect him with other cities on his schedule.

The Omaha World-Herald reports Paul stated the problems with his plane are nothing compared to what the country faces.  He said “The problems we face are overwhelming,” and that he is “Convinced we have gotten into this mess by not obeying the Constitution and not living within our means.” Paul added that “Too much government spending has created a debt that future generations will have to bear. There’s one way to ease that debt.”  He said he’s for “Cutting overseas spending. Getting the troops home isn’t that difficult.”

Military spending would be reduced with troops back on American soil, and they would spend their money here — not in some foreign country, according to Paul, who said Americans also would have that pleasant psychological feeling knowing the troops are safe from the dangers of foreign wars.  While other GOP candidates may have similar views, Ron Paul said, they don’t have the “conviction” that he has.

A District Court Judge in Pottawattamie County has sentenced a Council Bluffs man to 30-years in prison for the shooting death of  another man following a verbal confrontation early last March. According to the Omaha World-Herald, 33-year old Christopher Hyde told 4th District Court Judge Timothy O’Grady that he was sorry for the shooting, and “Things got out of hand.”  His comments came after he pleaded guilty to three lesser charges in the case. He had faced first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of 44-year-old Robert Chapin III. Hyde said “Things got way out of hand,” and he wishes he’d have called the police. The judge convicted Hyde on three Class C felonies — willful injury, intimidation with a weapon and assault while participating in a felony. All three crimes carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Under the plea agreement, the sentences will run one after the other. And, because a weapon was used in the crimes, Hyde will have to serve five years on each charge — 15 years total — before being eligible for parole.

Council Bluffs police officers went to a home on Apache St. shortly before 11:30 the night of March 8th, after they received reports about a disturbance and a man down. When officers arrived at the house, Chapin was found dead in the kitchen. He had suffered two gunshot wounds, one to the head and one in the foot. Investigators said that before the shooting, Chapin was at the home with Hyde’s female roommate. At some point, Hyde and Chapin got into a verbal confrontation before Chapin was shot. Hyde was at the residence when officers arrived.

BOONE, Iowa (AP) — A woman convicted in the 2007 slaying of her husband wants her second trial moved out of Boone County. In April, the Iowa Court of Appeals overturned the conviction of Jessica Hill because hearsay evidence had been allowed at her trial.  On Monday, Hill’s lawyer argued that publicity would deny Hill a fair trial in Boone County. The judge is expected to issue a ruling soon. The argument about pretrial publicity also marked Hill’s request for a change of venue for her first trial, which was held in Pottawattamie County. Hill’s husband, Shane Hill, who was shot to death on the sheep farm where he worked in Boone County. Two other men, including Jessica Hill’s former boyfriend, also were convicted.

A State Patrol Trooper who served western and central Iowa for 24-years died early Tuesday evening as a result of a single vehicle car crash near Indianola.  The Iowa Department of Public Safety says

Trooper Mark Toney

43- year old Trooper Mark Toney was traveling northbound on US Highway 65, just south of Indianola. Witnesses indicate his emergency lights were activated. For unknown reasons the patrol car left the roadway and then landed in a field west of the highway.  Witnesses to the incident called 911 shortly before 4:40 PM.

Upon arrival at the scene, emergency responders found the patrol car fully engulfed in flames.  The fire was extinguished, and Trooper Toney was pronounced dead at the scene.  An autopsy will be conducted at the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny today (Wednesday).

Colonel Patrick J. Hoye offered his condolences, “My heart goes out to Trooper Toney’s family. In their time of sadness, they should know how much the State Patrol family grieves with them.  Trooper Toney gave his life in service to Iowans.”

The Iowa State Patrol continues to investigate Tuesday’s fatal car crash.

Southern Iowa Rural Water Association (SIRWA) officials have planned a meeting at the Lewis Community Center on Thursday September 22^nd beginning at 6:30 P.M. regarding the Southwest Cass County Rural Water Project.  SIRWA will be conducting the meeting to inform the rural residents of SW Cass County on the status of the project.  SIRWA officials spoke to the Cass County Board of Supervisors last March to get permission to utilize the area for a project to provide rural water to approximately 350 residents of SW Cass County.  Areas included in the proposed project are Pleasant, Noble, Cass, Bear Grove, Washington, Grove, Franklin, Lincoln, Union and Massena Townships.

The money for this project includes $1.8 million in loans, $5.4 million is grants and $108,000 of SIRWA’s money. Grant money is associated with the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). Total estimated project cost is $7.2 million dollars.

Anyone living in SW Cass County with an interest in connection to rural water is encouraged to attend the meeting. Back in May SIRWA began canvassing the area to determine interest in the project. To date only 20% of eligible customers have indicated an interest in connecting to the new service. In order to qualify for the ARRA funding 70% of potential customers need to consent to hooking up. Without the ARRA funding SIRWA will be unable to continue with the project and there is no contingency plan to provide rural water to the area in the future. SIRWA will determine if they will proceed with the project by Mid-October 2011. 

If anyone is unable to attend meeting, but would like more information concerning the project, please contact Max Crawford at 641-782-5744.

No injuries were reported following an accident in Atlantic Monday morning. Atlantic Police say following their investigation into a collision at 10^th and Plum Streets, Sandra Meis, of Lewis, was cited for failure to obey a stop or yield sign.

Officials say Meis was traveling north on Plum Street at around 10:30-a.m., and had stopped at the intersection with 10^th Street before proceeding into the intersection. Her vehicle collided at the intersection with the right front end of a vehicle driven by Evelyn Rechtenbach, of Atlantic, as Rechtenbach was traveling west on 10^th.

The accident caused a total of $2,300 damage.