(Radio Iowa) – The Creighton University survey showed good growth for Iowa and other states in the middle of the country — but there are concerns about what is ahead. Creighton economist Ernie Goss says he was surprised at the Business Condition Index for March — which is figured on a 100 point scale.

“It jumped to 71-point-three, and that’s the highest reading since July of 2021. It was up from last month’s reading, February’s reading of 64-point-zero, ” Goss says. “This was almost. I won’t call it a shocker — but I was surprised it was so strong,” Goss says. He says 50 represents growth neutral on the scale. Goss says Iowa and the other states in the survey region are doing better than the country as a whole.

“It’s much stronger, much stronger for the MidAmerican region than the U-S. And I attribute that to much higher agricultural commodity prices and the spillover into the other industries across the region,” according to Goss. “That’s why I think we are seeing a much better reading for the MidAmerican region.” Goss says there are ongoing concerns.

He says seven out of ten supply managers say supply chain disruptions are their biggest concern they face for the coming year, while two out of ten say rising interest rates are a concern. Goss does expect the Fed Reserve to raise interest rates again in May. Goss says there has been an expansion of businesses, but only Arkansas is back to employment levels before the pandemic. He says the economy is likely to slow.

“Inflation will remain very high, of course, we’ve now recorded this very strong inflation number for March. So this is going to remain with us for some time, the Consumer Price Index will be higher in the weeks and months ahead. Economic growth will slow and potentially move into negative territory.

Iowa’s individual Business Conditions Index for March rose to 75-point-six from 60-point-six in February. Over the past 12 months, the report says Iowa’s average hourly manufacturing wages expanded by three-point-seven percent — eighth highest among the nine states.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says his “no” vote on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court isn’t meant to send a message to other federal judges. “I judge district judges, circuit judges, supreme court judges on how I see they’re going to interpret the Constitution according to original intent,” Grassley says, “and to make sure they don’t add to or subtract from laws passed by congress.”

Grassley was among the Republicans in the Senate Judiciary Committee who voted against Jackson’s appointment to the nation’s highest court. Before his vote, Grassley said Jackson’s approach to criminal sentencing was too lenient. Grassley told Radio Iowa this (Tuesday) morning his “no” shouldn’t be interpreted by other federal judges as they considering sentencing criminals.

“It isn’t intended to any of a message,” Grassley says, “and I don’t think it should be read to send any message.” Grassley says it’s his view that Judge Jackson has misinterpreted a 2018 law called the First Step Act, which Grassley co-sponsored. It gives judges more options to impose sentences that are lower than the mandat­ory minimum penal­ties in federal law.

“I ought to know what we intended to do in that act,” Grassley says. “She took advantage of what she thought was a retroactive part of that legislation to give a lighter sentence to people and retroactivity is not included in the First Step Act.” The Democrats running for a chance to challenge Grassley’s bid for reelection this year are criticizing Grassley’s vote against Jackson.

Mike Franken, a retired Navy Admiral, says Jackson is more than qualified to be the next U.S. Supreme Court justice and Grassley’s no vote is shameful. Abby Finkenauer, a former Iowa congresswoman, says after 47 years in office, Grassley is more interested in toeing the party line than confirming a competent and qualified justice. Glenn Hurst, a doctor from Minden, says Grassley is refusing to vote for the most qualified person to ever be nominated to the Supreme Court.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports a man from Essex was arrested Tuesday (today) on two Page County warrants. 39-year-old Adam Blake Sandahl was taken into custody at his residence in Essex, on warrants for charges of Failure to Appear -Revocation Hearing, Violation of Probation, Sentencing charge of Driving while License is Barred.

Sandahl was transported to the Page County Jail where he posted the $4,000 bond and was released pending, further court proceedings prior to being booked into the jail.

A charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

(Lewis, Iowa) – Three people have been arrested in relation to the theft of a church bell from Lewis. According to the Cass County (Iowa) Sheriff’s Office those taken into custody include: 31-year-old Trenton Baier, from Lewis; 30-year-old Shialea Cozad, and 62-year-old Phillip Duncan, both of whom are from Omaha.

The trio are alleged to have stolen a nearly 400-pound church bell mounted on pedestals near the United Congregational Methodist Church in Lewis, late last month. All three were arrested for Theft in the 2nd Degree.  Cozad and Duncan were additionally charged with controlled substance violations.

Trenton Baier

Shialea Cozad

Phillip Duncan

Sheriff Darby McLaren says “through the investigation, deputies spoke with several citizens of the community and followed-up on many leads. Deputies executed multiple search warrants, interviewed numerous person(s) of interest, and completed the criminal investigation by making the three arrests.”

The Sheriff said also, “The investigation led deputies to areas of interest in Omaha and Council Bluffs. Unfortunately, during the course of the investigation, deputies received information that lead them to believe the bell had been destroyed.”

The Sheriff’s Department thanks the various agencies of the Iowa Dept. of Public Safety, Omaha and Council Bluffs Police Departments, Atlantic Police Dept. and the City of Lewis, for assistance during the investigation.