(Radio Iowa) – A bill that would make it legal for all-terrain vehicles and off-road utility vehicles to travel on state and county highways appears to be on a fast track in the Iowa House. The legislation cleared initial review today (Tuesday) and is a priority for House State Government Committee chairman Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton. Kaufmann says A-T-Vs are allowed on the roads in 22 states, plus two-thirds of IOWA counties have local ordinances allowing A-T-Vs on local streets and roads.

“I want to make it clear that in every county that this has happened, the ensuing accidents and deaths and Armageddon’s that were predicted did not happen,” he says. Dan Kleen of the Iowa Off-Highway Vehicle Association says his group opposes the bill and believes county officials should decide which roads are safe for A-T-V traffic. “We think the numbers are low because it’s only been county roads, secondary roads — not on state highways,” he says. “You put a 35 mile per hour machine, no matter how big the roll bar or seat belt is with a 65 mile an hour semi coming up behind you, it’s not a good situation.”

Kaufmann says bicyclists and farm tractors are allowed on state highways and face greater danger than an A-T-V when a semi pops over the hill behind them. “I’m going to be in a lot more trouble on my John Deere 3010 and its lack of mobility and its lack of roll cage and the fact that my bare head will slam itself on the concrete,” Kaufmann says. Scott Minzenmeyer owns Recreational Motorsports in Anamosa, a business that services A-T-Vs. “We’re not asking to ride 20 miles down a state highway,” he says. “What we’re asking is to ride the most direct route from a county road or a city to get to another county road or a town.”

Steve Tebbe of the Jackson County A-T-V Club of Eastern Iowa says A-T-Vs are a growing form of recreation, but there’s one serious challenge.  “Getting fuel, food and other necessities in the towns and cities in the state of Iowa due to the fact that…many restaurants, convenience stores and other shops are on municipalities’ state highways,” he says. Bellevue Mayor Roger Michels says Highway 52 is the main north-south thoroughfare in his city, which means A-T-Vs have to drive out of their way to get into Bellevue.

“Opening this up would help for a lot of revenue for our businesses in town and everything else,” he says. Mark Maxwell, a representative of the Iowa Motorcycle Dealers Association, says the group is adamantly opposed to the bill. “These vehicles are not manufactured to be run on hard surface roads. They’re not. They don’t have highway tires on them. They don’t have anti-lock brakes,” he says. “They do not comply to the federal motor vehicle safety standards. That’s the facts.” Maxwell says county level decisions about where A-T-Vs may safely operate makes sense.

“As somebody who lives in Des Moines, I don’t want ATVs and UTVs on the streets of Des Moines,” Maxwell says. “I understand in the smaller communities it works well, and we have no problem with that, but one size does not fit all.” The bill is scheduled for debate in a House State Government Committee next week and Kaufmann says he aims to have it debated in the full House by the first week of February.

(Harlan, Iowa) – Officials with the Harlan Police Department report two arrests took place on Jan. 13th: 36-year-old Colin Joseph Clark, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Pottawattamie County warrant. And, 39-year-old Brent Michael Swisher, of Harlan, was arrested on an active warrant out of Shelby County, where he was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

And, authorities say no injuries were reported following a collision last Friday, in Harlan. A 2009 Dodge Journey driven by Debra Kraft, of Harlan, was traveling west on Chatburn Avenue, as a 2017 Ford Explorer driven by Madison Gubbels, of Defiance, was leaving the parking lot of the Fast Stop Express.

The SUV crossed Chatburn Avenue to enter Myrtue Medical Center’s parking lot, when it was struck by the Dodge on the passenger side rear door. No citations were issued. Both vehicles sustained functional damage.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley spoke on the floor of the Senate today (Tuesday) and turned arguments Democrats are making for a new federal voting law back against them. The Republican says Democrats say reform is needed after questions about the 2020 election — but says they were the first to raise the issue. “And in fact, the Democrat proposal was designed specifically to double down on false claims that Democrats lost certain races in 2018 only because of rigged elections,” Grassley says. He says evidence-free claims of voter suppression are as bad as evidence-free claims of voter fraud.

“If Democrats really wanted to preserve democratic norms, they would not be proposing the federal government overturning the current election process in all 50 states on a purely partisan basis with no attempt to even hear out Republicans’ legitimate concerns,” Grassley says. Grassley says President Trump won in 2016 with a record turnout and President Biden won in 2020 with a record turnout — and then Republicans did well with a big turnout in off-year elections in 2021.

“Democrats accuse Republicans of wanting to keep people from voting. Why would we when we have been very successful in many large turnout elections recently?, ” Grassley asked. And Grassley says with recent polls favoring Republicans — they wouldn’t want to restrict turnout. Grassley says it’s time to work together and stop casting doubt on elections.

“Let’s start by rejecting claims that the only way the other party can win is by rigging an election. Let’s retire the short-term strategy of falsely claiming that one of the two parties is a threat to democracy. That in and of itself is a very undemocratic position to take,” according to Grassley. Grassley says this kind of rhetoric damages civil society and erodes faith in our democracy.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) is seeking applicants for its Homeownership Assistance Program. The program is made possible by a $100,000 grant from the Iowa Finance Authority and administered by SWIPCO’s Southwest Iowa Housing Trust fund.

The Iowa Finance Authority provides grants and low-interest loans through several programs, many of which are available to southwest Iowans who wish to purchase a home but may otherwise struggle to obtain resources.

SWIPCO Grant Specialist Ann Anstey says the Homeownership Assistance Program is a little-known but valuable option for homebuyers. “This is a great program for folks who want to own a home of their own,” said Anstey. “A lot of times, people qualify but don’t even know the program’s there for them to use.”

Anstey said the program is available to individuals and families who earn up to 80% of the area median income where they live. The area median income is calculated each year in each city or municipality. Applications are approved subject to income eligibility and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Grants provide $4,000 at closing in the form of a five-year, fully forgivable loan provided the homeowner stays in the home for at least five years. The loan is forgiven in 20% increments each year. Additionally, homebuyers may qualify borrow up to $3,000 more at a favorable 1% interest rate to be paid back over a maximum of five years.

To apply, homebuyers must have a signed purchase agreement in effect and have a mortgage application in process with a lender. Applicants can request an application from ann.anstey@swipco.org or call SWIPCO at 712-243-4196.

• The City of Clarinda: Social Services Centers was awarded $600,000.
• In Bedford: Simmering-Cory, Inc. was awarded $224,994 for the EHI program
• In Casey: The Region 12 COG (Council of Governments) was awarded $252,000
• In Mount Ayr: Southern Iowa COG was awarded $254,000.
• In Redfield: The Region 12 COG was awarded $209,500.
• In Lenox: A water main replacement project was awarded $500,000.
• and in Stuart: A Water Systems Improvement project was awarded $500,000.