DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge has struck down a 2012 Iowa law that made it illegal to get a job at a livestock farm to conduct an animal cruelty undercover investigation. Judge James Gritzner in an order filed Wednesday sided with opponents of a law intended to stop organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals from doing animal abuse investigations at farms and puppy mills. The judge found the law violates the First Amendment’s right to free speech.

Several groups filed a lawsuit in October 2017 in U.S. District Court in Des Moines. Federal courts have struck down similar laws in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. Litigation is ongoing in North Carolina.
A spokesman for the Iowa attorney general’s office, which represented the state, says an appeal is under consideration.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Farmers already reeling from low prices and uncertainty amid the nation’s trade dispute with China are welcoming a decision to extend a deadline for federal aid because of the partial government shutdown. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Tuesday announced the Agriculture Department would extend a Jan. 15 deadline for farmers to apply for payments to offset losses they had incurred due to the trade dispute, which led to new tariffs that lessened demand and lowered crop prices. About $9.5 billion in direct payments have been set aside for growers of soybeans, corn, wheat and other commodities.

Many farmers already have received the first of two payments to offset some of their losses, but others haven’t been able to apply for aid because snow and rain delayed their harvest. Farmers can’t apply for federal payments until they can specify the size of their crop. It’s unclear how much of the federal money has been spent. Farmers can apply online for the aid, but Perdue noted they couldn’t complete the application because the USDA’s Farm Service Agency has been closed since Dec. 28.

Under Perdue’s new order, the application deadline will be extended by an equal number of days to the business days the government was partially closed. The shutdown also meant growers who had questions about the process couldn’t reach out to USDA employees. Perdue’s announcement was welcomed by Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a farmer who earlier had said he’d seek the federal aid.

The government shutdown comes as farmers were already enduring a fifth year of low prices even as the cost of land, fertilizer, chemicals and seed have remained high, leading to a drop in net income. As they make plans for this year’s crop, farmers have been left guessing about the market and other issues because the shutdown has forced the USDA to delay the release of crop reports providing key information about global demand.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer is warning residents of the City of Audubon to lock their vehicles and residences/buildings, following several reports of illegal entry.  Starmer said Wednesday that he has “Taken multiple reports today of citizens finding that their vehicles have been entered overnight, as well as a few buildings.”

The Chief adds, “When you see something suspicious, please call APD as it is happening,” so authorities can respond immediately. That would greatly increase the police departments’ chances of locating the person or persons responsible.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — An Ottumwa man accused of murder and attempted murder plans to claim self-defense at his trial. Wapello County District Court records say the attorney for 19-year-old Jacob Heckethorn filed notices last week, as required by Iowa law whenever self-defense will be claimed. Heckethorn has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in the Aug. 23 slaying of William Shettlesworth. He’s also pleaded not guilty to two counts of attempted murder. Police say he shot at but missed Dustin Greene on Aug. 23 in Ottumwa and shot Clifford Collett Sr. on Aug. 16 in Ottumwa.

The Severe Weather season may seem to be far-off, when we’re still in the grips of Winter, but the National Weather Service (NWS) is setting up programs to provide interested persons and those who need a refresher course, Storm Spotter Training. The Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency reports Storm Spotter Training will take place March 20th, from 7-until 9-p.m., in the Menlo Community Building (in Menlo). Instructors from the NWS will be on-hand to provide you with information on how to identify potential, and actual severe weather events.

Previously, we told you a Storm Spotter Course will be held 7-p.m. Feb. 25th, in the courtroom at the Cass County Courthouse, in Atlantic. All of the training sessions are open to the public. No appointments or reservations are needed.

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Deter Motor Company, in Atlantic, have announced the recipient of the 2018 ATHENA Award. Dr. Elaine Berry, provider at Cass County Health System, was recently presented with the prestigious award that is given to leaders, women and men, across the professional sector.

Dr. Elaine Berry. 2018 ATHENA Award recipient

The ATHENA Leadership Award, developed through a grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation, identifies eight distinct attributes that are reflective of women’s contributions to leadership: living authentically, learning constantly, advocating fiercely, acting courageously, fostering collaboration, building relationships, giving back and celebrating. These personal traits are more intuitive to women and combined with the strongest aspects of traditional leadership, prepare women to be successful leaders in the 21st century. Atlantic is one of the few communities in Iowa with an active ATHENA Leadership group, with 17 women currently making up the local group.

Pictured: Dr. Elaine Berry with past ATHENA Leadership Award Recipients Dolly Bergmann, Heather McKay, Kathie Hockenberry, Carole Schuler and Judy Marnin.

Dr. Berry, it was noted, has spent her entire professional career mentoring young people interested in the medical field. Whether it was a junior high, high school or college student, or someone who has already begun their medical training, she never misses an opportunity to encourage and teach. Most of her days off are spent at the health system, attending meetings, working to improve the EMR system, catching up on paperwork, checking patients’ test results and caring for patients who just can’t wait another day.

In addition to her formal mentoring, Dr. Berry has impacted young people, particularly young women she encounters every day. As a female physician who has successfully balanced a challenging, rewarding career while raising three children and being a supportive, involved farm wife, she sends the message that other women can achieve their dreams, too. In a society where young women are less likely than their male counterparts to pursue careers in the STEM fields, Dr. Elaine Berry sets a shining example of what is possible.

Over 7,000 recipients around the world have been honored with the ATHENA Leadership Award since the program launched in 1982. Nominees must meet each of the following three criteria:

• Demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession
• Provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community
• Actively assist women in achieving their full leadership potential

Locally, past winners include: LaVon Eblen, Judy Marnin, Leanne Pellett, Denise O’Brien, Margaret Slepsky, Glenda Farrier, Carole Schuler, Jan Kinnison, Janell Hansen, Ann Pross, Wendy Richter, Dolly Bergmann, Pat Markham, Lanette Plambeck, Kathie Hockenberry, Dr. Tressa Wilcox and Heather McKay.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce began partnering in 2001 with Deter Motor Company, to provide the community with the prestigious Athena Award.

Officials with the Page County Sheriff’s Office today (Wednesday), said a woman was arrested at around 11:30-a.m. Friday, following the theft of a vehicle. Jasmine Jade Wilcoxen, of Clarinda, was arrested on a Class-D felony Possession of Stolen Property charge, soon after the Page County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a suspicious person / vehicle parked in a residential drive, northwest of Clarinda. Personnel from the Sheriff’s Office arrived and made contact with a woman, later identified as Wilcoxson.

Jasmine Jade Wilcoxen

During the investigation, Wilcoxson said she had stolen the vehicle from an apartment complex in Clarinda, and was on the way to a residence in the Tabor area, but stopped at the residence where she and the vehicle were located. Wilcoxson and the resident of the driveway had never met before. Wilcoxson was taken into custody and transported to the Page County Jail where she being held on a $5,000 cash-only bond.

(Radio Iowa) — Republican Congressman Steve King will face a primary challenge if he seeks a 10th term in the U.S. House next year. Republican State Senator Randy Feenstra of Hull announced this (Wednesday) morning he will run for congress in the fourth congressional district. Feenstra, who called King “caustic” in a written statement, was first elected to the state senate a decade ago. Feenstra says the fourth district “doesn’t have a voice” in Washington right now because of King’s “sideshows and distractions.” The district has a significant Republican voter registration edge, but Democrat J.D. Scholten came within about 11-thousand votes of defeating King in November.

Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, who won the district by 18 points, said after the election that King has to decide whether he wants to be in congress or do something else. Last week, King announced he’d hold town hall meetings in each of the district’s 39 counties — a practice King had suspended after complaining “paid protesters” were disrupting his events. King has drawn rebukes from fellow Republicans over the years. A key House Republican publicly condemned King’s behavior in late October, saying it’s important to “stand up against white supremacy and hate.”

Feenstra has been the Sioux County Treasurer and the city administrator in Hull. He’s currently teaching at Dordt College in Sioux Center.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowans will start the process of filing their taxes in a few weeks and one expert says he’s seeing more significant changes in the tax code this season than in the past 40 years. Creighton University accounting professor Tom Purcell says one big change relates to home equity debt. Purcell says if you have a home equity line of credit, for example, you can’t write off the interest anymore. “The home equity debt rule has changed and you can no longer get the deduction for home equity,” Purcell says. That reduces the tax incentive for home ownership.

Other changes include raising the standard deduction and the amount of child tax credits, the suspension of personal exemptions, and changes to withholding amounts on employee pay. On the plus side, Purcell says some new taxpayers in Iowa will find they don’t need a C-P-A to complete their simplified returns. “Some entry-level people might just realize they can do this for themselves, it’s not that hard,” Purcell says. “You get a W-2, that’s all you’ve got, you’re not going to claim itemized deductions, you don’t have to worry about dependency exemptions and personal exemptions, you can be done in 20 minutes.”

He says entry-level taxpayers, and those who itemized in the past who will now claim the standard deduction in 2018, should self-prepare using an electronic filing service which can be free through the IRS. Many other Iowans may be in for a surprise if, due to changes in federal withholding, they haven’t withheld enough. “It’s very possible that some people will be under-withheld, which means when they file their tax return, they might have to write a check to the IRS,” he says.

A federal report estimates 30-million Americans aren’t withholding enough money from their paychecks and will owe the IRS money when they file for 2018 this year. For Iowans who find they aren’t withholding enough, Purcell recommends they revise their W-4 forms with their employers.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A March trial has been scheduled for an Illinois resident accused of killing a man in southeast Iowa. Des Moines County court records say 29-year-old Antoine Spann, of Dalton, Illinois, was scheduled to go on trial Tuesday, but a judge granted him a delay . The new starting date is March 12. He’s pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony for the death of 26-year-old Demarcus “Peanut” Chew. Chew was shot to death Sept. 10, 2017, in a car outside the home of his mother in Burlington.