DES MOINES, IA – State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald and College Savings Iowa are celebrating “529 Day,” by hosting a $529 giveaway in each Iowa county. In addition, one grand prize winner will receive a $1,529 College Savings Iowa contribution that will be drawn from all entrants across the state. Fitzgerald says “529 Day helps spread awareness about the benefits of saving for future education expenses with a 529 plan. The 529 Day giveaway gives us the opportunity to reach Iowa families and spread the word about the College Savings Iowa 529 plan while giving 100 families a boost to their education savings.” Those interested in the giveaway can visit Iowa529Contest.com to read the official rules and register for their chance to win by May 31, 2021.

One of the major benefits of 529 plans is the tax incentives. While 529 Day is celebrated nationally on May 29, the tax advantages are there for Iowans year-round. “When saving for their loved ones with College Savings Iowa, participants can also save on their taxes,” Fitzgerald added. “Not only are earnings federally tax-deferred and Iowa state tax-free, but if College Savings Iowa participants are Iowa taxpayers, they can deduct up to $3,474 per beneficiary account from their 2021 state income taxes.”*

Other benefits of saving with College Savings Iowa include ease and flexibility to use the funds. A College Savings Iowa plan allows participants to pay for education expenses such as tuition, books, supplies, certain room and board costs and more. The funds can be used at any eligible college, university, community college, technical training school or apprenticeship program in the United States or abroad.**

Since Fitzgerald launched the plan in 1998, College Savings Iowa has grown to more than $6 billion in assets and over $3.4 billion has been used for education expenses. Those looking to learn more about College Savings Iowa can find great resources about the plan by visiting CollegeSavingsIowa.com or calling (888) 672-9116. Iowans can register for the giveaway at Iowa529Contest.com. For more information about future giveaways and events, find College Savings Iowa on Facebook and Twitter.

*Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.
**Earnings on nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

(Des Moines, IA) – The five state-operated Test Iowa drive-thru sites and the State Hygienic Lab will be closed on Monday, May 31, for the Memorial Day holiday. The sites include:

• Black Hawk County — 4121 Alexandra Drive, Waterloo
• Linn County — Windstar Lines, 5755 Willow Creek Drive SW, Cedar Rapids
• Polk County — 4475 NE 3rd Street, Des Moines
• Pottawattamie County — 3236 Nebraska Ave., Council Bluffs  
• Scott County — North Park Mall, 320 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport

All sites will reopen for testing as usual on Tuesday, June 1, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Individuals who wish to be tested at any site must first complete an online assessment at testiowa.com, and schedule an appointment. Locations and hours of operation for all test sites can be found at testiowa.com or coronavirus.iowa.gov.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa is joining a growing number of states making it legal to use robots for deliveries in areas where foot traffic is allowed, like sidewalks and crosswalks. They’re called P-D-Ds — personal delivery devices. Representative Rob Bacon of Slater says under the new law, the maximum speed for a delivery robot is no more than six miles an hour on a sidewalk or pedestrian area. “If there are no sidewalks, the little PDD can operate on the left side of the road,” Bacon says.

A type of PDD robot

A delivery robot will be allowed travel 20 miles an hour on a street — but may only operate on street with posted speed limits of 40 miles an hour or less. The delivery robots can be no more than 500 pounds — before any cargo is added — and the robots must be operated or supervised remotely by a live person. Representative Dave Williams of Waterloo says P-D-Ds are being tested in a handful of U.S. cities before delivery robots would see wider use. “I expect we’ll be back here perfecting this before that happens,” Williams says, “and I hope it happens in Bondurant before anywhere else.”

An Amazon fulfillment center opened in the Des Moines suburb late last year. Amazon’s six-wheeled robot is called Scout. The FedEx delivery robot is called Roxo (ROCKS-oh). The companies envision driving a truck load of personal delivery devices to an area and releasing the robots to travel the final segment of the delivery route. Iowa cities and counties will not be allowed to impose regulations on delivery robots that are stricter than the new state regulations. Governor Reynolds signed the bill this month and the law goes into effect July 1st.

The Creston Police Department reports two arrests and an incident of vandalism. Authorities say Thursday afternoon, 27-year-old Zakary Arthur Titus, of Creston, was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 cash-only bond. And, 43-year-old David Carlson Wallander, of Thayer, was arrested Thursday afternoon in Creston, for Driving While Suspended. He was taken to the Union County Jail and later posted a $300 bond.

Creston Police said also, a man residing in the 400 block of Livingston Avenue reported on May 21st, that multiple vehicles he owns, were vandalized. The front driver’s side window of a 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander was broken out, and scratches were made on the rear driver’s side quarter panel of a 2013 Nissan Titan. The total amount of damage was estimated at $1,000.