(Radio Iowa) – Iowans are being reminded to steer clear of popups or emails that claim your computer or phone is infected with a virus. Lisa Schiller, a spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau, says her office is seeing more and more of these customer support scams lately.

“It’s something that works,” Schiller says. “It works for the con artist, and so they’ll continue to perpetuate that they are a person or a business that they are not in order to gain your money, your trust, your personal information.”

The bogus warnings about viruses may look very authentic, but Schiller says it’s all a ploy to gain access to your computer or phone. “They’re casting a wide net, is what they’re doing and reeling in whoever and whatever they can,” she says.

One new wrinkle is an increase in scams targeting Apple users. Scammers have a new tool that can be used to access Apple accounts through Safari, so iPhone and iPad users should also be vigilant for popups and unwanted apps.

Atlantic, IA — On March 19, 2025, the Cass Health Board of Trustees voted unanimously to reduce the hospital’s tax levy by $0.75, setting a new rate of $1.40 per $1,000 of taxable property valuation, down from the previous rate of $2.15.

“Lowering our tax rate is only possible because of the unwavering support we receive from our community,” said Kolton Hewlett, Chief Financial Officer at Cass Health. “Cass County residents consistently choose Cass Health for their care—whether it’s a routine check-up in the clinic, cancer treatment, or surgical procedure. By ‘shopping local’ for healthcare, they’re investing in their community hospital. In return, we’re proud to invest back in the community through new services, recruiting providers, and continuing to reduce our tax levy.”

Under Iowa Code Chapter 347A, county hospitals like Cass Health are authorized to levy taxes to fortify their annual budgets. However, local tax revenue represents a small fraction—just 2%—of Cass Health’s annual budget. The vast majority of funding comes from reimbursements through private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.

The Cass Health Board of Trustees has pursued a long-term strategy of gradually reducing the hospital’s tax levy over the past decade. In 2024, those efforts aligned with a pressing need to ensure the long-term stability of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Cass County. Designating EMS as an essential service was a necessary step to protect and strengthen emergency response in rural areas, where access to timely, high-quality care can be a matter of life and death.

“We understood that some residents were concerned about the potential financial impact of expanding EMS,” Hewlett said. “From the outset, our board and administrative leadership committed to growing and strengthening EMS without increasing the financial burden on local families. Now that the measure has passed, we’re proud to keep that promise by lowering the hospital’s tax levy and continuing our support for EMS expansion.”

This decision reflects Cass Health’s ongoing dedication to fiscal responsibility while still advancing critical healthcare initiatives. By making strategic investments and responding to community needs, Cass Health continues to strengthen its role as both a healthcare provider and a trusted community partner.

“The future is never certain, yet for now we’re confident that we’ve found a winning formula — provide excellent healthcare, be a good neighbor, and do what we can for the health of our community,” said Hewlett.

(Radio Iowa) – The top Republican in the Iowa House says state budget plans will weather the turbulence of President Trump’s latest round of tariffs, while Democrats say the legislature needs to react to the economic warning signs. House Speaker Pat Grassley says Republicans will continue to budget conservatively and he points to the six BILLION dollars the State of Iowa has in its Taxpayer Relief Fund, cash reserve and Economic Emergency Fund. “We’ve always talked about for unforeseen things, like potentially what the short term impacts of this may be, that’s why we’ve budgeted the way we have over the last several years,” Grassley said, “so I think we’re in a position to absorb any uncertainty that may come from that.”

Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner of Iowa City says there were warning bells in Iowa’s economy well before Trump’s tariffs were announced. “In 2024, Iowa was one of just two states where real GDP contracted and 47 states saw higher personal income growth than Iowa,” Weiner said. “…Washington and Trump are not helping Iowans with their extreme tariffs that are a tax on working Iowans.” House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst says the legislature must prepare for an economic downturn — and for starters cancel next year’s expansion of state-funded savings accounts for private school expenses. “We have to be realistic about the impact of the chaotic tariff policy that’s happening in Washington right now,” Konfrst said.

Senate President Amy Sinclair, a Republican from Allerton, says legislators need to be as conservative as possible when developing next year’s state budget because there’s no way of knowing how the tariffs may impact state tax revenues. “Far be it for me to speak for President Trump,” Sinclair said. “Of course, I think the legislature needs to be mindful in our budgeting and the work that we do…I think all Iowans to take care of what we know and what we don’t know and try and plan for those contingencies.” Sinclair says the state is likely to see an increase in sales taxes paid on vehicle purchases, because sticker prices are going up — but Sinclair says agriculture is the state’s dominant industry and commodity prices are down already as trade war fears grip the markets. “I think we need to cautious in our spending based on that,” Sinclair said. “I think we have to be as conservative as possible.”

House Speaker Pat Grassley (R-New Hartford) speaking at a news conference on April 3, 2025. (RI photo)

Speaker Grassley says Trump’s tariffs are likely — in the long term — lead to trade agreements that expand markets for Iowa farmers. “We grow a significant amount of corn obviously here in this state, but all across this country…We grow more product than we’re able to use right here at home and so we have to be able to have some good, strong trade partners,” Grassley said, “so we’re hopeful the long term impacts of that will outweigh any potential short term, potential bumps in the road.”

Late Thursday, Trump said he’s open to re-negotiating tariffs with countries that make what he considers a “phenomenal” counter offer.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) today (Friday) released the results of an investigation into circumstances surrounding Jacob Holmes, a former Page County Supervisor, and his three children, who were let into the Page County Courthouse by Auditor Cindy VanFosson, after ordinary business hours, on January 20th (2025).

After learning of former supervisor Holmes’ entry into the courthouse and auditor’s office, the Page County Board of Supervisors called for a special investigation to determine why Holmes was entering the courthouse, and what he was during there while absentee ballots were being collected for a special election for county auditor.

The DCI investigation found that Supervisor Holmes went to the auditor’s office to sign Board of Supervisor’s Minutes from the time period he was chair of the board of supervisors and that all election ballots, both unused and used, met the safety checks required by the Iowa Secretary of State.

The investigation concluded that there was no inappropriate handling of the special election process by the employees of the Page County Auditor’s Office or by former supervisor Holmes.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn says a new series of tariffs announced by President Trump sends wake-up signal to the world that the U-S is not going to be taken advantage of anymore.  “When we keep our barriers on entry into the U-S market low–so it means they can sell–but foreign partners and adversaries have steadily increased their tariffs over the last 20 years, really, and make it very difficult, bleeding money out of the United States and other economies, while none of that comes back in, and our products are not allowed to be sold overseas,” Nunn says. The stock market plunged to its lowest levels Thursday since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 following the implementation of the tariffs.

Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn (R-Bondurant) (official photo)

Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, says the market will work itself out. “We’ll see some challenges on the stock market,” he says. “but, I’ve always said, I’d rather have this battle today with countries like China–where I serve on the China Select Committee, and I’ve seen what they’re doing–have this battle today with them on trade, versus ten years now when they control all of the export markets.” Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is proposing a bill that would require Congress to approve new tariffs. Nunn supports similar legislation in the House. ” I think Senator Grassley has been around the block enough times. He knows what he’s talking about here when it comes to Congress’ role in looking at trade exports and doing their due diligence. So, for that matter, I’m fully in favor of oversight of tariffs,” Nunn says.

Countries like China and Canada have already announced retaliatory measures against the U-S tariffs.

(Radio Iowa) – An ambitious new bicycle trail is proposed for northwest Iowa that would span five counties, following the Highway 71 corridor. The Iowa Great Lakes Connection Five-County Trail would complete a bike trail from Spirit Lake to Carroll through Dickinson, Clay, Buena Vista, Sac, and Carroll counties. Group organizer Kathy Fueston says trail supporters met last month in Storm Lake for the first time since 2013.  “We had a great showing from all five counties,” Fueston says, “and certainly representation on how they saw their portion of the trail being built.” A new trail would run from Spencer to Lake View. The project would connect to existing trail systems on each end, including the Iowa Great Lakes Spine Trail to the north and the Sauk Rail Trail to the south. Smaller loops could connect other communities.

Fueston says the next section of the project will be from Dickinson to Clay counties. “That project should start this summer,” she says. “They’re hoping to go at least halfway, but they may make it all the way to Clay County, depending on funding. Sac County is currently working on a trail to Lake View. Those two sections are probably next, and then Sac City to Storm Lake, Storm Lake to Spencer will be the ones that we’ll really be working hard on to get the funding and figure out exactly how our trail route will go.” Fueston has been working on the project for 20 years and says the trail as currently proposed would stay along Highway 71 from Okoboji to Early. Group members feel the five counties working together could have more impact seeking grants and donations than if they were working separately.

Fueston says project representatives attended the Iowa Bicycle Coalition Expo in January. “We were trying to educate the Des Moines people on this trail, because when finished, we certainly know they’ll be headed north as much as we’ll be headed south,” Fueston says. “It’s a huge project, but we’re down to basically completing two and a half counties. So when you put it in that perspective, it seems manageable.”

The leaders of the group foresee the project eventually growing into a 220-mile paved trail from Okoboji to Des Moines, and potentially beyond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and Vision Atlantic report Cappel’s Ace Hardware, in Atlantic, has donated $25,000 to Vision Atlantic’s transformative project, which will bring a housing development, new childcare center, and YMCA expansion to Atlantic. Cappel’s owner Tim Cappel said “The Cappel family is happy to support the community that has supported us for the past 80+ years. We look forward to supporting more projects in Atlantic’s growing future.”

(Pictured left-to-right) Nick Hunt, Trent Cappel, Janet Cappel, Tim Cappel, Christina Bateman, Debbie Waterbury and Melissa Ihnen

Background:

Vision Atlantic, through extensive research and surveying of the community and surrounding region, identified three areas that will help increase Atlantic’s population: expanded childcare, quality housing and quality of life amenities. Construction of the 144 mixed unit housing development, 300 capacity child development center and expansion of the current YMCA facility is slated to begin late summer of 2025. Infrastructure work for the housing development and child development center is currently underway.

Vision Atlantic has a fundraising goal of $39 million, which will be used to construct the YMCA expansion and new child development center. To date, they have raised $23 million of that goal in 14 months, thanks to an $8.6 million lead grant from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation and significant support from local donors. In addition to their grant support, the Lakin Foundation has created a separate investment fund of $23 million that will be used to construct homes in the Camblin Hills Housing Development. The capital will be used as a line of credit, and as the dollars are paid back, the Foundation will donate up to 5% of the interest paid back to Vision Atlantic, who will use those dollars to operate the child development center.

Vision Atlantic’s Project Committee is actively working to secure the remaining $15.9 million needed to meet the $39 million fundraising goal. If you are interested in helping transform Atlantic, whether it’s through monetary donations or acts of volunteerism, please contact Vision Atlantic at visionatlanticiowa@gmail.com. Follow Vision Atlantic on Facebook for behind-the-scenes access to project updates or visit www.visionatlantic.org.

Vision Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to empower growth, enhance lives, and build a thriving community together through the economic development of Atlantic, Iowa.

(Creston,Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports two people were arrested early this (Friday) morning, on drug charges. Authorities say 51-year-old Shannon Renee Abell, of New Virginia, and 52-year-old Rusty Ray Turner, of Creston, were taken into custody at a residence in the 600 block of W. Adams Street.

Abell was arrested at around 12:25-a.m. for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana-1st offense, and for two-counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense. She was cited and released on a Promise to Appear in court. Turner was arrested at around 12:45-a.m. for Operating While Under the Influence/1st offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, two counts: PCS/3rd or subsequent offense, and on an outside warrant for a Probation Violation. He was being held without bond in the Union County Jail.

Late Thursday afternoon, Police in Creston arrested 68-year-old Jeffrey Lynn Bandow, of Creston, at his residence. Bandow was charged with Violation of Parole. He was being held without bond in the Union County Jail.