DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state says Iowa’s unemployment rate remained steady at 2.9 percent in January. Iowa Workforce Development said in a news release Monday that the December rate of 2.9 percent was revised upward from the preliminary rate of 2.8 percent reported Jan. 23. Iowa’s unemployment rate compares to a 4.1 percent national rate. The department says Iowa gained 900 jobs in January, lifting total non-farm employment up to 1,583,500 jobs.

The number of Iowans without jobs decreased to 48,300 in January from 49,300 in December. The current estimate is 9,100 lower than in January 2017. The total number of working Iowans decreased to 1,625,300 in January — 300 lower than in December and 800 lower than a year ago.

In an update to our report last week with regard to the City of Atlantic’s Audit for the year ending June 30, 2017, the auditors (Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Co., P.C. CPA’s) said the City’s receipts for its governmental funds totaled slightly more than $7.92-million dollars. The receipts included

• $3.57-million in property tax,
• $100,547 in other city taxes.
• $953, 212 in Local Option Sales Tax (LOST),
• $109, 263 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) collections,
• $1.95-million from intergovernmental sources,
• $123, 545 from use of money and property.
• $67,957 from licenses and permits
• $369,368 from charges for services
• $2,000 from sale of assets
• $360,000 from debt proceeds
• and, $307,422 in miscellaneous revenues.

The City’s receipts for its proprietary funds totaled $1.876-million, of which $1.838-million was from charges for services. Disbursements for its governmental funds totaled $9.43-million, and included:

• $2.04-million for public safety
• $1.33-million for public works
• $13,220 for health and social services
• $896,860 for culture and recreation
• $409, 359 in community and economic development
• $654,726 in general government
• $2.56-million for capital projects
• and $1.54-million for debt service.

Disbursements of the City’s proprietary funds totaled $1.806-million, which was attributable to its business-type activities. As previously mentioned, the Auditor’s report contains recommendations to the City Council and other City officials. The City has responded that corrective action is being taken for each items. A copy of the Audit report is available for review at the Auditor of State’s office and the Atlantic City Administrator’s Office.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Dubuque authorities say a spike in counterfeit currency has led to an increase in felony forgery cases. The Dubuque County Attorney’s Office saw a 128 percent jump in felony forgery cases last year with 73 cases filed compared to 32 in 2016. Dubuque Police Department Lt. Joe Messerich tells the Telegraph Herald that officials identified a “significant spike in counterfeit cases,” particularly during last fall.

He says some forged bills are made locally, while another source is the “dark web.” It’s a part of the internet only accessible using specialized software which allows users to remain anonymous.
Messerich says they’ve seen a recent trend of person-to-person forgeries through services including Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. He says they’re working to educate the public on how to spot fake money and avoid scams.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police say officers have arrested a man who set a child’s bedroom aflame and threatened to kill a woman. Officers who were dispatched around 1 a.m. Monday noticed the smell of gasoline from outside the home. Sgt. Paul Parizek says they soon saw a man pouring gas around the bedroom upstairs and lit the child’s bed on fire before throwing the can at officers.

Parizek says the officers took him into custody and got him and everyone else outside as the flames spread. Firefighters arrived to put out the blaze. The man’s been identified as 38-year-old Antonio Starks. Court records say he’s been charged with arson, assault, domestic abuse and related crimes.

A bill that faces a House deadline this week would let authorities seize vehicles involved in a high-speed police chase. The bill cleared the Senate last week on a 41-to-nine vote. Senator Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs, says seizures would only be allowed if the chase involves speeds 25 miles an hour over posted limits. “Eluding is a serious crime,” Dawson says. “Elements to meet eluding are serious.”

Democratic Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids says it’s a “meanspirited” bill that allows seizure of property before someone has been convicted of a crime. “I thought we lived in a society where you were innocent until proven guilty,” Hogg says.  Hogg says under current law, a person has the right to apply to get a seized vehicle back unless the vehicle is needed as evidence in a criminal case. Another bill which passed the senate and is pending in a House committee would allow police to charge someone accused of a felony with ANOTHER felony if they borrowed or stole a car to commit the crime.

There’s a legislative deadline for action on policy proposals at the end of this week. Bills that deal with taxing and spending are eligible for debate at any time. However, bills that solely deal with policy issues must pass either the House or the Senate AND a committee in the opposite chamber by this Friday. Policy bills that fail to clear those hurdles by Friday are NOT eligible for consideration for the rest of the legislative session.

(Radio Iowa)

The Glenwood Police Department reports 38-year old Scott Reed, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday, for Domestic Abuse Assault. Reed’s cash only bond was set at $5,000.

Shelby County Emergency Management officials are asking fire stations and participating businesses in the County, to place their Local Fire Danger signs into the “Moderate” category. EMA Coordinator Bob Seivert says the forecast call for blue skies and a warming trend, which will increase the drying of vegetation and create a higher risk for controlled burns to become out of control.

Next update on the fire conditions will be Thursday March 15th.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a Cass County man was arrested at around 6-p.m. Friday for 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief. 37-year old Michael Allen Gaver, of Atlantic, was arrested after Deputies responded to 10 W. Main Street in Treynor, where a door was damaged on a piece of heavy construction equipment. The damage was estimated at $1,700. Gaver was being held in the Pott. County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

And, a woman from Council Bluffs was arrested late Friday night, for Driving While Barred. 35-year old Janet Nicole Huisman was arrested after a Deputy on Patrol ran her license plate and learned her driving status was barred.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday, in Greenfield. During their session, which begins at 9-a.m., the Board will canvass the results of last Tuesday’s Special Election pertaining to a bond for the courthouse elevator project. Of the 277 votes cast, 63.2% voted in favor of the increase. The measure needed at least 60% support to be enacted. Afterward, they’ll conduct regular business, which includes: a Manure Management Plan update, discussion on Township Clerk wages, Adair County Landfill financial statements, a FY 2017 Southern Iowa Trolley audit, and Tyler Technologies amendment.

The County Engineer will have some documents for the Board to sign, with regard to bridge//road culvert replacement projects, and he’ll discuss with the Board equipment purchases for FY 2019. The Board will enter into a closed session to discuss/act on the purchase of two parcels of land, and return to discuss further, the Courthouse Elevator Project/Bid.

Area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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