(Radio Iowa) – Two federal office buildings in Iowa are no longer on a list of facilities deemed not essential to government functions — and the list itself has vanished. On Tuesday, the General Services Administration issued a list of more than 400 properties owned by the federal government that could be sold. The Neal Smith Federal Building in Des Moines and the federal building in Iowa City were on the list.

National media organizations are reporting the number of buildings on the list began to dwindle and, on Wednesday, the agency removed the list from its website. An online message now says another list is coming soon as the agency identifies vacant or under-utilitized space.

Neither of Iowa’s U-S Senators have commented on the potential sale of the federal office building in Des Moines, where both Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst have offices.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Fresh on the heels of a major blizzard, and ahead of a second round of snow expected Thursday night into Friday, Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett, Wednesday evening, reminded residents and property owners during a regular City Council meeting, of their responsibility to remove snow from sidewalks and to move vehicles off the streets.

And, with regard to the removal of snow, ice and similar accumulations from city sidewalks….

She said vehicles need to be moved off the streets so the plows can clear them curb to curb, and emergency vehicles may pass safely.

Atlantic City Council meeting, March 5, 2025

In other business, City Administrator John Lund, Wednesday, addressed some inaccuracies in the property tax notice property owners will be receiving in the mail for this fiscal year, starting with the State-produced form.

He says this is a non-assessment year, so unless you made improvements to your property, like a garage, a deck, a shed or an addition to your home, your assessment will be the same as last year.

Lund said assessments will be going out at the end of this month.

For a home, the levy will go from $17.25 to $17.85/$1,000 assessed valuation.

John Lund said “It’s a little more complicated for a business.”

In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed a resolution to take “additional action” on a proposal with regard to a General Obligation Corporate Purpose Loan Agreement and Providing for the Levy of Taxes,” with regard to $4.2-million dollars in Series 2025B Bonds, for the purpose of street and other improvements (as previously reported).

They also passed a resolution allowing the City to pay its share of the per-capita Cass County Landfill fee of $12 per resident, for a total of $84,344/annually, payable in four equal installments over the course of the fiscal year. Basically, it’s a renewal of an agreement that’s been in-place for quite some time.

March 5, 2025 (DES MOINES, IA) — Today (Wednesday), the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) announced seven designated Main Street Iowa communities have reached new benchmarks in private investment in 2024, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to revitalization, economic growth and historic preservation. Included among the Main Street communities, is Manning, which achieved $10-million in new private benchmark achievements.

Since launching their respective Main Street Iowa programs, these communities have collectively attracted $100 million in private dollars for commercial district rehabilitation and property acquisition, contributing to the vibrancy and sustainability of those areas.

Benchmarks are preset dollar thresholds that are used as measurement standards for private investment in all Main Street Iowa districts. Benchmark levels vary based on a community’s population — small, midsize and large.

The seven communities and the amount of their new private investment benchmark achievements are:

• Albia, $2 million
• Colfax, $10 million
• Grundy Center, $3 million
• Manning, $10 million
• Marion, $50 million
• Monticello, $5 million
• Newton, $20 million

“Main Street Iowa communities continue to show incredible progress in preserving and enhancing their unique character,” said Debi Durham, director of the IEDA and Iowa Finance Authority. “These achievements reflect the power of collaboration, and the vision of community leaders who strive to create thriving, welcoming spaces for residents and visitors alike.”

Main Street Iowa recognized the cities during a spring workshop held today in Jefferson.

(Radio Iowa) – Refugee resettlement agencies in Iowa are nearly out of funding after the Trump administration stopped providing money to support new arrivals. The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants in Des Moines started the year with around 35 staff members. By Friday, six will remain. Wellness program manager Leslie Olson says they haven’t been paid by the federal government since November, including money for services not affected by an executive order to stop resettlement work. “We waited and we waited and we waited and organizations across the board have gotten kind of nervous about confronting anybody within the administration,” Olson says, “because the concern is, if I push this, then maybe that makes me a target.”

Olson says many on her staff are former refugees. She says they are concerned about what’s next for themselves and their clients. Lutheran Services of Iowa has not been reimbursed for any federal expenses since December. Nicholas Wuertz, LSI’s director of refugee services, says they’re waiting for one-and-a-half million dollars in reimbursements. “Homelessness and a lack of resources for these new families will be a reality in a few weeks, if the federal government does not fulfill its commitment to supporting the programs,” Wuertz says, “and it’s just sad because that does not have to be the outcome.”

Wuertz says Congress has already approved these funds. Without the money, LSI will continue to lay off employees.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has approved a bill to clarify that state and local governments must let the public know, in advance, when and where meetings will be held — and what will be discussed. Representative Brent Siegrist of Council Bluffs says it’s about making sure Iowa has the best open meetings, open records law.  “It simply says if a media outlet has requested the information, you have to provide it,” Siegrist said. “Number two, you have to provide a conspicuous place where you can post that agenda so anybody can see it at any time. If they have an internet site, then they need to post it on the internet site. If the agenda has been amended, you have to make an effort to make sure people who asked for the information know it’s been amended and if the meeting is cancelled, you need to post that as soon as humanly possible.”

A year ago, the legislature passed a different bill to increase the fines for Iowa officials who violate Iowa’s open meetings law and letting a judge remove officials who repeatedly violate the law. Governor Reynolds vetoed the measure. She said language added in the senate that changed the definition of a meeting was unnecessary and would cause confusion. The bill that cleared the House on a 94-to-one vote yesterday (Tuesday) does not mention penalties for violating Iowa’s sunshine law. It only clarifies the law’s requirements for meeting notices and agendas.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on arrests that took place over the past week.

Three people from Atlantic were arrested on drug charges Monday, March 3rd:

• 42-year-old Zachary Alan Frank was arrested for Driving while Barred, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Additionally, Frank was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant. Frank was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held on bond.
• 62-year-old Clayton Wade Schmitt was arrested on charges of Possession of Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Schmitt was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held on bond.
• And, 44-year-old Sonya Marie Mills was arrested March 3rd for Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession Marijuana 2nd, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Mills was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was later released on bond.

On Sunday, March 2nd, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 31-year-old Shayla Marie Stevens, of Atlantic, for OWI/1st Offense. Stevens was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and later released on her own recognizance. Last Saturday (March 1st), 39-year-old Albert Alexander Johnson, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. Johnson was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and later released on his own recognizance.

And, on February 24th, 43-year-old Christina Cleora Burnsworth, of Atlantic, was arrested on two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance. Burnsworth was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held on bond.

All criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – Webster County residents are the latest to respond to a 2021 state law that lets voters approve raising local property taxes to support ambulance services. The referendum passed with 83 percent support — exceeding the required 60 percent threshold. Webster County voters Tuesday approved making EMS an essential service for its residents. This means that there will be a dedicated tax of 75 cents per thousand dollars of taxable property value that will fund EMS annually throughout Webster County. It’s estimated that the tax will create $1.6 million for EMS service in the north central Iowa county. The levy will take effect on July 1st this year.

Emergency medical services were never funded at the city or county level in Iowa until passage of the 2021 law that lets voter-approved tax levies support ambulance services. With Tuesday’s vote in Webster County, there are voter-approved E-M-S levies in 21 Iowa counties.

(Radio Iowa) – Voters in a northeast Iowa city have defeated a plan to create a city-owned electric utility. Decorah residents have said no to a municipal electric utility. In Tuesday’s referendum, 53.6% of voters said they did not want the city to pursue the matter. It was the second time the City of Decorah put the issue up for a vote. In 2018, the proposal failed by just three votes. This time, the margin of defeat was larger — 182 votes. Decorah currently gets its electricity from Alliant Energy.

There are more than 750 municipal utlities in Iowa that provide electricity, gas, water and broadband service to city residents.

(Radio Iowa) – The winter operations administrator for the Iowa D-O-T has just two words for Iowans during this blizzard: “Stay home!” Craig Bargfrede says there are hundreds of big orange plows on the roads and they’re struggling to keep up with near-hurricane force winds and thick blankets of blowing, drifting snow. “Conditions are very dangerous, and visibility has been — and continues to be — probably the biggest concern and the biggest thing that we’ve been dealing with,” Bargfrede says. “People also don’t seem to be heeding the warnings of ‘stay at home’ and ‘travel not advised’ by both us and state patrol.” The D-O-T’s 5-1-1 website shows travel is not advised for much of western and central Iowa, and many roads in the region are considered impassible. Even sections of Interstate-80 have been closed this (Wednesday) morning due to multiple crashes. Conditions were terrible when it was dark, but even during the daytime, Bargfrede says being on the roads is exceptionally risky.

“The winds are so strong, 40, 50 even upwards of 60 mile-an-hour gusts and with the powdery, light snow that we have, visibility is just an issue out there,” Bargfrede says. “I’ve gotten reports back from several operators that they’re just having a hard time seeing where they’re at on the roadways.” Nearly every snowplow in the state’s fleet is on the highway for this storm. “Last time I looked, we were just over 600 plows out on the system, pretty much statewide,” he says. “We will continue to be out there throughout the day and probably into the nighttime hours, trying to get everything back to near-normal winter driving conditions.” Bargfrede implores all motorists to reconsider before starting their engines.

“It’s just a safety issue today,” Bargfrede says. “This is a pretty fast-moving storm, so if people can just be patient and postpone any travel today, I really believe conditions are going to improve rapidly once the system moves through the state.” Many ditches are littered with vehicles that have slid, spun out and gotten stuck. Hamilton County Sheriff Alex Pruismann (PREWS-man) says it’s a challenge to reach everyone who’s stranded. “The guys are trying. The road crews are trying,” Pruismann says. “From the DOT, from the county and state level. The Iowa State Patrol is out. Hamilton County deputies are out. Webster City PD is out. We are trying to get to you.”

Authorities say if you’ve gotten stuck, stay inside your vehicle and call for help. Don’t attempt to walk to safety.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans on two Iowa House subcommittees have advanced bills that would loosen restrictions on who can buy and carry handguns. One bill would strike three disqualifying conditions for carrying a gun from state law. As a result, it would allow people addicted to alcohol and people convicted of misdemeanor assault charges to carry a gun. Iowa Firearms Coalition lobbyist Richard Rogers says current law in this area is too subjective.  “There’s nothing in code about who gets to decide that the person is addicted to alcohol or on what basis they’re addicted to alcohol,” he said, “and so that’s quite subjective and problematic.”

Connie Ryan, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, testified against the bill. “When someone has violently another person, it shows a propensity to commit violence,” she said. “Allowing the person to then have a gun lacks common sense or commitment to public safety.”

A separate bill would lower the minimum age to buy and carry a handgun from 21 to 18.