The latest report on state finances shows state tax collections are “slightly” running ahead of last year, by less than one percent. Jeff Robinson, senior fiscal analyst for the Legislative Services Agency. says “Net receipts for the month of October totalled $434.8 million, a modest $3.1 million and 0.7 percent increase compared to last October.”

Over the past four months, total tax payments to the state are up nearly, but not quite one percent. “This year’s positive drivers for revenue growth have been individual income tax withholding payments, up 5.2 percent, and sales tax, up 3.2 percent,” Robinson says. “Both indicate that the underlying Iowa economy continues to expand.”

However, income tax refunds have been higher than officials had expected, plus adjustments to corporate income taxes and franchise taxes have been “a drag” on overall tax collections, according to Robinson. The state’s fiscal year began July 1. State officials have projected net state tax revenue to increase by five-point-six percent over the previous year.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Small Town Poll will be mailed out soon and everyone who gets one in the mailbox is strongly encouraged to fill it out. David Peters, a sociology professor at Iowa State University, says the survey used to be conducted once a decade. Peters says, “Given what’s happened in the last 10 years with the recession and the slow recovery, we really needed to increase the frequency of how we surveyed Iowans in small towns to better understand how communities are making progress towards achieving their economic goals and their goals of maintaining their high quality of life in their communities.”

The polls are now going out every other year and Peters says that’s providing better benchmarks. “We’re doing it every two years to better understand how things are changing, hopefully for the better,” he says, “and also to communicate those results to state policy makers so they can make decisions at the statehouse that don’t negatively impact small towns in our state.” Peters says the topics in this year’s survey will focus on four areas.

“We ask a number of questions about how people view population change and the challenges that accompany that,” Peters says. “We’ll also be looking at asking Iowans how they’ve recovered both personally and how their communities have recovered from the last recession. We’ll also look at how people view crime and safety.”

The fourth topic will focus on water quality. The survey will be mailed to select recipients across Iowa in towns with populations ranging from 500 to ten-thousand. The surveys take 20 to 25 minutes to complete and respondents will be entered in a drawing to receive one of 30 gift cards worth $100 each. The results will be released next spring. Learn more at: www.soc.iastate.edu/smalltowns/poll/

(Radio Iowa)

(A-P) Police say a gun found by a search dog in a wooded area is believed to be weapon used in the fatal ambush shootings of 2 Iowa police officers. Des Moines police spokesman Sgt. Paul Parizek said today (Thursday) that the weapon was found a day earlier “where no person probably could have found it.” He declined to provide further details. Police say the suspect, Scott Greene, turned himself in just hours after the two officers were shot in separate attacks early Wednesday.

Greene is suspected of shooting to death Des Moines Police Sgt. Tony Beminio and Urbandale Police Officer Justin Martin. The men were killed just a few miles and minutes apart as they sat in their police cruisers early Wednesday morning.

Parizek said Greene was expected to be released from the hospital today (Thursday). He says investigators have yet to speak with Greene. Parizek said a motive remains unclear, but that investigators are looking at possible first-degree murder charges. No formal charges have been filed.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony this (Thursday) morning, for the City Park “Avenue of Flags.” The project was envisioned by Melanie and Darrin Petty, with the Trevor Frederickson Foundation.

Last April, the Cass County Board of Supervisors approved a request from the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund for flags and plaza area, in the County’s portion of the downtown, Atlantic City Park. The project also had the blessing of the City of Atlantic’s Parks and Rec Department, and Kiwanis Club.

Since approval was granted, the Atlantic Parks and Rec Dept. and members of the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund have installed eight, 16-foot flagpoles purchased from the Kiwanis Club. The flags are lit by solar lights installed on the flagpoles. A new, 3-foot by 58-foot sidewalk was also installed next to the current sidewalk on both sides, to act as a surface for the poles and plaza for memorial benches.

A total of six memorial concrete benches will be added to the plaza.

The memorial benches will be locked into the concrete, so they can’t be stolen. The benches will cost $700. (Update 11/4: two of the 3 remaining memorial benches have been purchase, 1 more remains available) The TFMF will pay for the shipping and locking mechanisms. If you would like to purchase a bench to honor a friend or loved one, contact Melanie Petty at 712-249-3696.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund took responsibility for all of the costs associated with the project, and have pledged to continue to maintain the flowerbed in the plaza area. To date, the Memorial Fund has contributed nearly $150,000 to the community in the form of projects and other donations. The funds are made possible through support from the annual T-Fred Memorial Golf Tournament, which was established by the classmates of Trevor Frederickson, who died in 2009, and originally was set-up to provide scholarships to Atlantic High School graduating seniors, and to have a bench placed at the Atlantic High School baseball field in his memory. Trevor was a 2006 graduate of the Atlantic High School, and a 2008 graduate of Southwestern Community College in Creston.

(A-P) An Iowa construction company says the man suspected of killing two Iowa police officers was hired last month but quit days later. Police say Scott Greene turned himself in just hours after the two officers were fatally shot in separate ambush attacks early Wednesday. Sara Nicklin, the office manager for Central Iowa Fencing in Ankeny, said Greene “was pretty desperate” to find work and told the company he had a teenage daughter to support.

Nicklin says Greene was hired even though he had no experience building fences. She says he was sent home on his third day “because he was not taking directions and wasn’t working,” and when told he could work on a different crew, “he chose not to show up.” Greene posted a cellphone video online last week indicating he was fired after reporting unsafe driving. Nicklin denies Greene was fired and says she hasn’t seen the video.

No formal charges have been filed yet against Greene, but he man remains hospitalized. Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek says Greene remained in a hospital Thursday morning for treatment of an existing medical condition.

Police in Council Bluffs report two out of four young people who left the Children’s Square shelter in Council Bluffs, Wednesday, have returned to the shelter. 11-year old Kyle Walding and 15-year old Jacob McBride returned voluntarily to the facility. 17-year old Adam Guttau-Ford and 16-year old Kimberly Billick are still missing. It’s believed all four left the facility voluntarily.

Kyle Walding

Kimberly Billick

Adam Guttau-Ford

Jacob McBride

If you have seen the missing juveniles, call 9-1-1 or the Council Bluffs Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 712-328-4728.

Plans for the 2016 Christmas in Atlantic events are set. Atlantic Chamber Director Ouida Hargens outlined the plans for the City Council during her 4^th Quarter Chamber report at the Council’s meeting Wednesday evening. Hargens said there are some new events scheduled to take place this year.

She says a Holiday Open House will be held November 12th beginning at 9-a.m. It’s a chance for you to explore what area businesses have to offer for the holiday season, get a jump start on holiday shopping, and more.  Several retail businesses will be use the opportunity for their Christmas Customer Appreciation. Hargens said also, the location of the Grand Lighting Ceremony has been changed to the Historic Rock Island Depot on the north end of Main Street, because [weather permitting], “Santa Claus will be landing in Atlantic in a Helicopter.”The Grand Lighting Ceremony is November 17th, beginning at 5-p.m., with free entertainment and hot dogs.

In addition, Hargens says a Holiday Skating Rink will be available during the Thanksgiving weekend only (Nov. 26th and 27th), from 11-a.m. to 7-p.m. on the 26th, and 11-a.m. to 3-p.m. on the 27th, in front of the Rock Island Depot. The skating rink is actually synthetic, but you will be able to use figure, ice or hockey skates to participate. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for kids 14 & under, and free for those age 2 and under. The Skating Rink, she said, is made possible thanks to T.S. Bank being a huge sponsor this year, for Christmas in Atlantic.

Hargens also announced Atlantic was featured in the latest Iowa Magazine in their “Small Town Holiday” edition. She says Atlantic was listed as one of the top ten destinations to celebrate Christmas. It’s the second year the City has been recognized in a statewide publication.

Other upcoming holiday events in Atlantic include:

• A Harvest Market Nov. 21^st from 3:30-to 7:30-pm at the Cass County Community Building.
• The Festival of Trees at the SS Peter & Paul Catholic Parish Center, Dec. 1^st through the 4^th.
• Fireworks and a lighted parade, 6-p.m. Dec. 3
• A Holiday Concert at the 1^st United Methodist Church on Dec. 4^th, beginning at 3-p.m.
• Carriage rides and Santa’s Cabin at the Atlantic City Park. And much more.

For more information, go to atlanticiowa.com or call 1-877-283-2124.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Atlantic City Administrator John Lund reported to the City Council Wednesday night the Iowa Department of Revenue has informed him of the property tax rollback figures, which will positively affect the City’s future budget. He says the rollback went up 1.2-percent, which is good for the City’s General Fund, Debt Service and Employee benefits fund.

The bad news is that means an increase in the local residential property taxes of 1.2-percent, assuming the tax levy stays the same. The change also means Commercial property taxes will be coming down. Mayor Dave Jones said “Like it or not, it’s going to even out somewhere down the road. They don’t cut taxes, they just shift them [the burden].”

The Mayor also reminded citizens of Atlantic that political signs cannot be placed in the City right-of-way, which essentially means they cannot be in the area between the sidewalk and the street. The same goes for those “Help Wanted” ads some have placed around the City.

Jones said also, he’s getting mad about illegal parking. He said that’s especially true where people are parking in handicapped spots with out a handicapped sticker, placard or license plate on their vehicle. He suggested if you see a vehicle which is apparently parked illegally, notify the Police Department.

He also was upset about speeding along 22^nd Street in Atlantic. He says it seems every three or four months he has to remind citizens to obey the speed limit on 22^nd Street. Persons caught will receive a ticket. Jones says slow down and use common sense.