Statehouse Republicans are railing at Democrats, but not Republican Governor Terry Branstad, over a tax issue. Republicans in the legislature want state tax law to mimic a federal tax break for depreciation of equipment in small businesses. Senator Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, says the thousands of Iowa small business owners, including farmers, could claim as much as 95 million dollars if this federal tax break were made available at the state level and he’s blasting Democrats for failing to endorse it.

“This is shameful,” Feenstra says. “In a time they need it most, more than any time, they don’t want to give these deductions and tax credits to our job creators.” Republican Governor Terry Branstad did not include this tax break in the financial plan he submitted to legislators in January. Branstad told reporters the state couldn’t afford it. House Speaker Linda Upmeyer of Clear Lake says she and other Republicans in the legislature believe they can make room for this tax cut in their budget plan.

“That’s why we’re working on it,” Upmeyer says. “We’re showing him a path.” The tax break Republicans propose would apply to the income tax returns Iowa small business owners are filing right now, for tax year 2015. Iowa small businesses didn’t get this tax break in 2014 either. The legislature did not adopt the “bonus depreciation” congress granted small businesses on assets acquired during 2014.

(Radio Iowa)

The entire state’s under a wind advisory today (Friday) and strong gusts are causing traffic troubles in northwest Iowa. On Highway 75, just south of Merrill, a semi truck and trailer has overturned, partially blocking the northbound traffic. Authorities are detouring northbound traffic on Highway 75, until such time they can get the truck back upright. A second truck and trailer apparently tried to pull off the roadway on to the shoulder, when the rig had jack-knifed. Authorities are working on both situations.

Meteorologist Todd Heitkemp at the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, says winds are approaching hurricane strength. “We’ve had gusts reported all across the upper Midwest that exceeded 40, 45 and even 50 miles an hour,” Heitkep says. “The latest, strongest wind gusts, we’ve had over 70 miles an hour in Mitchell.” The winds are blowing in much warmer weather. Most of Iowa will see high temperatures this afternoon in the 50s and 60s. Shenandoah had 73 on Thursday for the state’s hot spot.

(Radio Iowa)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Dallas company has canceled plans to build a nearly $31 million rail car maintenance facility in Sioux City. The Sioux City Journal reports that TrinityRail officials confirmed the bad news to city officials earlier this month. When TrinityRail announced the Sioux City expansion in October 2014, a surge in tanker cars transporting crude oil and ethanol had raised demand for the company’s services. But demand for tankers has dropped sharply as global prices for crude oil collapsed.

The 150,000-square-foot facility was supposed to create 250 new jobs including 160 that would pay $16.63 an hour. That’s why state officials approved tax credits for the project. TrinityRail is a subsidiary of Trinity Industries, a Dallas-based conglomerate.

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

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An investigation into an incident at a bar in Fremont County Thursday night resulted in the arrest of a man from Illinois. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to The Wilds Bar in Bartlett at around 9:45-p.m., for a possible fight in progress. 29-year old Austin M. Achenbach, of Geneseo, IL, was subsequently taken into custody for Domestic Abuse/Assault. Achenbach was being held without bond in the Fremont County Jail, while awaiting an appearance before the magistrate.

And, Fremont County Deputies responded to a call in Sidney about an incident of criminal mischief in progress, Thursday. After they arrived in the 200 block of Cass Street and spoke with 31-year old Adam Matson, of Sidney, Deputies places him under arrest. During his arrest, Matson allegedly assaulted a deputy. He was charged with Assault on a Peace Officer, and Interference with Official Acts.

Matson was being held in the Fremont County Jail on a $2,300 cash bond.

Police in Red Oak, Thursday afternoon made an arrest following an investigation into a reported Domestic Assault. Officers called to the vicinity of N. 6th and Maple Streets at around 4:45-p.m., found a couple verbally fighting in the 400 block  of E. Maple. After speaking with a male subject, the man – identified as 52-year old Robert Wade Abraham, of Red Oak – was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault/2nd offense. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and was being held without bond, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

Iowa has more “structurally deficient” bridges than any other state in the country, according to a report released Thursday by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. Scott Neubauer, bridge maintenance and inspection engineer with the Iowa Department of Transportation, is quick to point out that a majority of the Iowa bridges in question are on low-volume, rural roads.

“Ninety-percent of those deficient bridges have less than 500 vehicles a day traveling on them and 65-percent of them have less than 50 vehicles a day,” Neubauer says. “So, they’re structures that are basically serving the needs that they have.” Iowa has over 24,000 bridges and the reports claims 5,025 are structurally deficient. Neubauer says that designation, created by the Federal Highway Administration, does not necessarily mean the bridge is unsafe.

Photo of a structurally deficient bridge, submitted to Radio Iowa by Neubauer. “It is very difficult to see what makes this bridge deficient,” Neubauer said. “This is typical of most deficient bridges. The deck or driving surface is the element that is causing the deficiency.”

“So, it in no way implies that there’s any serious issue going on with the bridge necessarily that needs immediate attention,” Neubauer says. Most of the old bridges in Iowa deemed structurally deficient have weight restrictions posted. Neubauer says county engineers typically choose to focus their limited resources on the structures that carry the heavy trucks and traffic volume.

“Out in rural Iowa, on gravel roads, people need to get to town in their cars and pickups and a lot of these bridges — that’s the only traffic they see and they’re perfectly fine to handle that type of traffic,” Neubauer says. While Iowa has the highest NUMBER of deficient bridges, Rhode Island has the largest PERCENTAGE of bridges labeled structurally deficient. The report shows 23.2-percent of the bridges in Rhode Island are deficient, Pennsylvania is next at 21-percent, and Iowa is third on the list at 20.7-percent.

(Radio Iowa)

The Omaha police officer and native Iowan who was fatally shot last year will be honored this spring along with other law officers who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer says he’s been asked repeatedly how the department will be remembering Officer Kerrie Orozco, who lived in Council Bluffs.

“We decided on two things,” Chief Schmaderer says. “The first thing we wanted was to make sure the public could be involved. What we did not want was a one-time event and if you missed the event, you missed your opportunity to be involved. We want something everybody can participate in. The second area we wanted to explore was the opportunity for us to honor all of our fallen officers.”

The plan is to create a public art installation called, “Horses of Honor – Omaha.” The chief explains the features of the memorial. “Eight life-sized statues of mounted patrol horses and also a canine statute to commemorate Kobus who died recently,” Schmaderer says. “Seven of the horses will be displayed in prominent locations throughout Omaha’s Turner Park. An eighth horse is planned for the Omaha police headquarters. Each horse will be designed by an artist and named for a fallen Omaha police officer.”

The display is scheduled to be unveiled on May 20th, exactly one year after Orozco was killed. “The statues will remain on display for about one year,” the chief says. “After a year’s time the horses will be auctioned. All of their proceeds will benefit the Omaha Police Foundation.” The 29-year-old Orozco was a Walnut, Iowa, native. She was shot to death while serving an arrest warrant. The suspect was also killed. Orozco left behind a husband, two stepchildren and a newborn daughter. That girl, Olivia, was born several months premature last February and was due to come home from the hospital the day after Orozco was killed.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Rock Island, Illinois company that manufactures body armor for police officers and foreign government allies of the United States is proposing to move its factory to Centerville, Iowa. RMA Armament is set to ask the Iowa Economic Development Authority for high-quality job tax incentives for a $680,000 project to remodel the former National Guard Armory. The economic development board meets Friday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new survey suggests there’s been a little improvement in some bankers’ views of the rural economy in Iowa, Nebraska and other Midwest states. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the monthly survey from Omaha. He says it’s the sixth straight month that the index has registered below growth neutral.

ELLSWORTH, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man has died after falling from a cellphone tower near Ellsworth in Hamilton County. KCRG-TV reports 28-year-old Stefan Watermann of Anamosa fell to his death while working at a construction site just before 5 p.m. Wednesday.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — An Iowa man has been sentenced to nearly 12 years in federal prison for assaulting and injuring a corrections officer in southern Arizona. Federal prosecutors say 41-year-old Howard Sawyer of Iowa City received a 139-month prison term Thursday in U.S. District Court in Tucson.