Federal tax returns are due by midnight tonight (Wednesday) and officials with the Internal Revenue Service expect more than 57-thousand Iowans will be requesting an extension this year. I-R-S spokesman Bill Brunson says you can go the antiquated route, using a paper form that needs to be postmarked before midnight, or speed up the process with a few clicks on the agency’s website.

Brunson says, “All you need to do is go to IRS.gov and click on the Free File icon where you can choose to request an extension automatically for an additional six months online at no charge.” You have until midnight to make the request, which will push your federal tax deadline back to October 15th. While it used to be a circus-like atmosphere on April 15th, with procrastinators rushing to the post office late at night, most of those offices now keep regular business hours on tax deadline day.

Brunson notes e-filing has all but eliminated that urgency and Iowa is one of the nation’s e-filing leaders. “The Internal Revenue Service expects more than 1.4-million returns for this reporting period and of that 1.4 million, 1.3-million are expected to be electronically filed,” Brunson says. “That’s a rate of 93% of Iowans who will choose to electronically file their tax return.”

E-filers also have until midnight to complete the tax task, which Brunson says is more accurate, since the program won’t let you make a math error. He touts another benefit. “Your electronic return is secure in the sense that, if you have a refund coming, you can choose to have it directly deposited in your savings or checking account, and that item won’t get lost or stolen like an old-fashioned paper check,” Brunson says. “You can expect to get a refund from the Internal Revenue Service in 21 days or less.”

E-filing saves the I-R-S a bundle. Processing a paper return costs three-dollars and 54-cents on average, while an e-filed return costs more like 18-cents.

(Radio Iowa)

A new survey shows Iowa voters are divided over the issue of legalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Peter Brown is assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. “Iowans are split right down the middle on the question of legalizing recreational use of marijuana, 47-percent of Iowans told Quinnipiac they favor legalization, while 47-percent oppose it,” Brown says.

Quinnipiac also surveyed voters in two other states on the same issue. Voters in Virginia support so-called recreational pot 54-41 percent, while Colorado voters still back their first-in-the-nation experiment 62-34 percent. In Iowa, Brown notes support for legalized recreational use of marijuana is much stronger among Democrats than Republicans. There’s also a large gap on the issue among age groups.

Support for personal use of marijuana is 62-32 percent among voters 18 to 34 years old, while voters 35 to 54 years old are divided 47-47 percent and voters over 55 years old are opposed 53-41 percent. Iowans, meanwhile, overwhelming favor the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.

The Quinnipiac poll shows 87-percent of the Iowans surveyed support the use of medical marijuana, while 11-percent are against its legalization. Last week, dozens of people took part in a rally at the statehouse and met with legislators to lobby for a new state law that would allow marijuana to be grown and dispensed in Iowa — as treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. The Quinnipiac University Poll was conducted between March 29 and April 7 and involved phone interviews with 948 Iowa voters.

(Radio Iowa)

ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – A 200-plus-pound St. Bernard won’t be seized from his owner, thanks to a vote by the Onawa City Council. The council voted 4-2 on Tuesday night to reverse a ruling by the police chief that Zhivago is dangerous. The giant pooch had gotten loose twice, but owner Billy Parker has said Zhivago is “a gentle giant” who poses no threat.

Council member LeRoy Habinck said at the meeting that if Zhivago were “going to bite somebody, he would have done it long before this.” Parker has installed a 6-foot-tall fence to keep the dog from escaping and roaming the neighborhood.

The council will be taking a look at city ordinances to clearly define what makes an animal “dangerous” or “vicious” and subject to city seizure.

Members of the CAM and Adair-Casey Boards of Education held discussions Tuesday evening at the High School in Anita, on a possible Whole Grade Sharing arrangement. CAM Superintendent Dr. Casey Berlau told KJAN News it was discussion only, no decisions were made. He said the matter of who Adair-Casey teams up with is in “Their court. What they expressed to us was that they want to get a decision made, but I don’t know that I heard and exact date when they’re expecting to do that.”

Adair-Casey School members met with the Guthrie Center School Board Monday evening, and are expected to meet with West Central Valley School Board members this (Wednesday) evening.

In other business, Berlau said the CAM School Board approved three resignations. They include: Rex Mehrhoff, Assistant Football & Assistant Wrestling Coach in the shared CAM/Atlantic wrestling program; Asst. Girls Basketball Coach Valerie McPheron, and 5th grade teacher Diane Casey.

The CAM Board also passed a Resolution approving the 2015-16 School Budget, for which the tax asking (levy) is relatively unchanged from last year, at $9.26 per thousand dollars taxable valuation, and, the approved a bid of about $19,000 from Glascock Floor out of Indianola, for work on the high school gym floor.

The Glenwood Police Dept. reports a Taylor County man was arrested Tuesday. 57-year old Kurt Wagaman, of New Market, was arrested for Public intoxication and interference with official acts. Wagaman was being held in the Mills County Jail on $600 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The office of U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley says he’s recommending a U.S. magistrate and a state district court judge to fill two openings on the federal bench in Iowa.

U.S. Magistrate Leonard Strand, of Sioux City, is being nominated to replace U.S. District Judge Mark Bennett for the Northern District of Iowa. State Judge Rebecca Ebinger, of Polk County, is being nominated to replace U.S. District Judge James Gritzner for the Southern District of Iowa.

Bennett and Gritzner are going on senior status.

Strand graduated from the University of Iowa law school and had a private practice before becoming a magistrate judge in 2012.

Ebinger, of Des Moines, has been a state judge since 2012. Ebinger has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in both of Iowa’s federal districts.

Atlantic Police arrested two people wanted on warrants, Tuesday. 45-year old Trena Vahle, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Criminal Trespass. And, 24-year old Damien Sopcich, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Willful Injury and Criminal Mischief. Both of the individuals were booked into the Cass County Jail and later released on bond.

And, the A-PD reports 29-year old Mallory Marsh, of Anita, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of 5th Degree Theft (Shoplifting). Marsh was booked into the Cass County Jail.

An educational program involving a mock collision will be held this (Wednesday) afternoon, at the CAM High School, in Anita. Judi Nelson, Coordinator of the Cass County “Every 15 Minutes” program, says the event is not open to the public, and residents are asked to avoid the area between 1-and 3-p.m., so as to not interfere with Emergency Vehicles. No Parking will be allowed in the area near the High School, in preparation for the event.

“Every 15 Minutes,” is a nationally recognized program that serves to educate, demonstrate, and personalize the consequences of impaired and distracted driving, the habits of which often begin in the teen years.

The program has been held three times in the Atlantic and Griswold School Districts, and was deemed a success by students, parents, teachers and members of the public who were involved in it.

In today’s scenario, a drunk driver, played by Trace Ticknor, loses control of his vehicle on a county road and rolled into the ditch. A passenger in the vehicle, 16-year old Mark Stender, will be “pronounced dead” at the scene. Another passenger, Tierney Sothman, will be flown to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, where she will also “die” from her injuries. Two other students actors who are passengers in the Ticknor vehicle will be treated at CCMH for their “Injuries.”

As events continue to unfold, Ticknor will be administered a “Field Sobriety” test and taken into custody before being transported to the Cass County Courthouse to await his “sentencing.” The “Living Dead,” including the actors involved in the crash, will be transported to the Courthouse to view the proceedings in front of Judge Susan Christensen, which includes a 25-year sentence on two counts of vehicular homicide.

There’s much more to the program, but again we remind you, that this is only an educational event, so if you hear on your scanner about an accident in Anita or drive by the High School and wonder what’s going on, it is NOT Real, but you should stay away from the area between 1- and 3-p.m., while the exercise is underway.

w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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