(Radio Iowa) – The monthly survey of supply managers and business leaders in Iowa and eight other Midwest states finds the economy’s numbers slipped slightly during March, compared to February. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says recession warning signals have been flashing for three straight months, but there are now also signs of slow growth — while inflation also continues climbing.

“What I think we’re in right now nationwide is what we call sometimes called a rolling recession,” Goss says. “In other words, recessions in construction, and in other areas like finance, real estate, and also in certain states that specialize in banking and finance.” On the zero-to-100 scale, a score of 50 is considered growth neutral, and the region’s economy fell from 56-point-one in February to 50-point-eight in March.

Iowa’s Business Conditions Index for March also fell, from February’s 53-point-two to 49-point-four in March, that’s below growth neutral. Supply managers across the nine states were asked about their outlook for the rest of the year, and the biggest challenges they see ahead.  “Four out of ten said supply chain disruptions. No surprise there since these are supply managers so they’re concerned about that,” Goss says. “Three out of ten said labor shortages, which was also not very surprising. Two out of ten said higher interest rates, and only one out of ten said higher inflation.”

Hiring rates for the region were relatively steady, in what Goss describes as a case of “labor hoarding.” “In other words, individual companies are just very reluctant to lay off workers, to fire workers, to get rid of workers,” Goss says. “They’re, in fact, hiring workers even in cases where they don’t really have that significant demand, just to guard themselves against an upturn in the economy and in their businesses.”

The report included a look back at last year for Iowa. The state’s top three exported manufactured goods for 2022 were: 1) Machinery at $4.0 billion, 2) Processed food at $3.9 billion, and 3) Chemicals at $3.0 billion.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill to crack down on Iowa businesses that sell products used to smoke meth and marijuana has cleared its first hurdle in the House. The bill was first introduced in the Iowa Senate three years ago. Leslie Carpenter, co-founder of Iowa Mental Health Advocacy, says it makes sense to regulate the sale of glass and metal pipes in businesses that are often near schools.

“They create these products to look very enticing and cool,” Carpenter says, “but sadly every so often they lead people, young people down the path of becoming addicted to really harmful substances that in some cases to lead to substance abuse and substance abuse disorders.”

The bill would require retailers to check the IDs of someone buying one of these devices, to make sure they’re 21 or older. And businesses would be barred from displaying the goods in an area where customers under the age of 21 could see or access them. “We’ve heard from drug task force members that this would be a helpful tool in preventing youth substance abuse,” says Dale Woolery, director of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy.

The bill does not apply to vaping products. It covers glass or metal devices that are used to inhale illegal drugs, including marijuana and crack cocaine. Permit fees to sell the devices and sales taxes charged on purchases would be deposited in a state fund to support specialty courts if the bill becomes law. The bill passed the Iowa Senate a month ago on a 47 to two vote. A Republican in the House who’s working on the bill is planning to propose changes in it, but can’t say whether there’s broad support for those changes or the bill itself.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on March 16, 2023, to 295 months in prison following his plea of guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. The investigation into Brandon Scott Holmes, 43, started in 2021 after law enforcement found evidence that an IP address linked to Holmes was receiving child pornography from a peer-to-peer program.

In October 2021, FBI executed a search warrant at Holmes’ residence. Forensic analysis of several seized devices identified thousands of images and videos of child pornography. Holmes also produced images and videos of child pornography. Holmes must serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report two recent arrests: At around 1:23-a.m. today (April 3). 45-year-old Andy Charles Andrews, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension ($300 bond). And, 53-year-old Troy Richard Rehfeldt, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for OWI/3rd offense, following an investigation into a property damage accident and fire.

Authorities say Rehfeldt was driving a 2004 Dodge westbound on Brothers Avenue at around 5:35-a.m., Sunday, when his vehicle entered the north ditch, what initially was described as “Reasons unknown.” The vehicle struck a guy wire connected to a power pole, causing the power line to come loose and fall to the ground. That caused a large field fire. Rehfeldt fled the scene but was later found “Crashed out,” in a ditch not far from the scene of the accident. He was subsequently arrested for OWI.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports Stuart Police arrested 36-year-old David Spencer Reeves, of Stuart, on March 26th. He was taken into custody in Stuart at around 9:15-p.m. on charges from incidents that occurred on Feb. 26th, March 24th and 26th. The charges include four-counts of Harassment in the 1st Degree, and two-counts of Domestic Abuse Assault-3rd or subsequent offense. Reeves was being held at the Adair County Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond.

On March 29th, 21-year-old Logan Wynn Gist, of Creston, was arrested following a traffic stop, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (THC Vape pipe). He was cited and released at the scene.  On March 31st, Adair Police arrested 47-year-old Erin Nicole Shaw, of Creston, at the I-80 eastbound rest area. Shaw was charged with Public Intoxication. She was released from the Adair County Jail the following day on her Own Recognizance.

Separately, Adair County Deputies arrested 35-year-old Lee Delmar Goll, of Stuart, March 31st, after he allegedly shot at a vehicle and threatened a female over the phone. A Deputy saw Goll leave the scene in a Chevy S-10 pickup, and conducted a traffic stop.  at 1380 Stuart Road. A .22-caliber rifle and open container of alcohol were observed in Goll’s vehicle on the passenger seat. An investigation showed bullet holes were found in a GMC Yukon, owned by Goll’s girlfriend, at the scene of the incident in the 1300 block of Stuart Road. Bullet casings from the .22 were found as well. Goll allegedly sent text messages threatening her life and those of two other adults and three children at the residence. He was charged with: six-counts of Harassment in the 1st Degree; Going Armed with Intent; Reckless Use of a Firearm – Damaging property; Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree; Driving Under Suspension, and Open Container – Driver, 21 & older.

Lee Goll was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond. On April 1st at around 2:50-a.m., Police in Greenfield arrested 26-year-old Carolina Ibarra-Aguirre, of Creston, for Disorderly Conduct – Loud/Raucous Noise. She was released several hours later on her Own Recognizance. And, 40-year-old Dustin Brian Benge, of Greenfield, was arrested at around 9:47-p.m. Saturday by the Iowa State Patrol. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop on Highway 92, and charged with Driving while Denied or Revoked. He had been denied for OWI Test Refusal. He was also given warnings for headlight and window violations, and expired registration. Benge was released a short time later on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the House and Senate have yet to agree on a property tax reduction plan as the 2023 Iowa legislature enters its 13th week. Senator Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council, is chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. He’s sponsored three different bills on the subject. “I believe something will get done this session…While we have different bills, we hit the same topics,” Dawson says. “The House is looking at debt, how cities put stuff on debt and we’re looking at assessments. We know that assessments are going to be an issue this year.”

Assessments are naturally going up because the sale prices of homes and farmland has gone up over the past few years, but lawmakers are discussing ways to limit how much city and county property tax collections may grow annually. Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver said “There’s nothing wrong with an assessment going up, it’s when that assessment results in higher property taxes,” Whitver says, “and so looking at that formula and the rollbacks and just making sure that cities are taxing only what they need to.”

One of Dawson’s proposals would consolidate most local government operations under one general property tax levy, getting rid of special levies. Dawson cites the example of civic center levies, which he says were built long ago and the ongoing operation of those facilities should be part of the general city or county budget. “That’s just one example of how we’ve siloed out all these operations, and we need people to be responsible for their overall budget in the end,” Dawson says, “and that’s the value, I think, of our proposal of consolidating these levies and giving locals more responsibility and more accountability in how they budget.”

Senator Pam Jochum of Dubuque is the top Democrat on the senate’s tax policy committee. Jochum says she’s optimistic Republicans and Democrats can find common ground on a property tax reduction plan.  “I would hope we can figure out how we can unravel a very complex tax system, because the property tax system is probably the most complicated of all the tax systems we have in Iowa, and really get our arms around how it works and making sure we aren’t shifting the tax burden onto somebody else.”

Jochum and Dawson made their comments this weekend on Iowa Press on Iowa P-B-S. House Republicans have introduced a bill that would lower the property tax levy for state school funding and have the state cover a larger share of local public school budgets. It also would require schools to use cash reserves or other sources to come up with 10 percent of a construction project’s cost before asking voters to approve a borrowing money for the project. House Speaker Pat Grassley says House and Senate Republicans are not close to agreeing on a common approach to property tax adjustments.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic will meet 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in their chambers at City Hall. First-off, they’ll act on two Orders: Engineering Agreements with Snyder and Associates, for the Soccer Field Project, and Splashpad Project. City Administrator John Lund says both have been endorsed by the Parks and Recreation Board. The Splashpad Project itself is not included in the City’s 10-year Capital Improvement Plan, and will be financed by fundraising.

Along that same line, the Council will discuss and act on a number of issues pertaining to the Fundraising Committee. City Auditors Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Co., P.C., have raised questions about the fundraising process, including those pertaining to checks and balances.

• Website Ownership: Who owns the (fundraising) website? Who is going to pay for the domain name? Will it come from donated funds? If the City owns the website, it cannot accept donations made through Venmo and PayPal. If SHIFT ATL owns the website, are there going to be fees associated with using either of the aforementioned payment methods? Who is going to absorb those fees?
• Fees charged for the service. The Auditors say the agreement needs to outline the fees that SHIFT will charge for the use of their services. If there is no charge, that needs to be stated as well.
• No cash withdrawals allowed from bank account.
• Checks drawn on the bank account shall only be made out to the City – No checks to vendors or individuals.
• Bank statements will be provided to the City Clerk/Treasurer, not the Park Board.
• The biggest concern of the Auditor’s according to John Lund, is that SHIFT is an unaudited organization. While they do have a CPA, they are still unaudited.

Lund said a number of the issues appear to be indirectly addressed in the agreement, while others may yet be addressed by the Fundraising Committee or SHIFT representatives, during Wednesday’s meeting. In other the Council will receive a presentation by John Lund on the FY 2024 Budget, 10-year Budget Projections, and 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Afterward, there will be a Public Hearing on the FY 24 Maximum Property Tax Dollars for certain levies, followed by action on approving a Resolution for the same. Lund says “Due to the extreme chaos of the implementation of the new Business Property Tax Credit/Commercial Rollback and the late adjustment of the residential rollback, the final property tax dollars for FY 24 is not yet known. That will be published in the paper prior to the levy vote.”

Here are the levies and property tax dollars for the FY 23 and expected levies FY 24, for comparison (Click on the image to make full-size):

The Council will act on Resolutions setting April 19, 2023, as the date for Adopting the FY 2024 Budget, and Proposed FY 2024 10-year CIP, followed by a the setting of a Public Hearing on setting the date for the sale of City-owned property at 1310 Chestnut. The Council has previously accepted a bid of $1 from Jay & Kelsi Eden, who intend to completely renovate and flip a home on the property. Other Council business includes setting Public Hearings on April 19th for dissolving the Community Promotion Commission and Cable TV Committee. And, the Council will hold the second reading of an Ordinance with regard to Mobile Food Vendors (Food trucks) being required to have a permit, purchased no less than 10-days in advance of an event they plan on attending, in order for Atlantic Police to complete a background check and so they City Clerk may prepare the necessary paperwork. The permit does not apply to “Brick-and-mortar” businesses within the corporate limits of Atlantic, and vendors that are catering private events not otherwise open to the public.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will act on several matters during their 9-a.m. meeting Tuesday, at the Courthouse in Atlantic. According to the agenda provided by Auditor Kathy Somers, that includes…

• Discuss/Approve Resolution 2023-06, Approval of Cass County Secondary Roads Five-Year Construction Program, FY 24-29
• Discuss/Approve Resolution 2023-07, Amendment to Cass County Five-Year Construction Program, FY23-28
• Presentation/Acceptance of the FY 2022 annual audit by Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Co. P.C.
• Approve tax sale of county-held certificate 2021-03. 445.16 Abatement or compromise of tax
• Discuss/Approve Resolution 2023-08, Approving Allocation of ARPA Funds to Temporarily Expand the Role of the Cass County Wellness Coordinator to Address Local Public Health Priorities and Assist in Long-Term Pandemic Recovery Efforts
• Discuss/Approve changes in employee benefits effective July 1, 2023:
  • Leave ISAC and elect a stand-alone health insurance plan with Wellmark, saving the county approximately $143,000 from the current premiums. The partial self-fund claims should be between $200,000 and $300,000.
  • Pay to keep the wellness program (approximately $20,000-$25,000), EAP program (approximately $4,000-$5,000) and Accident & Dismemberment Plan (approximately $10,000-$12,000).

The Board will receive reports from County Engineer Trent Wolken, and Cass County Community Services/Judicial Mental Health Director, Deb Schuler, and act on two township positions IF there is a candidate for either or both positions.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is renewing his call for the Biden administration to disclose all it knows about the high-altitude Chinese balloon that flew across the U-S in February. N-B-C is reporting today (Monday) that the spy balloon — which China claimed was a weather balloon blown off course — was able to gather intelligence from several U-S military sites and transmit it back to Beijing in real time.  “What the United States needs to do as a result of that balloon,” Grassley says, “we need to know everything that we know about that balloon and Congress needs a briefing on that.”

The report says the balloon managed to make multiple passes over some sites, including flying in a figure-eight, before a U-S fighter jet shot it down off the South Carolina coast. Grassley says there are already clear laws dictating how our airspace is not to be violated.

Grassley says, “The action that Congress needs to take in response to this, but several other things that China is doing, is to build up our military which is losing ground against China.” A total of four balloons were shot down during February, including two near Alaska and a third over Lake Huron. Grassley says America needs to show China and the world our strength and that we’ll defend our borders — and our allies.

“A strong military is the best tool of peace,” Grassley says, “to be prepared to ward off any actions that China may be taking in that part of the world that threaten countries that we have military alliances with.” At the urging of Congress, Grassley says the U-S is also pushing to pull manufacturing out of China and relocate it in the U-S.