Officials with the Creston Police Department said today (Monday), a man residing in the 1200 block of N. Sycamore Street reported Saturday, that a .357 revolver was stolen from his home sometime between Dec. 20th and Jan.1st. The gun was valued at $600.

And, there were two arrests over the past few days, in Creston. Steven Christopher Lamer, of Creston, was arrested Friday on a charge of 5th Degree Theft. Lamer was being held in the Union County Jail on a $300 cash or surety bond. Trey Vincent Mills, of Creston, was arrested Saturday, for Driving While Suspended. Mills was released from the Union County Jail on bond.

Authorities said also, no injuries were reported following a collision a little after 10-a.m. Saturday, on S. Elm Street, in Creston. A 2017 Chevy Equinox driven by 68-year old Pamela Jo Morrison, of Creston, and a 1997 Buick Lesabre driven by 25-year old Amanda Lea Thompson, also of Creston, were traveling south on S. Elm, when Thompson’s car sustained a possible brake malfunction, and ran into the Morrison’s SUV, hitting it on the corner of the right rear bumper. Damage from the accident amounted to $1,000. No citations were issued.

The president of the Iowa Association of Realtors is touting a program launched this year that’s designed to make it easier for Iowans to save for their first home. Mark Kamps says a bill signed into law last year allows individuals or couples to save money in a tax-deductible savings account to go toward the purchase of a home. “So, first-time buyers or any buyer who hasn’t owned a home in the previous three years are going to be able to put away $2,000 per year, for an individual, for a maximum of 10 years,” Kamps said. “If it’s a married couple, they can put away up to $4,000 per year for a 10-year time period.”

There’s no limit on annual contributions to a First Time Home Savings Account, but tax deductions are capped at contribution totals of $4,000 for married joint filers and $2,000 for all other filers. “Our hope is that’ll help young people get started saving toward that first purchase and encourage them to do so, so they’ll have a down payment when the time comes,” Kamps said. The new program is similar to the popular College Savings Iowa program. Kamps notes contributions can be made to a First Time Home Savings Account for up to 10 years, though he doubts most people looking to purchase their first home will wait that long. “But, parents or grandparents could start putting away money for their children to purchase a home in 10 years. That way, they could get the tax deduction for that time period, as long as their child purchases a house in the State of Iowa,” Kamps said.

(Radio Iowa)

A recent report shows ten-percent of all Americans lack access to high-speed internet service, but 39-percent of -rural- Americans lack that same access. Iowa is the nation’s 38th most-connected state, according to the study from Broadband Now-dot-com. U-S Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says one of his priorities in the 2018 Farm Bill is connecting America through better rural broadband coverage. Perdue says, “We want to take the federal spending, that, along with state and local spending as well as the private sector, and focus them strategically like a laser in how we go across this country with a multi-year plan of becoming ubiquitous with broadband coverage across the country.”

Backers say broadband provides access to a range of resources, services and products, including: Telehealth & telemedicine, economic development, public safety, education and entertainment. Perdue says he wants the U-S-D-A to help spearhead the effort in getting broadband coverage to even the most remote parts of the country. “We think we can be a facilitator to get this done,” Perdue says. “We will continue to push because I think it’s that important for rural America. If you’re really talking about the quality of life for rural America, then broadband has to be a part of that.”

The Broadband Now report shows 21-percent of Iowans are underserved by their internet provider.

(Radio Iowa)

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Voters will decide on a proposed $25.5 million bond issue to pay for improvements at Iowa Central Community College. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports the bond issue on Tuesday’s ballot would pay for work at facilities in Eagle Grove, Fort Dodge, Storm Lake and Webster City. Voters in Buena Vista, Calhoun, Greene, Hamilton, Humboldt, Pocahontas, Sac, Webster and Wright counties will decide on the request. To be enacted, the bond needs approval by 60 percent of people who cast ballots.

If approved, the measure would increase property taxes by $12 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home. Projects that would be financed by the bond include a new student center in Fort Dodge, a new industrial training facility in Storm Lake and a new biofuels testing lab.

GEORGE, Iowa (AP) — One person has died in a house fire in the small northwest Iowa city of George. George Fire Chief Bill Sprock says the fire started early Sunday and took firefighters several hours to extinguish. He says crews from six communities helped fight the fire, which was complicated by cold temperatures that caused water from the trucks to repeatedly freeze.

Officials didn’t immediately identify the person killed in the fire. George is a city of about 1,000 people, located about 40 miles north of Le Mars.