DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A third trial has been scheduled for an Illinois man charged with the 1990 killing of a 9-year-old girl in Iowa. Court records say a judge set the trial starting date of Aug. 28 in Waterloo for Stanley Liggins. Liggins’ trial has been moved to Black Hawk County to avoid pretrial publicity in Scott County. The date of his third trial has been pushed back several times.

Juries have twice convicted Liggins in the death of Jennifer Lewis, who disappeared from her Rock Island, Illinois, neighborhood. Her burned remains were found near a Davenport elementary school in September 1990. The Iowa Supreme Court overturned Liggins’ 1993 conviction. In November 2013 the Iowa Court of Appeals vacated Liggins’ second conviction.

The new federal tax law allows the use of money in college savings plans to pay for tuition for elementary and high school students, but State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald says the College Savings Iowa plan isn’t set up for that change “By law, Iowa law, it can only be used for students going to college — not K-through-12,” Fitzgerald explains. “Now the federal government says it’s okay to do that — but in Iowa you can’t. College Savings Iowa is what is known as a “529 plan” and it allows you to deduct contributions to the plan from your state income tax as long as the money is used for qualified college expenses. Fitzgerald says the state deduction won’t be allowed for K-12 expenses unless the law changes.

“I have told the governor and the legislators if they want Iowans who send their kids to private schools to be able to use this money to pay for their tuition and others costs, there must be a law change,” according to Fitzgerald. “The state treasurer can’t grant tax deductions, but the legislature and the governor can.” He says you should be aware of the issue as you prepare your tax returns for 2017. “I don’t want Iowans to take what 529 money they have now and pay for private schools — K-through-12 — and lose that great tax deduction that we’ve been giving them in the state of Iowa,” Fitzgerald says.

Fitzgerald says changing the Iowa law to meet the federal tax law on the 529 plans might not be an easy decision for the governor and legislature as it would impact an already tight state budget. “Whenever you hand out benefits, there is a cost. Just this year between now and July 1st, it would cost about four-and-a-half-million dollars. And every year after that about eight million dollars,” Fitzgerald says. “So, it’s a significant benefit if they would decide to offer it.”

Fitzgerald says the attorney for the College Savings Iowa plan says money withdrawn from the plan for K-12 expenses under current state law would have to be added as income to your tax return.

(Radio Iowa)

Disability Rights Iowa is urging Iowans to go online and share their stories about problems with the private companies that manage care for Iowa Medicaid patients. Jane Hudson is executive director of Disability Rights Iowa. She says the “I am Medicaid Iowa” campaign grew out of a December forum that highlighted what Hudson calls “turmoil” in the program. “Many people came up to me and said: ‘Politicians need to see our faces. They are just thinking about the numbers,'” Hudson says. “…That’s why we’re doing this.”

People are being encouraged to post photos and videos on the Disability Rights Iowa website to illustrate the obstacles they face. Hudson says Iowans with “very significant disabilities” who get Medicaid-covered services IN THEIR HOMES are able to avoid more expensive care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. “Medicaid managed care and Medicaid is about people rather than dollars,” Hudson says. “…It is affecting many Iowans, including people with disabilities, family members, providers and taxpayers as well.”

According to Hudson, the system is “so chaotic right now,” many disabled Medicaid patients do not have a consistent contact to discuss their case. Hudson uses the word “unfathomable” to describe the process of trying to appeal a decision made by the private companies managing Medicaid care.

(Radio Iowa)

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) — A judge has ordered psychiatric tests for a woman accused of killing her former husband in northeast Iowa’s Buchanan County. On Tuesday the judge delayed the trial set to begin next week and said Hillary Hunziker must undergo evaluation to determine whether she is competent to aid in her defense. She’s pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the Nov. 6 slaying of Jason Hunziker at his home northwest of Independence. Her attorney had requested that the 32-year-old be tested.

A criminal complaint says a child called 911 early on Nov. 6 and said, “My mom just stabbed my dad.” That was followed by a call from Jason Hunziker, who said his former wife had stabbed him. The complaint says deputies later found Jason Hunziker dead in the home.

The Atlantic City Council meeting lasted just 15 minutes, Wednesday evening, due to a short agenda. During their session, the Council, as expected, approved an Order making 1^st Whitney Bank and Trust the City’s Official Bank for the Checking account in 2018, and an Order making the local paper the official newspaper for legal publications in 2018. They also passed the third and final reading of an Ordinance amending the current Code, with regard to No Parking on 13^th Street, from Locust to Birch. The area had been overlooked for one side No Parking when the signs were posted on other streets. The result was that when vehicle parked on both sides of the street, it created a very narrow passage for vehicles to negotiate, and a safety hazard.

City Administrator John Lund informed the Council about various meetings coming up, including Community Protection on Jan. 16^th. Dan Lee, Community Development Director for SWIPCO, is expected to be present during that 5:30-p.m. meeting to discuss a Rental Property Inspection Ordinance. There are other meetings that have yet to be scheduled for this month, including the Finance and Administration Committee meeting to discuss Bull Creek

John Danos, Dorsey and Whitney, LLP, partner, who provides cities and municipalities with financing and complex local government matters information, including those pertaining to bonds, will also meet with city leaders, with regard to facilitation a meeting with regard to financing the county-wide landfill. The meeting is expected to take place Jan. 17^th, after the regular City Council meeting. The Atlantic Beautification Committee will meet January 18^th. During the committee meetings, the public may attend, but cannot participate.

Lund says the other big thing that’s coming up in the next few months, deals with municipal bonds. Lund says there is a very narrow window for getting low, competitive interest rates because of tax reform, so getting the lowest rates possible this quarter is important. It’s expected that on February 21^st, a Public Hearing will be held with regard to bonds, along with approval of the preliminary official statement and purchase agreement, and the City will receive the funds on Feb. 22^nd.

Lund will talk later, as well, with Standard and Poors officials in New York, with regard to improving the City’s bond by upgrading it to “A minus.” And, in his report, Mayor Dave Jones reminded citizens and property owners in Atlantic, to shovel the snow off the sidewalks on their properties.