JAMAICA, Iowa — In an update to our previous report, an Iowa family’s home was a total loss following a Thanksgiving night fire in Guthrie County. Pictures from Katelyn Renze’s Twitter account show massive flames in Jamaica, visible when crews arrived at the home on Second Avenue around 6:30 p.m.

The Jamaica Fire Department said it started in the garage and spread to the home. There were two people in the home at the time, but they managed to get out. There are no reported injuries.

Ten fire departments responded to the fire, most helped transport water since Jamaica doesn’t have a large water tower.

(Radio Iowa) – The state’s “Taxpayer Relief Fund” has grown from 74 million dollars two years ago to more than one BILLION dollars this fall — and the latest newsletter from Iowa House Republicans says there’s no valid reason that money should not be returned to taxpayers. There’s more than 800 million in two OTHER state funds designed to respond to emergencies and last spring, Democrats in the legislature called for spending some of THAT money on pandemic relief. Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley says the G-O-P approved a state budget that provided the highest amount of funding ever for broadband, with more money to K-through-12 schools and public safety — all while accumulating what amounts to a billion dollars extra.

“We continue to fund the priorities that we hear from Iowans, but also we hear from Iowans that if there is an overpayment — which I look at this as an overpayment — we need to figure out how we get that back in the hands of Iowans, so they can get that back in the economy,” Grassley says. The Taxpayer Relief Fund was created in 2019, so ALL state tax revenue that’s over and above the official projections set by a three-member state panel is deposited in the fund. Grassley says its exponential growth shows Iowa’s economy is resurgent.

“Our economy has really been strong here in this state,” Grassley says. “You go anywhere, people are hiring. People are buying.” Governor Reynolds and the Republican leader in the Iowa Senate have said their long-term goal is to eliminate the state income tax. Grassley, the top Republican in the House, agrees.  “I don’t think that there’s any elected Republican in our caucus that would say: ‘Oh, no we don’t want to work to get the state’s income tax as low as we can,'” Grassley says. “Obviously, the ultimate goal would be zero.”

Democratic leaders in the legislature say tax cuts should benefit working Iowans. In 2011, the legislature created a Taxpayer Trust Fund for up to 60 million dollars in unexpected state tax revenue every year. The fund originally provided state income tax credits, but was changed three years ago so ALL state tax collections that exceeded expectations have been deposited in the renamed Taxpayer Relief Fund.

(Atlantic, Iowa) The Cass County Board of Supervisors have a regular meeting set for Tuesday morning in their Boardroom at the Courthouse. On the agenda for their 9-a.m. session, is a regular report from Engineer Trent Wolken, with regard to Secondary Roads. The Board will then move to act on approving the employment of an IT/GIS Director, and a Resolution authorizing an internal loan to temporarily cover the costs prior to receipt, of General Obligation Bond proceeds.

Discussion and possible action, will follow with regard to the possible use of funding from the American Rescue Plan (for COVID relief), and consideration of a request regarding radios and repeaters for Firefighters/EMS providers. Afterward, the Board may appoint a member to the Cass County Conservation Board for the remainder of a term.

A report is expected to be received also, from the Cass County Mental Health and General Relief Coordinator, for the month of October.

(Audubon, Iowa) – A special meeting of the Audubon School Board will be held 7-a.m. Monday in the High School Board Room. During their early session, the Board will act on approving a Resolution appointing the Paying Agent, Bond Registrar, and Transfer Agent and agreements for those same parties. They will also act on approving: a Form of Tax Exemption Certificate; Continuing Disclosure Certificate; and a Resolution for the Issuance and Providing for and securing, the payment of bonds.

(Pacific Junction, Iowa) – A traffic stop Saturday evening outside of Pacific Junction resulted in a pursuit and the arrest of a man from Mills County. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says at around 6:24-p.m., deputies tried to stop a 2008 Chrysler 300 at Highway 34/190th Street, but the vehicle failed to stop. Speeds during the resulting chase exceeded 100-mph before the vehicle stopped near mile marker 40 on Interstate 29.

The driver of the car, 33-year-old Aaron Wade Opdyke, of Malvern, was arrested. During a probable cause search of the vehicle, authorities found nearly seven-ounces of marijuana, along with methamphetamine.

Aaron Wade Opdyke (Mills County S/O photo)

Opdyke was transported to the Mills County Jail and held on $15,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) -Community colleges in Estherville, Mason City and Sheldon have been notified they’re among 150 U.S. community colleges that can compete for what a former president has called the “Oscar” for achievement and student performance. The Aspen Institute’s one-million dollar prize is handed out once every two years to just one of the country’s more than one-thousand community college. Robert Leifeld, Iowa Lakes Community College vice president for administration, says the Aspen Institute evaluated publicly available data to come up with its list of 150 schools.

“Student retention, the completion, transfer and equitable rates as far as those of low income and students of color — those are the key areas they look at when they did the initial round of selecting the institutions,” he says.
North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City and Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon are the other two Iowa colleges on the list. Leifield says the next step is to fill out an official application. It’s due in early December and the Aspen Institute will then select 10 finalists.

“Of the 10 finalists, then there’s an on-site visit and that will be about in the fall of 2022,” he says. “Then they’ll look at more information and my understanding that information would include employment and earnings data and insight about promising practices that the institution is working on, pursuing or implemented.” The next Aspen Institute Prize for Community College Excellence will be awarded in early 2023. Three community colleges in Florida and one in California have been recognized since the award was established. Leifeld says it’s an acknowledgement that a community college is accomplishing its mission.

“That they’re serving students, they’re helping students and the students are reaching their goals,” he says. The Aspen Institute is an international non-profit that hosts an annual Ideas Festival that draws well-known participants like former presidents, Supreme Court justices and leaders from other countries.

(Radio Iowa) – While many Iowans will keep up the tradition of Black Friday shopping today, it’s predicted even more bargain hunters will be out in force tomorrow for Small Business Saturday. Jayne Armstrong, director of the U-S Small Business Administration’s Iowa District Office, says when you buy an item at a brick-and-mortar store, there’s no worry about it being delayed or lost during the shipping process.

“It’s a great reason to get out and buy from our local businesses, from artisans,” Armstrong says. “There are so many small businesses that need the help and could really use a shot in the arm after everything they’ve been through the last two years.” An economist predicts year-end holiday sales in Iowa will be up ten-percent compared to last year, and it’s easy to believe as so many people were still staying home in 2020 due to the pandemic. Armstrong says COVID-19 may still be keeping some Iowa shoppers from in-person buying, but far fewer than a year ago.

“A lot of small businesses, too, during the pandemic made a shift and they pivoted to look at other revenue streams and they put a lot of products online,” Armstrong says, “so if somebody is uncomfortable with that, they can still support their local small business community by looking online.” Sales during the final weeks of the year may often mean the difference between turning a profit and ending the year in red ink, so Armstrong urges Iowans to “Be Loyal, Buy Local.”

“One thing for people to think about for the holiday season is not just buying products, but buying gift certificates and supporting local restaurants and nonprofits,” Armstrong says. “Everybody was hit hard during the pandemic and it’s going to take all of us coming together to get them through this final stretch of the recovery.” While the pandemic spelled the end for some Iowa businesses, she says it’s been welcome news to see so many new small business start-ups in Iowa succeed in 2021. Armstrong says 97-percent of the businesses in Iowa are small businesses.

The News broadcast at 7:06-a.m., with Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Farm Bureau economist, Sam Funk, doesn’t expect all the logistics and other issues to be sorted out and bring food prices down as we move into a new year. “You know I really doubt that the prices are going to decrease going into the new year. I really think it’s going to be a longer-term inflationary pressure that we’re still going to feel,” Funk says. Fertilizer prices have been rising — and he says the cost of all other inputs used by farmers are unlikely to drop. “If you think about just increasing the price of fertilizer for our corn and soybean fields even across Iowa — you’ve got to think that that’s probably going to push more and more areas even outside of Iowa or lower productivity acres potentially in the state, they are going to take a hit because they won’t be able to afford to put fertilizer on those areas. We may take back some of that corn acreage or soybean acres,” according to Funk.

“And frankly, with the demand, we’ve seen across the world, and people want to eat better. We will probably see some more inflationary pressure,” Funk says. “Federal policies, if we have any more of these programs out through there, you could see additional dollars that will make it potentially a higher amount of pressure for inflation to go up yet.” Higher energy prices also figure into the equation. “We’ll probably actually see more pressure because we’ll see somewhat of a decrease in the amount of productivity that we can get out of the ground because we’ve got higher energy prices that just won’t be counteracted,” he says.

He says those issues will go along with the logistical problems the country is facing in getting the inputs in and the products out.