Jeneary Says Education Bill Will Pass Next Week
(Le Mars) — This past week, state legislators were finalizing the K-12 educational spending bill with the supplemental student aid. State Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars says he believes a final education spending bill will emerge from both legislative chambers by the end of next
week.
The state lawmaker tells how the total financial assistance aid will be broken down to the separate categories.
Jeneary calls the number a significant amount going to the schools. He says lawmakers on both sides of the isle would like to the amount higher, but he says the number represents what the state can currently afford.
Jeneary says its important the state legislature finish with the educational bill in order to comply with the law.
Jeneary doesn’t believe there will be much debate on the school spending bill. He says both Republicans and Democrats and the House and the Senate are in general agreement with the bill. School districts across the state need to submit their budgets by April 15th.
Le Mars City Council Works On City Budget
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars city council has been crunching the numbers for the upcoming fiscal year city budget. Council members heard from each of the city’s department heads on Tuesday in determining the budget. Councilman Rex Knapp explains the city is reducing its levy rate, therefore allowing
the city to save some money.
Knapp says the city has been able to reduce individual tax collections since the revenue is being offset by the expansion of some businesses and industries.
The Le Mars city council member says the private contributions donated to the Community Betterment Projects have also helped keep taxes stabilized since additional tax dollars are not needed to fund those projects.
Knapp says since the mil levy is being lowered, he says the city of Le Mars will be able to see some substantial savings.
Knapp explains some of the ways the city was able to cut back on its budget, and still provide the services to the city.
Knapp says fortunately, the city will not be needing to reduce the city staff, or make any layoffs.
Williams and Company Submits City’s Audit
(Le Mars) — Williams and Company of Le Mars released an audit report on the City of Le Mars for the year that ended on June 30, 2018. Officials from the certified public accounting firm reported the city of Le Mars governmental fund type revenues totaled $16,036,653 for the year ended on June 30th, which represents a 2.6 percent decrease from 2017. The revenues
included $8,876,009 in taxes, $1,220,103 in road use tax funds, and $2,280,501 in other intergovernmental revenue.
Governmental fund type expenditures for the year totaled $16,294,113 which was an 8.8 percent decrease from the prior year, which included $3,269,790 for public safety,
$2,546,783 for culture and recreation, $1,600,687 for public works, $546,997 for community and economic development, $1,379,055 for general government,
$5,759,126 for capital outlay, and $1,191,675 for debt services.
Missing Hunter Trial Begins
CENTERVILLE, Iowa (AP) – Law enforcement officials have testified that it took them several hours to find the body of a slain Iowa hunter after he was reported missing.
The Daily Iowegian reports that Appanoose County Deputy Jonathan Printy testified Friday in the murder trial of Ethan Davis that he was the first officer to respond in the early morning hours of Nov. 24 after 31- year-old Curtis Ross was reported missing. Printy says he and others searched a wooded area of southwestern Rathbun Lake for three to four hours
before breaking to wait for daylight.
Deputy Cody Jellison found Ross’ body in a creek around 8 a.m.
Davis is charged with first-degree murder in Ross’ death.
Prosecutors say Davis perched from a hilltop and used an AR-15 to shoot Ross, who was also stabbed more than two dozen times. Officials say they don’t have a motive for the killing.
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Monticello Man Sentenced To Prison For Robbing Bank
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – A Monticello man has been sentenced to prison for robbing an eastern Iowa bank on his birthday.
Federal prosecutors say 46-year-old Joseph Kripner was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids to five years in federal prison. He had pleaded guilty in August to one count of bank robbery.
Authorities say he robbed the Security State Bank in Springville on his birthday, June 1, getting away with nearly $4,000 after showing his handgun to a teller. Kripner’s distinctive tattoos helped authorities zero in on him as the robber after a tipster helped identify the robber’s getaway car.
Kripner was arrested in Colorado.
Landlords Suing Detective and Prosecutor
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Two Iowa landlords who say they were falsely accused of stealing a tenant’s washer and dryer are suing a detective and prosecutor they blame for unfairly arresting and charging them.
The Linn County attorney’s office dropped felony theft charges
against the men last year after neighbors testified that they did not witness any such crime as the detective claimed in his police report.
Brian Hutchcroft Darling and Frank Massingham have filed a federal lawsuit in Cedar Rapids accusing County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden and police officer Justin Boecker of violating their civil rights. They claim the witness statements were fabricated, and they are seeking damages for being arrested, charged without probable cause and facing prosecution for six months before the case fell apart.
A police spokesman declined comment.
The case stemmed from a former tenant’s claim that the landlords stole her washer and dryer after she moved out.
