Grassley Says Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Need to Communicate
(Washington) — Iowa Republican U-S Senator Chuck Grassley says he is a bit disappointed with the various federal government law enforcement agencies for not communicating with one another. Grassley was speaking to KLEM radio and says the FBI was unaware that one of the Boston Marathon bombers had left the U-S to travel to Russia, but Homeland Security was aware but did not proceed with any follow up.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/April 2013/Grassley bombing.mp3{/audio}
Fashionette Chosen As “Cash Mob” Business
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce held its first cash mob session for the second year. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Neil Adler selected the winning business.
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce held its first cash mob session for the second year. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Neil Adler selected the winning business.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/April 2013/Adler cash mob.mp3{/audio}
After the announcement, nearly two dozen people walked north down Central Avenue to shop at Fashionette. Each person supposed to spend at least $20 as part of the cash mob.
NRA President Speaks In Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – National Rifle Association President David Keene says that while President Barack Obama’s gun control efforts failed in Congress last week, “the war has not ended.”
Keene spoke Thursday at a luncheon in the Iowa State Capitol sponsored by the Polk County Republican Party. He says the powerful gun lobby will support the lawmakers who voted against a proposal for tighter background checks for gun owners and a ban on assault weapons.
In remarks after his speech, Keene added that Obama’s statement that the powerful gun lobby “willfully lied” to the public was untrue.
Obama made tighter gun laws a top priority over the winter after a gunman killed 20 elementary school children and six staff members at a school in Newtown, Conn.
Property Tax Bills Moving To Joint Committees
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa legislative leaders say proposals to cut commercial property taxes will soon move to a joint negotiating committee.
Leaders say Thursday that the issue would soon be in a committee where lawmakers from both parties and chambers will try to reach a compromise.
The Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-majority Senate have approved different approaches to reducing commercial property taxes. The House has backed a plan from Gov. Terry
Branstad that would gradually decrease taxable assessments for commercial and industrial property owners. The Senate favors a plan that provides tax credits and tries to offer more relief to small
business owners.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, of Council Bluffs, says the issue is making more progress than it has in previous years.
