ALERT :
- 5/22/13, The North Iowa Baseball and Softball games vs. Algona Garrigan at North Iowa tonight have been cancelled due to the weather. :
- 5/22/13, The Lake Mills vs. Rockford Baseball game at Lake Mills has been cancelled. :
- 5/22/13, The Forest City Park and Rec has cancelled all BB and SB practices for the 5th, 6th and 7th grades for today.:
- 5/24/13;Reminder that the Forest City CSD will have a one (1) hour early dismissal on Friday, May 24th.:
Iowa News
IOWA VOTING RULES GOP senators will introduce new voter I.D. bill DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Senate Republicans will introduce legislation requiring that Iowans present photo identification in order to vote. Senate Minority Leader Bill Dix of Shell Rock says Thursday that the law would protect the integrity of the voting system. Existing Iowa law doesn’t require voters to show photo identification. Although Democrats say Iowa has little history of voter fraud, Republicans argue the risk remains and identification should be required. The bill is modeled after similar legislation introduced by Secretary of State Matt Schultz. A Senate aide says filing the Senate bill demonstrates Republican support for the idea. Democrats have opposed Schultz’s proposal. They argue Republicans are motivated by a desire to discourage voting by groups who typically favor Democrats, such as immigrants, low-income people and the elderly.
IOWA BUDGET GOP lawmakers, governor at odds on budget surplus DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republican lawmakers and Governor Terry Branstad have very different ideas on how to use state budget surplus dollars. Branstad has proposed spending much of Iowa’s nearly $1 billion surplus on property tax cuts and education reforms over the next five years. But Republican leaders in the Legislature announced Thursday they would back proposals to credit extra money back to taxpayers. The state first would ensure that reserve funds were filled. Senate Republican leader Bill Dix proposed a credit of $750 per family The proposal could pass the House, held by Republicans, but might face problems in the Senate, controlled by Democrats. Asked about the Republicans’ proposal, Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht noted that property tax cuts were the governor’s priority. Albrecht says Branstad would review any tax proposal lawmakers approve.
FBL FINANCIAL-EXECUTIVE DEATH FBL Financial chief actuary dies in Arizona WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Insurance holding company FBL Financial Group says one of its executives has died unexpectedly. FBL Financial, based in West Des Moines, says Russell Wiltgen, the chief actuary for its life insurance companies, died in Arizona while on a company trip. Spokeswoman Nancy Doll says the cause of death remains unclear. She says Wiltgen collapsed Wednesday while on the trip to attend company meetings. Wiltgen, who was 53, is survived by his wife, Annette. He joined FBL as chief actuary in 2010 and was responsible for actuarial matters and enterprise risk management. His experience spanned 30 years. Prior to joining FBL, he worked for Lincoln, Neb.-based insurer UNIFI Companies and for the Mutual of Omaha Companies for 17 years. FBL Financial Group’s primary operating subsidiary is Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company.
COPPER THEFT PLEA Council Bluffs man gets 3 years for copper thefts (Information in the following story is from: Sioux City Journal, http://www.siouxcityjournal.com) ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – A Council Bluffs, Iowa man who admitted to stealing copper from farm irrigation systems from Sioux City to St. Joseph, Missouri has been sentenced to three years in federal prison. Thirty-two-year-old Jonathan Dale Campbell has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property The Sioux City Journal reports he was sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $174,000. Campbell admitted in a plea agreement with federal prosecutors that he and three other men stole copper from irrigation systems and sold the copper to an Omaha scrap yard. Earlier Charles Douglas Nichols was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison and Joseph Daniel Falknor was given a one-year sentence. Both are from Council Bluffs.
JEWELRY THEFTS-SENTENCING 2 men get 10 years for jewelry store heists (Information in the following story is from: The Hawk Eye, http://www.thehawkeye.com) BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) – Two men convicted in a pair of jewelry store robberies in West Burlington have been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Ramon Cook of Flint, Michigan and Stanley Clark of Coralville, Iowa were convicted in connection with break-ins in August at two jewelry stores in Westland Mall. Both are 40. They had entered plea agreements with prosecutors. They were sentenced Tuesday. The men, who have lengthy criminal records, will be eligible for parole after seven years. Thirty-two-year-old Chanita Reid, who prosecutors say was driving the getaway car, was given five years on probation.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY HEIST Iowan faces sentencing in Nebraska bank robbery (Information in the following story is from: Sioux City (Iowa) Journal, www.siouxcityjournal.com) DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) – A 28-year-old Iowa man is scheduled to be sentenced in March for a bank robbery in northeast Nebraska. The Sioux City Journal reports that Robert Thomas of Marshalltown, Iowa, pleaded no contest on Tuesday to a charge of attempted robbery. Prosecutors lowered the original robbery charge in exchange for his plea. Police say Thomas robbed a Bank of the West branch in South Sioux City on July 23rd, getting away that day with nearly $6,200.