Iowa native Mike Johanns is settling in to his new digs in Washington, D.C. The former Nebraska governor who grew up on an Osage, Iowa, dairy farm is now the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Johanns’ wife, Stephanie, says life has radically changed since the move from Nebraska’s capitol to the nation’s capitol. She says their days go from 7 A.M. until 7 P.M. “but in some respects we feel like our life is a little easier ’cause then we don’t have evening commitments.” She says they’ve only had one evening commitment post-inaugural, so while their daily lives are more hectic, she says they’re actually getting to spend their nights together, a pleasant change. One big adjustment is their living quarters. Mrs. Johanns says their accommodations in Washington are very nice, but they’re not the governor’s mansion in Lincoln. It’s a one-bedroom apartment with a washer-drier built-in and a health club in the complex. She says she was thrilled to be right on the platform at the U.S. Capitol during the inauguration of President Bush. She says they were eight to ten rows behind the president and then got to sit in Bush’s viewing box to watch the inaugural parade, which she describes as “really cool.” Stephanie Johanns is an Arizona native.
UNI women savor rare win at Drake
The UNI women’s basketball team begins the week alone in third place in the Missouri Valley Conference with a league mark of 6-3. The Panthers recorded a rare victory in Des Moines yesterday as the Panthers beat Drake 68-54. It was just the second win in 28-tries for the Panthers in Des Moines. UNI coach Tony DiCecco was happy with the way his team responded following a heartbreaking overtime loss to Creighton on Thursday. He says the team gets credit for its resiliency coming out of the loss and were able to play hard. DiCecco was asked if he feels the team understands the importance of winning in Des Moines. He says he doesn’t know if they realize the full extent of breaking a very long winning streak. The Panther’s win snapped Drake’s 15-game home winning streak against Missouri Valley Conference opponents.
IRS tries to get people to take tax credit they’re missing
The I-R-S wants more people in Iowa to claim a tax benefit they’re not getting. The Earned Income Tax Credit participation rate is below 75-percent here, and the program’s David Williams says that means people are missing out on getting cash in their pockets, a select group of taxpayers who could really use it. People who have low incomes and work. If they’ve earned their income and they don’t have much money, they may be eligible for the credit. He says they estimate is that nationwide, 75-percent of taxpayers who are eligible for the E-I-T-C claim it. The largest group of people who could claim the credit but don’t is found among people who don’t have children and so don’t think they’re eligible. Williams says there are several ways the many Iowans currently not claiming their Earned-Income Tax Credit can find out about it. They can go to the website irs-dot-gov on the Internet and click on the “EITC Assistant,” a new feature this year to help taxpayers figure out if they qualify for the credit, and for how much. Or people can walk into one of 14-thousand volunteer income-tax assistance sites the IRS runs around the country that help prepare tax returns for free. In some IRS offices they might even find help preparing their taxe forms to claim that earned income tax credit. Or if a professional tax preparer does the return, be sure to ask them about it. It can mean up to 43-hundred dollars in cash, he says, adding that an example would be a married couple with two kids earning a total between 10-thousand-700 dollars a year and 15-thousand could get that maximum credit. Williams says one reason people don’t file for the tax credit is that with a low income, they may not be required to file a tax return. Even if they don’t have to pay in to the government, he says it’s worth it to file the form. The tax is refundable, he says, so even if you don’t have to pay taxes, the government will send you a check for that Earned Income Tax Credit amount. That’s the reason Williams says people who aren’t sure should get help with their taxes and find out what they may have coming. Iowa’s one of the states in which only three out of four people who COULD get the credit are claiming it.
Governor calls for 80 cent increase in cigarette tax
Governor Tom Vilsack wants to increase the state tax on cigarettes by 80 cents per pack, starting April 1st. That proposal is among hundreds included in Vilsack’s five-billion dollar state spending plan. Vilsack says Iowa’s 36-cents-per-pack cigarette tax ranks 42nd lowest in the country, and raising the tax will not only raise money but save lives as more people decide to quit rather than pay the tax. Vilsack warns legislators that if the tobacco tax isn’t increased, they may have to cut some state health care services like hospice care or prescription drug coverage for the poor elderly. “Without a tobacco tax increase, the legislature is faced with some very difficult choices,” Vilsack says. “They can choose to pit grandchildren against grandparents.” Vilsack proposes a total of 137, million dollars more for K-through-12 public schools, including nearly 47-and-a-half million dollars to boost teacher pay. Vilsack says the state hasn’t made that high of a spending comittment to K-through-12 schools in over a decade. “I think it’s really important for people to understand the importance of investing in children and in education because if we make children and we help them with the tools for success, they can essentially help us fix whatever problems society faces,” Vilsack says. Vilsack also calls for a four percent increase in state spending for the 15 area community colleges and a 40 million dollar increase in state spending at the state-supported universities in Ames, Cedar Falls and Iowa City. Finally, on economic development, Vilsack proposes an 800-million, five-year committment to an Iowa Values Fund to dole out large state grants to new and expanding businesses. Vilsack says it isn’t enough to make a one-year committment, because the state needs to enter multi-year pacts with companies. Vilsack says the new taxes that state will collect from new gambling operations could be used to finance it, but he’s willing to look at other options. As you may recall, an Iowa Supreme Court ruling this summer put the Iowa Values Fund out of business. Vilsack briefed legislative leaders earlier this afternoon (Monday) on this budget plans, then released his spending ideas to statehouse reporters. At four o’clock he convenes a meeting in Waukee to lay out his plan to the public.
Former NBA star promotes Waterloo team
A former NBA all-star is looking to help promote Waterloo’s new professional basketball team. Tim Hardaway, who starred with several NBA teams, has agreed to play the first two games for the Waterloo Kings, a new International Basketball League team that begins play this spring. The IBL is a developemental league that will play a 20-game season between April and June. Hardaway will play for the Kings first two home games, April 8th and 9th and possibly some other home games. The former Golden State and Miami Heat star just wants to help bring attention to the Waterloo Kings. He says he is going out to compete and enjoy himself and put people in the stands. Hardaway likes the premise of the I-B-L, as he says it’s a stepping stone for players who aren’t ready for the N-B-A yet. He says players won’t have to go overseas to prepare themselves for a shot at the N-B-A.The Kings will be coached by former Waterloo West standout Anthony Thomas and will play their home games at Young Arena in Waterloo.
Fire damages Anita nursing home
Fire struck the Colonial Manor nursing home in the western Iowa town of Anita on Saturday night. All residents had to be evacuated but Anita fire spokesman Duane Murphy says the fire was contained to one resident’s room. Murphy says it appears the fire started near some nick-knacks along a wall in the room. The sprinkler system went off like it was designed to do and the residents were evacuated without incident to the other side of the building. Two people had minor injuries — one resident and one nurse. The State Fire Marshal’s office has been called in to investigate.
Hawarden man dies in car crash
A northwest Iowa man died in a car crash Sunday. A Hawarden area man was killed in a one-vehicle crash on Highway 10 near Hawarden. Sioux County authorities say 37-year-old Elvis Gene Boyer was a passenger in a car driven by 31-year-old Shane Gray of Hawarden that went into a ditch and rolled. Boyer had been sitting in the back seat and was not wearing a safety belt. He was ejected through the back window and pronounced dead at the scene. Gray and another passenger, 50-year-old Stuart Johnson of Hawarden, were injured.
