A central Iowa man will spend 40 years in prison for making child pornography. Thirty-three-year-old Raymond Wayne Eugene Hall pleaded guilty in July to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He admitted to making child pornography with a hidden camera where he engaged in sex acts with a … [Read more...]
Supreme Court rules home improvement stores must pay tax on labor for installing toilets, other items
The Iowa Supreme Court says a home improvement store has to pay state sales tax for labor on some items purchased for homes. The Department of Revenue determined the Lowe's stores in the state should have been charging sales taxes on labor for the installation of windows and doors, faucets, … [Read more...]
Senator Ernst touts the passage of Farm Bill, rollback of WOTUS rules
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she is pleased to see the five-year Farm Bill passed even though there are some compromises in the bill. The Republican from Red Oak voted for the bill, while fellow Senator Chuck Grassley voted against it. "I know that Senator Grassley had his own concerns and the … [Read more...]
Audit finds issues with use of school funds by former Collins Maxell principal
An investigation by the State Auditor has found improper use of school funds by the former principal at the Collins-Maxwell School district. District administrators requested the investigation as they had concerns about the use of a district procurement card following the resignation of the … [Read more...]
Governor announces final members of Teachers Cabinet
Governor Kim Reynolds filled out what she calls a "Teachers Cabinet" that she says will give teachers a more prominent voice in education policy in the state. Reynolds announced the first seven members of the cabinet in August and received nomination from the public for the final nine. Saydel … [Read more...]
ISU survey shows several factors led to small drop in farmland values
The new Iowa State University Land Value Survey released today shows a small drop in land values. Iowa State University economist Wendong Zhang says values dropped just under one percent (.08). He says that puts the average value of an acre of land in the state at to $7,264. That's $62 an acre less … [Read more...]
Congressman King questions Google CEO about alleged political bias in search results
Iowa Congressman Steve King, a republican from Kiron, questioned the Google CEO Sundar Pichai Tuesday about alleged political biased search results. King asked during a House Judiciary Committee hearing why Google isn't more transparent about the roughly 1,000 member team which handles search … [Read more...]
Iowa Lottery seeks change to allow use of electronic cash and games
The Iowa Lottery will ask state lawmakers in January to allow them to modernize their operations making it easier for customers to purchase and play lottery products electronically. Iowa Lottery spokesperson, Mary Neubauer says they've been talking about the issue for ten years or more. "Things … [Read more...]
Governor Reynolds talks about department heads leaving, nominating process for judges
Several department heads have announced their resignations in recent days, but Governor Kim Reynolds says that's a normal thing as she prepares to take over for her first full term. "We're going to be making further announcements in January," Reynolds says, "we are working through the transition … [Read more...]
State Patrol asking for money to upgrade its airplanes
The Iowa State Patrol is looking to replace some of its aging aircraft. Department of Public Safety Commissioner, Roxann Ryan, says they are asking for $3.5 million outside their general budget for the planes. "We currently have seven airplanes, we are the only law enforcement agency with … [Read more...]