From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
Prosecutors have charged an Iowa City man with murder two months after the woman he was living with died. Joshua Perry of Iowa City had his initial court appearance yesterday morning in the death of 33-year-old Victoria Skarda. She was the mother of his child. Police found Skarda’s body in the apartment they shared in early January on the east side of Iowa City.
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says it helped remove 49 dogs and puppies from a licensed breeder in rural Washington County after finding them in poor living conditions. The ARL worked with PAWS & More animal shelter and the Sheriff’s Office to remove the animals last Friday. The dog breeding business was BR’s Dobermans just outside of Riverside. The ARL says there were 17 dead dogs, mostly puppies. The Sheriff’s Office has not released details about any potential charges.
The U.S. House has passed a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running through September. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks voted for the bill, saying it will give the military the largest pay raise in four decades and uphold critical services. Democrats in the U.S. Senate may block its approval before a potential end of week government shutdown.
The Johnson County Auditor says she’s bracing for a flurry of phone calls and emails from confused taxpayers after a state-mandated explainer is mailed out this week. Under the new Iowa law, taxing entities like cities and counties must send out a document that explains in detail the increases in a resident’s property taxes. Here’s the problem–the state calculates those taxes by assuming residential and commercial properties rose in value by 10%. Cities and counties say that leads to property tax rates that appear higher than they actually are. Polk County, Linn County, and the City of Dubuque are among the localities that say they’re also bracing for a flurry of confused phone calls and emails.
Production at a biodiesel plant in Dubuque County is being stopped temporarily. Western Dubuque Biodiesel’s general manager says making the fuel isn’t profitable after a federal tax incentive expired at the end of 2024. The plant’s general manager says without the boost, Western Dubuque would lose nearly $18 million this year.
