From the Associated Press:
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa state budget experts predict state revenue will increase by about 3% for the current fiscal year and 1.7% next year. Iowa and many other states experienced a boost from federal COVID-19 aid, which fueled increased consumer spending through this year and is reflected in increased tax collections and more state revenue. The challenge is to determine what happens when the impact of the federal dollars wanes. The budget experts concluded Monday that revenue growth will slow but continue upward. It all means Iowa is likely to have more than $2 billion in excess revenue that the state has not committed to spending. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republican legislative leaders say they plan to propose significant tax cuts.
THOR, Iowa (AP) — The small north-central Iowa town of Thor took a hit last week when two buildings along its main street were gutted by fire. The Messenger reports fire was discovered late Friday night, first in Thor’s old Humboldt Trust and Savings Bank building. Soon, the entire building and the vacant building next to it were engulfed in flames. Thor Volunteer Fire Chief Kevin Olson, who lives around the corner from the buildings, learned of the fire when someone banged on his door late Friday night and he stuck his head out to see the flames. Firefighters from seven departments worked through most of the night to put out the flames.
FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) — Passengers trains will begin stopping Wednesday at Fort Madison’s historic station for the first time in more than 50 years. David Handera, an Amtrak vice president, announced Friday night during an event in Fort Madison that eastbound and westbound Southwest Chief trains would begin stopping at the old station on Wednesday. The station was built in the Mississippi River town by the Santa Fe railroad in 1910, but passenger service was moved to a building in a nearby rail yard in 1968. For years, Fort Madison residents have worked to raise money and make improvements to the old brick structure in the heart of downtown so it could again be used for train passengers.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The murder trial of a man accused of killing a woman and her two children is set to begin this week after a jury failed to reach a verdict in his first trial earlier this year. Television station WHO 13 reports that trial begins Monday for Marvin Esquivel Lopez. Esquivel Lopez, who is also known to federal immigration authorities as Marvin Escobar-Orellana, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the 2019 deaths of 29-year-old Rossibeth Flores-Rodriguez, 11-year-old Grecia Daniela Alvarado-Flores and 5-year-old Ever Jose Mejia-Flores. His first trial ended in a mistrial after the jury said they were able to reach a verdict on the killing of Flores-Rodriguez but not for the children.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Service is warning of potentially damaging winds in parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri this week on the heels of devastating tornadoes that wreaked havoc in the Midwest. The weather service has issued a high wind watch starting Wednesday morning for most of Kansas and Nebraska and the northwest corner of Missouri. Central Iowa is under the same watch starting Wednesday afternoon into that night. Forecasters say strong sustained winds between 25 mph and 40 mph are expected in the region, with gusts of more than 65 mph at times. The weather service says damaging winds are likely to bring down some trees and power lines and make driving difficult.
ELLIOTT, Iowa (AP) — A coalition of California restaurants and grocery stores has filed a lawsuit to block implementation of a new farm animal welfare law. The move adds uncertainty about whether bacon and other fresh pork products will be much more expensive or in short supply in the state when the new rules take effect on New Year’s Day. The lawsuit is the latest step in a tumultuous three-year process of enacting rules overwhelmingly approved by voters. Shortages could be prevented, however, by a state decision to allow pork processed under the old rules and held in cold storage to be sold in California in 2022.
