DES MOINES – An Iowa film producer from Washington has agreed to plead guilty to an aggravated misdemeanor in exchange for prosecutors dropping other criminal charges against him stemming from the Iowa Film Office scandal involving the issuance of state tax credits. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller announced Friday that Bruce Elgin, 42, of...
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DES MOINES – The Iowa Court of Appeals has a new member. He’s Michael R. Mullins, 59, of Washington, who received his law degree from Drake University in 1982 and has served as a district court judge in Iowa Judicial District 8A since 2002. Mullins was appointed today by Gov. Terry Branstad to fill...
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DES MOINES – The Iowa Senate voted today to approve a bill that seeks a state report assessing the extent of illegal Internet poker activity currently taking place in Iowa and how best to regulate an intrastate online program should the Legislature decide to legalize online poker next session. Senators voted 38-12 to pass...
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DES MOINES — The odds of state lawmakers legalizing online poker remain long, but backers say they have not lost hope of dealing a winning hand yet this session. Supporters got good news Tuesday with assurances that Senate File 458 is “funnel-proof” under Senate procedural rules, meaning it will not be subject to the...
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DES MOINES – A former state economist hired by gambling interests to assess the impact of Gov. Terry Branstad’s proposed casino tax increase is predicting dire financial and employment consequences if the governor succeeds in raising the state tax on gaming profits to 36 percent this legislative session. In a report issued Tuesday, Economist...
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DES MOINES – A Senate panel gave quick approval Wednesday to a gambling package that would authorize instate online poker for Iowa players and address two other gaming-related issues. Senate Study Bill 1165 also would end the requirement that existing state-licensed casinos periodically conduct county-wide referenda votes. Another provision sought to resolve a dispute...
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The helicopter would cost $8,000 an hour. More from the Washington Evening Journal
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DES MOINES – Is gambling-heavy Iowa ready to venture into the next generation of online or “smart phone” gaming? With the bad taste of Touch-Play still relatively fresh, key legislators say don’t bet on it. Iowa Lottery chief Terry Rich put out some legislative feelers Tuesday, telling the Government Oversight Committee members that electronic...
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A roundup of Eastern Iowa cities and counties where guns have been prohibited on city or county property, after Iowa’s new gun law took effect Jan. 1. This information is based on area news reports and is current as of Jan. 17, 2011. Other cities and counties will soon be considering this issue. I...
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