Fairfield News

DES MOINES (AP) ? After decades of failed attempts, Iowa lawmakers said they?re hopeful this will be the session they succeed in at least beginning to overhaul the state?s property tax system.With hopes of adjourning this week, legislators are running out of time, but they expressed optimism that Republicans and Democrats would reach a deal.?We need property tax reform for all classes of property and we need ...

The Republican presidential nomination all but in hand, Mitt Romney is refocusing his efforts on challenging President Barack Obama, raising cash for the battle ahead and reconciling with one-time primary rival Rick Santorum.?Tonight is the start of a new campaign,? the former Massachusetts governor said Tuesday night as he celebrated a sweep of five primaries.He blasted Obama as a man whose time in office has ...

An American astronaut heading to the International Space Station has chosen Smokey Bear as his crew?s mascot.NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba said today that he hopes Smokey, the mascot of the United States Forest Service, would help raise public awareness about the dangers posed by forest fires.He added that Smokey ?makes people aware of human-caused fires and how important the natural environment is.?Acaba and ...

IOWA CITY (AP) ? Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin says he?s working on legislation that would prevent interest rates from doubling in July in a popular federal student loan program.Harkin told reporters Monday that he was looking for bipartisan support for the $6 billion plan to extend the 3.4 percent interest rate on Stafford loans for one year.He said the extension would avoid ?a devastating rate hike? to 6.8 percent for ...

The Fairfield Police Department arrested Adam Richard Hotchkiss, 29, of Wayland at 3:38 a.m. today in the 500 block of West Jackson Avenue and charged him with public consumption/intoxication, interference with official acts, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance, marijuana.

Report for week 15. The weekend started as most do with constituent meetings, and suddenly our routine was changed by a phone call.We were informed that my wife?s youngest brother in Sioux City had suffered a stroke.Saturday we made the trip to his bedside and met with members of his family. I was certainly glad we traveled across storm-swept Iowa on Saturday, as Monday he passed away. I once thought of 59 as ...

Report for week 15 One of the common characteristics of the legislative session is the amount of ?down-time? at the end of session.Such was the case on Wednesday this week when we had a two-hour lunch break while we waited on an amendment. I took the extra time to go to the Historical Museum to view the new Iowa Civil War exhibit.Anyone who takes the time to view this exhibit will not be disappointed. Most ...

Senate Republicans are trying an unusual tactic to nullify new labor regulations that would speed up the time frame for unions to hold workplace elections.The Senate votes today on a rarely invoked measure, known as a resolution of disapproval, to overturn rules approved last year by the National Labor Relations Board.Though the measure has little chance of passage ? it also faces a White House veto threat ? ...