(Des Moines, IA) –  Officials with Drake University, Tuesday, announced the selection of Joseph M. Valenzano III as the University’s next provost. In a news release, Drake officials said Valenzano, an accomplished academic leader and communication scholar, currently serves as the Dean of the College of Communication at Butler University. He will officially begin his duties at Drake on July 1, 2026, upon the planned retirement of Provost Sue Mattison, announced in March 2025. As provost, Valenzano will serve as the chief academic officer, overseeing Drake’s seven colleges and schools.

Joseph M. Valenzano III (Photo from a Drake University press release, 1-20-26)

“Dr. Valenzano is a visionary leader who understands firsthand the transformative power of a private, mission-driven liberal arts education,” said Drake University President Marty Martin. “His proven track record of collaborative leadership, commitment to student success, and ability to foster innovation in service to mission makes him the ideal person to guide our academic enterprise. I am incredibly thankful for the work of the faculty-led Provost Search Committee, for the countless faculty and staff who provided input on the candidates, and for Provost Mattison’s decade-long service.”

The appointment follows a comprehensive national search led by a Provost Search Committee comprised of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and a trustee chaired by Professors Sandy Henry and Chuck Phillips. Valenzano was selected from a pool of more than 80 applicants. The search process included extensive vetting and on-campus forums during which finalists engaged directly with Drake faculty, staff, and students. The Drake Board of Trustees unanimously approved Valenzano’s appointment at their January board meeting.

(Atlantic, IA) – Local organizers of a “Free America” rally say approximately 20 people gathered along Highway 6 between Chestnut and Poplar Streets in Atlantic, Tuesday afternoon as part of what were intended to be more than 500 such peaceful rallies throughout the United States.

According to a statement from Denise O’Brien, “Those gathered practiced their freedom of speech to protest President Trump’s plan to take control of Greenland and to voice their concern that billionaires, big oil and big business are receiving tax breaks while others struggle to pay higher prices for groceries and electricity. The violent actions of ICE have also raised concerns.”

The Free America rally was sponsored by the Women’s March 2026. The Women’s march adheres to a policy of non-violence in all of the activities it sponsors.

(Radio Iowa) – State officials started the process of closing the State Historical Research Center in Iowa City last summer — and a bill that’s cleared a Senate subcommittee would give the Iowa Department of Administrative Services authority to shut it down for good on June 30th. Republican Senator Carrie Koelker of Dyersville says Iowa taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for the Centennial Building in downtown Iowa City when there’s no support from Johnson County or fees from people and organizations storing materials there.

“This center’s been there since 1957,” Koelker said. “…I have visited it before and I know on recent visits it seems to be very disorganized.” Two lawsuits have been filed to try to overturn the agency’s move to close the facility and transfer materials to the State Historical Building in Des Moines and other locations. A judge has already ordered a temporary halt to that removal process, but the building WAS closed to the public in December.

Bill Page, a historic preservation consultant, says that limits access to documents at the Iowa City facility cities use to quality for state tax credits that help finance restoration of historic buildings. “History is good business,” he said. “The Centennial Building is good for history.” Dave Baker, a 37-year-old writer who focuses on Iowa history, has used the collection in Iowa City for his research. Baker says closing the facility sends the wrong message about the importance of Iowa history.

“I’m a business person, I can appreciate wanting to save money, but there’s got to be other ways to do that,” Baker said. “We fund things that we feel are important and if we’re not adequately funding the Historical Society, to me that says that’s not a priority for Iowa.”

A bipartisan group in the Iowa House, including House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann, are co-sponsoring a bill to require that both historical research centers in Des Moines and Iowa City are staffed and open to the public. The deputy director of the Department of Administrative Services says the agency cannot afford to operate both.

(IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) -All state university students would be required to pass specified U.S. history and government classes under legislation that is headed to the Senate Education Committee for further debate. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, Senate File 2033 would, if passed, require the Iowa Board of Regents to establish rules stating universities must require three-credit-hour, general education courses in American history and government for graduation, and provide credits for students transferring with similar courses already under their belt.

The board of regents would also need to review all general education requirements and core curricula for a report due to the General Assembly by the end of 2026. The bill advanced from a three-member Senate Education subcommittee today (Tuesday). The Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa, Center for Cyclone Civics at Iowa State University and Center for Civic Education at the University of Northern Iowa would be required to create courses satisfying the new general education requirements, as well as establish ongoing lecture and debate series.

They would also have to submit annual reports of their achievements and the opportunities, challenges and obstacles they’ve faced to the board of regents, General Assembly and governor. Iowa Board of Regents State Relations Officer Jason Chapman, echoing comments he made during the subcommittee on the legislation’s House companion bill, House Study Bill 543, said the board is registered undecided on the bill but has concerns about transfer credits and how they’ll work with high school, community college and international students.

Connie Ryan, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa executive director and lobbyist for the organization’s action fund, also reiterated her concerns on the House bill, that it is an overreach of the Legislature that will negatively impact students as higher education costs continue to rise. She also said there should be allocations provided by the state to the centers of civic education if the Legislature expects them to develop and put on ongoing lecture and debate series.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said no one questions the fact that American history and government are “clearly very important” topics, but requiring them as part of general education would be a huge lift for colleges, in terms of both finances and manpower. Quirmbach also raised questions about language in the bill prohibiting courses he said focused on the study of “subgroups of Americans or other nationalities,” and the fact that this mandate would be at the college level and only for universities governed by the Iowa Board of Regents.

(Radio Iowa) – A missing Kossuth County child is back with his mother after he was found Monday at his grandparents’ home in Wisconsin. Five-year-old Douglas Jonathan Zane Roth was reported missing in November of last year, as law enforcement officials believed he had been taken to Wisconsin by his father as part of a custody dispute.

Thirty-three-year-old Douglas Jonathan Roth, formerly of Titonka, and his parents, 59-year-old Emil Roth and 59-year-old Audrey Roth, were all arrested on Monday by officials in Rusk County, Wisconsin after a search warrant was executed at the Roth’s residence.

Douglas Roth will be extradited back to Iowa to face charges of Third Degree Kidnapping and Violation of a Custodial Order. His parents have been charged in Wisconsin with Interfering with a Parental Custody Issue and Being Party to a Crime for allegedly helping to conceal the location of their son and the child.

The five-year-old boy was returned to his mother, who had received physical custody of the child following a court order in June of 2025.

(Radio Iowa) – A northwest Iowa man is in custody after a search this fall allegedly found children and animals living in unsafe conditions. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office says that 53-year-old Rick Reifenrath of Le Mars was taken into custody last week during a traffic stop, when authorities learned he had several warrants out for his arrest.

Reifenrath is facing over 20 charges of child endangerment and animal neglect in connection to a September search of a rural Plymouth County property that resulted in three children and 111 dogs being removed from the property.

Reifenrath was booked into the Plymouth County Jail on a $10,000 bond, and he remains in custody.

(Radio Iowa) – Many Iowans know ordinary people who make an extraordinary impact on their community and it’s time to recognize them. The deadline is next week to make nominations for the American Red Cross’ annual Heroes of the Heartland awards. Emily Holley, spokeswoman for the Red Cross’ Nebraska-Iowa region, says every town in the state likely has a few people who’d qualify.

“It’s somebody who recognized a need and acted,” Holley says. “It might be someone who responded to a medical emergency and helped save a life. It could be a volunteer at a community organization or within a faith community who continues to make an impact every day. Or it could be a first responder or service member who far exceeded expectations.” This award offers Iowans an opportunity to shine a spotlight on those people who are making a difference.

“These are people, ordinary Iowans, who reflect the best of our communities,” she says, “and they leave a lasting and positive impact on the residents.” Holley says it’s a quick process to nominate someone for the award. “You can nominate somebody online. Folks can visit redcross.org/IA to fill out a nomination form, or they can also mail a written nomination,” Holley says. “Make sure you include your contact information.”

Mail entries to: American Red Cross, care of Emily Holley, 2016 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312. The nomination deadline is January 28th. The winners will be announced during Red Cross Month, which is March.

(Radio Iowa) – A northwest Iowa farmer who has agreed to let the Summit Carbon pipeline run through his family’s land is part of a group lobbying legislators today (Tuesday) — urging passage of the proposal that would give the company more leeway to re-chart its pipeline route around landowners who won’t sign a voluntary easement. Kelly Nieuwenhuis of Primghar is a former member of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and an investor in the Siouxland Energy ethanol plant.

“This project will create a lot of growth in demand for the corn producers across the state of Iowa, so trying to get the project done,” Nieuwenhuis said. “Do our best to get as many voluntary easements as possible. 100% would be awesome, but we’re in today’s work, so I don’t know how that’s going to happen.” Nieuwenhuis was president of Siouxland Energy’s board of directors when it signed the contract to hook up to Summit’s pipeline to export carbon from the plant in Sioux Center.

“At that time I thought: ‘Wow, boy, this is going to be a slam dunk. The benefit for the ethanol indusry that’s going to come from this project is going to be huge,'” Nieuwenhuis said. “And so it’s been more of a challenge than I anticipated, but I think the message is getting out that it is beneficial.” Nieuwenhuis points to Nebraska, where a natural gas pipeline was converted and in September began shipping liquefied carbon from a dozen ethanol plants to Wyoming. Eleven of those plants are in Nebraska. One is on Iowa’s western border.

Nieuwenhuis says Nebraska’s operation shows what could happen for every Iowa ethanol plant. “Having a pipeline like Summit Carbon Solutions lowers the carbon intensity of ethanol by 30 points,” Nieuwenhius said. “That’s huge.” Nieuwenhuis spoke with reporters after posing for a group photo with dozens of like-minded people who’re at the statehouse today (Tuesday). Based on his experience with pipelines and other utility projects, Nieuwenhuis told reporters he had no qualms about signing a voluntary easement for Summit’s pipeline.

“I’ve got four natural gas pipelines through our farms. We’ve got the Dakota Access pipeline through one of our farms. I’ve got wind turbines with MidAmerican. I’ve got electrical transmission lines that go diagonlly across one of my farms,” Nieuwenhuis said. “…I’ve never had an issue with any of them.” Nieuwenhuis farms with two brothers and all their corn is sold to produce ethanol. He’s a current member of the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Board, a group that supervises the organization’s activities and serve as public advocates for its goals.

(Glenwood, IA) – The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest on drug charges, Monday night, of 22-year-old Camryn Jesse Conn, from Glenwood. He was taken into custody at around 10:30-p.m. in Glenwood, on charges that include Possession of Marijuana – 1st offense, Poss. of Drug paraphernalia, and OWI/1st offense.

His bond was set at $2,300.