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Fate Of The Son Of Ernst’s SOU Guest Now Known

News

March 13th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says Israeli Defense Forces have confirmed the son of the woman she invited as a guest for the State of the Union Address was killed by Hamas on October 7th. Ernst invited Hagit Chen to the address to highlight the fact Chen and her husband did not know if their son Itay was dead or alive.

Ernst says now that they know what happened, she will not forget Itay’s bravery on October 7th, as he defended other innocent civilians from Hamas’s terrorist attacks.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst speaks on the death of the death of American citizen Itay Chen.

Pork Producers CEO says Perry plant closing will hurt producers

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 13th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The leader of the Iowa Pork Producers Association says the pending closure of the Tyson pork plant in Perry will not only lead to lost jobs, but will also put a strain on producers. Association C-E-O, Pat McGonegle, says he feels disappointment for the community of Perry and for those who now need to find another market for their animals. “This announcement just kind of adds another little headwind to us. But pork producers are resilient, and they’ll get things figured out,” McGonegle says.

McGonegle says once the Perry plant closes in June, the nearest options to take hogs are Storm Lake and Denison. McGonegle says the past 20 months have been rough, with producers losing 20 to 30 dollars per pig, and tough economic times have also hurt processors. “Anytime we get in these, these kinds of headwinds, nothing really surprises you. But certainly, it’s a shock to the community. And it’s a shock to the industry.”

McGonegle says prices have improved during the past two months, but producers are still seeing a loss.

NE man arrested in Montgomery County on Pott. County warrants

News

March 13th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department says a man from Omaha, NE.,  was arrested Tuesday evening, following a traffic stop in the 1000 block of Highway 34. 24-year-old Osvaldo Fabian Gonzalez was arrested on two active Pottawattamie County warrants for OWI/1st offense, and Possession of Marijuana/1st offense. Gonzalez was transported to the Pott. County Jail and held on a $2,000 cash-only bond.

Former IKM-Manning teacher sentenced on sexual abuse & lascivious acts charges

News

March 13th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

A former western Iowa teacher has been sentenced to 33 years in prison after pleading guilty to a slew of sexual abuse and lascivious acts charges. 24-year-old Cassidy Kraus was a teacher in the IKM-Manning Community School District in Carroll County, when she was arrested last October and accused of sexually abusing three boys between the ages of 13 and 14.

In January, she pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree sexual abuse, two counts of lascivious acts with a child and three counts of dissemination and exhibition of obscene material to minors. Investigators say in addition to engaging in sexual activity with the minors, she also sent obscene material over Snapchat.

On Tuesday, Kraus was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 33 years in prison and a total fine of $5,400 plus 15% criminal surcharge. She will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life.

House votes for new regulations of hemp-infused consumables

News

March 13th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has voted to impose new limits on hemp products, including a cap on how much T-H-C extracted from hemp can be in food or drinks sold in Iowa. The bill would require labels warning the products are intoxicating and set criminal penalties for selling hemp products with T-H-C to anyone under the age of 21. Representative Steven Holt, a Republican from Denison, says when the state made it legal to grow and sell hemp, the legislature had no idea products with high concentrations of T-H-C would be produced.

“It is a little bit of the wild, wild west out there in Iowa right now thanks to the loopholes we did not know we created,” Holt said. The bill passed on a 79 to 16 vote. Opponents like Representative Bob Kressig of Cedar Falls say retailers that are selling hemp-infused products will see sales slide if the bill becomes law. “We have 1100 retailers in Iowa with these products, we have 3000 employees and we have 800,000 Iowans that access these products,” Kressig said.

Bill backers say some of the hemp-infused drinks and other consumables being sold in Iowa have incredibly high levels of T-H-C and it’s time to act. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate, but has not cleared a Senate committee.

NAACP leaders oppose bill to ban citizen boards that review complaints about police

News

March 13th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – N-Double-A-C-P leaders are raising concerns about a bill that would ban citizen review boards in five Iowa cities that review complaints about police. Iowa/Nebraska N-Double-A-C-P president Betty Andrews says her organization helped establish four of those boards. “We believe in transparency in law enforcement and government and citizens review boards are an opportunity for a fair look-in,” Andrews says, “and making sure our law enforcement knows that we, as citizens, are watching.”

The Iowa Fraternal Order of Police says the citizens review boards in Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Coralville and University Heights would standardize the process for reviewing complaints about police. Andrews says Iowa’s citizens review boards were established after specific cases, many of which involved local police accused of racial profiling. “We’ve seen that time and time in Iowa, that call for justice and not being able to have any insight in what’s happening with law enforcement,” Andrews says.

Tuesday was N-Double-A-C-P lobbying day at the Iowa Capitol. Andrews and members of the group met with Governor Kim Reynolds and discussed several priorities. David Walker, co-chair of the Iowa/Nebraska N-Double-A-C-P’s legal redress committee, says Iowans called to jury duty today are randomly selected from Iowa driver’s license and voter registration records. “The jury pool is filled with addresses that are outdated — 11-12% and sometimes 15% they go in the wastebasket. They are never delivered. People have moved,” Wright says.

The N-Double-A-C-P proposes that the Iowa Department of Revenue forward the names and addresses of Iowans who file state income taxes to the state’s courts to improve the accuracy of jury summonses. “We’ve seen in some instances where this has been implemented in six states the number of summons that have to be issued are much fewer, costs are saved and jury panels are more diverse,” Walker said.

Andrews, the president of the Iowa-Nebraska N-Double-A-C-P, says diverse juries boost confidence in the justice system. among people of color. Andrews was recently elected to serve on the N-Double-A-C-P’s national board of directors.

Guthrie County Woman Charged with Insurance Fraud

News

March 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau report a Guthrie County woman, 54-year-old Jeannette Gerloff, of Yale, was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information (Class D Felony) and one count of Theft in the 2nd Degree (Class D Felony) following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.

The charges against Gerloff stem from an investigation that began in October 2023. According to criminal complaints filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, Gerloff provided false statements to her insurer as part of and in support of a claim for payment on her renters insurance policy. Gerloff obtained $2,487.34 from her insurer which she otherwise would not have been entitled to.

On March 8, 2024, Gerloff was arrested. She was released on her own recognizance after making a court appearance.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation, a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

RISE grants approved for Des Moines, Sioux City, Mt. Pleasant

News

March 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The State Transportation Commission approved millions of dollars today (Tuesday) for economic development road projects. The D-O-T’s Deb Arp presented a request from the city of Des Moines and its airport authority to add more funding to its previous request for the new airport terminal.

“This application requests an additional amendment to the scope and grant award to provide additional roadway improvements for public access to the new terminal facility. Commercial vehicle lanes will be accessible to all public passengers and to facilitate the growth of ride sharing and ride hailing transportation network companies hotel shuttles, taxi services and public transit services,” she says. The money comes from the Rebuild Iowa’s Sound Economy or “RISE” funds.

“The total amended RISE eligible roadway costs would increase by over seven million to 19-million-663-thousand-391 dollars, ” Arp says. “And the city of Des Moines has requested three-million-513-thousand-350 dollars in additional Rise funds.” The design of the roadway is expected to be complete in April 2025 and construction completed by July 2026. The city of Mount Pleasant submitted a RISE application for a new roadway project.

“Requesting a grant to assist in construction of approximately one-thousand-33 feet of Eugene Way located in the west side of town. The proposed RISE roadway will provide access to three lots totaling more than 13 acres for light industrial purposes,” she says. Mount Pleasant was awarded half of the cost of the roadway project which is estimated to be around 487-thousand dollars, the city will provide the other half.

Sioux City was approved for an award to build a roadway along Highway 75 on the northeast side of the city for a water park.”The proposed rise roadway will support tourism and provide access to the proposed Siouxland Splash Waterslide Park development to be developed by Frontline Development L-L-C,” Arp says. She says the award is based on the benefits the water park will bring. “An economic impact study expects over 150-thousand visitors to be attracted annually by the third year of operation, 12-thousand-547 overnight visitors and the creation of 55 jobs,” Arp says.

A commissioner asked if the award was to benefit just one business as other projects benefiting a single entity had not been funded. Sioux City business development coordinator, Chris Meyers, told the commission the city purchased 43 acres at the site with the hopes of developing the area around the water park as well. “The waterpark phase one is developing ten acres of that. And the waterpark developer has an option on the remaining 30 acres specifically for the intention of expanding the waterpark. And they would like to in the next year or two put up a hotel on the site as well,” he says.

The Transportation Commission approved the request of more than one-point-two million dollars ($1,250,957) or 50 percent of the project. Design of the roadway is expected to be complete by July 2024, with construction completed by December.

Consumer Connection: Insurance Needs for Spring Storms

News

March 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

By Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division

Spring storms, characterized by heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and even tornadoes, pose significant risks to homes and properties.  From water damage to wind-related destruction, these seasonal hazards can lead to substantial financial losses.  According to the Insurance Information Institute, natural catastrophe losses in the United States during 2023 topped $79.6 billion.

A fundamental step in preparing for spring storms is a review of your homeowners policy and initiating a conversation with your licensed insurance agent to scrutinize the coverage.  This review should encompass the types and amounts of coverage in place, verifying they align with the potential risks associated with spring storms, and ensuring an understanding of the policy terms, exclusions, and limitations.

For optimal protection, homeowners should explore additional coverage options beyond the basic replacement cost policy.  Annual inflation adjustment is one consideration to ensure coverage keeps pace with the rising costs of materials and labor.

Extended replacement cost is another valuable option to consider. This coverage goes beyond the limits specified in the policy, providing an extra layer of financial protection by extending the dwelling coverage by 10-50% of the cost of rebuilding your home.  In the wake of a severe storm, where rebuilding costs may surpass initial estimates, extended replacement cost coverage can be crucial.

Building code upgrades represent coverage that address the need to comply with materials. Spring storms often expose vulnerabilities in structures, prompting the need for repairs to meet current safety standards. This coverage ensures that the financial burden of these mandatory upgrades does not fall solely on the homeowner.

Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division

Review the policy for the coverage of your home’s roof. Insurance companies may change the coverage allowed under your policy as the roof ages.  For example, the actual cash value of your roof declines as it ages, and this coverage may only cover a portion of your claim based on the roof’s age and condition.  Check your declarations page and policy for roof coverage information.

Damage caused by flooding is often a standard exclusion in home, renter, and property insurance policies.  Water and sewer backup coverage is different from flood insurance.  While some homeowners policies include these provisions, neither are automatically included as part of a regular homeowners policy and will need a special endorsement to provide coverage.

Read all letters and policy renewal information received from the insurance company, as these may contain policy and coverage changes.  Verify any changes in coverage for exterior surfaces such as siding, gutters, downspouts, soffit, fascia, and windows due to cosmetic versus functional damage.  Call your agent if you have questions on any coverage changes.

A spring check up of your homeowners policy, and a collaboration with your insurance agent is pivotal in ensuring that the right amount and types of coverage are in place to protect against the financial aftermath of spring storms.

House panel dismisses ethics complaint over vote for private school money

News

March 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House Ethics Committee has unanimously dismissed a complaint alleging Republican Representative Dean Fisher of Montour has violated House rules by voting to commit state funding to private schools and helping start a new school.

Fisher backed last year’s law that created state-funded Education Savings Accounts to cover private school tuition and other expenses. He’s board president of the Tama Toledo Christian School that’ll open next year.

“(Fisher) claims he held up his campaign promises to his constituents…and he claims the complaint is politically motivated and simply a difference of opinion on legislation signed into law,” Representative Anne Osmundson of Volga, House Ethics Committee chair, said during today’s meeting in explaining Fisher’s response to the complaint.

All six Republicans and Democrats on the ethics panel voted to dismiss the complaint.

“I am concerned about what the complainant has stated. It just gives me a bad feeling overall,” Representative Monica Kurth, a Democrat from Davenport, said. “However, I don’t think it rises to a point of being a violation of the ethics code.”

Representative Stanley Gustafson, a Republican from Cumming, is another member of the panel. “I don’t think that Dean Fisher’s personal interest was necessarily the driving force behind the effort to have vouchers for a private school,” Gustafson said.

House rules say members should abstain from voting on bills that are a conflict of interest due to personal gain, but teachers in the legislature, for example, routinely vote on state spending for schools because the bills have broad benefit.

Barbara Kalbaugh of Dexter filed the complaint against Fisher and spoke with reporters at the statehouse. “Fisher’s actions are self-dealing and self-servicing,” Kalbaugh said. “Some would say they’re corrupt and the House Ethics Committee is letting him get away with it and that’s shameful.”

Fisher released a written statement after the committee vote.

“This complaint was clearly just a politically-motivated attempt to smear me,” Fisher said. “It’s wrong to attempt to use the mechanisms of government to attack someone you simply disagree with on policy.”