(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak arrested a woman on an assault charge this (Tuesday) morning. 35-year-old Lindsey Kylin Bricquel Hardin, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 8-a.m. in the 2400 block of N 8th Street, and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault-1st Offense. Hardin was being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests that occurred between July 22nd and the 27th.

On the 27th: 40-year-old Jessica Jo Clymer, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the southbound I-29 rest area in Mills County. She was charged with two counts of Possession of Methamphetamine (under 5 grams), and Unlawful, Ongoing Criminal Conduct. Clymer was being held in the Mills County Jail on bond amounting to $40,000 altogether.

On July 26th, Mills County Deputies arrested 33-year-old Nile Jonathan Packett, of Pacific Junction, for Domestic Assault/Choking-Bodily Injury. His bond was set at $5,000.

On July 25th, 21-year-old Francisco Guzman, of Omaha, was arrested in Pacific Junction for Reckless Driving.

A man from Glenwood was arrested July 24th on multiple charges, including: Burglary in the 3rd Degree; four counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree – Vehicle/1st offense; Theft in the 2nd Degree -Vehicle, and Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree. 18-year-old Cameron Alan Germar was being held in the Mills County Jail on $20,000 bond. The previous day (July 23rd), 18-year-old Faith Marie Scholting, of Pacific Junction, was arrested in Glenwood on identical charges. Her bond was set at $10,000.

And, there were two arrested on July 22nd, in Mills County: 62-year-old David Lee Wettengel, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Glenwood for Failure to Appear (in court). Bond was set at $2,000; and, 62-year-old David James Nisley, of Glenwood, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, with bond set at $1,000.

Des Moines, IA (July 29, 2025) – Officials with the Des Moines International Airport say with the opening of a brand-new terminal just a year and a half away, the  Airport continues to grow and break records. The latest milestone: Allegiant’s announcement of a new nonstop route from Des Moines (DSM) to Fort Myers, Florida (RSW), bringing DSM’s total number of nonstop destinations to an all-time high of
35. The new flight will operate twice weekly starting in November, just in time for Iowans to escape the winter chill and enjoy Florida’s Gulf Coast sunshine.

CEO of the Des Moines Airport Authority, Brian Mulcahy says “This is a great addition for Des Moines International Airport. To reach 35 nonstop destinations, six of which were added this year alone, is a direct result of strong passenger demand, growing partnerships, and the trust airlines like Allegiant have in our region. Enplanements on Allegiant are up 14% this year.”

June 2025 was another record-setting month for DSM, with enplanements up 6.5% over the previous record set in June 2024. On June 20th, the airport saw its busiest day ever, with 6,832 passengers processed through TSA – a clear sign that summer travel is in full swing. The addition of the Fort Myers route marks Allegiant’s ninth nonstop flight from DSM to Florida and its 19th nonstop route overall. Earlier this year, the airline launched service to Boston (BOS) and Jacksonville (JAX), with another new route to Gulf Shores, Alabama (GUF) set to begin in October.

Allegiant began service at DSM in 2003. In July 2021, the airline established Des Moines as a base of operations and is currently the only airline based in the state of Iowa. As DSM continues to serve record volumes and prepares for the future with its new terminal opening in 2027, today’s announcement underscores the airport’s role as a critical transportation hub for Iowa and the Midwest.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Auditor and Democrat candidate for governor Rob Sand made a stop in Sioux City Monday. Sand said before his event that the record number of school vouchers is a concern. “These private schools can do anything they want on God’s green earth with these tax dollars and the public’s not going to find out about it,” Sand said. “There’s only one thing that’s illegal, they can’t give a rebate to parents, but anything else they want to do is completely legal.” That’s not his only criticism of the school voucher program.

“And then on top of that, look at the unwillingness to allow us to look at the program. We actually tried to audit the controls of the program and the run as administration wouldn’t allow us to do that,” he says. On another issue, Sand said legalizing and taxing marijuana would help the state’s budget. “It’s silly to me that we do not do that, and I think we’re past due for it right now. Iowans are taking their tax dollars and spending them in other states,” Sand said.

State Auditor Rob Sand

The stop was one of several Town Halls Sand is conducting during his campaign.

(Radio Iowa) – K-C-R-G T-V is reporting that three correctional officers experienced medical emergencies following a drug search at the Anamosa State Penitentiary last week. Officers conducted a cell search July 20th and found multiple sheets of paper consistent with the K2/K3. The officers reportedly had a reaction to something from the cell or the papers. All had to be given NARCAN.

(Radio Iowa)- Get your shopping list ready as the annual Iowa sales tax holiday is at the end of this week. Iowa Department of Revenue spokesman John Fuller says it gives you a break on some items. “There’s no sales tax on articles of clothing or footwear that are less than one hundred dollars,” he says. There are other items you wear that won’t be tax free. “Watches and jewelry and umbrellas and roller blades,” Fuller says. Fuller says you can go online to find out exactly what qualifies for the tax break.

“There’s a P-D-F sheet on our website that has a whole list of items, a pretty detailed list for it,” he says, “What is exempt, meaning you don’t have to pay tax and and but things you you would have to pay tax on.” Fuller says the sales tax holiday is always on the first Friday and Saturday of August every year.  “Yeah, the concept is to give Iowans a sales tax break for for a couple days per year comes right sort of before school starts. So it might be a good time to do some school shopping,” he says.

The two-day sales tax break for approved items starts at 12:01 a-m on Friday and runs through midnight Saturday.

(Radio Iowa) – There’s no sign in Iowa yet of a destructive insect that can devastate all sorts of plants, trees and crops, but the spotted lanternfly is confirmed this summer in northern Illinois near Chicago. Boone entomologist Ginny Mitchell says homeowners, gardeners, farmers and grape growers need to take note and be vigilant for this flying pest.  “The nymph, or the immature stage of the spotted lanternfly, they feed on softer things like vines, flowers,” Mitchell says, “then once they get to the adult stage, they can feed on woody plants, any sort of trees.” The lanternfly was last reported in Iowa in 2022 when it was found in a Dallas County apple orchard. Mitchell says they’ve been known to infest corn and soybean fields, too, but really anything that grows outdoors is seen as a potential meal by this bug.

Adult spotted lanternfly (USDA photo)

“These insects secrete a honeydew, which is like a sugary substance that their body creates,” Mitchell says, “so they secrete that and it causes the plant to get a sooty mold which can devastate the plant and kill the plant, especially grape vines, which are very susceptible to mold.” The spotted lanternfly has a distinct appearance, both the young ones and the adults. “The immatures or the nymphs are black with white spots,” Mitchell says, “then the adult is still black and white, but then it has these vibrant reddish orange wings on it also.” The nymphs may be about the size of a dime while the adults grow to about an inch in length. Mitchell encourages Iowans to be on the lookout.

“If you spot one, it’s important that you capture it in a container,” Mitchell says. “They don’t bite. They’re not going to hurt you. They’re not poisonous or venomous. Immediately reach out to the DNR and let them know your location. They’ll probably send somebody out to inspect the insect itself, and then also the area that you found it on.” The fly has its origins overseas and Mitchell says its natural host plant is what’s known as the tree of heaven, which is native to Asia, but there are some in Iowa. It’s believed the lanternfly may’ve arrived in the U-S on a shipping container.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, Monday, arrested a woman wanted on a Mills County warrant. Authorities say 44-year-old Ashley Marie Hall, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 2:25-p.m. in the 1200 block of Circle Drive, in Red Oak. She was taken into custody on the warrant for Violation of Probation. Hall was transported to Mills County and then to the Mills County Sheriff’s Office. She was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (KCRG & KCCI) – At least 200 workers at a meat packing plant in southern Iowa had their work visas revoked, and they must leave the United States. The United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1149 confirms that between 210 and 220 employees at Ottumwa’s JBS plant were informed that their visas have been revoked and their employment terminated. A Local 1149 official said this is the largest termination of visa workers in his 23 years with the union.

Another union official told KCCI that the HTE Hormel plant in Algona is dismissing 12 employees for the same reasons.

On July 15, Ottumwa Mayor Rick Johnson told city council members that JBS has been meeting with workers from places like Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. He couldn’t confirm if more groups would be affected. The Mayor said JBS is providing workers with $1,000 dollars each to help them self-deport.

The Ottumwa plant employs around 2,500 people.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – FedEx is laying off 84 employees in eastern Iowa as part of a widespread “network transformation”. According to a release from FedEx, the company is launching a network transformation program to improve package delivery. As a result, some FedEx facilities are closing, while others are consolidating in an attempt to streamline FedEx services.

The FedEx facility on Harrison Street in Dubuque is set to close, impacting 27 employees. In addition, the FedEx facility on Beech Way SW in Cedar Rapids will reduce some of its staff. While the Cedar Rapids facility will remain open, 57 employees are set to be laid off as a result of the new program.

Staff members at both facilities were made aware of the layoffs months in advance. FedEx reports that many of the employees will be offered other roles within the company. Affected employees are being provided with career transition support, reassignment opportunities, and compensation packages, according to a statement from the company.