(Radio Iowa) – Story County authorities are investigating two separate fires that occurred at a Casey’s convenience store in the town of Maxwell within a period of three days. The latest fire was reported just after 1 a.m. Sunday, according to the Story County sheriff’s office. The fire was discovered by a passerby who immediately alerted authorities. Authorities say the fire originated on the south side of the building, located at 100 Main Street. The fire caused significant damage to the store’s wall and interior, according to investigators.

Another fire was reported at the same Casey’s store on February 3rd, according to the sheriff’s office. The Maxwell Fire Department responded to Sunday’s fire, with additional assistance being provided by fire departments from nearby Cambridge, Collins and Nevada. At this time, both fires are being called “suspicious” in nature.

(Radio Iowa) – Authorities say the man who stole a vehicle with a child inside near Manson in Calhoun County has been apprehended in Missouri. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office in a press release stated that 25-year-old Jabari Kolaker stole a vehicle at gunpoint around 10:15 Sunday morning fleeing with his two-year-old son. Kolaker was eventually located and arrested yesterday afternoon south of St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to his extradition back to Iowa, Kolaker faces criminal charges in Missouri. The child was located and is safe. The owner of the vehicle stolen by Kolater was not harmed in the incident.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports two arrests occurred over the weekend, and a stolen vehicle was reported. Authorities say 55-year-old Scott Bradley Spurrier, of Creston, was arrested at his home, Saturday morning, on a charge of Child Endangerment with Substantial Risk. He later posted a $5,000 cash or surety bond, and was released from the Union County Jail. And, late Sunday night, 58-year-old David Joseph Tindle, of Des Moines, was arrested in Creston for Intent to manufacture/deliver Meth, and Burglary in the 2nd Degree. His cash or surety bond was set at $35,000.

A Creston man reported to Police Sunday morning, that a vehicle belonging to the Vestas Wind Mill Company was stolen, along with approximately $2,700 worth of tools in the truck. The vehicle was described as being a white, 2020 Chevy 2500 that has damage on the front and rear bumpers. It also has a sticker in the front or back windows with the company logo. The loss was estimated at $62,700 altogether.

(Radio Iowa) – Cedar Falls police are investigating a weekend shooting that left one person dead and two others injured – one critically. The incident happened Sunday just before 2 AM in the College Hill business district near the University of Northern Iowa campus. Cedar Falls police say they found a man lying on the ground suffering from life-threatening injuries. He later died at the hospital. According to authorities, two other men with gunshot wounds later arrived at the hospital by private vehicle. One of the victims was admitted with life-threatening injuries while the other was treated and released. None of the victims have been identified. Authorities later arrested two Mason City men, Brandon Mitchell and Daniel Judon, on felony charges connected to the shooting.

Mitchell was booked into the Black Hawk County Jail on charges of attempted murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and control of a firearm by a felon. Officials took Judon into custody on a charge of intimidation with a dangerous weapon.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Last month, two Senate Republicans called for felony charges against educators who provide books with passages they deem obscene, while the Majority Leader, who is also the top Republican in the Senate — expressed support for the governor’s plan for addressing parents’ concerns. Governor Reynolds has proposed requiring lists of school books be posted online and requiring school officials to respond within 30 days to parents’ complaints about any book. Parents would have a final appeal heard by the State Board of Education. Senate President Jake Chapman used the phrase “sinister agenda” and disguising sexually obscene material as desired subject matter and profess it as artistic and literary in value.”

During an electronic legislative coffee held Saturday, Republican Representative Tom Moore and Senator Tom Shipley,expressed their thoughts on Chapman’s position. Shipley said he’s seen evidence of the obscene material in question.

He said “a good number of us [in the legislature] were just a little put off by [Chapman’s statements about an agenda], and have expressed that [he] went a little too far.” He says he knows too many teachers, to think that they are pushing an agenda with regard to obscene material. Tom Moore agreed, but with a caveat…”

Moore said the material affects “just a few” in a certain school districts, not the 99-percent. Moore says he doesn’t support the banning of books, but he believes parents have the right to see what is being assigned, and in the libraries, and to make sure their child is protected from that if they so want it to be.

Other topics of discussion during the legislative coffee, include changing the can/bottle bill [for redeeming cans and bottles]. Senator Shipley said the issue has been the topic of discussion for years. A bill in Natural Resources may be coming to the full committee for action to get it fixed, but there’s too many players involved, in getting the situation resolved.

Moore echoed those comments, and acknowledged the redemption centers need more money.

Representative Moore says there are many less redemption centers now than there were 10-years ago, because they aren’t getting enough money to stay afloat. Other topics discussed, Saturday, included those pertaining to Eminent Domain, especially with regard to the CO2 pipelines, and, extending REAP fund in 2026 and beyond.

(Radio Iowa) – A new study finds about one in three Iowans have hypertension or high blood pressure. Dr. David Goff, director of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, says Iowa ranks 27th in the nation. “Iowa is about in the middle of the pack with blood pressure and you might say, ‘Well, that’s not so bad,’ but that’s not good either,” Goff says. “Having a third of us with high blood pressure is way too many, given how much trouble high blood pressure causes.”

The treatable condition can lead to kidney problems, heart attacks, stroke and death. Two years of pandemic living has raised stress levels for nearly everyone, Goff says, and we need to take action to improve our self-care. “All of us need to follow a healthier diet, eat more vegetables and fruits and whole grains, less salt in our diet,” Goff says. “Get more activity, that means usually about 30 minutes of something like brisk walking most days, try to stay lean.”

Iowans who are stressed need to find ways to decompress and manage that stress, what Goff says is invoking your “relaxation response.” “For some people, it’s breathing exercises. For some people, it’s meditation. For other people, it’s prayer. Some folks work out their stress by going to the gym,” Goff says. “Whatever works for the individual that’s going to be a healthy way of coping with stress would be really helpful in improving heart health as well as overall health.”

Some Iowans have picked up bad habits during the pandemic, like alcohol, smoking, overeating and binge-watching television. You won’t be able to tackle them all at once, Goff says, but start with something. “Maybe you start with just cutting back a little bit on the alcohol. Then you’re probably going to feel better, and then you can try to increase your activity — and then you can try to improve your diet,” Goff says. “Trying to do them all at the same time can sometimes seem overwhelming. Making small changes and building on them over time can be more successful.”

Whether it’s everyday deadlines, financial struggles, or COVID-19, we all face some degree of stress and our bodies react to it. With chronic stress, Goff says you’re more likely to have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and poor sleep. Find tips on getting healthy at: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ourhearts

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings starting next week. D-N-R wildlife biologist, Todd Gosselink says it’s a chance to recap the previous year and plan for the next. He says it’s a chance for hunters to tell the D-N-R what they like and don’t like and to suggest ideas for changes. Gosselink says each year has a few changes to the rules — with the deer seasons often seeing adjustments. “We’re tweaking those quotas and things like that for deer season. We have Chronic Wasting Disease in certain parts of the state — so we’ve changed deer regulations to allow for extra seasons — like a January antlerless season to try and harvest more deer in those areas that have C-W-D or Chronic Wasting Disease,” he says.

He says they will have a final meeting after all the others to talk about what they learned. Gosselink says they will reveal the changes they came up with based on public input, and then have a second round of input on the proposed changes. Gosselink encourages you to find a meeting in your area and give your input. “It really helps us gather a lot of information from the hunters out in the field,” Gosselink says. “And it definitely helps us in the decision-making process, it’s a big factor of what needs changed and addressed to.”

Here are some of the Meeting dates, times and locations:
Creston, Feb. 21, 6 p.m., Multi-Purpose Room, Southern Prairie YMCA, 1201 West Townline Street
Sac City, Feb 22, 6:30 p.m., Sac County Conservation Center, Hagge Park, 2970 280th Street
Onawa, Feb. 23, 6 p.m., Lewis and Clark State Park visitor center banquet room, 21914 Park Loop
Council Bluffs, Feb. 24, 6:30 p.m., Council Bluffs Fish & Game Club, 531 Comanche St.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that would override business policies that prevent employees from having guns in their vehicles in the company parking lot has cleared initial review in the Iowa Senate. Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, is the bill’s sponsor. “The employee, I believe, has a fundamental right on their way to work…on their way home after work to have a weapon as a means of well-being and security,” Schultz says.

Schultz says his bill wouldn’t affect businesses that do not allow employees to bring guns into the workplace, but he says leaving a gun in a locked, parked vehicle should be allowed. Rita Carter of the United Methodist Church Advocates says she’s concerned because the bill also applies to the employees AND volunteers of non-profits. “So what’s to prevent an employee from — even though they’ve lawfully locked their gun and ammunition in their car — from going out, getting it, coming back in and wreaking havoc?” she asks.

Tracey Kennedy is an Iowa chapter leader for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense. “There are legitimate reasons employers choose not to have firearms being stored on the property, including the risk of guns being stolen from cars,” she says. “Research actually suggests that nearly one quarter of guns are taken from cars and other vehicles.” The legislature’s website shows the Iowa Association of Business and Industry is opposed to the bill, while a number of other business groups are monitoring the legislation.

Richard Rogers of the Iowa Firearms Coalition says about two dozen states have similar parking lot laws. “What we believe is that employers have rights, but employees and citizens have rights, including a right to an expectation of privacy in their vehicle, just as they do in their home,” Rogers says, “and that the place to draw the line between those rights is at the locked door of a private vehicle.”

The bill is tentatively scheduled for debate in a Senate Committee this week. Policy bills like this one must be approved by a Senate or a House committee by the end of NEXT week — or the bill is tabled for the year. That deadline does not apply to spending or tax-related bills.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department is pairing up with the Atlantic Public Library to promote recreation and “I love my library” month. There will be 15 pairs (of things like Salt and pepper shakers, socks and shoes, milk and cookies, etc.) hidden in City Park and 15 pairs hidden in Cedar Park. Find both hearts which pair up, take a picture with both, and show either the pictures to the Atlantic Library Staff OR the Atlantic Parks and Rec Department, to earn a prize. Pairs vary, but there are pairs specific to Cedar Park and pairs specific to City Park.