(Osceola, IA) – The Clarke County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday) said a suspect was arrested in connection with a fatal, November, 2025 hit-and-run accident between a vehicle and a horse-drawn buggy. Authorities say a Decatur County man, 41-year-old Jacob Ryan Wright, was arrested without incident at his residence and booked into the Clarke County Jail on Iowa State Patrol warrants. Wright faces charges that include:

• A Class-D felony charge of Involuntary Manslaughter.
• A Class-C felony charge of Leaving the Scene of an Accident, causing Death or Serious Injury.
• Driving While License Denied, Revoked, or Canceled – A Simple Misdemeanor, and
• Failure to Provide Insurance in an Accident (also a Simple Misdemeanor).

Authorities say Wright’s arrest was the result of an extensive investigation conducted by the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, and other partner agencies, following the Nov. 12th accident south of Murray, that left 16-year old Elmer Borntrager dead. The teen was a member of the Amish community. The Sheriff’s Office says the incident remains part of an on-going investigation, but no other details are being released at this time.

“A Criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.” – Sheriff’s Office legal Disclaimer.

DES MOINES, Iowa- Deed theft, also referred to as seller impersonation, title fraud or title theft, has risen sharply nationwide as scammers become increasingly sophisticated. The scammer fraudulently claims ownership of your property to sell or rent it. A product from Iowa Title Guaranty (ITG) offers both new and long-term homeowners an accessible, affordable layer of security for their most important asset. State officials say through this coverage, ITG will provide no-cost legal defense and cover related expenses if deed theft occurs and the title must be defended.

• New Owner’s Endorsement, issued at the time of purchase, protecting buyers if someone later impersonates them and fraudulently transfers or encumbers the property.
• Existing Owner Endorsement, offering the same forward-looking protection to current homeowners seeking added security.

  

  IA Economic Development/IFA photo

(Radio Iowa) – For the third straight Saturday, more snow is in the statewide forecast, along with what could be the coldest temperatures of the season so far. National Weather Service meteorologist Dylan Dodson says this very snowy December is about to get even snowier with the approaching storm system. “Generally, we’re going to be seeing around one to three inches with that, but there could be a band in there that we could be looking at anywhere from three to five,” Dodson says, “so definitely more snowfall and much colder temperatures.”

This front will bring in exceptionally cold air from the arctic, and Iowans may need to toss another quilt on the bed tomorrow night. “We’re looking at just low temperatures in the single digits below zero to teens below zero in northern Iowa and we could even see a few locations get near minus-20 in northwest Iowa,” Dodson says. “We’re also going to be looking at wind chills with those. We’re going to be seeing a pretty good area of minus-20s to even minus-30 in far northern Iowa.”

After the frigid weekend, the forecast calls for a warm-up next week with highs possibly back in the 30s and 40s by Tuesday or Wednesday.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a 13-count indictment Wednesday, December 10, 2025, charging a Des Moines man with offenses related to sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of children. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says, as alleged in the Indictment, 32-year-old Tyler Boyd Pavlick produced and attempted to produce sexually explicit visual depictions of minor victims at two cross-country meets for middle school and high school athletes in September 2025 held in Marshall and Clarke counties and one arts and crafts festival in October 2025 held in Polk County.

The Indictment also alleges that Pavlick possessed a computer containing child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Pavlick could face up to thirty years in prison on each of the charges involving production or attempted production of the visual depictions. Pavlick made his initial court appearance yesterday (Thursday, 12/11/25)) before a United States Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Trial is set for February 2, 2025.  Pavlick remains in custody pending trial.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – It’s one of the snowiest Decembers in years and record numbers of Iowans are predicted to leave the state for the year-end holidays to thaw out someplace warm. Triple-A-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says the forecast for the seven-state region that includes Iowa shows more than nine-million residents will be traveling between December 20th and January 1st. That’s a one-percent increase from last year, while the national figures are up more than two-percent. “People are eager to travel — is the biggest thing, and that’s kind of the trend that we’ve seen over the last couple of years,” Ortner says. “We can say that we’re still exiting from COVID, coming up on six years later, but that is the the reality. The mental shift for folks has made them see travel as a need-to-do instead of a want-to-do.”

Four of the top ten domestic destinations for the holidays are in Florida, along with other sunny cities like Honolulu, Maui, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Ortner says the preferences are starting to change for international travel. “There is a little bit of a shift. You’re seeing more Caribbean and trips to Mexico topping the list in our region for Iowa and our neighboring states,” Ortner says. “One of the biggest changes we’ve seen is the growth in what AAA considers ‘other’ modes of transportation and that’s cruises, and that’s for any age, young people, families, singles.” While most Iowans who are traveling for the holidays will be going by motor vehicle, those who are flying can expect to pay more for their plane tickets.

Deicing a jet at Des Moines International Airport (DSM photo)

“Domestic flights are averaging about $890 roundtrip, and that’s up 7% over last year. Hotel stays are up about 13%, and rental cars are up about 1%,” Ortner says. “One area where it’s down is if you’re taking those international trips. International flight costs are down about 14%, with an average of about $1,400 for a roundtrip flight.” Iowans who will be driving to their holiday destinations should be spending less, he says, when stopping to fill the tank. “The national average for the first time in over four years is below $3 per gallon, and we’re at least 10-cents or more per gallon less across the state on an average when we’re looking at prices this week than we were to 2024,” Ortner says, “so definitely an advantage for those of us hitting the road for the holiday.”

The statewide average for gasoline is now two-52 a gallon, compared to the state average a year ago of two-70, and the current national average price of two-94.

(Atlantic, IA) – The City of Atlantic is advertising on social media, the search for the City’s next City Clerk. Current City Clerk Laura McClean has informed the Council that she intends to move to the Quad Cities in the near future. Information on applying for the position can be found on the City’s Facebook page.

McLean started as City Clerk in September, 2024, following a search to replace the former City Clerk, Barb Barrick, who accepted a similar position with the City of Huxley.

Barrick had succeeded long-time City Clerk Deb Wheatley-Field, who retired in 2017 after 35-years of service to the City.

(Bloomfield, IA) – Classes were canceled for today (Friday, Dec. 12^th) at a southern Iowa school district, after authorities confirmed a case of whooping cough. Davis County Community School District Superintendent Megan Christiansen, in Bloomfield, posted on social media, Thursday afternoon, that the case of whooping cough, also called pertussis, was confirmed at the elementary school.

“Out an abundance of caution,” Christiansen said, classes and activities that were scheduled to take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, were canceled or postponed, while the district investigates and waits on guidance from public health officials. “We will keep families updated with new information,” Christiansen said, “as soon as it becomes available.”

Pertussis is a contagious respiratory illness. It gets its name based on the “whooping” someone makes while gasping for air after coughing.

(Radio Iowa) – One of southwest Iowa’s largest and most popular holiday light displays will be switched on tomorrow (Saturday) night for the first time this season. After months of preparation, the Baird family display in Montgomery County is ready to brighten the skies and spirits of passers by. It features a large collection of illuminated animated characters, buildings and vehicles. Chris Baird is the son of the late Jack Baird, who spearheaded the display for more than 50 years. Baird says it started small and blossomed over the decades.

“Originally, my grandfather brought home some Christmas lights,” Baird says. “They were hung on the fence near the house. Us kids enjoyed them. It just kind of kept expanding from there. I got into elementary and junior high, and I started putting up more and more Christmas lights, and people started coming by. I think that’s when the traditional started of the Baird Christmas light farm.” Baird says the family elected to continue the tradition following Jack Baird’s passing on Christmas Day of 2022.

“That was one of the things that we promised to him,” he says, “because we knew it was so important to both him and my mom from the early years when we started making it bigger and bigger, and it was important to our family. I don’t know what we’d do if we didn’t do it. For as many years as we’ve been doing it now, it’s just been part of our family.” Baird says one of the challenges is keeping the display fresh each year. “We’ve got several new moving figurines this year,” Baird says. “I guess people have to watch for them so that people can pick them out. We’re getting to the point where we need to maybe not a few things out, and then put out some new things. We move things around. People see different things in different places. That’s kind of the fun of it.”

Baird Christmas display (2020 image)

Work on this year’s display began in October. At one point, Baird says three generations of family members worked on the display. Despite all the hard work, he says the joy it brings visitors each year makes it worthwhile. “My dad’s favorite saying was, ‘With all the bad in the world, it’s nice to give something to the community, that people can drive by and enjoy all they want,'” he said. “It doesn’t cost them anything. There’s a box by the drive. If they want to donate, that’s up to them. But, we do not ask for donations. Whatever we get goes back into the lights. That’s the neat thing. If it brings a little bit of happiness to someone who’s having a tough time, it’s well worth doing.”

Beginning tomorrow (Saturday), residents can view the Baird Christmas lights every night from 5-to-10 p-m through January 3rd.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s two Republican Senators voted for the health care bill Thursday they say will lower health care costs, but the bill was blocked by Democrats. Democrats want to extend the Affordable Care Act, but Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says that would be too expensive. “I can tell you what they should not be happy with, and that is the fact that Obamacare has driven costs up for every single American,” she says. “And what our plan does as Republicans, it provides those subsidy payments directly to our Americans directly to them, to invest. In health savings accounts to bring those premium costs down.” Ernst says there is no transparency for insurance companies getting subsidies under Obamcare.

“Anytime you’re subsidizing an activity from the federal government, it actually raises the cost because those companies know that they can charge more and the government’s going to pay for it,” she says. Ernst says the Republican plan makes things more transparent and the insurance market more competitive. “We have found a huge amount of fraud within this Obamacare expanded subsidies market. We want accountability and the Democrats have said ‘no, we don’t care about fraud’, we want it to stay exactly the same way it is. And if we continue to do that, folks, I guarantee those rates are going to keep going up and up and up,” Ernst says.

Ernst says there is talk of another government shutdown in January if an Obamacare extension fails to pass. She says that won’t be Republicans’ fault, and we found out with the recent shut down it’s costly.”It cost our taxpayers over 12 billion dollars, 12 billion dollars in payments that we had to make for employees who were not at work,” she says. Iowa’s other Senator, Chuck Grassley also voted for the plan, saying it would fix a broken health care system.

(Red Oak, IA) – A woman was arrested on an OWI charge this (Friday) morning, following a traffic stop, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, Officers arrested 50-year-old Linda Jean Mayo (no city of residence listed), in the 2000 block of Highway 34. Mayo was charged with OWI/1st offense. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.