• Administration and Regulation – $73,461,809
• Agriculture and Natural Resources – $45,574,050
• Economic Development – $40,187,127
• Education – $1,026,386,031
• Health and Human Services – $2,468,992,645
• Justice System – $925,925,531
• Unassigned Standings – $4,836,758,719

(Radio Iowa) – Most spending decisions for the state budget year that begins July 1st have not been made by lawmakers. Republicans control the debate agenda and Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner says House and Senate Republicans haven’t agreed on the total level of spending yet.  “We are in some sort of disarray,” Weiner says. “It seems pretty clear that we’re going to be going into overtime at this point,” The Iowa Constitution does not require the legislature to end on a certain date. However, this Friday is the 110th day of the 2025 legislative session and lawmakers will not get payments to cover expenses for traveling from their homes to Des Moines after May 2nd.

Weiner says while Senate Republicans and Governor Reynolds have agreed on an overall level of spending, House Republicans have not revealed what their total spending target is. “Republicans have been in charge for over eight years,” Weiner says. “At this point it also bears repeating that both Governor Reynolds and the overall Senate Republicans’ budget target are deficit budgets, using one time reserve funds to cover ongoing expenses.” Republicans say making withdrawals from state reserves was part of the plan when they passed income tax cuts. Speaker Pat Grassley — the top Republican in the House — says Republicans are meeting in private to hammer out budget details.

“I think that the ball is still rolling when it comes to the budget negotiations…We’ve been having productive conversations,” Grassley says. Lawmakers have made one spending decision — on how much the state will spend on K-through-12 education in the next budget year. However, there was a two-month standoff between House and Senate Republicans before that decision was made in early April. Grassley says he’s hopeful overall budget negotiations don’t drag out much longer. “I am not going to make any predictions. I know we’re getting kind of getting to that point in session where we need to start finding some resolution on things,” Grassley says.

Key House members are at the Capitol today (Monday) for private meetings, but there will be no debate in the House. Senate leaders have released a list of 15 bills eligible for debate this (Monday) afternoon. The Senate is likely to take confirmation votes today (Monday) so two members of the board that governs the three state universities may continue serving on the Board of Regents.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests took place last week:

On April 20th, Deputies arrested 29-year-old Melissa Marie Vazquez, of Council Bluffs, in Adair, on an Adair County warrant for Contempt of Court/Violation of a No Contact or Protective Order. Vazquez was released on her Own Recognizance before being picked up by Polk County Sheriff’s Deputies on a warrant for Contempt of Court, and transported to Des Moines.

On April 21st, 40-year-old Sherrece Patricia Kilgore, of Bridgewater, was arrested at the Dallas County Jail on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. She was being held without bond in the Adair County Jail until being released April 26th, for time served.

And, 45-year-old Shaun Michael Cleary, of Yorkville, IL, was arrested on Interstate 80 in Adair County, April 21st. Cleary was pulled-over for a window tint violation, and upon further investigation, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana), and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was convicted in Oct. 2005 on a felony check fraud charge in Florida, that resulted in his being barred from possession a weapon. He was placed under arrest without incident and released the next day on a $5,000 bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A Red Oak man who was arrested last week on a Theft charge, was arrested this (Monday) morning, following an investigation into a March 31, 2025 burglary that took place in the 300 block of E. Market Street, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, 27-year-old Gage Michael Dixon was charged with Burglary in the 3rd Degree. His bond at the Montgomery County Jail was set at $5,000.

As previously reported, Dixon was arrested Friday evening, for Theft in the 5th Degree, His bond on that charge was set at $300.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans are being warned to be prepared for foul weather later today (Monday) and into tonight. National Weather Service meteorologist Rod Donavon says severe thunderstorms are possible across a wide section of the state. “We have a moderate risk out across northern Iowa, which is generally along and north of Highway 20, that is where the greatest risk for severe weather is at, and the rest of the state’s generally in an enhanced risk,” Donavon says. “We’re expecting storms to develop here later this afternoon, especially across northern Iowa, with the threat for few tornadoes, in addition to large hail and damaging winds.”

If it seems like we’ve been having a lot of severe weather in recent weeks, he says you’re not imagining things. “It’s really typical for this time of year,” Donavon says. “Once we get into this more volatile weather pattern, which is typically that early spring portion of the year, where we have a lot of stronger systems move through, we can have some of these stronger to severe weather episodes across the Midwest.”

Iowa’s forecast also calls for broad temperature swings, with highs in the 80s likely for most of the state today, while the cold front arriving tonight should knock highs into the 60s tomorrow.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report three recent arrests. Friday night, 20-year-old Nathan Lee Novotny, was arrested for Driving Suspended. Novotny was taken to the Union County Jail where he later released on a $300 bond.  Early Saturday morning, Creston Police arrested 52-year-old Daniel D. Hoffman, of Shannon City, on charges that include Disorderly Conduct – Fighting/Violent Behavior, and Public Intoxication – 1st Offense. Hoffman was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on his own recognizance.

Saturday evening, 21-year-old Jonathan Dean Williams, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County Warrant for OWI/1st Offense. Williams was later released on a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – A Marshalltown man faces 329 felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. An internet search engine company gave law enforcement a tip in 2023 that child sex abuse material was being downloaded at a specific web address. The Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force determined 65-year-old Michael Lynn Benson owned that online address.

Benson was arrested last Thursday outside his home in Marshalltown.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report a man from Red Oak was arrested at around 6:35-p.m. Friday. Authorities say 27-year-old Gage Michael Dixon was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree (A Simple Misdemeanor). Dixon was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man from Red Oak was issued a written warning following a collision Friday afternoon at N. 4th and Nuckols Streets. Red Oak Police say vehicles driven by 33-year-old James Christensen, of Council Bluffs, and 35-year-old Kristopher Friesenhahn, of Red Oak, collided at around 4:25-p.m., after a car driven by Friesenhahn stopped at the intersection traveling east, and proceeded cross the street, believing the intersection was clear. His vision was partially obstructed by a box truck parked just south of the intersection, on 4th Street.

When his 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer entered the intersection, it struck a 2005 GMC pickup driven by Christensen, as the truck was traveling north on 4th. Damage from the collision amounted to $15,000. Red Oak Police issued Friesenhahn a written warning for Failure to Obey a stop sign/yield the right-of-way.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop Sunday evening in Montgomery County resulted in the arrest on drug charges, of a woman from Mills County. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies stopped a vehicle near Highway 34 and Evergreen Avenue, at around 6:50-p.m., Sunday. Upon further investigation, deputies took into custody 51-year-old Lorelei Pierce, of Hastings (IA). She was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense-marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $1,000.