OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha’s Eppley Airfield will offer not one, but two new nonstop flights next year. Southwest Airlines will offer flights from Omaha to LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York starting March 5, 2026. The airline will also offer the service from Omaha to Miami International Airport starting March 7, 2026.

Last month, officials with Eppley Airfield announced new, twice-weekly non-stop service to Atlanta, GA from Omaha will begin October 10th via Frontier Airlines. And, Southwest Airlines announced last month, seasonal non-stop service from Omaha to San Diego, CA will begin November 22nd.

In June, American Airlines announced the beginning of non-stop service from Omaha to Philadelphia.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – SWIPCO (the Southwest Iowa Planning Council), based in Atlantic, is seeking nominations for persons who provide great civic leadership but who would otherwise go unrecognized. You’re asked to nominate persons for the inaugural Ron Kohn Leadership Award presented by SWIPCO, which is celebrating 50 years of service to Southwest Iowa this year, and officials says, is excited to debut the Ron Kohn Leadership Award. The award recognizes a public servant that has gone above and beyond to provide exceptional leadership, mentoring, and other contributions to a local city, county, or service entity fFrom within SWIPCO’s service area, which includes Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, or Shelby Counties.

The recognition is being given in honor of the late Ron Kohn, former SWIPCO Policy Council Member, Mills County Supervisor, and Mayor of Glenwood. Ron was a shining example of community leadership from his time in office to his time as an educator in the Glenwood School District. Ron’s passion for teaching extended well past his time in education. He worked to make sure others interested in local government had someone to lean on as they learned their way. The award will go annually to a local leader that carries the same passion for the region that Ron had. The recipient will have demonstrated a commitment to innovation, community engagement, and the advancement of public service in Southwest Iowa.

If you would like to nominate someone for this award, please complete the simple form located on the SWIPCO website www.swipco.org. The nomination deadline is August 25, 2025. All nominees will be recognized, and the winner will be presented with the award at the SWIPCO 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. Nominators will be encouraged to attend and help present the award winner as well.

SWIPCO thanks you for your support in its effort to recognize talented local leaders, and they look forward to honoring Ron Kohn’s legacy with this award presentation. SWIPCO is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra says he’ll make an announcement in September about moving his exploratory campaign for governor to the next level.

“We wanted to wait ’til summer is over with, everybody’s on vacation, going to the fair. No one cares about politics at this point, but when kids go back to school, then everybody’s refocused,” Feenstra said today at the Iowa State Fair. “It’s just been so much fun traveling the state. You know, I live in northwest Iowa, so traveling to Davenport and Muscatine, Ottumwa and Fort Dodge, it’s just been a lot of fun.”

Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) spoke with reporters after flipping chops on the Iowa Pork Producers’ grill at the Iowa State Fair. (RI photo)

Governor Kim Reynolds announced in April that she would not run for re-election. In May Feenstra formed a campaign committee to explore a run for governor and quickly raised over a million dollars. In June, he announced a team of fundraisers, but has not held a public event to lay out his agenda. However, Feenstra has run campaign ads introducing himself across the entire state, not just the fourth congressional district that he’s represented since 2021. He spoke with reporters after flipping chops at the Iowa Pork Producers’ State Fair grill and described himself as an Iowa kid who wants to give back to his home state.

“To me it’s all about a vision of how we can grow economically, how we can keep our kids here in Iowa, and how we can create better education and health care,” Feenstra said, “you know, bring our state to new heights.”

Feenstra has spent several days at the Iowa State Fair. “It’s just been so much fun to be at the Fair, talking to people and so we’re going to make an announcement here hopefully in the next three weeks or so.”

Feenstra went to the Def Leopard concert at the State Fair last night and joked with reporters about the mullet he had in the 1980s during the height of the heavy metal band’s popularity.

Former State Representative Brad Sherman and current State Representative Eddie Andrews have announced campaigns for governor. State Senator Mike Bousselot has said he’s still in the exploratory phase and hasn’t made a decision yet about running.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is taking a wait-and-see approach before commenting on the effectiveness of the federal takeover of the Washington, D.C. police force. The District of Columbia filed suit today against the Trump administration over the action. Congress would have to authorize the takeover if it lasts beyond 30 days, although the president says he could bypass that by declaring a national emergency. Grassley was asked if he’d support the move.

“The answer is yes — if — in these 30 days I see what he is accomplishing is bringing peace to the city,” Grassley says, “because it would be kind of stupid if the president’s actions are protecting people in Washington, D.C. and then after 30 days, go right back to the danger that it is to the people through the criminal element.”

Grassley says there is another factor that may sway how he’d vote, if the issue goes before federal lawmakers. “And that is what changes the mayor of Washington D.C., the city council, and the police department are doing to change things so they have it under control,” Grassley says. “That’s what we really want to happen. We want the city of Washington, D.C., through the city government, to have a safe living environment.”

Grassley says some type of action was needed to bring a halt to the murders, carjackings and other violent crimes in the nation’s capital. “The crime rate is much higher than it was ten years ago,” Grassley says, “There’s been a little bit of reduction in the last couple of years, but still very, very high and people’s lives in danger.”

There’s no constitutional question, he says, that if Congress chose to repeal the Home Rule Act of 1973, the federal government could run Washington, though Grassley was quick to add, “We don’t desire to do that.”

DES MOINES, Iowa – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a Marshalltown woman was sentenced to six months in prison Thursday, August 14, 2025, for diverting controlled substances for her own use and falsely noting the administration of controlled substances in patient records.

According to public court documents, Amanda Nicole Manatt, 37, was employed as a registered nurse in the emergency room at Unity Point Marshalltown Hospital, Marshalltown, Iowa, where in 2023 she diverted controlled substances (fentanyl, hydromorphone, and morphine). She obtained controlled substances in patients’ names, documented them as administered to the patients, and then took them for her own use. In December 2023, Manatt’s employment ended at Unity Point Marshalltown Hospital. In January 2024, Manatt obtained employment as a nurse at the emergency room at Mary Greely Medical Center, where she again obtained controlled substances (hydromorphone) in patients’ names, recorded them as administered to the patients, and then took them for her own use until her employment ended in April 2024.

Court records reflect that in some cases patients experienced pain due to Manatt’s taking the controlled substances prescribed for them. In other cases, Manatt took controlled substances from patients in excess of what they needed. Manatt’s false statements in the medical records resulted in billing health care benefit programs for controlled substances not actually administered.

After completing her term of imprisonment, Manatt will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Manatt was also ordered to pay $5,258.20 in restitution, a $5,500 fine, and a $300 special assessment.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau investigated this case.

(Altoona, Iowa) – A wrong-way driver on Interstate 80 in central Iowa caused a crash that killed one person and injured three others. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2013 Toyota Tacoma pickup driven by 19-year-old Zachary Scott Scothorn, of Altoona, was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-80 just west of Exit 141 at around 1:35-a.m.  Two other vehicles, a 2023 Dodge 3500 pickup and a 2013 Mercedes Benz Sprinter Van were traveling eastbound on the Interstate.

The driver of the Dodge pickup, 31-year-old Jason Dason Mapp, of Decatur, GA,was unable to avoid a collision with the Toyota. After the vehicles collided, the Dodge became disabled on the roadway, and was struck by the Sprinter van, driven by 55-year-old Oleksandr V. Moskalnko, of Ormand Beach, FL at almost the same time as the initial crash.

Zachary Scothorn, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. The other two drivers, and a passenger in the Dodge, 31-year-old Clinton D. Taylor, of Chicago, IL, were injured in the crash. They were transported by Altoona EMS to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. All three were wearing their seat belts.

The crash remained under investigation.

DES MOINES – On August 15, 2025, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the intent to award contracts to Delta Dental of Iowa and DentaQuest USA Insurance Company, Inc. to provide dental care to Iowa Medicaid members through Iowa’s Dental Wellness Plan and Hawki.

The new contract begins July 1, 2026, Delta Dental of Iowa has been serving Iowa Medicaid members since 2014. DentaQuest USA Inc., is a new contractor for Iowa Medicaid.

Plans will offer diagnostic and preventative services like exams, cleanings, x-rays, and fluoride treatments, fillings, root canals, dentures, crowns, extractions and other benefits. More information is available at https://hhs.iowa.gov/dental-wellness-plan.

The Iowa Medicaid Team now begins work to onboard the two dental plans and ensure they have built out their provider networks and have systems in place to being providing services to members on day one.

There are no immediate changes for current Medicaid members, and members do not need to take any action right now. Iowa Medicaid will communicate with members about their choices as we approach the July 1 launch.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC), today (Friday), announced the promotion of Shannon Archer to General Counsel, effective immediately. Officials say Archer, who previously served as Legal Counsel for the department, has been instrumental in navigating complex legal landscapes and providing exceptional guidance to the DOC.

Archer’s impressive legal career – the news release said – spans over 15 years, with more than 60 jury trials conducted. During that time, she represented the DOC in civil trials as an Assistant Attorney General, the State of Iowa in criminal prosecutions as an Assistant Polk County Attorney, and also contracted with the State Public Defender’s Office to represent indigent clients facing Class A felony charges. She is a nationally recognized expert and educator on topics including domestic violence and sexual abuse. Before joining the DOC, Archer served as both an Assistant Attorney General and an Assistant Polk County Attorney. She holds a law degree with honors from Drake University and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, cum laude, from Wartburg College.

In her new role, Archer will provide legal expertise to the DOC’s leadership team, staff, and the Board of Corrections. She will also manage legal services for more than 8,500 incarcerated individuals and 30,000 probationers and/or parolees. DOC Director Dr. Beth Skinner says “Shannon has consistently demonstrated the skills, integrity, and dedication needed to excel in this critical role. Her ability to manage complex legal challenges and her unwavering commitment to justice have already made a significant impact on our department. We are incredibly excited to see her lead our legal team and continue to serve the people of Iowa with the same excellence she has always shown.”

Archer said in the news release that is is “…Honored and excited to step into the role of General Counsel for the Iowa Department of Corrections.’ She said also, she is “…passionate about our mission to promote public safety and justice, and [looks] forward to working with [the DOC’s] talented team to uphold the highest legal standards and support the goals of the department.”

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – A Potttawamie County man charged in connection with the death of a woman who was struck by a UTV in Oakland, received a suspended prison sentence, Thursday.

85-year-old Gene Fritz, of Oakland, appeared electronically and was sentenced to 10-years in prison. District Court Judge Eric John Nelson suspended the sentence and fined Fritz $1,370, but that was also suspended. Fritz was instead ordered to serve two years of probation.A post-sentence investigation is required to be completed within 90-days.

Any violation of his probation could mean Fritz would be required to serve the original sentence imposed by the court.

Fritz was charged with Homicide by Vehicle – Reckless Driving, following a December 26, 2024 incident in Oakland, that resulted in the death of 83-year-old Sandra Madron.

Fritz did not have a valid driver’s license, and the UTV he was operating was not registered for roadway use.