(Radio Iowa) -[updated] Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra says tax credits for some of the middle income Americans who’ve been buying health insurance policies on the Affordable Care Act marketplace must be examined. “ObamaCare has always been very expensive. I mean, it continues to go up. It has never been affordable and when we had COVID, the tax credits were dramatically increased,” Feenstra says. “…We’re saying, ‘No, we can’t do that.'”

Americans with an annual income within 400 percent above the poverty line will still receive the tax credit next year, but current law says middle-income Americans will no longer qualify next year. Senate Democrats are insisting an extension of these health care subsidies be included in the plan to temporarily fund the federal government. “I want quality and affordable health care for all Iowans, but there’s a better way and that’s why we say to Democrats: ‘Open the government. We can talk about this. We can work through it, but we want to do it in the right way.’ And you don’t do that when you have a government shutdown.”

Feenstra was first elected to the U.S. House in 2020. That was after bills to repeal the Affordable Care Act passed the Republican-led House, but failed in the Senate. Feenstra has said protecting people with pre-existing conditions from losing their insurance should be part of any future health care legislation, but he says taking steps to inject competition in the system will reduce premium costs. Feenstra has also proposed that patients who pay with cash should get a discount on their health care bills.

This past May, Feenstra formed an exploratory committee for a run for governor in 2026, but has not formally kicked off a statewide campaign.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines has returned an 11‑count indictment on October 16, 2025, charging a Des Moines man with wire fraud. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa said Friday (today), as alleged in the Indictment, 65-year-old Marin James Tirrell, ran a scheme to defraud multiple individuals between February 2024 and January 2025. Tirrell’s scheme involved obtaining money from individuals that he claimed would be used to buy tickets to high-demand sports and concert events and resold at a profit. Instead, Tirrell used a majority of the funds for gambling and personal expenses, repaying loans, and paying other investors for earlier payments. In total, investors provided Tirrell several million dollars and the victim investors sustained a combined loss exceeding $1.5 million.

Tirrell was on federal supervised release for a 2019 mail fraud conviction. Tirrell was released from his 41-month prison sentence in January 2023. Tirrell made his initial court appearance on October 20, 2025, before a United States Magistrate Judge of the United State District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Trial was set for December 1, 2025. Tirrell will remain detained in federal custody pending further proceedings.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case.

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

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – Another Iowa School District was an apparent “Swatting” target, today (Friday). AC/GC Superintendent Josh Rasmussen posted a statement on the district’s social media page to parents and guardians of students with the combined district, describing a phoned-in threat to the Adair-Casey campus. You can read his statement below. While classes at Adair-Casey were not called-off, precautions were implemented to ensure students’ and staff safety. Earlier in the day, today (Friday), classes at the Algona Community School District were canceled due to a report that was apparently linked to “swatting.”

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna has announced the successful completion of public testing on election equipment leading up to the November 4 City-School Election. The testing confirmed that all election equipment in Montgomery County is working properly and is ready for the upcoming election. Ozuna said during the tests, vote tabulators undergo a logic and accuracy test, which the public is invited to attend. Election officials test voting tabulators using sample ballots to ensure the tabulators are recording votes properly by feeding in correctly marked ballots and ballots that may be marked incorrectly. This includes ballots with any undervote, where a race is left blank, and ballots with an overvote, where a voter has marked too many candidates for a race.

Auditor Ozuna said “The completion of our comprehensive pre-election testing affirms that all voting equipment performed to the highest standards of accuracy, security, and reliability. Our focus remains on safeguarding the integrity of every vote cast and ensuring that the systems in place support a transparent and trustworthy election process.” Pre-election testing takes place before each election in all 99 counties and is mandated by Iowa law. To ensure transparency in the election process, the public is invited to attend and watch the testing, and members of Iowa’s recognized political parties are also invited.

Public pre-election equipment testing is just one of many safeguards in place to protect the integrity of Iowa elections. Other layers of Iowa’s election integrity include paper ballots, cybersecurity measures, post-election audits, voter ID, and bipartisan teams of poll workers. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says “Iowa has been repeatedly named a top state for election administration and integrity, and we credit that to our layered approach to election security. I’m especially thankful for Iowa’s county auditors and their staff for their dedication to administering safe, secure, and fair elections. They have conducted successful testing of voting equipment across the state, giving Iowans yet another reason to trust our elections process.”

Iowa’s City-School Election will be held on Tuesday, November 4. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Iowans can find their polling place at sos.iowa.gov. Iowans can also vote absentee in person or by mail. Voters can vote early, absentee, in person at their county auditors’ offices until Monday. November 4. Iowans planning to vote absentee are encouraged to return their absentee ballots at least a week before Election Day to ensure it is received by the county auditor by Election Day.

ALGONA, Iowa — Classes were canceled today (Friday) for Algona schools after officials said they received a threat about an explosive. According to a post on the school’s Facebook page, the threat may be part of a larger “swatting” effort impacting schools across the country.

Swatting calls are false police reports or fake 911 calls, usually about a mass shooting or bombing. According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, swatting calls are “intended to trigger an immediate and widespread law enforcement deployment or emergency service response to a specific location.”

An Iowa law that went into effect July 1, 2024, increased penalties to such crimes from a misdemeanor to a Class D Felony, which could come with up to five years in prison. If somebody is injured or even killed as a result of a swatting call, then that becomes a Class C Felony with a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Algona School Officials said they were working with the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Department and the Algona Police Department to ensure the safety of the district’s buildings by following the district’s regular safety protocols.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors visited Washington Elementary School on Thursday October 23rd, 2025, to meet with Dr. Beth Johnson, Superintendent of the Atlantic Community School District, to learn more about the three proposed ballot measures that will appear on the November 4th, 2025, election ballot. Dr. Johnson explained that the proposals aim to address critical facility needs, enhance safety, and provide modern, efficient learning environments across the district. Together, the measures would fund improvements and expansions that support students, staff, and families well into the future.

The three ballot measures include:

• Public Measure DH: A $22.5 million general obligation bond for improvement and expansion projects at Washington Elementary, Schuler Elementary, Atlantic Middle School, and Atlantic High School.
• Public Measure DI: An $18.5 million sales tax revenue bond to construct a new multipurpose activity center at Atlantic High School.
• Public Measure DG: A Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS) to continue using statewide sales tax (SAVE) funds for projects like building upgrades, technology, and infrastructure.
  

  Pictured Left to Right: Dr. Beth Johnson, Jeff Christensen, Jen McEntaffer, Jim Kickland, Dan Haynes, Alisha Wagner, Chris Parks, Julie Waters, Steve Andersen, Krysta Hanson, Elain Otte, Dolly Bergmann, Bill Saluk, Anne Quist, Megan Sramek, Jenny Jessen, Graydon Schmidt, Kathie Hockenberry, Summer Schwab, Lana Westphalen, Connie Wailes, Lily Witmore, Brehana Preis, Colt Doherty

The proposals are the result of a year-long facility planning process. In July 2024, the Iowa Construction Advocate Team (ICAT) from Estes Construction assessed all district facilities and identified areas needing updates to meet current codes, comfort, and accessibility standards. Later that year, SVPA Architects and Estes Construction worked with district leadership and the School Board to develop a 10-year maintenance plan and prioritize major projects. Financial advisors helped craft a strategy using both General Obligation Bonds and Sales Tax Revenue Bonds, generating about $40 million to address these needs.

Dr. Johnson emphasized that community input shaped the proposals through surveys, facility studies, and public meetings. “Our schools are the heart of our community,” said Dr. Johnson. “These measures are about providing safe, high-quality spaces where students can thrive, teachers can teach effectively, and families can feel confident about the future of education in Atlantic.” Following the discussion, the Ambassadors toured Washington Elementary, viewing classrooms, shared spaces, and areas slated for renovation. The visit provided a first-hand look at how the proposed projects would strengthen learning environments for students.

Community members are encouraged to learn more and attend upcoming informational sessions before the November vote. For full details about the ballot measures, project plans, and voting information, visit https://www.atlantic-bond.com/.

(Radio Iowa) – The state’s factories are always on the hunt to hire more skilled workers, and Iowa-based window and door manufacturing giant Pella Corporation is now starting its recruitment efforts as early as elementary school. Just in the past week, the company’s headquarters in Pella welcomed tours of local eighth graders, as well as a crop of more than 100 Girl Scouts. Laura Phillips, Pella’s vice president of engineering and procurement, says they’re striving to inspire a future workforce. Phillips says, “They got to tour our facilities, see all of the interesting innovation technology that we have on the shop floor, how cool our factories are.” It’s vital, she says, to find ways to spark the interest and curiosity of young people, to get them thinking about eventual careers in construction, engineering, line mechanics, and manufacturing.

“We got to take them into our testing facility where we put our products under tons of pressure and stress to make sure that they’re going to perform for years and years for our customers,” Phillips says. “They got to push the button where we launch two-by-fours at windows and break them to see how strong they’re going to be, and how they’re going to hold up in the weather and the elements. I really think that they loved every minute of it.” Phillips says the sprawling Pella headquarters routinely welcomes hands-on tours of elementary and middle schoolers from across Iowa, hoping to inspire the next generation of manufacturers.

“We also spend a ton of time with high school students and with colleges,” Phillips says. “We have a really incredible trade apprentice program as well as an internship program where we really create an environment where both high school and college students can come in and see what manufacturing is all about.” As part of the Incredible Women in Skilled Trades event last weekend, she says Pella introduced young Girl Scouts from across Iowa to dynamic careers in various trades while connecting them with accomplished women who are working in the field. “Women are still underrepresented, but Pella is really working hard to make sure that we are tapping into all of the talent that’s out there because there are shortages, in technical roles and in manufacturing roles,” Phillips says. “We really need to bring in the best talent, so we’re always looking for ways to attract and retain broadly and really build out our talent pipeline.”

Founded in Iowa in 1925, Pella Corp now has 21 locations in the U-S and Canada and more than 10-thousand employees.

(Radio Iowa) – Tom Harkin — the Iowa Democrat who served in 40 years in the U.S. House and Senate — has had a change of heart about the ethanol industry.  “For most of my time in the Senate, I was one of ethanol’s biggest supporters,” Harkin said. “…I was wrong, at least in the magnitude.” As a senator, Harin pushed for federal policies to expand the use of ethanol and in 2010 Harkin blasted the E-P-A for delaying regulations to let gasoline with higher amounts of ethanol be sold. Harkin now says while ethanol has its place in the marketplace, it will not solve all the problems in the ag sector.

“The push to make ethanol sort of the end all and be all of agriculture production — that’s just not going to happen,” Harkin said. “…We’re going to have to start thinking of doing other things, encouraging other forms of agriculture, other forms of enterprises, things that will help us get through this mess that we’re in right now. I don’t want to lose another generation of farmers.” Harkin, who is 85, served in congress during the Farm Crisis. By the end of the 1980s, 300-thousand U-S farms had defaulted on loans.

Former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (Photo courtesy of the Harkin Institute)

“The ’80s happened because a secretary of agriculture in the early ’70s basically said plant fence-row-to-fence-row, go big or get out,” Harkin said. “…I remember sheep raising and cattle operations all over southern Iowa. Well, in the ’70s, they plowed it all up and started planting corn and beans.” Harkin says farmers got overextended with high interest rate loans for combines and other farm equipment — and that led to farm foreclosures in the 1980s. An I-S-U economics professor estimated that in every year during the Farm Crisis, nearly two-and-a-half percent of farmers left the business.

Harkin made his comments during a “Chautauqua Talk” in Algona hosted by Kossuth County Democrats.

(A report by the Iowa Capital Dispatch) – State officials have cited an Oskaloosa nursing home where a resident died after the staff couldn’t locate a crash cart, forgot to summon an ambulance and failed to realize the resident had standing orders in place for CPR to be administered. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports the Oskaloosa Care Center, a 76-resident nursing home in Mahaska County, has been cited by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing with failing to carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, in accordance with a resident’s wishes, and for workers’ inability to locate the facility’s crash cart, which had a defibrillator on board for restoring a patient’s heartbeat in cases of cardiac arrest. According to the state agency, these failures placed residents of the home in immediate jeopardy.

State inspectors allege that on the morning of Sept. 8, 2025, a certified nursing assistant and registered nurse entered a male resident’s room and found the man slumped over in his recliner and in distress – gasping, sweating profusely and stating he needed to sit. According to the inspectors’ reports, one of the workers left the room to obtain equipment to check the man’s vital signs, at which point the man’s eyes rolled back in his head as if he was having a seizure. The director of nursing arrived in the room and instructed a licensed practical nurse to call an ambulance and verify the resident’s “code status,” which would indicate whether the resident either had a do-not-resuscitate, or DNR, order in place, or wished to have potentially lifesaving measures, such as CPR, administered.

After one worker left the room to check the resident’s code status, a nurse communicated over a two-way radio that the resident had a do-not-resuscitate order in place. The staff then concluded the resident was dead and began to clean and clothe the body for the family’s viewing, according to inspectors. While one worker began the process of contacting the resident’s family, she noticed in the resident’s chart that the man was listed as “full code” — indicating life-saving procedures were to have been performed. She then reviewed other records and confirmed that information. According to state inspectors, the staff elected not to perform CPR at that point due to the man’s lack of responsiveness, ashen color, blotchy skin and lack of a pulse.

Pictured: The Oskaloosa Care Center in Mahaska County. (Photo via Google Earth)

A certified nursing assistant later told inspectors that shortly after the resident was found in distress, two of her co-workers began looking for the home’s crash cart but could not find it. The aide told inspectors she was able to locate the cart, noting that it was marked with a sign that read “AED,” for automated external defibrillator. According to the inspectors, the CNA noted that for residents designated “full code,” there was supposed to be a green sticker on the outside of their door — adding that there was such a sticker in this case, but it was located on the roommate’s side of the door, so the staff presumed the resident who died had a DNR order in place. The director of nursing allegedly told inspectors the resident’s door did not contain the correct sticker due to a recent room change, adding that she would have started CPR had she known the man was “full code” but believed she could trust the information given to her by the nurse. It was later determined that no one had ever called the ambulance and, according to inspectors, the worker who was tasked with that responsibility explained she “forgot to call” while searching for the crash cart.

As a result of the incident, the inspections department proposed, but then held in a suspension, a $10,000 fine. The state fine is being held in suspension so that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services can determine whether a federal penalty should be imposed in its place. The inspections department also proposed, and held in suspension, a fine for a separate incident involving the staff’s failure to adequately respond to a lethargic female resident’s complaints of chest pain. The resident was later taken to a hospital where it was determined she had suffered a heart attack. Workers at the home allegedly told inspectors they had reported the resident’s worsening condition to a nurse. The nurse, they said, “dismissed” their concerns, “acted like it was no big deal,” and then asserted the resident was merely “playing possum.”

According to inspectors, when they later interviewed the nurse and asked whether she thought she should have notified the woman’s physician of the situation, the nurse refused to answer. State records provide conflicting information as the size of the suspended fine stemming from that incident, with some of the records stating $9,000 and some stating $9,500.

(Radio Iowa) – The 100th pheasant season in Iowa opens Saturday and D-N-R wildlife biologist Todd Bogenshutz says it is setting up to be a good one. “This past year was the fourth mildest winter in state history, like 150 years of record. So, we probably had virtually all of our hens survive from last fall,” he says. Bogenshutz says having that type of survival rate is fantastic, and those numbers make up for some loss of young birds in wet weather after the hatch. “The roadside survey showed that our chick survival wasn’t as good as last year, but it was only down a little bit, so the number of hens that were nesting more than made up for not quite as many chicks surviving. And so our counts still were up 40 percent statewide,” Bogenschutz says.

Photo courtesy of the Iowa DNR.

Some 77-thousand hunters head out to chase the ringnecks last year, and he says that number is likely to grow this season. “This year with the counts being so good, you know, Mother Nature smiled on us with good weather and we grew a lot of birds for the for the habitat we have, I would not be surprised at all if we’re over 80-thousand hunters,” he says. Bogenschutz says Iowa should stay at the top of the best states for pheasant hunting. “We’ve been the number two state in harvest for the last four years running at least, probably this will be the fifth year with this fall, only South Dakota can boast more pheasants harvested than us,” Bogenschutz says.

Bogenschutz the pheasant harvest could be in the 600 to 700-thousand range. The season runs through January 10th.