(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s governor and attorney general say nothing is more important than the pro-life cause. Governor Kim Reynolds signed bills in 2018 and again last summer to ban nearly all abortions after the sixth week of a pregnancy, but the Iowa Supreme Court is reviewing a legal challenge to the law, which would ban nearly all abortions in Iowa. “I will never back down from protecting the innocent and unborn,” Reynolds said, to cheers.

Reynolds addressed the crowd gathered in the capitol rotunda today (Monday) for the annual Iowa Rally for Life. “Go out there and continue to fight for the unborn. Thank you for what you do. Thank you for being here and thank you for never, ever ever backing down,” Reynolds said, as the crowd applauded and cheered.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said “all life has value and must be protected. “…We know that we’re going to be successful. We just have to keep working and never give up. We’re never going to give up when it comes to doing the right thing.” Bird told the crowd all the legal briefs from supporters and opponents of Iowa’s fetal heartbeat law are due to be filed with the Iowa Supreme Court by the end of this month and a ruling is “likely” by the end of June.

Governor Kim Reynolds speaks at 2024 Iowa Rally for Life in capitol rotunda. (RI photo)

More than a dozen people spoke at today’s rally. Republican Representative Shannon Lundgren of Peosta guided the policy through the Iowa House in 2018 and again in 2023. “We’ve made a difference and never in my lifetime as a legislator did I ever think we’d see Roe v Wade overturned, but we have and what a joyous day that was,” Lundgren said, “so we’re going to continue to move the needle and do what we can to defend lives and support the moms that have tough decisions to make.” For example, Republicans are considering a bill that would ban city ordinances that prevent organizations from operating homes for pregnant women in residential neighborhoods.

Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart said the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that overturned Roe v Wade is “a stark reminder of just how important it is to vote in every election.” Hart said Iowa Democrats “stand with the vast majority of Iowans” who oppose the six week abortion ban.

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 22, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Iowa Theresa Greenfield today (Monday) announced that USDA is investing $18,211,903 in 183 projects across the state to lower energy bills, generate new income, create jobs, and strengthen competition for Iowa agricultural producers and rural small business owners with funding through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

“Producers and small businesses across the state are saving money, growing their businesses, and addressing climate change by investing in solar projects and making energy efficiency improvements through the USDA Rural Energy for America Program,” said Director Greenfield. “The Biden-Harris Administration is hard at work making sure as many Iowans as possible can access the historic Inflation Reduction Act funding to make clean energy improvements at their farms and businesses.”

Today’s projects are part of a larger nation-wide announcement for the REAP program. A list of the nationwide investments may be found online here.

On Nov. 9, 2021, Xochitl Torres Small, USDA Rural Development Under Secretary, visited a farm in Audubon County, Iowa. She met a farmer who received a USDA Rural Energy for America (REAP) program grant and looked at the grain drying system the grant helped provide for the farm business there. USDA photo by Cecilia Lynch

Latest REAP grants in Iowa

A full list of today’s awards in Iowa is available online here and includes these five examples:

-CS Solar LLC received a $206,792 grant to help install a 29 kilowatt rooftop solar system and a 164 kW ground solar system on city property in Decorah. This project in Winneshiek County is expected to generate $40,987 per year in energy sales, which is enough electricity to power 23 homes.

–Red Lion Creston Schools Solar LLC, an electric generation company, received a $1,000,000 grant to help install solar arrays totaling 1,771 kilowatts in Creston. This project in Union County will generate 2,346,020 kilowatt hours per year, amounting to $151,822 per year. This is enough electricity to power 216 homes.

–Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy LLC received a $1,000,000 grant to install a slurry heating and reduced backset system at its dry-mill ethanol production facility in rural Pottawattamie County. This project is expected to realize $3,181,600 per year in savings and to replace 36,688,453 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough electricity to power 3,385 homes.

-Red Lion Knoxville Waterworks Solar LLC, an electric generation company, received a $800,000 grant to help install solar arrays totaling 1,056 kilowatts at six locations in Knoxville, in Marion County. This project is expected to generate 1,340,560 kilowatt hours per year, amounting to $81,499 per year. This is enough electricity to power 123 homes.

-Mara Transport Inc., a family-owned and operated over-the-road trucking business located in Marshall County, received a $21,949 grant to help install a 34.6 kilowatt solar array for business needs. This project is expected to save $5,584.67 per year and to replace 33,968 kilowatt hours—100 percent of the business energy usage—per year, which is enough energy to power three homes.

(Carroll, Iowa) – A single vehicle accident north of Carroll this (Monday) morning claimed the life of an adult and a female juvenile. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened a little before 8-a.m. on Highway 71, south of 150th Street. A 2005 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 41-year-old Joshua Shelton, of Carroll, was traveling south on Highway 71. When the pickup passed another southbound vehicle, it went out of control as it returned to the southbound lane.

The pickup entered the west ditch and struck a Mid-American Energy power pole before coming to rest. Shelton and his unidentified juvenile passenger died at the scene. Both were wearing their seat belts.

Carroll Community School District Superintendent Casey Berlau sent a letter to families Monday announcing that a ninth-grade student at Carroll High School and the student’s father died in a crash, according to the Carroll Times-Herald. “The district has taken immediate steps to provide support by coordinating with Heartland AEA to make additional grief counselors available. They will be onsite in the coming days to offer assistance to both students and staff” Berlau said in the letter.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and Carroll County EMS. According to the latest data from the Iowa Department of Transportation, four people have died so far this year on Iowa roads. That number is 11 fewer than at the same point in 2023. Over the last five years, an average of 350 people have been killed in statewide crashes annually.

Atlantic, IA – Cass County Public Health will be providing free Friends and Family CPR classes on February 5 and March 4, and Stop the Bleed Classes February 19 and March 18. All courses will be held at 1408 East 10^th Street at 6:00 pm.

Space is limited for these free classes, so reserve your spot today by calling Cass County Public Health Nurse Linda Edelman at (712) 243-7551.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports a man from Adair was arrested at around 7:10-p.m., Friday, following a traffic stop in Adair. 25-year-old James Dale Luke was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense. His breath alcohol content registered slightly over the legal limit, at .087%.  The legal limit for intoxication in Iowa is .08-percent. James Luke was taken to the Adair County Jail and released a couple of hours later on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

(Anamosa, Iowa) – The Iowa State Patrol has released the name of a child who died Saturday (Jan. 20, 2024), from injuries that occurred during an eastern Iowa sledding accident on Jan. 10th.  The Patrol says 13-year-old Adam McWherter died from his injuries at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, after his sled was struck by an SUV, when the sled crossed a road in front of a 2008 GMC Envoy SUV. The driver of the SUV was identified as 49-year-old David Thomas, of Anamosa.

The accident happened at around 11:30-a.m. Jan. 10th, in rural Anamosa.

The accident remains under investigation.

(Massena, Iowa) – The Cass County Conservation Board is holding Cabin Fever Escape program. The program/open house will be held at the Outdoor Educational Classroom outside Massena, IA on January 27th, from 1-until 4-p.m. There is no charge, and all ages are welcome to attend. Cure your cabin fever and have some family fun!

Bring your mugs, sleds, and dress for the weather. Snowshoes, and cross country skis will be available to use. If you get cold, warm and tasty drinks and a movie will be playing inside the Outdoor Classroom lodge. There will be no snow activities planned as well.

To reach the Outdoor Classroom, take Highway 148 south of Massena, turn left on Tucson Road and follow it east for about two miles, then make a right-hand turn into the parking lot. The Cass County Conservation Board hopes you will take the time to join them for the free, family event on January 27th.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa region of the American Red Cross is taking nominations for its Heroes of the Heartland award, a prestigious statewide event to recognize the unsung leaders in our state who go above and beyond to save a life or make our community better. Red Cross spokeswoman Emily Holley says the awards are for ordinary people who do extraordinary things. “It could be someone who saved a life, someone who administered CPR, or someone who was in the right place at the right time and provided assistance to someone struggling,” Holley says. “It could also be someone who saw a need in the community and stepped in to fill that need.”

One of last year’s heroes was a Hy-Vee truck driver and volunteer firefighter who stopped to help save a near-fatal car crash victim he came upon while driving his route. “We also honored a group of friends in their early 20s,” Holley says. “They were coming home from a hockey game and one of them went into cardiac arrest. They pulled over and all three of them cycled through administering CPR until first responders arrived on the scene.”

The ceremony to recognize the heroes is scheduled for April 9th at the state Red Cross headquarters in Des Moines. “We provide them with an award and we work with a video company to produce videos that interview the person who nominated them, the person they may have helped,” Holley says. “It’s a wonderful time to really recognize folks who deserve it. And it’s also a corporate fundraiser for the American Red Cross and that money goes to our home fire campaign.”

The deadline to submit nominations is February 1st. Find an online nomination form at redcross.org/iowa.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency not regulated by a bank or financial institution and may be used for purchases or investments. Cryptocurrency automatic teller machines (ATMs) work like a bank or credit union ATM and convert traditional currency into cryptocurrency for a fee, but scammers are using these machines to exploit Iowans.

The FBI issued a public service announcement alerting the public about the increase of these scams and described the various tactics being used to steal money with a cryptocurrency ATM.  One tactic being used in Iowa is a romance scam.  The victim meets a romantic interest online or on a dating app, gains the victim’s trust, then makes a request for money due to a medical emergency, legal fees, or other emotional and urgent plea that tugs at your heartstrings.  The scammer then requests the funds be deposited at a cryptocurrency ATM into a crypto wallet address provided by the scammer, that the victim does not control.  Once you deposit money into an uncontrolled cryptocurrency wallet, the money is gone.

A second tactic is an investment opportunity that promises astronomical returns.  These interactions can begin as a simple text message or email, but the scammer will often direct the victim to use an online message platform such as WhatsApp or Telegram to continue the dialog.  After the victim makes an investment which appears to be earning the promised returns additional funds will be requested.  The scammer then directs the victim to place the investment money into a cryptocurrency ATM. Again, the digital wallet is controlled by the scammer and the money is gone.

Cryptocurrency ATMs generally operate without regulatory oversight, often do not have to follow money transmission law, and may contain a disclaimer stating the ATMs owners are not able to offer assistance with obtaining any funds after the cash is entered into the ATM.  Remember with cryptocurrency, once the virtual currency leaves your wallet, it is out of your control.

Avoid being a victim by following these simple rules:

• Stop. Think. Call.  Discuss non-traditional investments or the request for money with a trusted source.
• Double check before you invest. Ensure anyone trying to sell you an investment is properly licensed as well as the investment being sold.
• Be cautious posting on social media or dating sites, and beware of online investment solicitations.  Don’t click on links in emails or text messages.
• Never give out your personal banking information or send money to someone you don’t know, especially if you haven’t met in person.
• Research the online profile and picture to see if it has been used elsewhere or on multiple online profiles.
• Beware of someone trying to isolate you from your friends and family.
• If an investment pulls at your heartstrings, walk away.

If you suspect you have been the victim of a scam, stop communicating with the person immediately.  Block them on all communication platforms, but save screenshots of any conversations, copies of documents, and instructions on sending the money.  Report all cryptocurrency ATM scams to local law enforcement and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).  If the cryptocurrency scam involves an investment, please call the Iowa Insurance Division at 515-654-6600.

The Iowa Fraud Fighter program is a source of information to shield your savings from scammers.  Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it is!

(Article by Sonya Sellmeyer, Consumer Advocacy Officer for the Iowa Insurance Division)

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa Representative Tom Moore (R-Griswold) has issued his weekly Legislative Update. In his report covering the past week, Moore said the “Hot Topic” among his constituents and Iowans in general, is HSB542, the Area Education Agency (AEA) reform bill that has garnered a lot of attention since it was announced in the Governor’s Condition of the State address.

Moore said the Governor’s talking points do not necessarily reflect his beliefs and opinions. He stressed “The bill is NOT being fast tracked and will take a lot of work before it is finalized.”

Despite Iowa spending over $5,300 more per pupil on special education funding than the national average, Moore says “we’ve ranked 30th or worse in 9 of the 12 national assessments on special education performance. Spring 2023 state assessment results show a 41% proficiency gap for students with disabilities as compared to overall student results.” The United States Department of Education, Moore said, has recognized this problem and designated Iowa as “needs assistance” for implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act since 2018. If Iowa doesn’t act, the Biden Administration could determine our course of action. This Fall, in-person monitoring from the U.S. Department of Education begins.

“It is worth noting that Iowa is the only state that requires school districts to send money straight to the AEAs whether they are utilizing their services or not. It has been 50 years since AEAs were created to support students with disabilities, and they are now out of touch. They employ six times more staff than the Department of Education while owning/leasing 54 properties. Their annual budget is $529M, there are nine AEA regions with their Chiefs receiving an average salary of $309,667. Furthermore, only 62.8% of AEA funds are focused on special education.”

Moore says “Again, I hear each and every one of you that have reached out to share the importance of the AEA’s. I have no intention of voting for a proposal that would leave school districts high and dry without the essential services currently being provided by AEA’s. We will continue to work on this bill to determine how to best improve special education outcomes.”

District 18 AEA Statistics

District Funds Controlled Solely By Their AEA

Atlantic $859,439

CAM $283,900

Essex $112,482

Griswold $281,395

Red Oak $649,324

Shenandoah $629,927

Villisca $194,674