(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa Republican Jack Whitver says he’s stepping down from his role as state Senate majority leader. He also announced he is not running for reelection in 2026. Whitver, who lives in Grimes, is 45-years-old. He represents Iowa Senate District 23, which includes parts of Dallas and Polk Counties. He was diagnosed last year with a brain tumor, and had been receiving radiation and drug therapy. Whitver has served in the Iowa Senate since 2011.

Whitver was reelected last November to serve as majority leader, a role he’s held since 2018. Iowa Senate Republicans will need to elect someone new to fill the position. It is not clear how soon that election will take place.

In making his announcement, Whitver said “I first started campaigning for the Iowa Senate hours after my oldest daughter was born. I ran because taxes were too high, and I wanted to make it easier to work, start a business and raise a family in Iowa. I believe I have accomplished my goals.  I am proud of the work we have accomplished in limiting government, controlling spending, reducing taxes and expanding the rights and freedoms of the people of this great state.”

“My oldest daughter is now driving and my three children are very active, making family life is busier than ever. I continue to battle a brain tumor and while progress remains positive, I still have a long way to go. My work in the Senate may be coming to a close, but my commitment to making Iowa the best state in the country will always be a part of my life.”

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said in a statement Tuesday evening, “Jack Whitver’s announcement today that he is stepping down as Senate Majority Leader and will not run for re-election is both admirable and bittersweet.

“Jack became Majority Leader in March 2018, in my first legislative session as Governor. From that moment, I saw in him a partner who did more than guide legislation—he made things happen. Together, our administration and the legislature embarked on one of the most consequential periods in modern Iowa history. It was under Jack’s leadership that we passed the largest income tax cuts in state history, reformed state government, protected the unborn, gave parents choice in their child’s education, and so much more.

Senator Jack Whitver (official photo)

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Auditor’s Office, today (Tuesday) reports two more candidates have filed to run for city offices as of the end of business today:

Jackson Bissell has filed to run for re-election to the Massena City Council, and Eyon Steffensen has filed to run for a seat on the Anita City Council.  A reminder: The deadline for candidates to file their papers ahead of the November 4th City/School Elections is this Thursday, Sept. 18th, at 5-p.m.  With today’s filings, the complete list of candidates whose names will appear on the ballot in Cass County, for city offices in Cass County (as of Sept. 16th) include:

The current list of candidates now is as follows:

Anita City Council (Vote for 3):

• Deanna Andrews (Incumbent, term expires 1/1/26)
• Shelly Hogueison
• Kim Miller
• Eyon Steffensen

Atlantic City Council Ward 2 (Vote for 1):

• Jim Behrens (Incumbent, term expires 1/1/26)

Atlantic City Council Ward 5 (Vote for 1):

• Dana Halder (Incumbent, term expires 1/1/26)

Atlantic City Council At-Large (Vote for1):

• Jeremy Butler

Atlantic – Mayor:

• Rob Clausen

Cumberland City Council (Vote for 3):

• Tatiana Thielen
• Randall Anderson Jr
• Matthew Dolch

Cumberland City Council – To Fill Vacancy (Vote for 1):

• Dori A Borras

Cumberland Mayor:

• Rachel McCann

Griswold City Council (Vote for 2):

• Troy Nicklaus
• Jesse Doty
• Nick Demanett

Griswold Mayor

• Brad Rhine (Incumbent)

Lewis City Council (Vote for 2):

• Russell Miller
• Jim Triller
• David Raymond

Massena City Council (Vote for 2) :

• Doug Venteicher
• Jackson Bissell (Incumbent)

Wiota City Council (Vote for 3):

• Charles Bechtold

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the F-B-I was infected with politics when F-B-I director Kash Patel took over in February. Patel appeared before Grassley and the Senate Judiciary Committee today (Tuesday). “Since your confirmation you’ve been acquainted with the bureaucracy that you must reform and hold accountable,” Grassley said, “and that’s no simple task.”

Grassley says whistleblowers in the F-B-I along with records about an operation called “Arctic Frost” suggest the agency’s investigation of the January 6th riot at the U-S Capitol targeted 92 Republican groups. “Arctic Frost wasn’t just a case to politically investigate Trump,” Grassley said shortly after convening today’s hearing. “It was the vehicle by which partisan FBI agents and DOJ prosecutors could achieve their partisan ends and improperly investigate the entire Republican political apparatus.”

Grassley and a fellow Republican senator from Wisconsin are also calling on Patel to reveal whether the F-B-I has investigated allegations some confidential F-B-I sources made against President Biden. “We aren’t saying the allegations are true. We want to know what the FBI did to fully investigate their veracity or lack thereof, and what they concluded,” Grassley said. “Let’s put this matter to rest, one way or the other.”

Democrats on the committee accused Patel of firing F-B-I agents for political reasons and questioned why more records about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein haven’t been released. Patel says the F-B-I has no credible information that Epstein trafficked women or underage girls to anyone but himself.

Patel also discussed his agency’s investigation of Charlie Kirk’s assassination during the hearing.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Environmental Protection Commission voted today (Tuesday) to continue a program with the state Ag Department to improve the watershed runoff into the Iowa Great Lakes. The D-N-R’s Ginger Murphy says the project has several benefits. “Water quality in the Iowa Great Lakes drives the economy, recreation, and quality of life in the region and also impacts source water for local communities,” Murphy says.

Information from 2019 shows an economic impact from travel to the region at nearly 378 million dollars. Murphy says those numbers are likely higher as travel has picked up since the pandemic. She says the plan seeks to improve the water quality. “The current watershed management plan for Iowa Great Lakes is focused on reducing turbidity driven by sediment and algal growth by reducing the phosphorus entering the lakes,” she says. The plan has a limit of up to 129-thousand-500 dollars using an E-P-A grant.

“Practices supported by the watershed management plan and this funding include in-field and edge-of-field best management practices on ag land. Wetland and shallow lake restoration on public and private lands. Shoreline stabilization on the lakes and urban stormwater best management practices,” Murphy says. The plan was first implemented in 2018. “Total sediment reduced during this time period is six-thouse-944 tons per year over all the practices that have been installed,” Murphy says. “Total phosphorus reduction has been 15-thousand-746 pounds per year, and that’s based on those practices staying in place and ongoing. And we calculate that using a model that we use across all of our watershed projects for all installed practices.”

Murphy says one success in the project is Lower Lake Gar, which met water clarity goals. “And that resulted in the 2024 delisting from the impaired waters list off lower Gar Lake. Lower Gar is kind of the end of the chain of lakes…it has its own watershed, but it also captures everything flowing through the bigger lakes that are to the north. And so this was great news and important milestone,” Murphy says.

Murphy says they still feel that phosphorus will continue to be the primary pollutant of concern in the Great Lakes and they want to continue seeing progress.

Regular City Election Filing Deadline: Last day to file nomination papers with the auditor or designated city clerk is 5:00 p.m.; School Election Candidate Filing Deadline: Last day to file nomination paper with the school secretary or community college board secretary is 5:00 p.m.

Red Oak City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor – Vote for One: John F. Haidsiak, Tim Fridolph

Council Member Ward #2 – Vote for One:

Council Member At Large – Vote for One: John Gross, Jeanice Lester

Council Member Ward #1-TFV – Vote for One: Levi Franks

Elliott City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor – Vote for One: Michael Carson

Council Member At Large – Vote for Three: Chris Tischer, Nancy Jo Nelson

Grant City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor – Vote for One:

Council Member At Large – Vote for Five: Zelda Swartz. Lyn Sliger

Stanton City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Council Member At Large – Vote for Three:

Coburg City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor- Vote for One-

Council Member At Large – Vote for Two

Villisca City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor – Vote for One: Marilyn Halda

Council Member At Large – Vote for Two:

Council Member At Large – TFV 2-year term:

********

Red Oak School Board:

Director At Large – Vote for Three:

Director At Large TFV- Vote for One:

Stanton School Board:

Director At Large – Vote for Three:

Villisca School Board:

Director At Large – Vote for Two:

Southwestern Community College:

Director District #1 – Vote for One:

Director District #3 – Vote for One:

Director District #5 – Vote for One:

Director District #6 – Vote for One:

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County say no injuries were reported following a collision Monday morning in Guthrie Center. Authorities say the accident happened a little after 8-a.m, on eastbound State Street, when a  2015 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 20-year-old Wyatt Rudy, of Casey, rear-ended a 2021 Toyota Tundra pickup driven by 62-year-old Randy Countryman, of Bagley, as his vehicle was slowing down or stopped, waiting for westbound traffic, before turning onto N. 12th Street.

Damage from the collision amounted to $13,000. No citations were issued.

(Onawa, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports, “Due to safety concerns created from dead or dying cottonwood trees, the Lewis and Clark State Park campground is closed until further notice. The DNR will remove hazardous trees while the campground is closed.” The DNR said also, the park currently remains open for day-use activities such as picnicking and walking trails; however, the park will close once tree removal begins to ensure safety of visitors.

Campers with reservations have been contacted and issued refunds. Please visit the DNR’s Iowa State Park and Forest web page to find alternative campgrounds in the region, and for links to latest park closures and alerts.

For more information, contact the Park Office at: Lewis_and_Clark@dnr.iowa.gov

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports six arrests took place between Sept. 8th and the 14th:

On the 14th, 19-year-old Jorge A. Narciso-Jimenez, of Omaha, was arrested in Pacific Junction on multiple charges, including: Possession of alcohol under age/1st offense; No valid driver’s license; Failure to provide proof of financial liability (Insurance-accident related); Failure to comply w/a Police order; Striking fixtures upon a highway; Reckless driving; Eluding; OWI/1st offense; Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree; and Interference with Official Acts. His bond was set at $7,000.

Mills County Deputies arrested 18-year-old Josephine Grace Costello, of Omaha, on Sept. 13th in Glenwood. She was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense and was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

On the 9th of September, 24-year-old ALexis Esai Zamora, of Omaha, was arrested in Glenwood for Assault (Bond $300). And there were three separate arrests on Sept. 8th in Mills County: 40-year-old Nicholas Alan Goodsell, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Glenwood for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order (Bond $300); 67-year-old Robert Michael Krupa, of Omaha, was arrested for Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon (bond $2,000); and, 25-year-old Branden Ray Peaches, of Independence, MO, was arrested in Glenwood for Failure to Appear on a Felony offense (Bond $25,000).