(Radio Iowa) – Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer, the third-ranking Republican in the U.S. House, has endorsed two Iowa congressional candidates.

Emmer is backing Chris McGowan, one of five Republicans running in the fourth district, where Congressman Randy Feenstra is not seeking reelection. Emmer has also endorsed Joe Mitchell of Clear Lake, one of the Republicans running in the second district, currently represented by Ashley Hinson, who’s running for the U.S. Senate.

Last month, Emmer campaigned in Coralville for first district Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks. “You win elections with the right candidate with the right message and, for our House seats, that message is different depending on the district,” Emmer said. “Remember, we’ve got 435 pieces of geography across the country. Each one has its own set of demographics.”

U.S. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) (official photo)

Emmer has cautioned Iowa Republicans not to rest on their laurels and he points to the 2018 election, which resulted in a Iowa congressional delegation evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.

Emmer, whose title is House Majority Whip, issued a written statement yesterday calling McGowan a “veteran, business leader, and devoted family man” who “embodies the values…that define Iowa’s 4th District.”

In a statement released today on the Iowa’s second district primary, Emmer said “if House Republicans are going to stay in the majority,” they need “bold conservative candidates like Joe Mitchell…who will fight for America First policies.”

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Mike Bousselot of Ankeny, a former aide to Governors Branstad and Reynolds who formed a committee this spring to explore a campaign for governor, has announced he’ll seek reelection to the state senate in 2026.

Bousselot said “after prayer and reflection with his family,” he’s determined “now is not the right time to run for governor.” Bousselot won a special election in September of 2021 for a seat in the Iowa House. He was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2022 by a 560 vote margin.

State Senator Mike Bousselot (R-Ankeny) (campaign photo)

Bousselot plans to seek reelection to the senate in a neighboring district that has far more Republican voters. Former Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, who’s currently representing that district, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2024 and is not seeking re-election. Whitver has endorsed Bousselot’s 2026 campaign for the seat.

Bousselot is a lawyer and a real estate developer. He served as Governor Reynolds’ top budget advisor before resigning as director of the Iowa Department of Management to run for the legislature in 2021.

(Radio Iowa) – An analyst with the Iowa Utilities Commission says they are still waiting to find out when they will get 2026 funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Keetah Horras says local community action agencies have been taking applications for the program known as LIHEAP.

“With the shutdown now concluded, the community action agencies remained fully operational and are continuing to accept and process applications. Agencies are currently relying on 2025 carryover funds and limited state resources,” she says. She says the carryover and state funding have allowed them to process the applications as they come in. “As of November 5th, a total of 30-thousand-313 applications have been received statewide,” Horras says.

LIHEAP provides some funding to help pay their winter heating bills Horras says it could take time before the 2026 funding comes through. “Due to the shutdown, the federal shutdown. Payments to regulated utilities may be delayed until at least February. HHS is continuing to monitor the funding process,” Horras says.

You can find out more about the LIHEAP program on the Iowa Health and Human Services website.

(Radio Iowa) – State Auditor Rob Sand says an investigation by his office has found the former city clerk in a small eastern Iowa town improperly gave herself 63-thousand dollars in city funds — nearly 90 percent of it in the last month she worked for McCausland. “This is sort of a classic timeline for a financial deed misdoer,” Sand said. “You oftentimes see them start slowly and then gain speed in the rate at which they misspend money as they become more uncomfortable.”

Sheila Bosworth was hired in 2009 to work part time as city clerk for the town of just over 300 residents. On St. Patrick’s Day last year, Blackhawk Bank and Trust in the Quad Cities notified McCausland officials that Bosworth was using the mayor’s electronic signature to write herself checks on the town’s account. Bosworth was immediately placed on leave and resigned a month later.

“When she was asked about it by a Scott County Deputy Sheriff, she stated: ‘I made a mistake, but I’m paying it back,'” Sand said. “There was no evidence that we saw that she was repaying any of the money she admitted taking.” In addition to the 55-thousand dollars worth of checks Bosworth wrote herself during her final month as city clerk, Sand says auditors who reviewed five years’ worth of city transactions found Bosworth had written nearly five-thousand dollars worth of checks for cash.

“When she was asked about this, she also told the Scott County detective that this was all due to a failure in a cryptocurrency investment or a cryptocurrency scheme,” Sand said. “Some of these unsupported charges were to Bitdefender. She said that she was going to repay the city after getting funds from Bitcoin investments and that some of the checks that were cashed were deposited in Bitcoin ATMs.”

Auditors found that over just 25 days, Bosworth had written herself 26 checks on the city’s account. On just one of those days, she wrote herself five checks worth 10-thousand dollars in total. The report indicates Bosworth also used the city’s credit card to get cash advances from banks in Camanche, Clinton and Bettendorf.

The 25-page special investigation by the State Auditor’s Office has been forwarded to Scott County’s Sheriff and County Attorney as well as the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

(Walnut, IA) – Officials with SWIPCO (The Southwest Iowa Planning Council) have announced a new childcare facility is on track to become a reality in Walnut, after SWIPCO helped secure a $600,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the project.

The facility is set to be created in one wing of the current Peace Haven Retirement Home in Walnut and will be operated by a newly developed 501c3 organization called Play Haven. The total project cost is expected to be $1,030,000 and other funding includes a $500,000 grant from the Lakin Foundation. Play Haven has been doing fundraisers and collecting local donations to help cover the remaining amount needed to complete the project.

Obtaining childcare is a challenge in the region and this facility will be a big help to area residents looking for the service. Currently, a single in-home daycare provider exists in Walnut to serve a population that is estimated to have 85 children under the age of ten. That’s just the need within town. The Iowa Child Care Resource and Referral, a state-run organization focused on connecting families with quality childcare, shows that Pottawattamie County is facing a severe shortage of approximately 6,942 childcare slots to meet demand. The new Play Haven facility in Walnut is designed to serve up to 65 children.

Rachel Hamilton with Play Haven is very excited that this project is coming to life, “We’ve been working for three years towards this and it’s so exciting that is happening. I’m thrilled for our community. The partnership with Peace Haven will create such a positive impact on two vital age demographics, seniors and children.”

Access to safe, reliable, and high-quality childcare close to home will help eliminate the need for area residents to make long commutes for care or piecemeal care arrangements. This can also help working families reduce employment-related disruptions and support greater workforce participation in the region.

Hamilton said inspiration for the project came from her own children who have struggled to find childcare and were asking for help, saying “I think we need to look at this issue in a different way other than grandparents retiring early to take care of grandchildren.” That is how this dedicated group got started and eventually Peace Haven was brought up as a potential space. “When this conversation started there were close to a dozen Walnut residents expecting children, with limited childcare spaces to serve them,” said Hamilton.

A unique aspect of this project will be the opportunity to connect the youth and elderly populations with the connection to a retirement facility. Children and senior residents will participate in shared, structured activities to enrich quality of life and community connection for all involved. Hamilton said they’ve been working hard to make sure it’s a partnership that’s respectful of the residents and enriching for both groups.

The new Play Haven facility is also expected to create 10-12 new jobs, ranging from educators, assistants, and administrative staff. “This has an opportunity to impact the community on a larger scale as well. We’ve already been talking about the need for housing and the potential for wrap-around care, that can set the table for growth,” Hamilton said.

SWIPCO officials say they are proud to have helped obtain this important funding for a resource that should benefit the Walnut community for many years to come. Recently, a similar facility was completed in Malvern, with SWIPCO playing a key role in securing the necessary funding. As part of its commitment to community development, SWIPCO continues to collaborate with member cities and counties, supporting a wide range of grant programs to foster growth and innovation.

(Atlantic, IA) –  The Annual Grand Lighting Ceremony in Atlantic, sponsored by Akin Building Center and Coyote Willow Wind, will be tomorrow, Thursday, November 20th, at 5 PM at the Historic Rock Island Depot in Downtown Atlantic. “Atlantic continues to shine as one of Travel Iowa’s top destinations for celebrating the Christmas season, and the Grand Lighting plays a huge part in that,” said Kelsey Beschorner, Executive Director of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. “More than 200,000 lights illuminate the trees along Chestnut Street and throughout City Park, creating a setting that feels absolutely enchanting for visitors and residents alike.”

Grand Lighting kicks off at 5 PM with a free hot dog meal, provided by Atlantic Hy-Vee. There will be free hot chocolate, sponsored by Masonic Lodge and Walmart, as well at the Chamber tent. Charlie Stogdill will DJ from 5 – 5:30 PM, with Santa making his special arrival at 5:30 PM to turn on the lights. He will see children in his cabin, sponsored by Atlantic Rotary Club, Akin Building Center, Coyote Willow Wind, Heritage House and Farmhouse & Flowers, from 6 PM – 7:30 PM.

“We couldn’t achieve this level of holiday magic without the incredible dedication of the Atlantic Street Department,” said Beschorner. “They have spent weeks trimming trees, rehanging lights, garland, and decorations across downtown and 7th Street, and they helped us add a few fun new features in City Park this year. Their hard work is a gift to the community, and we’re truly grateful for everything they do.”

Pick up a Christmas brochure from area retail businesses, ‘like’ the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce on Facebook or follow on Instagram (AtlanticIowaFan) to find dates and details to celebrate Christmas in Atlantic. You can find a complete list of activities and a printable version of the brochure at www.atlanticiowa.com.

Capture the Christmas magic with #MyAtlanticIA and post to the Atlantic Area Chamber’s Facebook or Instagram pages. Contact the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce with any questions at chamber@atlanticiowa.com or call 712-243-3017. Christmas in Atlantic is presented by Gregg Young of Atlantic.

DES MOINES— Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, today (Wednesday), signed a proclamation related to the weight limits and transportation of grain, fertilizer, and manure. The proclamation is effective immediately and continues through December 19, 2025. The proclamation allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, soybean meal, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas), and manure (dry and liquid) to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit for the duration of this proclamation.

The proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (6) (b), by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

(Radio Iowa) – A new study suggests year-round activities on the Iowa State fairgrounds in 2024 had a 629 MILLION dollar statewide economic impact. Iowa State Fair C-E-O Jeremy Parsons released the study’s results this (Wednesday) morning. “Iowans should be proud of their Fair, not only for what we do for the state socially, culturally, and in the news, but also economically,” Parsons said. A large part of the overall tally is the nearly 480 MILLION dollar impact of just the 11 day run of the 2024 state fair itself.

“In 2024, that number compared to the economic impact of the Kentucky Derby? $405 million. The economic impact of the men’s NCAA final four in San Antonio? $440 million,” Parsons said. That tally for the 2024 fair does not include how much vendors made selling food, drinks and other items during the Fair, which would significantly boost the overall figure. This is the first-ever study of the financial ripples the state fair’s year-round operations create. Nearly 700-thousand out of town visitors came through the gates for the 2024 Iowa State Fair, creating demand for tens of thousands of hotel rooms, plus there were more than 200 events on the fairgrounds throughout the rest year. “We want to be more than a big neighbor on the east side of Des Moines,” Parsons said. “We want to be a good neighbor.”

Parsons says the information will help officials plan for the future — and the 175th Iowa State Fair in 2029.

(Atlantic, IA) –  Welcoming the season with hometown pride and holiday sparkle, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the launch of Christmas in Atlantic apparel! Limited-edition crew-neck sweatshirts celebrating the community known as one of the best Christmas towns in Iowa. The new Gildan Unisex Heavy Blend Crewneck Sweatshirts, starting at $30, are available in three classic holiday colors red, green, and sand, the cozy sweatshirts feature a cheerful design reading “Merry Christmas from Atlantic, Iowa” alongside a charming outline of Iowa adorned with holly. The look is festive, nostalgic, and full of small-town pride. The special-edition sweatshirts will be available now through November 30th, with a tentative ship date of December 10th. Customers may select local pickup at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce or ship directly to family and friends, making it easy to send “a Christmas hug from home” to loved ones near and far.

“This is something we’ve dreamed about offering for years,” said the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. “Our ornaments and mugs have become beloved holiday staples, and adding apparel felt like the perfect next step. It’s a way for anyone with ties to Atlantic to wear a bit of home during the most magical time of year,” said Kelsey Beschorner, Executive Director of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. The launch builds on Atlantic’s reputation as a can’t-miss Christmas destination, from the dazzling Downtown lights and the Santa Cabin in City Park to carriage rides, the lighted parade, and a strong tradition of supporting local shopping.

The sweatshirts are part of the Chamber’s Holiday Shop line and will be offered only for a limited time. Community members, past and present, are encouraged to order early to guarantee availability. To purchase the Christmas in Atlantic sweatshirt or learn more about Christmas in Atlantic, visit: www.atlanticiowa.com.

Pick up your Christmas brochure from area retail businesses, ‘like’ the Chamber on Facebook or follow on Instagram to find dates and details to celebrate Christmas in Atlantic. You can find a complete list of activities and a printable version of the brochure at www.atlanticiowa.com.

Contact the Atlantic Area Chamber with any questions at chamber@atlanticiowa.com or call 712-243-3017. Christmas in Atlantic is presented by Gregg Young of Atlantic.