(Radio Iowa) – Alliant Energy is seeking a construction permit for a project in northern Kossuth County that would add a battery storage system to the Golden Plains Wind Farm. Alliant Project Manager Justin Foss says the system would be between Lakota and Buffalo Center. “We are trying to urgently respond to rapidly growing demand on our system and the overall power grid a whole,” Foss says. The Iowa Utilities Commission approved the battery storage project this fall and Alliant is now seeking a local permit. If approved, construction would begin early next year.

The Golden Plains Wind Farm went online in March of 2020. Its 82 wind turbines are located in northern Kossuth and Winnebago Counties, producing around 200 Megawatts of electricity. That’s enough to power an average of 73,000 homes each year.

(Radio Iowa) – A University of Iowa instructor wanted to teach students in his business analytics class about artificial intelligence but couldn’t find a decent textbook on the topic, so he decided to write one. Professor Pat Johanns, working with two colleagues, crafted “A-I in Business: Creating Value Responsibly,” which will be published in January. It will be one of the first college texts to address ethics and the responsible use of A-I in the corporate domain. First, he says, A-I isn’t new. “The field of artificial intelligence started in the 1950s,” Johanns says, “and it has grown in fits and starts basically since then, depending on advancements in the hardware, the software programs, and the theories that people were using through this whole time.”

While it can be called a textbook, Johanns says it’s more accurate to refer to this new body of work as a resource, since it will initially only be available electronically. “We’re using a platform called an evergreen publishing,” Johanns says. “The idea here is that when you’ve got a field that is changing so quickly, it’s almost pointless to go to a print format, because when you go to print format, you’re kind of restricted on how often you can update the material.” The news is filled with stories about how A-I is being misused in myriad ways, by scammers, counterfeiters, pornographers and all sorts of criminals, but Johanns argues A-I itself is not evil — nor is it bent on seizing the planet from humans.

“I absolutely believe it can be used for good, and that’s one reasons why I’m pushing for us to teach every student about AI before they leave,” Johanns says. “That’s one of the initiatives that’s coming out of the University of Iowa right now. We’ve got a campus-wide AI certificate that is launching next year.” He says the responsible use of A-I in business or in any field has to come with a series of checks and balances. “I like to describe generative AI as, it’s kind of like an enthusiastic intern. Its primary goal is to give you an answer. A secondary goal is that the answer is accurate,” Johanns says. “So whenever you get an answer from ChatGPT, or Copilot, you really need to verify it.”

The book’s coauthors are James Chaffee, also a U-I professor of business analytics, and Jackie Rees Ulmer, dean of the College of Business at Ohio University.

(Harlan, Iowa) – A woman who plead guilty to being an Accessory After the Fact in connection with the death of an Earling resident, was sentenced Monday (Nov. 17th) in Shelby County District Court, to two-years of probation after receiving a two-year deferred judgement on the Class-D Felony charge. Online court records show 35-year-old Ashley Elizabeth McWilliams was also ordered to pay a civil penalty of $1,025, and submit a DNA sample. McWilliams previously plead guilty to her charge on Friday, October 3rd.

Her sentence was with regard to the July 31st shooting death of 32-year-old Theresa Kenkel, of Earling. **The man convicted in Kenkel’s death, 33-year-old Winston Joseph “Joe” Leal was originally charged with First-Degree Murder – a Class A Felony, but a voluntary plea was negotiated to Murder in the 2nd Degree – A Class B Felony. He sentenced October 29th to 50-years in prison, with credit for time served. He too, was required to submit a DNA sample.

Both subjects were arrested on August 1st, following the discovery of Theresa Kenkel’s body at a residence in Earling, when Deputies conducted a requested welfare check.

** Corrected w/plea bargain reducing the crime to 2nd Degree Murder

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Hawkeye Community College will offer students a new path to a four-year degree through a partnership with Arizona State University. The Waterloo-based community college announced Monday it has partnered with Arizona State University’s MyPath2ASU program, a transfer guarantee initiative of which colleges and universities across Iowa — including Des Moines Area Community College and the state’s three public universities — are also part of, according to the MyPath2ASU website.

According to a news release from Hawkeye Community College, the partnership will allow students who have earned their associate degree to seamlessly transfer to Arizona State, earning guaranteed enrollment to a variety of online and in-person programs. Students will also be able to align their Hawkeye and Arizona State educational journeys to finish their full degree more quickly, according to the release.

MyPath2ASU has more than 400 “course-by-course pathways” for students to navigate, the release stated, which the community college and university will “continuously collaborate to refine.” Students will be able to track their progress online and connect with Arizona State through different communication channels.

“We’re proud to partner with Arizona State University to create new opportunities for Hawkeye students,” said Lynn LaGrone, Hawkeye Community College provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, in the release. “MyPath2ASU gives our students a clear, supported pathway to continue their education and achieve their academic and career goals.”

URBANDALE, Iowa — Urbandale Superintendent Rosalie Daca is under investigation by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners for multiple alleged violations of professional conduct. KCCI reports public records show the board cites falsifying compliance reports, failing to follow laws, and departing from accepted educational standards. Daca has been on medical leave since Oct. 27.

The case has been referred to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, which will either negotiate a settlement or set a hearing with an administrative law judge. Officials with the Urbandale Community School District released a statement to KCCI saying:

Urbandale Community School District (UCSD) is aware there has been a finding of probable cause issued from the State Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE) regarding UCSD Superintendent Dr. Rosalie Daca. Dr. Daca is currently out on medical leave due to an extended illness which was shared with District stakeholders on October 27. An interim superintendent was approved and announced by the School Board on November 10th. While the District cannot provide specific comments on these matters due to personnel confidentiality laws, the District believes the findings lack merit, and will work with the BOEE and legal counsel for a fair and expeditious resolution. The District will continue to support Dr. Daca throughout this legal process and remains dedicated to cultivating a safe, caring, and supportive learning environment for all students and staff.

DES MOINES, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and attorneys general from 24 additional states are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a stay on California emissions reporting laws. The states allege, in the amici curiae filed, the California laws would impose an “illegal greenhouse gas disclosure policy” and would cause “nightmarish compliance costs and liability on companies across the country.”

In 2023, California enacted laws that require businesses of a certain size to submit greenhouse gas emissions reports and reports on the measures the business planned to adopt to reduce their climate-related financial risk. The brief from the states said California is “trying to be the national regulator of American greenhouse gas emissions—but for many reasons it may not do so.”

The State of Iowa and several other states that also signed onto Bird’s brief, have already sued the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over a similar law that sought to impose emissions reporting standards. That case is still being litigated, but the attorneys general allege the California law seeks to step in and do the same thing the states objected to at the federal level.

The brief said the California law, which would impact businesses outside of the state with revenues above a certain level, requires businesses to express a “certain viewpoint on the highly controversial issue area of climate change.” It said even if a business believes the climate-related “doomsday scenarios” are unlikely, it has to submit reports about how it plans to respond to the effects of a changing climate. The brief alleges the California laws are illegal because they compel speech from these companies on a topic they may want to avoid speaking on.

It also alleges the laws would impose “irreparable economic harm on other states.” The brief estimates out-of-state businesses would incur “millions” in auditing and reporting costs for emissions that are outside of California’s borders. Businesses with more than $1 billion in annual revenue that do business in California are required by the law to disclose “comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions” along their supply chains. Business with $500 million in annual revenue that do business in the state will have to supply biennial climate-related financial risk reports that are publicly available.

California’s enacted Senate Bill 261 says climate change is affecting California communities and economy with wildfires, sea level rise, extreme droughts and extreme weather events. According to the California statute, mandatory disclosures set by law will help to “ensure a sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future” for the state.

Bird said in a news release Monday about the amici curiae that “California needs to stay in California.” The attorneys’ brief is in support of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America’s suit against the chair of the California Air Resources Board. The parties involved requested, Nov. 10, an emergency injunction prohibiting the enforcement of the California laws, which are set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.

FORT CALHOUN, Neb. (KCCI) – An Iowa man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a Nebraska priest, KCCI reports. Kierre Williams pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Rev. Stephen Gutsgell, a Fort Calhoun priest, last month.

According to police, Gutsgell was stabbed during a break-in at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in 2023. Court documents show Williams was found lying on top of Gutsgell perpendicularly, forming a “T.”

Nebraska prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty in February 2024.

(Radio Iowa) – The Emmet County Board of Supervisors will consider hiring another attorney to review a proposed settlement that would resolve the lawsuit over a wind farm in the northwest Iowa county. Late last year the Emmet County Board of Adjustment denied a permit for Chicago-based Invenergy’s proposed Red Rock Energy Wind Center. The company sued Emmet County rather than refile for a permit under a new ordinance that requires greater distances between wind turbines and homes.

David Fauch, an attorney who represents Emmet County Concerned Citizens, is urging the board not to settle with the company and let the case go to trial. “What happened behind closed doors is clear from the settlement agreement. There were monetary threats made by Invenergy and Red Rock against this county, millions of dollars we are told and then a settlement agreement was entered into.

That settlement agreement is wildly one sided,” Fauch said. “…A bully has come in and the other side has simply folded…What you are buying yourselves is not peace. What you are buying yourselves is a mess.” Fauch spoke during a public hearing late last week.

Eric Updegraff, the attorney who’s been representing Emmet County officials in negotiations, also spoke. He’s warning that state law generally favors the free use of property and conditional use permit applications like the one for the wind farm likely need to meet just one and not all of the standards outlined in state law. “If there’s any ambiguity or uncertainty in your ordinance, then it will be construed against restrictions on land use,” Updegraff said.

The Emmet County Board of Supervisors will convene this (Tuesday) morning and their agenda calls for considering hiring an additional attorney to review the proposed settlement with developers of the Red Rock Energy Center. A previous draft of the agenda had indicated the supervisors were likely to vote on whether to approve the settlement.

(Radio Iowa) – Three members of the Remsen St. Mary’s Girls Basketball team suffered major injuries when the team’s vehicle was involved in an accident Saturday. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office says a 16 year old player was flown by helicopter from the scene to a hospital in Sioux Falls. Two other players — a 15 year old and an 18 year old — were taken to a Sioux City hospital, then flown to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. A fourth player and the team’s coach, who was driving, were taken by ambulance to a Sioux City hospital.

Three other Remsen St Mary’s players were treated at the scene. An assistant coach traveling with the team was not injured. Officials say the bus was at an intersection, turning to go north on Highway 75 when it was struck by a Jeep going south on the highway. The S-U-V’s driver, another adult and two children from the Jeep were taken by ambulance to a Sioux City hospital. The Plymouth County Sheriff says the Jeep’s driver had minor injuries and the three other occupants told first responders they were experiencing pain.

Remsen St. Mary’s School will hold an “Annointing of the Sick” mass on Friday afternoon. The Subway in Le Mars has announced 20 percent of sales made from 4 until 8 p.m. Tuesday, will donated to support the hospitalized students.

(Radio Iowa) – The board that governs the three state universities has reviewed a report that was mandated by the Iowa Legislature to study the merits of a tuition guarantee program. Board of Regents business officer Brad Berg says the study committee researched several institutions of varying sizes and types around the country. “Several of them implemented a tuition guarantee program and found them to be unsustainable,” Berg says. “The common theme there was they were terminated when experiencing downturns in the economy, which resulted in in jeopardized state support.”

Speaking at last week’s Board meeting, Berg says some schools have a program where students can pay a premium rate that remains fixed or choose a lower initial per credit rate that is subject to annual increases. He says they reviewed that possibility for the University of Iowa and says the upfront premium would have to be 18-hundred-60 dollars. Berg says the current Regent policy of tying tuition increases to inflation addresses on of the main concerns.

“The primary benefit of a tuition guarantee program is to provide predictability for students and families. A board policy just passed last April, caps based tuition increases for undergraduate residents at a three-year inflation average, which does provide some predictability on future tuition rates,” Berg says. He says another issue in implementing a tuition guarantee program is that the three state schools each operate unique student information systems and billing platforms that would require reworking.

“While this alone is not a barrier to implementing a tuition guarantee program, it does present complexities to ensure these systems can accurately track and enforce guarantees across multiple cohorts of students,” he says. Berg says there are a lot of variables that would have to be considered to make a program work. “Students frequently change majors, often moving into higher cost programs. They’ll travel abroad, and they’ll pursue double majors, which are just some of the contingencies that would require attention,” Berg says.

“Implementation of a tuition guarantee program would require careful assisting, planning and testing, and the establishment of clear policies and ongoing coordination and communication with students and families.” Berg points out that Iowa’s state universities continue to outperform outperformed national averages in retention and graduation rates, which are now the highest on record.

Board policy provides access to all qualified Iowans, enrollments are currently strong, and tuition rates continue to be very competitive with that. The Board received the report and will send it to the Iowa Legislature.