(Radio Iowa) – A bill introduced in the Iowa House is sparking a discussion of how to designate and regulate vertiports — take off and landing fields for electric aircraft. Republican Representative John Wills of Spirit Lake says Iowa needs to prepare for battery powered aircraft that can carry people and cargo.

“This is going to be the transportation of the future and if we don’t get in front of it, we’re going to be well behind it,” Wills said. “and we want to be a state this is welcoming to business.” Tim McClung is the aviation director for the Iowa Department of Transportation. He says Iowa’s part of a 37-state group talking about electric aircraft that take off and land vertically as well as battery powered fixed-wing planes that need a runway to take off and land.

“It’s a new generation of aircraft that are being developed with new materials, manned or unmanned,” he said. “Primarily right most of these right now are expected to be electric. It’s expected that they’ll start getting their certifications the next two or three years, then we’ll see a slow ramp up in that arena.” These aircraft will also need battery charging facilities. McClung says Iowa’s smaller airports could be a critical part of the infrastructure for what the manufacturers call advanced mobility aircraft.

“They’ll be electric powered,” McClung said. “They will be flown by trained pilots and initially they will rely on airports as their center of operation.” Jim Obradovich is a lobbyist for the Iowa Public Airports Association, which is monitoring the concept. “We just want to have well-regulated airspace and when you add new technology to traditional technology to technology that’s developing and then to the stuff we can’t even in our minds think of that will be out there in the future that we can’t even think of, we just want to make sure it’s well integrated and safe for everyone,” Obradovich said.

One company that’s producing a battery-powered aircraft that operates like a helicopter may start service in Dubai as soon as this year. A company called Archer is looking to do vertical take offs and landings from O’Hare Airport for travel to and from downtown Chicago.

JOINT FORCE HEADQUARTERS – DES MOINES, Iowa — Approximately 250 Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division are arriving back in the United States this weekend as part of a phased return from
their deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. During their deployment, these Soldiers worked alongside coalition and regional partners to significantly reduce the capabilities of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, helping improve security and stability throughout the region.

Due to progress achieved toward U.S. Central Command objectives, some Soldiers and units have completed their assigned missions and are beginning a phased redeployment home in accordance with higher headquarters guidance. Not all Soldiers return at the same time. Some are returning earlier because their specific mission requirements have concluded, while others will remain deployed to continue essential responsibilities, including partner support and base security.

This phased return is based on mission needs, personnel requirements, and transportation availability. Details regarding welcome home ceremonies are currently being coordinated and are expected to take place within the next 14 days in both Des Moines and Sioux City. Additional information will be released once details are finalized.

(Denison, IA) – A pursuit in Crawford County early this (Sunday) morning resulted in a crash and two people being arrested. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the accident happened at around 2-a.m. as 22-year-old Carlos Gomez-Paz, of Papillion, NE, was driving a 2013 Hyundai Elantra westbound on Highway 30,attempting to elude Denison Police. At the intersection with 12th street, the car struck a southbound 2024 GMC Acadia (SUV), driven by 30-year-old Blake Beymer, of Denison.

Following the crash, the SUV came to rest south of the intersection, while the car came to rest in a parking lot west of the intersection. The Patrol says both drivers and a passenger in the SUV (who was not identified) were provided medical attention for minor injuries at the scene, and released.

The State Patrol says Gomez-Paz was arrested for Eluding, and Beymer was arrested for OWI.

(Red Oak, IA) – Sheriff’s Deputies in Montgomery County have arrested a man from Page County on an asault charge. According to the Sheriff’s Department, 28-year-old Jason Lee Sarabia, Jr., of Clarinda, was arrested just before 2-a.m. Today (Sunday), in the 100 block of W. 3rd Street, in Villisca. Sarabia, Jr., was taken into custody for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held without bond.

Deputies with the Page County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Democrats will have a chance to make the case to national party leaders that the Iowa Democratic Party’s Caucuses should move back to a lead-off position in the next presidential election. A panel of national Democrats met this weekend and agreed Iowa and 11 other states will be competing for up to five early voting slots in 2028. Minyon Moore is chair of the group that will make the decision and she says they are looking for one thing.

“The calendar that produces the strongest possible Democratic nominee for president,” she said. Iowa will be competing against Illinois and Michigan to host one of the four regional voting events that will kick-off the 2028 presidential election. Some committee members like David McDonald of Washington state are raising concerns about having large states like Illinois host the opening contests for Democratic candidates in 2028.

“We make a trade off if we put one of those states up front,” McDonald said. “It is both more expensive and it is less retail campaigning and historically we have tried to emphasize person-to-person contact as much as possible by using small states up front to get a read on the candidates.”

Two other members of the panel that will consider Iowa’s pitch say Iowa Democrats must make clear in their presentation how they plan to conduct the 2028 Caucuses rather than present a menu with early voting options alongside Caucus night voting.

The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee is scheduled to meet again in April, but there’s no date set yet for Iowa and other states to make their presentations about hosting early primaries — or the Iowa Caucuses — in 2028.

(Red Oak, IA) – Police in Red Oak report the arrest of a man early this (Sunday) morning, on a Public Intoxication charge. Authorities say 32-year-old  Joshua Dean Jones, of Red Oak, was taken into custody on the simple misdemeanor charge at around 12:18-a.m. in the 1200 block of Senate Avenue, in Red Oak.

Jones was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $300 cash or surety bond.

(Mason City, IA) – A person walking in the traveled portion of a grocery store parking lot  in Mason City, was struck by an SUV Saturday afternoon. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the accident happened at around 2:40-p.m., as a 2004 Chevy Tahoe was traveling south in a parking lot. The pedestrian was transported by Mason City Ambulance to the hospital but died from their injuries.

The name of the pedestrian was being withheld by authorities, pending notification of family. The name of the SUV driver was also not immediately released. The incident remained under investigation.

Mason City Police assisted State Patrol at the scene.