(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports dense fog played a role in a head-on crash Thursday morning. At around 7:30-a.m., Adams County Dispatch received a 911 call reporting a possible accident. The reporting party stated “Life360” had the vehicle not moving on Highway 148. Adams County Dispatch then took a second 911 call reporting an Apple iPhone was in a serious crash on Highway 148 at North Lake Road.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office photo

Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies, Corning Fire and Corning Ambulance, were paged to the reported scene. When deputies arrived on scene, they found an Acura with extensive front-end damage, facing southbound in the middle of Highway 148. The driver of the car – later identified as 40-year-old Bryan Coffman-Sayre, of Corning, was trapped in his vehicle. Deputies also saw a Jeep Wrangler with extensive front-end damage – driven by 45-year-old Matthew Ramsey, of Corning – in the west ditch.

Corning Medics were able to enter through the front passenger window to treat Coffman-Sayre while Corning Fire cut and removed the front drivers door of the Acura, to successfully extract the man. A medical Helicopter was requested, but due to the weather conditions (dense fog), was unable to fly. Both drivers suffered injuries ranging from serious to minor, and were transported by ambulance to the hospital.

An investigation determined Coffman-Sayre was traveling north on Highway 148 when he attempted to pass another vehicle in the heavy fog. He was unable to see Ramsey’s SUV traveling southbound on Highway 148. The car and Jeep collided head-on. The sheriff’s department say Highway 148 was shut down for a short period of time due to the low visibility of the fog, and to allow emergency crews to safely treat the patients, and for crews to remove the vehicles off the roadway.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office thanks to Corning Fire, Corning Ambulance, and Adams Co EMA for their assistance.

(Radio Iowa) – A popular nine-man singing group that performs to sold-out audiences all around the world is making two stops in Iowa next week, and it’s a homecoming for one of the members. Urbandale native Tyler Trepp is one-ninth of Straight No Chaser. “We’re an a capella group so we have no instruments. It’s just the nine of us on stage, nine singers, from the lowest of the low base guy to the highest of the high tenors,” Trepp says. “We have a guy that does all of the percussion sounds, so it’ll sound like there’s drums or something being played on stage, but nope, it’s all made by our voices.” The group was formed in 1996 and Trepp’s been singing tenor with them since 2009, performing on the road about six months out of the year. This show, called “Holiday Road,” is designed to get Iowans in the mood for the yuletide season ahead.

Straight No Chaser with Tyler Trepp (far right)

“We do a wide variety of songs, from older stuff, the stuff that’s on the radio now, as well as on this tour, we’re doing stuff from our brand new holiday album, ‘Holiday Road’,” Trepp says. “So there’s a lot of stuff in there and a mix of different songs that I’m sure people will enjoy.” Straight No Chaser has sold more than one-and a half million concert tickets, over two million albums worldwide, and has more than one BILLION streams on Pandora. Still, Trepp’s one of nine guys and says they all manage to maintain a level of anonymity when they’re off stage. “That’s kind of the nice part about it is, we can kind of — once we get off tour, we can live pretty normal lives and just go home and be Dad,” Trepp says. “So that’s kind of kind of the nice part about it, which is good. We can just get to go home and be with our kids and our families.”

Trepp, who’s 40, grew up in a musical family, as his parents and grandparents sang and played instruments. He started piano lessons at age five, sang in children’s choirs, started his own a cappella group in high school, and later performed on cruise ships with a cappella group Oceans Four. Straight No Chaser is performing next Wednesday (November 5th) at the Civic Center of Des Moines, which Trepp says is very special as his parents, his sister and other family members and friends will be in the audience. “I love being back there,” Trepp says. “The people are great and the Civic Center, obviously, is a great venue. I grew up going to shows there, all my life, watching Broadway shows and concerts, whatever, so it’s cool to come back and perform on that stage.”

The group will also perform in Davenport on November 8th.

(Radio Iowa) – Tonight (Friday night) is the deadliest night of the year for child pedestrians, and Iowans are being reminded about the compounded risks of driving impaired on a night when there are so many kids on the streets for trick-or-treating. Brian Ortner, spokesman for AAA-Iowa, says Halloween is traditionally one of the most dangerous nights of the year for drivers and pedestrians, and the risks are even higher this year. “You don’t think of Halloween as one of those big celebratory holidays, but when Halloween falls on a Friday night, it definitely provides a level of opportunity for those celebrations and parties that take place,” Ortner says. “Especially this year with it being on a Friday, half of all crashes on Halloween night are alcohol-related.”

Unlike weeknight Halloweens, when people tend to go home early or avoid drinking due to work the next day, Ortner says a Friday celebration encourages more social gatherings and relaxed attitudes toward drugs and alcohol. That creates a dangerous environment on the roads, especially with neighborhoods full of families walking after dark. “Kids are more than twice as likely to be struck and killed by a vehicle on Halloween than any other day of the year,” Ortner says. “Contributing factors for that include, dark costumes that reduce visibility, running out between cars, unpredictable street crossing behavior, not crossing at crosswalks.”

AAA-photo

Some Iowans may elect to stay home tonight, but for those who are going out, Ortner offers some advice. “If you’re behind the wheel, obviously stay buckled up, focus fully on driving, as the increase in the number of pedestrians on the road is something you need to be aware of,” Ortner says. “Put that phone down, slow down and keep your eye out for trick-or-treaters. Moms and dads, make sure your kids are crossing at crosswalks. Make sure they’re not darting between cars, and make sure their costumes are illuminated or reflective in some way so they can be seen.”

Impaired driving is among the leading causes of fatal traffic crashes and Ortner urges Iowa drivers to plan ahead. “Arrange for a sober ride before the party starts,” Ortner says. “That could be a designated driver, get yourself one of the rideshare programs, have a cab company’s name handy. Also, speak up. Don’t let your friends drive impaired. If you’re a designated driver for someone and see someone else who’s trying to go home, step up and be that safe alternative for them.”

Whether you’re behind the wheel or walking in your neighborhood, Ortner says a few smart choices can help everyone stay safe this Halloween.

(Exira, Iowa) – An attorney from Exira who died this past May, received a posthumous lifetime achievement award from the Iowa Democratic Party at their Regional Awards Brunch held in Manilla Saturday October 25th. Information submitted to KJAN said Robert D. “Bob” Nelson was honored for his intelligence, integrity, accomplishments, and service while respecting his humility, modesty, and desire for privacy.  Bob Nelson graduated with the Exira High School class of 1955, and began a life of political activism. Over those four years at EHS, he served as his class president twice, class treasurer and member of the student council. He had a love of music; singing in the chorus and playing in the band all four years. His inquisitive nature led to his love of reading and journalism: writing for the school newspaper and yearbook.

Nelson earned his BA at the University of Iowa in 1959 and an MA from the University of Washington in 1961 where he was in ROTC studying field interrogating and learning Cantonese. He earned his Law degree from New York University  in 1966. He served as Audubon County Attorney for many years and was a longtime partner at Rasmussen & Nelson Attorneys-at-Law in his hometown of Exira. Bob was active in the Audubon County Democratic Party serving as County Chair and frequently as Secretary at the County Caucus.

Photo:
Receiving Robert Nelson’s award from Iowa Democratic Party chair, Rita Hart, (center) are two of his nieces Jodi Wellendorf (left) and Lori Larsen (right).

Nelson lived on the same farm all his life, was a concert-level pianist with a grand piano in the living room, and an immense collection of over 3000 books; 1000  of which have been donated to the Exira Public Library.  His body was donated to the University of Iowa.  He was an Army veteran, farm owner, golf buddy, and world traveler.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports 56-year-old Tracey Ann Sorter, of Creston, was arrested Thursday night at her home. Sorter was taken into custody on a Union County Warrant, and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance- methamphetamine/ 1st offense, and OWI-1st offense.

She was transported to Union County Jail, posted a $2,300 bond, and was released.

(Radio Iowa) – Dozens of Iowa libraries are each getting 10-thousand dollars from the charity founded by the man who built nearly 17-hundred free public libraries in America. The Carnegie Corporation’s donations are part of its 250-million dollar initiative to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Andrew Carnegie is a Scottish immigrant who arrived in America in 1848 when he was 12 and got a job in a factory. A video on the charity’s website describes how Carnegie’s interest in libraries started.

The video ends by quoting Carnegie.

Carnegie made his fortune in the steel industry and became the richest man in the world. In 1873, Iowa became the 10th state to pass a law that allowed towns to build and maintain libraries with tax dollars Carnegie grants required local matching funds and the first Carnegie grant in Iowa went to Fairfield in 1892. That was the first year Carnegie’s charity started financing construction of libraries — but requiring the local city council to provide a site for the building and establish a tax to support the library’s operation. According to the Carnegie Libraries in Iowa project, there are 101 Carnegie Libraries in Iowa.

Among them, are those in southwest and western Iowa. Locally those libraries are located in:

Atlantic; Audubon; Bedford; Carroll; Clarinda; Council Bluffs; Denison; Dunlap; Glenwood; Greenfield; Hamburg; Logan; Malvern; Missouri Valley; Mount Ayr; Onawa; Red Oak; Sac City; Shenandoah; Stuart; Villisca; Winterset and Woodbine.

[Red Oak, IA] – As Daylight Saving Time comes to an end this Sunday, November 2, 2025, the Red Oak Fire Department is reminding everyone to “Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries.” When you set your clocks back one hour, take a moment to also replace the batteries in all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. This simple step could save your life. Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce says “Working smoke alarms are one of the most important and cost-effective ways to protect your family from fire. Changing the batteries twice a year ensures they’re always ready to alert you in an emergency.”

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that three out of five home fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms. Many of these failures are due to missing or dead batteries.
In addition to changing batteries, residents are encouraged to:

• Test smoke and CO alarms monthly.
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years and CO alarms every 5–7 years, depending on manufacturer recommendations.
• Install alarms on every level of the home, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas.
• Develop and practice a home escape plan with your family.

Chief Bruce said “The Red Oak Fire Department remains committed to promoting fire safety and prevention throughout our community. Remember — “Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries” — a few minutes today can make all the difference tomorrow.”

For more information about fire safety, contact the Red Oak Fire Department at 712-623-6504 or emailing fireprevention@redoakia.city

(Radio Iowa) – State and local leaders celebrated a new mural in Manchester Wednesday that is part of a state economic development program.

The landscape mural spans three stories on the south side of Honey Creek Furniture in downtown Manchester. Stephanie Fangman says the mural that was funded by Manchester Vitality Endowment and a state grant, has gotten good reviews. “I think just from the response we’ve gotten with this mural, I think it’s definitely more than artwork. We’ve seen people of all ages, all genders, all you know, all types that have found something interesting in the mural,” she says. Iowa City artist Thomas Agran spent five days painting the nature scene inspired by a visit to Spring Branch Creek in Delaware County.

Manchester created a community mural through a new state program. (photo by Janelle Tucker)

The Iowa Economic Development Authority mural program was created to showcase a community’s “unique creative and cultural identity” while building civic pride and engagement. Fangman says the Manchester mural does that. “I think it brings people together, brings people to Manchester. To look at it, but also just to represent Manchester and the businesses we have here in lots of different ways, there’s so much that you can say in different murals. So not one mural says at all,” Fangman says.

Sam Milroy owns the furniture shop where the mural was painted and says he hears all the time from people who love the mural. He likes that the mural is unique to Manchester. “Rather than saying we want this image that we’ve seen in another community somewhere else, or we want to be like, I saw this on vacation in Chicago, and can you do this in our community?,” he says. “I like that they went with something that’s, you know, imagery that is authentic to place. This is Manchester and it’s not Manchester. pretending to be another place or another community, but celebrating the things that are special about this part of Iowa.”

Manchester was one of the first towns to be selected for the Iowans Who Create Community Murals Program. Cascade, Knoxville and Washington were also chosen for grants.

(Radio Iowa) – Voters in this year’s city-school elections will determine the fate of 56 bond proposals that would raise a total of one-point-seven BILLION dollars to build or renovate public facilities for things like schools, fire stations, and libraries.
That calculation comes from the Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation. The group asked Iowa’s 99 counties auditors for information about this year’s city-state elections. Eleven of this year’s bonding proposals are the same or similar to previous plans which got majority support from local voters, but missed the required 60 percent approval in the 2023 or 2024 elections.

The largest bonding proposals are for schools and athletic facilities in the Ankeny, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and West Des Moines School Districts. In addition, voters in a few counties will also decide whether to raise local property taxes to finance ambulance services. Bruce Musgrave is E-M-S director in Calhoun County, where voters are considering an E-M-S tax.

“This would guarantee that when you pick up the phone and call 911, that you would get an ambulance service to be available and respond to you and to your needs,” Musgrave said. “The statement that we are sharing right now: ‘The day that you need an ambulance, it will be too late to vote for one.'” Calhoun County has five ambulances operating today, but Musgrave says the one that serves the Manson area is 27 years old.

“The average life expectancy of an ambulance is 8-10 years,” he said. “Not to mention, it is of the older age, so we can’t do certain updates to the ambulance to stay current.” Musgrave says besides equipment, Calhoun County’s E-M-S agencies would be able to use the funds raised to recruit and retain staff. “Cost — that’s been a big driver for people that can’t afford to go to school, so we’d be able to help with that,” Musgrave says, “and therefore that would allow us to have more personnel, both on the paid and the volunteer side of things.”

In 2022, nearly 59 percent of Calhoun County voters supported an E-M-S property tax levy — but it failed because it needed 60 percent support. Buchanan, Clay and Washington County voters are also deciding whether E-M-S is an essential service that should directly get a constant slice of local property tax revenue. E-M-S referendums already have passed in 21 counties.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she’s worked closely for two decades with one of the four Republicans running to replace her as governor — but she does not plan to endorse a G-O-P candidate before next June’s Primary. “I’m not going to get involved in the primary. We haven’t had one for a long time, so I think it’s really important that, you know, they get out there and make their case,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds announced in April that she would not seek re-election in 2026. Pastor Brad Sherman of Williamsburg and State Representative Eddie Andrews of Johnston have been campaigning for governor for several months. Iowa Department of Administrative Services director Adam Steen was working for Governor Reynolds until late August, when he resigned to run for governor. And just this week Congressman Randy Feenstra formally kicked off his campaign for governor.

“I’ve known Randy for a long, long time,” Reynolds said. “We actually served in county government together. We were both county treasurers and we both decided to run for the state senate. We ran in 2008 and, if you remember, there was not a lot of Republicans that won in 2008.” Reynolds left the state senate after she was elected lieutenant governor in 2010. Reynolds, who has been governor since mid-2017, says she and Feenstra share the same philosophy when it comes to tax policy.

“Randy was the one that I worked in the state senate for the first big property tax bill that we were able to pass in 2018,” Reynolds said. Feenstra was chairman of the Iowa Senate’s tax writing committee at the time. Reynolds says once G-O-P Primary voters choose a nominee for governor, she’ll do everything she can to help them win next November. “I don’t want to see all the stuff that I’ve done be undone,” Reynolds said. “…I’m hoping the next governor takes what we’ve done and knocks it out of the park and continues to keep this state moving forward.”

Reynolds made her comments yesterday (Thursday) after a roundtable discussion about property taxes. The event was held in Hull, which is Feenstra’s hometown. Reynolds took over as governor when Terry Branstad resigned to become U-S Ambassador to China. She won election to a full four-year term in 2018 and reelected in 2022.