(Elk Horn, Iowa)  – Officials with the Museum of Danish America, Saturday, said in a press release, “After sixteen years of dedicated service,

Tova Brandt

will conclude her tenure as Executive Director of the Museum of Danish America on October 31, 2025.”

Brandt began her career at the museum as the Albert Ravenholt Curator of Danish-American Culture in 2009 and stepped into the role of Executive Director in 2020. Her leadership has guided the museum through national recognition, expanded exhibitions, and enriched educational programs.

Reflecting on her time at the museum, Tova shared:

“It has been an honor to serve the Museum of Danish America and to witness its growth and evolution over the past sixteen years—from my early years as curator through my time as executive director. I am deeply proud of what we have accomplished together and the dedication of this remarkable staff. For personal reasons, I am seeking opportunities that will allow me to spend more time closer to my family. Thank you for your commitment to the museum’s mission and for the support and collaboration I have experienced throughout my time here. I look forward to seeing the museum thrive in the years ahead.”

The Museum of Danish America Board of Directors and staff extend their deepest gratitude to Tova for her dedication, leadership, and vision. Information regarding a farewell celebration will be shared soon.

Erik Andersen, who previously served as President of the Board of Directors, will act as Interim Executive Director, while Philip Lund, formerly the Board of Directors’ Vice President, was elected Board President. The museum will undertake a comprehensive and thoughtful search process to define and fill the position of Executive Director in alignment with its mission and strategic goals.

The Museum of Danish America remains committed to honoring our mission of celebrating Danish roots and American dreams through exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural partnerships.

(Des Moines, Iowa; KCCI-TV) – Federal authorities have added another charge against Ian Roberts, the former Des Moines Public Schools superintendent Ian Roberts, already charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms. Roberts was arrested and detained by ICE on Sept. 26, and he resigned from DMPS the next week.

According to court documents, he was charged Thursday with falsely claiming that he was a US citizen on an employment form. In his indictment, federal authorities wrote: He “used a false attestation on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9, knowing that the said attestation was false, in that he attested he was a United States Citizen, knowing he was not in fact a United States citizen.”

DMPS hired Roberts in May 2023 and he started in July 2023. The indictment says he made the false claim on the I-9 form “on or about” June 5 that year. The Department of Homeland Security released the full criminal history of former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts. Roberts’ criminal record spans decades and multiple states:

• On July 3, 1996, DHS said he was arrested in New York for criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, and possession of forged instruments.
• Then, on Nov. 13, 1998, investigators said Roberts was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle in Queens, New York. The charge was dismissed in 1999.
• DHS said on Nov. 1, 2012, he was ticketed in Maryland for reckless driving, unsafe operation, and speeding.
• On Feb. 3, 2020, Roberts was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and fourth-degree weapon charges. DHS did not tell KCCI what state these charges originated in.
• In November 2021, Roberts was given a citation for unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in Pennsylvania. Documents sent to us from the Pennsylvania Game Commission state that an officer searched Roberts’ vehicle following a hunting trip. The officer said he found a rifle in a case in the back seat of the vehicle. The officer writes in the citation that there was a round in the chamber and four rounds in the magazine. Roberts pleaded guilty the following January.

Roberts’ immigration history reveals two student visas, denied green card applications, and deportation orders. He first entered the U.S. in 1994 on a B-2 tourist visa and later returned on an F-1 student visa in 1999. Despite multiple attempts to secure permanent residency, all four of his green card applications were denied.

In 2024, an immigration judge in Dallas, Texas, ordered Roberts removed from the U.S. in absentia. Roberts’ motion to reopen the case was denied in April 2025. Roberts was arrested by ICE officers on Sept. 26, 2025, and has been charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

Roberts is now in custody with the U.S. Marshals.

(Creston, Iowa) – A man from Dallas County complained of pain and possible injury, but was not transported to the hospital, following a collision Friday evening, in Creston. According to Creston Police, a Dodge pickup driven by 62-year-old Richard Mordock, of Creston, and a Chrysler van driven by 39-year-old Preston Hopkins, of Dexter, were both traveling north on Sumner Avenue in Creston, at around 5:20-p.m., Friday, when Mordock attempted to change lanes.

The right front of his pickup struck the left side of the van, causing a total of $4,000 damage. Hopkins complained of shoulder pain as a result of the collision. Both men were wearing their seat belts.

No citations were issued, but the Police report indicated Mordock made an improper or erratic lane change.

Friday afternoon, Red Oak mayoral candidate John Haidsaik issued a statement to the media, whereby he withdrew his name from consideration for the Nov. 4th election. Haidsaik said that while it’s too late to take his name off of the ballot, he is “No longer running for the office of Mayor in Red Oak,” and added his apology for what he “Said recently at the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council Conversation with The Candidates.” He said he “truly did not intend to offend anyone.”

You can listen to and view a transcript of Haidsailk’s comments he made Wednesday that drew much criticism, in a separate story on the kjan.com News page.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says the layoffs President Trump has ordered during the federal government shutdown are long overdue. Ernst suggests the president’s “Reduction in Force” or RIF program should target Internal Revenue Service employees who owe back taxes.

Ernst says there are far more who should be fired.

The U-S Department of Energy operates 17 National Laboratories. Ernst cites a 2023 report in The Nation magazine in which employees at a nuclear weapons complex in New Mexico admitted they had napped and played games during the workday.

That came from an electrician assigned to work in a restricted area of the facility where the first atomic bomb was created. Energy Department officials told the magazine they did not find evidence a manager was falsifying time sheets for electricians who are part of a massive workforce upgrading the country’s nuclear stockpile.

On October 1st, Ernst released a Congressional Budget Office analysis that estimates 750-thousand government employees have been furloughed during the shutdown. Ernst says the shutdown exposes that many of those employees are truly non-essential and should be put on the chopping block.

(Oakwood, IL) – A retired part-time police officer and small business entrepreneur from Illinois who is on limited income, has someone to thank in Atlantic for his honesty and compassion. Tim Stewart lives in Oakwood, IL, and he had stopped at a gas station in Covington, Indiana to get something for his granddaughter around the 9th or 10th of October. They didn’t have what he needed so he went somewhere else. When he got out to pay for it, he realized his wallet with $150 inside, was missing.

When his “Angel” -as Tim calls him – found the wallet, they searched the internet for nearly two-hours and found his number, and gave Stewart a call.

Stewart said he was beside himself, dumbfounded that someone would take the time to track him down and give him the good news.

The man didn’t want to take the chance on leaving the wallet at the gas station where he found it, so he offered to mail it to Stewart. He told Stewart he was from Atlantic, Iowa, and he worked at a “cycle shop.” The return address turned out to be Nishna Valley Cycle. Stewart said his first reaction to getting his wallet back, was shock.

Tim said while he didn’t get the man’s name, it “restored his faith in humanity.”

Stewart said he wanted to let people know, that the world isn’t full of all bad news and bad people.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with Iowa Health and Human Services (HHS) are alerting Iowans who use SNAP that due to the federal shutdown continuing, there is a possibility that November benefits will not be issued onto cards. In a statement today (Friday), officials say Iowa received notification from the Food and Nutrition Service late last week directing the state, and all states nationwide, not to issue November benefits.

Iowa HHS continues to monitor the situation very closely and will provide updates. Iowa SNAP currently serves approximately 131,000 households per month and allocates around 45 million dollars in benefits, which are federally paid.

Iowa HHS has engaged our food bank and pantry partners and community-based organizations to prepare to provide additional support to impacted Iowans.

Once the government shutdown ends, Iowa HHS will work diligently to process SNAP benefits and make them available for use with the SNAP card. Individuals that currently receive SNAP should retain their cards even throughout the shutdown.

As the situation evolves, Iowa HHS will continue to provide updates as they become available. Please visit hhs.iowa.gov/snap to sign up for updates.

(Radio Iowa) – A Democrat from Boone in central Iowa has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for Iowa’s open U.S. House seat in northeast Iowa. Guy Morgan says while he doesn’t live in the second district, he has family ties in the area and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. The U-S Constitution does not require U.S. House candidates to live in the district they’d representing, but they must be a resident of the state they’d represent. Morgan says he’s running an environmentally focused campaign.

In 2023, 3-M agreed to pay over 10-BILLION dollars to settle lawsuits filed by public drinking water systems contaminated with so-called “forever chemicals” used in products like the foams used to fight fires. Morgan is the fifth Democrat to announce they’d seek the seat currently held by Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who is running for the U.S. Senate in 2026.