(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra says with each passing day, more Iowans are being affected by the federal government shutdown. Feenstra cites the closure of Farm Service Agency offices as an example. “Farmers are doing harvest. They need their acreage paperwork processed,” Feenstra said. “Our troops are not going to get paid as of October 15, which is absolutely appalling to me.” Feenstra says he and other House Republicans met by phone today (Thursday).

“We can’t negotiate with ourselves,” Feenstra said. “I mean, we’re really waiting on six senators from the Democratic Party to come along and say, ‘Yeah, let’s get this country back open again and let’s talk about what we want to do.'” House Republicans passed a spending plan on September 19th to fund the federal government through mid-November. “I am so frustrated because this is all about partisan antics,” Feenstra says. “We’re not asking for anything. We didn’t add anything to the bill. We’re just simply saying, ‘Can we continue the same budget that we always had?’ And the Democrats said, ‘No, we want to add $1.5 trillion more.’ Just pass the current budget. That’s all we’re asking.”

Feenstra says the status quo spending plan is as far as House Republicans will go. “We already have $37 trillion of debt and we’re not going to go down that path…They’re asking for so much and we can’t do it as a country,” Feenstra said. “…We’re at a very dividing marker in our country right now. We’re not asking for anything. They’re asking for a lot and, you know, we’re going to keep it shut down for the sake of our country and the taxpayers to get this right.” Senate Democrats have called for including an extension of tax credits for about 22 million Americans who use the Affordable Care Act marketplace to buy insurance.

“Health care and the tax credits and all that stuff really doesn’t end until December 31, so we have time to negotiate and talk, but we want to do it while government is open,” Feenstra says. “And they’re saying: ‘Nope. We’re going to keep government shut down.'” Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, formed an exploratory committee this spring to begin raising money for a race for governor and is expected to formally launch his campaign soon.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Auditor’s Office reminds residents of the County that the City/School Election will be held in Cass County, IA on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. -8:00 p.m.

Election day Voting:
Pre-registered voters must provide an approved form of identification at the polling place to receive and cast a ballot.
Approved forms of identification include: Iowa driver’s license or non-operator identification card, U.S. Passport, U.S.
military or veteran’s identification, Tribal identification/document, Iowa voter identification card with PIN number.
Voters who are not pre-registered, such as those registering to vote on Election Day, or changing precincts, must provide
proof of identification and proof of residence using Election Day Registration documents. A voter who is unable to provide
an approved form of identification, or prove their residence, may:

• Have another registered voter from their precinct attest to the voter’s identity and residence,
• Cast a provisional ballot and bring proof of identity and residence to the Cass County Auditor’s Office by 12:00 PM
on November 12, 2025.
Election Day Registration documents may be found at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterinformation/edr.html.

Absentee Voting:
In-person-absentee voting will take place at the Cass County auditor’s office:
• 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. October 15 – November 3, 2025
• 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. October 20 and October 31, 2025
• 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday, November 1, 2025

To vote by mail, submit an absentee ballot request form to the county auditor’s office by 5:00 p.m., October 20, 2025.
• Absentee ballot request forms are available at sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/absenteeinfo.html or the
county auditor’s office. Request forms received after the deadline will be rejected in accordance with state law.
• Absentee ballots must be returned to the county auditor’s office by 8:00 p.m. on election night, November 4, 2025.
Absentee and special-voter ballots will be counted at the county auditor’s office on Election Day.

Accessibility:
Any voter who is physically unable to enter a polling place has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle. For further
information, contact the county auditor’s office at 712-243-4570, or email auditor@casscoia.us. For TTY access, dial 711 +
712-243-4570.

Election Security and Audit:
• Voting equipment will be used to tabulate the election results.
• The public test of election equipment will be held Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in the courthouse,
and will continue until the required test is completed.

Sample Ballot:
May be viewed on the County’s website: https://www.casscountyia.gov/county-government/elections/city-elections/.

Precincts and Polling Locations:
• Atlantic Ward 1………………………………………………………………………………………..Zion Lutheran Church (811 Oak St)
• Atlantic Ward 2……………………………………………………………………………………Atlantic Public Library (507 Poplar St)
• Atlantic Ward 3…………………………………………………………………….Cass County Community Building (805 W 10th St)
• Atlantic Ward 4………………………………………………………………………………….United Church of Christ (1607 Hazel St)
• Atlantic Ward 5……………………………………………………………………………….Heritage House (1200 Brookridge Circle)
• Bear Grove/Cass/City of Lewis…………………………………………………………Lewis Community Center (400 W Main St)
• Benton/Franklin/Grant/Lincoln/City of Anita/City of Wiota……………………..Anita Community Center (805 Main St)
• Brighton/Grove/Pymosa/Washington/City of Marne………………..Cass County Community Building (805 W 10th St)
• Noble/Pleasant/City of Griswold………………………………………………………..Griswold Community Center (601 2nd St)
• Union/City of Cumberland………………………………………………………..Cumberland Community Center (200 W 2nd St)
• Edna/Victoria/East Massena Township……………………………………………………Massena Public Library (122 Main St)
• West Massena Township/City of Massena………………………………………………CAM Elementary School (207 E 6th St)

Public Measures
Iowa Western Community College GO Bond Public Measure – SE
Shall the Board of Directors of the Iowa Western Community College (Merged Area XIII) in the Counties of Adair, Adams,
Audubon, Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby, State of
Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed
$55,000,000 to provide funds to defray the cost of any one or more of the following purposes: to construct, furnish, and
equip a new Career and Technical Education facility for automotive/diesel mechanic, commercial drivers’ license, and
logistics programming; to expand, improve, remodel, repair, furnish and equip existing buildings for expanded
programming including HVAC, plumbing, welding, electrical, and construction technology for credit and non-credit
programming?

Atlantic Schools GO Bond Public Measure – DH
Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District in the Counties of Cass, Pottawattamie and
Audubon, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to
exceed $22,500,000 to provide funds to build, furnish and equip classroom additions and a new secure entrance at
Washington Elementary, a new skybridge and commons area between Schuler Elementary and the Middle School, and
classroom additions at the High School, with related building and site improvements at each facility; and to remodel,
repair, improve, furnish, and equip existing educational facilities, including additional secure entrance improvements,
media center and common area improvements at the High School, and site improvements?

Atlantic Schools Sales, Services and Use Tax Revenue Bonds Proposition – DI
Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District in the Counties of Cass, Pottawattamie and
Audubon, State of Iowa, be authorized to issue approximately $18,500,000 School Infrastructure Sales, Services and Use
Tax Revenue Bonds, which may be issued in one or more series over multiple fiscal years pursuant to Iowa Code Sections
423F.2 and 423F.4, in the approximate amount of $18,500,000 for the purpose of providing funds to build, furnish, and
equip a new multipurpose indoor practice facility/fieldhouse at the High School, with related site improvements,
including costs of issuance and a debt service reserve fund if required by the purchaser; with any bond proceeds
remaining after completion of this project used for other school infrastructure projects as authorized by the School District’s Revenue Purpose Statement?

Atlantic Schools Revenue Purpose Statement Public Measure – DG
Summary: To adopt a Revenue Purpose Statement specifying the use of revenues the Atlantic Community School District
will receive from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund.

In the Atlantic Community School District, the following Revenue Purpose Statement which specifies the use of revenues
the Atlantic Community School District will receive from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund
shall be adopted.

To provide funds to acquire or install information technology infrastructure (including improving buildings or sites for the
purpose of accessing broadband digital telecommunications) and school safety and security infrastructure.

To provide funds to build and furnish a new school building or buildings; to build and furnish addition(s) to school
buildings in the District; to remodel, reconstruct, repair, expand, and improve the school buildings in the District; to
purchase and improve grounds; for demolition work; to furnish and equip district facilities.

To provide funds for the purchase, lease or lease-purchase of buildings, equipment (including transportation and
recreation equipment), or technology and to repair transportation equipment for transporting students as authorized by
law, to implement energy conservation measures, sharing or rental of facilities including a joint infrastructure project for
the purposes of offering classes under district-to-community college programs as authorized in Iowa Code Section
423F.3(3)(c), procuring or acquisition of libraries, or opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings.

To provide funds to purchase land as part of start-up costs for new student construction program or if the sale of the
previous student construction was insufficient to purchase land, and to purchase construction materials and supplies for a
student-constructed building or shed intended to be retained by and used by the District.

To provide funds to make payments to a municipality or other entity as required under Iowa Code Section 403.19(2).

To provide funds for demolition, cleanup, and other costs if such costs are necessitated by, and incurred within two years
of, a disaster.

To provide funds for radon testing and mitigation.

To provide funds to establish and maintain public recreation places and playgrounds; provide for supervision and
instruction for recreational activities; or for community education purposes.

To provide funds for the payment of principal and interest or retirement of general obligation bonds issued for school
infrastructure purposes, energy improvement loans, loan agreements authorized by Iowa Code Section 297.36, sales,
service and use tax revenue bonds issued under Iowa Code Section 423E.5 or Iowa Code Section 423.F.4.

To provide funds for property tax relief; and To provide funds for other authorized expenditures and purposes as now or hereafter permitted by law and designated by the Atlantic Community School District.

It being understood that if this public measure should fail to be approved by the voters, such failure shall not be
construed to terminate or restrict authority previously granted by the voters to expend receipts from the Secure an
Advanced Vision for Education Fund.

If approved, this Revenue Purpose Statement shall remain in effect until replaced or amended by the Atlantic Community
School District.

The District requested the following statement be included in this Notice of Election:
“If a majority of eligible electors voting on the question fail to approve this Revenue Purpose Statement, then upon
expiration of the current Revenue Purpose Statement, revenues received by the School District from the Secure an
Advanced Vision for Education fund shall be expended in the following order:

• The payment of bonds for which SAVE Revenue has been pledged;
• Reduction of bond levies under Iowa Code Sections 928.18 and 298.18A and all other debt levies;
• Reduction of the regular and voter-approved physical plant and equipment levy under Iowa Code Section 298.2;
• Reduction of the public educational and recreational levy under Iowa Code Section 300.2;
• For any authorized infrastructure purpose of the school district as defined in Iowa Code Section 423F.3(6); and
• For the payment of principal and interest on bonds issued under Iowa Code Sections 423E.5 and 423F.4.”

(Harlan, Iowa) – A woman charged as an accessory in the death of an Earling resident has entered a guilty plea. Online court records show 35-year-old Ashley Elizabeth McWilliams waived her rights and plead guilty, on Friday, October 3rd.

McWilliams had faced a trial that was set to begin November 4th, in connection with the July 31st shooting death of 32-year-old Theresa Kenkel, of Earling. Judge Michael Hooper set her sentencing for Nov. 17th at 9-a.m., in Shelby County District Court.

Another suspect in Kenkel’s death, 33-year-old Winston Joseph “Joe” Leal was charged with First-Degree Murder. His trial is scheduled to begin November 4th.

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.

(Radio Iowa) – A former middle school teacher in the Humboldt Community School District has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. Court records show 32-year-old Samantha Meyer-Davis of Rutland admitted that from May of 2022 through November of the following year she was engaged in a sexual relationship with a student. Meyer-Davis initially denied the relationship when confronted by school administrators. During her sentencing, Judge Leonard T. Stand said there was no indication she would have stopped the abuse on her own and it only ended when law enforcement got involved.

Along with the 20-year term in a federal prison, Meyer-Davis has been ordered to pay over 13-thousand dollars in restitution. Meyer-Davis is set to go on trial in state court later this month on state charges of third degree sexual abuse and sexual exploitation by a school employee.

(Radio Iowa) – State Auditor Rob Sand — a Democrat who’s running for governor — says the decline in state tax revenue is even worse than expected. Sand says it’s a fiscal crisis created by Republican lawmakers who intentionally cut revenue by reducing the state income tax and increased spending on Education Savings Accounts for students attending private schools. Sand says Iowans are sick of the direction the state is going in.

Rob Sand in Manchester, IA

“The vouchers program itself has a total lack of oversight,” Sand said. “They’re frustrated with a lack of support for public schools. They’re looking at rising costs for their own checkbook.” During July, August and September, total state tax receipts were down nearly 15 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Sand says if the trend continues, the state will have a deficit of over a BILLION dollars. Sand says it’s time to reorient state government, so it’s not just serving insiders and special interest groups. “This is what you get out of 10 years of one party control. If it was 10 years for the other party in total control, you’d have the same issues,” Sand said. “Too much power in too few hands for too long brings corruption. That’s human nature. It’s not partisan.”

Sand made his comments during a campaign stop yesterday (Wednesday) in Manchester. Republicans say they planned for the decline in state tax revenue by producing lean state budgets over the past several years and stockpiling a surplus. Governor Reynolds and her fellow Republicans say the tax cut will spur the state economy and tax revenue will rise, but until then they plan to use the surplus to balance the state budget.

(Radio Iowa) – A report from the state auditor’s office is flagging some bookkeeping issues in a northwest Iowa community where several previous public officials were accused of wrongdoing in 2021. A report from the state auditor’s office eight years ago on the City of Armstrong led to charges against Armstrong’s former police chief, former mayor, former city clerks and a policeman. None of the issues in the latest report from the state auditor’s office rose to the level of being turned over to law enforcement.

C-P-As did raise concerns about a deficit in the fund used to cover the city’s garbage and landfill costs. The report indicates a city employee used their own Society Security number to get a debit card for Armstrong’s bank account to pay city bills. The state auditor’s office says unlike credit cards, there’s limited ability to set guidelines for access to debit cards and the city should ban the use of a debit card.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is among a group asking Meta — the company that owns Facebook and Instagram — to explain its policy about the removal of videos depicting violence. Victims of the October 7th attacks in Israel have sued Meta for enabling the distribution of the Hamas attacks and failing to remove the video footage. Bird says social media companies like Meta should not profit from or promote terrorism in any form.

Brenna Bird (Radio IA file photo)

Bird says she and the 11 other attorneys general who signed onto a letter to Meta need to know what Meta has done and will do to make sure it doesn’t happen again. The attorneys general have asked Meta’s chief legal officer to reply to their questions by November 10th. Hamas is currently banned from Facebook and Instagram and a spokesperson for the company has said Meta worked around the clock after the October 7th attacks to remove images that sought to glorify the violence.

Meta’s website says users will be protected from depictions of kidnappings and severe violence and the company says it removes threats of violence against various targets.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Rotary Club has donated $2,500 to Vision Atlantic’s transformative project, which will bring a housing development, new child development center, and YMCA expansion to Atlantic.

Vision Atlantic Committee Members Dave and Barb Chase, said “Following a long-standing tradition of supporting local community projects, we want to express our gratitude to the Atlantic Rotary Club for its recent financial commitment to the Vision Atlantic initiatives. And, we look forward to its continuing support of this transformational project.”

As previously reported, Vision Atlantic, through extensive research and surveying of the community and surrounding region, identified three areas that will help increase Atlantic’s population: expanded childcare, quality housing and quality of life amenities. Infrastructure for the 142 mixed unit Camblin Hills housing development and 300 capacity child development center is almost complete, with construction of 48 homes currently underway. Construction of the child development center and YMCA expansion is slated to begin early 2026.

Vision Atlantic has a fundraising goal of $39 million, which will be used to construct the YMCA expansion and child development center. To date, they have raised $26 million of that goal, thanks to an $8.6 million lead grant from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation and significant support from local donors. In addition to their grant support, the Lakin Foundation has created a separate investment fund of $23 million that will be used to construct homes in the Camblin Hills housing development. The capital will be used as a line of credit, and as the dollars are paid back, the Foundation will donate up to 5% of the interest paid back to Vision Atlantic, who will use those dollars to operate the child development center.

Vision Atlantic’s Project Committee is actively working to secure the remaining $13 million needed to meet their fundraising goal. If you are interested in helping transform Atlantic, whether it’s through monetary donations or acts of volunteerism, please contact Vision Atlantic at visionatlanticiowa@gmail.com. Visit www.visionatlantic.org and follow on Facebook for behind-the-scenes access to project updates and in-depth information of the project scope.

Vision Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to empower growth, enhance lives, and build a thriving community together through the economic development of Atlantic, Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, October 9, 2025 – On Saturday, Oct. 4, over 400 Council Bluffs residents participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Iowa Western Community College. Walkers helped raise over $12,000 so far to fund the care, support and research programs of the Alzheimer’s Association. Fundraising continues through the end of the year, so there is still time to donate at alz.org/walk.  This year’s Top Team is Team EJ (Edward Jones) REG290, led by Top Walker Ross Jensen, and they raised over $4,700. Jensen walks in memory of his mother and aunt who passed from the disease.

The other top teams and walkers are:

·       Team Jessie’s Team Scuba Steve, led by Team Captain Jessica Duncan, raised over $2,300 in memory of Duncan’s father who passed from dementia.

·       Team Moore for the Cure, led by Top Walker Rev. Richard Moore, raised over $2,100 in memory of family and friends affected by the disease.

·       Team Primrose Kenealy, led by Team Captain Stephanie Kenealy, raised over $2,000.

All top teams and walkers can be found at alz.org/walk.

Over 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, nearly 12 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Iowa, there are more than 62,000 people living with the disease and 80,000 caregivers.

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.  Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk^®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s

(Creston, Iowa) – A high school English teacher from Creston, facing termination for a social-media comment regarding the killing of Charlie Kirk, is fighting back, citing a series of pro-Republican posts by the superintendent. KCCI-TV reports Melisa Crook has filed a lawsuit against the Creston Community School District, its superintendent and the school board, claiming her First Amendment rights are being violated and seeking an injunction blocking her dismissal. As part of her lawsuit, Crook is citing numerous political and religious social-media posts allegedly made by Creston Community School District Superintendent Deron Stender over the past five years and by school board president Don Gee.

In some of the posts, the superintendent has allegedly questioned the rights of immigrants; voiced support for Republicans including President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa; referred to former Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican critic of Trump, as a “snake;” and called backers of former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, “snowflakes.” Stender said Wednesday he cannot comment on his social-media posts, calling them a “personnel matter” that was handled by the school board. He also declined to comment on Crook’s lawsuit, calling it a separate personnel matter. Gee also declined to comment on either his posts or the lawsuit.

In her lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Crook, who has taught English for the Creston district since 2022, alleges she has been “subjected to retaliation, and is now threatened with the termination of her continuing-teaching contract, because of a private, off-duty comment on Facebook.”

Her Sept. 10, 2025, comment was made in response to a family member’s Facebook post about the shooting death of Kirk, a controversial, conservative political activist. The lawsuit states that “at her home, on her personal time, and using her personal Facebook account, Crook wrote, ‘He is a terrible human being … terrible. I do not wish death on anyone, but him not being here is a blessing.’” Within a few hours, the lawsuit alleges, a conservative blog, the Iowa Standard, reported on Crook’s comment, identifying her by name and by her status as a public-school teacher working for the Creston district. The next morning, after seeing how others had perceived her original comment, Crook wrote on Facebook that she did “not wish anyone death” and apologized.

Later that morning, she issued a more extensive apology on her own Facebook page, saying she does not condone violence or the killing of people you disagree with politically or otherwise. She admitted that she should have given more consideration to her posted thoughts, and took responsibility for the “ poor wording” of her post. Her comments prompted Republican Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley to state “…hate has no place in our state and certainly does not belong in our schools.” He said also if the school district didn’t take appropriate action, the Iowa House Government Oversight Committee would address the issue and take action to root out that type of hate from schools in the State.