(Radio Iowa [updated]) – State Auditor Rob Sand says he welcomes a request to audit Des Moines Public Schools, but state law does not give him the authority to launch an investigation on his own or do so in response to state legislators.

“Our is ready to receive a qualifying request from a elected official of the school district, from an employee of the school, from a petition from 100 people who live within the school district boundaries and if do (get) that, we will conduct a review because we do think there are important questions that need answering,” Sand said this morning.

Three Republican members of the Iowa Senate recently sent Sand a letter, asking him to evaluate the process the Des Moines School Board used to hire Ian Roberts, was arrested by immigration agents last month and faces federal gun charges. Sand says the state auditor’s office only has the authority to investigate local entities when the request comes from someone within the city, county or — in this case — school district. None of the senators who sent the letter live in Des Moines. “They can request issues of spending by a state department…That’s it,” Sand said. “You’ll notice that none of them requested us to investigate what was going on with the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners who actually approved a license for Ian Roberts to teach. That might be partisan politics.”

State Auditor Rob Sand speaking at a news conference on Oct. 14, 2025. (RI photo)

Sand, a Democrat who is running for governor, made his comments during a news conference this morning in the state auditor’s office. Sand told reporters he has spoken to a couple of people at Des Moines Public Schools about the process of filing a request for a special investigation by the state auditor’s office. “We are here today to make sure that every DMPS employee and people who are citizens who live in the DMPS jurisdiction, if they want to do a petition, are all aware of how this works,” Sand said.

State law requires annual audits for all public school districts in Iowa. Many use private auditing firms or CPAs. Sand indicated if his office gets a request to conduct a special investigation of the Des Moines Public School District, it would not be a re-audit, but would focus on specific issues surrounding the now-former Superintendent — including a contract with a consulting firm connected to Roberts.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The second suspect charged in the July 31st shooting death of a woman in Earling has waived his rights and entered a plea of guilty to a Felony charge of Murder in the 1st Degree. According to online court records, 33-year-old William Joseph “Joe” Leal plead guilty in Shelby County District Court on Monday, Oct. 13th. His sentencing is set for Oct. 29th.  On October 3rd, a woman charged as an Accessory in the death of 32-year-old Theresa Kenkel, of Earling, also entered a plea of guilty.

The trial for Leal and 35-year-old Ashley Elizabeth McWilliams had been set to begin November 4th. McWilliams will be sentenced for Nov. 17th.

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.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County, today (Tuesday), discussed an attorney retention agreement with Hopkins and Huebner, P.C. For Human Resources and Labor legal services. Brent Hinders, an attorney and managing shareholder with the firm, was on-hand to discuss the agreement, the services for which would be paid for on an hourly basis, as needed.

After brief discussion, the Board passed a motion to approve the agreement as presented. The firm will take over following the retirement in December of the current HR/Labor Attorney. Hinders said their firm handles a wide array of HR and Labor Law services.

Those services are more important now than ever, Hinders said, when taking into consideration changes in the Open Records Law. Following discussion on that topic, the Board heard from Richard Mullen, with Resilient Recovery Counseling, a Villisca-based recovery treatment program, who provided an update on IRRT (Integrated Resource and Recovery Team) services and programs that began In Montgomery Count on Sept. 17th.

MC BOS meeting 10-14-25

He said also they’ve been conducting a lot of outreach effort to explain what the program is.

The counseling services are available to persons in Montgomery County who are 14-years of age and older, in conjunction with Montgomery County Public Health. Previously Mullen has stated the services are available to anybody whose life has been impacted by a substance abuse or opioid disorder.

The Board received also, a regular update from County Engineer Karen Albert.’

And, they acted on setting the November Montgomery County Board of Supervisors regular meeting dates and times, in lieu of election day and Veterans Day. The dates will be as follows:

The November 4^th regular meeting will be held the following day (Nov. 5^th), and the meeting on the 11^th will instead take place on the 12^th, both at 9-a.m.

Auditor Jill Ozuna reminded the Board and residents, that the first day for Absentee Voting in the Nov. 4^th City/School Elections, is on Wed., Oct. 15^th. The first-tier canvass of election results, she said, will be on Nov. 12^th.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Association of Realtors reports a nearly six percent increase in the number of homes sold in September compared to the same month a year ago. The president of the Iowa Association of Realtors says even though the interest rate on a 30-year mortgage is actually higher than it was a year ago, buyer confidence appears higher due to five straight months of rate reductions, a slower rise in home prices and a continued increase in inventory.

Compared to September of last year, there were 13-point-six percent more Iowa homes for sale last month. And that year-to-year comparison shows the average number of days a home is on the market was 25 percent higher in September. The median sales price for an Iowa home in September was 245-thousand dollars. That’s slightly lower than it was in August.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday), released a report on arrests that took place between Oct. 6th and Oct. 12th:

On the 12th: 30-year-old Malik Davon Ammons-Keyes, of Omaha, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense. (Bond $2,000)

On Oct. 10th: 40-year-old Jennifer Le Ann Ponder, of Griswold, was arrested in Malvern for Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree (Value $1,500-$10,000). (Bond $5,000)

On the 8th of October, Mills County Deputies: Arrested 30-year-old Rebecka Shaylynne Carlson, of Glenwood, on charges of Grooming and Dissemination of Obscene Material to a Minor. (Bond $6,000); 39-year-old Geoffrey Allen Bacon, of Glenwood, was arrested for Conspiracy to Commit a non-force felony (Bond $5,000); and, 43-year-old Kelly Elizabeth Roker, of Glenwood, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, and Interference with Corrections Officials. (Bond $2,000).

There were two arrests in Mills County on Oct. 7th: 28-year-old Andrew Michael Soto-Llaneras, of St. Joseph, MO, was arrested in Pacific Junction for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, and OWI/1st offense (Bond $2,000); 39-year-old Steven Michael Trotter, of Omaha, was arrested in Glenwood for Violation of Probation (Bond $2,000).

And, there were two arrests on Oct. 6th: 67-year-old John Michael Brown, of Tiptonville, TN, was arrested in Glenwood for Contempt-Disobeying a Tribal Court; 49-year-old Kimberly Ruth Katskee, of Lavista, NE, was also arrested for Contempt-Disobeying a Tribal Court, as well as for Violation of Probation. Both were being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

CLINTON, Iowa – Oct. 14, 2025 – The Iowa Transportation Commission approved $3.3 million in funding for four rail infrastructure and related rail development projects under the Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant (RRLG) Program. The projects are expected to support the creation and retention of 201 jobs within three years of project completion.

(Stuart, Iowa) – Officials with the The Stuart Police Department, today (Tuesday) said on social media, that the department was awarded a $125,000 COPS Grant . The grant will help to help fund the hiring of a fifth full-time police officer.

At their meeting Monday night, officials say the Stuart City Council voted to accept the grant, showing a strong commitment to providing quality law enforcement services to the growing community.

The new officer position will be used to help cover extra shifts currently being filled as overtime by existing officers. The addition not only strengthens the department, officials say, but also helps reduce overtime hours, allowing our team to better balance workload while maintaining strong coverage and response times.

(Villisca, Iowa) – Firefighters from the Villisca and Clarinda Fire Departments responded at around 9:20-p.m. Monday, to a reported possible structure fire at 3050 130th Lane. Reports say occupants of the residence had evacuated prior to firefighters’ arrival.

When firefighters arrived, they encountered moderate smoke coming from the basement of the home due to an electrical panel that overheated due to an overload. The fire was quickly extinguished, and smoke was cleared from the residence through the use of positive pressure fans.

Photo courtesy of John Bruce

No injuries were reported. The damage was contained to the electrical panel. Agencies assisting with the incident included: the Villisca and Clarinda Fire Departments; Clarinda EMS; the Page County Sheriff’s Office; Page and Montgomery County Communications; and Rural Electric Company (REC) crews.

(Adair, Iowa) – A joint, regular meeting of the Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center School District Boards of Education will be held beginning at 7-p.m. Wednesday, at the AC/GC Junior High Media Center in Adair. Both Board will act on several items, including:

• Appointing a Representative for the IASB (Iowa Association of School Boards) Delegate Assembly that takes place Nov. 19th
• District Leadership Team (DLT) and SIAC (School Improvement Advisory Committee) Members
• The Second Reading of a District Graduation Requirements policy
• The Appointment of a Board Treasurer & Board Secretary (Oath of Office)
• An Ahlers and Cooney Joint Conflict Waiver
• IASB Policy Primer #33 & #34 School Board Policy Updates, and
• Approving an Operational Sharing Agreement.

Separately, the A-C Board will act on a Contract Recommendation for Tessa Sheeder – Paraprofessional. The Guthrie Center Board will act on the Resignation of Christina Wilson – Cheer, and Contract Recommendations for: Harley Hester – Paraprofessional; Lindsay Fluharty – Extra Duty.

Both Boards will act on fundraisers, and they’ll discuss AC/GC Achievement/Test Scores.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak arrested two people late Monday night. Authorities say 49-year-old Michael Lee LaFollette and 43-year-old Tasha Marie Selby, both of Red Oak, were arrested in the 100 block of E. Prospect Street at around 11:20-p.m.  LaFollette was charged with one-count each of Violation of a Protection Order (Contempt of Court) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Selby was charged with one-count of Violation of Protection Order (Contempt of Court). The charges are Simple Misdemeanors.

Both were being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond.