(Denison, Iowa/KDSN) – A Crawford County man was sentenced this (Friday) morning to 10-years in prison on each of three counts of Third-Degree Sexual Abuse he was convicted on.

Timothy Craig Mitchell, of Dow City, received his sentence in Crawford County District Court. The assaults occurred between November, 2022 and January, 2023, while working at a Dow City bar. The court ruled the sentences will run concurrent making the total time behind bars 10 years including time already served.

Mitchell was found not guilty on two other counts tied to separate alleged incidents.

(Radio Iowa) – The Des Moines School Board met in closed session today (Friday) and then announced a lawsuit against the search firm used in the hiring of former Superintendent Ian Roberts. School Board president Jackie Norris read a statement says J-G Consulting did not do its job. “The firm failed its duty to properly vet candidates. Ian Roberts should have never been presented as a finalist,” she says. “And if we knew now what we if we knew what we knew now, he would never have been hired.” Roberts lost his authorization to work in the United States well before he was hired to lead Iowa’s largest school district, and was arrested by ICE agents one week ago. The arrest raised several other questions about whether the background information he gave was accurate.

“The contract required J-G consulting to bring all known information of a positive or negative nature to the board, because that did not occur we are pursuing pursuing legal action as allowed by law. This is about accountability. Taxpayer dollars were used and we are seeking accountability,” Norris said. The school board paid the consulting firm 41-thousand dollars to find candidates for the job. The story of Roberts’ arrest and the false information presented to the Board has draw national and international attention to the story. “Sadly, some have used this situation to advance hateful comments. We will not be deterred or distracted by that. We are using this as a moment to come together and build a stronger future,” she says. Norris was asked about a federal investigation into whether the district violated hiring practices, and comments by state officials that the situation needs to be investigated.

Des Moines School Board President Jackie Norris. (photo from stream of board meeting.)

“I think it’s important to remember that the Governor Reynolds and the state of Iowa Board of Educational Examiners also provided Dr. Roberts a license. So there are state entities that also provided acceptance of Dr. Roberts licensure,” she says. “So I think our job is to partner with federal and state agencies to work together to make sure that we are continuing to strengthen our processes. But I think this is a is an issue that’s bigger than just our district since this is something that happened to the state of Iowa as well.” A lot of the information on Roberts was discovered online after he was arrested. Norris says J-G Consulting was responsible for advertising, recruitment application and resume review and public domain search, and complete reference checks of qualified candidates. “Clearly they missed things of a negative nature because things are being identified now online in hours,” she says.

Roberts was born in Guyana, was charged Thursday by federal officials with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms. A-T-F agents found three guns in a search of his home after his arrest last Friday. A loaded gun was also found in his Des Moines Public Schools vehicle.

October 3, 2025 (DES MOINES, IA) — Shop Iowa Day is back on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, bringing together small businesses and communities across Iowa for a day dedicated to local shopping and hometown pride. The statewide online marketplace, ShopIowa.com, will once again spotlight the incredible products offered by Iowa’s entrepreneurs, makers and small business owners. Building on the momentum from previous years, Shop Iowa Day 2025 will feature exclusive promotions, small business highlights and community-driven campaigns encouraging Iowans to shop local.

Since its launch, ShopIowa.com has helped thousands of consumers shop from Iowa-based small businesses online. It’s the first time businesses from all 99 counties are side by side in one marketplace, and it’s changing the way Iowans find and connect with small businesses. Shop Iowa Day 2025 will feature a variety of sitewide deals, ranging from clothing to home decor, giving shoppers the perfect opportunity to support Iowa’s local businesses. Special promotions include:

• 30% off sitewide purchases using a coupon code available on October 8.
• A chance to win a $250 Shop Iowa shopping spree or Shop Iowa Day giveaways through social media.
• Limited-time discounts from small businesses statewide.
• A $5 Shop Iowa gift card for every $25 gift card purchased.
• Free shipping offers by select businesses, plus local pick-up where available.
• Sign up for text alerts to receive real-time updates on the day’s deals and unlock an exclusive 30% off discount on an order.
• Promotions will begin at 6:00 p.m. on October 7 with early access deals for Shop Iowa email and text list subscribers, and continue throughout the day on October 8 until 11:59 p.m.

Businesses can create a free profile on ShopIowa.com, listing products or gift cards for customers to explore. Shoppers can browse by category, community or interest, making it easy to find local gifts, everyday essentials or hidden gems. For more information and to shop the best of Iowa’s small businesses, visit ShopIowa.com.

How to Get Involved

• Shoppers: Visit ShopIowa.com on October 8 to explore deals and discover Iowa businesses.
• Businesses: Sign up for free at ShopIowa.com/sell to set up a storefront to be featured in Shop Iowa Day promotions.
• Communities & Organizations: Share the campaign to encourage participation and celebrate local entrepreneurs.

(Radio Iowa) – A report requested by a legislator suggests adding bachelor’s degree programs at the state’s community colleges could expand access to Iowans with a limited ability to travel and help fill gaps in Iowa’s workforce. The Community Colleges of Iowa report reviewed the experience in other states where community colleges offer four-year degrees. If the Iowa legislature approves the move in Iowa, the report recommends that community colleges be allowed to charge higher tuition rates for bachelor’s level courses that would start no sooner than the fall semester of 2028. It suggests community colleges will need 20 million dollar state seed grants over the next five years to hire faculty, prepare courses for 40 four-year degrees and expand services for those four-year students.

The report warns, though, the move would be a stretch for already tight community college budgets and it’s become more difficult for Iowa community colleges to find faculty in high-demand areas. The report was requested by Republican Representative Taylor Collins of Mediapolis, chair of the Higher Education Committee in the Iowa House. Over 200 community colleges in 24 other states are offering bachelor’s degrees. The Community Colleges of Iowa report says making that move here would provide students new pathways to high-demand careers with better pay by making a bachelor’s degree more affordable. It would also address what the report calls “regional educational deserts.”

(Radio Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Association of Business and Industry are piling into a blue-and-green, made-in-Iowa Winnebago R-V today (Friday) to start an 11-day jaunt around the state that’s being dubbed the Elevate Iowa Manufacturing Tour. A-B-I president Nicole Crain says they’ll be stopping at factories, high schools, community colleges, and city halls to highlight Iowa manufacturers. “We are so excited to be on the road this week and this next week talking about Iowa manufacturing,” Crain says, “talking about who manufacturers are, what products they make in Iowa, and also raising the awareness of the great careers that there are for Iowa students who are in our communities to stay in Iowa and have a career manufacturing.”

The tour is designed to connect students and educators with Iowa manufacturers, while spotlighting the wide range of high-tech, high-demand career opportunities available in modern manufacturing. “Manufacturing actually is the number-one contributor to Iowa’s GDP, so more than $43-billion is added to the economy each year because of manufacturing, and that’s billion with the B,” Crain says. “It employs more than 215,000 people in the state of Iowa, so it’s very important to our state’s economy, very important to our communities, both urban cities and rural communities.” She says the average Iowa manufacturing job pays 80-thousand dollars a year, with wages and benefits. The list of cities on the tour includes: Ames, Ankeny, Cedar Falls, Conrad, Des Moines, Fairfield, Marshalltown, Oskaloosa, Pella and Waterloo.

“A couple of things when we were thinking of the route, we wanted to highlight manufacturers that were doing great things in the state that could really talk about their partnerships with education and manufacturing in the local community,” Crain says. “We also are highlighting the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa, which is the cotton picker, and then the 2024 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa, which is the ZR5-1200 baler.” The tour will wrap up October 14th in Altoona in conjunction with the A-B-I’s annual Iowa Manufacturing Conference.

More at: ElevateIowa.com

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Fire Prevention Week nationwide takes place from Sunday, Oct. 5th through Saturday, Oct. 11th. This year’s Fire Prevention Week™ (FPW™) theme is “Charge into Fire Safety™: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home,” and is intended to educate everyone about using these batteries safely. The campaign stresses how important it is to BUY, CHARGE, and RECYCLE safely when it comes to lithium-ion batteries.

Atlantic Volunteer Firefighters Jake Vetter and Paul Wood spoke with KJAN about the events that are planned during the week. Vetter said Fire Prevention Week in Atlantic begins with the Annual Donation Breakfast from 7-a.m. Until Noon, Sunday, Oct. 5th at the fire station in Atlantic.

On the menu for your free-will donation, is pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee or juice.Money raised from the breakfast goes into the department’s programs and helps to cover the cost of the Fireman’s Parade on Oct. 11th, including the marching band coming in from Omaha. The parade kick’s-off with a page from the Cass County Communications Center at 6-p.m.

Paul Wood, who is the Atlantic Police Department’s Assistant Chief in addition to being a volunteer firefighter, said this week’s theme relates to safety with regard to lithium-ion batteries, which are used in everything from scooters to cell phones, as well as lawn and garden tools.

It also involves educating children about fire safety.

Paul Wood said there have been fires in the past that were attributed to overheated lithium-ion batteries in cell phones and laptop computers, and it’s important not to overcharge them or leave them on surface that can easily catch fire. There are simple steps to make your home safer when lithium-ion batteries are around:

Buy only listed products with the UL, ETL, or CSA certification on the label
Charge devices safely by using the cord that comes with your device. Charge on hard surfaces, and unplug the device when the charge is complete.
Recyle batteries responsibly.
Lithium-ion batters cannot simply be tossed in your common trash can or recyling bin. To find a recyling place near your that deals with lithium-ion batteries safely, go to call2recycle.org

Audubon, Iowa) – Residents in the City of Audubon have a chance to conveniently dispose of their unwanted electronics and appliances. The City’s “Clean-Up Day” will take place on Friday, Oct. 10^th. Your garbage or unwanted items should be placed at the curb Thursday, but not earlier than 24-hours before pickup.Items accepted include general garbage, electronics, appliances, and more.

Large items, including TVs, electronics, kitchen appliances, washers, and dryers will require a pre-paid sticker to cover dumping fees. Stickers can be purchased at City Hall. Call 712-563-3269 to get pricing information.

Items will NOT be accepted, due to hazardous/safety concerns include:

• Tires
• Yard Waste
• Chemicals
• Paint
• and major construction materials.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report the arrest at around 9:35-p.m., Thursday, of 26-year-old Christian Garcia Vazquez. The Creston man  was arrested at his residence and charged with Public Intoxication. Vazquez was taken to Union County Jail. He posted a $300 cash or surety bond, and was released.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – As the fall harvest starts across Iowa, the risk of wildfires in crop fields increases. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says parts of Iowa are seeing dry conditions with the risk of the relative humidity dropping to dangerous levels for wildfires and ignition sources in the fields.  Ready to harvest standing crops contain very low moisture, a condition which can create fuels that are receptive to ignition and at risk of rapid rates of fire spread. The DNR encourages farmers to get reacquainted with fire prevention practices to keep your farm ‘firewise.’

The following simple steps for a safer harvest can save time and money.

• Properly prepare machinery to reduce the chance of a field fire from an overheated bearing (check the manufacturer’s recommendations). A spark from an improperly lubricated combine can instantaneously ignite dry plants and field debris.
  Check that all fire extinguishers carried on the machinery are fully charged with loose powder inside. If the powder is not loose, remove the extinguisher from its bracket then thump the canister with a rubber hammer until the powder moves when shaken.
  Make sure the size of the extinguisher is appropriate for the size of the machinery. You may need larger and/or additional extinguishers. Also make sure you have the correct extinguisher for the type of fire to be extinguished. There are two types of extinguishers, the powder extinguisher for electrical and petroleum-based fires and the water extinguisher for vegetative fires. You may need to carry both kinds of extinguishers.
• Keep equipment clean. Check and remove combustible harvest debris from motors, exhausts, ledges and brackets several times a day. A portable gas-powered leaf blower is great for blowing debris from the various surfaces of the combine.
  

  Combine harvesting corn. (ISU Extension photo)

  

  Combine/Field fire east of Earling. File photo)

• Service grain storage and drying equipment. Storage facilities are like your bank vault. Protect their contents by properly servicing all bearings, belts, motors and drags. Dryers frequently cause fires; have a qualified service technician perform the necessary maintenance before drying grain. Keep weeds mowed around the facilities to discourage a fire from spreading. All extinguishers should be handy, fully charged, and the proper size and type for the area.
• Turn off interior lighting in overfilled bins. A grain fire will start if the grain surrounds the bulb. Turn off the light’s breaker to avoid accidentally turning the light on. This also applies to hay storage facilities.
• Handle hay properly. Improper hay storage commonly causes or complicates farm fires. Preventative measures greatly reduce this risk.
  Planning proper hay storage is crucial. Store hay away from combustibles such as gasoline, fertilizers and pesticides, as well as open burning areas like burn barrels, brush piles and vegetative burning. Arrange round bales in groups of 10 or fewer and place at least 100 feet away from structures. Leave 30 feet of mowed grass, bare ground or rock between the bale groups, creating a solid fire break.
  Many hay fires occur by spontaneous combustion of moist hay, usually within six weeks after baling. Plan to bale hay at its driest stage and do not bale in the morning dew or too soon after a rain.
  Check stored hay frequently for hot hay or an internal hay fire. Be aware of a caramel or strong burning odor, a visible vapor or smoke, a strong musty smell, and/or hay that is hot when touched. If any of these occur, call the fire department immediately and do not move the hay. Moving it exposes overheated or smoldering hay to oxygen, speeding the fire.
• When tilling in the fall, till a 30 foot break around building sites, remote bin sites and outside storage facilities to minimize fire spread, and around fields if there is excess fine fuels in the area. Remove weeds and other combustibles around structures and stored equipment.
• If a fire occurs, remain calm, call 911 immediately. Provide clear, concise directions to your location. Many field and bin sites do not have 911 addresses, so be prepared to identify an intersection or landmark to direct responders.

To help control field fires until firefighters arrive, remain calm and act swiftly. Quickly disk a fire break approximately 15 feet wide around the fire. Be cautious when doing this as smoke will starve and stall a motor and will make hazards and bystanders difficult to see. To assist with a structural fire, make sure there are no flammable objects nearby and if the circuit panel is safely accessible, turn off the building’s electricity. If time allows, evacuate any livestock to a distant pasture. If possible, spray high-pressure water on any surrounding vegetation or structures, discouraging spreading embers. Do not take risks.

After using any equipment to fight a fire, check air filters, ledges, nooks and crannies for burning debris. For more detailed information, visit www.iowadnr.gov/fire.

Remember, in a fire emergency, call 911 immediately. Do not wait until all your means of fighting the fire are exhausted. Every minute impacts your losses.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Brewers Guild executive director Noreen Otto says sales in the industry have stalled as traffic at breweries has slowed. “You know, we’re seeing just less socialization across the board really throughout all generations. People just really aren’t coming out and sharing a drink together, which is concerning,” she says. Otto says brewers are the only ones seeing flat numbers. “Summer used to be this huge grooming time and every patio was full, and you know we’ve just seen that change a little bit,” Otto says. “So great crowds and great traffic and lots of enthusiasm for our industry, but maybe not in the huge numbers and it’s not just craft brewing. We’re hearing that kind of across hospitality and events.”

Otto says people are not planning ahead as much and they’re seeing more last minute ticket purchases for events. They are trying to adapt with new creative events at tap rooms. “Things like silent book clubs, and painting parties, trivia nights. But also more non alcoholic beverage options, more ABV (alcohol by volume) options than ever. So the lagers that are just like a four and a half five percent, we’re seeing really diverse flavors,” according to Otto. Otto says one of the things they are emphasizing is the breweries add to the local economy. “Whether the brewery is in downtown Des Moines or out in one of our amazing rural communities, when you buy an Iowa craft-made beer, the economic impact is really felt here in the community,” Otto says. “A lot of our breweries participate in community events. You know, we just had a brewery up in Le Mar, Iowa raise a couple of thousand dollars for their local Rotary.”

She says other breweries have given micro grants for neighborhood improvements.  Otto says it’s good for everyone’s mental health. to get back out in our communities. “We think it’s pretty important to come out and share a drink with people, share a water with people, share a, beverage, come and sit next to people. That level of socialization is really important and it’s missing more and more from American life, she says. Otto says the COVID epidemic acerbated what has been a trend toward more isolation from others.