(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s entire Congressional delegation is sponsoring legislation to name two Veterans Administration facilities after the two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in Syria. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the V-A facility in Des Moines would be named after Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar, and the V-A outpatient clinic in Marshalltown would be named after Staff Sergeant William Howard.  “We’re forever indebted to them for their dedication and service to Iowa and protecting our country,” he says.

The legislation is called the Iowa National Guard Heroes Commemoration Act. “Our legislation ensures their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” Grassley says. The facilities are in the hometowns of the two soldiers who were killed by a terror attack while deployed. The legislation is called the Iowa National Guard Heroes Commemoration Act.

Other members of the Iowa delegation released statements in support of the act:

Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says in her statement: “This is a tribute to not just their service, but their families who stood beside them, and every veteran who receives care here will do so in a place that honors their sacrifices for generations to come.”

Senator Joni Ernst’s statement says: “I’m honored to lead this effort and tell the stories of their service by designating places in their hometowns that will serve generations of Iowa veterans. The legacy of Iowa’s heroes will continue to live on.”
Congressman Zach Nunn’s statement says: “They wore the uniform with honor, stood for something bigger than themselves, and represented the very best of the Iowa National Guard. Renaming these VA facilities in their honor will ensure their legacy endures as a permanent tribute to two Guardsmen who made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Congressman Randy Feenstra’s statement says: “I’m grateful to help introduce this legislation with the Iowa Delegation to rename two VA facilities in their honor to ensure their legacy of service endures, and their sacrifice is never forgotten. My thoughts remain with the Gold Star Families of Staff Sergeant Howard and Staff Sergeant Torres-Tovar and the men, women, and families of the Iowa National Guard, who exemplify the very best of our state.”-

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ statement says: “As a 24-year Army veteran, I’m honored to join the Iowa Delegation in paying tribute to Staff Sgt Nathaniel ‘Nate’ Howard and Staff Sgt Edgar Torres-Tovar. These brave Iowans made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Renaming these VA facilities in their honor ensures their legacy lives on, a lasting reminder of their courage, commitment, and the deep gratitude of a nation they served with distinction.”

(Atlantic, IA) – Officials with Vision Atlantic, Friday (today) said the Xi Beta Phi Sorority recently donated of $1,900 from their holiday greens fundraiser in support of Vision Atlantic’s transformative community development project, which includes a new housing development, child development center, and YMCA expansion.

“We are very happy to support Vision Atlantic,” Xi Beta Phi member, Sara Nelson said. “It’s an exciting and ambitious project for our community, and we truly appreciate our customers’ support, which allowed us to make this donation.”

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 in 2026.

Pictured: Sara Nelson (Xi Beta Phi member) and Christina Bateman – Photo courtesy Vision Atlantic.

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 $34.1 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 $4.9 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, IA) – In an update to our earlier report, officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department say a man who escaped arrest while handcuffed, faces numerous charges. Just before 6-a.m. today (February 13th), officers were called to the 3000 Block of Ave E in reference to a check the welfare complaint. Officers located the male and female from the call in the area of 2900 Ave B.

Based off of information gathered it was determined that the suspect 18-year-old Marcus Colanino, of Council Buffs, would be charged with Domestic Assault from this incident. He was placed in handcuffs and as he was being directed toward a cruiser Colanino was able to break free and elude officers.

Officers set up a perimeter in the area and after period of time were able to track Colanino to his parent’s residence where he was found hiding in the attic. Colanino was charged with Domestic Assault, Eluding, Escape from custody and Fugitive from Justice for an out of state warrant. He was then transported to Pottawattamie County Corrections and booked without further incident.

• Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner

• Licensed Professional Counselor

• Nurse Educator

• Occupational Therapist

• Physical Therapist

• Physician Assistant

• Physician

• Registered Nurse

• Social Worker (specific to mental health counseling)

(Radio Iowa) – The National Weather Service plans to offer a series of weather spotter classes starting next month. Meteorologist Chad Hahn says they will do in person training and are adding online training as well. “We’re going to be doing some virtual sessions that will be scheduled during the months of March and April that will be during the evening and we might have one or two during the daytime as well so folks could jump on really to learn about what the warning system is about severe weather and how ground truth can help the warning decisions that the forecasters make,” he says.

Hahn says they will have the full schedule out soon.”Definitely encourage folks to check out our website and keep an eye on weather.gov/Des Moines,” Hahn says. “We’ll have some information on there as about those classes and the virtual sessions once they’re scheduled and maybe future in-person sessions as well.”

Hahn says they want to got to some counties they haven’t visit in a while for in person classes and they should start in the first week in March.

(Sioux City, IA) – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, today (Friday) said a Carroll (IA) man, 32-year-old Shawn Zak, pled guilty on Wed., February 11th (2026), to charges that include conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm. He entered his plea in Sioux City federal court.

At the plea hearing, Zak admitted that from June 2025 through September 2025, he and others conspired to distribute more than 1500 grams of methamphetamine in the Carroll, Iowa, area.  On September 11, 2025, Zak was approached by law enforcement based on an active warrant for his arrest.  At the time Zak provided a false name to officers and he was arrested.  During his arrest, Zak had a brief, physical struggle with law enforcement.  Law enforcement seized 53.19 grams of pure methamphetamine, some marijuana, .22 caliber ammunition, indicia of drug dealing including baggies, syringes, and scale weights from the vehicle.  Zak admitted he planned to distribute the methamphetamine to others.  Law enforcement later recovered a .22 caliber handgun which Zak possessed in the vehicle in which he was stopped.  Zak further admitted he received the .22 caliber handgun from another person earlier in September 2025.

Zak was previously convicted of burglary in January 2023 in Iowa and criminal trespass in Pennsylvania in 2017.  The felony convictions prohibited Zak from possessing a firearm.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Zak remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Zak faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Iowa DCI Laboratory.

(Radio Iowa) – As the Archdiocese of Dubuque is considering plans to potentially end masses and close some small town churches, a group called “Save Our Churches, Save Our Communities” is hosting meetings in the area and hoping to influence the outcome. Wayne Brunsman who attends the St. Boniface Catholic Church in New Vienna. “People want their voices to be heard in the process that so far has only allowed very limited, very structured comments that have left people feeling like they’re on the outside looking in,” Brunsman said. “We have a core group of concerned citizens across the whole diocese and there’s just a lot of growing support once people know there are things we can do to influence the outcome of this process.”

The group has been consulting with a non-profit law firm that’s worked with other groups throughout the country facing similar situations. Brunsman says the firm has helped his group understand what the Canon Law in the Catholic Church requires when planning consolidations. “There are rules in the process that were written by the Vatican itself and we aim to see that the rules are followed so that a fair and workable result can be achieved that helps the Archdiocese manage the workload on priests, which is their concern, without closing 83 churches across 30 counties in the Archdiocese,” Brunsman said, “and also trying to reverse the decline in mass attendance.” The group hosted its fourth public forum in Dyersville this week.

“We hope that the knowledge that we exist and are active will, by itself, lead to the archdiocese come up with an acceptable plan without need of an appeal, but we’re trying to be ready to proceed if need be,” Brunsman said. “Again, we’re not opposed to the church. We’re lifelong and faithful Caatholics and members of parishes that are nearly 200 years old, but we’re just opposed the ‘Journey of Faith’ process and how it’s being managed.”

Save Our Churches, Save Our Communities has a website with information about each parish that could be closed, along with a petition for parishioners to sign.

Council Bluffs, IA – A man who was in handcuffs and escaped from custody this (Friday) morning, in Council Bluffs, was arrested about an hour later.

According to Council Bluffs Police, the white male wearing all black – was arrested in connection with an assault case. Police had been searching for him in the area of N. 29^th Street and Avenue B, just north of W. Broadway Street.

Authorities said there was no danger to the public – since the man was in handcuffs at the time of his escape.

(Radio Iowa) – A plan to create drug-free zones around facilities the provide services to homeless Iowans could be debated in the House Public Safety Committee next week. The idea comes from the Cicero Institute, a conservative think tank based in Texas. Dennis Tibben, an Iowa based lobbyist who represents the group, says it would be similar to drug-free school zones where penalties are enhanced for people caught with drugs in the area.

“Those drug free school zones create a buffer of 1000 feet outside of a school that illicit drug use can’t occur,” Tibben said. “This legislation would create a similar buffer of 300 feet around homeless shelters and other supportive service areas.” People selling or distributing drugs within 300 feet of a facility offering homeless services would have an extra year added to their prison sentence. Homeless service providers that receive government funding could be criminally charged if someone is allowed to have drugs in the facility and the organization would be ineligible for government funding for three years.

Advocates for the facilities that serve homeless Iowans say they already have drug-free policies in place, but their goal is to provide emergency assistance and they may not realize a person is using or possesses drugs when they walk in the facility.