KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Radio Iowa) – Adam Steen, one of the Republicans running for governor, says he’ll be fearless in using his experience as a businessman to reshape state government. Steen also led the state agency that oversees the state government’s payroll and property. “You’re looking at a common sense, people first, America First business guy that has a faith foundation,” Steen said. “I’m a unique blend of business experience and faith foundation that puts us into a whole different realm of possibility here within this state.” Steen spoke in Urbandale this (Wednesday) morning at the Westside Conservative Club. Steen served the past five years as director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services director and resigned in August when he launched his campaign for governor.
“So you’re looking at somebody who’s been inside the belly of the beast from an operational perspective,” Steen said. “I’m unafraid to speak my mind. I’m unafraid to do things that need to be done to steward our taxpayer dollars.” Steen touts his work to implement Governor Reynolds’ plan to shrink the number of state agencies from 37 to 16 as well as setting up a program so nearly five-thousand acres of state-owned farmland would be sold to Iowa farmers, rather than out-of-state investors. “The governor is the CEO of the state,” Steen said. “Administratively, the governor controls a lot so when you’re looking at a candidate, number one, you’re going to want to make sure that candidate can operate the state.”
Steen took questions from the crowd and one man asked how Steen would unite the party if he wins the Republican Primary in June. “And if you were to lose, how would you support the individual who might win that primary?” the man asked. Steen said: “Right now I’m having conversations with other candidates on a regular basis. We all get along, those that show up. There’s one I don’t know.”
The crowd started laughing and applauding. Steen is referring to Congressman Randy Feenstra, who has not appeared at events featuring the other G-O-P candidates for governor. Steen, by the way, has pledged to support the party’s nominee if he does not win the primary.
(Radio Iowa) – Coralville city council members are looking to reconsider the city’s contract for automated license plate readers after getting a letter from the Attorney General’s office. The A-G’s letter says certain parts of the city’s policy prohibiting the readers from being used for immigration enforcement purposes don’t comply with state and federal laws. Council member Mike Knudson says he supports revisiting the city’s contract for the cameras after seeing the extent of federal immigration enforcement efforts since the council approved its policy last September.
“At that time last fall I had no idea how far it would go. I would say it’s gone, far exceeded, maybe my worst thoughts about how far it would go with that, in terms of shooting people in the streets,” Knudson says. Knudson is referencing the shootings in Minneapolis.
The Attorney General’s office sent the letter to the city after receiving a complaint about the policy not complying with state and federal laws.
(Greenfield, IA) – The Adair County received an update on mental services available in the area. Supervisor Jodie Hoadley made an announcement regarding some changes.
Separately, the Board approved and passed a resolution re-appointing of Todd Olson to the SIRHA (Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority) Board. They also approved a courtyard use permit for an Easter Egg Hunt on April 4th, beginning at 11-a.m.
County Engineer Nick Kauffman presented a resolution for the Board to approve, with regard to the vacating of a portion of 115th Street, south of Stuart.
A public hearing on the matter will be held beginning at 9:15-a.m., on March 11th, during the Adair County Board of Supervisor’s meeting at the courthouse in Greenfield. In other business, the Board approved Chair Jerry Walker’s signing of a contract for the W-18 Harrison Bridge Project, and Right-of-Way contracts for the NW-20 Grand River Reinforced Concrete Box (RCB) Culvert Project.
(Radio Iowa) – A bill ready for debate in a House Committee would shield Iowa farmers and renewable fuel producers from lawsuits or criminal charges related to the impact of greenhouse gas emissions like methane or carbon dioxide. The bill is supported by farm groups like the Iowa Corn Growers and Iowa Pork Producers. Kelli Klink is a lobbyist for the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. “We recognize we need a safe, stable food supply,” Klink said, “and this bill prevents trivial lawsuits against the American farmer in providing food for all.” The bill allows exceptions that would allow farmers to be sued if there’s clear and convincing evidence they violated a government permit or regulation about emissions.
Representative Megan Srinivas, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the bill may be too vague. “We also aren’t differentiating between small farmers and larger bad actors,” Srinivas said, “and if we have no such differentiation, then we could just be having more accumulative problems, leading to worsening situations.”
The latest data from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources indicates agricultural production accounts for 29 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Just over 80 percent of methane emissions come from farming operations.
(Red Oak, IA) – Motorists traveling into Red Oak are being advised of a reduced speed limit along U.S. Highway 34 in Red Oak, that recently went into effect. In a social media post, City officials said the Iowa Department of Transportation, at the request of the Red Oak City Council, has reduced the speed limit on Highway 34 from 50 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour within city limits–stretching from just east of Eastern Avenue to the East Nishnabotna River Bridge. 
The council had requested the reduced speed at a September 2025 meeting.
In her bio, the State Patrol says Trooper Thygesen has always been driven by a deep commitment to helping others. Raised in a family of first responders, she learned early on the importance of community service and the impact it can have. Trooper Thygesen’s belief in helping others was strengthened through volunteer work, such as aiding disaster recovery efforts in Greenfield, IA. These experiences reinforced her dedication to public service, inspiring her to pursue a career where she can make a difference every day.
Trooper Hannah Thygesen (Iowa State Patrol Facebook post)
(Des Moines, IA) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting and trapping rules and regulations, and address other topics as requested. In the KJAN listening area, those meetings will be held:
The meetings are open to the public. Comments collected from these public meetings will be considered along with other related comments received by the Iowa DNR prior to proposing changes to hunting rules and regulations. Proposed rules will be presented to the Natural Resource Commission during a regular public meeting for consideration and additional public comment. Comments received during previous listening sessions have resulted in regulation changes, including modifying and removing areas closed to Canada goose hunting, establishing later goose season dates and increased bag limit, expanding the raccoon hunting and trapping season on private land, modifying Iowa’s antlerless deer quotas in north central and western Iowa, and extending the regular trapping season through the end of February.
Todd Bishop, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Bureau, says “We want people to come out to these meetings, listen to the seasons reviews, ask questions and hear directly from our staff. Part of the meeting will be devoted to discussing potential rule changes and collecting feedback as we work through the rules process.”
Any person attending the public meeting that has special requirements, such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments, should contact the Iowa DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.
Other meeting dates, times and locations include:
(Creston, IA) – Two people from Creston were arrested Tuesday afternoon. According to Creston Police, 36-year-old Vanessa Gutierrez was arrested and charged with 13-counts of Theft in the 5th Degree. Gutierrez was taken to Union County Jail, and posted $390 bond (an allowed 10% of the total $3,900 bond), and was released.
Creston Police said also, 41-year-old Reynaldo Ramirez Bravo, of Creston, was arrested on charges that include Possession of Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine-1st Offense, Theft in the 1st Degree, and Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Ramirez Bravo was taken to Union County Jail and held on a $15,000 cash-only, and $1,000 cash or surety, bonds.
MENLO, Iowa — Officials with the Xenia Rural Water District issued a boil advisory Tuesday, for customers in Menlo. Officials with the company said crews had to shut off the town’s water to fix a leaky fitting that caused a loss of pressure. Repairs were made, but the boil advisory was expected to last at least two days.
During that time, Xenia will flush the system and send samples to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for testing. To lift the advisory, two negative bacterial samples must be obtained.
Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth and food preparation while the advisory is in effect, according to the DNR. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. The water may be used for bathing and other similar purposes.
Read the full statement here: https://xeniawater.org/news/city-of-menlo-boil-advisory/
(An Iowa News Service report) – John Deere has recalled 245 workers in Iowa after mass layoffs. They’ll be back on the job this month and next. Prompted by weaker demand, a lagging agricultural economy and Trump administration tariffs on equipment, John Deere laid off workers across the Midwest last fall, including in Iowa.
Charlie Wishman, president of the Iowa AFL-CIO, said going back to work is a win for the workers, but also for the communities where they live. “When our communities here that are anchored by companies like John Deere, when those jobs, when those layoffs are announced,’ he said, “it doesn’t just throw the family, it throws an entire town into confusion and chaos and worry.” One hundred fifty of the recalled workers are going back to work at four Deere facilities in Waterloo.
Deere said the workers specialize in drive-train operations, tractor operations and engine works. Wishman said Deere weighed a handful of factors in deciding when to recall laid-off workers, adding that he believes the rehires will have a trickle-down effect. “To give these communities some stability, some insight and some understanding of what the future might look like for them,” he said, “it’s really, really good news.”
Some of the workers will return this month, and the rest will be back on the job in March.
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