(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from central Iowa was arrested, cited and then released, Friday night, following an incident of alleged Trespassing, in Bridgewater. The sheriff’s report says 58-year-old Lee John Wiggins, of Cumming, Iowa, was seen by a property owner’s surveillance camera at around 2:25-p.m. Friday, looking at the back of the property owner’s home in the 100 block of W. 4th Street, in Bridgewater.

Wiggins claimed he was on the property picking up branches that had fallen from a neighbor’s tree and were in the complainant’s yard. Wiggins was issued a citation for Trespass/1st Offense and ordered to appear in court on August 28th.

(Radio Iowa) – As the 2025 school year gets underway, each of Iowa’s public school district must enforce a new state law that calls for restricting students’ access to cell phones while they’re in class. “Schools have had policies related to cell phones and other technology for many years,” said Matt Carver, legal services director of the School Administrators of Iowa, “but this is probably the most significant legislative change that will be impacting those policies.”

RI file photo

The Iowa Department of Education’s website posted a model policy on its website this spring, as well as recommendations for school districts that have not had cell phone limitations before this school year. Carver said he fielded questions from administrators about when exceptions may be allowed. “There are very specific exceptions that of course need to be made not only under Iowa law, but federal law relating to students with disabilities,” Carver said. “…Also, while it’s not required, schools are permitted as well to have an exception for English learners, so those students may have an exception, potentially, to have an exception in the classroom if it’s beneficial in their learning process.”

There’s another exception that would give teachers some authority to incorporate cell phone use in their lesson plans. “Let’s say they’re teaching students about A.I. or they’re doing something else that is key to the work that they’re doing in the classroom,” he said, “perhaps it’s doing research and they want the students not just to use their laptops, but perhaps to use their phones for research.”

In January, Governor Kim Reynolds called on legislators to pass a policy for all public schools that would reduce the distraction of cell phones during instructional time. She signed the law at the end of April, so school boards had over three months to adopt guidelines. Sixteen states have an outright ban on cell phone use during the entire school day. Iowa and six other states have laws that restrict cell phone use during class time, although Iowa’s law lets school districts adopt stricter policies.

(An article from the Iowa Capital Dispatch) – An online sportsbook that voided an Iowa man’s golf-tournament wagers, denying him $14.2 million in purported winnings, says it retains the right to void any bets due to errors. Nicholas Bavas, a resident of Dallas County, is suing DraftKings Inc., a sports gambling website, and its subsidiary Crown IA Gaming, which is licensed by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to conduct sports wagering within the state. Bavas claims DraftKings unfairly voided the five bets he placed on the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament as rain threatened to cut short play after 54 holes. Aware there was a good chance of the final round being canceled, and with DraftKings still accepting bets on the tournament’s outcome, bettors around the country, Bavas included, put their money on all of the competitors who were then in the lead.

DraftKings has denied any wrongdoing in the matter and recently asserted 19 separate affirmative defenses in the case, including a claim that Bavas “knowingly accepted the risk that circumstances may arise related to the odds associated with any wager.” The company argues that this risk was disclosed in the “house rues” to which Bavas agreed, including rules that expressly warn that errors may occur and DraftKings has the right to void wagers due to any such errors. Attorneys for Bavas argue DraftKings applies a “dizzying array of interlocking sets of rules that may or may not govern each bet depending on the type of wager placed, the specific event, and the particular sport … However, when DraftKings makes an error or accepts a bet it should not have, or when unforeseen events occur that require an unanticipated large pay out by DraftKings, then it seems different rules apply.”

image from shutterstock.com

A trial in the case is scheduled for Sept. 28, 2026. The lawsuit alleges, DraftKings “unilaterally voided” all five of his bets and refunded the wagered amounts, citing rules that say “futures bets” placed after the last shot of what is later determined to be the final round are voided. Bavas’ lawsuit alleges the cited rule doesn’t appear to apply to bets on multiple players, as was the case with Bavas’ parlay wagers. The lawsuit seeks damages for breach of contract and violations of consumer-protection laws.

Bavas wasn’t the only person who guessed that weather would result in a rain-shortened pro-am. DraftKings sparked outrage on social media when it retroactively voided all bets placed after the close of play on Feb. 3, 2024.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – No injuries were reported following a chain-reaction collision Friday afternoon, in Guthrie County. According to the Sheriff’s Department, the accident happened at around 4:25-p.m. on Iowa Highway 141 at 120th Street. Authorities say a Chevy pickup driven by 17-year-old Mason Kinsey, of Jefferson, was westbound approaching three vehicles that were stopped on Highway 141, as the driver of a non-contact vehicle was waiting to turn off the highway and onto 120th.

The teen failed to see a Ford pickup driven by 22-year-old Jack Tiefenthaler, of Breda, a Dodge pickup driven by 43-year-old Jammy Thornock, of Carroll, as well as the non-contact vehicle had stopped in front of him. He told deputies that he looked at his cell phone GPS for directions as it was sitting in the center console of the pickup. The Chevy pickup he was driving struck the rear of the Ford pickup, which then rear-ended the Dodge pickup truck. Thornock was able to stop before his vehicle could strike the vehicle in front of him, which was turning.

Damage from the collision amounted to $20,000 altogether. Mason Kinsey was cited for Failure to Stop in an assured clear distance.

(Radio Iowa) – Even the recent chilly morning lows in the 40s weren’t cold enough to kill mosquitoes, so Iowans are being warning to take more precautions after the state’s first reported case of West Nile virus this year. State medical director Robert Kruse says as Iowa enters peak mosquito season, people should watch for the symptoms and seek immediate medical attention if they’re showing signs. “Stiff neck or weakness beyond what they may typically experience,” Kruse says, “confusion, any sort of severe headache or high fevers or any kind of new neurological symptoms.”

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Kruse says just about one in five people will experience symptoms, but certain groups are more likely to have severe complications. “For those individuals that are older age, or certainly have immunocompromised systems where their immunity is not as great,” he says, “they’re more likely they have complications related to the infection.” Speaking on the Iowa Public Radio show, “River to River,” Kruse says Iowans should use mosquito repellent with DEET and avoid standing water to lower their risk of getting the virus.

The state confirmed its first West Nile case of the year in northern Iowa last week. There were 21 cases confirmed statewide in 2024, with one death.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a man convicted in Polk County on Burglary, Theft, Eluding and Escape, failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines Work Release Facility, as required, Saturday. 27-year-old Ra’Shaun Dontier McGee is a Black male who stands five-feet inches tall, and weighs about 185-pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on July 2, 2025.

Ra’Shaun Dontier McGee

Persons with information on McGee’s whereabouts should contact local police.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The 3rd Annual Bash at the Ballfields will be held this Saturday, August 30th, 2025, at the Atlantic Little League Sports Complex, beginning at 5-p.m. Atlantic Police Chief/event organizer Devin Hogue said Bash at the Ballfields was the result of a curve ball from Mother Nature on July 4th, 2022.

That first event was such a success, it has changed and evolved, leading to this weekend’s event.

Bash at the Ballfields features fun for the whole family, including face painting, bounce houses, a foam canon, bags games, and a 360-degree photo booth, to name just a few of the attractions.

There’s also a “glow party” with glow sticks, and ShiftATL will have a glow-in-the dark tattoo both.

2024 Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jason Erickson Reed will get the party started from 5-to 6:15-p.m. Fountains of Dane from the Omaha/Council Bluffs area, will take the stage from 6:30-until 9-p.m., and then again from 9:30-until 10:30-p.m. Plenty of food variety from food trucks will be available.

The Atlantic Little League board will have plenty of cold drinks on hand at the beer garden, and the City of Atlantic fireworks show provided by Wild Wayne’s taking place at 9-p.m., Saturday.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Rotary Club has announced that the annual Rotary Charity Dinner and Auction will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at the Cass County Community Center. Rotary officials say this may look like a different time than it has been held in the past, because it is. The Anita Volunteer Fire Association Dueling Piano event will be on Saturday, November 22^nd which would have also been the auction date. After some thought the Rotary Auction Committee made the decision to move the date of the auction so the two events would not conflict.

The Rotary Charity Dinner and Auction raises funds that are then reinvested back into the community. Those funds have benefited such organizations as the Nishna Valley YMCA, the schools, the preschools, the Hospital Foundation, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, scholarships for high school seniors and Iowa Western students, and many more organizations.

The event will include a dinner, cash bar, silent and live auction, beginning at 5:30 PM. Tickets are $50 each. Tickets can be purchased by contacting a Rotarian or Ted Robinson at First Whitney Bank. All are welcome to attend.

As in the past a raffle is held in conjunction with the auction. This year the proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the Atlantic Food Bank for the purchase of a commercial refrigerator/freezer. The tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100. First place prize is a 2025 Hustler Raptor XD 54” Mower. Second place prize is $500 and third place prize being $250. See any Rotarian or Food Pantry volunteers for your tickets.

So, get your calendar out and put both of these events on it. Watch for more information to come as the time gets closer for the events. If you have any questions regarding the Rotary Charity Dinner and Auction please feel free to contact Dolly Bergmann, 712-249-9275 or Tori Gibson, 712-254-1070.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The driver of a Subaru Outback was cited, but no injuries were reported, following a collision Saturday afternoon, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, the 2018 Subaru driven by 80-year-old Evelyn C. Nelson, of Corning, was traveling eastbound on E. Joy Street in Red Oak, at around 3:50-p.m., Saturday, when Nelson failed to yield at the stop sign with the intersection of 8th Street. Her vehicle struck a 2009 Chevy Silverado pickup broadside, as the pickup, driven by 65-year-old Lee Allen Edds, of Red Oak, was traveling north on 8th Street.

Damage from the collision amounted to $3,000 altogether. Both vehicles were driven away from the scene. Red Oak Police cited Nelson for Failure to Yield.

(Creston, Iowa) – A man from Creston was arrested Sunday morning on two-counts of Domestic Abuse Assault. According to Creston Police, 20-year-old Nathan Lee Novotny was arrested at around 9:10-a.m. in the 1500 block of W. Townline. In addition to the Assault charges, Novotny was charged with Interference with Official Acts. He was being held in the Union County Jail.