CALHOUN COUNTY, Iowa – One person died and 32 others were injured, when a bus carrying members of the Iowa Lakes Community College baseball team crashed late this (Wednesday) morning off of Highway 4 near Twin Lake, in northwestern Iowa’s Calhoun County. The crash happened shortly after 11:00 am. The Iowa State Patrol said the bus went off the roadway and overturned in the ditch.

One person died at the scene. The others were transported either by air ambulance or ground ambulance to various hospitals in the area. The crash remains under investigation.

The Iowa State Patrol was assisted by the Calhoun County Sheriff and EMS, Rockwell City Police Department, Calhoun County Emergency Management, the Iowa Department of Transportation, and supporting agencies.

(Atlantic) Officials with the Cass County Fair, Tuesday, reported on their social media page, that “Thanks to a national grant from Fairs.com, every fair board, volunteer team, and agricultural society across Iowa will receive fully funded training, tools, and support to strengthen the future of local fairs.”

Thanks to the grant, the Cass County Fair Board is able to host a “You make the difference” Fair workshop at the Cass County Community Center this Saturday, Feb. 14^th, in Atlantic, beginning at 9-a.m. The Board invites anyone passionate about the future of the Cass County or other area fairs, to participate. That includes Fair board members, exhibition organizers, volunteers, community leaders, chamber members, county supervisors and superintendents, extension council members, sponsors, and anyone else who loves everything about their county fair.

Attendees will learn:

• Proven strategies to raise more money for fairs and communities
• Effective tools to recruit and retain volunteers
• Practical solutions to prevent volunteer burnout and maintain strong engagement

The workshop will be led by Ian Hill, an award-winning advocate for ag societies and fairs.

The event is free to attend, but organizers request advance registration to ensure an accurate headcount.

To register, visit iowafairs.com, click on “Meetings,” then select “District Meetings.”

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa lawmakers are considering whether to let out-of-state companies that make electric vehicles become a state-licensed automobile dealer. Under current law, vehicles sales in Iowa must be done through a licensed dealer and Senator Mike Bousselot of Ankeny says the bill would help Tesla as well as Rivian, a company which produces battery powered pick-ups, S-U-Vs and vans at a plant in Illinois. “They just want to be able to sell their vehicles directly to consumers in Iowa without using a dealer,” Bousselot said. “There are concerns from the dealers that are not just about protecting the dealership model, but also about impacts on consumers, impacts on their current business.”

The bill cleared a Senate subcommittee yesterday (Tuesday) and Rivian brought some of its vehicles to the statehouse afterwards for lawmakers to examine. “This bill’s making its way through the process and we’ll have a robust debate in the Commerce Committee,” Bousselot says. Iowa is among 18 states that prohibit car manufacturers from selling directly to consumers.

It means companies like Tesla and Rivian must sell their vehicles to a dealership, which then sells the vehicles to Iowans.

(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 4^th, 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 115^th Street, south of Stuart.

A public hearing on the matter will be held beginning at 9:15-a.m., on March 11^th, 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.

(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:

• Creston, March 3, 6 p.m., Performing Arts Building multi-purpose room (124), 1201 West Townline Street, and, in
• Council Bluffs, March 5, 5:30 p.m., Bass Pro Shops, 2901 Bass Pro Drive.

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:

• Waverly, March 2, 6 p.m., Waverly Public Library, 1500 W. Bremer Avenue
• Bloomfield, March 3, 6 p.m., Pioneer Ridge Nature Center, 1339 Hwy. 63
• Boone, March 3, 6 p.m., Wildlife Research Station, 1436 255^th Street
• Burlington, March 3, 6 p.m., Burlington Public Library, 210 Court St.
• Chariton, March 3, 6 p.m., Pin Oak Lodge, 45996 State Hwy. 14
• Decorah, March 3, 7 p.m., Franklin W. Olin Building, Room 102, Luther College, 700 College Drive, next to the Prues Library
• Des Moines, March 3, 6:45 p.m., Des Moines Izaak Walton, 4343 George Flagg Parkway
• Maquoketa, March 3, 7 p.m., Hurstville Interpretive Center, 18670 63rd Street
• Spencer, March 3, 6:30 p.m., Iowa Lakes Community College, 1900 Grand Ave. Suite B1, Entrance #1-West side of the North Mall
• Iowa City, March 4, 5:30 p.m., Johnson County Extension Office, 3109 Old Hwy 218 South
• Charles City, March 4, 6:30 p.m., Public Library Zastrow Room, 910 Clark Street
• Okoboji, March 4, 6 p.m., Maser Monarch Lodge, 22785 Nature Center Road
• Perry, March 4, 6 p.m., Dallas County Conservation Board, Forest Park Museum administration building, 14581 K Avenue
• Algona, March 5, 7 p.m., Tietz Entrepreneurial Center at the Algona campus of Iowa Lakes Community College, 2111 Hwy 169 North
• Hinton, March 5, 5 p.m., Dennis L. Sohl Center for Outdoor Learning, Hillview Recreation Area, 25601 C60
• Lake View, March 5, 6:30 p.m., Speaker Park Shelter House, 418 North Blossom Street
• Toledo, March 5, 5:30 p.m., Tama County Nature Center at Otter Creek Lake Park, 2283 Park Road
• Ventura, March 5, 6 p.m., Clear Lake Wildlife Unit Office, 15326 Balsam Ave.