(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Management has sent an alert to state employees, warning the state’s Emergency Operations Center has observed an increase in so-called “phishing” attacks targeting state government. The agency is asking state employees to be wary of emails that seem legitimate, but ask them to verify an account, open a file, or click a link to login with their username and password. Phishing scams often target government agencies since they collect and store a lot of personal data and manage critical infrastructure.

Last December, officials in Rhode Island announced a so-called Ransomware attack on that state’s health services system had exposed the personal data of hundreds of thousands of Rhode Island residents. According to the F-B-I, over 90 percent of successful breaches of government and business data systems begin with a phishing scam.

(Radio Iowa) – At least 300-thousand people are expected at the Iowa State Fair over its final three days, as the forecast for Des Moines calls for mostly sunny skies and steamy high temperatures back in the 90s today (Friday) through Sunday. Fairgoers are being warned to take precautions to stay safe in the extreme heat. Lieutenant Mike Miller, of the Des Moines Fire Department, is stationed at the fair and says it’s important to act quickly if you see someone collapse from the heat. “The first step would be to call 911 and get us coming,” Miller says. “If you’re able to, get them out of the direct sunlight, under a shade tree or whatever else. You got a bunch of clothes on, you’re going to remove what you can to keep them decent but also try to cool them that way. Obviously, make sure they’re breathing and it’s not a cardiac arrest or anything like that.”

There are usually three or four ambulances stationed at the fair, in addition to “med carts” that can slice through the heavy crowds more quickly. Miller says to pay attention to your body and watch for warning signs that you may be nearing heat exhaustion, like if your vision starts to dim or blur. “If you notice that you’ve been sweating all day and then all of the sudden you quit sweating, that’s not a good sign. That means you’re dehydrated to the point where you don’t have anything else to give,” Miller says. “If you can feel your heart thumping through your chest and it’s beating at a fast rate, it’s trying to circulate that blood to cool things down. That’s another good indicator.”

One of the biggest keys to staying safe in the heat is to drink plenty of non-alcoholic and non-caffeinated beverages, and keep a close eye on your own health and the people with you. “Know your limitations, right? Some guys work construction, they can be out in the sun all day. Some people are cave dwellers and don’t come out in it very much. They don’t have a lot of sun exposure and endurance to the heat. Definitely stay hydrated. Stay shaded. Wear a hat.”

A C-D-C report says more than 12-hundred people die nationwide every year as a direct result of extreme heat. The study from the American Heart Association predicts cardiovascular disease deaths related to extreme heat may more than double in the next two decades.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports an Adams County man was arrested on sex abuse charges Thursday night, at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. 34-year-old  Eric Daniel Batson, of Corning, faces charges that include four-counts of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree. Batson is being held in the Union County Jail without bond.

Online court records show that in February, 2025 Batson voluntarily plead guilty to a negotiated charge of Harassment in the 1st Degree – an Aggravated Misdemeanor, associated with an incident that occurred in May, 2024. He was sentenced to one-year of probation.

DES MOINES – State Treasurer Roby Smith celebrated the second annual National ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Savings Day on Thursday, August 14^th, by promoting IAble, Iowa’s ABLE savings plan. The goal of the annual savings day is to raise awareness for programs like IAble and the benefits they have for eligible individuals to save.

“Those living with a disability face many different obstacles but saving shouldn’t be one,” said Treasurer Smith. “IAble has changed the way people with disabilities and their support systems can save, plan for the future and build financial wellness. If you have a friend or family member who might benefit from an IAble account, I encourage you to visit IAble.gov and take the eligibility quiz.”

IAble currently serves more than 3,400 people who mix and match eight different investment options checking account option, to create an account that works best for them. To learn more about all the advantages of IAble, visit IAble.gov.

Connect with the Treasurer on Facebook,  Instagram and X, to stay informed of updates and news.

More about IAble:

IAble, administered by State Treasurer Roby Smith, provides eligible people with disabilities and their support systems a way to save money while maintaining crucial benefits for federally means-tested programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. Funds in IAble accounts can be used to cover qualified disability expenses like assistive technology, support services, medical bills and much more. If you or a loved one could benefit from an IAble account visit IAble.gov.

For more details about IAble, review the Plan Disclosure Booklet.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A former educator from the Atlantic Community School District has announced on social media he intends to run for a seat on the Atlantic School Board. According to his biography posted on social media, Justin Williams brings over two decades of experience in education to the table. A licensed school superintendent, teacher, and K-12 administrator, he says he has dedicated his career to fostering student success.

Justin Williams (photo from his Facebook campaign announcement)

He is a former coach and one of the founders of the Atlantic Soccer Association, according to Williams, has lead initiatives that have enriched the lives of countless local students. During his career, his bio says he played a crucial role in helping over 100 At-Risk students graduate from the CCEOC program. His dedication was recognized when he was named Co-Teacher of the Year in Atlantic in 2019.

Williams’s platform is centered on a promise to restore transparency and trust within the district. He aims to be a strong voice for all students and staff, advocating for their needs and ensuring their perspectives are heard. With a focus on restoring fiscal sanity, he believes his extensive knowledge and expertise are exactly what the district needs to move forward. He is campaigning on a platform of change, believing it is time for a new direction for the Atlantic School Board.

The first day to file papers for the November 4^th City and School Elections, is August 25^th. The last day to file candidate nomination papers is September 18th, 2025, at 5-p.m. There are two positions open on the Atlantic School Board.

You may pick up nomination paperwork from the Atlantic School Board Secretary Lisa Jones, or print them from the Iowa Secretary of State’s website. Your nomination form must have at least 50 signatures in order to be filed with the Cass County Auditor’s Office.

AUDUBON, Iowa [KCCI] — U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said farmers are doing their part to help keep nitrates out of Iowans’ drinking water. His statement came during a visit to TNT Industries in Audubon Thursday afternoon. The Republican Senator from Iowa emphasized that farmers are already taking steps to prevent chemical runoff, which has been linked to high nitrate levels in water sources. Grassley told KCCI that he thinks farmers have done well by being more careful in their use of chemicals and fertilizers.

Grassley noted that Iowa was commended for its plan to protect and clean up its waterways in the last decade. He suggested that encouraging the use of grass waterways and establishing more wetlands could be another part of the solution.

Sen. Grassley visits TNT Industries in Audubon, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo from Grassley’s Facebook page)

The discussion comes after the metro was under a lawn watering ban for nearly two months because of high nitrate levels in the main water sources. A study by Polk County suggests farm pollution poses a risk to the water supply.

(Radio Iowa) – U-S Energy Secretary Chris Wright toured the Ames National Lab at Iowa State University Thursday. One of the Lab’s core research priorities is developing ways to extract and re-use rare earth elements from electronic waste in everything from smart phones to missiles and jet fighters. Wright says the U-S relies too heavily on other countries to supply and process critical materials. “That’s become a national defense problem for us. It’s become a medical problem for us in times of crisis. Ames laboratory here is a leader in bringing these technologies and these capabilities back to our country,” he says. The Department of Energy has proposed cutting hundreds of millions of dollars for renewable energy programs, but Wright says he supports technologies that contribute to U-S energy.

“But wind, solar and batteries provide three percent of the United States energy, yet the majority of the budget at the Department of Energy. That’s just nonsensical,” Wright says. The think tank Ember Energy reports wind and solar last year provided a combined 17 percent of U-S energy, surpassing coal for the first time. Wright says priorities for the agency include nuclear and next generation geothermal. “We have to stabilize our electricity grid, we need to get away from the nonsense that somehow we’re not going to use fossil fuels in the near future.”

The Department of Energy removed the National Climate Assessments from its website earlier this year. Wright says climate change is a “true physical phenomenon” but not the “world’s greatest problem.” Wright was joined by congresswomen Joni Ernst, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, and representatives of the Conservative Climate Caucus. He’s the fourth cabinet member to visit Iowa this week.

(Radio Iowa) – A race that could be a new staple for runners in eastern Iowa will debut next summer. The city-wide event in Cedar Rapids will feature multiple races, including a free kids’ run, a team relay, and a full marathon. It’s the first time Cedar Rapids will host a marathon since the CRANDIC run between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City shut down three years ago. Laura Jass is with Endurance Sports Marketing, which will produce the weekend-long event.

“With CRANDIC not being here anymore, we feel like there’s a hole, and we know people in eastern Iowa are running, so we’re trying to fill that hole,” Jass says. “Also, we produce the Iowa Trail Run series — it’s nine trails across the state — our two largest are in the eastern Iowa corridor.” The full marathon will be a Boston-qualifier, meaning runners who meet a certain time will qualify for entry into the famed East Coast race. Jass says the Cedar Rapids weekend will have events for runners of all types.

“Most of our runners are a mom who just wants an excuse to get out the door without the kids hanging on them, somebody who maybe lost a lot of weight over the last year and this is a big goal,” she says, “but in the running world, being a Boston qualifier, people are looking at that on the calendar of events to do.” The new race is being planned for a debut in June of 2026. CRANDIC shut down in 2022, after being held virtually for two years during the pandemic.

(Radio Iowa) – A Davenport man has been charged in the murder of an 11-year-old girl who disappeared from Moline, Illinois, in 1996. A grand jury in Henry County, Illinois approved three counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a homicidal death against Jamison Fisher in the death of Trudy Appleby.

Fisher was already being held at the Scott County jail in Davenport on what police say are unrelated charges. Fisher is believed to have been a family friend of a different suspect who died in 2014. Police say they have not yet recovered Appleby’s remains and the investigation is ongoing.

(Radio Iowa) – The 2025 Iowa State Fair doesn’t end until Sunday night, giving a few more politicians a chance to engage in what’s turned out to be common exercise for vote-seekers. Dana Wanken of Clarion was manning the state fair grills for the Iowa Pork Producers back in 2007 — the day presidential candidate Mitt Romney dropped a chop.

“Guess what happened? He flipped one high and it bounced on (the ground) and I was standing right behind him and his wife and he goes: ‘Oh, five second rule!’ And he picked it up and threw it back on the grill,” Wanken said. “I stuck my arm between him and his wife and grabbed that hot devil off of there and I said: ‘You can’t do that!'” Wanken has a piece of advice for the politicians volunteering to do a stint of flipping at the grill.

“Wear a glove ’cause it’s hot,” Wanken said, with a laugh. As temperatures soar during the State Fair’s August run, Governor Kim Reynolds says politicians still seem to wind up at the hottest spot on the fairgrounds.  “They all want to do it because it’s iconic. You know, you can’t come here and not go, plus we’re the number one pork producer in the country,” Reynolds said, “so it really is an opportunity for us to get some time around the grill and make our case that we need markets.”

As an example, U-S Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins joined Reynolds at the grill a few days ago and visited with the real grill masters. Pork Producers from around the state come to grill pork loins and flip the chops and pork burgers that are sold to fair-goers. State Auditor Rob Sand grabbed a spatula and joined a group of grillers earlier this week.  “I’m here every year, on Wednesday, with the Lee County guys,” Sand said. “I did that the first time, got to know them and it’s fun to come back and see them again.”

There is only one Wednesday during the State Fair’s annual 11-day run — but there was more than one politician at the Pork Producers’ grill this past Wednesday. Two state senators stopped by to flip and visit about half an hour before Sand arrived.