(Radio Iowa) – An eastern Iowa college is using a new method to give prospective students more accurate information about the cost to attend. Cornell College in Mount Vernon is sending personalized cost estimates directly to students through a program called Save Your Seat. Wendy Beckemeyer, Cornell’s vice president of enrollment, says the system is designed to help families who may not know about net price calculation tools. Beckemeyer says, “The idea behind Save Your Seat is to take away the friction and to use the tools that we can, that we have available to us, and the information that we have to send each student a refined estimate.”

Those estimates are based on calculations from the U.S. Department of Education and a database of financial aid information from within the school. Beckemeyer says the approach is meant to make the college application process easier for students. “This has really resonated with families, this clarity in the conversations we’ve had with parents, they are excited because they see a pathway to Cornell for their student. It is relieving a lot of anxiety that people generally feel about the unknown.”

In late June, the school sent out more than 19-thousand postcards and 16-thousand emails to prospective students. Beckemeyer says she’s already seeing the estimates spur students to move forward in the application process.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The driver of a vehicle that struck a deer Monday morning in Guthrie County escaped injury, after the deer smashed into her windshield when the car and deer collided. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says 31-year-old Kanion Rose Marie Hacker, of Guthrie Center, was driving a 2013 Hyundai Sonata eastbound on Highway 44 near Oak Avenue at around 6:50-a.m., when the vehicle struck the deer. The car sustained an estimated $7,500 damage.

(Muscatine, Iowa) – A woman was shot and killed and the suspected shooter suffered what authorities say was a self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday, in southeast Iowa. According to the Muscatine Police Department, the Muscatine Communications Center received multiple shots-fired reports coming from inside the Muscatine Hy-Vee Store, at around 2-p.m., Monday. Police and Medics responded immediately and located the victim, 37-year-old Kalista Rae Hallberg, of Letts (IA), who had suffered from multiple gunshot wounds. She died at the scene.

The suspect, Ian Antonio Hernandez, of Davenport, fled the scene in a mini-van. The vehicle was located at the intersection of Highways 61 & 38. Officers found Hernandez inside the vehicle. Officers rendered medical aid to Hernandez until Muscatine Fire Dept. personnel arrived on the scene. Hernandez was transported to a local hospital and later flown to the University of Iowa Hospital, where he was in critical condition at last report. Authorities say a preliminary investigation determined the shooting originated from an ongoing domestic dispute between Hallberg and Hernandez.

Muscatine Mayor Brad Bark shared a statement on social media that said, in-part:

“This act of violence, perpetrated by an individual who does not call Muscatine home, is a shameful affront to the values of our community. It has wounded the spirit of our close-knit community, and I explicitly condemn it. No one should fear for their safety in Muscatine, a place we call home—a place where we shop, gather, and build our lives. This tragedy reminds us how precious and fragile our sense of security is, and it strengthens our resolve to ensure such heartbreak does not define us.”

(Creston, Iowa) – Three people were arrested on separate charges in Creston, over the past few days. Two people were arrested Monday (June 30th):

38-year-old Christina Marie McDonald, of Creston, was arrested at Bomgaars and was charged with Theft in the 5th degree. McDonald was transported to the Union County Jail and was released on a $300 cash or surety bond; And, 29-year-old Glen Scott Loe, of Creston, was arrested at the intersection of Clark & Chestnut St on a warrant for Possession of Controlled Substance/1st Offense. Loe was transported to the Union County Jail and later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Just before 1-a.m. Sunday (June 29th), Police in Creston arrested 53-year-old Julie Christine Valasek, of Creston. Valasek was arrested at her residence and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault – Causing Bodily Injury. She was transported to the Union County Jail and held without bond until seen by Judge. Valasek was later released on a promise to appear in court.

(Radio Iowa) –  Democrat Second District Congressional candidate Kevin Techau is suspending his campaign. A statement from Techau says the campaign’s fundraising hasn’t met the level the race demands. Techau announced his run in April. He is a former U-S attorney and Iowa commissioner of public safety, and the only Democrat running against Republican incumbent Ashley Hinson.

(Radio Iowa) – Police found the bodies of two adults inside a house in Webster City on Monday morning. Police Chief Steve Hansen said the cause of death remains under investigation. The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending the notification of relatives.

The investigation remains ongoing by authorities. At this time investigators believe this is an isolated incident with no known threat to the public.

(Radio Iowa) – University students from across the country recently met in Ames for the annual CyberTractor Challenge where they tried to make tractors do things they’re not supposed. John Deere global chief information security officer James Johnson started the CyberTractor Challenge four years ago as the need for cybersecurity has grown alongside precision agriculture. “The more dependent we are on technology, the bigger the challenge that we’re going to have as a company,” he says. The technology includes G-P-S guidance, internet-connected sensors and other data-driven technology in tractors and other machines. Johnson says it’s not just about John Deere.

“It’s about, how do we make the industry more resilient and more secure because our customers might drive a John Deere tractor and pull a red planter or a blue planter,” he says.
Johnson says attracting more talent to cybersecurity benefits manufacturers, farmers and the national food supply. Students tried to hack into the machine’s operating systems. John Deere’s Carl Kubalsky says precision agriculture can make farming more efficient, but it can also open more points of attack for cyber criminals.

“The work that these students are doing and the careers that they’ll go on to do is important for all of us, whether it’s John Deere or C-N-H or another manufacturer,” he says Students from seven universities across the country attended the CyberTractor Challenge.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Iowa Capital Dispatch) — Iowa drivers will be more likely to get pulled over after today (July 1st), if they are behind the wheel with their cellphones in their hands. The new law is one of many passed by the Iowa Legislature during the 2025 session that begins now (July).

Senate File 22 bans the use of cellphones and electronic devices when not in voice activated or hands-free mode while operating a vehicle. Police officers will begin pulling over distracted drivers and charging them with a warning starting July 1. Come January 2026, offenders will be charged with a simple misdemeanor, punishable by a fine between $100 and $850.

Here are 10 more laws that create additional criminal penalties or expand the definition of previous crimes that go into effect today:

Driving with an open-container THC beverage

House File 181 prohibits open-container beverages containing THC in the passenger area of motor vehicles. People are allowed to transport open-beverage THC drinks in the trunk of their vehicles but if it’s anywhere else in the car, and they risk being charged with a simple misdemeanor punishable by a $260 fine.

Gift card fraud

Senate File 260 creates a graduated penalty for altering or tampering with a gift card with intent to defraud. Under the new law, a violator commits forgery and is guilty of different charges based on the fraudulent amount or value of goods purchased with a fraudulent card. The crime is a class C felony if more than $5,000 is uploaded to a card or obtained in stolen goods; a class D felony if the fraudulent value is between $5,000 and $1,000; an aggravated misdemeanor if the fraudulent value is between $1,000 and $500, and a serious misdemeanor if the fraudulent value is under $500.

Additionally, the value of retail merchandise fraudulently obtained within a six-month period will be aggregated and the defendant will be charged for the total amount.

The rotunda in Iowa Capitol as seen May 8, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Critical infrastructure sabotage

House File 879 expands the definition of “critical infrastructure sabotage” to include a telecommunications service, information service or cable service, a wireless service or broadband generation, transmission or delivery service. Individuals found guilty of willfully impairing critical infrastructure are guilty of a class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison and a fine between $85,000 and $100,000.

Grooming

House File 180 defines grooming as an attempt to persuade a minor to commit an unlawful sexual act, punishable as a class D felony. Individuals found guilty will be classified as tier 1 sex offenders. Those convicted are subject to 10 years in prison, with possibility of parole. This law explicitly includes law enforcement sting operations within the statute, meaning even if the intended victim is an undercover police officer, individuals can be prosecuted for grooming.

Distribution of obscene material to a minor

Under House File 306, people age 18 or older who knowingly share or exhibit obscene material to a minor, other than the parents or guardian of the minor, are guilty of a public offense.

Upon first offense, violators will be charged with a serious misdemeanor and subject to up to one year in jail and/or $430-2,560 in fines. A second offense is an aggravated misdemeanor and subject to a minimum mandatory confinement of one year which will not be deferred or suspended. Following a third offense, individuals are charged with a class D felony with a mandatory minimum sentence of three years.

Minor-to-minor distribution of obscene material is also considered a public offense and individuals under 18 found guilty will be charged with a serious misdemeanor.

Assault on a health care provider

House File 310 expands the definition of health care providers to protect against assault. Anyone working, volunteering or participating in an educational course at a hospital or rural emergency hospital or nursing home is now protected under this law.

Persons found guilty of assaulting a health care provider under the new definition can be charged based on the severity of the assault ranging from serious misdemeanor to a class “C” felony based on the severity.

Human trafficking

House File 649 expands the definition of human trafficking. Someone who attempts to purchase services like commercial sexual activity from a law enforcement professional posing as a trafficker commits a class “D” felony.

The bill also expanded the definition of “services” to no longer require an “ongoing relationship” between the person who requests unlawful services and the victim. The new definition is performing activities under the supervision of or for the benefit of another, including commercial sexual activity and sexually explicit performances.

The new definition of “victim” now includes all of the following: a person subjected to human trafficking, a person identified as being subjected or targeted for human trafficking and a law enforcement official impersonating a human trafficking victim. A class D felony is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine ranging between $750 and $7,500.

Possession of visual depictions of minor engaged in unlawful sex act

Senate File 150 ensures persons in possession of visual depictions containing pictorial representations of a minor engaging in a prohibited sexual act, including altered or edited pictures, of different minors will be punished with separate offenses for each “pictorial representation.” Multiple depictions of the same minor engaging in a prohibited sexual act will now be prosecuted as separate offenses for each representation. A person guilty of this offense will be charged with a class “D” felony for a first offense, and a class C felony for subsequent offenses.

Assault on law enforcement professional

Senate File 397 expands penalties for assault on persons engaged in certain professions. Under this bill, assault against a peace officer, jailer, correctional or juvenile detention staff, or employee of the Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing who conducts investigations or inspections, is punishable up to a class C felony. All individuals found guilty of assault on these protected professions must serve a minimum term of seven days.

Additionally, the definition of assault has been expanded to include contact with saliva through tossing, spitting or throwing.

Firearm possession by felons

Senate File 462 significantly increases penalties for firearm possession by felons for repeat offenders. First-time offenders face a class D felony with a mandatory minimum sentence of two years; second-time offenders would face a class D felony with a mandatory minimum sentence of four years; third-time offenders would face a class C felony with a seven-year mandatory minimum sentence and fourth or subsequent offenses would face a 10-year sentence recommendation. The bill prevents courts from deferring or suspending sentences, except for first-time offenders with a county attorney recommendation.

(Radio Iowa) – This is the first day of operations for Iowa’s unified system for treatment of mental illnesses and substance abuse, along with services for Iowans with disabilities. Marissa Eyanson is director of behavioral health for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. She says no service is ending today for any Iowan.

“The people that they see, those are all going to continue and everything’s going to stay intact just as it is,” she said. “The other thing that we want folks to know is that we are building something new — system navigation, for instance, where people will have an easy way to reach out to us when they need help or when they don’t know what they need.” Critics and patient advocates say under the old system, Iowans did not have equal access to services.

Thirty-two regions had provided a variety of assistance to Iowans with “behavioral health” issues like depression, anxiety or an addiction to drugs or alcohol.  “One of the things we’ve been focused of course over these last couple of years in particular is really being able to get to people sooner,” Eyanson says,” so we really see this build of system navigation and the access point — the brightly lit door of ‘YourLifeIowa’ — as that access for all Iowans.”

Your Life Iowa is a 24 hour, 7 days a week service that makes referrals for Iowans with concerns about things like drug or alcohol use, mental health issues or excessive gambling. It can be accessed by calling 9-8-8 or through the Your Life Iowa website. Zach Rhein is director of aging and disability services for the Department of Health and Human Services. He says the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Centers are still places where Iowans with disabilities can go to find the services they need.

“If you are experiencing a crisis and this is an emergency, you call 988,” Rhein says. “Otherwise, call where you think is the right place and we will make it the right place. This is a no wrong door approach, so that there’s close collaboration between all of those navigators to make sure that we’re the right place when people call.”

The state is paying the non-profit Iowa Primary Care Association to oversee the management and operations of all behavioral health services in each of the new system’s seven districts. The association has been overseeing Iowa’s 14 community health centers that serve low-income Iowans and those who lack access to primary or preventative care.