(Radio Iowa) – A state senator from the Sioux City area has died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 66. Rocky De Witt, a Republican from Lawton, worked for MidAmerican Energy for 22 years. He was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2022 after serving six years on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors. Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver says De Witt was a passionate defender of constitutional rights who will be deeply missed by his colleagues.

State Senator Rocky De Witt (R-Lawton) (official photo)

De Witt’s last speech in the legislature was on April 15th — about a proposed constitutional amendment to require supermajority votes to pass income tax increases in the Iowa House and Senate.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The 4th of July spirit will be alive and well during the Freedom Festival in Atlantic. One of the events that will make the day special, is a Burger Battle at Sunnyside Park from 5-until 7-p.m. on the 4th of July. As of June 25th, three of the 10 competitor slots for the Burger Battle have been filled. The contestants include:

• Kevin Ferguson – Fergillicious Burgers
• Mike & Chris Smith – Smitty’s Legendary Burgers
• Duane Weirich – Weirch Custom BBQ
  

  Jake Tanner (left) with Cass County Beef producers giving check to Spencer Walton for the Burger Battle for Freedom Festival. Pictured (right) is Tim Olson manager of Atlantic Locker. (Photo courtesy Ali Pieken)

Each contestant will receive three-pounds of fresh, high quality beef for the competition, thanks to the Cass County Beef Producers. The contest will be live, off-the-grill, with participants hoping to make the best hamburger, as determined by a panel of four celebrity judges during a taste test.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners. Other prizes will be awarded to the remaining contestants.

To enter, see the attached QR code, or contact Spencer Walton at 712-243-2344.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council and Healthy Cass County Coalition are making plans for another Family Fun Day at the 2025 Cass County Fair. The event will take place on Saturday, July 26, from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Cass County Fairgrounds. It encourages families to visit the fair by offering a variety of fun activity stations for all ages to enjoy.

In past years, booths have featured water fights, yard games, a duck pond, a book walk, and more. Community members are encouraged to mark their calendars for July 26 and plan to attend this free, family-friendly event. If your community organization is interested in hosting a free youth activity booth at Family Fun Day, please email hcc@casshealth.info or call 712-250-8170.

Healthy Cass County logo

The Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council and Healthy Cass County encourage families to spend time together at the fair while discovering simple activity ideas that can be enjoyed at home, in school, and throughout the community. The event also serves as a reminder of the importance of community support—and how everyone plays a role in creating safe, healthy, and nurturing environments for children in our local communities.

(Radio Iowa) – Winnebago Industries reports third quarter profits were down compared to last year as the company leader says they adjust to the uncertain economic environment. The company reported net income for the quarter ending on May 31st at nearly 18 million dollars compared 29 million dollars for the same quarter last year. C-E-O Michael Happe says they are continuing the transformation of the company’s struggling signature motor-home line.

“We have taken decisive steps to lower field inventory, improve working capital in the future, align our production schedule to market demand, reduce discretionary expenses, and accelerate stronger product value for our customers,” Happe says. Winnebago announced the layoffs in May of about 200 hourly employees at their Iowa facilities in Forest City, Lake Mills, Charles City and Waverly as part of the effort to cut inventory. Happe says they decided to make the cuts in favor of price discounts on the motor-homes.

“One of the most important decisions we made during the fiscal third quarter here recently was to significantly reduce production of units that we otherwise would likely have had to push to the field with higher sales allowances or discounts than we were comfortable with<” he says. “That decision allowed us then to make some adjustments from a production discipline standpoint and go after some other short-term cost adjustments in the business.” Happe says things have been tough for the entire industry, and that doesn’t look to change this fiscal year.

“All of us in the R-V industry had been hoping for a stronger 2025 year and that there would be an inflection point from a recovery standpoint at some point during this year,” Happe says. Happe says they are optimistic the changes they have made will show some improvement after this fiscal year ends in October and they introduce some new products. He was asked if they plan to move away from their motor-home line given the issues it has faced.

“I won’t comment on our intentions strategically with this line other than we are incredibly committed to the our flagship brand of Winnebago, both in the motor-home and towable space,” he says. “We intend to compete vigorously and profitably in the future with the Winnebago brand of motor homes. But we are evaluating many strategic options as to what that business plan looks like.”

The company is now headquartered in Minnesota and also makes boats along with the R-V’s and towable campers.

(Radio Iowa) – One of Iowa’s most populous counties is seeing higher cancer rates than both state and national averages. A report says black men in Linn County are twice as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as white men, while rural residents have a higher cancer burden than urbanites.

Linn County Director of Public Health Pramod Dwivedi says there are many unknown risk factors that may impact which populations have higher cancer rates than others. “I’m not in a situation where I could tell you, what are the real risk factors,” Dwivedi says, “or the risk factors that may not be elsewhere which may be causing more cancer or the high rate of cancer incidence in our community.”

He says cancer is a major public health issue in the county, and there is an urgent need for targeted prevention efforts. Dwivedi says a variety of factors — including geography, access to health care, and air quality — may be causing the race and sex disparities being seen in the county. “As a governmental public health agency, we can do certain things with regard to following rules and regulations,” he says, “but preventing any chronic disease, including cancer, is the function of a partnership.”

Dwivedi says much of it is about educating residents on the known causes of cancer, mainly smoking and drinking, but he can’t be 100 percent certain which are the main culprits of the county’s higher cancer rates.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra is pushing back at critics of the “one big beautiful bill” that would enact President Trump’s agenda on taxes and government spending priorities.  “It delivers historic tax cuts,” Feenstra said. “It supports workers, it supports our farming community by getting rid of some of the death tax.” The bill increases the annual child tax credit to 25-hundred dollars and erases the federal income tax on overtime pay and tips. Feenstra spoke to over five-thousand people via telephone last (Tuesday) night).

“We hear that this bill is only for the rich and that’s unequivocally not true,” Feenstra says. “This is helping you as you retire. It’s helping families.” The House bill creates tax-free savings accounts for private school expenses and sets up a tax deduction for the interest paid on loans for new American-made vehicles. Some Senate Republicans — like Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson — have said they won’t vote for the bill because it does not do enough to cut federal spending and increases the government debt.

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, says he won’t vote for it because rural hospitals and nursing homes would be hurt by Medicaid cuts. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he hopes the Senate can pass the bill by July 4th.

(Radio Iowa) – Siouxland Chamber of Commerce president Chris McGowan is running for Iowa’s fourth district congressional seat. “I believe that I have the education, the experience and the background in economic development to be the strongest voice in Iowa 4 for the citizens of northwest Iowa at our nation’s capitol in Washington, D.C.,” McGowan says. McGowan is the first Republican to launch a campaign in the district that’s represented by Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra, who’s taken steps to run for governor. McGowan is a Sioux City native, a veteran of the Iowa Air National Guard and an attorney who leads the private, non-profit Siouxland Initiative as well as the area’s chamber of commerce

Republican Chris McGowan announces today he’s running for Iowa’s fourth district seat in the U.S. House (Photo provided by McGowan campaign)

“My vision for the fourth congressional district: creating a strong and robust economy, strong national defense and supporting of armed forces which includes making sure that we have a secure southern border,” McGowan said, “and it’s also focused on protecting and supporting Iowa’s traditional values.” McGowan, who is 58 years old, is a fourth generation Iowan. His mother was raised on a farm near Fonda and his father grew up in Sioux City. “I’m the son of a Vietnam veteran. I’m the father of six children and my five oldest children have all chosen a path in the armed forces,” McGowan says. “Understanding the importance of national security and understanding the priorities that the Trump Administration has established for national security are critically important to this race and to the future of our country.”

As for Trump’s tariff agenda, McGowan says there are some business leaders who’ve expressed concerns. “But there are equal number of business leaders who understand the president’s priority…to make sure that our farmers, our small business owners, our manufacturers have access to a level playing field and I absolutely support that.” McGowan is opposed to granting carbon pipeline developers eminent domain authority to seize land from unwilling property owners. “I’m not opposed to renewable energy. I’m not opposed to this pipeline,” McGowan says. “I have tremendous issues and I am opposed to utilizing eminent domain for private…interests.”

McGowan is likely to face a Republican Primary in 2026. Republican State Senator Lynn Evans, a retired superintendent from Aurelia, has formed an exploratory committee for a possible run for congress.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors held their regular weekly meeting this (Wednesday) morning, at the courthouse in Greenfield. During their session, the Board approved continuing with their commitment to stay with ICAP (The Iowa Community Assurance Pool), which provides property and casualty coverage to more than 800 Iowa public entities, including 75 of Iowa’s 99 counties.

And, since no one from Community and Family Resources appeared before the Board to make the funding request, the Supervisors denied the request. Board Chair Nathan Baier and Board members Matt Wedemeyer along with Jodie Hoadley discussed the request in the absence of CFR representatives before denying the request.

The Supervisors then received and acted on awarding a bid for the Adair County Fair Grandstands to the TownsEnd Co. out of Urbandale for $656,000. All the bids came in last Wednesday. There were three companies bidding on the project, with the highest at $796,500, and the other coming in at $658,000.

2025 Board of Supervisors
Left to Right: Jodie Hoadley, Jerry Walker, Nathan Baier, and Michael Christoffersen. Not pictured: Matt Wedemeyer. (Official Adair County website photo)

In other business, the Board heard from Courthouse Maintenance Supervisor Scott Roberts, with regard to the removal of a Crabapple Tree in the Courtyard. The Supervisors approved the hiring of a qualified company to cut the tree down.

A Public Hearing was held on the issuance of General Obligation Urban Renewal Bonds, in an amount not to exceed $5-million. Having received no comments, the Board passed a Resolution instituting proceedings to take additional action.

(Radio Iowa) – America’s most experienced astronaut is adding to her resume, with a record-setting fifth trip into orbit. After multiple delays over the past two weeks, Iowa native astronaut Peggy Whitson was able to say these words early this (Wednesday) morning from atop a Falcon 9 rocket:

And 30 seconds later, the fourth mission of Axiom Space lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, lighting up the pre-dawn darkness about 1:30 A-M Central time. Here’s how it sounded on NASA-TV.

Whitson’s three crewmates are from Hungary, India and Poland. They’ll arrive at the International Space Station tomorrow morning for a scheduled two-week stay. Ten minutes before launch, Whitson thanked everyone who made the mission possible. “To the Axiom Space team, you poured your hearts into this mission,” Whitson said. “Your passion and dedication have lifted us higher. We wear this patch with pride because of you. To NASA, thank you for the decades of knowledge, the training and the trust. You’ve shaped generations of explorers, and we’re honored to carry that legacy forward. To SpaceX, thank you for giving us the wings to fly, and the confidence for a safe return home. And, to our international partners, thank you for standing with us across borders, united by a shared purpose. And, to every person behind the scenes — engineers, trainers, families and friends — you are the quiet force behind this mission. We carry the hopes of many with us. As we realize our return, we will bring those hopes home to you. Thank you.”

Axiom Space image

About ten minutes into the flight, Whitson announced from orbit that their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule was named “Grace” by the crew. “Grace is more than a name,” she said. “It reflects the elegance with which we move through space, against a backdrop of earth. It speaks to the refinement of our mission, the harmony of science and spirit, and the unmerited favor we carry with humility. Grace reminds us that spaceflight is not just a feat of engineering, but an act of goodwill, for the benefit of every human, everywhere.” Once aboard the I-S-S, the astronauts will conduct about 60 medical experiments for Axiom Space, a private Houston-based firm which aims to put its own space station into orbit in the next few years.

Whitson is making her second trip aloft as an Axiom astronaut. She flew three previous missions for NASA before retiring from the agency in 2018. The 65-year-old Whitson grew up on a farm near Beaconsfield and holds multiple records, including the most time in space by an American at 675 days — and counting.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department say three men were arrested Tuesday (June 24th), on separate charges:

• 34-year-old Alex Richard Cunningham, of Creston, was arrested at around 4:50-p.m., on eight-counts of Theft in the 5th Degree. He was later released after posting a percentage of his $2,400 bond.
• 36-year-old Tyler James Hicks, of Fontanelle, was arrested a little before 6-p.m. Tuesday, in Creston. Hicks was charged with Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree. Hicks was later released after posted $5,000 bond.
• and, just before 7-p.m., Tuesday, Creston Police arrested 37-year-old Jacob Miles Erskine, of Creston, for OWI/1st offense (Operating While Under the Influence). Erskine was taken to Union County Jail and later released on a $1,000 bond.