(Radio Iowa) – The final tenants of the iconic Wallace Building across from the state capitol are in the process of moving out and the building will eventually be demolished. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig held a “goodbye party” for current and former employees at the end of last week. Naig says the building went into service in 1978, the same year he was born. “I sort of laugh every time I heard about the maybe somebody talking about the state of the Wallace Building, maybe not being quite up to up to snuff and old and and out of date. And I thought, well, that, that that maybe I feel that way too sometimes,” Naig says. Naig is one of five Ag Secretaries who worked in the building. The others are Bob Lounsberry from 1973 to 1987, Dale Cochran from 1987 to 1999 , Patty Judge from 1999 to 2007, and Bill Northy from 2007 to 2018.

Naig says the Wallace Building has had a lot of internal issues with its structure and operating systems, but it is one of the most photographed buildings in the state because of the reflection of the state capitol on the mirrored windows that span the south side. Former Ag Secretary Patty Judge was at the goodbye party and says the building’s issues were apparent right away. “When I came here the first day, we started finding all of the problems, all the things that were wrong with this building. My gosh, we couldn’t keep the bathrooms open,” Judge says. Judge says some people don’t want to see the building go, but she says it isn’t worth it to keep it open. “The money that was spent with maintenance and repair and then the back end starts falling off and we can’t park back there anymore and my gosh,” she says. “For those who think this is a criminal act to not be in this building and support this building any longer, believe me, I’m on the other side.”

Wallace Building

Retired state climatologist Harry Hillaker was a part of the Ag Department, but says he was at the National Weather Service Office until moving to the Wallace Building in 2003. “Actually had an office, not too many people had their own office in this building. It’s like, wow, I was more privileged than I was expecting to be,” Hillaker says. “It was very good working here because it was actually the only time was with the rest of the department.” Hillaker says the climate in the Wallace Building was different. “It was definitely on the warm side, especially in the wintertime in the building, which you think would be the other way around, at least down where I was in the basement,” Hillaker says. “People always made a joke though that my office had no windows, which seemed like a weird thing for a weather guy, but I was very happy to have an office.”

The Ag Department will be out of the building by the end of the month. The spokesperson for Governor Kim Reynolds in a statement says “the Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has initiated the process to demolish the Wallace Building without selling or otherwise disposing of the underlying land which requires the approval of the legislature.” The Wallace Building was named for Henry A. Wallace, the founder of Pioneer Hi-Bred and President Franklin Roosevelt’s first Secretary of Agriculture. He served one term as Roosevelt’s vice president.

(Radio Iowa) – A central Iowa company that develops real estate and manages properties is starting its second annual Hometown Tours in Iowa cities where housing is in high demand and businesses are eager to find workers. Chace Hauschilt, a development and operations specialist with Kading Properties, says they’re hearing from many communities that are in need of new homes, but he says the Urbandale-based company can’t get to them all.  “The Hometown Tours allow our team to spend an entire day within the community and it really gives the community an opportunity to showcase what makes their community unique,” Hauschilt says. “We’re also engaging in discussions with local civic leaders and local employers about what their current housing needs are, and if we may be able to help with that.” This year’s tour will kick off with Webster City on Thursday, with stops planned in the coming weeks in Mason City, Fort Dodge, Fairfield, and Denison.

“We meet with a lot of local city leaders, city officials, and then we also meet with a lot of the larger employers in the areas,” Hauschilt says. “Maybe they’re looking to expand or maybe they’re having a hard time retaining and attracting talent and they’re interested in new housing opportunities.” Kading has already built what it calls “workforce housing” in 28 Iowa communities over the past five decades.  “What we develop is townhome-style leased housing,” Hauschilt says. “We have two-bedroom and three-bedroom options and those could be anywhere from 850 to 1,300 square foot. We do provide all of the property management, so mowing the lawn, any landscape issues and any other maintenance issues, we take care of all of that for our residents.” By eliminating the need for long commutes, the company says it helps employers retain skilled labor and boosts local economies, while saving families time and money on travel and fuel. Hauschilt says they price the homes accordingly.

“Typically, it’s around 80% of the area median income,” he says. “Our goal is always to try to fit that within the different communities and we see that we’re oftentimes around a dollar a square foot within the communities, but it just depends on what the workers are getting paid within the community and what the need is within it as well.” A Kading news release says each of the five stops on the tour “highlights a unique Iowa town and the role attainable housing plays in building a stronger, more sustainable future for Iowans.”

https://www.kadingproperties.com/hometown-tours

(Radio Iowa) – Several thousand people gathered at the Iowa Capitol this past weekend to protest Trump Administration policies. Linda Byrd of Des Moines wore a t-shirt with the words “No Kings” — the theme of the rally. “He thinks he has more power than he should have,” Byrd said. “He just doesn’t seem to care about anything but himself.” Similar events were held in 34 other cities around the state. Estimates placed turnout in Atlantic at 250 people.

At one of the events held in Iowa, Kathy Davis said the Trump’s Administration is inhumane. “I am just disgusted with everything these people are doing,” Davis said. “I mean they have no morals, no compassion, no humanity. They just want power and money.”

A “No Kings” rally in Des Moines (Radio Iowa photo)

Seventy-one year old David Van Riper held a Veterans Against Trump sign.  “I’m upset that 1938 is being redone and that Trump and his administration is trying to be dictators,” Van Riper said. “And the way they’re treating people, especially the immigrants, is just unreal.” Toni Holmes of Des Moines carried a sign that said “lawless government is just organized crime.”

“I’m here because I have grandkids,” Holmes said, before breaking down in tears, “and our country’s falling apart.”

A spokesperson for the Iowa G-O-P says President Trump earned the support of 77 million Americans and won Iowa by a commanding margin and that’s democracy in action.

(Radio Iowa) – The suspect in the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses and the murder of one of those couples is in custody. Fifty-seven-year-old Vance Boelter — the subject of a 43-hour-long manhunt, was arrested near his home in Green Isle, Minnesota. It’s about 120 miles north of the Iowa border. Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol spoke during a news conference late Sunday night.

“The suspect crawled to law enforcement teams and was placed under arrest at that point in time.” Drew Evans, Superintendent of Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, says SWAT teams had surrounded Boelter in a field in southern Minnesota.”The incredible teamwork that was done and the large number of law enforcement certainly put us in a position where they were able to maneuver into this area to safely put him in a place where, you know, I don’t know what was going on in his head and I wouldn’t speculate,” Evans said, “but they have incredibly professional teams that are trained on this on how to take somebody into custody and they provided the commands and he gave up peacefully.”

Evans says Boelter was armed at the time of his arrest. Mark Bruley  is the police chief in Brooklyn Park, the Minneapolis suburb where the former speaker of the Minnesota House and her husband were murdered. “There’s no question that this was the largest manhunt in state history,” he said. “Just down at the scene where he was taken into custody there were 20 different SWAT teams over an extremely large area hunting this individual down to take him into custody.”

Minnesota officials say their investigation will continue to expand, as they compile evidence for state and perhaps federal trials. They’re also investigating whether anyone provided help to the suspect who was arrested about 60 miles from the Minneapolis suburbs where the shootings happened.

Iowa elected officials from both political parties have used words like horrible, horrendous and heartbreaking to describe the shootings. The governor, Senator Grassley and other lawmakers all said political violence is unacceptable.

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision late Saturday morning in Creston resulted in two  people being transported to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston. According to the Creston Police Department, an SUV driven by 21-year-old Aleah Calvin, of Creston, was traveling south on Poplar Street at around 11:10-a.m., and approaching the intersection with Monroe Street.

Calvin looked but did not see a VW Jetta driven by 71-year-old William Hillman, of Shenandoah, traveling west on Monroe Street. When she failed to obey the yield sign and continued into the intersection, her SUV struck the car on the right front side. William Hillman, and a passenger in Volkswagen, 71-year-old Debra Hillman, were injured in the collision and transported by EMS ambulance to the local hospital.

Aleah Calvin was checked at the scene by medics, and cleared. She was cited by police for Failure to Obey a Yield Sign. Damage from the collision amounted to $11,000 altogether. (Photos by Chuck Spindler w/the Creston Fire Department)

(Des Moines, Iowa)  – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in their latest “Beach Monitoring” report, said visitors are free to swim at a popular Council Bluffs beach.

Last week, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources classified the beach at Lake Manawa State Park as “vulnerable” due to E. coli levels. That has now been updated to “ok for swimming,” with no indication of bacteria or Algal toxin.

There’s only one beach in the state where swimming is not recommended — Emmerson Bay State Recreation Area at West Okoboji Lake, because test results exceeds the single sample standard for E.Coli.

(Radio Iowa) – The Minnesota state senator and his wife who were shot early this morning in their home have connections to Iowa. Senator John Hoffman worked for Polk County and the State of Iowa from 1991 to 2001 according to the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Kate Garner was an intern at a Des Moines radio station where Hoffman’s wife, Yvette, was a co-hosting a morning show in the 1990s. “They actually met at a political fundraiser with shared friends,” Garner said this afternoon, “and they hit it off immediately.”

Garner describes Yvette as her first mentor when she started out in radio and they became lifelong friends. “She is the ultimate political wife, but in the good, really supportive, bake-cupcakes-make-signs, whatever kind of way,” Garner said during an interview with Radio Iowa. “And he is the just serious but fun, dedicated guy and they made this amazing marriage with this amazing daughter Hope, who has spina bifida and they took that and helped her become an activist and they’re this little powerhouse family.”

Garner indicated Yvette’s friends have been keeping in touch via social media in hopes to learning more about the couple’s condition. “Her brother gave an update that John’s heart was barely missed and Yvette, even though she was shot three times, did not have an organ hit, which is miraculous,” Garner said. “The thing that really got me and is 100% Yvett is that when the gunman opened fire, she threw herself on Hope. That’s how Hope didn’t get shot…She’s always been a ‘mama bear’ and she ‘mama beared’ to save her daughter’s life.”

Garner said it’s hard to wrap her head around what happened. “Finding out more detail is both helpful and disheartening,” Garner said. “The fact that someone would put together a list of people to hurt because overwhelmingly they care about other people — as an Iowan and an American, it’s hard for me to fathom.”

Iowa political leaders have issued written statements after news of the shooting at the Hoffman’s home and the apparent assassination of Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, in a post on X at 1:30 p.m. said: “Horrific news coming out of Minnesota. Political violence is unacceptable, and anyone responsible for this attack must be brought to justice. We are keeping the victims and all the people of Minnesota in our prayers.”

Writing on the X platform, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley said: “Horrible news in our neighbor to the north/MN w the targeting of public servants Violence is never the answer I hope suspect is caught & swiftly brought to justice” The top Democrats in the Iowa legislature issued statements late this morning.

“Our thoughts are with the families of the two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses who were shot in their homes last night. I am horrified about the apparent assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman. As state legislators, it’s deeply troubling to see public servants become the subject of this kind of targeted violence,” House Minority Leader Brian Meyer said.

Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Senator Janice Weiner said: “As a fellow lawmaker, a human being, and an American, this is horrendous. There is never a place for this kind of violence, period. My deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Minnesota Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband. My prayers for healing for Senator John Hoffman and his wife. As a country, we must stand side by side with each other, regardless of our differences.”

Minnesota Senator John Hoffman worked for Polk County and the Iowa Dept of Human Services from 1991-2001. (Official MN legislature photo)

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver issued a statement early this evening. “I am deeply saddened to hear about the tragic shootings in Minnesota. Unfortunately, today it is once again necessary to condemn political violence in all forms. Our thoughts and prayers are with Minnesota lawmakers and citizens during this unimaginable time. Our hope is the perpetrator is brought to justice and peace is brought to the victims and their families.”

Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-Marion) said in a statement on social media that she was “heartbroken by the shooting of two state legislators in Minnesota. Political violence is never acceptable and I am praying for the Hortman & Hoffman families & their loved ones amid this horrible tragedy. The perpetrator must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Davenport) said in a statement on X that she was “devastated by the horrific shootings targeting two Minnesota lawmakers and their families. While the motive remains unclear, there is absolutely no place for political violence in America. My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families and all members of the Minnesota delegation during this heartbreaking time.”