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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The jury trial for Pottawattamie County man charged in connection with a Dec. 2024 fatal UTV crash, was supposed to have been held Tuesday, but was instead moved to July 1st at 9:30-a.m. In Pott. County District Court. 85-year-old Gene Fritz, of Oakland, faces a charge of Homicide by Vehicle – Reckless Driving, in the December 26, 2024 incident that resulted in the death of 83-year-old Sandra Madron. Fritz previously entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.
The accident happened at 570 North Highway Street in Oakland. Deputies arriving on the scene found the UTV on the sidewalk and Madron lying on her left side. She was transported to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs and later died from her injuries. Fritz had told deputies that he was heading home at the time of the crash and often drove his UTV on the sidewalk because he “can’t see well,” and that he “drives very slow.” He has said he didn’t see Sandra Madron until he struck her, because “she must have been wearing dark clothing.”
Further investigation revealed that Fritz did not have a valid driver’s license, and the UTV he was operating was not registered for roadway use.
(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department, today (Wednesday), say a man reported late Sunday morning, that his parked trailer was broken into at American Home Design Center, at 101 N. Walnut St., in Creston. Multiple Milwaukee-brand, some Bosch- and Dewalt-brand tools were reported missing, including:
Altogether, the loss was estimated to be at least $6,000.
(Merritt Island, FL) – A native Iowan and three colleagues will have to wait a bit longer to get into space. This (Wednesday) morning’s SpaceX Falcon 9 Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) was supposed to lift off at 7-a.m. from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but officials announced late Tuesday that the delay was necessary, to repair liquid oxygen leak identified during post static fire booster inspections.
The launch, originally scheduled for Sunday morning and again Tuesday morning, had been delayed both until Wednesday, due to the weather in Florida.
The mission, with Iowa native Peggy Whitson in command, was not immediately rescheduled. It will be her fifth mission when it finally takes off.
(Radio Iowa) – The southwest Iowa town of Clarinda hosts its 50th Glenn Miller Music Festival this week, with jazz and big band concerts, dance contests, and more to celebrate the legendary band leader. Shari Greenwood, executive director of the Glenn Miller Museum and a board member of the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society, says events kick off Thursday afternoon with a picnic and concerts on the town square, while Friday’s schedule includes ragtime artist Adam Swanson, a Shenandoah native.
“He holds the honor of being the only four-time world champion ragtime player ever, and he is absolutely amazing,” Greenwood says. “He plays with such passion along with the people that he’s worked with. He’s going to have a little slide presentation so you can see some of the things he’s been up to.” Some performers are coming to Clarinda from as far away as Japan. Other concerts on Friday include Bill Baker’s Big Band, Steve Shininger and the ShinSings, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra. One of Saturday’s highlights is Gooch and the Guys Big Band, led by Michael “Gooch” Gurciullo.
Photo courtesy of the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society
“He’s done everything from work with the Glenn Miller Orchestra to having his own band. He comes back this way every year to put on jazz camps,” she says. “He’s a lot of fun with the Gooch and the Guys Big Band, and they do things like Frank Sinatra and Glenn Miller, and folks love him.” Saturday’s performers include the Northwest Missouri State Jazz Group, Bill Baker’s Big Band and more performances by the Glenn Miller Orchestra — along with a swing dance competition. “Glenn Miller takes the stage in the gymnasium and there’s a dance floor set up and tables. We have the swing dance competition in the middle of their concert,” said Greenwood. “Their leader Erik (Stabnau) does three songs before the break. They’re all different tempos and the dancers get out there and dance for the prize of a trophy, and we give out five different trophies.”
The Glenn Miller Birthplace Society Museum and Birthplace Home will be open daily during the festival. Thursday also includes the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society Scholarship competition, with instrumental and vocal performances.
(Radio Iowa) – A third Democrat has just announced he’s running for the U-S Senate seat currently Republican Joni Ernst. Thirty-three year old Zach Wahls of Coralville has been a state senator since 2019. If elected in 2026, he’d become the youngest member of the U-S Senate. “I’ll tell you this,” Wahls said during an interview with Radio Iowa. “We’re going to bring generational change to Washington, D.C. whether they’re ready for it or not.” Wahls says as a U-S Senator, he’d have a new perspective on the challenges young families face. “Paid family leave is an issue that affects so many people and the lack of it for so many families is incredibly challenging,” Wahls says. “I believe that in Iowa how many kids you have, not how many kids you can afford.” Wahls and his wife are the parents of a boy born in March of last year.
“There was a lot of conversation with my wife Chloe about what we can do in this moment and I decided to run because Iowans are working hard, but aren’t getting ahead,” Wahls says. “And I want to do something to help solve the problems that hardworking families are facing.” In 2023, Wahls was leader of Democrats in the Iowa Senate. Fellow Democrats replaced him after he fired to long-time senate staffers. Wahls said he made the moves because the status quo wasn’t been working for Democrats, but there was obviously resistance to change. Now, Wahls told Radio Iowa his track record of standing up to leaders of both parties when they’re not delivering for Iowans.”We’re 48th in income, 49th in GDP and there was a report out last week that had us dead last in terms of the overall economy of our state,” Wahls said. “That’s unacceptable and it’s time for leadership in Washington that’s ready to do the job.”
State Senator Zach Wahls of Coralville is running for the Iowa Democratic Party’s 2026 U.S. Senate nomination. (Photo provided by Wahls campaign)
Ernst has hired a manager for her 2026 reelection bid, a move Wahls says violates her 2014 campaign pledge to serve only two terms in the U-S Senate. “It’s clear that she’s lost the courage to stand up for her convictions,” Wahls says. “We saw that on full display when she decided to support Pete Hegseth against what were clear reservations that she had that were borne out in spectacular display when Signalgate blew up earlier this year.” The Defense Secretary used the commercial messaging app Signal to share details of an upcoming military attack in Yemen.
Yesterday (Tuesday), the New York Times reported that when Wahls was a college student, he’d discussed his pornography preferences in an online forum. Wahls told the paper he was talking about Playboy and porn like a normal guy and Democratic operatives who’d raised the issue won’t scare him off from running. Democrats J.D. Scholten of Sioux City and Nathan Sage of Indianola have previously announced they’re running for the U-S Senate.
(Radio Iowa) – Several hundred demonstrators rallied in downtown Des Moines last (Tuesday) night in opposition to ICE raids in Los Angeles and the Trump administration deploying Marines and the National Guard against protestors. Similar rallies have happened in Sioux City, Davenport and Cedar Rapids in recent days. Angel Pavon is a college student from Des Moines. He says migrants want to make a life in the U.S. but federal officials are calling them a danger to the public. “They’re being told we’re the danger, we’re bringing the chaos. But they’re not seeing us fully,” Pavon says. “They’re not seeing the fear we live in, the silence that we’re forced into, the pain we carry every time another door gets kicked in.” There was no police presence at the Des Moines rally, but it followed a social media post from Governor Kim Reynolds that appeared to be a warning. She said in a post on X that peaceful demonstrations are welcome but unlawful behavior will be stopped immediately.
Officials with the Omaha Police Department said Tuesday, immigration operations took place in the city after a raid was reported Tuesday morning. In a statement, officials said the Department of Homeland Security notified OPD of the operations and Omaha Police Officers were assisting with traffic control and public safety in the areas of the operation. ICE confirmed there was one raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement in Omaha on Tuesday morning. The raid was at the Glenn Valley Foods plant. Company officials told KETV authorities came to their facility and “served a warrant to search for persons believed to be using fraudulent documents to gain employment.” Glenn Valley Foods said they use E-Verify as part of their hiring process and are being cooperative with authorities.
Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon confirmed 75 to 80 people were detained, and it was roughly the same number of men and women. A spokesperson for ICE said “Reports of any other ICE operation and/or attempted operations in the Omaha area is simply disinformation being used to confuse the American public.” The raids were protested by members of the Omaha and Lincoln, NE communities, Tuesday.
(Radio Iowa) – The northwest Iowa community of Rock Valley is moving ahead with housing projects almost one year after devastating flooding consumed the town. Governor Kim Reynolds attended a ribbon cutting Tuesday for one development where some flood victims are already moving in. Mayor Kevin Van Otterloo says the town is recovering, rebuilding and ready for what’s next. “We have come a long way, I want to acknowledge that many in our community are still hurting, still searching for answers and are still rebuilding their lives. Please know you have not been forgotten,” he says. Governor Reynolds toured a new home in Rock Valley, which will replace one of about 150 destroyed when the Rock River poured over a protective berm last June.
Governor Reynolds cuts the ribbon at a new Rock Valley housing development. (IPR photo)
Reynolds says the state provided almost seven million dollars that resulted in five different development projects, and more than 90 new housing units. “I’m proud to say that this city and the surrounding region aren’t just building back, they’re building back stronger, more resilient and more sustainable than ever,” Reynolds says. Reynolds says the Iowa Legislature also approved almost 14 million dollars to support disaster recovery and demolition from all natural disasters that hit the state last year.
Rock Valley requested buy outs from FEMA for 150 homes back in December and city leaders believe the federal government is in the final stages of reviewing their application for assistance.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa [KCCI] — A Pottawattamie County man faces several sexual exploitation charges. Michael Harris, of Council Bluffs, is accused of engaging in sexual conversations on social media and sending explicit photos and videos.
Court records show Harris thought he was talking to a 15-year-old girl. It turns out, that person was a detective, posing as a minor.
Harris is charged with sexual exploitation and telephone dissemination of obscene material to a minor.
(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday, a second person in Iowa has now tested positive for measles. The announcement comes after the first case in Iowa since 2019 was reported last month.
The May case was a woman from central Iowa who was not vaccinated and had been traveling. This new case involves a man who was vaccinated. The department is working on confirming if he had recently been traveling.
The announcement comes as the highly contagious disease continues to spread across the country, with 34 states reporting cases. According to the CDC, over 1,100 cases have been reported in the country as of June 5, a majority of them occurring in Texas.
Measles is a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease. It spreads through the air when a person infected with the virus coughs or sneezes. Symptoms appear roughly 7-21 days after infection and include: cough, red and/or watery eyes, nasal congestion, fever, rash, and Koplik spots. If you believe you’ve been exposed to measles or may have measles HHS says to call your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
(Radio Iowa) – A federal judge has temporarily blocked the closure of Job Corps Centers around the country, including the residential training centers in Denison and Ottumwa. U-S Labor Department officials recently said the centers cost too much to operate, had a poor graduation rate and students were told to move out by this Thursday. Governor Kim Reynolds says state officials are examining options.
“I’ve got four agencies that are working with both of these areas to see if there’s some way that we can incorporate the students into some of our existing programs,” Reynolds says, “and we just have to see what that looks like.” The federal program has provided free education, vocational training and housing to young adults since 1964. Reynolds says the judge’s ruling gives officials a little bit of extra time to figure things out for the dozens of low-income 16 to 24 year olds who were counting on their Job Corps enrollment in Denison and Ottumwa.
“We’ll walk through what the impact of that looks like, what we need to do to make sure that we’re serving those individuals that are relying on that and move forward,” Reynolds said. “…We’ve been focused on any of the kids that were in the foster (care) system to make sure we have a home for them, to make sure if they were counting on that for housing that we have some place for them to go…It sounds like they can stay in the interim…We’re working through all of that.”
Republican legislators who represent Denison and Ottumwa in the Iowa House say the programs were very successful in helping Iowa kids graduate and land a job. Reynolds says there may be a better way to run lots of federal programs, including this one. “I’m not opposed to that at all. In fact we should do it more frequently than we are and it doesn’t mean that you throw it out or you discontinue the program, but it means that you look at it, you look what it’s doing, you look at the results — the outcomes, the metrics,” she said, “and then you look at the way we’re utilizing some of the technology, the way we’re utilizing (vocational rehabilitation) programs — all of that and just see if there’s maybe a better fit (and) that we could get the results that we’re looking for.”
The president and C-E-O of the National Job Corps Association says the students they serve are often overcoming significant personal and economic challenges and Job Corps gives them the ability to gain the skills they need to build meaningful careers. The U-S Secretary of Labor says the average salary for graduates this past year was under 17-thousand dollars and the centers were not achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve.
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