(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Third District Congressman Zach Nunn wants to re-establish a program that expired in December to reimburse people when their federal food assistance funds are stolen. Nunn says Iowa is one of the states still using SNAP cards with magnetic strips that are vulnerable to theft compared to cards with chips.  “So, what our bill intends to do is until those states make that upgrade is make sure those that are defrauded get an immediate reimbursement,” Nunn says.

Nunn says states need to upgrade to the chip cards to protect people. )”It’s not the victim’s fault that the enforcement mechanism hasn’t caught up or that the protection from the states isn’t there yet,” he says. Nunn met with David Schroeder at his home in Des Moines to discuss the proposal. Schroeder is a 65-year-old army veteran who had his 64-dollars in monthly benefits was stolen and used in New Jersey.

“I’ve been getting the same thing every year for 20 years. Never had no problem whatsoever. Why now? Have no idea. Like I said before, I sure hope the person in New Jersey needs them more than I do,” Schroeder says.

Iowans made more than 11-hundred approved claims for stolen SNAP benefits in one fiscal year when the benefit was in place. Those claims added up to more than 640-thousand dollars.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Park and Recreation Advisory Commission received a sizeable donation this (Wednesday) evening, from the U-S Tennis Association – Missouri Valley CEO and Executive Director Mary Buschmann, from Prairie Village, KS. She presented the Commission with a ceremonial check for $33,500. City Councilman/Atlantic Tennis Coach Mike McDermott along with members of the Parks Advisory Board were on-hand for the event.

Those funds will be used to resurface and repaint the four tennis courts at Sunnyside Park, in Atlantic. It’s expected the project will be finished in-time for the girl’s’ tennis season this fall.

Left-to-right: Parks Commissioner Mary Strong; Board Secretary/Member Dolly Bergmann; Mike McDermott; Shirley Jensen; Mary Buschmann; Ali Pieken; Kevin Fergusson; (Back row): Atlantic Councilperson Emily Kennedy; Parks & Rec Director Jeff Christensen.

Before that, the courts will be active this spring when the boy’s team begins play.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department has issued a report on arrests that took place between May 22nd and the 27th.

05-22-25: Trevor Neuharth, 45, of Council Bluffs was arrested for OWI 1st, bond set at $1000 cash or surety (was released on his own recognizance).

05-24-25: Damitri Carlson, 24, of Glenwood was arrested on a Mills County Warrant for harassment, no bond set until seen by a magistrate judge; David Wettengel, 62, of Council Bluffs was arrested for Disorderly contact, bond set at $1000 cash or surety (was released on his own recognizance); Robin Frana, 52, of Glenwood was arrested for OWI 1st offense, bond set at $1000 cash or surety (posted bond); Lane Harris, 20, of Glenwood was arrested on a Fremont County Warrant, bond set at $2000 cash or surety (posted bond).

05-25-25: Jordan Johnson, 20, of Council Bluffs was arrested for driving under suspension, bond set at $300 cash or surety (paid fine and released); Michael Carver, 48, of Glenwood was arrested for driving while barred and interference with official acts, bond set at $2300 cash or surety (posted bond); Wyatt Dahlke, 21, of Omaha, NE was arrested for OWI 1st offense, bond set at $1000 cash or surety (posed bond).

05-26-25: Matthew Archer, 32, of Glenwood was arrested for OWI 2nd offense, bond set at $2000 cash or surety.

05-27-25: Mathew Lamkins, 19, of Tabor, IA was arrested for interference with official acts, bond set at $300 cash or
surety; Lucas Pickle, 25, of Glenwood was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of Drug
paraphernalia, total bond set at $1300 cash or surety.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A Community for Kids is thrilled to announce a partnership with the Atlantic Public Library and local businesses to offer Adventure Passes.  These passes provide the opportunity for families to enjoy free admission to area attractions with just a library card.  Adventure Passes are like checking out a book, but instead of reading a story on pages, your family can create real life memories together. Any adult with a library card in good standing can check out passes that provide free entry to participating family fun destinations locally.

The Adventure Pass program is made possible thanks to generous contributions from The Nishna Valley YMCA, Shift Atl for The Range, The City of Atlantic for Sunnyside Pool, and The Moviehouse & Event Center, who have donated passes for library patrons. It’s a win-win: families get to explore new places together, and businesses get to welcome new visitors and hopefully be supported in other ways while they are there.

Adventure Passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can be checked out through the Atlantic Public Library. To check out an Adventure Pass, a family simply needs a valid library card and someone 18 or older checking it out.  The patrons will have 7 days from checkout to “Adventure Out” and use the pass.

You can learn more about the Adventure Pass program at the library’s Summer Kick-off on Monday, June 2, where the passes will be available for first check out.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports 26-year-old Frederick Dewayne Bickham, who was convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree in Polk County, failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines – Bldg. 70 as required on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Bickham is a 6-foot 2-inches tall, 235-pound Black male. He was admitted to the work release facility on April 29, 2025.

Persons with information on Bickham’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Bickham

(Radio Iowa) – An Allamakee County jury found a northeast Iowa man guilty Tuesday of killing his wife.  Forty-one-year-old Brandon Kasemeier was charged with first-degree murder in the death of his estranged wife, Jami Kasemeier, who was found dead inside their Waukon home on January 22, 2024. It’s believed Jami Kasemeier was killed on January 21st, the last day family members say they heard from her. Two days later, Brandon Kasemeier was arrested some 900 miles away in Loveland, Colorado.

While the defense conceded that Kasemeier had killed his wife, they also argued that he was too intoxicated to form the intent to murder Jamie Kasemeier. Kasemeier is now set for sentencing on July 7th and faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors held their regular weekly meeting today (May 28^th). The Board acknowledged receipt and filing of, the Adair County Landfill Audit, and they approved a courtyard use permit for June 14^th from the Greenfield Chamber of Commerce, for a radio station-sponsored tractor ride that day. They also approved skipping their June 18^th meeting, since most county offices will be closed that day. The Adair County Supervisors approved also, a General Relief Burial Application, and the signing of the County VSO National Training Reimbursement Form. Auditor Mandy Berg….

The Board authorized setting June 25^th at 9:15-a.m., as the date and time for a public hearing on a Resolution “Not to exceed [$5-million dollars] in General Obligation Urban Renewal Bonds.” Mandy Berg explained…

They approved also, a wage step increase for Auditor’s Deputy Timber Woosley.

Adair County Courthouse, Greenfield, IA

In other business, the Board heard from Southern Iowa Council Of Governments (SICOG) Senior Planner, Jeremy Rounds, with regard to an updated County Comprehensive Plan. The Plan is designed as a long-term road-map for community growth and economic development. The current plan was developed in the late 1990’s. Rounds said the County should update or draft a new Comprehensive Plan every 15-to 20-years.

He was asked by Supervisor Jodie Hoadley, if the plan would address future wind turbines, energy centers, data centers, cell towers, pipelines, etc. Rounds said it would cover many areas of development.

Rounds said the Board is not required to update the Comprehensive Plan.

No action was taken on approving a plan during the meeting this (Wednesday) morning. Discussions, including a budget appropriation will continue, with possible action during their June 25^th meeting. If the Board eventually decides to have the plan updated, it could submit a Request for Proposal for bids. Rounds said the CP could cost $15-to 25-thousand dollars, depending on the scope of the plan.

SICOG is capable of creating the plan, as they have done in the past, if the Board desires.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has signed legislation to provide paid family leave to new parents who work in state government. Women who work in state government get four weeks of paid leave after giving birth and a state employee whose spouse or partner gives birth get one week of family leave. The same family leave policy will apply to state employees who adopt a child. Governor Reynolds says giving state employees time away from work to focus on their newborns is part of making Iowa a pro-family state. The proposal has been among the governor’s priority bills in the past three years. It won nearly unanimous support from the House and Senate this spring.

Gov. Reynolds signs the families first bill (5-27-25)

Reynolds has until June 14th to take action on all the bills that passed the 2025 Iowa legislature. She’s recently approved a new graduation requirement for Iowa high schoolers. They’ll have to pass the same test immigrants must pass in order to become U-S citizens. Another bill signed by the governor yesterday (Tuesday) forbids community colleges as well as Iowa counties and cities from having diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

(Radio Iowa) – Two years ago today (Wednesday), an apartment building in downtown Davenport partly collapsed, killing three residents and injuring several, though an investigation into the cause of the collapse still hasn’t been made public. The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation report on the incident was completed in April of 2024, but it remains sealed. Davenport resident Ezra Sidran, a retired University of Iowa computer science professor, says the city may have played a role in the collapse.

“I and others have filed FOIAs with the Department of Public Safety for the DCI report, and we are hoping to get it this week,” Sidran says. “And I think that if we do get that DCI report, the city’s culpability will be pretty obvious.” Generally, the Department of Public Safety has ten days to respond to a Freedom of Information Act Request. The Iowa Public Information Board ruled that it is up to the Department of Public Safety whether to release the report.

File photo by Zachary Oren Smith, Iowa Public Radio

Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham refused to release the report, citing confidentiality concerns and what she said were threats to the building’s owner, Andrew Wold (WALD). Sidran says Wold has left the state.  “Mr. Wold has changed his name to Andrew Langel, has fled to Florida, has sold five million dollars worth of his property and is clearly not in any danger,” Sidran says, “so there’s no reason why this report should not be public.”

To date, no criminal charges have been filed against Wold or his companies.