(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.”

(Lewis, Iowa) – The Cass County Conservation Board held a youth fishing derby at Cold Springs Park on Saturday, June 14, 2025.

Prizes were awarded for the most overall weight: 1st Breken Amos; 2nd Cillia Shinkle; 3rd Waylon Carrigan. Awards also given for heaviest single fish and longest single fish: Breken Amos;, and shortest single fish Braxton Miller.

The CCCB thank the businesses that donated items for the event: Weirich Welding for the trophies; Cappel’s Ace Hardware, and Scheels for prizes.

(From left to right): Cillia Shinkle; Breken Amos; Waylon Carrigan; Braxton Miller. (Photo courtesy Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning).

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors have a busy meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 17th. During their session that begins at 9-a.m., the Board is expected to receive a monthly report from Cass/Guthrie County Executive Director of Environmental Health, Jotham Arber, and a presentation from officials with Anita Economic Development.

The Supervisors will discuss Landus’ plan for improvements to their newly constructed anhydrous ammonia storage site south of their facility just west of Highway 71 (formerly Wickman Chemical). The plan includes a proposed 90,000 gallon NH3 (anhydrous ammonia) tank that will be relocated from a facility in southern Minnesota and place it just west of the existing 72,000 gallon tank, bringing the total capacity at the site northeast of Atlantic, to 162,000 gallons. The site plan conforms to IDALS requirements. Officials with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship have inspected the site, and according to the agenda comments, have no issues with adding the additional tank.

The Board will consider a counsel proposal from Ahlers-Cooney Attorneys, and act on approving resolutions adjusting the Medical Examiner fees and a Rural Transit System Joint Participation Agreement with SWIPCO/SWITA. Among the action items to come before the Supervisors, is:

• Renewing the contract of County Engineer Trent Wolken for three-years (June 20, 2025-June 30, 2028).
• Approving wages and salaries for FY 2025-26.
• Certifying the annual base salary of deputies appointed by elected officials (Treasurer, Recorder and Auditor).
• Setting the annual base salary of deputy sheriffs classified as “Exempt” & “Non-Exempt.”
• Setting the compensation for extra help and clerks appointed by principal county officers.
• Setting the annual salary and wages of non-exempt sheriff’s deputies and additional help and clerks.
• Setting the annual salary for the Jail Administrator position.
• and, setting the single- and family- non-participation rates for county health insurance premiums for Jan.-Dec, 2026.