Atlantic, IA — Officials with Cass Health have announced that Physician Assistant Max Starlin is the newest recipient of the Cass Health Spirit of Volunteerism Award. This award was established to recognize the volunteer efforts of Cass Health employees in their communities.

Starlin and his wife Jordan have been members of Griswold Fire & Rescue for five years. He serves as a firefighter, and she serves as an EMT. Their commitment to Griswold Fire & Rescue includes monthly meetings, trainings, ongoing education, fundraising, and responding to calls.

Starlin received two separate nominations. The first stated, “His willingness to drop everything and assist during emergencies is a testament to his selflessness and courage. He inspires others through his work ethic and willingness to help, whether it’s during training sessions or in emergency calls.”

The second nominator wrote, “As if being a health care provider was not enough to take up most of Max’s days, he finds the time to give back to our community by protecting our homes and farms from fires and responding to search and rescue calls. They can be called out at any time for mutual aid to neighboring fire and rescue departments … and they undergo rescue training that includes responding to motor vehicle accidents, extrication, ice rescue, ropes and grain bins. Fires or accidents can result in tragic events, and only if something happens to us, a loved one or a neighbor do we think about how fortunate we are to have our fire and rescue departments and the people who volunteer their time to train and respond like Max Starlin.”

Starlin responded, “I don’t expect to be recognized as a volunteer. It’s nice, but I don’t do it for those reasons. I volunteer because I grew up in the Griswold community, and now it’s my turn to give back. Jordan and I talked about it for years, and we finally got to a point in our life a few years ago where we felt settled and like it was the right time for us to start into our training and volunteering,” said Starlin.

Max Starlin is the newest recipient of the Cass Health Spirit of Volunteerism Award

As to what he loves about his volunteer role, Starlin said, ”it’s the camaraderie. It’s a brotherhood/sisterhood where you make friends, and you form deep bonds, often with people that you never thought you would. You work in challenging situations and circumstances you would otherwise not be in, and it takes a lot of trust to work together. It’s really rewarding,” he said.

As part of the Spirit of Volunteerism Award, the winner receives a $250 check to donate to the non-profit organization of their choosing. Starlin chose Griswold Fire & Rescue and presented the check to Fire Chief JC Wyman at their May meeting.

DES MOINES – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections said today (Wednesday), 27-year-old Dyrrel Malik Thornton-Culbertson, who was convicted of Burglary 3rd Degree, Robbery 2nd Degree, Habitual Offender (Property), and Conspiracy/Commit Forcible Felony in Union County, failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines Re-Entry Facility as required on Tuesday, May 20.

Thornton-Culbertson is a 6-foot 2-inch tall, 192-pound Black male. He was admitted to the work release facility on Feb. 7, 2025. Persons with information on Thornton-Culbertson’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Dyrrel Malik Thornton-Culbertson

For more information on the state’s work release program, please see Iowa Code 904.901-904.910.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (May 16, 2025) – The Iowa National Guard will host a statewide Command Retreat on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Camp Dodge, bringing together leaders from across the state to honor Memorial Day, recognize exceptional service members, and celebrate two major milestones: the 250th Birthday of the United States Army and the 40th Anniversary of the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum.

The retreat will include formal remarks from Major General Stephen Osborn, the Adjutant General of Iowa, and other senior military leaders. The ceremony will provide a moment of reflection and unity, honoring the values of service, sacrifice,
and leadership that define the Guard’s mission.

In addition to recognizing top-performing service members from the past year, the event will commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250 years of service to the nation. This significant milestone celebrates the Army’s enduring legacy and reaffirms the Iowa
Army National Guard’s commitment to protecting both state and country.

Following the Command Retreat, the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum will host a 40th Anniversary Open House from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Education Center. Free and open to the public, the open house will feature:

• Living History Detachment members in period uniforms from the Revolutionary War through present day
• Guided tours and access to extensive exhibit galleries chronicling Iowa’s military heritage from 1803 to today
• Opportunities to engage with museum staff, volunteers, and board members
• Complimentary refreshments

Visitor Information:
All guests should enter Camp Dodge through the main gate located at 7105 NW 70th Avenue, Johnston, Iowa. A valid photo ID is required for individuals 16 years and older.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Officials with the Glenwood Police Department report the arrest on Tuesday (May 20), of 34-year-old  Katie Christie, of Glenwood. Christie was arrested on a Mills County Warrant. She posted bond and was released.

(Radio Iowa) – Bicycling enthusiasts will hold somber rides in six Iowa communities tonight as part of an international movement called the Ride of Silence.

Iowa Bicycle Coalition executive director Luke Hoffman will be speaking prior to the 21st annual ride in Des Moines, which aims to memorialize and call attention to the cyclists who were injured or killed in collisions with motor vehicles over the past year.

“We do a reading of the folks who have been hit and killed since the last Ride of Silence, so we list all those folks out,” Hoffman says, “and then we proceed from there to do kind of a demonstration, so for every person whose name is read, somebody walks up onto this area and then lays down to represent the person who’s been hit.”

After the short program, everyone gets on their bikes for a deliberately slow group trek through town.

Bike Iowa image from last year’s Des Moines ride

Hoffman says, “We kind of do a slow ride and as the name indicates, it’s a silent ride where we’re very slow, almost like a funeral procession, to remember those who have been hit and killed.”

Four cyclists were killed by vehicles in Iowa last year. In a typical year, another 350 cyclists are injured in such collisions, but an official with Bike Iowa says the actual number of injuries may be three times higher, as police reports aren’t always filed.

Hoffman says Iowa cyclists scored a significant victory with this year’s passage of the so-called Hands Free law by state legislators. It will allow law officers to pull over and warn anyone holding a cell phone while driving, and beginning in January, fine them up to $100. While that’s a deterrent to distracted driving, Hoffman says the work isn’t done.

“Iowa is one of the 13 states that does not have a safe passing law, meaning, a defined and reasonable distance for a vehicle passing a bike,” he says. “We’ve been arguing for many years for a full lane, but we’d of course love just something — three feet, six feet — to help protect people. We know that this is important because the number-one reason why people are getting killed is because someone was passing too closely.”

Along with Des Moines, Rides of Silence are also being held tonight in: Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Charles City, Mason City and Sioux City. In addition, rides are being held in more than 200 cities across the U.S. and in at least 15 other countries.

(Radio Iowa) – It’s college commencement season, and thousands of new graduates will be entering the world of work. Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says the state historically does see a little bump in job numbers as college students.  “Sometimes those are offset because you get the school bus drivers who all go on vacation in the summer months, so they all file for unemployment. And so sometimes that can offset your numbers a little bit,” she says. Townsend says some graduates already have jobs lined up, but there are plenty of opportunities for those who don’t.

“But we do hope that they all stay, and I went, we have, you know, 48-thousand open jobs posted on iowaworks.gov. So there are a lot of great jobs to be had,” Townsend says. “People think that jobs posted on iowaworks.gov are not great jobs. They are, they’re in every industry we have in Iowa. Townsend says the jobs are with some top companies in the state. “A lot of them are high wages, so there are a lot of great opportunities, and so college graduates should expect, if they haven’t already found a job, that they’re going to have a lot of opportunities once they actually start looking,” Townsend says.

Townsend says employers of all types are looking for qualified people to fill their open positions.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday, May 20) to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to public court documents, Jason Douglas Ringold, 26, while on parole through the State of Iowa, was responsible for the distribution of more than ten pounds of methamphetamine and illegally possessing and selling firearms. Ringold conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Quad Cities with co-conspirators, Rosston Tate, 40, and Kyle Ogden Antle, 23, both Quad Cities residents. After completing his term of imprisonment, Ringold will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

In December 2024, Tate received a 20-year sentence, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. In March 2025, Antle also received a 20-year prison sentence and a five-year term of supervised release. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, Iowa Department of Public Safety—Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Rock Island Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and Bettendorf Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

AMES, Iowa – May 21, 2025 – Life provides us endless learning opportunities, and traveling around our beautiful state can be quite educational, not to mention fun. To help you navigate Iowa’s highways and byways, one of the Iowa Department of Transportation’s most popular publications, the printed version of the 2025-2026 Iowa Transportation Map, is now available.

The 2025-2026 Iowa Transportation Map features a Monarch butterfly on the cover panel. Interstate 35 has been named the Monarch Highway to celebrate this iconic butterfly species and the migration route that it shares with motorists along the I-35 corridor. Seven bridges between Ankeny and Ames on I-35 are being rebuilt, and will feature a unique Monarch butterfly wing pattern designed into the brickwork to commemorate the role this pathway plays in nature.

You can pick up a copy of the 2025-2026 Iowa Transportation Map at Iowa DOT’s driver’s license service centers, county treasurer’s offices, all six Iowa DOT district offices, Iowa’s welcome centers, and the state’s rest areas.

An electronic version of the map is available to view, print and download at iowadot.gov/travel-tools/maps along with a mobile app version, and a link to order the map.

The Iowa Transportation Map shows all highways, airports, rail lines, lakes, rivers, and major county roads. Detail maps are shown for the state’s 16 largest cities that identify highways, major streets, and city boundaries. The map information also includes a chart to find mileage between select Iowa cities; and an index listing the cities shown on the map, along with their populations and map location.

Because the transportation system is always changing, the Iowa DOT makes several hundred changes to the map with each printing. While the map is printed every two years, the online and mobile app versions are updated annually.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Page County Attorney, James L. Varley, today (Wednesday, May 21) issued a report on activities in the Iowa District Court for Page County, during the week of May 5, 2025:

Andrew William Berner, age 55, of Council Bluffs, appeared by counsel admitted to violating his probation and was found in contempt of court. Berner previously pled guilty to Forgery and received a Deferred Judgment. That Deferred Judgment was revoked, and Berner was sentenced to 5 years of incarceration and fined $1,025. Both the term of incarceration and the fine were suspended, and the Berner was placed on probation for 2 years. He was sentenced to 30 days in the Page County Jail for contempt and ordered to pay court costs, surcharges and court-appointed attorney fees.

Mary Irene Cook, age 63, of Council Bluffs, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Count I, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Methamphetamine 1st Offense; and Count II, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Marijuana, 1st Offense. Cook was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with all but 3 days suspended, on Count I and 2 days in jail on Count II. The sentences shall run concurrently with each other and Cook will be placed on probation for 9 months. She was fined $430 on each count, which was suspended, and ordered to pay court costs, surcharges and court-appointed attorney fees.

Page County Courthouse

Joseph Robert Luethje, age 49, of Clarinda, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Failing to Report a Violation of Iowa Code Section 719.7, Possessing Contraband. He was sentenced to 2 years of incarceration, which will run consecutively to his present term of incarceration. Luethje was fined $855, the fine was suspended, and he was ordered to pay court costs, surcharges and court-appointed attorney fees.

Nicholas Ryan Pruett, age 34, of Clarinda, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Criminal Mischief, 3rd Degree. Pruett was sentenced to 180 days of incarceration, with credit given for time served, and fined $855. The fine was suspended and he was ordered to pay court costs, surcharges, court-appointed attorney fees and restitution.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State University Extension’s annual survey shows the first statewide decline in cash rental rates for farmland since 2019. Rental rates went up nine percent in 2023 and were stable last year. Ann Johanns, a program specialist with I-S-U Extension, says the average drop this year is eight dollars per acre. “I think it was probably what we were kind of expecting to see for 2025’s rents,” she says.
The survey does not seek information about cash rental rates for individual farms. Farm operators, landowners, realtors and professional farm managers are asked instead about cash rental rates for cropland in their counties. Cash rental rates for corn and soybean fields dropped in 68 out of Iowa’s 99 counties.

“Almost all the crop reporting districts were down slightly except for the southeast corner of the state,” Johanns says. “It’s kind of hovered around $250 an acre the last few years and it was up just a couple of dollars at $254 (an acre).” The biggest decrease was in south central Iowa, where rental rates for cropland fell nearly seven percent.

The statewide average rental price per acre for rented farm ground was 271 dollars this year. Landowners rent nearly six out of every 10 acres of cropland in Iowa.