MASON CITY, Iowa [KCCI] — A judge, Monday, unsealed part of a search warrant in the investigation into Iowa news anchor Jodi Huisentruit’s disappearance. Huisentruit vanished in June 1995. She was supposed to anchor the morning news at a Mason City station, but never showed up. The 2017 search warrant shows GPS tracking of vehicles owned by John Vancise. Vancise was an acquaintance of Huisentruit and deemed a person of interest during the investigation, but was never charged. He died last year.

The search warrant applied to a Honda Civic and GMC pickup truck, and any other vehicle operated by Vancise. The warrant shows one of the vehicles drove a route from Baxter, Iowa, to Phoenix, where Vancise was living.

Other details of the warrant are still sealed to protect the investigation.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, late Monday evening, arrested a man on an assault charge. Authorities say 36-year-old Cody Linn Hudson, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 7:36-p.m. in the 100 block of E. Market Street, for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense (A Simple Misdemeanor). Hudson was being held without bond, in the Montgomery County Jail.

(Iowa Capital Dispatch/Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa schools would have to show ultrasound videos and computer-generated graphics on fetal development in Iowa classrooms under legislation sent to the governor’s desk Monday. Senate File 175, approved 33-16, would require human growth and development classes for Iowa students in grades 5-12 include ultrasound video and computer-generated rendering or animations depicting “the humanity of the unborn child by showing prenatal human development, starting at fertilization.” The measure was modeled after laws in other states and similar bills brought up in previous sessions that referenced the “Meet Baby Olivia” video created by anti-abortion group Live Action, though the 2025 legislation does not mention the video by name.

The bill was amended by the House April 17 to ban materials on fetal development from being shown in classrooms if the entity that created it performs or “promotes” abortions, or if it contracts, affiliates, or makes referrals to organizations that perform or promote abortions. Democrat in both chambers said this amendment would lead to inaccurate and biased material being shown in Iowa classrooms, as most of the medical organizations that work on issues related to pregnancy and fetal development perform or provide referrals for abortions when medically necessary. The measure only refers to “abortion” at large, and does not exclude entities that only perform medically necessary abortions, such as in cases when the pregnancy puts the life of the mother at risk.

The Mayo Clinic, a Minnesota-based health care provider, was brought up as an organization that would be excluded from school material under the bill despite being a leading professional source on fetal development. Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, also argued that material from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics would be excluded, as the UI hospital system performs abortions to save the life of the pregnant person. Wahls also said material developed by other UI entities like the proposed “center for intellectual freedom” would also be excluded, as it is “affiliated” with UIHC.

Sen. Jeff Taylor, R-Sioux Center, said he preferred the Senate version and felt the House amendment was “probably unnecessary given the parameters of the original bill” — arguing that entities performing abortions would already be excluded from creating school materials under the original legislation, as the material is required to depict “the humanity of the unborn child.”

He said opponents were ignoring the language in the bill requiring the information shown in school classrooms be medically accurate and research-based. However, he said this material could show a “biased” view if they perform abortions or support access to abortions, pointing to guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to use the term “embryo” instead of “baby” or “unborn child” when discussing early stages of gestation.

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – A bill providing accommodations for pregnant students and new mothers will head to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk after passage Monday by the Iowa Senate. Senate File 288 would require state universities and community colleges to allow pregnant students or new mothers to take leave without penalty, reschedule tests and assignments and utilize other accommodations. The Iowa House sent the bill back to the Senate last week with amendments to specify qualifying students as “biologically female” and removing set timeframes for certain accommodations.

Despite his opinion that the House “watered down” the bill by changing the language and removing the 12-month timeframe for accommodations, Sen. Jeff Taylor, R-Sioux Center, said he’d still like to see it passed. The legislation would require universities to publicize their policies and accommodations for pregnant students and those who recently gave birth, Taylor said, ensuring instructors cannot decide for themselves whether to work with these students and provide support. “For that reason, I think there continues to be merit to this bill,” Taylor said.

The Senate concurred with the House legislation and passed it with a unanimous vote.

(Radio Iowa) – There was planting progress last week despite widespread rain.The U-S-D-A report says there were just two-point-three days suitable for fieldwork due to wet conditions. The corn planted was up 16 percent to 34 percent, and that is two days ahead of the five-year average. Soybean planting moved from eleven to 25 percent complete, which is four days ahead of last year.

The report says cooler temperatures have slowed the emergence of the seeds already in the ground.

(Radio Iowa) – A wayward driver did a lot of damage to a restaurant in Sioux City. Police Sergeant Tom Gill says they were called just before six a-m Monday. “When officers arrived, they found a 2014 Jeep Cherokee that was almost all the way in the front of the Brightside Cafe,” he says. Gill says the driver was somehow not injured. “Luckily, he had a seat belt on, and luckily, there were no patrons inside the restaurant or anyone walking around out in front of the restaurant. That could have been a very dangerous, very deadly situation.

The driver reported that he was on his way home and fell asleep at the wheel,” Gill says. Gill says the driver was checked out and let go. “They did not see any signs of intoxication, so he was released with a citation for failure to maintain control,” he says.

A man says he fell asleep and drove into this Sioux City Cafe. (Sioux City Police photo)

The owner of the Brightside Cafe posted a statement on Facebook saying they are grateful the driver was uninjured and they are cleaning up and trying to figure things out.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Stormy weather made appearances through parts of Iowa Monday afternoon and night. Strong to severe storms developed in western and northwestern counties, resulting in several tornado warnings, and which dropped hail and rain. A tornado warning that was issued for northeastern Cass County at around 8:45-p.m., was canceled at 9:20-p.m. or  about 15 minutes ahead of its expected expiration.

Eleven northwest Iowa counties were under a severe thunderstorm watch through 11 p.m. Monday, while other counties including Cass, were under a Tornado Watch until midnight. Lewis Firefighter Tim Pope sent KJAN a photo of a funnel cloud that appeared just west of Cold Springs State Park, at around 8:36-p.m., Monday.

Thunderstorm wind damage about three-miles west of Anita was reported at around 9:04-p.m. Monday, by a trained storm spotter, who said there numerous tree branches down, and nickel-sized hail.  Three-quarters inch (.75″) diameter hail (dime-to-penny-size) was reported in Adair a little after 9-p.m., Monday.

Complicating the situation, was the fact the National Weather Service’ weather radio system in Valley, Nebraska, was down during the storm events for mandatory maintenance, which means persons who relied solely on their weather radios for bulletins, had to rely instead on other forms of notification, including their local, county messages from Alert Iowa, and/or local media. The NWS Weather Radio out of Nebraska, which serves southwest Iowa, was expected to be down through Wednesday, April 30th.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that’s won approval in the Iowa legislature calls on Iowa schools to train all staff in how to recognize and respond to seizures and have at least one person on staff who can administer anti-seizure medication. Senator Dawn Driscoll of Williamsburg says her nephew Wyatt was diagnosed with epilepsy before he turned one.

“These are the words from my sister-in-law, Wyatt’s mother: ‘A student like Wyatt makes schools extremely nervous…We are lucky to have dedicated staff at Wyatt’s school…willing to take the training, but not every kid is as lucky as he is. It is this training that has kept Wyatt safe daily.”

Under the bill, the parents of children diagnosed with a seizure disorder, like epilepsy, would be able to develop “seizure action plans” with their child’s teachers and others in the school. Senator Tony Bisignano of Des Moines says his daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 14. “There is nothing worse than a child with seizure and if we can’t expect the school to keep our kids safe by being trained, then I don’t know where else we’d go,” Bisignano said. “I’d like to thank you for voting for this.”

Representative Ray “Bubba” Sorenson of Greenfield has been working on this issue for seven years. “My passion for the original bill came from my experience with my daughter, Indie, who had an hour-long seizure when she was two and learning about the more than 40 types of seizures that affect us,” Sorensen said. He says this latest version addresses some of the concerns raised by educators. It provides liability protection to school staff who respond when a child is having a seizure.

An estimated four-thousand children in Iowa have been diagnosed with a seizure disorder, but bill backers note seizures can be caused by routine things like dehydration, stress and even lack of sleep. According to federal data, one in 25 people will have an unprovoked seizure in their lifetime.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The President of the United States and the United States Congress haves declared the week of May 11-17, 2025, as National Police Officers Memorial Week. On Tuesday May 13th, at 2:00 p.m. the Clarinda Police Department will conduct a memorial service at the Clarinda Cemetery Armed Services Flag Stand/ Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to pay tribute to law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. American Legion Sergy Post 98 will provide a three-volley salute and Taps honor guard.

Clarinda Chief of Police Keith Brothers and his staff cordially invites the public to attend the memorial service and pay tribute to those law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty. 147 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2024 according to preliminary data provided by the FBI.

In the event of inclement weather, the memorial service will be cancelled.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five recent arrests….

On April 21st, 33-year-old Damian Blain, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Glenwood for four counts of Burglary in the 1st Degree/1st offense. His bond was set at $8,000.

On April 23rd, Mills County Deputies arrested 45-year-old Anthony Michael Baratta, of Council Bluffs, in Malvern, for OWI/2nd offense. Bond was set at $2,000.

And there were three arrests last Friday in Mills County: 40-year-old Denny Gene Reeves, of Hastings (IA) was arrested in Emerson, for Violation of a No Contact Order. (Bond: $300); 34-year-old Michael Allen Downing, of Pacific Junction, was arrested in Pacific Junction for Harassment in the 3rd Degree (Bond $300); and, 37-year-old Angelina Marie Schafner, of Nebraska City, NE, was arrested in Glenwood for Violation of Probation (Bond $1,000).

It should be noted a criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.