(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds is suing the Des Moines Register over the paper’s public records request for email conversations among the governor’s staff and a West Des Moines city councilwoman who is president and C-E-O of Lutheran Social Services in Iowa.

Reynolds says her lawsuit is a move to protect the use of executive privilege for all Iowa governors of the past, present and future. According to the lawsuit, the governor’s office provided over 800 pages of documents to The Register, but withheld four documents “containing candid private advice and counsel from her most senior advisors.” The lawsuit reveals the newspaper had asked for emails with and about the head of Lutheran Social Services in Iowa. It indicates The Register gave the governor’s office a deadline of today, April 25th to produce the four documents.

A spokesman for the governor says she is confident the judicial branch will recognize governors have a constitutional executive privilege in Iowa to receive confidential communications and work product from their closest advisors.

(Radio Iowa) – A nonprofit that promotes soil and water conservation on Iowa farmland says federal grant money that was put on hold has now been released. Conservation Districts of Iowa executive director Dien Judge says they support 500 locally-elected soil and water conservation district commissioners. “These programs are really about the future and looking toward saving our precious natural resources here and making sure that farmers generations ahead of us will have the same opportunities we have,” he says. Judge says they can rehire staff laid off in February.

“What is means for landowners, farmers is that, if you’ve got projects you want to get done, there’s staff that can work on that,” Judge says. The nonprofit laid off 38 of 39 staff in February after the Trump administration froze federal funding. “Most of them are coming back, so we’re very happy about that,” he says.

Judge says Inflation Reduction Act funds are still frozen, but non-IRA grant money is coming through and invoices are being paid.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Page County Attorney James L. Varley, Friday (today) reported the following activities in the Iowa District Court for Page County for the week of April 7, 2025:

• 34-year-old Jason Lee Brooks, of Clarinda, appeared with counsel and pled guilty to Theft in the Fourth Degree. Brooks was sentenced to 6 months in the county jail. His sentence will be served at the Clarinda Correctional Facility where he is currently incarcerated. Brooks was ordered to pay court costs, surcharges, court-appointed attorney fees and a fine of $430.
• 31-year-old Colton Frank Sederburg, of Council Bluffs, appeared with his attorney, as well, and pled guilty to Burglary in the Second Degree. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The sentence was suspended, and Sederburg was placed on probation for 3 years. As a condition of probation, he will reside at the Residential Correctional Facility until maximum benefits are achieved. Sederburg was ordered to pay a fine of $1,370, suspended, and restitution.

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Officials with the Nodaway Valley School District in Greenfield have announced the selection of Mr. Logan Doty, as the new Principal of the Nodaway Valley High School. Doty currently serves as the Assistant Principal at the Fort Madison Elementary School. Prior to that, he was the Dean of Students at Ft. Madison. Nodaway Valley officials say prior to his administrative roles, Logan Doty taught 7th and 8th grade social studies.

Logan Doty (Ft. Madison CSD photo)

He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Culver-Stockton College in Canton, MO., and a Master of Science in Education Degree from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, MO. Mr. Doty said he is “Excited to join Nodaway Valley High School as Principal and become part of a community that values education, relationships and growth.” He said also that he “Looks forward to leading and lerning alongside out outstanding students and staff.”

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that could ensure severely injured police dogs get speedier care is way to the governor. Senator Cherilynn Westrich, of Ottumwa, says K-9 officers often do dangerous work.  “These highly trained dogs help seize drugs, sniff out explosives, detain criminals, locate missing people, and uncover forensic evidence at crime scenes,” Westrich says. “This bill allows an emergency medical care provider to provide veterinary medical services by diagnosing or treating a severely injured police dog.” Under current law, a vet has to be called to a crime scene to provide care to a police dog that’s critically injured. Under the bill, E-M-Ts would not be required to provide care to a police dog, but could volunteer to do so under certain conditions.

“The police dog must be on duty, the police dog has suffered a severe injury and treatment is immediately necessary to stabilize the dog,” Westrich said. Representative Mike Vondran of Davenport says the bill also requires E-M-Ts to treat all injured humans first before attending to an injured police dog. “Our police dog friends, our partners in law enforcement, quite often are put into some of the very most dangerous situations,” he said. “As a result they can often by wounded by gunshot, by stabbing, by slashing — very close contact injury.” The bill also provides liability protection to E-M-Ts who volunteer to treat a police dog wounded in the line of duty. Representative Eric Gjerde (JER-dee), a Cedar Rapids police officer, says during a recent training session, videos illustrated how K-9 officers often deflect a suspect’s attention from human officers. “One of the videos a perpetrator was stabbing at the dog rather than coming at the police officers with a knife,” Gjerde said.

While the bill would let E-M-Ts to treat police dogs at a crime scene, the injured K-9s could not be transported to a veterinary clinic in an ambulance intended for humans. The bill cleared the House and Senate with the support of 137 legislators. One lawmaker voted against the bill.

(Anita, Iowa) – Officials with the CAM Community School District today (Friday), announced Mrs. Shannon Almelien is the new CAM Junior/Senior High School Principal. Mrs. Almelien currently serves the South Page Elementary School as an Instructional Coach, Curriculum Coach, and K-6 School Counselor, where she supports both students and educators in achieving excellence.

Prior to her current role, Mrs. Almelien worked at the Clarinda Community School District as the 9-12 School Counselor, and previously the 9-12 Band Director, from 2003 to 2011. CAM officials say her diverse background uniquely positions her to lead with insight, empathy and a commitment to the holistic development of the child.

Mrs. Almelien holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, MO., and a Master of Science in Education, from Capella University, in Minneapolis, MN. With regard to her new position in the CAM School District, Mrs. Almelien said “I feel truly privileged and eager to join the educational team at CAM Jr./Sr. High School. Throughout the interview process,” she said, “It became clear that this school is deeply committed to supporting the concepts of team and family. I look forward to contributing to the school’s strong tradition of excellence, collaborations, and community.”

(Radio Iowa) [updated] – Hy-Vee is closing food production facilities in Chariton and Ankeny in late June, affecting over 450 employees. Hy-Vee’s Fresh Commissary in Ankeny has produced take-and-bake-pizzas, sandwiches, salads, bakery items and employs 332 people. Hy-Vee’s Short Cuts operation in Chariton employs 129 people who cut and package fresh fruits and vegetables. The facility is the nine-largest employer in Chariton. Both facilities opened in 2018.

A Hy-Vee spokesperson says the employees will be offered jobs at Hy-Vee stores as the company shifts back to making take-out food in stores. The company says the move will improve customer service as well as the quality and freshness of its sandwiches and other items that have been produced at the Ankeny and Chariton locations.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports a man from Afton was arrested twice, Thursday, with the arrests coming less than two-hours apart. 19-year-old Michael Joseph Cooley was arrested at around 6:40-p.m. for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order. While at the Union County Jail, Cooley was also charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana/1st offense. He was being held in the jail without bond on the Protective Order charge, and on a $1,000 bond for the Possession charge.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by Nishna Valley Mental Health on Thursday, April 23rd, 2025, to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new business in the lower suite under Atlantic Dental Center.

Jessica Richter, owner & founder, grew up and graduated from Elk Horn-Kimballton in 2008 and went on to earn her master’s degree in clinical counseling from Bellevue University in 2021. During and after graduation, Jes worked for different organizations within the mental health field and fell in love with helping others become the best versions of themselves. Fast forward to today, Jes is proud of the intimate setting she has created for her clients to feel seen, heard, validated and understood.

Ambassador (Left to Right): Chris Parks, Colt Doherty, Dr. Keith Leonard, Angie Bitting, BJ Hart, Jim Kickland, Rae Ome Conn, Jeff Christensen, Emily Kennedy, Dolly Bergmann, Krysta Hanson, Gary Richter, Jes Richter, Greg Richter, Sally Richter, Jovie Richter, Grey Richter, Jenner Richter, Alisha Wagner, Bristol Richter, Gabby Wahlert, Gage Richter, Lilly Richter, Tori Gibson, Josten Kilworth, Alisha Hass, Elvis Hass, James Kilworth, Kathi Kilworth, Kelsey Beschorner, Jen McEntaffer

Nishna Valley Mental Health is a private practice specializing in mental health therapy services that include cognitive behavioral therapy, Dialectical behavior therapy, play therapy, and couples and family therapy. Jes sees individuals of all ages, including children and teenagers struggling with behavioral issues, adults, couples and families. Her specialty areas are anxiety, depression, life changes, behavioral issues and mood disorders.

Nishna Valley Mental Health is located at 1404 E 10th Street, Atlantic.

To learn more about services, or to schedule an appointment, call 712-249-7054 or visit https://www.nvmhtherapy.com/

(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents has approved a budget of more than 81 million dollars for renovation of the Iowa Memorial Union. Regent David Barker was the lone vote against the proposal, which is largely funded by student fees. “I think the the regulation and funding of higher education is changing rapidly and I think it’s the wrong time to put future students in debt for this 80 million-dollar project,” Barker says. Barker says delaying the project is a better move.

“A time of rapid change like this, I think the priorities and needs of future students might be very different from today’s. A renovated I-M-U is not necessary now,” he says. “Pausing this project, I think, is a good place to start to prepare for a possible new world with less funding and less competition between universities to build the most lavish amenities.” The U-I says the fee was proposed and supported by the Undergraduate Student Government and the Graduate and Professional Student Government. U-I Vice President Rod Lehnertz talked about the project during the facilities committee meeting on Wednesday.

“It will address more than 55 million dollars in deferred maintenance and long-standing systems aging within that facility, which was originally built in 1925,” Lehnertz says. He says the renovation will be done in phases starting this year and running through 2027. The funding for the I-M-U will include 75 million dollars, with 100 to 120 dollars in fees per semester for undergraduate and graduate students. Six-point-four million dollars from the Student Health Services Reserve Funds will also be used.

The project includes the relocation and integration of student health, wellness and counseling into one location that would have a separate entrance.