(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird hasn’t said whether she’ll be campaigning for re-election as attorney general or running to succeed Governor Kim Reynolds. The crowd at this w Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition Spring event watched a video message from Governor Reynolds about her decision not to seek re-election and soon heard from Bird in person. “I will stand for freedom. I will fight for Iowa and we will fight alongside each other as we work to ‘Make America Great Again,'” Bird said, to cheers.

The event’s master of ceremonies hinted Republicans would hear more from Notf later, and Bird suggested she’s wrestling with the decision about her political future.  “I’ve had a verse on my mind. Sometimes as you pray, sometimes something comes to you, but one is, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’ Have you ever prayed that one before? We probably all have at different times, but I am certainly listening. I appreciate your prayers.” Bird touted a series of court rulings, policy changes and new laws at the state and federal level, but told the crowd the conservative movement has more work to do.

“We won those fights and I’m sure glad we did, but they’re never going to be over, are they?” Bird said. “We have to keep on fighting.” The Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s members are a crucial voting block for the Republican Party and many speakers at the event stressed the stakes in the upcoming mid-term election, which is typically tough for the president’s political party. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann predicted Republicans in Iowa will make gains in 2026.

“We are absolutely on a roll,” Kaufmann said, “and we are absolutely going to heights unknown because of this president.” Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley, another speaker at the event, praised Iowa Caucus-goers for their choice in 2024 and said he’d ask Iowa Republicans to again host caucuses as the lead-off event in the 2028 presidential campaign. “We need you to lead the way and make sure that we have a man or woman of faith who is going to continue the mission that Donald Trump has set us on right now.”

South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace was the evening’s keynote speaker.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she was intending to seek a third term as governor, but in the past couple of months she’s been weighing whether she could keep giving 100 percent to the job if she were elected to serve until early 2031. Reynolds spoke with a handful of reporters Saturday as a few hundred kids and grown ups roamed the grounds at the governor’s mansion for an Easter Egg hunt.

“I would be lying if I didn’t say: ‘I love serving Iowans as the governor,’ and so it’s hard to walk away from something that you love, but family comes first,” Reynolds said, “and they are everything to me.” Reynolds, who will turn 66 in early August, said she’s been happy to make her work as governor her number one priority, when her current term ends in 2027, she’s going home. “As I get older and my family is growing and my folks are aging, it’s time for me to pivot and to really put my family first and to be able to spend time with them,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds says the decisions she made during the COVID-19 pandemic are the most consequential actions she’s taken as governor, from reopening schools in the fall of 2020 to the televised news conferences she had that year. “Just really talked to Iowans every single day, being honest with them, tell them what we were facing, but ultimately to put my trust in them to do what was right and because we feed and fuel the world, we had to keep the food chain moving. We were essential,” Reynolds said. “…I just came out of (the pandemic) a different governor — appreciative, not afraid to move on stuff that I believed them, so if you see things that need changed, then you go for it…make the case, take it through the legislature…and hopefully convince them we should be going in.”

Governor Reynolds posed for photos with families who attended the annual Terrace Hill Egg Hunt on April 12, 2025. (RI photo)

The governor told reporters she’s “really proud” things like the tax cuts and state funded savings accounts for private school expenses she proposed are now law — but her decision to not to run for a third term is the right one. “I’m still emotional about it because I love it,” Reynolds said, fighting back tears. “I love what I’m doing and I love this state and I love Iowans.” Reynolds said every so often she’s struck by how surreal her rise through politics has been — from Clarke County Treasurer, to state senator, to lieutenant governor and to taking over as governor in mid-2017.

“I grew up in St. Charles. It is a small community in rural Iowa and even Kevin and I, still, when we drive up the drive we laugh sometimes because we can’t really believe that we’re serving in this capacity.” Reynolds says primaries are a healthy process for a political party and she will not endorse a G-O-P successor, but once Republican voters choose a 2026 nominee for governor, Reynolds says she’ll be all in and will campaign for that person daily. “It’s time to step back and pass that baton to the next person to step in,” Reynolds says. “…I think we’ve left the state in a good position, so I feel good about that as well.” Reynolds posed for photos with many of the families at the egg hunt.

Chad Thompson, the chief operating officer of a financial services firm, told Reynolds his family moved from Minnesota to Iowa in 2023. “She does a great job with her leadership and just leading the state in the right direction,” Thompson says, “so obviously looking forward to whoever replaces her in 2026.”

The 2026 General Election is 570 days away.

(Creston, Iowa) – Authorities in Union County say one-person was injured in one of two separate accidents last week. A passenger in a 1999 Ford Ranger  pickup truck was injured, when the 15-year-old male driver from Jefferson lost control of the vehicle while swerving to avoid a deer in the road. The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports the vehicle was traveling north on 240th Street (a gravel road) at around 10:30-a.m., Friday, when the accident occurred while the pickup was rounding a curve.

The vehicle left the road, entered the north ditch and struck an embankment before it overturned and came to rest on its top. The passenger, 29-year-old Ryan Mahurin, of Jefferson, complained of pain and possible injury. He was transported by ambulance to the Creston Hospital. The driver was not hurt, and no citations were issued.

The Creston Police Department says no injuries were reported following a collision Wednesday afternoon on Highway 34 east near S. Maple Street. Authorities say a 2019 Ford SUV driven by 29-year-old Ridge Casteel, of Creston, was stopped behind a vehicle turning north in the Creston Dairy Queen, when the vehicle was hit from behind by a 2008 Chrysler van that driven by 24-year-old Cynthia Theis, of Creston. Police said Theis admitted she wasn’t paying attention before her van hit the SUV.

She said also, her ears were ringing due to noise from the air bags being deployed. She refused medical attention at the scene, but reported later she was going to the hospital to be checked out for neck pain. Authorities said Casteel was uninjured in the crash, that happened at around 2:40-p.m., Wednesday.  No citations were issued.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council will hold what City Administrator John Lund says , “Is probably the most important meeting of the year, with the adoption of the FY 2026 Budget and Capital Improvement Plan.” He said also, that he does “not anticipate it being a short meeting.”

The first item of business during the Council’s 5:30-p.m.  meeting at City Hall, is action on passing “A  resolution designating the distribution of Sales Tax Revenues to various funds, for specific purposes.” Lund says the resolution includes minor changes and additions to a previous version presented to the Council on Feb. 19th, and now includes the new, long-term plan for the YMCA expansion and how the City intends to support the project. The resolution also incorporates (as it has in the past), allocation of the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), but a change in the formula for that will divert resources from the LOST Streets and Progress funds into LOST for parks, allowing for $188,050 to enter the  LOST Recreation Center (YMCA) Fund, in preparation to service the debt on a future 20-year, $2.5-million in revenue debt for the YMCA expansion.

Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett will preside, Wednesday, over the swearing-in of Atlantic Police Department SRO (School Resource Officer) Ben Sandy, who, as previously mentioned joined the police force earlier this month specifically for the SRO position. The Council will then receive a presentation from local Trees Forever representative Dolly Bergmann. They are expecting to act on re-appointing Judd Meneely to the AMU Board of Trustees, and then hold a public hearing on adopting the City’s (Tentative) Fiscal Year 2026 Budget.

City Administrator John Lund says the budget is “tentative,” because it will likely receive a significant budget amendment in FY26, pending legislative action (which may result in the largest overhaul of property taxes since the current system was implemented, according to Lund). Regardless of what that outcome is, the City must adopt its budget BEFORE the legislative session ends. The budget, as presented, proceeds on expectation the current system will remain in-place.

In summarizing the FY26 budget, John Lund says it totals $21,787,586 in expenditures, which is an increase of 15.94% (or nearly $3-million) from the FY2025 budget, with regard to expenditures. The City’s combined property tax levy will increase from $17.25/$1,000 assessed valuation to $17.85/$1,000. The Budget includes a 3% increase in compensation to all non-union City employees and Public Works Union Employees, and a 3.75% increase for Police Union employees. There are NO increases to existing, non-utility fees being proposed.

Following the budget hearing, the Council will act on passing a resolution adopting the budget, and then hold a public hearing on adopting the FY2026 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), followed by passing a resolution approving the CIP, which calls for more than $25.8-million in total improvements to the City’s physical assets (such as streets, major equipment, parks, storm water/sewer system and sewage/wastewater treatment plant).

In other business, the Council will discuss meeting rules and procedures, in light of a disagreement during their April 2nd meeting, with regard to amending the agenda and other such procedural matters. They will also act on passing a resolution pertaining to the sale of bonds and approval of a bond purchase agreement.

(Washington, D-C; Iowa Capital Dispatch) –  Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley introduced legislation this past Wednesday to increase enforcement of antitrust laws in the meatpacking industry, a step he said would help bring down the price of meat.

The Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act would establish a team of investigators in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, tasked with ensuring compliance with existing federal laws banning anti-competitive practices in the meatpacking industry. The investigators, working with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, would have subpoena power and be able to bring court action against meat packers and poultry dealers for violations of Packers and Stockyards Act.

A news release from Grassley’s office stated the measure was needed considering the substantial consolidation of the meatpacking industry in recent decades. Four companies currently control 85% of the beef market and 67% of the pork market, compared to controlling 36% and 34% of the markets respectively in 1980, according to Grassley’s office. Having four companies with such a large portion of control in the industry has “created a distorted marketplace through anti-competitive practices” at the expense of livestock and poultry producers, the news release stated.

Grassley said the bill, endorsed by the National Farmers Union and the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, will help Iowa livestock farmers while bringing down grocery store prices. “For decades, America’s Big Four meat packers’ anti-competitive practices have made it harder for Iowa cattle producers to receive a fair price,” Grassley said in a statement. “Our bill empowers USDA, in coordination with the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission, to crack down on bad actors, ensuring a fair and functional marketplace that supports everyone who produces and enjoys quality American meat.”

(Washington, D-C;  Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Iowa’s U.S. House delegation all voted this week in favor of legislation requiring states to obtain U.S. citizenship proof from people registering to vote in federal elections.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act passed the House Thursday on a 220-208 vote, largely along party lines, with four Democrats supporting the measure. Iowa’s four U.S. representatives, all Republicans, voted in support of the measure that would require people present proof of their U.S. citizenship to register to vote. Accepted documents would include photo IDs issued by federal, state or tribal governments that show a person was born in the U.S. like U.S. passports, or documents like a birth certificate or certificate of naturalization.

Voting in U.S. elections is already illegal for those who are not U.S. citizens. But members of Iowa’s federal delegation said the measure will prevent non-citizens from participating in elections — a common talking point for conservatives, including President Donald Trump, when questioning the integrity of American elections. The bill was passed weeks after Trump signed an executive order requiring citizenship proof for voter registration.

Voters cast their ballots Nov. 5, 2024 at the Redfield American Legion in Redfield, Iowa. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Rep. Randy Feenstra said the bill will help ensure election integrity. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who cosponsored the earlier version of the bill passed by the House in 2024, said in a news release that the bill guarantees “American elections should be decided by American citizens.” The federal legislation comes as Iowa state lawmakers sent a bill to the governor allowing the Secretary of State’s office to contract with federal and state agencies, as well as private entities, to confirm U.S. citizenship status of people on Iowa’s voter rolls, and that would allow voters to be challenged at the polls on their citizenship status.

Democrats have criticized the measure, stating that instances of non-citizens illegally voting in U.S. elections are rare, but that the proof of citizenship requirements will cause problems for many legal U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote — including married women who have changed their last name but not yet updated their name on legal documents. The measure must pass the U.S. Senate before heading to Trump.

(Iowa Capital Dispatch; Ames, IA) – Iowa State University has been awarded more than $2 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to carry out six research projects that will help prevent and combat animal disease outbreaks.

The Iowa awards were part of an announcement from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS, of $15.3 million for research that enhances preparedness, detection and response to “the most damaging diseases that threaten U.S. livestock.”

Molly Lee, the associate director of ISU’s Center for Food Security and Public Health, said the projects will generate free resources for producers and animal health professionals.

“Animal disease preparedness is a valuable investment that strengthens our food supply, ensures farmers’ livelihoods and protects public health,” Lee said in a statement. “Supporting animal agriculture with grants like these is a critical and efficient use of federal resources.”

Some of the projects build on general biosecurity protocol, like “Disinfection 201” which received $315,000 to further develop an existing online module with disinfection guidance for different species and diseases. The “just-in-time” project was awarded $447,000 to develop an on-demand library of information to expedite an outbreak response, and another would make general biosecurity protocol trainings more relevant to small and niche producers.

Iowa State University in Ames. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Enhanced biosecurity has been a common phrase over the past several months as the highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to impact millions of birds and dairy cattle nationwide. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins recently announced $100 million to fund research around treatment, biosecurity and prevention of the bird flu. That funding, which is open for applications until May 19, is separate from the APHIS National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, through which the ISU research was awarded.

Another ISU project was awarded $284,000 to develop training materials and workshops for preparedness against the Japanese encephalitis virus, which can infect humans and most domesticated animals, including swine. The virus is mostly present in Asia and has not been detected in the U.S.

The final two funded projects at ISU would increase biosecurity measures for horses and research around foreign animal diseases that could affect the aquatic animal industry.

The funding is part of the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program which was authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Republicans will now begin the process of selecting a nominee for governor after Kim Reynolds announced this (Friday) morning she would not run for reelection in 2026. Reynolds narrowly won reelection in 2018 in the middle of President Trump’s first term and Democrats won three of Iowa’s four U-S House seats that year. Reynolds — in a video announcing her decision not to put her name on the 2026 ballot — talked about her party’s prospects.

Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says the governor called him last (Thursday) night to tell him she had decided not to run for reelection.

Kaufmann says he understands why Reynolds made the decision.

Kaufmann predicts there will be a robust primary with “several” candidates.

Dave Kochel is a political consultant who worked on the governor’s 2018 campaign. He, too, expects several Republicans to consider running for governor in 2026.

Bird, who has been Iowa’s attorney general since 2023, had been scheduled to speak at a news conference this (Friday) morning around the time of the governor’s announcement and reporters were told she was not able to attend the event. Kochel, who got his start in politics in the 1980s when he worked on Terry Branstad’s campaign, says he’s happy for Reynolds.

In February, Republican Brad Sherman, a pastor from Williamsburg who is a former state representative — announced he planned to run for governor in 2026. Sherman issued a statement saying he’s prepared to lead Iowa into its next chapter — and thanking Reynolds for her many years of service to the state.

Many Republican elected officials issued statements today (Friday), too, but none indicated they were planning to run for governor.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s Insurance Commissioner, Attorney General and A-A-R-P director are going on another “Stop the Scammers” tour. Insurance Commissioner Dough Ommen (Oh-men) says they will visit 22 cities, including (in southwest Iowa), Council Bluffs.

A-A-R-P Iowa director Michael Wagler says it is important to stay on top of the latest scam efforts.

Wagler says scams vary, but there are some common elements that let you know its a fraud.

Ommen says the first scam helped them as people came forward and told them about things they had encountered. Ommen says bitcoin and investment scams continue to be prevalent, and their advice remains the same.

Ommen and Wagler talked at the first stop today (Friday) in the Des Moines suburb of Windsor Heights.

The Stop the Scammers 22-stop statewide fraud education campaign kicked off today (April 11, 2025) in Windsor Heights. (Photo courtesy Nick Meyer w/the LS2 group)

Other stops are set for Ankeny, Bettendorf, Burlington, Cedar Falls, Charles City, Clinton, Council Bluffs, Decorah, Dubuque, Fairfield. Grinnell, Iowa City, Marion, Muscatine, North Liberty, Pella, Sioux City, Storm Lake, Waukee and Webster City. You can find the full schedule at Iowafraudfighters.gov.

(Rural Cedar County, Iowa) – One person died and another was hurt during a collision in eastern Iowa this (Friday) morning. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a car driven by 36-year-old Zachary John Hutchinson, of Clarence (IA) was attempting to pass two other vehicles as he was traveling south in the 1700 block of Garfield Avenue at around 6:50-a.m., at the same time the driver of one of the other southbound vehicles, 37-year-old Michelle Renae Foulks, of Tipton, pulled out to pass a southbound Chevy pickup.

When Hutchinson took evasive action, his car made contact with the pickup and went into the east ditch. Hutchinson – who was not wearing a seat belt – died at the scene. A passenger in his car, 28-year-old Makayla Ann Casper, of Clarence, was injured and transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics by Tipton Ambulance. The patrol says she was wearing a seat belt.

The other two drivers were not injured. The Patrol was assisted at the crash site by multiple area agencies, including the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office.