(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Secondary Roads Department reports the Cedar Avenue railroad crossing, southwest of Adair, will be temporarily closed for maintenance, Tuesday. Cedar Avenue will be closed to traffic from about 9-a.m. until 2:30-p.m., Tuesday. (See map below)

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic FFA Banquet was held March 30th at the Atlantic High School. According to Atlantic FFA reporter Maddy Anderson, there were 195 members and guests were present at the event. The banquet started with the opening ceremonies, led by the 2024-2025 chapter officers. This year the officers include President Lola Comes, Vice President Lily Johnson, Secretary Lauren Comes, Treasurer Hayden Kleen, Reporter Maddy Anderson, Sentinel Frank Freund, and Student Advisor Joaquin Wailes.

2024-25 Chapter President Lola Comes said “The FFA banquet is a reflection of each members’ hard work, incentives, and dedication to the agriculture industry. [Members] spent the evening sharing [their] accomplishments and great food with parents, alumni, and current FFA members.” The opening ceremony was followed by a welcome to members and guests, and was given by President Lola Comes. Following that, dinner was held for members and guests. Wiota Steakhouse provided the pulled pork and the sides for the FFA members and guests. The Alumni chapter held a silent auction that raised over $1,300 for future scholarships.

Following presentations by guest speakers, awards were given out. First were those recognized for earning 10,000 FFA points throughout their time as a member. These points are earned through getting involved with our chapter. The more activities and events a member participates in, the more points they earn. Those recognized for reaching 10,000 points included Mia Kloewer, Lola Comes and McKenna Sonntag. The next award was the Academic Achievement Award. The award is given to those who have been a part of the Atlantic FFA chapter for three years, and have maintained a 3.5 GPA or above throughout all those years. Those who received the Academic Achievement Award included Carter Witzman, Lola Comes, Joci Zarbaono, McKenna Sonntag, Mia Kloewer.

10,000 point club

Honorary Chapter Farmer: Claire, Drew, Kim and Lola Comes.

Star Placement: Joaquin Wales

Star Farmer: Lola Comes

Star Greenhand Award: Walter Freund

After the Academic Achievement Award came the Star Greenhand, Star Ag Placement and Star of Ag Production Awards. The Star Greenhand is awarded to a freshman who the chapter officers feel was the most involved with the chapter in the past year. The award was given to Walter Freund. The next award, Star Ag Placement, is an award given to a member that has done an exceptional job in their employment, whether that be in or out of agriculture. The award was presented to Joaquin Wailes. Finally, the star Ag Production was awarded to Lola Comes for her dedication to Agriculture, the FFA and work on Comes Farms.

This year also, new officers for the 2025-2026 term elected two members to receive the Atlantic FFA Leadership Award, which is given in appreciation to those who have shown leadership through their years in FFA. The two members who received the award were Mia Kloewer and McKenna Sonntag. The officers elected the Drew & Kim Comes Family to receive the Honorary Chapter Farmer award. That award is given to people who have played a large role in helping the Atlantic FFA chapter and the activities they do.

16 FFA members were given the Discovery Degree. The Discovery Degree is awarded to members who are finishing their 8th grade year of schooling, and have been involved in FFA for one year. Those that have been involved for one year of high school Ag, received the Greenhand Degree, which was given to 20 members. Next came 17 members who were Chapter FFA degrees, which are given to members who have been involved in FFA for 2 years since being in high school, or members who have been in FFA for three years including their 8th grade year.

The banquet concluded with the installation of new chapter officers. For the upcoming 2025-2026 year, the new officers include the following: Lauren Comes as President, Frank Freund as Vice President, Lily Johnson as Secretary, Hayden Kleen as Treasurer, Maddy Anderson as Reporter, Keston Schmitt as Sentinel, and Claire Schroder as Student Advisor.

(Waterloo, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a man admitted to the Waterloo Residential Facility, failed to report back to the facility as required, Sunday. 32-year-old Jayvon Roosevelt Sanford II, who was convicted of Willful Injury, Going Armed with Intent, and Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon in Black Hawk County, was admitted to the work released facility on Oct. 24th, 2024.

Sanford II is a five-feet seven-inches tall, 315-pound Black Male. (See his picture, below). Persons with information on Sanford’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Jayvon R. Sanford, II (IA DOC photo)

(Radio Iowa) – Roads, including a section of the Avenue of the Saints, are closed this (Monday) morning in the vicinity of last night’s fire just outside of Charles City. Close to 70 firefighters from Charles City and seven other area departments battled the blaze at Hawkeye Mold and Design, with the initial call coming in just after 8:30 PM Sunday. Mutual aid was also provided by various public safety agencies. At about 11:30 PM, officials deemed conditions unsafe due to several stored materials within the structure, requiring the evacuation of all personnel from the immediate scene to a safe location.

Residents within a half mile of the fire in the downwind direction were told to evacuate by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office. There is no immediate danger to the public outside of the scene and evacuated area. Several agencies remain on scene to monitor the situation.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department reports multiple arrests occurred over the past three days (Friday through Sunday). Thre people were arrested on separate charges, Sunday: 22-year-old Noemy Aguirre, of Creston, was arrested for allowing an animal to run At Large. She was cited and released from the scene on a Promise to Appear in court; 55-year-old Rhonda Jane Thompson, of Corning, was arrested in Creston Sunday morning, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was also cited and released from the scene on a Promise to Appear in court.; 21-year-old Payten Renae Jurgensen, of Creston, was arrested Sunday for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. She was released by the Magistrate on her Own Recognizance.

Five people were arrested Saturday, in Creston: 24-year-old Jose Reynol Marroquin, of Hidalgo, TX, and 52-year-old Eric Dennis Shawler, of Creston, were arrested for OWI/1st offense. Both were released after posting a $1,000 bond, each; 48-year-old Travis Quinn Wambold, 37-year-old Wesley Gene Keller, Jr., and 46-year-old Robert Todd Jackson, all of Creston, were arrested Saturday on separate Driving While Suspended charges. All three were cited and released from the scene on a Promise to Appear in court.

Friday night, Creston Police arrested 38-year-old Cory Scott Laird, of Creston, for OWI/1st offense. He posted a $1,000 bond, and was released. 19-year-old Brooklyn Michelle Roberts, of Creston, was also arrested Friday night. She was charged with Failure to Appear. Roberts was transported to the Adams County Jail and later released on a $3,000 cash-0nly bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is the co-author of a letter urging the U-S Secretary of the Interior to designate a fertilizer — potash — as a critical mineral. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the House and Senate have signed onto Ernst’s letter. Potash was removed from the U-S Critical Minerals List during the Biden Administration. Ernst, Grassley and other lawmakers say putting it back on the list will support increased production of potash in the United States.

Only 15 percent of the potash used in the U-S is produced here, the rest is imported — mainly from Canada.

(Radio Iowa) – Another U-S-S Iowa has joined the U.S. Navy’s fleet. The nuclear-powered submarine is the fourth Navy vessel to bear the U-S-S Iowa name and it was commissioned this weekend at a ceremony in Connecticut, where it was built. Former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack was selected to give the crew the traditional order to man the ship.

Vilsack has a family connection to the U-S-S Iowa battleship which was launched at the beginning of World War II.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says the U-S-S Iowa is part of a proud tradition.

Admiral Daryl Caudle — the commander of the U-S Navy Fleet — says it feels natural to have a warship named Iowa back on the Navy register.

The U-S-S Iowa is equipped with stealth technology to obscure it from radar and sonar — and the submarine’s motto is “fear the ghost.” It can carry up to 135 officers and enlisted sailors.

(Radio Iowa) – The weather has been on an up and down warm to cold and back again cycle in recent weeks. State climatologist Justan Glisan says the short term outlook is still split. “What that means is we’re not getting a clear signal, and we’re in a transition from a weak La Nina back towards what we call ENSO neutral, or between El Nino and La Nina,” Glisan says. He says there’s a little stronger indication as we get deeper into April. “We are seeing a warmer signal develop towards the middle of the month, but also a leaning drier signal,” he says.

Glisan says the current projection would bode well for farmers. “A warmer and dryer signal would be a good window for field work to get started for our farmers out there that are itching to get the planters out,” Glisan says.

March was the first month so far this year to see above normal precipitation.

(Radio Iowa) – A month from today (Monday), some Iowans may find their driver’s license is no longer an acceptable form of I-D if they’re planning to get on a commercial flight. Starting on May 7th, travelers will be required to have what’s known as a REAL I-D or another acceptable form of identification to fly, though Triple-A spokesman Brian Ortner says the majority of Iowans have likely already made the switch. “It’s a level of security that allows people to get on a commercial airplane or enter a federal building,” Ortner says. “It looks just like your driver’s license right now, and a great way to check is look at your driver’s license. See if there’s a gold star in the top right corner of your card. If there is, you have a REAL ID.”

The ball started rolling on this process when the REAL I-D Act was passed by Congress in 2005 on a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission. Several deadlines to require the stronger I-D have been pushed back, but Ortner says that’s unlikely now. For some Iowans, he notes, a REAL I-D may never be needed. “It’s not necessarily required. I mean, if you’re not going to be flying anywhere on a domestic flight or entering a federal facility, you don’t need the REAL ID,” Ortner says. “If you just drive, you vote, purchase alcohol or cigarettes, you don’t need the REAL ID. It really comes down to that, if you’re going to be on a flight or in a federal building.” The requirement also extends to anyone wanting to access federal facilities like military bases and nuclear facilities. If you don’t have the gold star on your license and want to get set up with a REAL I-D, Ortner says you’ll need proof of identity, like a passport, proof of Social Security, and a way to verify where you live.

The “Real ID” has a gold star in the upper right corner (IA DOT sample photo)

“Have some pieces of mail with you, like an electric bill or utility bill or a statement from a medical facility that has your address on it, just so you can have verification of your address,” Ortner says. “And you only have to go through the REAL ID process one time. So if you’re up for renewal of your driver’s license before May 7th, it’s the perfect time to do it, if you’re not in place right now with the REAL ID.”

Learn all about what’s required to get a REAL I-D and how it can be used at the Iowa D-O-T website. (https://iowadot.gov/mvd/realid/)

NEWTON, Iowa (KCRG) – A central Iowa family is pushing for fentanyl suppliers to spend life in prison. House File 792, also called Kristen’s Law, would charge people with first-degree murder if they distributed fentanyl and killed someone. Kristen’s family says they want to prevent another family from experiencing pain like theirs.

Kristen’s mother, Shannon Allen, told KCRG that her daughter was in recovery for a heroin addiction. In July of 2023, Kristen relapsed. She thought she was buying heroin., but when the came autopsy back, it was 97.5% fentanyl and the other 2.5% was fentanyl fillers, Allen said.

Shannon is now trying to get “Kristen’s Law” passed. It would charge anyone dealing fentanyl resulting in death with first-degree murder. A dealer would spend life in prison.

Friday was the second funnel deadline for this year’s legislative session, narrowing down what bills can become law. House File 792, also known as Kristen’s Law, will not advance this year. The family said even if the bill isn’t signed into law this session, they will keep pushing for Kristen’s law. Allen asks those in support of the bill to write in to their state representatives.