(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart says President Trump’s new import tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China will have a negative impact on Iowa’s economy. “It’s already hit the corn and soybean market and we can see what’s happening to the stock market,” Hart says. In a post on his “Truth Social” platform, President Donald Trump said the tariffs were being imposed on “external product” and the great farmers of the United States should get ready to start making a lot of products to be sold INSIDE the U-S. Trump closed the message by writing “Have fun!” Hart says the price for a bushel of corn fell by 22 cents by midday today (Tuesday).

“That doesn’t seem like fun to me,” Hart says. Hart says after Trump imposed tariffs in 2018 and 2019, other countries which had been buying American farm commodities started buying elsewhere. Trump authorized 61 BILLION dollars in tariff relief payments to American farmers during his first term. “Farmers are a proud bunch. We want trade, not aid,” Hart says. “This president got by with it last time. I don’t know why, but if he thinks he’s going to have the taxpayers bail us out again, that’s just poor leadership.”

Hart farms with her husband in Clinton County, near Wheatland.

(Radio Iowa) – House Speaker Pat Grassley says he and other Republicans in the Iowa House are standing firm on their plan to provide more money to K-through-12 schools than Governor Reynolds and Senate Republicans propose. “We’re still having conversations with the Senate and the governor. We’ve been pretty clear I think from the House perspective, as I’ve been sharing with the Senate and the governor that we feel pretty strongly about the package of items we’ve put together. At some point I think that could resolve itself with…deciding what should be a part of the conversation moving forward, what shouldn’t be,” Grassley says. “At this point in time, the feedback I’ve gotten from our (House Republican) caucus is they want us to hold strong in our position.”

House Republicans have voted to provide more money to help cover busing costs in geographically large school districts AND a one-time infusion of 22-point-six million dollar to help schools cover expenses that have been pushed higher due to inflation. House Republicans also propose letting smaller school districts share more administrative staff, as well as a general per pupil spending level that’s slightly higher than the two percent increase Governor Reynolds and Senate Republicans propose. “Obviously the senate and the governor being at two, I think a lot of schools are making decisions at two,” Grassley says, “but we’re holding tight at this point because we feel strongly about some of those other items.”

House Speaker Pat Grassley (official photo)

School districts must hold public hearings on budget plans and school boards must adopt a budget for the next academic year by April 30th.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department, today (Tuesday), released a report on those arrested during the month of February, 2025. They included…

On Feb. 27th:- 64-year-old James Cisar, of Atlantic. He was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Failure To Appear.

On the 24th: 43-year-old Heather Ott, of Atlantic, was arrested for: 3-counts of Unauthorized Use of A Credit Card (Under $1,500); Theft in the 4th Degree, and Fraudulent Practice in the 4th Degree.

On Feb. 23rd, Atlantic Police arrested 40-year-old Johnnie Payne, of Atlantic, for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense.

On the 17th, 25-year-old Tarek Punan, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault/Display or Use of a Weapon – 1st offense.

On Feb. 12th, 18-year-old Skyler Mack, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI/1st offense.

On the 7th of February, APD arrested 45-year-old Melissa Wheeler, of Atlantic, for Possession of a Controlled substance/3rd or subsequent offense.

On the 2nd, Atlantic Police arrested 30-year-old Shawn Jensen, of Atlantic, for OWI

and, on the 1st, 36-year-old Jonathan Paul, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

11 other people were cited into court for various offenses, including:

• 35-year-old Tyler and 34-year-old Trisha Clark, both of Atlantic, (Feb. 3rd) for Violations of a Compulsory Education Mediation Agreement/1st offense.
• 64-year-old Vickie Jespersen, and 67-year-old Keith Jesperson, both of Atlantic, were cited for Violations of a Compulsory Education Mediation Agreement/2nd offense.
• 18-year-old Caden Clarken, of Atlantic, for Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia.
• 20-year-old Shelby Rodenburg, of Anita, for Theft in the 5th Degree (Shoplifting).
• 33-year-old Troy Walker, of Atlantic, for PCS/Marijuana -1 st offense.
• 18-year-old Kaylynn White, and 19-year-old Shantell Michaels, both of Atlantic, for Shoplifting; Both were also cited for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, with Michaels cited for the purchase of alcohol by a person under the age of 21.
• 37-year-old Aaron Macias, of Atlantic, was cited for Shoplifting.
• 34-year-old Trisha Clark, of Atlantic, was cited (Feb. 11th) for Violation of a Compulsory Education Mediation Agreement/2nd offense.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County (IA) Board of Supervisors, this (Tuesday), approved setting the date and time for a joint Public Hearing with the Adair County Board of Supervisors, with regard to the vacating and closing a portion a of road in Cass County Grant Township, that crosses the County line. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken explains the road in question is 780th lane, a partial dirt and rock section.

The joint hearing will be held in two-weeks (March 18th), beginning at 9:05-a.m. The Board approved also, setting the same date, at 9:30-a.m., as the time for Public Hearing on vacating a portion (1,300-feet) of Quebec Lane, Massena Township, a level “B” road.

In other business, the Board approved an Iowa Dept. of Transportation Federal-aid agreement for a Surface Transportation Block Grant Program Project. Here again is Trent Wolken…

The project consists of a cold-in-place HMA (Hot Melt Asphalt) overlay on South N-28 (690th Street), in Cass County, from Highway 92 south, to the Adams County Line. The Board considered and then approved the purchase of a parcel of real estate at 58424 630th Avenue, for the purpose of a Secondary Roads Maintenance facility along Highway 71, south of Atlantic. Trent Wolken…

Wolken said right now, they have several buildings for the Atlantic District that are not in a centralized location, and this new facility would make it easier to house Secondary Roads equipment and supplies, and eliminate the need to tear down those aging buildings and replace each one separately. It would also give them space for an office. The Cass County Supervisors also passed the third amendment to the Ambulance Services Agreement between the County, Cass Health, the City of Atlantic, and Midwest Medical Transport Company. The agreement features an annual subsidy fee of $656,302.50, beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, with a potential shortfall collection amount up to a maximum of $75,000/year.

And, the Board approved the appointment of Krista Young to the SIRHA Board.

(Radio Iowa) – Blizzard Warnings and High Wind Warnings are posted for much of western and central Iowa for tonight (Tuesday) through tomorrow afternoon, and forecasters say Iowans should anticipate a significant impact on roads. Meteorologist Jim Lee, at the National Weather Service, says the large and powerful storm system is approaching Iowa from the southwest.  “It’s already spread some thunderstorms into the state early this morning, and we’re going to see more widespread rain filling in this afternoon and evening,” Lee says. “Then tonight, very strong winds are going to surge in from the northwest and change the rain to snow, and then we’ll have blowing snow and blizzard conditions by Wednesday morning.”

Lee predicts wide sections of Iowa could get three to six inches of snow from this system. “It will vary across the area. However, whether a place gets two or four or six inches, when the winds hit, they’ll be so high that it will produce significant blowing snow effects,” Lee says. “So, regardless of the amounts, we expect, widespread travel problems.”

Radio Iowa file photo

Lee says winds may gust up to 65 miles an hour, and with the blowing snow, white-out conditions may be possible. Forecasters are watching another storm system develop which could bring more snow to Iowa Thursday night and into Friday.

• What Matters to You? Community members will have the opportunity to share what health topics and concerns are most important to them.
• Shaping the Assessment – Attendees will help determine which questions should be included in the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment.
• Learning from the Community – What do residents want to learn more about when it comes to health and wellness?

This meeting is the first of many opportunities for community members to participate in the assessment process. Healthy Cass County is committed to ensuring broad input, with additional discussions and engagement opportunities planned in the coming months.

Healthy Cass County logo

(Radio Iowa) – A judge heard arguments Monday on whether a sealed search warrant as part of the case of missing Mason City T-V anchor Jodi Huisentruit should be unsealed. Attorneys representing private investigator Steve Ridge claim the warrant regarding G-P-S data for two vehicles connected to potential suspect John Vansice should be opened, since Vansice died in December and any investigation into his involvement has ended. Cerro Gordo County Attorney Carlyle Dalen opposes the motion, saying unsealing the warrant could hinder the investigation. Ridge attorney Nellie O’Mara believes not releasing the contents of the warrant hinders the case moving forward.

“They’re trying to get more help for the investigation, yet he’s not even willing to unseal a search warrant that may have information in there that people may know, that may be able to help out with the investigation,” O’Mara says. “I think he’s really contradicting himself there where he’s asking for help with the investigation but yet won’t release the information that may help with it.” Huisentruit vanished in 1995. Ridge attorney Jesse Marzen says the public has an interest in knowing what police are doing and it’s time to bring full resolution of the case with Vansice’s family.  Marzen says, “I believe that this family your honor also has an interest in clearing the name of this individual who lived the last years of his life under the cloud of suspicion and accusation based on this situation.” Dalen says opening the warrant will give the public facts and circumstances in the case that are not out to the general public, possibly hurting the investigation.

County Attorney Carlyle Dalen addresses a question from District Senior Judge James Drew as attorney Jesse Marzen looks on (Screenshot from pool video/KAAL)

“If you have a witness, or if you have somebody that comes in front of law enforcement at this point of time, and they say certain information, how do we know if they are accurate or not if this information is out to the general public?” Dalen says. “You can’t figure out if they’re telling the truth. But if only the officers know, and this is information that only the officers know, well then they can evaluate if that person is telling the truth. There’s a lot of reasons why all these facts and circumstances should not be given out to the general public.” Dalen says no portion of the warrant should be unsealed, and the fact that it’s been almost 30 years since Huisentruit disappeared should not factor into a decision.

“This investigation is no more slowed up because of anything, it’s a long investigation and very difficult, but it’s ongoing. In a lot of cases, you have new technology, you have new things that might draw light to your investigation,” Dalen says. “Sometimes you have some eyewitnesses that come forward at a later date. That’s why a lot of these people are here supporting it because they’re still involved, all these people, in this process.” District Senior Judge James Drew says he’ll issue a ruling on the case within 30 days.

DES MOINES – State Treasurer Roby Smith is kicking off March and the “unofficial” start of spring with a $1,000 ISave 529 giveaway. “Every Iowan should visit ISave529.com and register to win a $1,000 ISave 529 contribution,” said Treasurer Smith. “Investing in a child’s education is a gift that lasts a lifetime. Whether they become a doctor, teacher or pursue the trades, an investment in their education today will benefit them immensely in the future.”

Iowans can register to win a $1,000 ISave 529 contribution now through April 7. It takes as little as 60 seconds to register and give a child in your life the gift of education. In addition to educational benefits, ISave 529 provides individuals and families a tax-advantaged way to save for future expenses. Iowa taxpayers can deduct up to $5,800 in contributions per beneficiary account from their 2025 state income taxes. Earnings from ISave  529 plans grow federal tax-deferred and qualified withdrawals like tuition at eligible educational institutions, computers, supplies and more are tax-free.

Learn more at ISave529.com. Follow ISave 529 on Facebook, Instagram and X for current events and updates. For additional details, read the ISave 529 Program Description.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department say a Creston man, 41-year-old Carlos Rafael Rivera, was arrested today (Tuesday) at around 1:20-a.m., for OWI/1st offense. Rivera was also charged with Possession of a controlled substance/1st Offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana/1st Offense. Rivera was being held in the Union County Jail on a $3,000 bond.

Two people were arrested on separate charges Monday, in Creston:

A little after 10-a.m., 39-year-old Amanda Lea Jackson, of Lenox, was arrested on a Union County Warrant for Failure to Appear on an Assault charge. Jackson was taken to the Union County Jail and later released after posting a $300 bond. And, at around 11:50-a.m., 54-year-old Crystal Alaine Conley, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County Warrant for Failure to Appear on an OWI/1st Offense, charge. Conley was taken to the Union County Jail later released after posting a $500 bond.