(Radio Iowa) [updated 4:48-p.m.] – Counselors have been at each of the Webster City school buildings today after a high schooler was killed in a car crash on the way to school this morning.

The Iowa State Patrol says a John Deere tractor driven by 16-year-old Logan Baldwin of Webster City was struck by a car driven by 69-year-old Brian Vandeer of Webster City. The impact sent the Baldwin tractor into the ditch and rolled over. He was thrown from the tractor and died at the scene. Vandeer was transported to Van Diest Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

The Webster City School superintendent says Baldwin was on the way to school.

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG-TV) – A lawsuit claims the former head of the University of Iowa OB-GYN department secretly used his own sperm to get at least ten patients pregnant. The children only learned of the fertility fraud decades later. One brother and sister took an ancestry.com DNA test and discovered the father they grew up with wasn’t their biological father. Instead, their father was University of Iowa Health Care’s Dr. John Randall, who was the head of the OB-GYN department in the 1950s.

Iowa’s Fraud in Assisted Reproduction Act became law in 2022 as a way to hold medical employees accountable when reproductive measures are changed without the parents’ consent. But now the Iowa Supreme Court has to decide if the law can be used to penalize past actions. Doctor John Randall died in 1959.

The advocacy group ‘Right to Know’ had a hand in helping the Act get passed, and its founder said the law was intended to help all victims of fraud going forward, but especially providing closure to ones from the past. However, state attorneys didn’t interpret the Act this way because those children were born before the law existed. The Supreme Court has heard the arguments in the case, but it will take a few weeks for them to issue their final ruling.

AVON LAKE, Iowa [KCCI] — A man and a dog were rescued after falling through the ice on a lake in southeastern Polk County, Thursday. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and animal control were dispatched to Avon Lake around 4:45 p.m. on Thursday for a report of a dog that had fallen through the ice. While en route, a second 911 call was made, indicating that a man had gone onto the ice to rescue the dog and had also fallen through the ice. Authorities say a nearby neighbor saw the incident and used a small boat from the shoreline to slide across the ice to the man in the water. The man was unable to get into the boat, but was able to hold on until deputies arrived on scene.

With the help of local citizens and a Carlisle police officer, a Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy was able to throw a rope to the man and pull him to the shore. The man was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution, the PCSO said. The dog that had fallen into the water was also found and is OK. Authorities warned residents against walking onto ice in ponds and lakes as the weather warms up, and encourages precautions for pets for those who live near open water.

Firefighters practice ice rescue techniques in southwest Iowa (File photo – Courtesy of the Red Oak Fire Department)

In a separate incident, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man who died after falling through ice in Linn County Thursday afternoon. KCRG reports 46-year-old Brian Thomas of Marion died after he was taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the 8100 block of Chain Lakes Road, near Palo, at about 2:40 p.m. Thursday. First responders found three men on the bank of the lake near. The sheriff’s office said all three had fallen in, two had pulled the third man to the shoreline, but he was unconscious. First responders initiated CPR on Thomas who was unconscious. He was then taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The other two men were taken to the hospital to be treated for hypothermia.Thomas’ remains were taken to the State Laboratory for an official autopsy.

(Radio Iowa) – The President of the Board of Regents is responding to questions by lawmakers about whether the state schools have done enough enough to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. President Sherry Bates made a statement during the Board’s meeting Thursday. “We are all aware, D-E-I has been a central focus during the last two summers and legislative sessions. While we have made significant progress, we need to complete the work,” Bates said. Representative Brooke Boden of Indianola had specifically questioned information about D-E-I on the University of Iowa’s websites. Bates says the U-I has been taking action on the D-E-I issues, and cited an example.

“After working with the Board Office for the past several months, the University of Iowa announced that the three living learning communities will no longer exist after the end of spring semester,” she said. “We understand that some are upset, but to comply with the recent decisions, this is a path forward.” Bates says the efforts need to continue. “While there have been administrative eliminations and restructuring, the universities need to look again to see if there are additional changes that should be made. There has been work done on the university web pages, but a simple search shows there is a lot more work to do,” Bates said. Bates said it may appear to some that nothing has been done, she said this is not the case, but they must continue to work on it.

“I am directing the institutions to pull down any current or archived web pages regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. Once the pages are down, then the universities, in consultation with the Board Office, can determine what pages need to exist but rewritten,” Bates said. Bates said that all three universities have fulfill the February 24th request from the governor. “In her letter, the governor requested that by March 6th, each university identify any existing contract with the federal government that has D-E-I provisions along with the date of the agreement, contracting parties, dollar volume and an estimate of the percentage of the work to be completed,” she said. Bates says the Regents, university administrators, faculty and staff, must examine what they are doing now and what we will be doing going forward to ensure that they are following the spirit of the laws and executive orders on D-E-I.

Bates also mentioned bills in the legislature that would direct the Board to review programs and how they fit with the high demand jobs and workforce needs. “We do not need to wait for a bill. I am directing the Board Office, in consultation with the universities, to begin the review now and to have a full and complete report to the board by its November meeting at the latest,” Bates said. Bates said she knows that there are some who believe the Board and the universities move too slowly in being responsive to concerns that are raised, but said there are many examples to show that that is not true.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – A ban on open burning is in effect until further notice for Mills County. See the press release below from the Mills County Emergency Management Agency:

(Radio Iowa) – Most of Iowa is under a Red Flag Warning from noon today (Friday) through six o’clock tonight, as open burning is strongly discouraged. National Weather Service meteorologist Brooke Hagenhoff says there’s a critical risk as any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. “For today, we’ve got warm conditions in the upper 50s to low 60s. We’ve got really dry fuels out there, because it’s so early in the season that nothing’s growing, so all the grasses and things are dry,” Hagenhoff says, “and then on top of that, we’ve got really strong winds gusting 45 to 50-plus miles per hour.” The warning covers 91 of Iowa’s 99 counties, all but the far northeastern corner of the state. Hagenhoff says the warm temperatures, strong winds and dry vegetation will create a serious hazard.

“That combination is going to make it really dangerous for any kind of burning that goes on,” she says, “so we definitely want to take care and delay any burning until later this weekend or next week.” More big dips are coming in the weather rollercoaster Iowans have been riding lately. The forecast calls for high temperatures across much of Iowa’s southern half to be in the 60s today, while highs tomorrow may only be in the 30s. “Those ruthless winds are ushering in that cooler air with this cold front that’s going to be coming across here later on this evening, so that’s really the big push,” Hagenhoff says. “So, if you want to enjoy some of the warmer weather, get out there today and do that. It’ll be a little cooler on Saturday.”

The state Fire Marshal’s office shows active burn bans in only five counties, Mills County in the southwest, and four in eastern Iowa: Clinton, Linn, Muscatine and Scott.

DES MOINES – State Treasurer Roby Smith, today (Friday), announced fee reductions for five of seven investment options for IAble (Iowa’s Achieving a Better Live Experience) account owners. The already low-cost program now has lower fees from the previous record-lows set in 2022. IAble accounts provide eligible individuals with a disability an opportunity to have professionally managed investment options at affordable rates.  Smith said he knows “how crucial an IAble account can be to helping individuals with disabilities save for their expenses.” According to Smith, his announcement “is a step in the right direction as we work to provide professionally managed accounts for those who need them.”

Investment options for the Aggressive, Moderately Aggressive, Growth, and Moderate investment options fell to $3.00 (0.30%) per $1,000 invested and the Conservative option fell to $3.30 (0.33%) per $1,000 invested. The Moderately Conservative and Money Market investment options remain at $3.10 (0.31%) and $3.60 (0.36%) per $1,000 invested, respectively.

IAble, administered by Treasurer Smith, provides individuals with disabilities and their support system a way to save money while maintaining crucial benefits for federally means-tested programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. Funds from IAble accounts can be used tax-deferred to cover qualified disability expenses like assistive technology, support services, medical bills and more. For more details about IAble, review the Plan Disclosure Booklet.

Connect with the Treasurer on Facebook, Instagram and X to stay informed of updates and news.

(Cherokee County, Iowa) – A northwest Iowa school teacher who was convicted of harassment after being accused of trying to insert himself into a student’s sex life has been awarded unemployment benefits. A report in the Iowa Capital Dispatch says in July 2024, Cherokee Washington High School band instructor Joseph Vannatta pleaded guilty to a charge of harassment after being accused by police of engaging in a “scheme of conduct to insert himself in to (a student’s) sexual life.” Police alleged, the student felt he was being “groomed” to have a relationship with Vannatta.

Two months before Vannatta pleaded guilty in the case, he was fired by the Cherokee Community School District. He then filed for unemployment benefits, which the district challenged. A hearing on the matter was held on Feb. 1, 2025, with Administrative Law Judge Sean Nelson presiding.

Earlier this week, Nelson ruled Vannatta was eligible for benefits, finding the school district had not “met its burden to describe the specific incidents that allegedly violated (state law). The only specific act described by the employer, either in exhibits or through testimony, is (Vannatta’s) plan to have this student attend an honor band event in Cedar Falls. Though the circumstances of this student’s attendance at the event, given his poor grades, is suspicious, these circumstances do not prove (Vannatta) used his authority to sexually exploit this student.” In his ruling, Nelson noted the school district was unable to provide specific dates for the incidents in which Vannatta was alleged to have asked the student about his sex life. In addition, Nelson said, the district fired Vannatta before he pleaded guilty to a charge of harassment — which meant the plea couldn’t have been a factor in the decision to fire him.

As part of the 2025 legislative session, state lawmakers have advanced a bill that would alter the definition of “grooming” as used in the bill that was signed into law last year. That law defines “grooming” as the use of “digital or written communication to entice, encourage, or lure a child into committing a sex act.” The new legislation, House Study Bill 46, defines “grooming” as “the process of building trust or emotional connections with a student with the intent to exploit such student.”

Officials with the Board of Educational Examiners told lawmakers the Iowa Attorney General’s Office informed them the current law cannot be applied to cases where the suspect has not engaged in sex with a student.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Thursday, said the agency was investigating a wastewater discharge at the City of Fort Dodge in Webster County. On February 27th, the DNR Field Office in Mason City received a call from the City of Fort Dodge regarding a wastewater discharge due to a broken force main. The force main, which carries industrial wastewater from the city’s industrial park to the wastewater treatment plant, discharged the wastewater into a tributary of the South Branch of Lizard Creek.

DNR field staff responded to the incident, and upon arrival observed wastewater approximately two miles downstream from where the tributary empties into the South Branch of Lizard Creek. Repairs were underway at last report, and water samples were collected. No dead fish have been observed and the investigation is ongoing. The Iowa DNR will follow up with the city for further assessment.

To report a release after hours, please call the DNR’s emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of an incident. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports three recent arrests. At around 12:25-a.m. today (Friday), officers arrested 31-year-old Brandon Joseph Stone, of Creston, for OWI/1st offense. Stone was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

There were two separate arrests Thursday, in Creston: 26-year-old David Cortez Valenzuela, of Lenox, was arrested a little before 9-p.m., for Violation of Probation. He was being held without bond in the Union County Jail, until making an initial court appearance; And, 20-year-old Lucas Lynn Smith, of Creston, was arrested at around 6:20-p.m., Thursday, at his residence. Smith was charged with Harassment in the 2nd Degree, and held on a $1,000 bond.