(Anita, Iowa) – The CAM School Board held a regular monthly meeting Monday evening (Feb. 10^th), in Anita. Superintendent Paul Croghan said the Board acted on approving a resignation, a few sports contracts and a volunteer position.

The Board approved a Budget Guarantee Resolution for FY 2025-26

Public hearings on the budget will be set for March and April.

Paul Croghan said the CAM School Board discussed the Superintendent search timeline, which includes a meetings set for this Friday and Feb. 17^th.

And, the Board approved a shared Transportation position with the Exira-EHK Community School District. The Exira-EHK District will share their employee, with the costs split 50-50 between the districts.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County, today (Tuesday), discussed contracted wage increases for the County Engineer and Medical Examiner. Board Chair Charla Schmid said she and Vice-Chair Bryant Amos met with Engineer Karen Albert earlier. She mentioned Albert has not asked for a wage increase in 5-years she’s served as the Engineer, she’s only received the annual increase the County allows. Vice-Chair Bryant Amos made the motion to increase her salary 15-percent for 2026, based on her performance.

Supervisor Mark Peterson said during discussion, that the increase, while deserved, is a big jump compared to the three-percent increase other departments have received. Supervisor Alex Burton agreed.

Burton said a single-digit increase would “be more reasonable.” Karen Albert said she feel’s like she’s accomplished a lot over the years, and that the increase would be fair compared to what counties of a similar size as Montgomery, are offering their engineers.

Montgomery County BOS mtg, 2-11-25

Charla Schmid acknowledged Albert’s contributions to the County.

Supervisor Mike Olsen said the cost of hiring a new engineer would exceed a raise for Albert.

The Board, by a vote of 3-to 2 approved the increase as proposed, bringing Karen Albert’s salary from $127,000 to $146,000, per year. The No votes were made by Supervisors Peterson and Burton. The Supervisors in Montgomery County voted unanimously to increase Brian Hamman’s Medical Examiner wage for 2026 from the current $200 per call to $250.

Hamman doesn’t get paid extra for mileage or weekends, something that Auditor Jill Ozuna said hasn’t changed in years.

Supervisor Alex Burton said the ME might have to wait on scene for hours,

The Board’s next meeting takes place February 18^th.

JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) — Authorities have identified the man who died after falling through the ice at a Johnson County Lake. The Joint Emergency Communications Center received a call from an individual on a walking trail near the main boat ramp at Lake MacBride State Park around 8:50 a.m. Saturday. The individual reported broken ice, as well as a pair of gloves on the ice, and was concerned that somebody had fallen through.

Emergency response teams pulled a body from the icy water and transported it to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where the person was pronounced dead. Authorities have since identified the man as 85-year-old Jack Peacock, of Cedar Rapids. It is not known how long Peacock was underwater. The incident is currently under investigation by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the latest Iowa DNR fishing reports, the lake had “highly variable ice conditions” and “extreme care should be taken if venturing out on ice.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Police at the University of Iowa say the department has received at least two reports of sexual assault over the past week. The first assault was reported Tuesday, February 4th. According to a crime alert, the University of Iowa received a report of fondling during the evening hours at an east side residence hall. According the alert, the assault was perpetrated by an acquaintance.

The second assault was reported Sunday morning. According to a crime alert, the University of Iowa received a report of fondling at the Field House. Neither alert mentioned any arrests.

The University of Iowa says people who witness assaults or any other crimes, should report it immediately to UI Police.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Des Moines Area Community College will continue to review materials it has removed from its website relating to diversity, equity and inclusion after legislation that would bar community colleges from maintaining DEI offices was tabled, President Rob Denson told the college board of trustees Monday. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports the community college announced in an email to students, staff and faculty Jan. 25 that in response to uncertainty surrounding DEI and with federal and state actions being taken against it, “certain DMACC websites that may conflict with state or federal legislative action will be taken down until further notice.”

Denson said the removed online materials are being examined by the college to identify what information can be published again, a process which could take “several months.” According to the email, meetings of the diversity commission and DEI task force have also been halted until further notice, and training courses touching on DEI have been canceled. Denson said the Iowa Legislature, specifically the new House Higher Education Committee, are taking a hard look at DEI on college campuses. The Legislature has turned its eye to private and community colleges this session, considering bills that would prohibit DEI offices at private universities participating in the Iowa Tuition Grant program and add community colleges to legislation passed last year barring state universities from having DEI offices.

DMACC President Rob Denson told board of trustee members the college will review DEI language taken offline in response to legislative actions. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch

Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, tabled the legislation aimed at community colleges, saying colleges have already come into compliance with recommendations made by Community Colleges for Iowa relating to DEI, or are currently working on updating their programs. Denson said in the meeting the college is still focused on student success.

(Radio Iowa) – The search is on for this year’s edition of the Best Burger in Iowa. Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) spokesperson Kylie Peterson says they want the people who eat the burgers to make the nominations. “We are looking for our our followers, our consumers, to vote for their favorite Iowa restaurant and Iowa burger before March 10th, that is when our contest closes. So you have about a month to do that,” Peterson says. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is a co-sponsor of the contest. “We’re looking for a 100 percent real beef patty served on a bun or bread product. That is what the menu requirement must be for the best burger,” she says. “It has to be a restaurant in Iowa that is open year round.” You can vote by going to www.iabeef.org and look for “Iowa’s Best Burger” contest.

“On the nomination form, it’s listed in alphabetical order by town. And once you find your town, there’s a little drop down menu that you’ll select,” she says. “If you don’t see your restaurant listed under your town, you can scroll all the way to the bottom, and there’s a box where you can enter your restaurant name and city, and we’ll get that tallied up there, and it’ll count as a vote.” The top ten restaurants in votes will move on to the next round. “We will announce those top ten restaurants on March 17th, and then we’ll be sending out a secret panel of judges to visit each of those top ten restaurants, and they will be the ones that will be scoring those burgers,” Peterson says. She says the scoring is based on criteria like proper cooking, temperature, overall taste, and bonus points for experience. Peterson says the past winning restaurants have come from all over the state.

“So that’s kind of what is exciting about this contest, is we learn about new ones. We learn about some hidden gems and rural communities and some really popular ones in the big cities,” Peterson says. “And so it is a good way to kind of showcase and celebrate that culinary creativity that our Iowa chefs have, and then also a great way to represent our product that we believe is, you know, has an unbeatable flavor.”

They will announced the winner chosen by the judges on May 1st to kick off May as “Beef Month” in Iowa.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, Monday night, arrested 45-year-old Meri Ellen Kling, from Red Oak. She was taken into custody at around 10:55-p.m., for Driving While Barred. Kling was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest at around 11:10-p.m. Monday, of 46-year-old Joshua Duane Mohn, from Red Oak. Mohn was taken into custody on an active Pottawattamie County warrant for Driving While Barred. He was transported to the Pott. County Jail and held on a $5,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – About 100 people gathered at the statehouse Monday to rally against a bill that would grant some liability protection to pesticide and herbicide manufacturers. The bill cleared the Iowa Senate last year and is getting a rehearing this year. It would forbid lawsuits based on the lack of a warning about potential health risks if the product’s label complies with current federal regulations. Nancy Huisinga worked as a hospice nurse in Wright County for 20 years.

“Do we make chemical manufacturers be responsible for all cancer in the state? No. Do we stand up for people who have an illiness related to manufactured carcinogens and protect their right to take the manufacturer to court for damages? Absolutely, of course we do,” she said, to cheers.

Huisinga and others mentioned that Iowa is the only state where the cancer rate is rising. Rich Gradoville, a retired school teacher, taught at schools in New Sharon, Dyersville and the Des Moines area. He was diagnosed with bladder cancer two years ago. “What our legislators should be doing is working on bills that lower the risk for Iowans rather than working on bills that help the chemical companies protect themselves,” Grandoville said, to cheers. Dan Valentine of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement says the bill will make it harder for Iowans who’ve been harmed to seek justice in court.

“These multi-billion dollar companies doesn’t deserve another legal shield,” Valentine said. “That’s why I’m here. Fighting to protect our communities, our kids and our grandkids, so let’s let our voices be heard.”

A top Republican in the Iowa Senate says individuals who’ve been harmed should be able to file lawsuits to recover damages, but Senate President Amy Sinclair says the bill would impede money-grabbing class action lawsuits targeting ag chemical companies that have followed the law.