(Radio Iowa)  – Today (Friday) is former Governor Terry Branstad’s last day as president of the World Food Prize. “But I intend to still be involved as a volunteer and I want to do what I can to help,” Branstad says. Branstad says one of his accomplishments has been reconnecting the World Food Prize with the work of Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug, the agricultural scientist who founded the World Food Prize in 1986.

“We’ve taken the staff and many other people up to see the Borlaug farm where he grew up in Howard County and we were in Mexico this year, next year we’re going in India and the year after to Africa, tracing where Borlaug did a lot of his research.” Branstad, who turned 78 this past November, grew up on a farm near Leland. He served nearly 22 and a half years as governor — the longest tenure ever for an American governor. He was the nation’s oldest governor in 2017 when he left office to become U-S Ambassador to China. When he was first elected governor, Branstad was just 36 years old — the nation’s youngest governor.

“It was a difficult year, 1982,” Branstad said. “Interest rates nationwide were over 10%. They were 8.3% in Iowa. We were at the onset of the Farm Crisis and it was a very challenging time. I was running against a very capable opponent: Roxanne Conlin.” Branstad left office in 1999 after four terms as governor and became president of Des Moines University in 2003. “The challenge was I was not an academic and I was not a doctor, so I was immediately suspect from the faculty,” Branstad says, “but I won them over.”

Branstad says he had an “open door” policy in his office and started eating lunch in the school’s cafeteria. When he returned to the governor’s office in 2011, Branstad periodically ate in the statehouse cafeteria. Branstad has basic advice for people who want to enter politics. “First of all, you want to treat everyone with respect and dignity, so you want to treat people well,” Branstad says. “You also want to build (friendships.) I found internationally that is very important.” Branstad was U-S Ambassador to China from mid-2017 to the fall of 2020.

“It was a great experience and the Chinese people are nice people,” Branstad says. “Even though we have really big differences with their political system, we also have great respect for their work ethic, their commitment to education, and their friendliness and hospitality.”

Branstad says the contacts he made as a U-S ambassador were an asset in his work at the World Food Prize.

(Van Meter, Iowa) – A collision on Interstate 80 in Dallas County Wednesday night resulted in a man from Adair County being flown to a hospital in Des Moines. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2011 Ford Escape (SUV) driven by 81-year-old Charles Huddleson, of Orient, was traveling west on I-80, just west of the Van Meter interchange (Exit 113) at around 8-p.m. Wednesday, when the vehicle struck the rear of a semi tractor-trailer traveling westbound in the same lane.

Following the collision, the SUV ran off the road to the right and overturned and came to rest in what the Patrol said was an “Uncontrolled resting position” in a construction area. Huddleson – who was not wearing a seat belt – was injured, and flown by medical helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. Information on the semi and its driver was not immediately available.

Multiple agencies assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – A five-year moratorium on new casinos in Iowa has passed the Iowa House this (Thursday) afternoon and the same proposal has been approved by a committee in the senate. If the bill becomes law by next Thursday morning, it will block state regulators from considering the application for a new casino in Cedar Rapids. The Racing and Gaming Commission is scheduled to vote on the Cedar Crossing Casino project on February 6th.

Representative Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, points to recent studies suggesting a Cedar Rapids casino would draw customers — and revenue — from currently operating casinos. “I think the cannibalism is very real,” Kaufmann said. “…I think a ruling of this significance should have us electeds’ involvement.”

Representative Sami Scheetz, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says the legislature should let the Racing and Gaming Commission make the call.  “It shouldn’t be our job, the second of third week of session, to be protecting existing casino operators,” Scheetz said.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa lawmakers are considering whether to allow community colleges in Iowa to offer new degree programs previously left to four-year public and private universities, with a request for further study to determine feasibility and possible impacts on students and higher education institutions. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, told the House Higher Education Committee he plans to request officials to conduct a feasibility study on Iowa’s community colleges offering their own bachelor’s degree programs for students. Community colleges typically offer associate’s degrees or other certifications. Collins said “It is my hope that gathering information over the interim, that this committee can take a hard look at this issue during the next legislative session of the General Assembly.”

His comments came after the committee heard a presentation from representatives of Iowa’s community colleges about national trends in expanding baccalaureate degree programs to community colleges. Community Colleges for Iowa Executive Director Emily Shields and Indian Hills Community College President Matt Thompson provided information to the committee about other states’ efforts to have community colleges launch their own bachelor’s degree programs, and how their practice could potentially be adapted and applied to Iowa in the future. Almost half of the states in the U.S. have, in some way, allowed community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees, Shields said, though they vary greatly in details like what programs can be offered, how many colleges can have bachelor’s degree programs and more.

Shields said “Some of the benefits and the reasons that states have chosen to go down this path are to largely meet the local workforce demands. Having community colleges that can be nimble in addressing if they have a specific industry in their community that needs a bachelor’s degree in a specific area, they can do that.” Other reasons include expanding access to bachelor’s degrees for those who live in “education deserts” and cannot access online higher education, Shields said, as well as making bachelor’s degrees more affordable. She said points to consider if the Legislature decides to go down this path include existing partnerships with public and private universities, the needs of local businesses and industries, demand from students and the costs associated with implementing new degree programs, Shields said.

Citing the University of Northern Iowa and Buena Vista University as examples of universities that often partner with community colleges for programs like education, Shields said no one wants to create competition or undermine partnerships that help students and their institutions thrive. Thompson said colleges would also need to consult with their industry partners and employers in their community to learn what degrees are most needed in the area, and then matters of cost and getting programs approved through the right processes would need to be addressed. Shields said current law would most likely need to be changed in order to allow community colleges to create new bachelor of arts programs.

A subcommittee also discussed legislation Wednesday afternoon to include community colleges in Iowa code barring state universities from starting, maintaining or funding diversity, equity and inclusion offices unless required by accreditors or state or federal law. In addition to not being able to have DEI offices, House Study Bill 61 would prohibit community colleges from requiring anyone to submit a DEI statement or give preferential treatment to someone based on such a statement. They would also need to bring an annual report to Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Legislature showing compliance with the law.

Collins said community colleges are already compliant with the language in the bill, if not in the process of changing things to follow recommendations made by Community Colleges for Iowa in May 2024, and so he didn’t see a need to advance the bill. It is currently listed as “tabled until future meeting” online.

EAGLE GROVE, Iowa – The Wright County Attorney’s Office has charged a former Eagle Grove Police Officer, in connection with an investigation that began in mid-December, 2024. The Eagle Grove Police Department had requested the assistance of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation on December 23rd, to conduct an investigation of a complaint against 27-year-old Colt Richardson, who at the time of the complaint was a police officer with the Eagle Grove Police Department.

The investigation revealed evidence of a violation of the Iowa Code that pertains to Dissemination of Obscene Material to a Minor, a serious misdemeanor. On January 13, 2025, Richardson was arrested and has since been terminated from his employment at Eagle Grove PD. The results of this investigation have been forwarded to the Wright County Attorney’s Office for review.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

( Creston, Iowa) -The Union County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday, Jan. 30), issued a report on arrests that occurred between Jan. 20th and 28th.

One Tuesday, Jan. 28th, 42-year-old David Crabb was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on two Union County Warrants for Theft 3rd, and Disorderly Conduct. Crabb was also arrested the previous day in Lorimor (Jan. 27th), and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd offense, Possession of Paraphernalia, and Possession of Stolen Property.

There were two other arrests on January 27th, in Union County: 48-year-old Jeremiah Lee Parcher was arrested  in Lorimor, following a pursuit that took place a few hours prior to his being taken into custody, and that began in Lorimor. Parcher was charged with: Driving While Barred and Eluding-Speed 25 MPH over Limit-2nd or Subsequent; and, 62-year-old Robert Duane Bullock was arrested in Lorimor for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

On January 21st, 39-year-old Jackie Lee Marler and 31-year-old Hayley Joan Vandel were arrested in Union County following a pursuit that ended at 210th St and Quail Ave. Marler was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance 3rd or Subsequent offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Vandel was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving While Barred, and Felony Eluding-over 25mph the speed limit. She was also cited for Speeding (21 or over), Failure to Refile SR22 Insurance, Failure to provide Proof of Financial Liability, operating a Non-Registered Vehicle, 4 counts of Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device, Driving on wrong Side of Two-Way Highway, and Reckless Driving.

And, on January 20th, 19-year-old Tony Davidson was arrested in Union County following a traffic stop at Highway 34 and Talmage Rd. Davidson was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

(Radio Iowa) – The president of Des Moines Area Community College plans to retire at the end of the year. Rob Denson has been the president of DMACC for 20 years after serving ten years as the president of Northeast Iowa Community College. Denson says in his announcement his is proud of the expansion of the academic programs and the more than 100 million dollars put into facilities in his time at the school. Enrollment has increased 50 percent since 2003.

Denson is only the fourth president in the schools 59-year history. The DMACC board plans to hire a consulting firm to conduct a search for Denson’s replacement.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is scolding those who are criticizing Congress for adding flight slots at Reagan National Airport last year, an act some say ignored critical safety concerns. A midair crash last (Wednesday) night near the airport, known as D-C-A, between a commercial passenger jet and a military helicopter left what’s feared to be nearly 70 dead. As yet, no survivors have been found. Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says this isn’t the time for a debate.

“Nobody should be politicizing this tragedy, so shame on anybody who’s jumping to conclusions here,” Hinson says. “We did have a conversation, of course, over slots last year. I actually voted against that first amendment. It was on the FAA reauthorization bill, and I do share those concerns about the traffic at DCA.” Flight slots were added to the already-crowded schedule as, critics said, Congress members wanted the convenience of D-C-A instead of the other larger airport, Dulles. The crash happened just short of the runway, about three miles from the White House and U-S Capitol, and the wreckage of both aircraft fell into the Potomac River. It’s considered the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, and Hinson isn’t ready to discuss what may have caused the accident.

“I’m going to be working to make sure that the FAA has all they need to ensure a safe flying experience, and that we can make that guarantee to passengers in this country,” Hinson says. “We have a lot of questions, and I think it is important that we understand all the facts of this situation so we can rightly make any changes, to make sure this kind of a tragedy doesn’t happen again.” The main runway at D-C-A is among the shortest in the industry and there was much debate about closing the airport following the terrorist attacks of Nine Eleven. Last night’s crash may be the deadliest in the U-S in two dozen years, and Hinson says there will be a thorough investigation.

“My heart is breaking for the victims of this crash, their loved ones, and the first responders at the scene of this tragedy, who have a terrible job ahead of them,” Hinson says. “Right now, we need to let the professionals do that job. We need to make sure that they have the resources and the tools that they need to respond and investigate.”

The helicopter was a UH-60 Blackhawk based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with a crew of three, while the American Airlines jet was a Bombardier CRJ-701 carrying 60 passengers and four crew. The flight originated in Wichita, Kansas.

(Massena, Iowa) – Officials with the City of Massena have rescinded a health advisory issued Dec. 31, 2024, with regard to high manganese levels in the City’s water supply.  As of January 30th, officials said the manganese test results show 0.02 mg of Manganese per liter, which is within acceptable ranges required by the EPA of 0.3 mg/L or less. The City says also, there is no longer a need to restrict water usage due to manganese.

Any questions can be directed to Massena City Hall at 712-779-2295