(Radio Iowa) – A central Iowa lawmaker is proposing that Iowa buy the nine southern Minnesota counties that are on the other side of Iowa’s border. State Senator Mike Bousselot, a Republican from Ankeny, is sponsoring a bill to start the ball rolling. “Politicians have been talking about growing Iowa since I’ve been in politics and we’ve cut taxes, we’ve made our state more farm friendly and family friends, but we’re not growing fast enough,” Bousselot says, “and so looking for innovative ways like businesses grow — mergers and acquisitions — it used to be part of Iowa. Make it part of Iowa again. Make Minnesota Iowa Again.” Bousselot is an attorney who was former Governor Terry Branstad’s chief of staff. He’s now operating a real estate business, but isn’t suggesting now much the State of Iowa would pay Minnesota for those counties.

Senator Mike Bousselot (R-Ankeny) (official photo)

“I’m never going to negotiate against myself,” Bousselot says, “but we would simply look at what are the tax revenues that are part of that, what is the return on investment.” Bousselot, who is chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, says it’s a very serious proposal. “Indiana’s speaker announced yesterday that they’re looking at how they can acquire 33 counties in Illinois that have sought to succeed from Illinois,” Bousselot says. “It would just be nine counties. It wouldn’t change the Electoral math for either state, but they fit into the culture of Iowa. They’re agricultural, conservative, farming counties that would be in align with Iowa and really fit our state.” Democrats like House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst say buying part of Minnesota would be an inappropriate use of Iowa tax dollars.

“We have serious problems in this state,” Konfrst says. “We have real families who are struggling with their bills and their budgets and it seems to me that this is not a realistic approach and it’s one to seek headlines and frankly it’s an insult to people who are trying to pay their bills.” Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner says Iowa lawmakers have enough to do for the people in Iowa’s existing 99 counties. Changing state borders requires an act of congress. Bousselot notes it was last done in 1961, when Minnesota agreed to cede to land to North Dakota because of a change in course of the Red River of the North. Bousselot suggests there would be immediate agricultural investment” in those nine counties if they become part of Iowa.

“Governor Walz referred to the farmland in Minnesota as full of cows and rocks. Well, what he sees as rocks and cows see as opportunity and so that investment in Iowa would immediately be worth more for Iowans, with those folks having lower takes — lower income taxes, lower sales taxes, lower business taxes — and better regulations for doing business,” Bousselot says. “…We’ve had someone reach out from Luverne, Minnesota, and they said: ‘We love the idea, but there’s a Luverne, Iowa. Can we keep our town name?'” Luverne, Iowa, was founded in 1880 and sits on the border of Kossuth and Humbolt Counties. It was named after Luverne, Minnesota, which is in the southwest corner of the state to our north. It would take over two and a half hours to drive from Luverne, Iowa, to Luverne, Minnesota, which is part of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota metro.

Atlantic, Iowa –  Cass Health and its affiliate organizations have released their scholarship applications for the upcoming school year.For 2025:

• Cass Health offers a $500 scholarship to a southwest Iowa student who is enrolled or accepted into a nursing program. Deadline is April 4, 2025.
• Cass Health offers a $500 scholarship to a southwest Iowa student pursuing a degree in a health-related career. Deadline is April 4, 2025.
• Cass Health Auxiliary provides $1,000 scholarships for students pursuing a health-related career. Deadline is April 4, 2025.
• Cass Health Foundation offers $5,000 scholarships to a graduate from a Cass County High School with a goal of becoming a healthcare provider subject to licensure requirements in the State of Iowa, including testing to obtain certification and requires continuing education to maintain that licensure. The scholarship fund was established by a bequest from Louie and Elsie Hansen. Deadline is April 4, 2025.

Applications are available on casshealth.org/scholarships and can be turned in to Human Resources by the respective deadlines listed above. For more information, contact Kat Niemann, Human Resources Coordinator, at 712-250-8022 or nieka@casshealth.org.

(Radio Iowa) – More bitter cold weather is predicted by this weekend, with high temperatures in single digits, and while the freezing forecast is hard on all of us, it’s particularly tough for Iowa’s oldest residents. Stephanie Humphries owns “Right at Home” operations in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, offering in-home care to seniors and adults with disabilities who want to live independently. She says gauging an older person’s capabilities may involve nudging them to make a shift in thinking. “Do they have someone arranged to clear their sidewalks or driveways?” Humphries says. “Some of our older adults maybe still try to do those things themselves, but they really need to evaluate what their mobility is like and what their balance is like.”

Even if there hasn’t been snow, sidewalks can be slippery. If they’re venturing out, Humphries says seniors need to have good footwear for the weather, like shoes or boots with a solid rubber sole.  “A lot of our older adults use walking devices to help them keep their balance,” she says. “There are attachments that you can get, just nice little gadgets that you can put on the bottoms of canes and walkers to help them navigate through the snowy and icy weather.” Older homes may need a little T-L-C in order to become more energy efficient during the frigid winters, and that costs money. Humphries says many Iowa communities have help available for seniors, someone who can come in and do minor jobs, often for free.

“There’s Aging Services through UnityPoint,” she says. “They’ve got a lot of different volunteers that can come in and help in the home, and then also can contract with individuals that, let’s say they’re retired contractors, or handy men, handy women, that can come in and do some renovations to the home.” When the weather’s especially wicked, it’s a good idea to check in on our elderly friends and loved ones, by phone, text, email or just dropping by. Still, how often should you do that to show you care, without being annoying? “It’s going to depend on your loved one, and what they’re contending with from a medical standpoint,” Humphries says, “but anywhere from one to three times a week, probably depending on, again, what their loved one’s living situation is like, and maybe their age, and abilities.”

She says it’s also a good idea to make sure they’re stocked up on all needed prescription medications and on non-perishable food items, just in case the weather turns really bad and you can’t stop by in person.

EAGLE GROVE, Iowa – A former Eagle Grove Police Officer was arrested Monday for allegedly disseminating obscene material to a minor. On December 23rd, 2024, the Eagle Grove Police Department requested the assistance of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation 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 Iowa Code 728.2 – 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.

Colt Richardson (booking photo courtesy the Iowa DPS)

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

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Page County Attorney, Carl M. Sonksen has released a report on the outcome of court cases held during the week of January 6th. Each of the following defendants appeared by counsel:

Nicholas Haidsiak, age 39, of Coin, pled guilty to Assault. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with all but 10 days suspended, and placed on probation for one year. He was also ordered to pay a fine plus court related fees.

Hanna Jean Hall, age 19, of Clarinda, pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1^st Offense. She was sentenced to 45 days in jail, with all but 2 days suspended, placed on probation for one year, and was ordered to obtain a Substance Abuse Evaluation and complete any treatment recommendations and complete the Drinking Drivers School. The Defendant was ordered to pay a fine plus court costs.

Myles James Koontz, age 22, of Villisca, pled guilty to Driving While Barred. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail and ordered to pay a fine (suspended) and court costs.,

Samantha Josephine Wheatley, age 37, of Clarinda, admitted to violating the terms and conditions of her Deferred Judgement. The Court revoked the her Deferred Judgment and she was sentenced on the original charge of Forgery to 5 years in prison, suspended. Wheatley was placed on probation for 2 years and ordered to reside at the Residential Correctional Facility until maximum benefits are achieved. The Defendant was ordered to obtain a mental health evaluation and follow any recommendations. The Defendant was ordered to pay a fine, plus  surcharges, court costs and court-appointed attorney fees. Separately, Wheatley was sentenced to 5-years in prison (suspended) after being found guilty of Willful Injury Causing Bodily Injury by a jury. She was placed on probation for 2 years and ordered to reside at the Residential Correctional Facility until maximum benefits are achieved. The Defendant was ordered to obtain a drug/alcohol abuse evaluation and follow any recommendations. The Defendant was ordered to pay a fine, restitution, surcharges, court costs and court-appointed attorney fees.

(Radio Iowa) – Authorities in central Iowa are warning social media users about two recent scams that are tugging at heartstrings and preying on fears. One fraudulent post asks for the community’s help identifying an abandoned and injured child, while the other claims a serial killer is on the run. Des Moines police say the details are changed to make it appear local, but the same scams are being used in multiple states.

The crooks are hoping you’ll click on their links which will lead you to sites that may appear legit, but that aim to steal your identity. Police urge anyone who sees these social media posts to report them to the platform administrators, and to only share posts from trusted sources.

Examples of recent scam posts

DE SOTO, Iowa — AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport will soon revert to exclusively a dog shelter again after announcing that the rescue is phasing out its cat program. WHO-TV reports the rescue’s leadership says it will uphold its contracts with Waukee and the City of West Des Moines, but when those contracts end in June, so will its cat program. Amy Heinz, the founder and CEO of AHeinz57 told the television station that one cat alone costs the rescue $165 upfront for the necessary vaccinations, medications, and any surgeries needed like spaying or neutering. That’s not including the overhead for facilities, cost of employees, or care for other animals.

Heinz says the rescue started as dogs and transport, and to keep that mission alive, certain aspects have to change. Heinz said instead of taking feral cats off of the streets, TNR programs that trap, neuter, and release the cats need to be utilized to help combat the growing feral cat population. When asked about their own experience with cat intake, and how AHeinz not accepting cats anymore, the Animal Rescue League of Iowa released a statement that said:

“In 2024, the ARL took in over 7,200 cats— and while it’s already a strain on our capacity, we’re committed to helping the animals that need us and understand the challenging gap between the actual cost to care for a cat versus the fee most people will pay to adopt one even if the pet comes fully vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and microchipped – which is a big cost savings to prospecting pet parents.

AHeinz’s decision to end their cat program over the next year highlights the need for collaboration between shelters and local communities to tackle these challenges. Providing programs and resources like expanding access to free and low-cost spay/neuter programs is key to preventing overpopulation and keeping cats in loving homes. Additionally, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs also humanely manage populations of community cats and reducing the number of animals entering shelters. Working together is crucial, so that we can focus on helping the pets and the people that love them.”

Heinz said that the rescue is working to place cats currently in their care into loving homes and that many of the cat’s adoption fees have been reduced or sponsored completely, making them free.

(Radio Iowa) – The extreme cold conditions are tough for long-time Iowans to handle and even worse for those who are new to the state. Volunteers at the Mary J. Treglia House in Sioux City are collecting coats and gloves, hats and boots for those who have immigrated here. Executive Director Barbara Newhouse says this weather is something the newcomers have never seen. “They’re coming from parts of Africa, they’re coming from South America, they’re coming from all sorts of countries that have never experienced this level of cold and snow,” she says. Newhouse says it takes time for people to adjust.

“I can be down in Texas on a day where it’s 40 degrees, everybody in Siouxland thinks it’s warm and it’s cold down there. Then you come up here, and now you have single digit temperatures and a below zero wind chill, and now you’re just freezing,” she says. “So we have to realize that sometimes people come in from other countries, and for them, cold is 30 or 40 degrees.” She says they can have anywhere from 25 up to 50 individuals coming in on a monthly basis. “Sometimes they came in the summertime, and they’re still adjusting, because we’ll see children come into to the preschool and it’s like, ‘where’s your hat, where’s your gloves?’ And we’ll see folks families coming in, and we want to be able to greet them right away with coats and hats,” Newhouse says.

Newhouse says they need a large variety of the warm clothing. “We want to make sure that they’ve got something that fits them. You know, all these young people, they’ll think, okay, this will be warm enough. And then all of a sudden, we find that they’re just are shivering,” she says.

The agency has provided citizenship and immigration services to the Siouxland since 1921. All of the immigrants are in the process of becoming U-S citizens.

(Marne, Iowa) – Firefighters in Marne were dispatched to a garage fire at 608 S. Taft Street, today (Wednesday). The call went out at 5:13-a.m. The initial dispatch indicated the fire was heading toward the residence. Marne Fire Chief Aaron Williams explains what the situation looked like.

The garage and two vehicles inside it were a total loss.

The Chief speculated on a cause of the fire.

Cass EMS and Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon were on hand at the scene. Atlantic Fire provided assistance until about 6-a.m., with a water tanker and additional personnel.

Fire at 608 S. Taft St. in Marne, 1-15-25 (Photo courtesy Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon)

(Radio Iowa) – If you have a hankering to explore the eastern Iowa facility which honors the only American president who was born in Iowa, you need to move quickly. Work will begin next week on a 20-million dollar make-over, inside and out, for the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch. Director Tom Schwartz says once the doors are locked this Sunday evening, they won’t open to the public again until mid-2026. “We will be closing the museum for at least an 18-month period to completely re-imagine Herbert Hoover’s life, as well as Lou Henry Hoover’s life,” Schwartz says. “It’ll be a completely different museum experience than what you see now.” Schwartz says the facility is due for a top-to-bottom renovation, which will include building a new 22-hundred square foot addition. The museum first opened in 1962 and hasn’t had a full remodel since the early 1990s, so every gallery will be gutted. When it reopens, First Lady Lou Hoover will be featured more prominently.

“Certainly there’s been so much more research done on Hoover and his times, and especially on Mrs. Hoover,” Schwartz says. “Her papers really weren’t accessible until 1985 and so the people doing the museum in ’92 didn’t have a lot of research on her to reference.” Hoover lived a fascinating life and the museum’s current exhibits tell the story — from his birth, to his life as an engineer, the Secretary of Commerce, the 31st President of the United States, and his continued philanthropic work after leaving the White House. Schwartz says the re-envisioned museum will tell those same stories, but with more artifacts and updated, user-friendly technology.

“All of the cabinetry currently in the museum is curved because the only monitors that were available in ’92 were cathode ray tubes, which were curved,” Schwartz says, “and of course, now everything’s on a flat screen.” Also, the new display cases will be lit with brighter, more energy-efficient L-E-Ds. Anyone who’s ever overseen a renovation project on their house knows it may take longer than expected, as unforeseen challenges tend to arise. The goal is to reopen the museum in about 18 months, but that’s flexible. “To be safe, we’re just saying summer of 2026,” Schwartz says. “Obviously, we’d like to be open by July 4th, because that’s the 250th anniversary of our nation and the Declaration of Independence. We’re hoping we can meet that date so we could celebrate with the rest of the country.”

The full price tag on the renovation project is $20.3-million dollars, a large portion of which has already been raised by the Hoover Presidential Foundation. To learn more or contribute, visit: timelessvaluescampaign.org.