(Des Moines, Iowa) – Are you ready for a cozy getaway in an Iowa State Park cabin? The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says you can get 20% off your stay with Promo Code Cabin2025 when you book now for the months of January or February 2025. Enjoy the pristine beauty and outdoor fun of winter in an Iowa state park.

This promo applies to the year-round cabins at:

• Backbone State Park (16 cabins, max occupancy from 4 to 9)
• Black Hawk State Park (1 cabin, max occupancy 11)
• Lake Darling State Park (6 cabins, max occupancy 6)
• Lake Wapello State Park (2 cabins, max occupancy from 6 to 10)
• Pine Lake State Park (4 cabins, max occupancy from 4 to 6)
• Union Grove State Park (2 cabins, max occupancy 4 )
• Waubonsie State Park (2 cabins, max occupancy from 6 to 12)

Promo code only can be applied for online reservations for January 1 through February 28, 2025. Note that January 1, 2025 is not an allowed arrival date; reservations may have an arrival date before or after that day. Promo code is good only for the state parks listed. Two-night minimum. Last day to make a reservations is February 20, 2025. Rules and fees apply.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – What are your plans for New Year’s Day 2025? The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says Iowa state parks and forests invite you to enjoy the outdoors and take a hike! More than 40 locations are offering either a guided hike with park staff or a suggested hike to explore on your own. Hikers can expect to be surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature in winter, and experience spectacular views, beautiful settings and the cultural treasures offered by Iowa’s state parks.

Find a First Day Hike near you, here: 2025 First Day Hikes Event List

In southwest Iowa, First Day Hikes are being held at the following locations:

Green Valley State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Parking Location: Southeast parking lot on 140th St for the 5-mile hike on paged trail. OR South Shelter parking lot on 140th Street for 6-mile hike on grass path.
Park Address: 1480 130th St, Creston IA 50801
Description: Enjoy 2.5 miles of paved trail (5 miles round trip) from SE Parking Lot on 140th street to the main boat ramp. Or mowed grass path for three miles (6 miles round trip) from south shelter parking lot on 140th Street to North End of the lake. Dress for the weather.
Contact: (641) 782-5131.

Lake Anita State Park*
10:00 AM
Meeting Location: East side of beach parking lot
Park Address: 55111 750th St, Anita IA 50020
Description: Long Hike, 4 miles – starting at the beach parking lot, we will travel north on the all-weather trail and continue around the lake until we get back to the parking lot. Short Hike, 1.3 miles – starting at the beach parking lot we will travel north until the picnic area and turn back around and head back the way we came until we get back to the parking lot. Both hikes are very scenic and on a paved path through mostly restored prairie. This hike is on a paved trail with some moderate slopes.
Contact: (712) 762-3564

Lake of Three Fires State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Parking Location: When entering the park, turn left. You will find parking available at the boat ramp or at the top of the hill.
Park Address: 2303 Lake Rd, Bedford IA 50833
Description: Start this 1.5-mile hike at the trail head west of the dam. There is a bridge that will cross the spillway. Once across the spillway, keep making left turns and you will find yourself back at on the east side of the dam. Maps at the trail intersections with “you are here” arrows can help you find your current location.
Contact: (712) 523-2700.

Lewis and Clark State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Parking Location: Parking lot for the beach area, which is near the entrance
Park Address: 21914 Park Loop, Onawa IA 51040
Description: Hike 1 mile around the loop along Park Loop Road to get the best the park has to offer, including views of the woods and lake. This trail is flat and paved. Dress for the weather.
Contact: (712) 337-3211.

Prairie Rose State Park*
3:00 PM
Meeting Location: Park Office
Park Address: 680 Road M47, Harlan IA 51537
Description: Join us for a 2-mile hike around the east side of the lake. The Friends of Prairie Rose usually provides hot chocolate and popcorn following the hike. We should see lots of animal signs on this hike. The grass trail is fairly wide and flat, with a few moderate slopes.
Contact: (712) 773-2701.

Springbrook State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Meeting Location: Parking lot above lake OR small parking area near informational kiosk below dam
Park Address: 2437 169th Rd, Guthrie Center IA 50115
Description: This 1.37-mile hike travels around the lake, with optional side trails for those who wish to adventure out. If parking at the dam, walk up the stairs to the boat ramp for the trailhead. If parking above the lake, walk down to the shelter and take the trail to the right. Trail is moderate, but not ADA accessible, and may include stairs and possible areas of ice and snow. Please dress for the weather.
Contact: (641) 747-3591.

Viking Lake State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Parking Location: Go to the extra-vehicle park lot near the campground entrance.
Park Address: 2780 Viking Lake Rd, Stanton IA 51573
Description: Enjoy the 1-mile Burr Oak Trail. This is a grass-mowed path.
Contact: (712) 829-2235.

Waubonsie State Park*
Noon – shelter open for potluck/refreshments. Hike starts at 1:00 PM
Meeting Location: Wa-Shawtee Lodge
Park Address: 2585 Waubonsie Park Rd, Hamburg IA 51640
Description: The 2-mile hike will begin at Wa-Shawtee Lodge and wind off-trail through the woods of Waubonsie State Park and the Militia Hollow Wildlife Management Area. The Friends of Waubonsie will be providing food and beverages before and after the hike. Watch the Friends of Waubonsie Facebook page for cancellation information. The trail is mostly compacted dirt, with some intermittent steep sections and rolling terrain.
Contact: (712) 350-0873.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will release rainbow trout in nine locations across Iowa this winter in areas that would not support them during warmer months. Winter trout stockings are a great place to take kids to catch their first fish. A family-friendly event is paired with some stockings to help anglers have success and fun while fishing. The popular program is supported by the sales of the trout fee. Anglers need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of 10.

Children age 15 or younger can fish for trout with a properly licensed adult, but together, they can only keep one daily limit. Children can pay the trout fee, allowing them to keep their own daily limit.

Winter trout stocking events are dependent on favorable weather and ice conditions. Check the DNR Trout Fishing website at www.iowadnr.gov/trout for possible changes to the schedule.

2025 Winter Community Trout Stocking Schedule

• Jan. 3, Bacon Creek Lake, Sioux City, at 1 p.m.
• Jan. 11, Blue Pit, Mason City, at 11 a.m.
• Jan. 24, Big Lake, Council Bluffs, at 3 p.m.
• Jan. 24, Moorland Pond, Fort Dodge, at Noon
• Feb. 1, Lake Petocka, Bondurant, at Noon
• Feb. 1, Scharnberg Pond, Spencer, at Noon
• Feb. 4, Triumph Park West and East, Waukee, at Noon
• Feb. 4, Terra Lake, Johnston, at Noon
• Feb. 8, Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake, Ames, at Noon

(Harlan, Iowa) – In an update to our story posted Wednesday morning, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports a man and woman from Harlan suffered minor injuries when their pickup truck was struck by a stolen vehicle that was being pursued by Sheriff’s Deputies. The incident began at around 7:50-p.m., Tuesday, as Deputies tried to stop a 2012 Chevy Camaro that was reported stolen out of Polk County. When the car failed to stop, a pursuit began near the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and 19th Street, in Harlan.

The stolen Camaro turned onto 19th Street and continued to Cyclone Avenue in Harlan, where it turned west and then north, onto Highway 59. The car continued to Highway F-32, where it turned west into Hickory Road, and then turned south toward 1400th Street. The car turned west onto 1400th and then south onto Hazel Road. A Shelby County Deputy continued following the vehicle while two other Deputies paralleled the pursuit in an attempt to get into position to place “Stop sticks.” (Photos below were submitted to KJAN)

The stolen Chevy turned east onto 1200th Street and continued until it reached Linden Road, where it failed to negotiate the T-Intersection, and entered a field. A Deputy continued to pursue the car until it reached County Road M-36 and turned back toward the City of Harlan. The chase entered the northeast part of town, traveled south on 5th Street to Cyclone Avenue, and turned east onto 4th Street before heading north. The car turned west on Broadway Street and continued to 12th Street, traveling south.

A Shelby County Deputy Sheriff placed stop sticks near the intersection of 12th and Lincoln Avenue, but before the stolen car made it to tire deflation devices, it collided with a 2015 Chevy Silverado, at the intersection of 12th and Pine Streets, in Harlan. The stolen car came to rest on 12th Street. The driver, 47-year-old Alan Spencer, was taken into custody. The pickup was occupied by Dale and Mary Swanson, of Harlan. The couple were transported to Myrtue Memorial Hospital by Shelby County Ambulance and Harlan Fire, respectively, for treatment of their minor injuries.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was assisted during the incident, by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Harlan Fire and Rescue, Shelby County Ambulance, and 712 Towing.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The family of an Atlantic couple have donated an enclosed trailer to the Atlantic Community School District, in honor of the late Don Sonntag, who died in October, 2024. He and his wife Lois, always supported of the Building Trades and Industrial Technology Programs, which they helped to launch in the 1970’s. Today, the program is known as the Space Program.

Don Sonntag was a developer, who spearheaded the constructing of many homes and condominiums throughout the City of Atlantic. Many of the housing development sites acted as building grounds for the district’s building program. To date, students have constructed roughly 30 homes & condominiums.

Dexter Dodson is the Building Trades and Industrial Technology Program Instructor. Projects that have been completed since Dodson took over the program, include the greenhouse at the high school, a garage addition for an Atlantic resident, and shed construction projects.

Students in the program are laying the groundwork to build a home in the Mollet Subdivision, with the footings having been poured. Full construction is expected to begin in May, weather permitting.

The enclosed trailer donated by the Sonntag family, will be used by Dodson and his students to help transport and store tools. They will also use the trailer to transport supplies to construction competitions like ABC and SkillsUSA.

(Radio Iowa) – A house in Sioux City was heavily damaged by a fire, Thursday. Authorities say one of the eight residents of the home, and someone passing by, called 9-1-1 at around Noon, to report the house was at 1913 George Street, was on fire. No one was injured, but city officials say there’s so much fire damage, the house is too dangerous to be lived in, and it was red-tagged, meaning it is unsafe for occupancy.

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(Radio Iowa) – With just a few days left in 2024, many Iowans are making year-end donations to charities to help with their tax picture next year, but they’re warned to look closely before writing the check. Teresa Fritz, with the Better Business Bureau, says to do some research before donating even a dime. Fritz says the bureau evaluates hundreds of charities at the website Give-dot-org based on 20 different factors, with one of the biggest being accountability. Fritz says, “We look to see if they are using their money wisely and that it’s going to actually run the organization and not just paying for the administration.” Many charities receive one-third of their annual donations — or more — during the holiday season, so these year-end gifts are important. Fritz says sometimes the names of organizations will sound alike, but their support is very different.

“Before you give, be sure you have the exact name of the charity to avoid a case of mistaken identity,” Fritz says. “Sometimes, charities that do not use their money wisely will try to have a similar name.” If you get a phone call from a charity you’re not familiar with, don’t give, especially if someone is pressuring you. When you’re making a gift, she suggests plastic may have advantages over cash or a check. “We encourage people to use their credit cards, because you do have some assistance and safety with using your credit card,” she says. “If you would find out the organization is a scam, you can stop the donation on your credit card or stop a check, if you can talk to your bank right away.”

Anyone can access the Better Business Bureau’s Give-dot-org website for free. It’s part of the Wise Giving Alliance.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man was cited following a collision Thursday afternoon, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, Officers were called at around 1:36-p.m. to the scene of a multi-vehicle accident at the intersection of W. 3rd and W. Coolbaugh Streets. Upon investigation, authorities determined a pickup driven by 52-year-old Michael Shawn Hart, of Red Oak, failed to yield at the yield sign, while attempting to drive through the intersection.

The pickup struck an SUV driven by 61-year-old Sherry Akers, of Red Oak, as she was traveling east on Coolbaugh Street. Damage from the collision amounted to a police-estimated $8,000 altogether. Hart was cited for Failure to Yield the Right-Of-Way, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability (Insurance – accident related), and Driving While Suspended.