(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he has no issue with the Trump administration firing F-B-I agents and Department of Justice personnel who were key in prosecuting those who were involved in the January 6th U-S Capitol riots. “The purpose of law enforcement isn’t political weaponization, it is law enforcement,” Grassley says, “but the people that did what the higher level people said, I would have to review their involvement and whether or not there’s any decision making before I’d say they should be fired.” Those in leadership positions at the F-B-I and D-O-J can be transferred or fired, Grassley says, but those who were just following orders from their supervisors perhaps should be spared.

“But let’s say some people were fired that shouldn’t be fired, they ought to be reinstated,” Grassley says, “and I would make that same point about whistleblowers that have been fired illegitimately.” Shortly after taking office last month, President Trump pardoned more than 15-hundred people who were charged in the Capitol attack, including ten Iowans. Also, the U-S Agency for International Development is seeing widespread firings, and Monday, U-S Senator Joni Ernst said it was the right move to shut down U-S-A-I-D, so every dollar can be scrutinized. Ernst chairs the U-S Senate’s DOGE Caucus, working with billionaire Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency. Grassley was asked if Musk, who was appointed to spearhead DOGE by Trump, has the power to close down U-S A-I-D.

“I don’t know about the authority to shut down an agency,” Grassley says, “but I do know that President Trump has a responsibility, and he has a mandate from the last election to drain the swamp.” During a live broadcast Monday on X, Ernst says Musk closed U-S A-I-D with Trump’s blessing, and Musk says he had multiple conversations with the president before taking action. Grassley says the agency clearly had problems. “When you see how some of this money is spent, if the president of the United States, particularly a president that had such a mandate to drain the swamp,” Grassley says, “if he wasn’t looking out for how that money was spent, whether it’s millions or a few tens of thousands, he wouldn’t be doing his job.”

Grassley echoes Ernst, who says her staff found U-S A-I-D was spending millions — up to 60-percent of its budget — on overhead and other expenditures not related to humanitarian aid.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Sheriff’s office today (Feb. 4th) released a report on arrests that occurred between January 1st and 31st, 2025. Those arrested include:

1/01/2025
William Neil Damon, Age 30, of Manilla. Damon was arrested after a call for service. Damon was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Interference with Official Acts and Public Intoxication.
1/02/2025
Lukas James Dragon, Age 32, of Harlan, IA. Dragon was arrested after a call for service. Dragon was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Prohibited Acts and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
1/03/2025
Malcolm Shane McDonald, Age 41, of Harlan, IA. McDonald was arrested after a call for service. McDonald was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Offense, Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd offense, Prohibited Acts, Unlawful Possession of a Prescription Drug, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
1/07/2025
Jacob Anthony Green JR, Age 20, of Denison, IA. Green was arrested following a Traffic stop on Hwy 59. Green was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while License Suspended.
1/08/2025
Tiandre Celeste Welsh, Age 23, of Harlan, IA. Welsh was arrested following a traffic stop on Hwy 59. Welsh was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with OWI -1st offense, Open Container, Speed, and Driving on Wrong Side of Two-way Highway.
1/09/2025
Peter Nazario Alvira, Age 34, of Harlan, IA. Alvira was arrested following a call for service. Alvira was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving While Barred.
1/11/2025
Levi Garret Honeywell, Age 25, of Irwin, IA. Honeywell was arrested following a traffic stop on HWY 44. Honeywell was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with OWI-2nd Offense and Speeding.
1/11/2025
Johnna Renee Pasquale, Age 36, of Harlan, IA. Pasquale was arrested following a traffic stop on 12th St. Pasquale was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Prohibited Acts, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
1/12/2025
Darla Sue Frisbie, Age 57, of Harlan, IA. Frisbie was arrested following a call for service. Frisbie was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault, and Possession Of a Controlled Substance.
1/12/2025
Sandra Lynn Gilmorekern, Age 61, of Harlan, IA. Gilmorekern was arrested following a call for service. Gilmorekern was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault.
01/18/2025
Abimail Perez-Gomez, Age 27, of Afton, IA. Perez-Gomez was arrested following a call for service. Abimail was charged with Driving while license denied/revoked, Operating without Interlock-device, and Failure to Provide proof of Liability.
1/19/2025
Daniel Harvey Pash, Age 44, of Harlan, IA. Pash was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail on an active Shelby County Warrant.
1/19/2025
Alison Marlen Reyes, Age 28, of Cypress, TX. Reyes was arrested following a traffic stop on Hwy 59. Reyes was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with OWI 1st Offense, Reckless Driving, Speeding, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability, and Open Container.
1/22/2025
Timothy Duane Snyder, Age 47, of Elk Horn, IA. Snyder was arrested following a call for service. Snyder was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon , Assault while Displaying a Dangerous weapon, Domestic Abuse Assault while Displaying a dangerous weapon, Reckless Driving, Criminal Mischief, and Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon.
1/23/2025
Jason David Bengford, Age 40, of Harlan, IA. Bengford was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail on an active Shelby County Warrant.
1/24/2025
Craig Alan Larsen, Age 53, of Harlan, IA. Larsen was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail on an active Shelby County Warrant.
1/26/2025
Aaron Michael Pritchard, Age 43, of Harlan, IA. Pritchard was arrested following a call for service. Pritchard was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Prohibited Acts, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
1/26/2025
Elizabeth Ann Woodward, Age 41, of Harlan, IA. Woodward was arrested following a call for service. Woodward was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Prohibited Acts, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
1/27/2025
Mikenda Ifraim, Age 29, of Harlan, IA. Ifraim was arrested following a traffic stop. Ifraim was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while Suspended, Operating a Non- Registered Vehicle, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability, Passing Contrary to Highway Sign or Marking,
1/30/2025
Steven Glenn Herrington, Age 61, of Carter Lake, IA. Herrington was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail on an active Shelby County Warrant.
1/31/2025
Joseph Ryan Passow, Age 32, of Harlan, IA. Passow was arrested following a traffic stop. Passow was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Keeping premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance.

Disclaimer:
All arrests reported on the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page are arrests made by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office with charges originating from the Shelby County. Criminal charges are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

(Creston, Iowa) A man from Creston reported to Creston Police, Monday, the theft of cryptocurrency. The victim said the stolen electronic currency and NFT’s (Non-Fungible Tokens, which is a unique digital identifier that is recorded on a blockchain and is used to certify ownership and authenticity) were valued at $3,000. Additional information was not provided.

AMES, Iowa — Thieves stole thousands of dollars worth of tools from Habitat for Humanity’s construction site in Ames Sunday night, halting their work on affordable homes. KCCI reports Habitat for Humanity construction manager Curt Samson, said someone cut the lock on his equipment trailer and stole thousands of dollars worth of tools, including a Sawzall, and a full two-drawer tool box.

Dan Nutini, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa, said crews are building affordable homes and need the tools to finish the project. Work came to a halt Monday. When word got out on social media and offers for replacement tools came pouring in. Nutini said they recorded the serial numbers of most of the those prior to them being stolen, so if someone tries to sell them, the buyer will know the tools are stolen property. Nutini says his message to the thief or thieves, is that the just want their tools back so Habitat For Humanity can continue its mission to build affordable housing.

If have information about the theft, call the Ames Police Department at 515-239-5135.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa community college leaders told lawmakers Monday they’re hoping to build on progress made last year in providing colleges equitable funding and ensure continued support of statewide programs that help both colleges and students. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Community Colleges for Iowa is asking the Legislature for a $12 million, or 5%, increase in funding for the upcoming year, Community Colleges for Iowa Executive Director Emily Shields told members of the Iowa House Higher Education Subcommittee during its Monday meeting.

The organization’s request for state allocations is higher this session than in the past, Shields said, as there are still inequities between colleges that need to be addressed. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill last year giving community college presidents and chancellors control over the formula that calculates how many dollars will go to each college. Community colleges advocated for this legislation, saying it would help address problems of certain institutions being over-funded while others are under-funded.

This year, half of state funds will be disbursed through the old formula and the remaining half will go to five colleges that have been on the lower end of the funding spectrum and need more support. Even if the community college network does not receive an additional $12 million in state funding, Shields confirmed the 50/50 split in dollars would still occur.

The organization is hoping for continued funding for the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship program, she said, and would like lawmakers to consider changing its income limit, as the program has been underspent by as much as $7 million. Changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA are impacting the program in ways that aren’t entirely clear yet, and Shields said it would be something important for the Legislature to consider in the future.

While the education appropriations committee doesn’t oversee this program, Shields said Community Colleges for Iowa is also seeking an increase in funding for the Workforce Training and Economic Development Fund, as it is an important source of funding for workforce training, especially career and technical education.

Shields said career and technical education is the most expensive aspect of community college operations, and money from this fund helps keep popular programs open while also offering region- and student-specific support in some cases. The fund helped revitalize Indian Hills Community College’s Centerville campus with a new, 66,000 square-foot facility for career and technical education.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig presented reports for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to an appropriations subcommittee Monday, highlighting the ongoing struggles with the highly pathogenic avian influenza, as well as successes with the Choose Iowa program and conservation efforts.  Naig appeared in front of the Iowa House Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee to share information on IDALS’ budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year.

According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, he began with an update for the subcommittee on the ongoing threat of the highly pathogenic avian influenza which jumped from birds to dairy cattle in 2024 and since 2022 has impacted nearly 30 million commercial and backyard birds in Iowa. “It’s just a reminder that, unfortunately, foreign animal disease is a constant threat, a year-round threat,” Naig said. “We need to be staffed and prepared to respond to it.”

The governor’s recommendations for FY 2026 include a $500,000 appropriation to the department for foreign animal disease vaccine development.  Naig highlighted the conservation work of the department in 2024, sharing that Iowa had nearly 4 million acres planted with cover crops and set another “record year” for conservation cost-share programs. “We always say a state dollar doesn’t act alone,” Naig said, noting that “$27.1 million worth of state investment was matched with $41.2 million in private sector dollars.”

Representatives on the subcommittee, and Naig, expressed enthusiasm about the Choose Iowa program, which helps to market and support locally made foods and products. The program has more than 170 members in 72 Iowa Counties and Naig said he hopes to expand to 300 members this year. The Choose Iowa program issued grants for value-added farm products, to dairy innovation and recently the department announced an allocation for butchery innovation. The initiative also had a pilot program aiding local food banks, and beginning this spring, from local schools.

Rep. Sami Scheetz, D-Cedar Rapids, noted recent moves from the Trump administration to put tariffs on products from Mexico and Canada, both of which have been postponed by a month, and asked Naig how this would affect Iowa farmers. Naig said he is “not a fan” of tariffs in general, but said the president is using the tariffs as a “tool” to support his border and immigration policies.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa lawmakers, including the governor, will be in Fort Madison later this (Tuesday) morning for the funeral of State Representative Martin Graber. Graber died unexpectedly Friday at the age of 72. House Speaker Pat Grassley honored Graber during remarks in the House yesterday (Monday).  “As we all know we lost a great friend,” Grassley says. “…There’s not a lot of people, if anyone, who’s ever had a bad thing to say about Martin Graber.” Graber is survived by his wife, Coni, two adult daughters and two granddaughters. Representative Jon Dunwell of Newton, who is a pastor, prayed for the Graber family.

“There is a pain that’s found in separation. There is a pain that’s found in death and so, Lord, we pray right now for Coni,” Dunwell said. “….Lord, may we be your hands and feet of love and expression to her and to her children and grandchildren.” Today’s schedule in the Iowa House has been scrapped so members may attend Graber’s funeral. Graber was a southeast Iowa native who served 32 years in the Iowa National Guard. He retired at the rank of brigadier general and was first elected to the Iowa House in 2020.

It’s been 32 years since a lawmaker has died while the Iowa legislature was in session. State Representative Clay Spear of Burlington died on January 27, 1993.

(Radio Iowa) – Senator Joni Ernst — chair of the “DOGE” Caucus in the U-S Senate — says she was stonewalled and threatened by U-S-A-I-D staff when she asked questions about how humanitarian aid was being spent in Ukraine. “It is a nightmare to trying to follow that money and to understand what it is actually being used for,” Ernst said. Ernst made her comments during a conversation with Elon Musk that was broadcast live on X, the social media platform Musk owns.

Ernst says it took six months of negotiations with U-S-A-I-D before her Senate staff was allowed to see even limited data about U-S-A-I-D spending in Ukraine. Ernst says they found between 50 and 60 percent of the agency’s money was spent on overhead rather than direct assistance to individuals.

“We love to feel good about helping starving children in ‘name your country,’ but it’s not going there,” Ernst said. “It’s going to pay rents in Paris. It’s going to support somebody’s fancy dinner to entertain whoever.” Musk interjected affirmations throughout her remarks, concluding with: “100%.” Last summer, Ernst accused U-S-A-I-D of payroll fraud. Ernst says Musk, with President Trump’s blessing, has made the right move in shutting down U-S-A-I-D, so every dollar can be scrutinized.

“We all know there are going to be bumps along the way, of course there are, because we’re moving at the speed of relevance here,” Ernst said, “but we’ve got to get in there and make an impact so that our constituents can actually see the benefit.” Ernst says without aggressive moves to reduce government spending, there’s a danger Republicans could lose majority control of the House and Senate in the 2026 election and Trump’s agenda would be dead in the water in the second half of his current term.

(Radio Iowa) – The rumbling sound of snowblowers at work was rare in January. State Climatologist Justin Glisan says there just wasn’t much snow to blow.  “We’re in a snow drought across the state, anywhere from 14 to 22, inches below average for this season, we had about two inches of snowfall in January, a little over six inches below average. Near the top ten least snowy January is on record,” Glisan says. Glisan says there wasn’t much precipitation of any kind for most of January.

“We were working on the second driest January in 153 years of records, and the rainfall event across southern Iowa to end the month actually boosted the average a little over three tenths of an inch across the state, seven tenths of an inch below average,” he says. The top of the state had the biggest deficit. “The northern third of the state, driest January on record,” Glisan says. The statewide average puts us right around the 15th driest, again, out of 153 years of records.” Glisan says the dry January creates a situation that could be a problem is the snow picks up the rest of the winter.

“A lack of snow pack through the season has allowed a frost depth down to about 22 inches in central Iowa. That has implications if we do get a snow pack on the ground,” Glisan says. Glisan says if we do get snow the deeper frost will take longer to thaw and more of the water will run off instead of sinking into the soil. Glisan says January had some ups and downs, but the overall temperature wasn’t too out of normal.

“We’re about a degree below average. We came in about eighteen-point-four (18.4) degrees, preliminarily, so not exceedingly warm, not exceedingly cold. We did have a cold snap during the middle of the month, and then warmed up towards the end. So when you get that roller coaster type activity, it basically averages out,” he says. Glisan says early indications are for a colder and wetter February.