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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Malvern, Iowa) – Officials with East Mills Child Care Solutions, say an event to celebrate the commencement of construction for the Lakin Foundation Child Development Center of East Mills, will be held on Saturday, February 1st, 2025, beginning at 3-p.m. The celebration event takes place at 905 2nd Avenue in Malvern, followed by a brief program and reception at the Charles E. and Florence M. Lakin Community Center, located at 61321 315th Street, in Malvern.
The Lakin Foundation Child Development Center of East Mills is the culmination of years of visioning, hard work, and support from a dedicated board and community. The revitalized building which formerly functioned as a nursing home will be able to support up to 150 children and will offer before and after school care as well as 3 year old preschool in addition to regular childcare services. The building is adjacent to Wabash Landing, a new 61 house subdivision, and along a new Safe Routes to School project.
Merit Construction is the general contractor and Alley Poyner Macchietto is the project architect. Major funding sources for the project include Charles E. Lakin Foundation, Malvern Bank, Western Iowa Networks, Mills County, City of Malvern, Iowa West Foundation, Community Foundation for Western Iowa, Mills County Community Foundation, Jay & Jessica Burdic, Roger & Lavina Johnson, Kohll’s Pharmacy and Montgomery County Memorial Hospital. The project was also awarded a Community Development Block Grant which is being administered by SWIPCO as well as IEDA Grayfield Tax Credits. The project is 94% fundraised towards a $4.9M goal, and is still seeking financial support to complete the capital campaign. A grand opening is slated for November 2025.
About East Mills Child Care Solutions
East Mills Child Care Solutions was formed in 2022 by parents and community leaders actively working to solve the inadequate childcare options in the East Mills Community School District. With the help of local and regional partners, EMCCS will be able to accomplish their mission of creating reliable childcare, allowing for the future growth of East Mills communities.
Logan Murray, a lobbyist with Green Leaf Cannabis Co., said the expansion of the program through licensing would address issues brought forward by the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board in previous years. The board recommended in its 2023 report that the state grant more licenses “in an effort to provide Iowans with greater geographical access to medical cannabis products.” While the Medical Cannabidiol Board recommended removing the cap on licenses and moving to a system of approving licenses based on analysis of market demands, Murray said raising the cap would also help address current needs in Iowa’s medical cannabis system. But lobbyists representing the companies currently licensed under the medical cannabidiol program said there is not enough space in Iowa’s medical CBD market for the expansion to be a benefit for the state. Senators had approved a measure in 2024 raising the limits on the number of dispensaries in the state that failed to advance in the Iowa House.
Bill would allow for five new medical CBD dispensaries to open in Iowa
Another issue lobbyists brought up was the expansion of the program without a change to the current limit under state law for businesses of having a maximum three medical cannabidiol dispensary licenses. Sen. Scott Webster, R-Bettendorf, said he plans to amend the legislation to remove this provision and allow businesses to open more dispensaries while still abiding by the total limit of 10 dispensaries throughout the state. Phil Jeneary with the Iowa HEMP Coalition was opposed to the bill, saying the Legislature should not move to expand the medical CBD program while limiting hemp products through measures like the 2024 hemp law. That legislation set limits of 4 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per serving in consumable hemp products and a 10 mg maximum per container, in addition to adding new restrictions and penalties on the possession, sale and manufacturing of hemp products.
Lawmakers are considering another bill Thursday, House Study Bill 29, that would limit the consumption of drinks containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in vehicles. Jeneary said 2oo Iowa businesses either closed or had to relinquish their hemp registration because of the law. He said these regulations came despite hemp products being federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill while the medical cannabidiol program is still in conflict with federal law. Webster said medical cannabidiol programs have been “recognized across federal levels,” and that medical CBD products sold through the program should not be compared to consumable hemp products.
The measure advanced out of subcommittee with unanimous support, heading to the Senate Commerce Committee for further consideration.
(Radio Iowa) – A bill to significantly increase the fines for excessive speeding has unanimously cleared a subcommittee in the Iowa House. Representative Joshua Meggers of Grundy Center has been a state trooper for 18 and a half years. “In my time with the Iowa State Patrol, I’ve seen an increase in 100 mile an hour citations,” he says, “and last year I had quite a few.” Meggers and other state troopers wrote more than a thousand tickets in 2024 to drivers who were traveling 100 miles an hour or more on a roadway.
Meggers says the highest speed he encountered came at the beginning of his career. “Back in 2006 or 2007, 126 (miles an hour) on Interstate 80,” he says. But it’s not just the Interstates where drivers are being clocked at triple digits. “This past summer, I was working a two-lane road in a 55 mile an hour zone and I stopped a gentlemen for 103 in a 55,” Meggers says. “His excuse was he had a bad day at work and just wanted to get home.”
Photo via the ISP Facebook page (file photo)
If his bill becomes law, the fines for speeding within 20 miles an hour above the posted speed limit would stay the same, but anything above that would merit a 285 dollar fine, with five more dollars tacked on for every mile an hour above 20 miles more than than the speed limit. It means the fine for driving 100 miles an hour in a 55 mile an hour zone would be 410 dollars.
(Radio Iowa) – The deadline is next week for Iowans who are involved in the film industry to submit entries for this year’s Iowa Motion Picture Awards. The honors recognize outstanding creative and technical achievement in Iowa’s motion picture industry in all of its forms, according to Jim Brockhohn, president of the Forest City-based Iowa Motion Picture Association. “Anybody can enter,” Brockhohn says. “You just have to have a connection in Iowa, whether it be the director, the writer, an actor.”
The association was founded as a way to showcase the film and media talents of Iowans, and this is the 34th year for the awards. Brockhohn says there’s a new feature this year. “We did partner up with the Fridley Theaters and the Fleur Cinema and Cafe for our film festival,” Brockhohn says. “We’re going to be having films from the nominees. All the nominees are going to show their films the week leading up to our award show. So that will be Monday through Friday on May 26th through May 30th.” 
The deadline to submit entries is January 31st. Nominees will be notified at the end of March, with the awards event planned for May 31st at the Palms Theaters in Waukee.
(On the web at impa.tv)
(Radio Iowa) – After months of troubles, power outages and delays, the sale of the Marshalltown Mall to a new owner is expected to be finalized today. Jeff Strong is co-owner of Reserve Development, an investment group based in Dallas, Texas. “Even though we’ve never bought a mall before, it is what we do,” Strong says. “We buy vacant properties. We have a specialized niche in buying mostly vacant or vacant properties. It’s just something satisfying about bringing that back to life.” The current owner, Kohen Retail Investment Group, has been criticized for its management of the mall. Strong says they bought one property from Kohen before.
“We had bought something from this owner in Texas, similar situation as the mall situation, but it was a strip center out front. Only had one tenant,” Strong says. “The previous owner, they have a certain model that they use, one that I don’t necessarily subscribe to, where you don’t spend any money, but if you just put some money into the project, you can attract all kind of tenants.” He says rejuvenating the Marshalltown Mall will not be a minor undertaking. “This is a big project. This will be one of the bigger projects we’ve done,” Strong says. “As of today, we won’t spend less than 30 million. I don’t know how much above that it’ll be, but it won’t be less than 30 million.”
The Marshalltown Mall opened in 1972 and at one point had JCPenney and Younkers as anchors. (Historic photo from KFJB)
Strong says that includes the purchase of the property and any renovations.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold a Budget Work Session Friday in Atlantic, beginning at 9-a.m. During their meeting the Board will hold conference call with Jason Comisky, Bond Counsel, with regard to unspent bond proceeds. Afterward, the Board will:
Their meeting takes place in the Supervisor’s Board Room inside the Cass County Courthouse.
(Massena, Iowa) – [Updated] The CAM and Nodaway Valley School District Boards of Education held a joint Special meeting Wednesday evening at the CAM Elementary School, in Massena. The Board began the process of finding a replacement for Superintendent Paul Croghan, by agreeing to select a search firm.
Superintendent Croghan…
Nodaway Valley holds the contract of Superintendent Paul Croghan, who they chose to remove from the position last November.
The Nodaway Valley Board wants to include CAM with each step of the upcoming search and hiring process because of the strong potential that CAM could continue sharing a superintendent with NV. It’s hoped a replacement for the Superintendent can be in place by July 1st.
In other business, the Boards discussed and acted on renewing of the Pearson Virtual Schools (Connections Academy) contract.
(Des Moines, Iowa; Iowa Capital Dispatch) – An Iowa Senate subcommittee advanced a bill Wednesday that would make assaulting referees a Class D felony, in addition to providing civil liability protections to sports officials. Sen. Jeff Reichman, R-Montrose, said he proposed Senate File 50 in light of the assault of a referee in December at a high school basketball game in Burlington by a parent who disagreed with a call during the game. The alleged assailant had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting a referee at a 2022 basketball game at Fort Madison Middle School and was charged with a serious misdemeanor.
Reichman said “It’s the same guy, so obviously there needs to be some penalties, because he offended once, (he) was charged with that, it didn’t deter him from assaulting again.” He added the situation “Definitely shows the reason that these officials need more protections.” Others, like Jacob Holck, a football official, said the proposal would help stop increasing assaults and threats against people working as sports officials throughout the state. However, Andrew Mertens with the Iowa Association for Justice said while assaults on sports officials are “real issues” facing Iowa, raising the penalties and providing civil liability protections may not be the best approach to preventing these crimes. He also said the language exempting sports officials from liability in civil cases for injuries or damages for their “actions or inactions” when acting as an officiant could be an issue when problems arise during a sports game.
Jacob Holck, a football official, spoke in support of a measure raising penalties for assaulting sports officials during a subcommittee meeting Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said he did not support putting sports officials in a special class when judging assaults that would be “above and beyond the protections that are already in place for everybody else in society.” He said Iowa law currently contains higher penalties and protections for people who serve in fields like law enforcement and emergency services — fields “where they are doing their duty to help save or protect the safety of other people” — but that he did not believe sports officials met that criteria. Sen. Scott Webster, R-Bettendorf, said that throughout his time playing sports he has seen referees have “gotten a harder and harder job,” and supported providing additional protections for these officials.
Reichman and Webster supported the bill moving forward to the full Senate Judiciary Committee, saying that discussions will continue on potential changes to the liability language. A companion bill also advanced Wednesday from a House subcommittee.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett, Wednesday evening, updated the City Council on the Bull Creek Improvement Project, which was selected during a Mayor’s Design Workshop in Ames last year, in partnership with Iowa State University’s College of Design and ISU Extension and Outreach. The workshop team will provide recommendations and possible resources that will help the City move forward, including access to ISU students who will assist in the process.
Bull Creek erosion (Snyder & Associates photo) https://www.snyder-associates.com/projects/municipal-engineering-planning-services-communities/
Bull Creek has been a topic of discussion for several years. In August 2024, the Mayor said the Workshop she attended was an amazing experience and a good opportunity for the City of Atlantic.
The Iowa Mayors Design Workshop served as a space to identify and address complex design issues communities in Iowa face. The two-day workshop brought together mayors and community leaders from six Iowa towns to connect with ISU faculty, research and extension staff, and design professionals from local firms to enhance the vitality of their regions for current and future generations.
(Iowa News Service) A company working to create sustainable energy sources is investing in corn to make jet fuel, which it said burns far cleaner than the traditional, petroleum-based version. Some Iowa farmers see it as a market for their crops in addition to the ethanol they already create. Alyssa Shousse, a corn farmer near Griswold, sees producing jet fuel with her corn as an opportunity to create sustainable energy from her crops beyond ethanol and on a much bigger scale. Jets used nearly 100 billion gallons of fuel last year.
“It’s an absolutely insane number,” Shousse acknowledged. “If there’s a better way that we can break into that market, make it a little bit more renewable, I think any of that is good for making a better impact for the environment.” Supporters want federal lawmakers to create incentives to encourage more sustainable airline fuel production in Iowa and across the U.S., perhaps creating incentives mirroring the support ethanol receives.
Patrick Gruber is CEO of the fuel development firm Gevo, which has facilities in Iowa and is part of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition. He said it is competitive with traditional jet fuel and far more environmentally friendly. “A petro-jet spews out about 22 pounds of CO2 per gallon,” Gruber pointed out. “We can eliminate that whole footprint of 22 pounds.”
Supporters argued sustainable aviation fuel burns cleaner than traditional jet fuel. They want to expand the practice to include more sectors of agriculture. Critics have countered the effects of agricultural-based jet fuel are still up in the air.
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