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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds talked more about her proposal to ban cellphones in classrooms Tuesday. The governor says she wants to add to what some districts are already doing. “First of all, I want to just give a lot of respect to the really large number of school districts that have already implemented the policies, that have listened to the parents, that have listened to the educators that are in the classroom,” she says. Reynolds says she wants a policy that will blend in with what is already being done.
“The stories that I’ve heard from the different school districts that have implemented are really encouraging. Parents are very, very supportive of this, and there’s been different variations. So whatever I put forward, I want to make sure that I’m respecting the hard work that’s already gone into place by the school districts that have stepped up and implemented it,” Reynolds says. She says they need to work out a plan that helps the schools that have phone policies in place, while looking to get more schools to take part.
” I want to supplement that and enhance that. I don’t want to really step on anything that they’ve done. So it’ll probably be more of a floor, is what we’re looking at, but just to encourage people to really move in that direction in time,” she says. Reynolds says some schools have gone bell to bell and restrict cellphone use all day, while others give them back to the kids to used during lunch.
“And some of the stories I’m hearing is, even when they’ve let them use their phone during the lunchroom, the kids aren’t that. They really are starting to reconnect with the kids and doing and being kids, and that’s what they, you know, should be doing,” Reynolds says. “They should be learning while they’re in the classroom that should be where their full attention is at, and when they’re with the kids in the lunchroom or whatever, during the breaks, then talk. Let’s get back to communicating and having a conversation with each other. We’ve gotten so far away from that, I think that’s part of the problem.”
Reynolds says she’s excited to work with schools that have already done it and come up with a plan.
(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds is using eight-and-a-half million dollars of federal pandemic relief funds to provide bonuses to teachers whose students make big gains in the classroom. The money may be used to supplement the salaries of the top 10 percent of teachers in a district whose students show their reading, math, and other skills have advanced beyond their grade level.
Each Iowa school district may apply for up to half a million dollars in grant money for the current year and another 500-thousand in the next academic year.
An individual teacher may receive a bonus of up to 25-hundred dollars in both years. Schools have until January 10th to apply for the grants.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Creston man was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography.
According to public court documents, between approximately September and November 2023, Bryan Michael Vannausdle, 34, communicated with a minor victim. Vannausdle used his cell phone to send, receive, and store images and videos of child sexual abuse material, including material of the minor victim.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Vannausdle will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Creston Police Department, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
(Radio Iowa) – A Luther College student has been charged after allegedly posting threats on social media early Monday. Decorah Police say 20-year-old Peter Bumba of Illinois has been charged with terroristic threats, a Class D Felony. A post on Instagram referred to a violent anime series and suggested killing 80 percent of students at Luther and police say Bumba confessed the post was his. A search of Bumba’s room and vehicle found no weapons and authorities say there is no ongoing threat to Decorah or Luther College.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber’s Annual Scrooge Contest was held the month of November. This year’s contestants included Graydon Schmidt, Schmidt Family Funeral Home; Randy & Michelle Roy, Randy’s Computers; Jeremiah Thompson, Landus & Atlantic Volunteer Fire Department, and Ben Winford, New Life Church. This year’s winner is Graydon Schmidt, who raised $8,611 and 90 food items. Together, they raised a total of $26,859 and 1,666 food items.
“Every year, I ask myself how the community can one up themselves and, every year, I’m always impressed that they manage to do just that. This benefits a growing number of individuals and families in our community,” Bailey Smith, Executive Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce stated.
In 2016, the Atlantic Food Pantry saw an average of 18 homes each week. Today, they are averaging 110 homes weekly with the need expected to rise. This contest allows the food pantry the monetary funds to purchase food items and continue serving a large population in Atlantic.
Scrooge contestants
This Year’s Scrooge winner: Graydon Schmidt
“Our food pantry continues to see an increase of individuals and families in need of food assistance. We had such a great group of candidates this year and I’m grateful to Jackie Sampson and Karen Miller for volunteering a lot of their time to make this contest happen. What a blessing to live in a community that serves others so well,” mentioned Smith.
Past Scrooge titles have been awarded to: Mary Ann Moorman 2007, Dana Halder 2008, Tammy Wise & Janet Huey 2009, Ritchie Anderson 2010, Janet Cappel 2011, Melanie Petty 2012, David Miller 2013, Mark McNees 2014, Ted Robinson 2015, Jon Johnson 2016, Rob Stamp 2017, Rob & Sonya Clausen 2018, Billie Hoover, Jackie Sampson & Lori Christianson 2019, Brain Ruge 2020, Ray Paulin 2021, Dr. Matt Weresh, 2022, and Sheryl Dusenberry 2023.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds pardoned two turkeys from a farm in Manson today (Tuesday) named Caitlin and Clark. The turkeys strolled quietly on the grass at the Terrace Hill Governor’s mansion as the governor read the proclamation. “Now therefore I Kim Reynolds, governor of the state of Iowa, do hereby proclaim Caitlin and Clark as symbols of Iowa’s great turkey industry, they are free to roam this Thanksgiving Day, and they’ve got a lot of ground to do it on,” she says. Governor Reynolds talked about the importance of the holiday.
“I always look forward to this time of the year. It’s not only is it a time for us to really recognize our farmers and producers and all that they do to feed the world, but it’s kind of a kick off to the holiday season,” she says. She says the first recognition of turkey producers came from then Governor Robert Ray back in 1976. “Now, at that point, they didn’t pardon the turkeys. They sent them back to the farm, so I can’t say, what happens after that,” Reynolds says. “But we didn’t start pardoning the turkeys until 1989.”
Turkeys Caitlin and Clark roam the grounds of Terrace Hill. (RI photo)
The two birds came from Golden Prairie Turkeys for the second year in a row. The farm is owned by Brad and Kelly Moline. Brad is the president of the Iowa turkey producers and his daughter Ava was on hand to help with the birds. “It’s just fun because it’s a tradition that goes on for years and years, and it’s just something that we get to do for the turkeys,” she says. Ava wants to become a veterinarian, and is an Iowa State fan, but she is okay with naming the birds after the Hawkeye great. “She’s a great athlete, and I would like to be a great athlete like her. And turkeys are great for protein for athletes. So I think it was just fitting,” Moline says.
Governor Reynolds says she bought a 23-pound turkey from the farm that she will cook for her family along with a ham and all the sides for Thanksgiving.
(Iowa DNR News) – Nearly $416,000 in 50 percent cost-share grants were recently awarded to 138 Iowa rural fire departments to help their efforts to protect Iowan’s and their property from wildfires. The grants offer valuable funding assistance for wildfire suppression, personal protective and communications equipment.
Among the fire departments receiving 2024 Volunteer Fire Assistance grants, are those in:
The grants are made possible through Iowa DNR Forestry, in cooperation with US Forest Service – State and Private Forestry. Jason Walker, fire supervisor with DNR Forestry, reminds all fire departments of the importance of submitting Wildland Fire Reports whenever they respond to a wildland fire or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire. Wildland fire reporting forms are available atwww.iowadnr.gov/fire.
Departments returning these reports receive priority points when the Fire Assistance grant applications are scored. These wildland fire reports are compiled locally and nationally and are reported to Congress.
(Des Moines, Iowa) – State, city and county inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past four weeks, including roach infestations, mouse droppings, spoiled fruit, moldy chicken batter and kitchens littered with trash. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. Listed below are some of the more serious findings that stem from inspections at Iowa restaurants, stores, schools, hospitals and other businesses over the past four weeks.
The state inspections department reminds the public that their reports are a “snapshot” in time, and violations are often corrected on the spot before the inspector leaves the establishment. For a more complete list of all inspections, along with additional details on each of the inspections listed below, visit the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals’ website.
Among the restaurants that were cited, was BC’s Pizza Company, 311 E. 7th St., Logan – During a Nov. 21st visit, a state inspector cited this restaurant for failing to have a certified food protection manager on staff and noted the sliced and shredded cheese had no date markings to ensure freshness and safety. Also, the restaurant appeared to be using commercially made sauces that had discard dates going back to October and August of 2024. The visit was in response to a non-illness complaint pertaining to contaminated equipment, improper holding temperatures, food from unsafe sources, poor personal hygiene among the staff and general facility sanitation. “Complaint is verified,” the inspector reported.
The Chuong Garden Restaurant, 903 W. Townline Road, Creston, was cited following a visit on November 8th, during which a state inspector cited the establishment for 13 risk-factor violations, an exceptionally high number. The inspector reported that inside a walk-in cooler, he “observed a large bowl of raw chicken in a batter with what appears to be a build-up of mold-like substance in the interior of bowl.” Also, the inspector found raw eggs that appeared to have been acquired from an unapproved source. The inspector also observed food-service employees handling cooked chicken with their bare hands as they placed it in to-go boxes. In addition, the cooked chicken was measured at 72 degrees, close to room temperature, and cooked pork eggrolls were measured at 94 degrees. The chicken and egg rolls were discarded.
The inspector also observed that the kitchen-prepared crab Rangoon filling was measured at 60 degrees – neither hot nor cold enough to ensure safety. On the kitchen’s food-prep table, the inspector found several raw, unpasteurized eggs that were warm to the touch and which had to be discarded. In addition, there were multiple unspecified food items inside the walk-in cooler, the freezer and the cold-make table that had no preparation dates to ensure freshness and safety. The kitchen’s dishwashing machine had no detectable amount of sanitizing solution; shrimp was left to thaw on a countertop at room temperature; a separate large bowl of raw shrimp was stored on the floor; and the kitchen scoops used with cooked rice were being stored in a container of stagnant water.
The visit was in response to a non-illness complaint that pertained to adulterated food, food procured from unsafe sources and general facility sanitation. “Complaint is closed and verified,” the inspector reported.
Other establishments that were cited following an inspection, include:
(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County today (Tuesday), accepted the Fiscal Year 2024 Montgomery County Annual Financial (Cash-basis) Report. Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna explained it’s the only financial report that gets published. She said the total ending fund balance as of June 30, 2024 was $2,734,026.
In other business, the Board approved claims payable for Nov. 27th in the amount of $154,290.67, and, they passed an amended resolution pertaining to the Sheriff’s Schedule of Services Inmate fees, which are intended to recoup some of the costs of room, board and medical. Officials say the amended fees should allow them to collect 60-percent of the costs.
The Board set the date and time for their January 2025 Organizational meeting as 8:30-a.m., on January 2nd. And, Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert provided her weekly report to the Board.
The Montgomery County Supervisor’s next meeting is 8:30-a.m., December 3rd.
(Radio Iowa) – U-S Senator Chuck Grassley says the tariffs President-elect Trump previously imposed on China pressured China to agree to buy U-S grain, but Grassley says the new tariffs Trump has threatened against Mexico, Canada AND China could hurt American agriculture. “I just think we need to get tariffs down,” Grassley says. “And that doesn’t bad mouth, in no way is that meant to disagree with Trump because I think he’s using tariffs as a negotiating tool.” Trump says he’ll add onto the tariffs already in place on goods from China unless the country imposes the death penalty on those caught trafficking the drug fentanyl. Trump also says he’ll impose 25 percent tariffs on all products from Mexico and Canada because they aren’t doing enough to stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs into the U-S.
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-New Hartford, IA) (official photo)
Grassley says U-S agricultural exports are typically the first casualty of a trade war. “It’s kind of a tricky game when it comes to increasing tariffs,” Grassley says, “because we in Iowa and throughout the agricultural community know that the first thing that’s retaliated against is agriculture.” Grassley says throughout most of his nearly five decade career in congress, he’s been an advocate for trade agreements that reduce tariffs and resolve trade disputes. “I believe we ought to be negotiating more trade agreements,” Grassley says, “whether that’s through the (World Trade Organization) or whether that’s through the multi-lateral or whether it’s bilateral.”
And Grassley suggests Trump’s new tariff threats could be linked to a clause in the U-S-Mexico Trade Agreement Trump signed when he was president. “Sometime in ’26, the USMCA says it could be renegotiated,” Grassley says, “and maybe he’s leading up to that.” Grassley says Trump’s initial tariffs on China led to a favorable deal in which China promised to buy 200 BILLION dollars more of U-S exports, but China wound up buying far less than that and began relying on other countries for many ag commodities. Grassley says it’s too soon to judge the motivation behind Trump’s latest tariff threats and what the outcomes may be.
“I’m going to be doing everything I can in the congress to have more trade, more fair trade agreements,” Grassley says, “and always constantly telling the president to be cautious about what you’re doing so it doesn’t hurt American agriculture.” During Trump’s first administration, the U-S-D-A sent over 23 BILLION dollars worth of trade disruption payments to farmers to compensate for China’s reduction in U-S grain and meat purchases.
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