(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.

(file graphic)

(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.

(Radio Iowa) – The mayor of a western Iowa town devastated by an E-F-3 tornado eight months ago says he’s pleased with the progress of rebuilding but admits a full recovery could take up to a decade. Minden Mayor Kevin Zimmerman says the twister on April 26th destroyed 50 homes and 90 percent of the businesses. “We’re still working on rebuilding. The attitude in the area seems to be real high,” he says. “There’s a few that have moved away, but a few that want to come back. We’ll just keep plugging away.” Zimmerman estimates the damage could easily exceed twelve million dollars and some residents struggled with insurance claims, which delayed some rebuilding.

“The big thing is you have insurance; the house is gone. You have insurance for X amount of dollars. Why are we arguing about it? Just pay the damn money?,” Zimmerman says. Colleen Haggerty returned to her home in Minden right before Halloween after spending months in Council Bluffs waiting for repairs. “The community is pulling together, and I just hope all the business losses and stuff doesn’t ruin the town, you know?,” she says” Haggerty considers herself lucky — that her damage could be fixed.

“I hope no one else has to go through that. My grand kids are still traumatized. I had two grandsons here with us, too, when it hit,” Haggerty says Mayor Zimmerman says the state and Iowa West Foundation have provided between four and five million in grants to help the community rebuild.

A spokesperson says FEMA has provided almost 150-thousand dollars in individual assistance in Minden and is working with the city on public assistance projects.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, this (Friday) morning, arrested a man for Assault. Authorities say 51-year-old Robert Eugene Kelly, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 3:30-a.m. in the 400 block of E. Prospect Street, for the simple misdemeanor offense. Kelly was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.