(Harlan, Iowa) – The pursuit of a stolen vehicle ended with a crash Tuesday night in Shelby County. Dispatch reports indicated the vehicle had been stolen out of Polk County. The chase ended at 12th and Pine in Harlan. A suspect was taken into custody just before 9-p.m.

Additional details are currently not available. (Photos submitted to KJAN)

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds and the woman she just appointed as lieutenant governor got similar — and not that uncommon — starts in politics. They ran after someone encouraged them to do so. Reynolds often tells the story of how her husband, Kevin, encouraged her to run for Clarke County Treasurer in 1994 after she’d worked for the treasurer who was retiring. “He listened to me go on and on for a while and he said: ‘I kind of see it this way: either you run for office and you make all of those changes you have been sharing with me the last couple of years or I don’t want to hear another thing about it.'”

Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer says her nudge to run for her local school board in 2013 came from a friend who’d watched her attend board meetings and question why the front door at her childrens’ elementary school was unlocked. “I was a four-sport athlete in high school, so I got really competitive when I decided to run and ended up winning with 78% of the vote,” Cournoyer said. “…It wasn’t something I ever thought I would do, but the opportunity came up and I thought: ‘You know, if I’m upset about this I can either complain about it or I can get involved and do something about it.'”

Iowa State University professors Karen Kedrowski, on left, and Kelly Winfrey on the “Iowa Press” set. (Iowa PBS photo)

Two Iowa State University political science professors say these are common stories. Karen Kedrowski is director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. “We hear over and over again that women who are running for public office will say: ‘I never thought I would run for public office, but,'” Kedrowski says. “…By contrast many men who enter politics are what we call intrinsically ambitious. They just sort of think: ‘I could do a good job. I’m interested in this. I’d like to serve my community, so I’m going to run for X,’ but it’s a very different dynamic for women.”

And I-S-U professor Kelly Winfrey oversees the university’s “Ready to Run” program and the female candidates — from both parties — who’ve participated amplify another point, that women often run to solve a problem.”A lot of times those are at more local level offices, so things like the school board,” Winfrey says, “which is where Lieutenant Governor Cournoyer started.”

Winfrey and Kedrowski made their comments during taping of this week’s “Iowa Press” program which is online now at www.IowaPBS.org.

(Radio Iowa) – One of the perks for Iowans who are hosting big family gatherings during the holidays is getting to nosh on those leftovers for days on end, but to enjoy all that extra food for the next week, it has to be put away safely. Food safety expert Amy Johnston says most leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours.  “After that two hours, the food could get to a temperature that’s not safe,” she says, “and if there was bacteria present, they could be growing really rapidly.” Johnston says that rule also applies when the food is still warm, but you just have to go about it differently.

“Don’t secure the lid right away. Leave the lid cracked on your container when you put it in the refrigerator,” Johnston says, “so that way, any of that steam or heat can escape easier.” Plus, leaving the lid askew will cool your food down faster. Once it’s cold, you can tighten the lid and begin stacking the leftovers. There’s a broad “Temperature Danger Zone” for rapid bacteria growth that causes food-borne illness, which is between 41 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Keeping our foods at 41 degrees or below, like in our refrigerator and freezer, that’s going to help prevent that bacteria growth,” she says. With warm foods, Johnston says if it was cooked thoroughly enough, those bacteria will be inactivated — or killed — during the cooking process.

For more tips on leftovers, visit this site at Food Safety-dot-gov: https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/leftovers-gift-keeps-giving

(Radio Iowa) – A coalition of businesses that employs 160-thousand Iowans is calling for a reduction in the taxes Iowa businesses pay into the state fund that pays out unemployment benefits. Joe Murphy is president of the Iowa Business Council, which represents some of Iowa’s largest employers, including HyVee, Casey’s and John Deere. He raised the issue during an online hearing Governor Reynolds hosted. “While income tax reform continues to take place, we look forward to working with you and the General Assembly on other areas of competitive tax reform,” Murphy said, “…including Unemployment Tax Insurance, where Iowa ranks 33rd.”

Governor Reynolds used federal funding at the beginning of the pandemic to cover the large jump in jobless claims in 2020. In 2022, the governor signed a law that lawmakers reduced the amount of time Iowans may receive unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 10 weeks. J-D Davis, a vice president for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, says the Unemployment Trust Fund is stable and it’s time to consider changes.

“We are at a moment now, I believe, where we can look at the amount of premium going in each year, the amount of benefits going out each year,” Davis said, “how to make sure that insurance program is effective and that we can work to make it simplified.” Governor Kim Reynolds proposed this business tax cut LAST January, but key lawmakers tabled the bill in March. They asked for an analysis showing that if unemployment rises during a recession, the Unemployment Trust Fund would remain solvent even if the taxes businesses pay into it is lowered.

(Radio Iowa) – State Health Data shows deaths from opioid overdoses have dropped significantly this year. Numbers through October of this year show 125 Iowans have died from opioid overdoses and the state is on track to see a significant drop in deaths as compared to 2023. Gabbie Ruggiero with Polk County Behavioral Health and Disability Services says the reason is unclear, but local programs report an increase in the use of opioid overdose-reversal drugs. “They can’t seem to fill them fast enough that people will take that naloxone before they’re able to get back and fill them up,” she says. Ruggiero says that indicates those drugs are being used.

Opiods

“So based on that, the high utilization of the programs, we know that there is a need, and folks are utilizing Naloxone, which means that we’re probably seeing an increase in non-fatal overdoses,” Ruggiero says.

The Centers for Disease Control reports drug overdoses overall decreased nationally last year for the first time since 2018.

(Atlantic, Iowa)  – A KJAN listener reported Monday, that someone may have been trying to scam her. The woman said she received a call from “Goldman Mediation,” about a Wells Fargo account she closed about 20-years ago, and claiming she owed money. Various forms of these scams have been making the rounds for years. Anytime someone calls you, claiming to be seeking money for an account you have or had in the past, it is most likely a scam, even if they have your account information.

If you receive a call from any-type of mediation service, give no personal information, give no details about your life and give no details about any debt to them if and until a formal written demand and accounting is received that relates to your personal history directly. That should include an examination of transactions that is entirely related to something you once did. Experts advise you should not request this, if they’re serious they will bill you.

Remember, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Scammers often try to pressure you into agreeing to something, and may threaten legal action. Consult with a friend or family member you trust, even if the scammer tells you not to. Go directly to the company or bank the scammer claims to be from or say they represent. Keep in mind, Wells Fargo will never text, email, or call you asking for personal or account information.

ALBIA, Iowa [KCCI]— Mary Sauter is determined that no child should have to wake up Christmas morning without toys to open. KCCI reports that’s why the retired Albia teacher shops year-round for brand-new toys at deep discounts. She has filled an Albia warehouse from top to bottom with everything from books to bikes.

Since she retired, Sauter has been shopping and distributing toys to thousands of children all over Iowa for the last 13 years. She raises about $75,000 a year through donations and a golf tournament through her “Pay It Forward” nonprofit. She is proud of her thrifty shopping and says a $100 donation will buy $500 worth of toys.

So far, Sauter has given toys to more than 18 school districts across Iowa. Elementary schools identify students in need and send Sauter a list with the children’s ages and interests. Sauter is passionate about making sure each child gets gifts picked specifically for them.

(Algona, Iowa) – A collision in northern Iowa between an SUV and a semi resulted in the death of the SUV driver and injuries to the driver of the semi. The Iowa State Patrol reports the crash happened at around 7:10-p.m. east of Algona, in Kossuth County. Authorities say a 2009 Ford Edge driven by 51-year-old Andres Garcia Exposito, of Webster City, was traveling west on 210th Street, when the vehicle crossed the center line of the road and collided head-on with an eastbound 2021 Freightliner semi, driven by 46-year-old Daniel Eugene Murray, Jr., of Webster City.

Exposito died at the scene. Murray was transported by EMS to the Kossuth Regional Health Center. Both drivers were wearing seat belts. The crash remains under investigation.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa’s two regular gun deer seasons are done and the late muzzleloader season is underway along with the reopening of the archery season. The D-N-R’s state deer biologist says things are on track to hit the 104-thousand deer taken last year once all the current seasons are completed. Jace Elliott, state deer biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said roughly 15-20,000 hunters will participate in the late muzzleloader season and likely harvest about 10,000 deer. “The season is popular with hunters looking to avoid the crowds. It’s the season with the highest percentage of does harvested and is a good opportunity for herd management or to put meat in the freezer,” Elliott said. “This time of year, hunters would be wise to target existing food sources as these resources can be limited.”

While the archery season also re-opens, fewer deer are harvested during this time than during the early portion of the season. The late muzzleloader and late split archery season are Dec. 23 to Jan. 10, 2025. The final deer seasons are the two January antlerless deer only seasons – the Population Management January Antlerless Season and the Excess Tag January Antlerless Season. Both seasons run from Jan. 11-19, but there are differences between the two.

The Population Management January Antlerless Season is available only in Allamakee, Appanoose, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne and Winneshiek counties if there are more than 100 antlerless tags available in that county on Dec. 23. Since all seven counties met that requirement, all seven will be open. Hunters participating in the population management January antlerless season may use bows, muzzleloaders, handguns, shotguns, crossbows, or rifles .223 caliber and larger, as a method of take. The Excess Tag January Antlerless Season is available in all counties with unsold county antlerless tags on Jan. 11. Due to the compressed timeline, license sales will only be available over the counter, not online, until the quota is filled. Hunters participating in the excess tag January antlerless season may only use rifles from .223 caliber to .500 caliber as a method of take.

“We began running both seasons concurrently in 2023, and this past January we had just shy of 3,000 hunters participating who harvested about 1,500 deer statewide,” he said. “We will likely have similar counties participating as last year – primarily in northeast Iowa and southern Iowa – that will not fill their antlerless quota by Jan 10.” Hunters can monitor the quotas in real time at iowadnr.gov/Hunting then click on the Antlerless Deer Tag Quotas link under the Helping You Prepare heading. “If hunters are interested in using more than a centerfire rifle, they should consider purchasing the Population Management tags to have larger menu of options for the method of take,” he said.

Hemorrhagic Disease Update

Public reporting data suggests that 2024 was Iowa’s most severe hemorrhagic disease (commonly known as EHD) outbreak in recorded history. While more than 3,000 suspected EHD mortalities have been received this year in 94 counties, research suggests that multiplying that total by 10 would provide a more realistic, yet still conservative, estimate of total EHD-related mortality. “This means that many hunters and landowners throughout the state are noticing fewer deer during the hunting season, specifically in central and northwestern Iowa,” Elliott said. “While there is still plenty of harvest opportunity during our late seasons, it’s important for our hunters to adapt their harvest goals to the current status of their local deer population. Talk with your neighbors to better understand population impacts in your area, and understand that deer tend to congregate in the late seasons, which can lead to false perceptions of abundance on certain properties.”

A new EHD reporting tool and dashboard can be found on the DNR Deer Hunting webpage at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting. “While the majority of Iowa’s counties appear to be spared from severe population impacts from this recent outbreak, hunters should always consider the bigger picture and understand the role they play in managing balanced, healthy deer populations,” he said. “Successful local deer management relies on being informed and working together with neighbors, especially during severe EHD years.”

Chronic Wasting Disease Update

The Iowa DNR has raised its deer sample quota this year due to the sampling increases around the new positive deer from 2023. This year, the DNR has collected more than 5,000 samples from across the state to date and the lab at Iowa State University is working through them. So far, 26 deer have been either confirmed as having chronic wasting disease or are suspected and subject to a follow up test. The 26 positive deer includes three new counties – Davis, Shelby and Wapello – where the disease has been confirmed.

Late Muzzleloader season

Method of Take: Bows, muzzleloaders, handgun, or crossbow
Season is Dec. 23-Jan. 10. 2025
Population Management January Antlerless Season

Method of Take: Bows, muzzleloaders, handguns, shotguns, crossbows, or rifles .223 caliber and larger
Season is Jan. 11-19, 2025 – only in Allamakee, Appanoose, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne and Winneshiek counties if there are more than 100 antlerless tags available in that county on Dec. 23.
Excess Tag January Antlerless Season

Method of Take: Rifles .223 caliber to .500 caliber
Season is Jan. 11-19, 2025 – available in all counties with unsold county antlerless tags on Jan. 11, and sales will only be available over the counter, not online, until the quota is filled.