KINGSLEY, Iowa (KTIV) – A new fire and EMS building in Kingsley, Iowa has gone up. KTIV reports Francis W. and Annola M. Schweitzberger lived their whole lives in Kinglsey, Iowa, and frequently gave back to the community. Upon their deaths in 2001 and 2010, the couple left behind their beloved farm. Their will directed proceeds from the sale of the farm to the Kingsley Fire Department and Kingsley Ambulance service, which used the funds for a new fire and EMS building.

Along with local financial support, the two organizations now have a state of the art facility, and multiple new trucks and rigs. They officially called it home in early October, and this past week, allowed the community inside for the first time.
The groups want to thank their Kingsley community, and hope to forever honor the Schweitzbergers and their legacy.

LE MARS, Iowa (KTIV) – A home in Plymouth County has been red-tagged as unlivable following a fire on evening of Saturday, Nov. 1st. Fire fighters with the Le Mars Fire-Rescue Department were called around 6:40 p.m. to a fire in a home on Sadona Hills South, on the southwest side of Le Mars. When they arrived, crews saw a large fire and heavy smoke coming from the back of the house. Crews were on the scene for more than three hours battling the blaze and investigating.

No one was home at the time the fire started. Authorities told KTIV the most likely cause of the fire was lithium batteries that exploded while being charged. The damage to the home and contents is estimated at $475,000.

Two fire fighters reportedly sustained minor injuries while fighting the fire.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KCRG) – President Donald J. Trump has endorsed Republican incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks for re-election in Iowa’s first congressional district.

In a statement released saturday, The President said, “Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks is an incredibly strong advocate for the great people of Iowa’s 1st Congressional District! A distinguished Medical Doctor and U.S. Army Veteran, Mariannette knows the America First Policies required to Defend our Country, Support our Brave Military/Veterans, and Ensure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. In Congress, Mariannette is working hard to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Advocate for our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our now very Secure Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment. Mariannette Miller-Meeks has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”

In response to the endorsement, Miller-Meeks released the following statement:

“It’s an incredible honor to have President Trump’s full support. Together, we’re leading the fight to grow an economy that benefits all workers, keep taxes low, restore American energy dominance, and stand up for the men and women who keep our country strong. I’ll never stop fighting for Iowa’s families, farmers, and small businesses, and I’ll keep working with President Trump to make sure Iowa, and America’s best days are still ahead.”

Democrat Christina Bohannan is running against Miller-Meeks for her seat for the third time. Democrats Travis Terrell and Taylor Wettach and Republican David Pautsch are also running for the seat.

CLIVE, Iowa — [KCCI] – A Drake University volunteer hockey coach has been dismissed, and a popular Clive bar is facing threats and backlash after images surfaced showing a man dressed as a Nazi at a business’ Halloween bash. The images — taken inside Miss Kitty’s Bar and widely circulated on social media — show the man wearing a swastika armband, an iron cross medallion, and a cropped mustache. In one photo circulating on social media, he raises his arm in a Nazi salute while posing beside two smiling women.

One of those women has been identified as Jessie Rudin, a volunteer coach for the Drake University Hockey Club and former Bulldogs player. Drake confirmed Saturday that Rudin has been removed from her coaching role, calling the behavior “completely inconsistent” with the university’s values.

Miss Kitty’s owner, who goes by E.J., but asked his last name not be shared because of death threats he’s received as a result of the incident, said he regrets not acting sooner but insists the man was asked to leave. He said Miss Kitty’s phone and social media pages were disabled after the bar was flooded with angry messages. A handwritten sign also appeared on the establishment’s exterior that read “we (heart) nazis.”

The Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines called the incident “antisemitism, not satire.” “Hitler is not a costume,” the organization said in a statement. “Free speech is not a shield for minimizing hate. We expect our community’s businesses and institutions to reject antisemitism clearly and immediately.”

In a message to the group’s community, the federation criticized what it called “a minimization of hate” and urged Iowans to reject antisemitism and the trivialization of the Holocaust. Rudin also appears on Easterseals Iowa’s employee website. The organization said the photo “does not reflect our values,” though it declined to say whether disciplinary action has been taken.

Meanwhile, Miss Kitty’s said costume policies will change for future events.

(Radio Iowa) – The president of DMACC — the Des Moines Area Community College — says he’s a little concerned about a proposal that would have Iowa’s 15 community colleges offer four-year degrees. The chairman of the Higher Education Committee in the Iowa House asked the colleges to study the issue and their final report was publicly released this fall. Des Moines Area Community College President Rob Denson discussed the concept during a weekend appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.

“The community college legislative agenda does not include a request to do bachelor’s degrees, so it’s really going to be what the legislature decides to do, but I think we’ve got a pretty good system now,” Denson said. “All three Regents have capacity. Most private colleges have capacity. We’ve worked together so well for so many years.” Denson was an administrator at a community college in Florida in the 1990s when it began offering four-year degrees, but Denson says it was because there were more students than slots for Florida students seeking baccalaureate degrees.

“Really, it was because there was no capacity at the University of Florida and other Florida universities,” Denson says. “Here’s we’ve got a great relationship with all the privates and the three Regents.” The University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa as well as 18 private colleges and universities in Iowa have transfer agreements with Iowa community colleges.

Denson says the community colleges already are competing against those institutions for first and second year students — and he warns offering four-year degrees at community colleges would likely have the biggest on impact enrollment at Iowa’s private colleges. “Every community in Iowa that’s got a private college, if they lost that college it would be a big deal,” Denson said, “so we like the fact that the colleges now are doing all right and we want to make sure they stay viable.”

The community colleges have told legislators they’d need about 20 million dollars extra over the next five years to set up 40 degree programs in high demand areas. Denson holds a degree in political science and a masters in higher education administration from Iowa State University and in 1979 he earned a law degree from the University of Florida. He’s been president of Des Moines Area Community College since 2003 and plans to retire at the end of this year.

There are a number of bond referendums on the ballots in southwest Iowa for Tuesday’s City-School Elections. Here’s a brief run-down of some of the school bond referendums in this area:

Atlantic Community School District: $22,500,000 to add classrooms at elementary and high schools; build a secure entrance, skybridge, and commons; remodel high school areas. (Public Measure DH) And, a Revenue Purpose Statement to continue using the statewide SAVE  funds for building upgrades, technology & infrastructure (Public Measure DG).

Atlantic Community School District: (Revenue Bond – Public Measure DI) $18,500,000 to build a new multipurpose indoor practice facility/fieldhouse at the high school;

Bedford Community School District: $11,500,000 to build a competition gym and add a loading dock to the existing K-12 facility.

IKM-Manning Community School District:  $19,800,000 to add classrooms, secure entrances, common areas, HVAC, and track and field improvements to the 4-12 building.

Iowa Western Community College (Public Measure SE):  $55,000,000 to build a new Career and Technical Education facility (automotive/diesel mechanic, CDL, logistics); expand existing buildings for HVAC, plumbing, welding, electrical, and construction technology.

Panorama Community School District:  $19,600,000 to build a competition gym; add classrooms, secure entrances, and common areas to elementary and secondary schools; upgrade roofing and playgrounds.

Riverside Community School District (Oakland, IA) -A Voter-approved Physical Plant & Equipment Levy (VPPEL). If approved, the PPEL would provide $595,000 a year for essential facility repairs, safety improvements, and technology upgrades. The proposed levy would add $1.34 per $1,000 of taxable property value. For a home with an assessed value of $200,000, this would amount to a property tax increase of about $120.61 per year, or $10.05 per month.

Stanton Community School District (Public Measure QB): Authorizes a tax levy of $2.70/$1,000 but not exceeding $4.05/$1,000 of assessed property value, to pay the interest and bonded indebtedness of the school district. Stanton CSD Public Measure PY: Adopting a RPS to receive SAVE funds from the State of Iowa for district facilities, and Public Measure PX: Authorizing a 10-year PPEL not to exceed $1.34 per $1,000 of taxable property value.

City Bond Referendums or Public Measures:

City of Greenfield: A $1,000,000 bond to build a new municipal swimming pool.

City of Menlo: Public Measure IU proposes changing the Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS) for existing unspent and future LOST (Local Option Sales Tax) revenues. The current RPS uses the proceeds for o% Property Tax Relief (PTR) & 100% for Community Betterment. The proposed RPS changes that to 25% each for PTR and Parks, and 50% for Roads/Streets.

City of Walnut: Public Measure SC proposes reducing the number of Library Board of Trustees from six, to four.

(Woodbury County, Iowa) – An eastern Iowa man was injured during a collision Saturday afternoon in northwest Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports 41-year-old Nickolas William Klein, of Cedar Falls, was traveling east in a 2014 Dodge RAM pickup on Highway 20, north of Cushing, at around 4:45-p.m., when his pickup struck the trailer being pulled by a 2007 Freightliner semi driven by 71-year-old Dale Ralph Knaack, of Correctionville, as the semi was entering Highway 20 eastbound.

The pickup sustained extensive damage. Both vehicles came to rest on the south shoulder of the highway. Klein suffered serious injuries and was transported to Unity Point St. Lukes hospital by helicopter. The Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

(Marshall County, Iowa) – A woman who was crossing a street in Marshalltown late Saturday night was struck by an unknown Dodge RAM pickup and died at a hospital. The Iowa State Patrol reports 30-year-old Melanie Katherine Nelson, of Marshalltown, was crossing South 3rd Avenue, just south of the intersection with East Main Street, when she was hit. The vehicle fled the scene and was still at-large as of this report.

The accident happened at around 10:05-p.m.  Nelson was transported by Marshalltown Fire to Unity Point Hospital, where she died from her injuries.