[Red Oak, IA] – As Daylight Saving Time comes to an end this Sunday, November 2, 2025, the Red Oak Fire Department is reminding everyone to “Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries.” When you set your clocks back one hour, take a moment to also replace the batteries in all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. This simple step could save your life. Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce says “Working smoke alarms are one of the most important and cost-effective ways to protect your family from fire. Changing the batteries twice a year ensures they’re always ready to alert you in an emergency.”

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that three out of five home fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms. Many of these failures are due to missing or dead batteries.
In addition to changing batteries, residents are encouraged to:

• Test smoke and CO alarms monthly.
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years and CO alarms every 5–7 years, depending on manufacturer recommendations.
• Install alarms on every level of the home, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas.
• Develop and practice a home escape plan with your family.

Chief Bruce said “The Red Oak Fire Department remains committed to promoting fire safety and prevention throughout our community. Remember — “Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries” — a few minutes today can make all the difference tomorrow.”

For more information about fire safety, contact the Red Oak Fire Department at 712-623-6504 or emailing fireprevention@redoakia.city

(Radio Iowa) – State and local leaders celebrated a new mural in Manchester Wednesday that is part of a state economic development program.

The landscape mural spans three stories on the south side of Honey Creek Furniture in downtown Manchester. Stephanie Fangman says the mural that was funded by Manchester Vitality Endowment and a state grant, has gotten good reviews. “I think just from the response we’ve gotten with this mural, I think it’s definitely more than artwork. We’ve seen people of all ages, all genders, all you know, all types that have found something interesting in the mural,” she says. Iowa City artist Thomas Agran spent five days painting the nature scene inspired by a visit to Spring Branch Creek in Delaware County.

Manchester created a community mural through a new state program. (photo by Janelle Tucker)

The Iowa Economic Development Authority mural program was created to showcase a community’s “unique creative and cultural identity” while building civic pride and engagement. Fangman says the Manchester mural does that. “I think it brings people together, brings people to Manchester. To look at it, but also just to represent Manchester and the businesses we have here in lots of different ways, there’s so much that you can say in different murals. So not one mural says at all,” Fangman says.

Sam Milroy owns the furniture shop where the mural was painted and says he hears all the time from people who love the mural. He likes that the mural is unique to Manchester. “Rather than saying we want this image that we’ve seen in another community somewhere else, or we want to be like, I saw this on vacation in Chicago, and can you do this in our community?,” he says. “I like that they went with something that’s, you know, imagery that is authentic to place. This is Manchester and it’s not Manchester. pretending to be another place or another community, but celebrating the things that are special about this part of Iowa.”

Manchester was one of the first towns to be selected for the Iowans Who Create Community Murals Program. Cascade, Knoxville and Washington were also chosen for grants.

(Radio Iowa) – Voters in this year’s city-school elections will determine the fate of 56 bond proposals that would raise a total of one-point-seven BILLION dollars to build or renovate public facilities for things like schools, fire stations, and libraries.
That calculation comes from the Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation. The group asked Iowa’s 99 counties auditors for information about this year’s city-state elections. Eleven of this year’s bonding proposals are the same or similar to previous plans which got majority support from local voters, but missed the required 60 percent approval in the 2023 or 2024 elections.

The largest bonding proposals are for schools and athletic facilities in the Ankeny, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and West Des Moines School Districts. In addition, voters in a few counties will also decide whether to raise local property taxes to finance ambulance services. Bruce Musgrave is E-M-S director in Calhoun County, where voters are considering an E-M-S tax.

“This would guarantee that when you pick up the phone and call 911, that you would get an ambulance service to be available and respond to you and to your needs,” Musgrave said. “The statement that we are sharing right now: ‘The day that you need an ambulance, it will be too late to vote for one.'” Calhoun County has five ambulances operating today, but Musgrave says the one that serves the Manson area is 27 years old.

“The average life expectancy of an ambulance is 8-10 years,” he said. “Not to mention, it is of the older age, so we can’t do certain updates to the ambulance to stay current.” Musgrave says besides equipment, Calhoun County’s E-M-S agencies would be able to use the funds raised to recruit and retain staff. “Cost — that’s been a big driver for people that can’t afford to go to school, so we’d be able to help with that,” Musgrave says, “and therefore that would allow us to have more personnel, both on the paid and the volunteer side of things.”

In 2022, nearly 59 percent of Calhoun County voters supported an E-M-S property tax levy — but it failed because it needed 60 percent support. Buchanan, Clay and Washington County voters are also deciding whether E-M-S is an essential service that should directly get a constant slice of local property tax revenue. E-M-S referendums already have passed in 21 counties.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she’s worked closely for two decades with one of the four Republicans running to replace her as governor — but she does not plan to endorse a G-O-P candidate before next June’s Primary. “I’m not going to get involved in the primary. We haven’t had one for a long time, so I think it’s really important that, you know, they get out there and make their case,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds announced in April that she would not seek re-election in 2026. Pastor Brad Sherman of Williamsburg and State Representative Eddie Andrews of Johnston have been campaigning for governor for several months. Iowa Department of Administrative Services director Adam Steen was working for Governor Reynolds until late August, when he resigned to run for governor. And just this week Congressman Randy Feenstra formally kicked off his campaign for governor.

“I’ve known Randy for a long, long time,” Reynolds said. “We actually served in county government together. We were both county treasurers and we both decided to run for the state senate. We ran in 2008 and, if you remember, there was not a lot of Republicans that won in 2008.” Reynolds left the state senate after she was elected lieutenant governor in 2010. Reynolds, who has been governor since mid-2017, says she and Feenstra share the same philosophy when it comes to tax policy.

“Randy was the one that I worked in the state senate for the first big property tax bill that we were able to pass in 2018,” Reynolds said. Feenstra was chairman of the Iowa Senate’s tax writing committee at the time. Reynolds says once G-O-P Primary voters choose a nominee for governor, she’ll do everything she can to help them win next November. “I don’t want to see all the stuff that I’ve done be undone,” Reynolds said. “…I’m hoping the next governor takes what we’ve done and knocks it out of the park and continues to keep this state moving forward.”

Reynolds made her comments yesterday (Thursday) after a roundtable discussion about property taxes. The event was held in Hull, which is Feenstra’s hometown. Reynolds took over as governor when Terry Branstad resigned to become U-S Ambassador to China. She won election to a full four-year term in 2018 and reelected in 2022.

(Winneshiek County, Iowa) – One person is dead and another was injured, following a collision between a truck and a van this (Thursday) afternoon, in northeast Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports the crash happened at around 4:05-p.m., southwest of Decorah.

Authorities say a 2016 Chrysler Town & Country van was traveling south on Highway 52, when a Mack truck failed to stop at the posted stop sign with Townline Road. The van struck the truck on the driver’s side.

No names were released as of this report, pending notification of family. The Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, Decorah Police and Fire Department, and Winneshiek Medical.

Creston, Iowa — The Creston Police Department reports at at around 10:30-p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29th, law enforcement
officers from the Creston Police Department and Union County Sheriffs Office responded to an incident involving a reported robbery and assault within the city of Creston.

A Union County Deputy encountered a female juvenile in the roadway near South Sumner St., and Jefferson Ave., who appeared injured and in distress. The juvenile reported that she had jumped from a moving vehicle to escape an assault by the driver.

Through investigation, Officers identified the driver as 21-year-old Jayden Peavler, of Creston. The victim reported that she had met with Peavler regarding the sale of a personal item when he attempted to forcibly take it from her. When the juvenile attempted to contact law enforcement, Peavler allegedly assaulted her and accelerated the vehicle as she tried to exit. The juvenile jumped from the vehicle and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

This (Thursday) morning, Creston Police Officers located Peavler, conducted an interview and subsequently arrested him for the following offenses:
• Kidnapping, 1 st Degree – Class “A” Felony
• Robbery, 1 st Degree – Class “B” Felony
• Assault While Participating in a Felony – Class “C” Felony
• Obstruction of 9-1-1 Communication – Simple Misdemeanor
• Interference with Official Acts – Simple Misdemeanor

The juvenile victim was evaluated by emergency medical personnel and treated for injuries at Greater Regional Medical Center. The Creston Police Department extends its appreciation to the Union County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. This remains an active investigation, though no further information is expected to be released at this time.

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – President Trump met with China’s president earlier today (Thursday) and Trump says China has agreed to start buying massive amounts of U.S. soybeans. U-S Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says China purchased “multiple” shiploads of soybeans just before the meeting. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says it’s all great news that will have a meaningful impact at a tough time for the farm economy. China has historically been the largest overseas market for U.S. soybeans, but stopped buying this spring in response to U.S. tariffs. American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland says that made financial problems even worse for soybean farmers.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on the “Iowa Press” set at Iowa PBS (Iowa PBS photo)

“We are hopeful that this market will be restored following the meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi,” Ragland said. “Still, high production costs and market losses mean soybean farmers are expected to face losses of $109 per acre for this year’s crop.” Ragland says the financial situation for row crop farmers remains dire, though, due to escalating costs for things like seeds, fertilizer and farm equipment. “As congress and the administration continue to address the overall cost of farm production, targeted farm assistance is desperately needed,” Ragland said.

President Trump suggested weeks ago that up to 10 BILLION dollars of emergency payments to farmers could be made using tariff revenue, but the plan was put on hold during the government shutdown.

• Earn: Double Up Food Bucks when you buy fresh fruits and vegetables with SNAP/EBT at participating locations.
• Redeem: Double Up Food Bucks when you buy fresh fruits and vegetables at participating locations.
• Use: Double Up Food Bucks only at authorized Double Up locations.
• Expiration: Double Up Food Bucks expire quarterly with the next expiration occurring on December 31, 2025.
• Balance: Funds remain on your Double Up card and cannot be transferred to your SNAP EBT card. Check your balance at mydoubleup.com.
• Eligibility: Double Up Food Bucks cannot be earned with WIC or personal funds.
• Need a Card? Sign up for a Double Up Food Bucks card at a participating location or visit doubleupiowa.org.