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KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Radio Iowa) – Republican Randy Feenstra says property tax reform is a priority for Iowa voters and he’ll work to lower residential, business and industrial property taxes and freeze them if he’s elected governor. “We have to make sure that seniors can stay in their houses, but I also understand that when you give more money back to families and businesses, that’s how they grow and that’s how our economy will grow,” Feenstra said. “…I’m a fiscal hawk — anything that we can do to reduce taxes. As you know, I wrote and passed the largest tax reduction in Iowa history. I also helped and wrote the largest tax reduction in U.S. history and so I know a lot about taxes and for me it’s all about how you can grow an economy.”
Feenstra was a state senator for 12 years and is currently in the middle of his third term in the U.S. House. He’s on the House tax-writing committee that worked on President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. In 2018, Feenstra was chair of the Iowa Senate’s Ways and Means Committee when Republicans passed a nearly two-point-nine billion dollar reduction in state income taxes for individuals and corporations. Feenstra, who formally launched his campaign for governor yesterday (Tuesday), says ensuring access to health care, particularly in rural Iowa, is a concern.
“I was a volunteer EMT for 15 years. I know how important it is for that ambulance to be there within minutes of having a heart attack or a stroke.” Feenstra is emphasizing his Iowa roots. “I’m a fourth generation Iowan, grew up in northwest Iowa, right in the small town of Hull. Threw the paper route and worked at the local bakery, met my wonderful wife at the Pizza Ranch. We’ve been married 33 wonderful years and have four wonderful children that all went to the same school I did,” Feenstra says. “You know, for me, it’s all about making sure that Iowans can live the American dream just like I did.”
Feenstra began laying the groundwork for a campaign for governor shortly after Governor Kim Reynolds announced in April that she would not seek reelection. Feenstra has talked about the angst Iowans feel about young people leaving the state after high school and has suggested it’s time to emphasize vocational education programs. Feenstra says one of his goals as governor would be to ensure Iowa has a world class education system.
“We have to make sure that our kids are getting the fundamentals in education. We have to teach the ABCs and not DEI,” Feenstra said. “We have to make sure that every child has a quality education, from preschool all the way through community colleges to our universities.” Feenstra supports the state’s Education Savings Account program that gives parents state tax dollars to cover their child’s private school tuition and other expenses. Feenstra says he’s willing to discuss extending the state payment to parents who homeschool their children.
The video Feenstra’s campaign released Tuesday morning took aim at State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat who’s running for governor and suggested Sand is a pretender who is secretly liberal. During an interview with Radio Iowa, Feenstra says he’s the best Republican to face Sand in the 2026 General Election. “I can win. I’ve done it. I worked at a great business, the Foreign Candy Company. I understand how important it is to make sure you sell our state,” Feenstra said. “You know, now I’m at the federal level, working with Trump…I continue to deliver each and every time and I will deliver results for Iowa when I’m governor.”
Emily O’Brien, a spokesperson for Sand, says Feenstra spent half his launch video misleading Iowans about Rob Sand and O’Brien says Sand has a message that’s resonating with voters across the political spectrum. Three other Republicans have been running for governor the past few months. Two of them have been openly questioning why Feenstra had not been making public appearances around the state and campaigning for governor.
GUTHRIE COUNTY, Iowa — The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday declared emergency medical services an essential service, a step aimed at creating uniform EMS coverage countywide. KCCI reports the vote was 4-1. Supervisors J.D. Kuster, Brian Johnson and Steve Smith joined Supervisor Maggie Armstrong in support. Supervisor Mike Dickson was the lone no vote.
The earliest the question could go to county voters in a special election is March 2026, officials said. Backers expect a different outcome than last year, when a similar measure did not pass.
Maggie Armstrong said she will watch the Iowa Legislature closely, hoping two bills introduced last year resurface — one to make EMS tax-increment financing exempt and another to make EMS essential statewide.
ANKENY, Iowa [KCCI] — A 19-year-old Des Moines woman died after crashing into a semi that was sitting on the shoulder of Interstate 35 on Tuesday afternoon.
The Iowa State Patrol says a semi was sitting on the outside shoulder of the northbound lanes near mile marker 100.9 due to mechanical issues. Shortly before 3:30 p.m., Emilie Anne VanWinkle, of Des Moines, was traveling northbound in a 2002 Mercury Sable when she lost control and crashed into the rear of the semi on the side of the road.
The crash remains under investigation.
According to the latest data from the Iowa Department of Transportation, 226 people have died so far this year on Iowa roads. That number is 68 fewer than at the same point in 2024. Over the last five years, an average of 353 people have been killed in statewide crashes annually.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Auditor Kathy Somers reports the successful completion of public testing of election equipment took place on October 28, leading up to the November 4 City-School Election. The test confirmed all election equipment in Cass County is working properly and is ready for the upcoming election.
During the test, vote tabulators undergo a logic and accuracy test, which the public is invited to attend. Election officials test voting tabulators using sample ballots to ensure the tabulators are recording votes properly by feeding in correctly marked ballots and ballots that may be marked incorrectly. This includes ballots with any undervote, where a race is left blank, and ballots with an overvote, where a voter has marked too many candidates for a race.
Pre-election testing takes place before each election in all 99 counties and is mandated by Iowa law. To ensure transparency in the election process, the public is invited to attend and watch the testing, and members of Iowa’s recognized political parties are also invited.
Public pre-election equipment testing is just one of many safeguards in place to protect the integrity of Iowa elections. Other layers of Iowa’s election integrity include paper ballots, cybersecurity measures, post-election audits, voter ID, and bipartisan teams of poll workers.
(Radio Iowa) – Senators from Iowa and Wisconsin recently re-introduced a bill that would require the U-S-D-A to study competition in the fertilizer market and its impact on prices paid by farmers. Three companies dominate fertilizer production in North America, according to Farm Action. Noah Coppess farms and runs an agri-business in eastern Iowa. and told Senators during a Judiciary Committee hearing that farmers right now are price takers, not price makers – especially when consolidation limits their options.
“Fertilizer pricing has become very volatile with at times, wild swings and costs varying as much as 25 to 50 percent from year to year,” he says. Coppess says they have to pay up front. “We are asked to pre-pay for fertilizer three-to-six months prior to it being applied to the soil, and up to 14 months before the crop will be harvested,” Coppess says.
The C-E-O of the Fertilizer Institute said during the hearing that geopolitics and demand from U-S corn growers have contributed to higher fertilizer prices. He said streamlining environmental permitting for mines and production plants would help the sector boost the domestic supply. The U-S imports the vast majority of the potash used in fertilizer, with most of it coming from Canada.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is a co-sponsor of the Fertilizer Research Act, which would require the U-S-D-A to conduct a study on competition in the fertilizer market and its impact on price.
(October 28, 2025) — Landmarks across Iowa, including the Wells Fargo Arena, Alliant Energy Tower, and the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, together with more than 1,500 buildings and landmarks around the world, will be lighting up teal on November 3 to raise Alzheimer’s awareness as part of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s (AFA) Light the World in Teal program. Light the World in Teal 2025 is the world’s largest-ever organized collective light-up for a single cause.
Pictured: An example of a building lit-up in teal to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease: The Empire State Bldg. in New York (AFA photo)
The annual program, held in November as part of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, aims to literally shine a spotlight on Alzheimer’s disease and show support for the millions of people affected by it. Teal is AFA’s Alzheimer’s awareness color.
Participating Iowa landmarks include:
AFA President & CEO Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., said “We are grateful to have some of Iowa’s most high-profile sites raising awareness and supporting the millions of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease. From large skyscrapers and stadiums to small town halls, every landmark that lights up teal on November 3 brightens the spotlight on Alzheimer’s awareness across the world.”
The Iowa landmarks are among more than 1,500 sites in all 50 states and 13 other countries/territories “going teal” for Alzheimer’s awareness on November 3. This is the 12th year of AFA’s Light the World in Teal campaign. Individuals can also participate in raising Alzheimer’s awareness by “going teal” on their own November 3. You can wear teal or even use social media to raise awareness.
Nearly 7 million Americans, including 66,000 Iowans, are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. The number of people with Alzheimer’s is projected to double by 2060, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information about AFA’s Light the World in Teal program, including a list of participating landmarks, visit www.lighttheworldinteal.com. Families looking for additional information about Alzheimer’s disease or support services can contact AFA at 866-232-8484 or www.alzfdn.org.
(Radio Iowa) – The first forum featuring the five Republican candidates running in Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District was held last (Monday) night in Treynor. The Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition hosted the event and will run get-out-the-vote efforts next fall for Iowa Republican candidates. Douglas Jensen, a veteran of the Air Force from Silver City, told the crowd he’s running because Washington is broken.
“Congress is the most dysfunctional branch of government. It can’t do it’s constitutional job. It can’t pass a budget. It can’t even keep the government open,” Jensen said. “It takes strong leadership to fix a problem like that.” Candidate Ryan Rhodes, the founder of the Iowa Tea Party, recently stepped down as C-E-O of Parler, a social media platform popular with conservatives.
“I’m glad the government is shutdown right now,” Rhodes said, “and I’m glad we actually have a congress that is finally standing against an extra $1.3 trillion of communist ObamaCare, period.” Candidate Christian Schlaefer is a farmer and software engineer from Lakota. He says President Trump has done an amazing job, but the D.C. swamp is far deeper and more dangerous that anyone had imagined.
Five GOP candidates gathered for forum in Treynor on Oct. 27, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio)
“If we allow Democrats, progressives or woke ideology individuals to take over this country again, they will turn against us with a revenge for the great things that we’ve been able to accomplish.” Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Chris McGowan says members of congress from both parties have shown they cannot say no to more spending — and the federal deficit grows.
“Our federal debt — now at $38 trillion,” McGowan said. “…The surest and fastest way to arrest that spending is to force congress to remain disciplined and to advocate for…a balanced budget amendment.” Matt Windschitl of Missouri Valley is the only one of the candidates who’s won elected office before. Windschitl has been one of the G-O-P leaders in the Iowa House for the past 16 years.
“The same principles that we’ve applied here in Iowa that I’ve been a part of need to be what is applied in Washington, D.C.,” Windschitl said. “Yes, that means we’re going to have to tighten the belt…Yes, that means we’re going to have to cut back on the reckless spending.”
Republican Randy Feenstra, who currently represents the fourth congressional district, formally kicked off his campaign for governor today (Tuesday). Three Democrats have been campaigning in the district.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowans will have to push their clocks back an hour before heading to bed on Saturday night, while one expert says falling back to daylight saving time can be very difficult on our bodies and we need to start prepping early. Christie Harris, a wellness education specialist at Emplify Health by Gundersen, says studies find setting the clocks back can lead to an increased risk of depressive episodes, heart attacks and strokes.
“There’s actually been research that has shown that the week of daylight saving time there tends to be more car accidents,” Harris says. “There’s other things that tend to put people more at risk because our bodies just have a harder time being able to adjust to the changes in our sleeping patterns.” Harris says Iowans ought to consider shifting their bedtime now, perhaps by just ten or 15 minutes a night, in order to gradually prep for the change this weekend.
Photo credit: Radio Iowa
“Some of that could be slowly changing that sleeping pattern so that in the fall you’re going to bed to adjust for that time frame, so that your body isn’t having as much sleep disruptions,” Harris says. “And I would say do the same thing in the spring as well, because both of them definitely have a direct impact on our overall health.” Adults know that it’s important to get good sleep, and she says parents need to take particular note of how their kids are faring during the daylight saving shift.
“We should know better than anybody that if our sleep gets disrupted, then I think we really need to advocate for our kids. Sometimes our kids probably aren’t going to be so happy with what we’re asking them to do,” Harris says, “but we need to remember that sometimes when we’re parenting, if our kids don’t always like us the most, that’s probably meaning we’re doing something well, right?”
Emplify Health by Gundersen has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County residents have likely received at least three postcards from the Auditor’s Office, with regard to the bond elections that will be on the ballot on November 4th. Cass County Auditor Kathy Somers offers an explanation for what many perceive is a waste of money sending out multiple cards. Somers says the “Official Notice of Bond Election” postcards is mandated by the legislature.
She says in 2023, the Iowa Legislature passed House File 718, which requires county auditors, who also serve as the commissioner of elections, to mail a separate notice for each public measure bond issue that will appear on the upcoming election ballot. Because the law mandates that each public measure be mailed individually to every registered voter, households may receive multiple official notices when more than one bond issue is on the ballot.
Somers explains that county auditors often hear complaints from residents who are frustrated by what they see as a waste of taxpayer dollars to mail the public measure notices. Voters wishing to share their opinions are encouraged to contact their state senator or representative at https://www.iowa.gov/how-do-i-contact-state-legislators.
(Clarinda, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Page County are investigating an injury accident that occurred at around 6-p.m. Monday (Oct. 27). Authorities say they received a phone call of a traffic accident at Highway 2 and A Avenue. Deputies from the Page County Sheriff’s Office, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Officers from the Shenandoah Police Department and Shenandoah Fire and EMS arrived on scene.
A preliminary investigation revealed Nicholas Gregory Roberts was driving east on Highway 2. He had slowed to turn north onto A Avenue. Melinda Sue Shackelford was driving east on Highway 2. Her vehicle ran into the back of Robert’s vehicle. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage in this accident.
Shackelford, Roberts and a passenger in Robert’s vehicle were all transported to the Shenandoah Medical Center.
This accident remains under investigation by the Page County Sheriff’s Office.
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