(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents approved the second and final reading of the tuition increase for students at the three state universities during their meeting Wednesday. Brad Berg of the Regent’s staff says there were no changes between the first and final reading. “The base undergraduate resident tuition rates include a 355 dollar increase to a new rate of eight-thousand-711 at the University of Iowa 354 dollar increase to eight-thousand-678 dollar at Iowa State an increase of 331 dollars to eight-thousand111 dollars at U-N-I,” Berg says.

The Regents also approve various mandatory fee increases for the schools. Iowa State University student body president Jacob Ludwig says he’s concerned how it will impact low-income students. “I know a lot of students out there that, you know, are working 30,40 hours a week on top of trying to be a student, and, every cent matters,” he says. The University of Iowa’s vice president of graduate student government, Riley Post says he’s concerned about the economic burden of higher education shifting from the state to students.

“Something’s got to give. Especially now with interest rates rising on student loans, it’s going to make it a very difficult decision for a lot of people as to whether or not they decide to go on and get a post graduate education,” he says. This Iowa Legislature increased university funding by five million dollars — but that was 15 million dollars short of what the Board of Regents requested. Board officials say the tuition hike is needed to keep up with inflationary costs.

(Corning, Iowa) -The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a 13-year-old male was arrested Sunday on drug and alcohol charges, following a tip from the Corning Aquatic Center. The caller said a juvenile male was potentially drinking and smoking at the pool. Upon further investigation, the unidentified teen was arrested on charges that include Possession of drug paraphernalia and Minor in Possession of Alcohol.

The teen was transported to the Adams County Jail and later released to his parents.

*”Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations, and any defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

(Radio Iowa) – State regulators will approve an eight-hundred million dollar plan to install two fields of solar panels at the site of an idled nuclear power plant — if local officials in eastern Iowa approve zoning changes. The Linn County Planning and Zoning Commission meets today (Thursday) to review the solar projects planned on the site where the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power plant operated for decades.

The Linn County Board of Supervisors will consider the projects at meetings later in August. If Linn County officials approve the plans, the Iowa Utilities board has announced it will grant waivers and electric generation certificates for the solar projects near Palo. NextEra is the company that has proposed building a battery storage facility and two separate solar projects that would cover more than 11-hundred acres.

Alliant Energy has submitted a plan with the Iowa  Utilities Board to buy the projects from NextEra once construction is done.

(UPDATED) (Radio Iowa) Nearly 20,000 riders completed “The Ride of the Century” on Wednesday as the overnight stop for the 49th edition of the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa was in Mason City. Riders trekked 105 miles from Emmetsburg on Wednesday, the first 100-mile leg of RAGBRAI since 1985. Steve Luper from Seattle, Washington is enjoying his first RAGBRAI experience. “The cycling has been fun. We’ve been incredibly fortunate with the weather. Saturday night when we got into Sergeant Bluff it was kind of hot and we were thinking that was going to be the weather for the week, and it’s been pretty comfortable,” Luper says. “Today’s the sunniest day we’ve had but not ridiculously hot. I’ve been enjoying Iowa corn and pie and beer. I think those are the key things for RAGBRAI.”

Colleen Nagengast of Naples, Florida says despite the 100-mile-plus ride, it wasn’t that bad, as the previous day brought a headwind. Nagengast says she’s been enjoying her first trip through Iowa on a bike. “I can understand why people have done it, I absolutely enjoyed it. The best experience I’ve done,” Nagengast says. “I’ve done other states’ tours and Iowa is the best – the camaraderie and the town’s support.” Tonia Richter from Fox Lake, Illinois says she originally wasn’t going to do the 105-mile ride from Emmetsburg to Mason City but is glad she did. Richter says she’s been pleased with her first RAGBRAI journey.

“I think the people are the fun part, right? Everybody talks to everybody, and everybody is very kind. I love that,” Richter says, “and the towns are very welcoming to us here.” Michele Randall of Rochester, New York and her husband are on their sixth RAGBRAI ride and it’s been the second time they’ve been in Mason City. Randall says she enjoyed the ride alongside Richter.  She says, “With the tailwind, and it was flat, we didn’t stop as much in the beginning because we thought it might get really hot, who knows about headwind-tailwind, and it was great. We stopped at the beer tent and did two and sat in the shade, took our shoes and socks off, had a beer, it was just delightful.” Richter added, “It was amazing. A nice way to end the ride today.”

Riders have a shorter ride today (Thursday) as it’s only 48 miles from Mason City to Charles City. From there RAGBRAI stops in West Union on Friday night and wraps up in Lansing on Saturday.

(Radio Iowa) – Officials have confirmed an extremely rare amoeba that can destroy brain tissue is present in a state-owned lake in southwest Iowa. A Missouri man who went swimming at the Lake of Three Fires near Bedford died earlier this month after getting a brain infection caused by the amoeba. University of Iowa epidemiologist Mike Pentella encountered two similar cases when he worked at a hospital in central Florida.

The beach at the Lake of Tree Fires is reopening today (Thursday), with signs posted that warn of the amoeba’s presence. State officials say swimmers should take precautions and limit the amount of water that goes up their noses. Pentella says the organism is extremely rare and has primarily been found in southern states when lake levels are low and the water gets hot due to prolonged periods of high temperatures.

Pentella says it’s possible many people have been exposed, but did not come down with disease. If you’re going swimming in a lake, Pentella says you may consider wearing a nose clip or plugging your nose if you’re jumping in and he recommends avoiding digging or stirring up the sediment at the bottom of a lake.

Pentella made his comments during an appearance on the River to River program on Iowa Public Radio. State officials say they do not intend to test other state park lakes, as there is no rapid, standardized test for the amoeba.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds today (Wednesday) named Iowa Court of Appeals Judge David May of Polk City to fill the vacancy on the Iowa Supreme Court left by the retirement of Justice Brent Appel. Judge May was one of three candidates sent to the governor from the State Judicial Nominating Commission.

“At every point in this decision, Judge May of the Iowa Court of Appeals stood out for his experience, his approach to interpretation and his commitment to judicial restraint,” Reynolds says. May has been on the Court of Appeals since 2019 after being elevated from his district court position. May says he intends to decide cases based on the law as written and with what’s consistent with the U-S and Iowa constitutions.

“The basic principles of judging remain the same. Judges don’t exercise the powers of the executive and the legislature. We have a different job. Our job is to decide legal disputes,” May says. May is the fifth judge appointed to the seven-member high court appointed by Reynolds.
May was a finalist for a previous Supreme Court vacancy in 2020.All seven of Iowa’s justices have been appointed by Republican governors.

(reporting By Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Lorimor, Iowa) — A man and woman were arrested Tuesday on multiple felony charges of sexual abuse and lesser charges of child endangerment. A criminal complaint filed by the Union County Sheriff’s Office, says 31-year-old Dalton Thadius Barber, of Lorimor, and 25-year-old Roni Steil, of Chariton and formerly of Lorimor, were arrested on Union County warrants.

Steil was arrested in Clarke County on Union County Felony warrants charging her with two counts of sexual abuse of a child in the 2^nd degree,  three counts of lascivious acts with a child, and one count of incest. She faces additional aggravated misdemeanor charges including three counts of indecent contact with a  child, and two counts of child endangerment. She was being held at the Union County Jail in Creston, on a $95,000 cash-only bond.

Barber was arrested following a traffic stop in Lorimor, on Union County Felony warrants charging him with:  2 counts of sexual abuse of a child in the 2^nd degree; 2 counts of lascivious acts with a child/solicitation; 1 count of lascivious acts with a child/fondling or touching; 1 count of administering harmful substances to a child; 3 counts of indecent contact with a child; 2 counts of child endangerment; incest, and possession of a stolen handgun. Bond was set at $200,000.

Preliminary Hearings for Steil and Barber were set for August 2nd.

Barber was a passenger in a vehicle driven by 44-year-old Jerome McCallum, of Kellerton. McCallum was arrested after he drove away from a residence in Lorimor, where a search warrant was being served. Inside his vehicle, authorities found a loaded 12 gauge sawed off shotgun next to the driver’s seat, and a syringe used to inject methamphetamine was found in the driver’s door.

McCallum’s license had previously been revoked. In addition, he had fraudulent license plates on the vehicle. He faces Class-D Felony charges that include Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Possession of a short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun, as well as Possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor. McCallum was being held on a $10,000 cash/surety bond. His preliminary hearing was set for August 9th.

MAQUOKETA, IA — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said Wednesday, that Maquoketa Caves State Park will reopen for day use at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 28. The campground will remain closed until further notice. All campers with reservations through Sunday, July 31 have been notified and refunded.

The park closed on Friday, July 22 after the tragic shooting deaths of three members of the Schmidt family from Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Division of Criminal Investigation continues to lead the investigation of the incident.

The Iowa DNR appreciates the continued collaborative work between local law enforcement, the Department of Public Safety, and the DNR State Parks staff and conservation officers on this investigation.

A temporary memorial site will be located at the Maquoketa Caves State Park entrance sign near the Visitor Center.

Anyone with camping questions can send an email to: iowa.stateparks@dnr.iowa.gov.

Police in Glenwood, Tuesday, arrested 43-year-old William Jensen, of Glenwood. He was arrested for Theft in the 2nd degree. Bond was set at $5,000 (cash or surety).

(Radio Iowa) – An invasive bug that could threaten many of Iowa’s fruit crops and trees has been found in the state — but a top Iowa insect expert says there aren’t enough of them at this time to pose an immediate threat to Iowa’s agriculture. State entomologist Robin Pruisner says a person found the first spotted lanternfly on a maple tree in Dallas County and the second a week later in the same area. Both were immature – black with white spots.

“We do not call what we’ve found so far in Dallas County and infestation,” she says. “it appears that we’ve got hitchhikers — not a reproducing population at this time.” The spotted lanternfly can jump from plant to plant and feed on sap. It leaves behind a sticky substance that can develop a sooty mold which blocks photosynthesis and can kill the plant. Pruisner says she’s disappointed the bug has been found here. 

The closest known infestations of spotted lanternfly are in the Indiana-Ohio area, so I didn’t expect them to make such a large jump into Iowa,'” she says. Spotted lanternflies can attach their egg masses on vehicles or firewood and hitch a ride for a long distance. Pruisner is encouraging people to send photos to the Ag Department if they think they’ve seen the insect.

(reporting By Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)