(Radio Iowa) – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — during a weekend stop in Iowa — says this is the year for Democrats to be listening to voters.

Walz said “…It’s a rebuilding year, but I think there’s a great opportunity here in this moment, that there’s a void that needs to be filled.” Walz spoke with Radio Iowa before an event in Iowa’s third congressional district, which is represented by Republican Zach Nunn. Hundreds gathered in a Des Moines high school auditorium gave Walz a standing ovation when he arrived for the town-hall-style forum.

People in the crowd shared concerns about the changes President Trump and Elon Musk are making in the federal government.

Walz made a couple of brief references to the 2024 presidential race, but did tell the crowd Democrats need to be less timid.

Walz plans to speak in swing congressional districts where Republicans won narrowly in 2024. He’ll be in Omaha today (Saturday) where Republican Congressman Don Bacon won reelection by a two-point margin. The governor’s travels fuel speculation he may run for president in 2028, but Walz — in an interview — focused on his 2026 decision about running for a third term as Minnesota’s governor.

Walz has been saying there’s not a charismatic leader who’ll sweep in and save the Democratic Party, so it’s up to rank and file Democrats to turn the tide. Walz says the party needs a rebranding and Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the state’s brand of populism are a start.

In a written statement issued during Walz’s appearance in Des Moines, Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann said Walz has embraced the worst of left-wing policies. Congressman Nunn told Fox News the American people had a great town hall called the election — and Nunn noted his winning margin in November was about 15-thousand votes.

(Linn County, Iowa) – A man traveling in an SUV was critically injured Friday night, when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed near Cedar Rapids. The Iowa State Patrol reports 64-year-old James Henry Wick, III, of Cedar Rapids, was driving a 2011 Jeep Wrangler northbound on I-380 near the U-S Highway 30 overpass, at around 10:15-p.m., when the vehicle drifted-off of the road and into the median.

When the SUV struck a guardrail and began to spin, Wick – who was not wearing a seat belt – was ejected through the roof of the vehicle. He was transported by ambulance to St Luke’s (University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics) in Cedar Rapids.

HARLAN, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Friday evening, updated information pertaining to an officer-involved shooting that took place March 6, 2025, in Harlan.  Authorities say that at approximately 4:30 a.m. on March 6th, Shelby County Sheriff Deputies responded to a welfare check near the 1800 block of College Place in Harlan. When law enforcement arrived, they encountered a male, later identified as David Plagmann (age 36), holding a rifle. Law enforcement attempted to deescalate the situation by negotiating with Plagmann for approximately 30 minutes.

During that negotiation, Plagmann pointed the rifle towards a Deputy, and was subsequently shot by law enforcement. Deputies and EMS immediately performed life-saving measures to Plagmann.  Plagmann was transported to nearby hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

While processing the scene, law enforcement subsequently located a deceased female, later identified as Alexis Martin (age 31). Current evidence suggests Plagmann was responsible for the death of Martin.

The officer involved in the shooting has been identified as Captain Chad Butler.  Captain Butler is a 25-year veteran of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

This is an ongoing criminal investigation, and no further details are being released at this time.  At the conclusion of the investigation, the DCI’s investigative findings will be reviewed by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.