(Fayette County, IA) – A man operating a 4-wheel ATV died Friday afternoon in northeast Iowa, when the ATV entered a ditch and crashed. The accident happened at around  4:10-p.m. east of Sumner, in Fayette County. The Iowa State Patrol says the 2005 Arctic Cat ATV was being operated by 84-year-old Veryl Alfred Burghardt, of Fayette. He died from his injuries at a local hospital after being transported to the facility by Sumner EMS.

(IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – A Nebraska-based grain dealer with elevators in western Iowa has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said farmers have 120 days to file for indemnity if they had unpaid grain sold before Nov. 17 to Hansen-Mueller Co.  The Iowa Grain Indemnity Fund will pay farmers up to 90%, with a $400,000 maximum, for their sold grain in the event a state-licensed grain dealer goes broke before it can pay the farmer.

The Iowa Grain Indemnity Fund is supported by farmers who pay a per-bushel fee into the fund when it is below its lower boundary, which the Legislature raised this year to $8 million. The fund was depleted in 2023 due to the bankruptcy of a large dealer, but the Grain Indemnity Fund Board stopped collecting the fees in September this year.

(Photo by Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

A spokesperson with IDALS said the fund is currently at $12.6 million and the department does not anticipate that indemnity payments resulting from the Hansen-Mueller bankruptcy will result in the board reinstating grain indemnity fees. According to Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings for Hansen-Mueller, none of its 20 largest unsecured claims were with Iowa companies. Some of the top claims include one for more than $4.6 million with Viterra Canada Inc., a more than $2.5 million claim with Cargill in Minnesota and just over $2 million to Beloit, Kansas-based Agmark LLC.

Hansen-Mueller had its grain dealer license revoked in Nebraska earlier this year, according to reporting from Nebraska Public Radio, when the company failed to make payments to producers.  The company later made the payments and its license was reinstated by the state licensing agency in early November.  According to a press release from the company, it intends to continue operations under the supervision of the bankruptcy court and “meet obligations” to employees and suppliers while the sale of its assets is finalized.

Hansen-Mueller, according to its website, had locations in 10 states, including Iowa. The company had elevators in Sioux City and Council Bluffs.  Iowa farmers with unpaid grain sold to Hansen-Mueller before Nov. 17, 2025, have until March 17, 2026 to file a claim with the state grain indemnity board.

Claims must be made in writing and mailed to IDALS Grain Warehouse Bureau. More instructions are available online.

(Radio Iowa) – A new report from the Common Sense Institute indicates the rising cost of insurance premiums may drive more Iowans to reduce their coverage or drop insurance altogether — putting pressure on the state’s insurance industry. Ben Murrey is Iowa policy director for the Common Sense Institute.

Not only does it cost more to repair or replace a home or business that’s damaged, the analysis shows the risk of natural disasters like tornadoes is rising in Iowa. The average cost of homeowners insurance premiums has increased 273 percent in the past 15 years — climbing to a statewide average of 25-hundred dollars this year.

Murrey says states are starting to figure out how to mitigate the risk of property damage to homes and businesses, to address spikes in insurance premium costs.

Murrey says there’s exciting research underway at Iowa State University to determine which types of projects do reduce risk. For instance, heavier shingles may stand up better during a hail storm, but make the roof more vulnerable during a tornado.

If property owners don’t take steps to reduce the risk of storm-related damage, the industry’s National Risk Index predicts insurance companies will pay an average of 580 MILLION dollars a year to cover property losses in Iowa that are caused by severe weather.

(Atlantic, IA) – The Atlantic Police Department reports seven arrests took place between Nov. 9th and the 17th. All subjects were taken to the Cass County Jail:

• 11/9/2025: 40-year-old Jennifer Ponder, of Red Oak, was arrested for OWI/1st offense; And, 31-year-old Nicole Kimpson, of Red Oak, was arrested for Possession of a controlled substance/3rd or subsequent offense.
• 11/10/2025: Atlantic Police arrested 32-year-old Chad Arbuckle, of Atlantic, for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree.
• 11/13/2025: 19-year-old Wrangler Crawley, of Atlantic, was arrested for Harassment in the 1st Degree
• 11/14/2025: 27-year-old Austin Boggs, of Atlantic, was arrested for False Imprisonment and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree; And, 39-year-old Katrina Shotwell, of Exira, was arrested for Driving While Barred.
• 11/17/2025: 27-year-old Ason Pisalil, of Atlantic, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct/loud raucous noise.

(Corning, IA.) –  The Adams County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday) released a report detailing four recent arrests. Authorities say two Corning men were arrested on active Adams County warrants for Violation of Probation: 22-year-old Colin Farrow was arrested Nov. 18th, and 32-year-old Devin Heimke was arrested Nov. 20th.

On Nov. 17th, 25-year-old Collin Gregory, of Corning, was arrested for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. And, on or about November 10th, 71-year-old George Erb, of Logan, was arrested for Driving While Barred, following a traffic stop.

In this picture, on the top – from left to right: Devin Heimke & Colin Farrow; Bottom row, left-to-right: Collin Gregory and George Erb. (Adams County Sheriff’s Dept. booking photos)

(Radio Iowa) – Many Iowans will be heading to the grocery store this weekend to stock up on ingredients for next week’s Thanksgiving dinner, but cost is always a concern. Lisa Schiller, spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau, says a great meal doesn’t have to be expensive. “You want to shop smart by looking for sales,” Schiller says. “Use coupons and buy anything that’s in season, such as produce and vegetables, and avoid any last-minute splurges.”

If your budget is looking tight, Schiller says the traditional turkey dinner doesn’t have to be stressful. “Plan a simple menu. Check your pantry first, of course,” she says. “Consider a potluck style meal that can share costs with guests as well. Sometimes families have everyone bring in a dish to pass.”

She suggests writing out the entire menu beforehand and sticking to it in order to help save money.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court is upholding a verdict against a Manchester police officer in the death of a motorcyclist after a chase. A jury found Manchester police officer James Wessels committed assault and battery against Augustin Mormann when he ran his patrol car into Mormann’s motorcycle twice and caused him to crash. Mormann eventually died from his injuries and the jury awarded Mormann’s estate more than four million dollars ($4.25-million).

Wessels and the city appealed citing numerous grounds, including qualified immunity and lack of evidence. The Supreme Court ruled the evidence showed that Wessels persisted in his own pursuit, violating department policy after other officers had called off the chase. And that Wessels’s cruiser hit Mormann’s motorcycle intentionally, without justification for using that deadly force.

(Radio Iowa) – A truck stop along Interstate 35 in northern Iowa near Williams that was known for 45 years as being a haven during blizzards will reopen soon under a new name. The Boondocks is ready to make a return as a TA Truck Stop. The Boondocks closed in 2018, and reopened as a Jay Bros truck stop in 2019, until it closed up again over a year ago. The nearby Boondocks Motel was demolished earlier this year. Social media posts stated there have been interviews for those wishing to be an employee at the former iconic truck stop in Hamilton County.

KQWC photo

A giant TA Truck Stop sign was recently installed. Officials with the Ohio-based firm have not announced when the official opening will take place.  This will be the second truck stop for Williams. The Flying J Truck Stop is located not far from the future TA Truck Stop.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces today the first influenza-related death of the 2025-26 respiratory virus season. The individual was an older adult from southwest Iowa.

Iowa’s most recent Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report shows the virus at a very low level of activity, and hospitals are currently reporting low patient admission rates. Although flu activity in Iowa is currently low, Iowans can take a few simple precautions to keep themselves and their families healthy throughout the respiratory virus season.

“Holiday gatherings bring us together with family and friends we may not see often,” said State Medical Director Dr. Robert Kruse. “To keep those celebrations, our workplaces and our communities safe and healthy, I encourage everyone to stay home when feeling sick and to talk with your healthcare provider about vaccination.”

Vaccination protects from serious illness and death from respiratory diseases like flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). HHS encourages Iowans to talk to their doctor or other trusted health care provider about vaccines, especially those with chronic health conditions who may be at higher risk for serious illness.

Additional Tips to Stay Healthy:

• Stay home and avoid social gatherings if you or your children are sick.
• Clean high touch surfaces in your home frequently with household disinfectants.
• Practice hand hygiene frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer for at least 20 seconds.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or if a tissue is not available, cover them with an upper shirt sleeve, not a hand.
• Keep children home from daycare or school who have fever, cough, congestion, runny nose, or sore throat, and until they are fever-free for 24 hours without medications that reduce fever.

If you or a loved one is sick and needs medical care, contact your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can offer advice on whether you or your child needs to be evaluated in person, tested for flu or other respiratory diseases, and the best location for care.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra says if he’s elected governor, he’ll make cutting Iowa property taxes a priority — and one step could be freezing property taxes for seniors. “But, on the flip side, you’ve got to have economic growth in those communities,” Feenstra says. “It all goes together.” And Feenstra says that means cutting property taxes for small businesses, too. “It’s the number one cost when it comes to small business. Before you even turn on the lights, you’re paying property taxes,” Feenstra says, “so we’ve got to figure out a solution to lower them, to make sure that they can grow and stay successful and keep their doors open.” Cutting the budgets for certain services, like police, fire and ambulance services isn’t the goal, according to Feenstra.

“There’s a new way to do this to be transparent on what property taxes look like,” Feenstra told reporters this morning, “what’s being paid.” Feenstra touts his work as a state senator in lowering Iowa’s income tax and his work in congress on federal tax cuts included in the “Big Beautiful Bill” President Trump signed in July. “I was a city administration. I understand how we can do this. I was also county treasurer, so I get how property taxes work,” Feenstra told reporters. “I know there’s ways to lower property taxes and freeze them and so that is my vision and we’ll get it done.” Feenstra was the city administrator in his hometown of Hull before serving two years as Sioux County Treasurer.

Feenstra made his comments early this (Friday) morning after an event in Des Moines organized by his campaign for governor. Feenstra, who’s been a member of the U-S House since 2021, told reporters he and other members of a House committee are working diligently to come up with an alternative to expiring tax credits for some of the Americans buying health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. “We want to come out with a new plan that dramatically lowers premiums for families and for small businesses when it comes to health insurance,” Feenstra says. Health care subsidies for Americans whose income is at 400 percent of the poverty line or below will continue under current law, but the COVID era extension of those subsidies for higher income Americans that was approved in 2021 will expire December 31st.

“We understand how important it is to families and to small businesses that we’ve got to get it done,” Feenstra says. “We’ve got to come up with a solution and that’s our goal.” Congressman Zach Nunn, a Republican who represents Iowa’s third district, supports a one-year extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits, to give lawmakers time to come up with long-term solutions that lower health care costs.