(Poweshiek County, IA) – The driver of an SUV died this (Monday) morning, when the vehicle went out of control and crashed in central Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2005 Ford Escape driven by 45-year-old Kara A. Westphal, of Deep River (IA) was traveling west on Iowa Highway 85 in Poweshiek County, when due to icy road conditions, the vehicle left the road on a curve, and rolled multiple times.

Westphal – who was wearing her seat belt – died from her injuries at the scene of the crash, that happened northwest of Deep River, at around 7:05-a.m. Multiple agencies assisted at the scene.

(Clarinda, IA) – The Page County Attorney’s Office today (Monday) announced 43-year-old Andrew J. Rine entered pleas of guilty to two counts of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, class C felonies, and two counts of Indecent Contact with a Child, aggravated misdemeanors.

Chief Judge Craig Dreismeier sentenced Rine, in accordance with his plea agreement, to two concurrent 10-year sentences of incarceration for the sexual abuse charges and two concurrent 2-year sentences of incarceration for the indecent contact charges, for a total of up to 12 years of incarceration in the Iowa Department of Corrections. Rine will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.

This case was investigated by the Page County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by the Page County Attorney’s Office.

(Atlantic, IA) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold a Special Meeting, beginning at 11-a.m., Tuesday, January 6th in their courthouse Board Room. During the session, the Board is expected to rescind their motion pertaining to Medical Examiner (M/E) fees set January 2nd, and approve a Resolution setting 2026 Medical Examiner fees as follows:

• $250 for all calls performed by M/E Investigators, and
• $100 for the M/E to review, sign the investigation, and certify the death,
• for a total of $350 per call, plus
• reimbursement for expenses incurred (as allowed under the Code of Iowa).

The Board will also consider and possibly approve, an Executive Assistant to the Board position. The meeting will be available electronically via Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2899195216?pwd=R0hSa2FOOTh0NUdra1ZSdVhVWHpMUT09
Meeting ID: 289 919 5216
Passcode: 012064

or by Call-In:
312-626-6799, press *9 to indicate you wish to speak.

(Guthrie Center, IA) – A woman from Carroll was injured during a rollover accident Saturday night, in Guthrie County. According to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, 28-year-old Angela Marie McMichael was driving a 2007 Chevy pickup truck north on Highway 25 from 210th Street, at around 8:25-p.m., when the vehicle’s tires dropped-off onto the shoulder of the road. McMichael over-corrected, causing the pickup to go out of control. The vehicle crossed Highway 25 and entered the south ditch, before rolling over into a creek.

Authorities say Angela McMichael – who was wearing her seat belt – suffered suspected serious/incapacitating injuries. She was extricated from the vehicle and transported by Panora EMS to Methodist Hospital. The pickup sustained a sheriff’s estimated $5,000 damage, and was declared a total loss.

(Greenfield, IA) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was arrested Saturday morning (Jan. 3rd). 41-year-old Michael John Schehl, of Fontanelle, was arrested in Fontanelle by an Iowa State Patrol Trooper, following a traffic stop on a vehicle with the front license plate not mounted where it belonged. The report said the Trooper saw the license plate stuck in the lower right corner of the windshield of the 2012 Audi Q5 Schehl was driving.

Schehl informed the Trooper that he did not have a driver’s license, and was driving to Greenfield to drop the car off to a friend. A records check revealed Schehl was barred from driving. He was subsequently taken into custody for Driving While Barred, and transported to the Adair County Jail. Schehl was released a short-time later after posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The state board that enforces campaign-related laws is proposing a bill to require disclosure if a campaign ad includes a so-called deepfake. Deepfakes are computer-generated images, sounds and videos that can depict a person doing or saying something they didn’t do or say. Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Executive Director Erika Eckley says Iowa should require disclosure of deepfakes to help ensure elections are transparent and fair.

“People think of this as something presented in a negative light, but it can also be something presented in a falsely positive light,” she says, “so it’s just letting the public know that this is something that did not actually occur, so they can make their own decision about the information.” The bill calls for political ads in Iowa that use deepfakes to include this phrase: “This content generated using synthetic media.”

“Ensuring that the public does have that awareness when there is this synthetic media used in a campaign material is going to be important,” Eckley said. Twenty-six states have enacted laws that either prohibit the use of political deepfakes or require disclosure. Minnesota and Texas prohibit the publication of political deepfakes in the days leading up to an election.

(Radio Iowa) – A survey of supply managers in Iowa and eight other states shows Midwestern manufacturers ended 2025 with another downturn, reporting job losses for the ninth straight month. Creighton University Economics Professor Ernie Goss says the region’s main economic indicator sank to its lowest level for the year during December, and much of the decline is being blamed on tariffs enacted by the Trump administration and by other nations in response.

“Small firms are taking it on the chin right now, with tariffs having much more of an impact on small firms than large firms. We’re seeing that continuing for manufacturing as well,” Goss says. “Tariffs elevated in importance. They’re all of a sudden mattering. Everybody who said, ‘Well, tariffs don’t matter,’ they do matter. They are mattering. They will matter even more in the first half of 2026.” The December employment index on the survey sank to the lowest reading since May of 2024. Supply managers surveyed reported weakness in both imports and exports, while urban areas across the Midwest fared better than most ag-based rural areas, and Goss sees the trend continuing.

“Now, what about the next six months? We’re talking about the economy. Still, I won’t call it jobless, there are some jobs, but not enough,” Goss says. “We’re talking about moving slightly up to sideways. Manufacturing, likewise. The second six months, I think we’re going to see a rebound, now, this is all circumspect depending on what happens going forward.” Goss says some of the business leaders surveyed say tariffs have increased input costs by a minimum of 10 percent to as much as 48 percent, and in many cases, those higher costs are being passed on to consumers. “Twenty-five percent of the survey participants said that tariffs were pushing up prices more than 15 percent,” Goss says, “and 37.5 percent do not support the Trump tariffs, so what we’re seeing is increasing resistance to the tariffs of the Trump administration.”

The survey uses a zero to one-hundred scale, with 50 being growth neutral. Goss says Iowa’s main economic indicator dropped to 44.6 in December from a reading of 52.1 in November. He says federal data shows Iowa manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $11.5 billion to $10.5 billion — that’s a nine-percent decline.

(Corning, IA) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Corning was arrested at around 4:35-a.m. Sunday, on an assault charge. Authorities say 25-year-old Collin Gregory was taken into custody for Domestic Assault. He was transported to the Adams County Jail.

Collin Gregory

Upon further investigation, it was determined Gregory had additional charges stemming from an ongoing investigation into an incident that occurred on or about Oct. 29, 2025. He was also charged with Willful Injury Causing Serious Injury – a Class C Felony, and Domestic Abuse with the intent to cause serious injury – an aggravated misdemeanor.

(Corning, IA) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests over the holiday weekend. Authorities say on or about 8-p.m. December 31st, Adams County Deputies conducted a traffic stop at Highway 34 and Fig Avenue. Upon further investigation, 20-year-old Brallan Lopez Illescas, of Osceola, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Lopez Illescas was transported to the Adams County Jail.

Lopez

And, on or about 12:40-p.m. January 2nd, Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies traveled to the Pottawattamie County Jail to take custody of 21-year-old Molly Beckwith, of Council Bluffs. The woman was wanted on an active Adams County warrant stemming from an incident that occurred on or about August 3rd, 2025. Beckwith was charged with Felony Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Burglary in the 3rd Degree/Motor vehicle and Unauthorized use of a credit card, and Theft in the 3rd Degree (all Aggravated Misdemeanors), as well as two counts of Theft in the 4th Degree, and one count of Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree (Serious Misdemeanors).

Beckwith was transported to the Adams County Jail. (Photos from the Adams County S/O)

Beckwith