(Atlantic, IA)  –  Officials with the Atlantic Elks Lodge have announced, that on the evening of November 15th, in conjunction with a free meal provided to Atlantic area veterans and guests, the Atlantic Elks
Lodge was able to award ENF grant monies to three organizations. Four-thousand dollars was awarded to Natalie Ritter, Atlantic Community School District (ACSD) Nutrition Director, for the ACSD Superhero Fund, a fund set up in part to pay down the negative student meal account balance. Across the Atlantic school district, unpaid meal charges continue to accumulate as many families struggle to keep up with meal fee payments. While students are never denied a meal, the resulting debt must be paid from non-federal sources, as federal regulations prohibit the use of food service funds to cover bad debt. The Atlantic Elks say they are gratified to be able to provide funds to reduce the debt in this account which currently has a deficit of over $28,000.

Pictured are: Vicki Nordskog, Atlantic Elks Lodge grants coordinator; Natalie Ritter, ACSD Nutrition Director; and Darla Casady, Atlantic Elks Lodge grants committee member

Two-thousand dollars were then awarded to the Atlantic Kiwanis Club to help fund the Atlantic Head Start Backpack Program. The local Kiwanis Club created the Backpack Program eight years ago and has  maintained it for Atlantic Head Start families over the ensuing years. The program encompasses meal planning and working with Cass Health hospital staff regarding special dietary needs. There is coordination with local grocery stores and other food sources to acquire the produce and other meal items, along with recipes and other food preparation tips, to fill student’s backpacks at the end of each week of the school year. This year the Kiwanis Club hopes to expand the program to provide summer assistance as well as cooking classes and kitchen supplies. In addition to assistance with funding, Atlantic Elks Lodge members participate in crafting and reading activities with the children, and will also help with cooking classes and the acquisition of the kitchen supplies.

Lastly, $4,000 was awarded to the STEPS Family Treatment Court. S.T.E.P.S. stands for ’Success Through Empowering Parent’s Sobriety’. Family treatment courts (FTCs) are a specialized type of court where the courts and communities partner to support parents involved with the child welfare system who are struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues. The primary goal of FTCs is to safely reunite families by addressing parental substance abuse disorder and mental health needs, promoting long-term recovery, and ensuring children’s well-being. This is accomplished by intensive case management, frequent judicial monitoring, and access to a range of services and supports to address the unique needs of each family. Treatment teams include a judge, child welfare professional(s), substance use treatment professionals, attorneys, Iowa Department of Human Services case worker(s), family in-home services workers, mental health providers, domestic violence advocates and other agencies as needed.

Pictured are: Dianna and Bob Essington, Kiwanis Club members, and Carol Rosenbaum, Atlantic Elks Lodge grants committee.

In addition to completing their addiction or mental health treatment, individuals undergo regular drug screening, are asked to perform community service work and, at the appropriate point in their recovery,
are given the opportunity to participate in supervised family reunification activities. There has been an eighty percent reunification success rate for the families involved in the FTC program versus only seventeen percent without the program. The monies provided by the Atlantic Elks Lodge will assist the FTC program by providing funding to purchase incentives, fund family events, and purchase graduation gifts. The Elks will also provide venues and activities for the parents in the program to fulfill their community assistance requirements, and for the parents and children to participate in family reunification events.

Annually, B.P.O.E. (Benevolent Protective Order of Elks) Lodges nationwide are eligible to apply for various grants from the Elks National Foundation (ENF). The mission of ENF is to help Elks build stronger communities by investing in communities where Elks live and work.

Pictured are: District Court Judge Justin Wyatt; Karen Mailander, attorney and child advocate; and Sherry Kramer, FTC board member and Atlantic Elks Lodge grants committee member.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa –  Officials with Iowa REALTORS report the State’s housing market showed continued resilience in October, capitalizing on a surging September. With a noticeable influx in new listings and steady sales activity, all signs point to an active and strong winter market to come. According to Iowa REALTORS organization President Travis Bushaw, “[the] Iowa real estate market is an exception to the most the country through October, and we are confident our state’s affordability will continue to drive more sales.” Bushaw says “There is strong optimism as we wrap up the last quarter of 2025. Our single family residence appreciation is well ahead of the the nationwide median, and we are multiple percentage points ahead of the rest of the US when it comes to closed sales. With the potential for another interest rate cut, this could be a busy holiday season as buyers see significant inventory still coming to the market.”

New listings continued to provide a bright spot for the fall market, jumping 14.3% to 4,497 new listings in October from the 3,936 of one year ago. Monthly, the jump remained sizable, increasing 6.5% from 4,222 new listings joining the market in September.  Active inventory advanced to nearly 10,000 homes on the market in October. In total, active inventory reached 9,968 single-family properties, a 15.2% increase from the 8,654 properties listed in October 2024, and a 6.5% increase from the 9,426 listings of a month ago. Closed sales saw positive gains in both yearly and monthly measurements. The 3,111 closed sales of single-family homes in October represent a 2.1% increase from the 3,049 homes sold in October 2024. The increase in sales was slightly higher monthly, increasing 3% from the 3,022 sales recorded in September.

Median sales price increased across the board to $250,000; jumping 6.4% from the $235,000 of a year ago, and 2.5% from the $244,000 of September. Following suit, days on the market increased 10.5% to 21 days from the 19 recorded in October 2024, and 5% from the 20 days last month. Continued momentum in the market could bode well for both buyers and sellers as we enter the typically slower winter housing market season, said Les Sulgrove, Iowa REALTORS® statewide housing analyst. “As we head into the winter months, we typically see a seasonal slowdown, but the current momentum suggests activity may stay stronger than usual,” Sulgrove said. “With more inventory available and buyer confidence holding steady, we could see continued movement even in what’s traditionally a quieter market.”

Condo & Townhomes
The condo and townhome market continued to grow in mid-fall, increasing inventory and seeing a stable sales period. New listings grew 2.6% to 591 listings in October from the 576 new listings joining the market a year ago. The metric saw a 5% increase when compared to the 563 new listings of the prior month. Active inventory saw substantial growth year-over-year, increasing 17.9% to 1,963 condo and townhome properties listed in October from the 1,165 active listings of October 2024. Monthly, the increase was more subtle – a 4.2% jump – from the 1,884 active listings of September. Closed sales remained mostly stable both yearly and monthly, decreasing 0.2% in both measures to 417 closed sales for October from the 418 recorded previously.  Median days on market increased to 28 days in October, a 16.7% increase from the 24 day median days of the prior year. Days on market dropped 22.2% from the high of 36 days last month. Median sales price decreased 0.6% to $243,995 year-over-year, and increased 6.1% monthly from the $230,000 median sales price of September.

A deeper look at statewide metrics showed that sales were recorded in every county in the state, a measure that can be seen on the Iowa REALTORS® all-county market statistics map. While metro areas of the state led the way in number of sold homes, smaller counties still claimed at least one sale in October. “We’re seeing median sales price outpacing figures from a year ago, which means that prices aren’t rising dramatically, but at a normal, healthy increase,” Sulgrove said. ” It’s good to see that we’re on track where we were last year. Almost exactly on track.”

(Guthrie Center, IA) – The Guthrie Center CSD Board of Education will hold their Annual meeting of the retiring school board and an organizational meeting of the New Board on Wednesday, Nov. 19th. Their meetings begin at 7-p.m. In the AC/GC High School Media Center. During the annual meeting, the retiring board will act on approving an Abstract of Votes from the Nov. 4, 2025 School Election, and a bid or bids s for High School Front Stairs. They will conclude with recognition of retiring Board Members.

The agenda for the New Guthrie Center School Board includes:

• The administering of the Oath of Office to Newly Elected Board Members
• The election of a Board President & Vice-President, along with administering the Oath of Office.
• Setting the regular meeting dates/times/location of Board meetings.

The Board will also act on approving the resignations of:

• Custodian Shawn Worline
• Head Cross County Coach & Asst. Track, Rick Blake

They will also act on a Contract Recommendations for Justin Slaybaugh – Volunteer Wrestling Coach.

Discussion items for the GC Board include:

• A Whole Grade Sharing Agreement
• General Fund Financial 5-year Projection, and
• GC Elementary Playground.

Other Board Action Items include:

• Grandwood Consortium Agreement
• Approve the sale of Bus #12
• Approve a lawn mower purchase, and,
• Approval of 600-through 900- series Board Policies (1^st Reading).

(Radio Iowa) – Alliant Energy is seeking a construction permit for a project in northern Kossuth County that would add a battery storage system to the Golden Plains Wind Farm. Alliant Project Manager Justin Foss says the system would be between Lakota and Buffalo Center. “We are trying to urgently respond to rapidly growing demand on our system and the overall power grid a whole,” Foss says. The Iowa Utilities Commission approved the battery storage project this fall and Alliant is now seeking a local permit. If approved, construction would begin early next year.

The Golden Plains Wind Farm went online in March of 2020. Its 82 wind turbines are located in northern Kossuth and Winnebago Counties, producing around 200 Megawatts of electricity. That’s enough to power an average of 73,000 homes each year.

(Radio Iowa) – A University of Iowa instructor wanted to teach students in his business analytics class about artificial intelligence but couldn’t find a decent textbook on the topic, so he decided to write one. Professor Pat Johanns, working with two colleagues, crafted “A-I in Business: Creating Value Responsibly,” which will be published in January. It will be one of the first college texts to address ethics and the responsible use of A-I in the corporate domain. First, he says, A-I isn’t new. “The field of artificial intelligence started in the 1950s,” Johanns says, “and it has grown in fits and starts basically since then, depending on advancements in the hardware, the software programs, and the theories that people were using through this whole time.”

While it can be called a textbook, Johanns says it’s more accurate to refer to this new body of work as a resource, since it will initially only be available electronically. “We’re using a platform called an evergreen publishing,” Johanns says. “The idea here is that when you’ve got a field that is changing so quickly, it’s almost pointless to go to a print format, because when you go to print format, you’re kind of restricted on how often you can update the material.” The news is filled with stories about how A-I is being misused in myriad ways, by scammers, counterfeiters, pornographers and all sorts of criminals, but Johanns argues A-I itself is not evil — nor is it bent on seizing the planet from humans.

“I absolutely believe it can be used for good, and that’s one reasons why I’m pushing for us to teach every student about AI before they leave,” Johanns says. “That’s one of the initiatives that’s coming out of the University of Iowa right now. We’ve got a campus-wide AI certificate that is launching next year.” He says the responsible use of A-I in business or in any field has to come with a series of checks and balances. “I like to describe generative AI as, it’s kind of like an enthusiastic intern. Its primary goal is to give you an answer. A secondary goal is that the answer is accurate,” Johanns says. “So whenever you get an answer from ChatGPT, or Copilot, you really need to verify it.”

The book’s coauthors are James Chaffee, also a U-I professor of business analytics, and Jackie Rees Ulmer, dean of the College of Business at Ohio University.

(Harlan, Iowa) – A woman who plead guilty to being an Accessory After the Fact in connection with the death of an Earling resident, was sentenced Monday (Nov. 17th) in Shelby County District Court, to two-years of probation after receiving a two-year deferred judgement on the Class-D Felony charge. Online court records show 35-year-old Ashley Elizabeth McWilliams was also ordered to pay a civil penalty of $1,025, and submit a DNA sample. McWilliams previously plead guilty to her charge on Friday, October 3rd.

Her sentence was with regard to the July 31st shooting death of 32-year-old Theresa Kenkel, of Earling. **The man convicted in Kenkel’s death, 33-year-old Winston Joseph “Joe” Leal was originally charged with First-Degree Murder – a Class A Felony, but a voluntary plea was negotiated to Murder in the 2nd Degree – A Class B Felony. He sentenced October 29th to 50-years in prison, with credit for time served. He too, was required to submit a DNA sample.

Both subjects were arrested on August 1st, following the discovery of Theresa Kenkel’s body at a residence in Earling, when Deputies conducted a requested welfare check.

** Corrected w/plea bargain reducing the crime to 2nd Degree Murder

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Hawkeye Community College will offer students a new path to a four-year degree through a partnership with Arizona State University. The Waterloo-based community college announced Monday it has partnered with Arizona State University’s MyPath2ASU program, a transfer guarantee initiative of which colleges and universities across Iowa — including Des Moines Area Community College and the state’s three public universities — are also part of, according to the MyPath2ASU website.

According to a news release from Hawkeye Community College, the partnership will allow students who have earned their associate degree to seamlessly transfer to Arizona State, earning guaranteed enrollment to a variety of online and in-person programs. Students will also be able to align their Hawkeye and Arizona State educational journeys to finish their full degree more quickly, according to the release.

MyPath2ASU has more than 400 “course-by-course pathways” for students to navigate, the release stated, which the community college and university will “continuously collaborate to refine.” Students will be able to track their progress online and connect with Arizona State through different communication channels.

“We’re proud to partner with Arizona State University to create new opportunities for Hawkeye students,” said Lynn LaGrone, Hawkeye Community College provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, in the release. “MyPath2ASU gives our students a clear, supported pathway to continue their education and achieve their academic and career goals.”

URBANDALE, Iowa — Urbandale Superintendent Rosalie Daca is under investigation by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners for multiple alleged violations of professional conduct. KCCI reports public records show the board cites falsifying compliance reports, failing to follow laws, and departing from accepted educational standards. Daca has been on medical leave since Oct. 27.

The case has been referred to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, which will either negotiate a settlement or set a hearing with an administrative law judge. Officials with the Urbandale Community School District released a statement to KCCI saying:

Urbandale Community School District (UCSD) is aware there has been a finding of probable cause issued from the State Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE) regarding UCSD Superintendent Dr. Rosalie Daca. Dr. Daca is currently out on medical leave due to an extended illness which was shared with District stakeholders on October 27. An interim superintendent was approved and announced by the School Board on November 10th. While the District cannot provide specific comments on these matters due to personnel confidentiality laws, the District believes the findings lack merit, and will work with the BOEE and legal counsel for a fair and expeditious resolution. The District will continue to support Dr. Daca throughout this legal process and remains dedicated to cultivating a safe, caring, and supportive learning environment for all students and staff.

DES MOINES, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and attorneys general from 24 additional states are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a stay on California emissions reporting laws. The states allege, in the amici curiae filed, the California laws would impose an “illegal greenhouse gas disclosure policy” and would cause “nightmarish compliance costs and liability on companies across the country.”

In 2023, California enacted laws that require businesses of a certain size to submit greenhouse gas emissions reports and reports on the measures the business planned to adopt to reduce their climate-related financial risk. The brief from the states said California is “trying to be the national regulator of American greenhouse gas emissions—but for many reasons it may not do so.”

The State of Iowa and several other states that also signed onto Bird’s brief, have already sued the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over a similar law that sought to impose emissions reporting standards. That case is still being litigated, but the attorneys general allege the California law seeks to step in and do the same thing the states objected to at the federal level.

The brief said the California law, which would impact businesses outside of the state with revenues above a certain level, requires businesses to express a “certain viewpoint on the highly controversial issue area of climate change.” It said even if a business believes the climate-related “doomsday scenarios” are unlikely, it has to submit reports about how it plans to respond to the effects of a changing climate. The brief alleges the California laws are illegal because they compel speech from these companies on a topic they may want to avoid speaking on.

It also alleges the laws would impose “irreparable economic harm on other states.” The brief estimates out-of-state businesses would incur “millions” in auditing and reporting costs for emissions that are outside of California’s borders. Businesses with more than $1 billion in annual revenue that do business in California are required by the law to disclose “comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions” along their supply chains. Business with $500 million in annual revenue that do business in the state will have to supply biennial climate-related financial risk reports that are publicly available.

California’s enacted Senate Bill 261 says climate change is affecting California communities and economy with wildfires, sea level rise, extreme droughts and extreme weather events. According to the California statute, mandatory disclosures set by law will help to “ensure a sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future” for the state.

Bird said in a news release Monday about the amici curiae that “California needs to stay in California.” The attorneys’ brief is in support of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America’s suit against the chair of the California Air Resources Board. The parties involved requested, Nov. 10, an emergency injunction prohibiting the enforcement of the California laws, which are set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.

FORT CALHOUN, Neb. (KCCI) – An Iowa man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a Nebraska priest, KCCI reports. Kierre Williams pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Rev. Stephen Gutsgell, a Fort Calhoun priest, last month.

According to police, Gutsgell was stabbed during a break-in at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in 2023. Court documents show Williams was found lying on top of Gutsgell perpendicularly, forming a “T.”

Nebraska prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty in February 2024.