(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynold says she’ll keep pushing for an increase in Iowa’s tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products — and a new 15 percent sales tax on vaping products. Her proposed tax hikes were included in a bill that failed in a Senate committee last week. Reynolds held a news conference earlier this month to release the latest University of Iowa research on cancer rates in Iowa and proposed the tax hike as one way to reduce smoking and address the fact Iowa has more late stage lung cancer cases than other states.

A House committee has considered a bill that includes some of the governor’s Make America Healthy Again or MAHA  agenda, but House Republicans removed the tobacco tax hike from the legislation. Reynolds says she understands her fellow Republicans are reluctant to raise taxes on cigarettes, vapes and consumable hemp products.

Reynolds is proposing that the state tax on a pack of cigarettes go up to the national average, which is just over two-dollars a pack. Reynolds also recommends the state start charging a 15 percent tax on vaping products and consumable hemp products.

(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents had the first reading today of a proposal that would raise in-state tuition by three percent at the three state universities. Board member Christine Hensley of Des Moines says she was concerned to learn about the increase in the media.

“And to have to read about something that’s really significant to the Board of Regents, where we determine what the tuition is going to be, and I find out about that in the media. That’s not the way a board should work,” Hensley says. She says she’s had discussions with the Board staff on trying to figure out how get all the regents are involved, but she says there are still some concerns.

” I’m going to vote no on that. I think there are some options. There are lots of pieces in the puzzle right now,” she says. “You’ve got the legislature that’s looking at tuition guarantees, tuition freezes. You’ve got the other increases that we just saw. You know, so it’s not just a tuition increase.”

Hensley was referring to increases that will be coming in the room and board fees. Hensley says she wants to be sure they are looking at all the costs involved. “If you look, there was a Gallup poll that just came out in the paper surveying students and what were the issues in higher education, affordability was at the top of the list. And I think we need to be sensitive to that,” she says.

Board president Robert Cramer says they set the three percent level in case there was a drop in state funding. Board staff also say that 25 percent of tuition is given out as student aid, so the actual student increase in cost is smaller. Hensley says she’s like to have more discussion on the issue before they take a final vote on the tuition increase in April. Other board members say they would be interested in more discussions as well and the total cost to students with the tuition increase.

(Red Oak, IA – Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report a man from Cass County (IA) was injured during a single-vehicle accident this (Thursday) morning (Feb. 26th). Authorities say Charles Michael Noty, of Atlantic, was transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital by Villisca Rescue, after the SUV he was driving left the traveled portion of a highway and entered the ditch, before striking a drainage culvert and coming to rest. Officials think the accident was the result Noty having some sort of a medical emergency.

Separately, Police in Red Oak say a man was arrested in Montgomery County Thursday morning on a warrant for violation of the State’s Sex Offender Registry. 37-year-old Brett Michael Stacey, of Red Oak, taken to the Montgomery County Jail and later released on a $2,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The prices at many Iowa gas stations have gone up at least a dime a gallon in the past week, as tensions rise in the Persian Gulf about a possible war between the U-S and Iran. Triple-A-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says pump prices may be reflecting various world events, and it’s not just here in Iowa.

“We’re seeing little influxes of that nationwide,” Ortner says. “Obviously, time of year and demand is fueling some of that and we look at the markets as well, which we’ve talked about multiple times. The cost of crude oil has a direct impact on the cost of fuel.” The current national average for gas is two-dollars and 98-cents, which is 35-cents a gallon higher than in Iowa.

“The prices today across the state, the average is still well below the national average, which is great, across the state it’s $2.63,” Ortner says. “I know in the area, we’ve seen some on a little higher level and many factors contribute into that. It could be product on hand, have they had to refuel their tanks with new supply, or just a one-time adjustment here or there.”

Triple-A says the current statewide average gas price is two-63 a gallon, while a week ago the average was two-50, versus a year ago when the Iowa average was two-95.

(Clarinda, IA) – Page County Attorney, James L. Varley, reports the following activities in the Iowa District Court for Page County for the week of February 2, 2026. The Honorable Craig Dreismeier, District Court Judge of the Fourth Judicial District presided. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Jennifer Elaine Archer, age 50, of Shenandoah, Iowa, appeared by counsel and admitted to violating the terms and conditions of probation in two cases. The defendant was found to be in willful contempt of court and sentenced to 10 days in jail in each case. These sentences will be served concurrently. The defendant was ordered to pay all costs and court-appointed attorney fees and was unsuccessfully discharged from probation.

Christopher Russell Marsh, age 40, of Macedonia, Iowa, appeared with counsel and admitted to violating the terms and conditions of probation. The defendant was found to be in willful contempt of court and sentenced to 100 days in the Page County Jail. The defendant was unsuccessfully discharged from probation.

Jordan Ray Martin, age 24, of Shenandoah, Iowa, appeared with counsel and pled guilty to Domestic Abuse Assault by Strangulation Causing Bodily Injury upon a Pregnant Woman. The defendant was sentenced to 5 years of incarceration and fined $1,025. The fine and sentence were suspended, and the defendant was placed on probation for 2 years. As a condition of probation, the defendant is to obtain a drug/alcohol evaluation and follow through with any recommendations and reside at the Residential Correction Facility until maximum benefits have been achieved. The defendant was ordered to pay court costs, surcharges and court-appointed attorney fees. Jordan Ray Martin also pled guilty to Domestic Abuse Assault While Using or Displaying a Dangerous Weapon. The defendant was sentenced to 2 years of incarceration, which will run concurrent with the sentence imposed in the previous case and fined $855. The sentence and fine were suspended and the defendant was placed on probation for a period of 2 years. Probation conditions are the same as in the previous case, but the Defendant was also ordered to obtain a mental health evaluation and follow any recommended treatment. The defendant was ordered to pay court costs, surcharges, restitution and court-appointed attorney fees.

Braylyn Andrew Wilcoxson, age 18, of Clarinda, Iowa, appeared with counsel and pled guilty to Count I: Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense and Count II: Interference with Official Acts. The defendant was granted a deferred judgment and placed on probation for 1 year. As a condition of probation, the defendant is to obtain a substance abuse evaluation and complete recommended treatment and complete the 12-hour Drinking Driver’s Course. A civil penalty of $1,250 was imposed on Count 1 and $430 for Count II. The defendant was ordered to pay court costs, surcharges, fines and court-appointed attorney fees. Braylyn Andrew Wilcoxson also pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense. The defendant was sentenced to 1 year in jail, with all but 7 days suspended and fined $1,250. Defendant was placed on 1 year of probation with this term running concurrent with the term imposed in the previous case. The defendant was ordered to pay court costs, surcharges and court-appointed attorney fees.

(Radio Iowa) – The Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa had to delay its course offerings from January until next month. The Daily Iowan reports the two classes had less than 20 percent of anticipated enrollment. Regent Christine Hensley says leadership was so focused on creating bylaws and holding its inaugural event that it didn’t meet recruitment goals. Hensley says the center has since hired a social and digital marketing firm to get the word out. “Not having really a good understanding of how best to go about recruiting students contributed to that,” Hensley says, “and we have learned quite a bit.” Last year, the regents received a million dollars through the Iowa legislature to start the center.

Opponents accuse the legislature and the regents of doing so with political, not academic, intentions. U-I Law Professor Hope Metcalf told the regents that student perception may be a reason for the low enrollment. “I fear that regardless of what the intentions are, which I really do believe are honorable, and I do think a center like this could have a wonderful role to play at a public university,” Metcalf says, “I fear that we’re way behind on bridging trust with students, and I expect that may well be a reason why you see low enrollment rates.”

Metcalf says she attended the center’s inaugural event in December and was struck by what she called a remarkable lack of intellectual diversity among the panelists. They included Governor Kim Reynolds, activist Chris Rufo, and current and former members of the Trump administration.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is celebrating the potential sale of a federal government building in Washington, D.C. Ernst joined Trump Administration officials at a news conference to announce a U-S-D-A office building the opened in 1936 is being put on the market. “Even after President Trump’s ‘Return to Work’ order which was right at the beginning of this administration and the USDA doubling down on the number of employees in the office, nearly two-thirds of this space is still unused,” Ernst said. “And now, folks, it will officially be for sale.” Ernst has criticized U-S Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack — the former Iowa governor — for the agency’s remote work policies.

“The previous administration’s USDA denied their ‘ghost town,’ but Secretary Rollins took action on this,” Ernst said. “She tracked down the utilization numbers and ensured that taxpayer dollars and space are being used wisely.” For the past three years, Ernst has been calling for federal employees to return to in-person work in federally-owned facilities — and she says unused office space should be sold. “So we have one federal government building down with $1.6 billion in repairs and millions a year in operating expenses saved,” Ernst said. “We’ve got many, many more of these unused federal buildings yet to go.” Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, is not seeking reelection in November.

Last May, the agency that manages federal buildings announced over 400 properties around the country would be sold, but a day later the list was removed from the agency’s website. The U-S-D-A’s South Building in Washington, D.C. was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. It was world’s largest office building for seven years — until the Pentagon was completed. The building’s sale is part of U-S Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins’ reorganization plan for the agency. She is relocating U-S-D-A staff from D-C to locations in Colorado, Utah and North Carolina as well as Kansas City and Indianapolis.

(Radio Iowa) – The president of the Board of Regents made reference during his general remarks today (Thursday) about a bill in the Iowa House that would freeze tuition at the three state universities. President Robert Cramer says a tuition freeze is one of the options available. “When our legislative friends say ‘tuition freeze’, I say sure if we can,” Cramer says. Cramer says any talk of a tuition freeze should come after they complete their efficiency study.

“Instead of freeze first and see what happens, I believe it is more responsible to save first and then reduce or freeze tuition, he says, “while ensuring we have the resources necessary to maintain the value of a degree from Iowa’s public institutions.”

The bill to freeze tuition at Iowa State, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa for five years passed the House on an 86-5 vote.

(Radio Iowa) – An ethanol industry leader says he doubts congress will pass a bill anytime soon that would allow the year-round sale of fuel blended with 15 percent ethanol. Yesterday (Wednesday) was the deadline for a vote in the U-S House on a bill to end the E-P-A’s anti-smog rule that bars E-15 from being sold in the summer months. Geoff Cooper is president of the Renewable Fuels Association. “I am not terribly optimistic that we’re going to see legislation before summer on year-round E15,” Cooper says. “I hope I’m wrong about that. I hope this council produces legislative text that has a path to passage out of both the House and Senate.”

The House Rural Domestic Energy Council, led by Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra, has been negotiating with lawmakers who represent states with oil refineries to try to find a compromise on E-15 after House G-O-P leaders removed a mandate for year-round E-15 sales from a budget bill that passed in January. Cooper spoke with reporters during the National Ethanol Conference that’s underway in Orlando, Florida. “The trick with E-15 is obviously we have to find a path,” Cooper says. “We have to find a way to thread the needle and get legislation through congress and to the president’s desk…That is not an easy thing to do.”

Cooper is skeptical of Feenstra’s effort to craft a bill on E-15 that includes new guidelines for the E-P-A waivers oil refineries may seek to avoid the ethanol-blending mandate.) “We need to see the path to get that done,” Cooper said, “because I’m not sure I see it from where I sit today.” On Tuesday, Feenstra told the Des Moines Register the snowstorm that hit Washington, D.C., delayed the arrival of lawmakers who were part of E-15 negotiations and a deal may be introduced in the House next week. Iowa advocates for ethanol are expressing frustration.

This (Thursday) morning, the Iowa Corn Growers posted a message on social media saying corn prices are falling, rural economies feel the pressure and it’s time for congress to finish the job on E-15.