(Radio Iowa) – The National Weather Service’s summary for 2025 shows the number of confirmed tornadoes in Iowa was below average in 2025. N-W-S meteorologist Kristi Carter says there were 32 confirmed twisters. “The average is around 50, and especially lower than say two years ago in 2024 when we had 125,” Carter says. There were no reported injuries are deaths from tornadoes in 2025. There were 18 confirmed tornadoes in July of last year, the most of any month, and 12 of those happened on July 11th. Carter says the spring months are usually the ones that see the most tornadic activity.

“Late April, May, June climatologically is our highest. It’s not uncommon to get tornadoes in, you know, July, August, really any time of year, we’ve had a tornado at some point in time,” she says. “But it just so happened that this year, like this past year, 2025, July was kind of our busier month.” Carter says we had fewer severe weather events through the springtime than in past years. Tornadoes are measured on a scale starting at zero, going up to the most severe which are rated a five. A majority of last year’s tornadoes were at the bottom of the scale.

“We had 22 or the E-F-zero or E-F-U, so they didn’t hit any damage indicators in order for them to be rated. We had seven E-F-1s and three E-F-2s and nothing higher than E-F-2,” Carter says. The longest path for a tornado was 20 miles for one that touched down in Fremont and Page County. The peak hour for tornadoes in 2025 was 3 p-m.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that’s cleared an Iowa Senate subcommittee would let couples getting married in Iowa sign a waiver of Iowa’s no-fault divorce law to indicate they would only seek a divorce for specific reasons, like adultery or abuse. However, the bill’s future is uncertain. Republican Senator Jesse Green of Boone says the goal of his bill is to promote marriage.

“If family is not supported, government is left picking up the pieces,” Green said. “…Family is the best place to educate and nurture the next generation.” Republican Senator Scott Webster of Bettendorf joined Green to advance the bill out of their subcommittee, but Webster says the bill must be completely rewritten. Webster says he wants to preserve Iowa’s no-fault divorce law, but create “at fault” divorce in cases involving division of assets and child custody when one spouse is clearly at fault.

“I don’t think we should be necessarily looking at custody 50/50 in a case where there’s been domestic abuse,” Webster said. “…Maybe the husband or the wife is holding all the money and saying: ‘Good luck trying to leave, I have all the money.'” During yesterday’s subcommittee hearing, Chuck Hurley, vice president of The Family Leader, was one of two people who testified in favor of Green’s original concept.

“Strengthening the importance, gravity and permanence of marriage is desperately needed,” Hurley said. “…Divorce should be discouraged and avoided, when possible.” Des Moines attorney Stacey Warren is among nine people who testified against the bill.”Probably the divorce attorneys’ full employment act, times ten,” she said. Laura Hessburg of the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Assault says it would be dangerous for some victims to seek a divorce after they signed a waiver of Iowa’s no-fault divorce law.

“Notably ‘no fault’ divorces have been beneficial to spouses in abusive relationships,” Hessburg said, “and that’s not surprising, as any barriers to divorce prolongs an individual’s forced involvement with an abusive partner.” In 1970, Iowa became the second state in the country to enact a “no fault” divorce law.

In 2013, seven Republicans in the Iowa House unsuccessful sought to make most parents with kids under the age of 18 ineligible for a no-fault divorce. That 2013 bill would have forced parents with minor children seeking a divorce to prove a spouse was guilty of adultery, had been sent to prison on a felony conviction, had physically or sexually abused someone in the family, or had abandoned the family for at least a year.

(Radio Iowa) – Local governments would be banned from adopting civil rights protections that are broader than the Iowa Civil Rights Act under a bill advanced by a House subcommittee. Governor Reynolds signed a law last year that removed gender identity as a characteristic protected under Iowa’s civil rights law. Coralville and Iowa City have adopted resolutions providing local protections for gender identity. Katie Freeman, a member of Coralville’s city council, says the bill interferes with local officials’ ability to respond to needs in their community.

“The 2025 legislation is bad enough, but this one continues to overreach right into my town,” Freeman said. “A community, a city, a county have a right to self govern based on the needs of their individual community.” Danny Carroll of The Family Leader urged legislators to pass the bill to strike down those local policies.

“With 99 different counties and over 900 different towns and communities,” Carroll said, “it does make sense that certain issues would have broad and consistent application across the state and not vary from one community to the next or from one county to the next.” Republican Representative Steve Holt says different civil rights protections in different Iowa jurisdictions create confusion for schools and businesses.

Republicans on another House subcommittee OK’d a bill that says Iowans are allowed to raise guide and instruct a child in a manner consisted with the child’s sex at birth. Keenan Crow of One Iowa, an L-G-B-T-Q advocacy group, says the bill would legalize conversation therapy. “Conversion therapy is, in fact, not a therapy at all. It is torture,” Crow said. “The stories I have are too numerous to get through, but these are people who were institutionalized, humiliated, and even put through electro shock therapies in order to change who they were.”

Amber Williams is a lobbyist for the Christian conservative group Inspired Life, says the proposal clarifies Iowa’s child welfare law and protects parents of a child experiencing gender dysphoria. “Parents are responsible for their children and should not fear government intervention for acting in good faith,” she said.”Protecting parental rights is how we protect children and that is why this bill matters.”

Over 150 people gathered in the Iowa Capitol’s rotunda to protest both bills.

(Creston, IA) – One person was transported to the hospital in Creston, Monday afternoon, following a single-vehicle accident. According to the Creston Police Department, 82-year-old Ronald Dale Brammer, of Prescott, was driving a Dodge pickup truck and turning north onto Walnut Street, when his vehicle struck a parked van in front of 609 S. Walnut Street. The accident happened at around 2:10-p.m.

Brammer told police he blacked-out prior to the collision. He was transported to the Greater Regional Medical Center by EMS for treatment of unknown possible injuries and/or medical condition. Damage from the collision was estimated at $6,000 altogether.

No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa)- An Iowa Senate subcommittee has advanced a bill supporters say would prevent abortion pills from being mailed into Iowa by requiring an in-person visit to an Iowa physician before abortion pills can be prescribed. Pulse Life Advocates executive director Maggie DeWitte — a spokesperson Iowa Pro-Life Leaders — urged lawmakers to pass the bill.

“While we would support taking this drug completely off the market, in the meantime we want some common sense safeguards to ensure the safety of women who are ingesting this drug.” Iowa Catholic Conference executive director Tom Chapman says abortion pills are readily available online and the latest state data indicates 70 percent of abortions in Iowa are induced by medication.

“Obviously our group doesn’t support abortion, but it seems best for women to see a medical professional before taking these pills,” Chapman said. “In our view, it doesn’t interfere with the doctor-patient relationship. It actually requires one.” Medical groups say the bill requires Iowa physicians prescribing abortion pills to share inaccurate information about abortion reversal drugs.

Dr. Teresa Fuller, who works at clinics in Perry and Dallas Center, says that damages the doctor-patient relationship.”I took an oath to first do no harm,” Fuller said, “and I think lying to my patients does immense harm.” Seth Brown, a lobbyist for the Iowa Medical Society, says the bill would expose doctors to lawsuits. “We do feel like this will target physicians in an already unstable practice environment,” Brown said, “so we do want to be mindful of that as we’re looking at (the question): is Iowa a welcoming place for OB-GYNs.”

Two Republican senators on the subcommittee voted to advance the bill, however both suggested the bill will be changed as it moves through the senate. Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner, the other member of the subcommittee, voted against the bill.

(Guthrie County, IA) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, today (Monday) released information with regard to a high-speed pursuit Sunday, and the arrest of a man from Urbandale:

(Glenwood, IA) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on arrests taking place from Feb. 2nd through Feb. 6th:

• There were four arrests on Feb. 2ndin Mills County: 34-year-old Aaron Ray McDaniel, of Pacific Junction, was arrested in Glenwood for Child Endangerment with Bodily Injury (No bond); 50-year-old Brent William Michael, of Malvern, was arrested in Malvern, for Trespass-1st Offense (No bond); 23-year-old Jacob Riley Wilson, of Red Oak, was arrested in Glenwood, Feb. 2nd, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia (Bond: $1,300); and, 46-year-old Nicholle Annette Gibson, of Missouri Valley, was arrested in Malvern, for Driving While Barred (Bond: $2,000).
• On Feb. 6th, Mills County Deputies arrested 47-year-old Adrian Charles Bauer, of Emerson, for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts (Bond: $300).

(Greenfield, IA) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Bridgewater was arrested Feb. 2nd on an Adair County warrant issued Jan. 30th. 29-year-old Jacob Lee Cooper was arrested in Fontanelle, on a Felony charge of Sexual Abuse in the 3rd Degree, and Willful Injury Causing Bodily Injury, in connection with events that allegedly occurred Sept. 4th, 2023, in Fontanelle. Cooper’s bond was set at $100,000 cash-only, but amended to a $20,000 cash or surety bond at his initial court appearance. He posted 10% of the bond and was released Feb. 2nd from the Adair County Jail.

And, as we mentioned last week, 33-year-old Kevin Christopher Krouse, Jr., of Waukee, was arrested in Dallas Count, in connection with a robbery at the Subway Restaurant in Stuart. Krouse was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $20,000 cash-only bond. He faces charges that include Robbery in the 2nd Degree, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.