(Radio Iowa) – The forecast calls for parts of southwest Iowa to have high temperatures this (Wednesday) afternoon in the low 60s, but water temperatures will be much colder, so an expert says to leave your canoe or kayak in the shed, for now. Todd Robertson, the Iowa D-N-R’s river programs water trails coordinator, says it’s easy to be fooled by the sunny, unseasonably warm weather and he reminds, it may feel like April, but it’s still January.

“There’s no way the water’s going to be heating up to a safe level,” Robertson says. “If you don’t have a dry suit, if you’re not experienced in winter paddling, being out there on really cold water in a cold environment, it’s not a good time to go. I know it’s real tempting and you’ve been cooped up all winter, but we just need to wait a little bit longer.” Most Iowa lakes, rivers and streams are still registering water temperatures in the 30s, and seasoned paddlers know to plan for the worst case — which means getting wet.

“When the water temperature is below 60°, that puts you at automatic risk for hypothermia or worse,” Robertson says. “We know it’s really cold. It’s deceiving because you feel like you want to go out there without a jacket and just think you can paddle, but as soon as you hit that water, you’re going to feel cold water shock and it’s going to be a big problem.” The D-N-R offers a series of paddling courses during the warm weather months, and Robertson says they’ll touch on cold weather precautions, but the best way to learn is from another expert.

He says there are plenty of veteran winter kayakers around Iowa who are willing to share their knowledge. “If you can find those groups, whether it be social media or through local paddling clubs, get hooked up with the right people, because you don’t want to paddle alone anyway, you want to go out with three or four really experienced people,” Robertson says. “Just get out there, put your feelers out on social media, you’ll come across some people.” He recommends paddlers always wear a life jacket, let a friend or loved one know where you’re going and when you’ll be back, and bring a dry bag with extra clothing to change into should you get wet.

Find the DNR’s interactive paddling map HERE:
https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-do/paddling-river-recreation/where-paddle

(Radio Iowa) – A Mason City woman is now jailed on charges she went on a naked rampage last month, causing thousands of dollars in damage at a local convenience store. Mason City police accuse 32-year-old Cheri Decker of going into a Casey’s General Store on the morning of December 19th nude and covered in blood. While in the store, Decker is accused of knocking over a shelving unit, breaking glass bottles from the shelves, pushing an employee, and throwing items at employees.

Along with breaking items, multiple consumable items and product packages were covered with blood and had to be destroyed. Due to the amount of blood in the store, on products and on food machines, the store had to close and be professionally cleaned.

Decker is also accused of slapping a person inside the store causing injury. Decker was arrested on charges of first-degree criminal mischief, a Class C felony, as well as assault causing bodily injury and disorderly conduct.

(Radio Iowa) – The Trump Administration has granted Iowa’s waiver request, giving state officials authority to roll federal funds designated for a variety of education programs into one block grant — and state officials will determine how the money is distributed. U-S Education Secretary Linda McMahon made the announcement today (Wednesday) in Denison.

“If we were operating under the old rules, it would take according to the figures that were done in the state about $8 million to comply with the regulations of this $9.5 million grant, so in essence you’d get about $1.5 million to go to the schools,” McMahon says. “With this new waiver, that $8 million will go to the schools.” Governor Kim Reynolds says the waiver lets Iowa focus federal funds on the right work. “The secretary believes like I do that states are best positioned to serve families,” Reynolds said, “and we’re committed to reducing barriers that stand in the way.”

McMahon says the waiver fits the Trump Administration’s vision of returning responsibility for educating children to the states. “It’s breaking up the education bureaucracy in Washington, D.C. — a system that we’ve found that enriches adults, while stifling progress for students,” McMahon says. Iowa is the first state to apply for and get this kind of a waiver. It combines into a single block grant federal funding that had previously been designated for teacher training, English language learners, after-school programs and classroom efforts to improve student achievement.

(Photo: Broadway Elementary School library in Denison courtesy our sister station KDSN)

McMahon’s agency has also granted state officials authority to waive some federal requirements for career and technical programs in Iowa school districts. “This approval cuts through federal red tape, eases compliance burdens for districts, and empowers them to implement strategies that best meet the needs of their students,” McMahon said.

The Education Secretary and Governor Reynolds made their comments after touring an elementary school in Denison and visiting with students. Test scores at Broadway Elementary in Denison show the literacy rate of students has jumped seven points after the first year of using what’s known as “the science of reading” curriculum.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s unemployment rate in November was three-and-a-half percent. That’s a two-tenths of a percent drop from September — the last month data is available due to the federal government shutdown this fall. Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend says the number of Iowans in the workforce was basically the same in November compared to September. “Which indicates that all of those folks that we had coming back into the labor force, a lot of them are getting jobs and so that’s a really good sign.” The government’s estimate indicates 67-and-a-half percent of Iowans above the age of 14 who are able to work had a job in November. That remains below pre-pandemic levels. Townsend says there’s no Iowa-specific data, but national reports indicate women are working at about the same rate now as they did in early 2020.

“We have seen more women return to the workforce since the pandemic than we have seen in previous years, but young men generally are…the largest percentage of unemployed,” Townsend said, “and that’s true nationally. That’s a national trend.” In total, about 27-thousand more people were working in Iowa in November compared to the same month in 2024. “We saw job gains in education and health services, in trade, we saw an increase in construction and we saw in professional and business services,” Townsend says. However, about five-thousand more Iowans were unemployed this past November compared to November of 2024. “We saw decreases in jobs in leisure and hospitality, financial activities and manufacturing,” Townsend said.

Nearly one-point-six MILLION Iowans were working in non-farm jobs in November. Iowa Workforce Development’s report indicates there were about 74-hundred more private sector jobs in November compared to November of 2024.

(Mount Ayr, IA) – The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information with regard to individuals who were reportedly seen in the Mount Ayr area, between December 14th and 20th. The individuals may be associated with Riley Culbertson and/or MG Construction.

If you have any information that may assist law enforcement, you’re asked to contact the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office at 641-464-3921, and ask to speak with Sheriff Rob Haley, or Chief Deputy Nathan Nickle.

Additional information related to the sheriff’s request was not provided in their press release.

(Greenfield, IA) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday), approved the signing by Board Chair Jerry Walker, of plans for the MidAmerican Energy Center Paving Project near Orient, which will incorporate a major natural gas-fired power plant, as part of an “all-of-the-above” strategy to meet Iowa’s growing electricity demand, and is intended to complement existing wind farms (like the massive Orient Wind Farm) and future solar projects. The Energy Center Project is expected to cost around $600-million, and generate an additional 465 megawatts of power for the utility, beginning in 2028.

Company officials have stated the Orient Energy Center is expected to operate when load is at its peak and when customers need it the most, estimated at less than 10% of the year. The facility will provide more than 400 jobs during construction, approximately $7 million in property tax revenues over its service life and will bring up to five skilled craft jobs that pay between $100,000 to $125,000 annually, according to the company.

County Engineer Nick Kauffman described the scope of paving project.

It will take approximately two-years to complete, with another overlay at the end of that time frame to fix any imperfections on the road surface, MidAmerican pays for all materials and related costs. On a related note, the Board approved the Road Use Agreement for the Orient Energy Center Project.

Kauffman provided the Board with his weekly Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities report. They then received FY2027 Funding Requests from representatives with the Adair County Historical Society, MATURA, and Adair County Tourism.

(Creston, IA) – The Creston Police Department reports the arrest at around 3:20-p.m., Tuesday (Jan. 6th), of a woman from Thayer. Authorities say 32-year-old Hayley Joan Vandel was arrested on a Driving While Barred charge. She was taken to Union County Jail. Vandel posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond and was released from custody.

(Red Oak, IA) –  A traffic stop late Tuesday night (Jan. 6) in Montgomery County, resulted in a felony drug arrest. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the Montgomery County K-9 Unit conducted the traffic stop at around 11:10-p.m., in the 1100 block of 110th Street. During the investigation, K-9 “Riddick” was deployed, and a search of the vehicle resulted in the driver, 65-year-old Terry Joe Halvin, of Red Oak, being taken into custody.

Halvin was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine/3rd offense, a Class-D Felony offense. Halvin was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $5,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Most Iowans likely haven’t started filling out their tax forms yet, but they might be more eager to do so this year. Stacy Engle, a spokeswoman for the Internal Revenue Service, says projections point to higher refunds ahead, thanks to increased standard deductions under the so-called Big Beautiful Bill that passed Congress last July. “When that change happened, most people did not make any changes to their withholding, and most employers did not adjust the withholding for the change,” Engle says. “That is going to increase the amount of standard deduction people get, which will increase the amount of overpayment they made based on withholding.”

It could be the biggest tax refund season in U-S history, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent projecting refunds averaging between one- and two-thousand dollars. Iowa’s small businesses and farmers will also see tax changes, as Engle says the standard mileage rate is rising for cars, vans, and panel trucks — including electric and hybrid vehicles. “Anyone that’s in business as a small business, self-employed contractor or a farmer will get the increased mileage rate,” Engle says, “and it went up 2.5 cents, the highest mileage rate that’s been on record of 72.5 cents per mile.” Engle notes this change won’t affect the 2025 tax return, as it kicks in for the 2026 tax year, giving businesses and farmers time to plan ahead.

Engle says another change allows workers who earned overtime above time-and-a-half to deduct the extra half-rate — up to 12-thousand-500 dollars.“Until the end of this year, most employers have been doing withholding based on what you make rather than excluding the $12,500 in your overtime,” she says, “so that’s going to hopefully increase the amount someone would owe in tax or increase their refund.”

For more information on the changes, visit IRS.gov.

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced Tuesday the Iowa Farm Act, a legislative plan to support Iowa farmers and rural communities. “The Iowa Farm Act is about meeting today’s challenges while preparing for the future. It brings together ideas we have heard directly from farmers, agribusinesses, and rural communities across the state,” said Secretary Naig.

Key Provisions of the Iowa Farm Act:

Tax Relief:

• Expands retired farmer rental income tax exemption to partnerships, S corporations, trusts and estates.
• Eliminates grain excise tax for cooperatives and grain handlers.
• Exempts honeybee purchases from sales tax.
• Exempts above-ground storage tanks under 91,000 gallons from property tax.

Transportation & Logistics:

• Modernizes agricultural equipment transportation standards for improved safety.
• Increases truck weight allowances for dairy products to reduce hauling costs.

Biosecurity and Protecting Producers:

• Protects producer confidentiality during disease outbreaks to encourage early reporting.
• Authorizes the Department to store disease response equipment.

Modernizing Department Functions and Improving Government Efficiency:

• Streamlines Iowa Code by eliminating outdated language and reducing duplication.
• Provides flexibility in large-scale inspections with alternative methods.
• Clarifies Grain Indemnity Fund updates.
• Expands marketing opportunities for Iowa-made agricultural products.

Naig is also requesting a $1.335 million budget increase to maintain essential operations in animal health, food safety, consumer protection, and water quality initiatives as part of the Department’s FY27 proposal.

Ag leaders across the state say they are thankful for Naig’s efforts in strengthening Iowa’s farming community.