(Radio Iowa) – A discount airline flown by many hundreds of Iowans every week is announcing its merger with another carrier. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Allegiant is buying Minnesota-based Sun Country Airlines in a one-and-a-half billion dollar deal. Kyle Potter, executive editor of the Thrifty Traveler, says Sun Country has been a bright spot among low-cost carriers for the past three years, and Allegiant is also in solid shape.

“When airlines want to grow, they need to grow in order to continue generating more revenue and try to increase their profitability,” Potter says. “The easiest way to grow is just to buy another airline. You get those planes, you get those pilots, you get those routes. I think that is what is really driving this acquisition from Allegiant.” The merger is expected to be finalized in the second half of this year.

The combined company will continue under the Allegiant name. Potter says a worst-case scenario is that Allegiant will scale back over time. Right now, Sun Country prides itself as a competitor to larger airlines like Delta. “Offering travelers a cheaper fare than Delta will sell them for, and in many ways, that has kept Delta in check and has forced Delta to be at least more competitive on price than they otherwise would be,” he says. “Allegiant just doesn’t do that. Allegiant’s entire business model is built around flying from smaller cities.”

Together, the airlines will operate more than 650 routes, 551 from Allegiant and 105 from Sun Country. Allegiant flies from cities including Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Omaha and the Quad Cities.

(Radio Iowa) – Data from the U-S-D-A shows Iowa set some records for the 2025 harvest. The report shows a record corn harvest of two-point-seven-seven (2.77) billion bushels, topping the previous record of two-point-seven-four billion bushels in 2016. The average corn yield was the second highest ever at 210 bushels, just behind the 211 bushels in 2024.

The average yield for soybeans set a record at 63-and-a-half bushels an acre, one half bushel above the previous record set in 2021. Overall farmers harvested 596 million bushels of soybeans, the third most ever.

Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig released a statement saying farmers delivered record yields despite conditions that varied from being too wet to too dry, and in a time when there is stress on the ag economy from high input costs and low commodity prices.

(Radio Iowa) – Wade Dooley, a 43-year-old Democrat who farms northwest of Marshalltown, is running for state agriculture secretary. He says leadership in Des Moines is too focused on helping big businesses and political insiders. “We have the best soils in the world, the most innovative people and some of the best technology on the planet,” Dooley says. “We can do a lot. All we need is a little support and, for the folks that hold us back, to get out of the way.”

Dooley, a sixth generation farmer, rotates soybeans and rye on his family’s Century Farm. He also sells cover crop mixes and does custom seeding. “I’ve been trying to find more profitable, more environmentally sustainable methods to farm,” Dooley said. “We’ve done cover crops, I raised watermelons for a while, popcorn, you name it. We’re tried a lot of different things.” Dooley says he’s running to lead the Iowa Department of Agriculture because while there’s a lot of talk about helping farmers make changes to boost their income — and improve water quality — there’s not a lot of actual support at the state level for it.

“Farmers are on debt treadmills for the most part. They’re all trying to do what’s best for their family, they’re also trying to do what’s best for their land, they’re also trying to do what’s best for their community, but at the end of the day, they’ve got to make their bank payment,” Dooley says.”…It’s really frustrating, then, to hear people in the Democratic Party blaming farmers saying, ‘Well, it’s their fault they’re doing it.’ They’re doing it, in part, because they’re forced. They’re trying to save their farms.”

Dooley says it’s time to end the blame game about Iowa’s water quality issues and for the Iowa Department of Agriculture to lead the effort to figure out a resolution. Dooley is a graduate of Iowa State University and has served as a board member of Practical Farmers of Iowa. Another Democrat has indicated they’ll run for state ag secretary this year. Chris Jones, an author and retired University of Iowa researcher, is expected to officially launch his campaign later this week. Republican Mike Naig has been serving as State Agriculture Secretary since 2018 and is seeking reelection.

(Oakland, IA) – A woman from Cass County and another from Pottawattamie County were injured during a collision late this (Tuesday) morning, in Oakland. According to the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, the accident happened just before 10:30-a.m. at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 59.

Authorities say an SUV driven by Donna Lee Smith, of Atlantic, was traveling westbound on Highway 6, when an eastbound SUV driven by Joy Elaine Van Zee, of Oakland, attempted to turn northbound onto Highway 59. The two SUV’s collided in the westbound lane. Following the impact, the SUV driven by Smith left the road and struck a tree. The other SUV came to rest on the highway.

Both drivers suffered serious injuries and were transported to local hospitals for treatment. Officials say their investigation resulted in Van Zee being cited for failure to yield and driving under suspension. Authorities say her license had been suspended after she was deemed incapable of operating a motor vehicle.

(Radio Iowa) – Top doctors at University of Iowa Health Care say they’re caring for an ever increasing number of premature babies — and have some of the best outcomes in the country. Dr. Patrick McNamara is a pediatrician who leads the University of Iowa Health Care’s Division of Neonatology. “We are probably one of the largest volumes of these tiny babies in the country,” McNamara said, “which is really what drives the excellence.” McNamara cites research from a non-profit that works to improve outcomes at Neonatal Intensive Care Units around the world. He says at every gestational age, the Iowa City unit’s survival rate is significantly higher than the rest.

“At 22 weeks, you’ve got about a 20% chance of surviving in the rest of the United States,” McNamara said. “In Iowa (City), it’s 66%.” McNamara was invited to testify before an Iowa House Committee this (Tuesday) morning. Over 10 percent of babies in Iowa are born prematurely. McNamara told lawmakers the unit is providing the most complex care for the most extremely premature babies — and getting pregnant women to Iowa City for care is critical if there are signs they’ll deliver extremely early.

“A maternal transport team is a unique team because you have to have expertise to take care of the mother, but also if she delivers en route,” McNamara said. “A plane, a helicopter, an ambulance — you have to have someone who can take care of the baby.” McNamara says most ambulance calls are a scoop and run operation to get the patient to the hospital as quickly as possible, where maternal transport teams are specially trained to stabilize before and during transport. McNamara says in other areas, like British Columbia, they’ve set up a regional system to get pregnant women and potential premies to the right hospital and it would be logical to have one for the entire state of Iowa.

(Glenwood, IA) – The Glenwood Police Department reports a man from Glenwood was arrested Saturday afternoon (Jan. 10th), on a drug charge. 22-year-old Michael Anthony Monson was taken into custody for Possession of Marijuana/1st offense. Bond was set at $1,000.

And, on Monday (Jan. 12th), Glenwood Police arrested 64-year-old Kelly Wayne McVay, of Omaha, for Disorderly Conduct/Loud Noise. Bond was set at $300.

(Red Oak, IA) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County, today (Tuesday), approved an amended Burlington Northern-Sante Fe (BNSF) railroad bridge overpass amendment agreement for the L and Q Avenue railroad bridges. County Engineer Karen Albert….

Engineer Albert mentioned in her report the Board, issues regarding mud on the County roads created by farm machinery following the recent rain.

Supervisor Mark Peterson…

In other business, the Board passed a resolution appointing Sonya Jackson as the Montgomery County representative to the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (SIRHA). Supervisor Mark Peterson…

MC BOS 1-13-26 via Zoom

They also approved a resolution adopting the NACO (National Associate of Counties) policy, with regard the Vietnam Era SGU (Special Guerilla Unit), and a related Letter Of Support to extend veteran benefit eligibility. Supervisor Mark Peterson said a letter from NACO explained the request for support and recognition.

And, the Board received a funding request of $5,000 from West Central Community Action Executive Director Wendy Mueller, who said the request was $1,500 more than last year.

Upon acting on other, administrative matters, the Montgomery County Supervisors moved into a Work Session. Their next regular meeting will be held at 9-a.m. Tuesday, at the courthouse in Red Oak.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he opposes the use of U-S military force in Iran where massive anti-government demonstrations in recent days are being met with violence that’s reportedly left many hundreds of protesters dead. “We don’t want military action. I don’t think it’s necessary at this point,” Grassley says, “but maybe in three or four hours I could give you a more definitive answer, because over the weekend it was reported the president was meeting with his military and diplomatic and national security advisors on this very subject.” Grassley, a Republican, voted last week to oppose a war powers act vote that aims to restrict President Trump’s use of the military in Venezuela. Meanwhile in Iran, reports say more than 600 people have been killed and more than 10-thousand detained.

“The president drew a line in the sand. If there’s mass killings, there’s already been too many people killed, too many people arrested from my point of view,” Grassley says. “I don’t know what the description of a mass killing is, but the president set that red line in the sand and that there’s going to be consequences.” Grassley suggests there’s a fear of “crying wolf” and a loss of global credibility if an American president’s words aren’t followed by action. “We don’t want it to be like Obama did in Syria, drawing the line in the sand that if chemical weapons were used against Syrians and Kurds, that he’s going to intervene — and he didn’t intervene,” Grassley says. “So either the president shouldn’t make those statements, or if they do make those statements, then they should make sure that the consequences that they promised come about.”

Five Republicans joined Democrats in the Senate last week to advance the war powers act to block the president’s use of military force in Venezuela. A final Senate vote on the resolution may come this week, though it also needs to pass in the House, while it faces a certain Trump veto.

Des Moines – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau report a woman from eastern Iowa was arrested January 3rd on four felony charges associated with her former place of employment. The Bureau says Cristal Gale Kastantin, of Wheatland, was arrested on outstanding arrest warrants that include: One count of Ongoing Criminal Conduct (Class B Felony); One count of Theft 1st Degree (Class C Felony); One count of Theft in the 2nd Degree (Class D Felony), and one count of Fraudulent Submission (Class D Felony).

According to criminal complaints filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, the criminal charges relate to conduct perpetrated by Kastantin during her former employment at an insurance agency located in Wheatland that has since been permanently closed. Kastantin employed a scheme to commit theft through the misuse of work funds for her own personal gain. Kastantin surreptitiously used work funds on at least several dozen occasions to make unauthorized personal purchases at various retailers. Additionally, Kastantin used work funds to make a down payment on her personal vehicle.

In addition to the charges relating to the misuse of funds, according to the criminal complaints, Kastantin also intentionally submitted or caused to be submitted, false documentation related to an insurance claim. The documentation falsely purported that restoration services had been provided to an insured party that had not truly been provided. According to the false documentation, the services had been provided by a business in which Kastantin had a vested financial interest. The business ultimately received payment for the services that had not truly been provided, which resulted in a financial loss to the insurer.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and defendants should be presumed innocent until they are found guilty.

(Photo courtesy of the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office) 

(Red Oak, IA) – An investigation into a collision early Monday afternoon in Red Oak resulted in a citation. Red Oak Police say no injuries were reported after a 2010 Honda Civic driven by 34-year-old Jamie Elizabeth Gentry, of Emerson, struck the rear of a 2019 Dodge pickup driven by 57-year-old William C. Watts, of Red Oak. The accident happened at the intersection of N. Broadway and W. Corning Streets, at around 1:20-p.m., Monday.

Authorities say the pickup was southbound on N. Broadway and had stopped behind a non-contact vehicle at the stop light. The Honda was also southbound on N. Broadway and approaching the intersection. Police say Gentry did not realize the pickup was stopped and was too close to stop in-time, before striking the back of the pickup.

Police cited Gentry for Following Too Close. Damage to her Honda amounted to a police-estimated $4,000 damage. The car was towed from the scene. The pickup sustained damage amounting to an estimated $2,000, and was driven away from the scene following the accident investigation.