(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa State Patrol Troopers, Monday (Today), paid their respects to two of their own who died in a plane crash near Atlantic, 36-years ago. Trooper Pilot Lance Dietsch (Badge #142), and Trooper Stanley Gerling (Badge #190), died June 30, 1989, while on an aerial search mission to find a missing person who had wandered away from a local nursing home.

Trooper Pilot Dietsch was 30 years old when he died. He had been with the Patrol for six years. He was engaged to be married in just over a month, on August 11, 1989.

Trooper Gerling was married and had served as a coach for Atlantic Little League. He was34 years old when he died, had been with the Patrol for one year. He left behind his wife and two sons. (Photos via the Iowa State Patrol Facebook page)

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – State Climatologist Justin Glisan said the June 23 through June 29 reporting period was the “wettest” of the season, with precipitation totals 2-4 inches above normal in some areas. While the rain hindered some field work, it was overall beneficial for Iowa crops which continue to rate highly according to the crop progress and condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said corn tassels are beginning to show, “signaling crop development remains on track.”

According to the report, around 3% of Iowa corn was beginning to silk and the crop rated 85% good or excellent. Soybeans were also a couple of days ahead of average, with 22% of the crop blooming across the state. Soybeans rated 77% good to excellent. “Last week brought multiple rounds of rain to much of the state, marking the wettest seven days of the growing season thus far,” Naig said. “In addition to benefitting the corn and soybeans, the moisture helps to replenish our streams, pastures and hay fields.”

(Photo by Preston Keres/USDA)

As a whole, the state averaged 2.81 inches for the reporting period, which was more than an inch and a half above normal. Precipitation maps show central and western parts of the state received the most rainfall during the period.

The rain pushed some areas, most severely north central and central Iowa, to hold excess soil moisture. Around 40% of topsoil moisture rated surplus in these regions and in north central Iowa, nearly 50% of subsoil had surplus moisture.  The state average topsoil moisture condition rated 65% adequate and 21% surplus. Subsoil conditions on average were 70% adequate and 27% short.

The first cutting of alfalfa hay all but wrapped up during the reporting period, with 97% completed across the state and 30% of the second cutting of hay complete. Oats also progressed, with 90% headed and 39% coloring. Iowa’s oat crop rated 83% good or excellent.

In addition to heavy rainfall, it was also a hot week across the state. The statewide average high temperature for the week, at 92 degrees Fahrenheit, was 10 degrees above the normal. Forecasts for the coming week show Iowans can expect an inch or two of rain and slightly above average temperatures, which Naig said will be “pleasant conditions for a festive and fun Independence Day weekend filled with fireworks, cookouts and outdoor celebrations.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – The Supreme Court has decided not to hear Iowa Pork Producers petition to California’s Prop 12 law regarding animal welfare.The Iowa Pork Producers Association have attempted to abolish the animal welfare law on June 30. They were rejected by the Supreme Court with no explanation. The Association believes the law treats out-of-state producers unfairly and gives California producers an upper hand.

The National Pork Producers made another attempt to petition against the law in 2023. It was dismissed based on legal standards regarding state laws being overly restrictive of moving goods across states.

In a social media post, Bird said “I am disappointed with the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the lowa Pork Producers’ case to stop California’s mandate against lowa farmers. I will continue to fight for our producers and farmers …just as I did with this case and Massachusetts Question 3. States like California and Massachusetts should not dictate lowa farming practices.

“I will continue to fight for our producers and farmers in the active challenges still working their way through the courts, just as I did with this case and Massachusetts Question 3. States like California and Massachusetts should not dictate lowa farming practices.”

The Iowa Pork Producers Association is disappointed with the SUPCO decision. Iowa officials plan to find other ways to abolish the law.

JOHNSTON, Iowa – The Iowa State Fire Marshal Division and Fire Service Training Bureau are proud to announce the completion of a state-of-the-art training tower after a grand opening ceremony this morning. Located at Camp Dodge, this new facility is set to become a vital resource for firefighter training across the state.

“As the Iowa State Fire Marshal, firefighter training and safety are very important to me,” says Iowa State Fire Marshal Dan Wood. “This FAST Center will give Iowa’s Fire Service a place to train and learn for years to come.”

The construction was overseen by the Iowa Fire Service Training Bureau with a $2.1 million appropriation from Iowa legislators in FY23. The tower stands as a testament to cutting-edge design and functionality in firefighter training.

The Iowa Army National Guard provided the land for this project, contributing to a collaborative effort that promises to enhance public safety services statewide. The training tower itself is a four-story structure, featuring a two-story residential/commercial unit and a one-story annex. It boasts a parapet roof system complete with four rappelling anchors and an interior staircase spanning all four levels, in addition to a ladder leading to a roof hatch.

Firefighters will have access to two live fire burn rooms equipped with ceramic heat-resistant tiles located in the residential/commercial section. These rooms are strategically placed on the first and second floors, allowing for realistic and safe training scenarios.

The structure also includes a roof ventilation training prop on the second story’s pitched roof, along with comprehensive temperature monitoring throughout the building to ensure the safety and effectiveness of training exercises.

The new facility measures approximately 72 feet by 22 feet, offering ample space for a variety of training exercises that are crucial for preparing Iowa’s firefighters for real-world situations.

This new addition underscores the commitment of the Iowa State Fire Marshal Division to provide top-tier resources and training opportunities for first responders.

(Radio Iowa) – While tornadoes can strike in any season, any day of the year, today marks the last day of what’s considered the peak season for twisters in Iowa. Meteorologist Jim Lee, at the National Weather Service, says Iowa has seen very few tornadoes so far in 2025, especially when compared to last year’s multiple outbreaks that brought the annual tally to a stunning 125 tornadoes.

“We did have the most recorded tornadoes in Iowa history, although that comes with a big asterisk, but this year it’s been very quiet,” Lee says. “There’s been, I believe, fewer than 10 so far, confirmed in Iowa this year. The numbers are still preliminary.” That compares to more than 100 tornadoes by this date a year ago. Lee says there are several reasons for the smaller number of tornadoes this year statewide.

“Last year, we just had a very long and a very active tornado season. Obviously, it was well above normal and this year being well below normal. Part of that is just how the storm tracks set up, where the jet stream is for a lot of the spring in particular. We had somewhat cooler than normal weather, so that kind of cuts down on instability,” Lee says. “This summer, we’ve had plenty of heat so far, but we haven’t had a lot of wind shear in a lot of these events, so that cuts down on the tornado threat.”

While the main season for tornadoes in Iowa — April through June — is now coming to an end, Lee stresses that Iowans should not let down their guard, as twisters can form anytime, as they did on December 15th of 2021 when we saw 63 twisters in one day.

“Absolutely, which was a really extreme event. That was actually the most tornadoes in one day in Iowa history, and it was in December, so go figure,” Lee says. “They can happen at any time of year, and the peak historically has been particularly May and June, but it’s not a rapid drop off after that. It just slowly tapers off through the summer.”

During last year’s record-setter, 98 of Iowa’s 125 tornadoes struck during either April or May.

FORT MADISON, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections, Monday (today), said an inmate at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Ft. Madison, has died. 63-year-old Randy Leroy Cue was pronounced dead at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Cue had been serving a maximum term for crimes from Pottawattamie County. His sentence began on Oct. 5, 2010.

ATLANTIC, IOWA — The Atlantic Community School District will gather additional feedback from residents as part of its efforts to address facility needs identified in its Facilities Master Plan. According to Jerry Gallagher, with the Donovan Group, a new survey is the next step in the district’s planning process, which has spanned more than a year. The survey will provide community members with an opportunity to give input as the Board of Education and administration consider a general obligation bond referendum this November. District Superintendent, Dr. Beth Johnsen, said in a news release, “The district has invested a significant amount of time and effort toward studying the facility challenges our students and staff face every day. We encourage all district residents to provide feedback that will help guide us as we look to reshape our schools and ensure students have the resources they need well into the future.”

Last summer, Atlantic CSD partnered with Estes Construction to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the district’s facilities. Architects and engineers evaluated the existing conditions of buildings, identified necessary maintenance and repairs, and provided recommendations and cost estimates. In December 2024, the district engaged SVPA Architects to expand its facility planning, including the creation of a 10-year master plan for future improvements. This process included additional collaboration with Estes Construction.

Atlantic High School

In June, the Board of Education received a report outlining approximately $40 million of improvements and new construction that will allow Atlantic CSD to meet its goals of fostering educational environments conducive to 21st century learning and ensuring all students have the resources necessary to fulfill their potential. The scope of work would affect all of Atlantic CSD’s attendance centers and include classroom renovations and additions, safety and security enhancements, and a new fieldhouse at Atlantic High School, among other efforts. Dr. Johnsen says “These projects would position our school district to better serve the students of today and future generations of Trojans. We believe these projects will also play a role in attracting new families and improving the community.”

A voter-approved general obligation bond referendum of up to $27 million in November will be necessary for these projects to become reality. The remaining $13 million would be funded through district funds and state sales tax revenue. Bond measures require a minimum of 60% support to pass. The district will make an official announcement on its website, via email, and on its social media accounts when the survey is available.

(Radio Iowa) – The woman who has been the main spokesperson for the Iowa Lottery is retiring. Mary Neubauer started at the Lottery in October of 1999 as everyone was preparing for the potential computer shutdowns of Y-2-K. “Obviously so much of the lottery is run by a central gaming system and we feared that come January 1st of 2000, where we going to be able to have lottery drawings, we’re going to be able to pay prices,” she says. “It all went completely smoothly. But oh, my gosh, the amount of planning that went into something that basically didn’t happen.” Neubauer eventually moved into the position of talking to and introducing those who won the big prizes. She says the size of those prizes and the advancement of social media are two of the big changes in her 25 years.

“Who would have predicted back when I started and the speed with which information gets out there and that with which we have to be ready to respond. That’s that’s been probably the biggest change within my job,” Neubauer says. Neubauer says they used to sometimes wait to release information on a big Saturday jackpot drawing until Monday. Now everyone is talking about it and speculation on social median and the Lottery responds much quicker. “When when a jackpot hits, you have to be ready to go within just an hour or less because information is just going to travel so quickly these days,” she says.

Mary Neubauer (Radio Iowa file photo)

Neubauer is retiring early from the Lottery and says the death of her son by suicide eight years ago is one of the reasons. She and her husband spokes out publicly about what happened as they sought to help others facing a similar situation. “We started a conversation here in Iowa about how we as a state are or are not caring for those who are struggling and the stress and strain of that, I don’t think even I realized until recently just how. exhausted, I am and I think I just need to step away and just be me. And so I’m looking forward to that,” she says.

Neubauer says she will miss the Iowa Lottery and meeting people and hearing from the people who win. She is retired as of today (Monday)