(Clarinda, Iowa) – Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports, late Wednesday evening, Clarinda Police were notified of a juvenile’s written threat of violence to the campus of the Clarinda Lutheran School. Brothers said the “Clarinda Lutheran School has cooperated fully with the Clarinda Police Department to address this threat and the juvenile involved is currently in the custody of police.

After a thorough investigation into the threat, as well as a search of the facility, we are confident there is no on-going threat to the Clarinda Lutheran School or the community. The investigation revealed this is an isolated event. The incident report and a complaint alleging juvenile delinquency have been forwarded to Page County Juvenile Court Services.”

All juveniles are presumed innocent under our system of criminal justice until adjudicated delinquent in a court of law.

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests and/or incidents occurring from Oct. 25th through the 28th:

On Oct. 25th, at around 4:52-p.m. Adams County deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 25 at 250th Street. Upon further investigation, 36-year-old Angel Sharpsteen was arrested and charged with Driving while (under) suspension. A passenger in the vehicle, 27-year-old Dashawn Procks, was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Poss. of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 1st offense. Sharpsteen later posted a $300 cash-only bond and was released from the Jail. Procks was later released on a $1,300 cash-only bond.

There were two arrests on Oct. 26th in Adams County. Deputies assisted a DHS worker at a location in Cumberland. Upon further investigation, 40-year-old Curtis Penton, of Cumberland, was arrested for Poss. of a Controlled substance/Methamphetamine-2nd offense, Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia, and Child Endangerment. Penton remains in the Adams County Jail on a $5,000 bond. And, deputies in Adams County made a casual encounter approach at a residence in the 900 block of Davis Avenue, in Corning. The ended-up arresting 31-year-old Colby Hoover, of Des Moines, for Public Intoxication, and Interference with Official Acts. He has since plead guilty to the charges.

On Oct. 27th, 37-year-old Jennifer Lyn Ham, of Lorimor, was arrested in Adams County for Public Intoxication. She was being held on a $300 bond. And, on the 28th, Adams County Deputies arrested 28-year-old Joshua Haggerty, for PCS/Marijuana-3rd offense. He later posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond, and was released.

*Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations and any defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – Ahead of Black Friday, U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, are asking the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to make additional staffing preparations to handle the influx of legal gun purchases and background checks conducted through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) expected during the holidays.

In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the senators write: “The FBI is notoriously understaffed on Black Friday, despite knowing year-after-year of the high-volume of gun sales. This must change. Now is the time to prepare the FBI and ATF for adequate staffing to avoid the inevitable holiday rush. The letter continues: “Black Friday is less than a month away and reports already indicate the ATF is shorthanded and facing backlogs. The current wait time for approval of a paper Form 4, which is used to complete a tax stamp purchase, is one year, and an e-Form 4 is at least 180 days, some taking more than a year.  The average processing time for an e-Form 4 has increased by 80 days since the enactment of the ‘Frame or Receiver’ final rule, which went into effect just over a month ago.”

Traditionally, Black Friday is among the top ten highest days for legal gun sales and background checks through NICS. Last year, NICS recorded 187,585 checks on Black Friday alone. Despite the year-after-year high volume of gun sales, the FBI is notoriously understaffed on this day, which has caused delays and backlogs.

Read the full letter here.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Police in Council Bluffs arrested two men during an incident this (Thursday) morning, following a brief stand-off. Authorities report Officers with the Council Bluffs Police Department, Adult Probation, and U-S Marshalls, went to 2906 Avenue A in Council Bluffs, to serve a felony warrant on a man believed to be inside the residence. While watching the residence, officers saw a second male who was known to officers, enter the house with what appeared to be a long gun. Those same officers knew that person was prohibited from possessing firearms.

They secured the residence and called out the original wanted person – 20-year old Keshawn Houtz-Mayfield – and placed him under arrest without incident. The man seen with the apparent long-gun, refused to come out, and shut the front door. He surrendered without incident less than 10-minutes later. A search warrant was obtained for the residence. During the search, officers recovered one-rifle and one stolen handgun.

Since an investigation is ongoing, authorities have chosen not to release the name of the second subject at this time. Traffic on Avenue A was restricted for about 90-minutes during the incident and investigation, but has since re-opened.

(Radio Iowa/KJAN) -Iowa is undergoing a major weather change. National Weather Service meteorologist Craig Cogil says a cold front will move across the state over the next several hours, taking us from high temperatures mostly in the 60s today (Thursday) to highs only in the 20s and 30s tomorrow. Here in Atlantic, we were in the mid-60’s through 8-a.m., but then the drop-off began, and we were at 57 by 9-a.m. Soon after, the temperature took a nose dive into the mid-40’s.

Cogil says those not yet feeling the chiil, should to enjoy the warmth this afternoon, while it lasts. “As we head towards the afternoon and evening hours, temperatures will be dropping down into the 40s and 30s,” Cogil says. “By tomorrow morning, we’re going to see wind chills in the single digits above zero, so much, much, much colder air.” He adds, once that frigid weather gets here, it’ll likely be sticking around a while.

The 10:30-a.m. temp at KJAN in Atlantic (11/10/22)

Cogil says, “Once this cold air arrives, it certainly looks like the next seven to ten days is going to remain below- to much-below normal.” He warns that parts of Iowa could see rain showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, some of which could be severe.

(Radio Iowa) – A printing error caused a board of supervisors race to be left off the ballot in one precinct in rural Linn County on Tuesday, but officials say the mistake didn’t have an impact on the outcome. Iowa’s Secretary of State says the ballots used in Putnam Township did not list the race between Republican Mark Banowetz and Democrat Kristen Running-Marquardt. Banowetz says he was denied the chance to see how he did in his own community.  “I wish it would show up differently that I won in the town I live in,” Banowetz says, laughing, “but I don’t think they’re going to be able to correct that unless we do a recount or something.”

Linn County Auditor Joel Miller said it was his fault for not catching the ballot error. Banowetz says it was a real shock to realize something was wrong with his ballot.  “What I did is I went in to vote, I went up and got my ballot, went over, sat down, went through and started marking off all the different people I wanted to win,” Banowetz says. “I got done and thought, ‘Wait, where’s my name at?’ So I read through the ballot on the front a couple times, and the back a couple times and it was just not there.”

Reports show 57-percent of Linn County residents district voted for Banowetz’ opponent. He’d need to gain four-thousand votes in Putnam Township to win the seat, but the precinct has half that many registered voters. While the result may not change, Banowetz says he’s weighing his options on whether to call for a special election.

(reporting by Zachary Oren Smith, Iowa Public Radio)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Nov. 10, 2022 – Motorists need to prepare for multiple overnight closures and changes to Interstate 29 and I-480 in Council Bluffs next week. On Sunday, Nov. 13, southbound I-29 will be closed at 16th Street, from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m., weather permitting. This will allow construction crews to prepare for the extended closure of southbound I-29 at Avenue G. Motorists should follow the detours. (click on the maps below to enlarge)

On Monday, Nov. 14, motorists should plan for the closure of southbound I-29 at Avenue G. Drivers will need to use the Southbound Frontage Road between Avenue G and 9th Avenue to get to their destinations. Iowa DOT expects southbound I-29 to be closed until fall 2023.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, weather permitting, construction crews will work overnight to open the eastbound I-480 to northbound I-29 ramp.

Iowa DOT is working hard to keep the public informed of construction impacts and actively seeks opportunities to update the public. For more information or to sign up for alerts, visit the program website at www.CouncilBluffsInterstate.IowaDOT.gov. You can also contact the program office at 712-216-3339 or info@CouncilBluffsInterstate.com.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

(Western Iowa) – SHARE Iowa, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, launched in September 2022, to support the Community Foundation’s nine-county service area and to create durable, positive change in our region. SHARE Iowa’s online presence will help hundreds of nonprofit organizations connect with their supporters by communicating their events, encourage donations through Amazon wish lists, better engage volunteer opportunities, and provide an easy and flexible way to receive donations.

“SHARE Iowa is a key resource for our community members – far and wide – to connect to causes and communities they are passionate about,” said Donna Dostal, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa. “We are thrilled to offer this dynamic tool to our nonprofits to engage their donors and supporters, especially during this season of giving, and Giving Tuesday 712 sponsored by our friends at TS Bank!”

Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving and the biggest giving day of the year in our region. This year, Giving Tuesday is November 29, 2022, and the community is encouraged to visit SHARE Iowa to find and support over 130 area nonprofits. In 2021, we raised an amazing $2.3 million in western Iowa for Giving Tuesday. This, combined with donations made in the Omaha metro, totaled $5.5 million in Giving Tuesday support for our region.

This year, the Community Foundation has a $250,000 pool of funds for a 20% match on gifts to endowment funds within the Community Foundation. The 20% match is on gifts up to $100,000.00 per fund, and after the pool is used, the match will go to 10%. Nonprofit organizations with an endowment fund with the Community Foundation can have supporters donate directly to their endowment fund through SHARE Iowa.

Additionally, with the help of community members and small business partners, TS Bank is hosting two supply drives for Giving Tuesday. The bank is collecting diapers to be delivered to area nonprofits and children’s hats and gloves for local elementary schools. Donations can be dropped off at any TS Bank location in the area. TS Bank’s 43 Scott Street location in Council Bluffs will also be the heart for #GivingTuesday712. Community members who are interested in making donations to their favorite causes are encouraged to come to TS Bank on Giving Tuesday if they would like to have a check presentation and celebrate the culture of giving in Western Iowa.

TS Bank officials say they believe that reinvesting in the communities it serves is as important as the products and services the bank provides. TS Bank encourages others to live generously and pay it forward, and since 2007, TS Bank has granted nearly $5 million dollars through these efforts. “Giving is one of our company’s core principles, and one we’ll always stand behind. We love seeing first-hand each community harness their local strength for positive change,” said Kelsey Stupfell TS Bank Director of Public Relations.

Des Moines, Iowa –  Food Bank of Iowa officials, today (Thursday), announced a partnership with Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm and Feeding America® to immediately provide food for Iowans in need and build long-term technology solutions to scale the food bank’s impact. The announcement is part of a larger initiative from Google.org and Feeding America to help provide 50 million meals to communities across the United States. Food Bank of Iowa serves 55 of Iowa’s 99 counties, reaching Iowans across a 30,000-square-mile footprint that spans the northern to southern border.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says “With persistent inflation, increased grocery costs, and continued supply chain disruptions, family budgets are stretched thin and there is a significant ongoing need for donations to our food banks and food pantries. I encourage the support of our food banks and food pantries, and I hope this inspires other businesses, organizations, and individuals to give what they can in order to help our neighbors in need.”

Today, 34 million Americans, including nine million children, face food insecurity. Among Feeding America network food banks, 90% report an increased or sustained need over the last month. Food Bank of Iowa has experienced this firsthand. Demand for food assistance is at an all-time high in Iowa, with the past five months setting records in the number of individuals and households served by Food Bank of Iowa and its 700 partners.

Michelle Book, Food Bank of Iowa President and CEO, says “We are working to meet the highest need in our 40-year history. Our frontline partners are seeing double, triple and even quadruple the number of individuals seeking help with food, and we are grateful for this funding from Google to help combat food insecurity in Iowa.”  Google has seen the need reflected in Google Search Trends on a national and local level in Iowa. Nationally, Google sees a spike in searches for food support every November, but more than ever before, Americans are making searches around “food” and “prices” in 2022. They are also searching “how to give back” more than ever, with searches for “where to donate food near me” skyrocketing 850% over the past five years.

In Iowa, searches for food have increased, including: “Food pantry near me” searches in Iowa have increased by 1300% over the past 5 years. Search interest in SNAP reached an all time high in Iowa on January 2021 “Where to donate food near me” searches increased by 180% over the past five years in Iowa “Addressing food insecurity requires a sustained and coordinated approach. We’re proud to partner with Feeding America to deliver over 50 million meals to people in need, and to work with them to strengthen their technology infrastructure,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. “We’re also making our products, like Search and Maps, more helpful to people searching for resources or ways to give back.”

Any organization or individual interested in joining the fight for a hunger-free Iowa can volunteer, donate and learn more at www.foodbankiowa.org. While donated food is always appreciated, monetary donations go even farther to provide meals for Iowa children, families, seniors and veterans. A donation of $10 will provide more than a week’s worth of food for an Iowan in need. Food Bank of Iowa will also receive donated Search Ads to connect people looking for help with resources, provide avenues for others to give back and drive food security awareness nationwide.

AMES, Iowa—Iowa Learning Farms will host a cover crop and no-till field day Tuesday, November 29 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the Caviness Farm near Greenfield. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal. Cover crops offer many benefits to farmers and landowners including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased organic matter in the soil. When paired with no-tillage additional benefits include increased water infiltration and reduced erosion during heavy rain events. This field day aims to equip attendees with best management practices for establishing and managing cover crops to maintain yields during the transition to a higher residue system of no-tillage and cover crops.

Iowa Learning Farms farmer partner Randy Caviness purchased his first no-till planter in 1985 and was admittedly skeptical that it would work. However, he stuck with it and his soil test results have shown increases in soil organic matter and soil health. “Many people talk about building up their soil, but then they don’t do anything about it. No-till actually does something about it. The more you leave the soil alone, the better it does. Some people think that if they till every four or five years, that they will get the benefits of no-till. No-till should be called never-till,” noted Caviness.

When asked about the economics of no-till, Caviness responded, “We want to show that you can be profitable and you can save the soil. Quality soil has got to be the bottom line. People need to think about their soil and do a better job for future generations. You can’t just think or say that you are doing a better job, you need to actually do a better job.” Liz Ripley, Iowa Learning Farms conservation and cover crop outreach specialist, will share results from on-farm cover crop demonstration trials and resources available to help farmers and landowners make a successful transition to a cover crop and no-till system. Iowa NRCS staff Hillary Olson, State Soil Health Specialist, and Ruth Blomquist, SW Iowa Soil Health Specialist, will lead attendees through soil health demonstration and discussion opportunities for technical and financial assistance. (Listen for Jim Fields’ interview with Liz Ripley on the “Heartbeat Today” page found under the “Programs” tab at kjan.com.)

The field day will be held at the Caviness Farm, 2476 260th Street, Greenfield, IA 50849 and will be held rain or shine. The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, though we require reservations to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.  Attendees will be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.