(Radio Iowa) – The board of a northwest Iowa community college has accepted a settlement with international students who accused the school of human trafficking. Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City will pay two-point-three million dollars to settle a lawsuit involving ten students from Brazil. College President Terry Murrell talked to reporters after a special board meeting Wednesday afternoon and took full responsibility for the program’s problems. “We got too deep into something we were not overly familiar with, and we didn’t do a good job. And not doing a good job certainly had implications to those students,” Murrell says. “To those students, I would say, ‘We wish you luck and hope you are able to pursue your education and career goals.”’

Murrell says he thought the program would have success like others at the school when it was launched in 2019. “The J-1 Program is complex, it’s complicated,” he says, “and I don’t think we appreciated that when we stepped in, and all of that is my fault.” In April, the college’s board of directors approved paying three-million dollar to students from Chile who filed a lawsuit in 2020. The students said they were promised a free, two-year program with internships but were instead forced into working manual labor jobs to pay off tuition.

Murrell disputed that claim, saying the students were free to leave at any time and were paid for every hour they worked, plus free tuition and other amenities. He expects insurance to cover most of the cost. The dismissal of the lawsuit, which also includes college employees, is expected to be finalized in federal court in 60 days.

(by Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio)

DES MOINES, Iowa – As families plan for the upcoming school year, State Treasurer Roby Smith is reminding Iowans how the College Savings Iowa 529 plan can be used to achieve a variety of education savings goals, including K-12. “College Savings Iowa continues to expand the mindset that 529 plans can only be used for traditional two- and four-year college,” Smith said. “For families that want to put money aside to pay for K-12 tuition at a public or private school, while also receiving all the tax benefits 529 plans provide, College Savings Iowa could be the answer.”

Up to $10,000 per year per student can be withdrawn from a College Savings Iowa account to pay for tuition expenses in connection with enrollment at a K-12 institution. “We’re here to help support families in their education savings journey, whatever that may be for them and their student,” continued Smith. “It’s what College Savings Iowa is all about.”

In addition to K-12 tuition, money invested in College Savings Iowa can be used to pay for tuition; room and board; computers; textbooks and other qualified education expenses at any eligible higher education institution in the U.S. or abroad. This includes colleges, universities, trade schools and apprenticeship programs. Additionally, up to $10,000 can be used for repayment on any qualified education loan of the Beneficiary or a sibling of the Beneficiary.

As a 529 plan, College Savings Iowa also offers tax advantages such as tax-deferred earnings and tax-free qualified withdrawals. Plus, there is an added tax benefit of deducting up to $5,500 in contributions per Beneficiary account from 2024 Iowa income taxes.

To learn more about the Plan, visit CollegeSavingsIowa.com or call (888) 672-9116. Connect with College Savings Iowa on Facebook, Instagram and X to stay informed on current events and updates. For additional details about the Plan, read the Program Description.

(Wapello, Iowa [KCCI-TV] – A shortage of court reporters in Iowa is causing some disruptions and delays. Southeast Iowa’s District 8, for instance, covers 15 courthouses, but only has 11 court reporters. KCCI reports experts say the decline is due to retirements outpacing the number of people graduating from court reporting school. There are also fears that the job will become obsolete as technology advances. Wapello County Attorney Steviee Grove disagrees. She said court reporters are the official word.

Iowa Judicial Branch court reporter’s position.

The Iowa Supreme Court is certifying some voice writers as court reporters to help with the shortage. The judicial system is also exploring higher-income opportunities and tele-work.

(Radio Iowa) –  Triple-A reports the average price for a gallon of diesel fuel in Iowa fell three cents a gallon over the past week. Wednesday’s average price for diesel in Iowa was 31 cents a gallon lower than the national average. Unleaded gasoline was averaging three-28 ($3.28) a gallon in Iowa yesterday (Wednesday). That’s the same as last week.

(Creston, Iowa) – A Union County man was arrested Wednesday evening on a drug charge and warrants. According to the Creston Police Department, 30-year-old Patrick Riley Iiams, of Creston, was arrested at the Bomgaars Store in Creston, just before 6-p.m.  Iiams was charged with Possess Drug Paraphernalia. He was also taken into custody on warrants for Domestic Abuse Impeding flow of Air/blood, and for Failure to appear on a charge of Theft in the 5th degree and Consumption of alcohol in a public space/1st Offense.

Iiams was being held without bond in the Union county jail until seen by a judge.

(State News) – Two separate crashes in Iowa Wednesday, resulted in two deaths and one person injured. The Iowa State Patrol reports a crash late Wednesday morning in central Iowa’s Jasper County, claimed the life of a man from Polk County. 41-year-old Michael Croy, of Des Moines, died when the car he was driving collided head-on with a pickup truck. The accident happened south of Newton. Croy was traveling north on County Highway S 74 at around 11:50-a.m., when for reasons unknown, his vehicle crossed the center line of the road and collided with a southbound pickup driven by 62-year-old Karl Peters, of Monroe (IA). Croy died at the scene. Peters was transported to a hospital in Newton. Both men were wearing their seat belts. The crash remained under investigation.

And, at around 6:12-p.m. Wednesday, a pedestrian died in northern Iowa’s Cerro Gordo County, when they were struck by an SUV. The accident happened in Mason City, as the SUV, driven by a 17-year-old female from Mason City, was traveling southbound on Plymouth Road. The pedestrian who was struck, was identified as 42-year-old Jennifer Dawn Buls-VRBA, of Mason City. She was transported to the hospital in Mason City, where she died from their injuries.

The accident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – Teenagers with hand-lettered signs and pickup trucks packed with stacks of sweet corn are being seen on street corners in many Iowa cities as we’re smack dab in the middle of prime time for that delicious veggie. Aaron Steil, a consumer horticulture specialist at Iowa State University, says if you haven’t spotted a local grower yet and decide to head to the supermarket for sweet corn instead, you -may- be still getting local ears. “Some grocery stores will get regular, daily batches from local farmers, and some of it is shipped up usually from Florida,” Steil says. “It really depends on the type of corn that’s being grown, too. Some varieties just store better, especially under refrigeration.”

Sweet corn is best when you get it right from the field, so if it’s been on a semi and sitting on a store shelf for a while, it may get squishy and starchy. Steil says the best bet is buying from that kid in the pickup, but if you head for the store instead, it may not be quite as fresh. “If you’re really concerned about it, you can ask the produce folks if this was corn that they got in that day, or if they know where it came from,” he says. “If it’s local and it came in in the last day or two, it’s probably quite fresh and good to eat. But just because it came in from Florida, it doesn’t mean it’s bad either.

There are certain varieties that can store really well for seven to 10 days.” Some Iowans will want to freeze a batch of that sweet corn to pull out in the wintertime for a pleasing taste of summer.  “If you want to keep it long-term, you’re going to blanch the cobs and usually cut the kernels off and then freeze it,” Steil says. “You want to do all that process as quickly as possible. This isn’t something that you would buy at the store, then let it sit on your counter for a while, and then do it a few days later. It would be something you want to do as soon as you get the corn for the best flavor.”

If you just plan to eat the sweet corn, be sure to keep the ears in the fridge. If it gets warm, the sugars will degrade faster and the taste won’t be as fresh.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Red Oak Police report 35-year-old Kristin Kay Harrold, of Red Oak, was arrested Wednesday evening, on charges of Public Intoxication and Simple Assault/1st offense. Harrold was taken into custody at around 7:20-p.m. and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where her bond was set at $300.  And, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 24-year-old Phillip William Currin, of Villisca, was arrested Wednesday afternoon, for Driving While Barred. Bond for Currin was set at $2,000.

(Iowa City, Iowa) – The University of Iowa is expecting another record-breaking year for its athletics department while Iowa State University Athletics is working to handle changes to expected revenues as a result of collegiate athletic conferences shifting, university budget documents show. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports that with revenues slated to increase in football, women’s basketball, wrestling and volleyball, among other areas, the UI is projecting a total income of more than $150 million for fiscal year 2025, just over a 7% increase from last year.

According to budgets submitted to the Iowa Board of Regents, which are set to be discussed at the board’s meeting next week, Hawkeye Football ticket revenue should increase this fall due to “a favorable home schedule and price adjustments,” and budgeted income for women’s basketball went from $1.3 million to $1.65 million in fiscal year 2025 because of “additional guarantees received for away contests.”

The university athletics department saw record-breaking revenue last fiscal year as well, prompted by soaring popularity in the women’s basketball team. Iowa women’s wrestling is projected to make $80,000 in fiscal year 2025. Renegotiated television contracts from the Big Ten Conference will give athletic conference revenue at the UI a $13.4 million bump from the $61.8 million the university saw last year.

The University of Iowa and Iowa State University athletic departments are both expecting increases in revenue in fiscal year 2025. (Photo via University of Iowa Facilities Management)

ISU Athletics is expecting to earn around $114.2 million in revenue for fiscal year 2025, $2.7 million more than the fiscal year 2024 budget. Cyclone Football is also expecting increased ticket sales due to an additional home game, and the athletic department is also planning to see increased ticket sales for women’s basketball and wrestling. The biggest bump is expected to come from women’s basketball, with the budget line increasing from $450,000 to $700,000. However, with changes to collegiate athletics conferences and tournaments, ISU Athletics has put certain projects on hold and “is continuing to make operational and personnel changes as necessary,” according to the budget document.

With four universities added to the Big 12 Conference as of July 1, ISU and the other continuing  conference members will receive $40 million less in Big 12 contributions through fiscal year 2031 than what was previously expected, according to the regents document. Also impacting the ISU athletic department’s budget is the College Football Playoff expansion, which makes it so playoff revenues aren’t equally distributed among the different conferences, according to the document.

The University of Northern Iowa, the only state university to provide support to its athletics department, is also the only university to expect a decrease in revenue for its athletics this upcoming fiscal year. According to the budget document, athletics revenue is projected to fall from around $14.8 million to just under $14.7 million. As with previous years, UNI men’s basketball doesn’t have game guaranteed revenue to include in the budget yet.

The university will also see a more than $1 million reduction in revenue from marketing due to its new contract with sports marketing company Learfield. The UI will only see a $150,000 decrease in its income from the contract it holds with Learfield, according to the document. UNI will allocate $3.26 million in operational support, $1.28 million in scholarship funding and $485,000 for “one-time support,” according to the regent document.

The university included an almost $100,000 increase in income from UNI football, but decreases in other men’s and women’s sports.

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State Fair is quickly approaching and plans for the annual Governor’s Charity Steer Show are in full swing. Iowa cattlemen support this great event that benefits the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa.

Claire Pellet of Atlantic, Iowa, has joined the Governor’s Charity Steer Show lineup of exceptional youth to show her steer at the August 10 event. Each steer is exhibited by a local youth representative and a guest celebrity selected by the sponsor of the steer. Twenty-four steers will be shown this year, with Gov. Kim Reynolds as one of the celebrities showing in the ring. The Governor’s Charity Steer Show is sponsored by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) and the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC).

Claire is the daughter of Brad and Kristy Pellett. Claire is a recent graduate of Atlantic High School. This fall she will be attending Oklahoma State University. Claire has been showing cattle for nine years and was involved in many things at her school. As true Cyclone fans, her family named her steer Magic, in honor of Hilton Magic. Claire will be partnering with Dr. Dan Grooms, dean of Iowa State University’s (ISU) College of Veterinary Medicine. They are sponsored by the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association and ISU College of Veterinary Medicine.

If you are interested in supporting Claire Pellett, please consider donating online or attending the show/auction to contribute. The Governor’s Charity Steer Show is being held in Pioneer Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, August 10 at 4:30 pm. For additional information about the Governor’s Charity Steer Show or to donate, visit www.iowagovernorscharitysteershow.com

Claire Pellett and her steer, Magic.

Jenna Smith, ICA member services and Governor’s Charity Steer Show co-chair, says “The Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show highlights the good nature of the beef cattle industry and brings together a valuable collaboration between producers, industry supporters, youth, and community namesakes for an important cause. It is an honor to serve the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, which provides a crucial service to families in need. The youth participants of the Governor’s Charity Steer Show showcase the giving nature of our industry and offer a local connection to support this meaningful event.”

The Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show has been held since 1983 and has raised over $5 million since the show’s inception. Last year the show raised more than $500,000, the third year in a row that the fundraising record has been broken. Funds are raised through online donations, sponsorships, and an auction of steers following the show.

All money raised benefits the three independent Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, located in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City. These three houses have served over 55,000 families from all 50 states and 62 foreign countries. Families from all 99 counties in Iowa have benefited from the Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa too.