(Walnut, Iowa) – Firefighters from Atlantic and Marne were requested by Walnut Fire late Monday morning, to assistant Walnut Fire with a residential structure fire. The call for mutual aid went out to at around 11:51-a.m.

A fire in an upstairs bedroom took place at 50596 Highway 83. Walnut Fire Chief Rob Akers reported smoke was coming from roof of the home upon the arrival of the first crews. The fire, he said, started when a malfunctioning electrical wire ignited a mattress. Akers reported there was significant damage to the upstairs of the home.

Firefighters from Avoca and Hancock were on-hand to assist in conducting containment operations. Atlantic and Marne Fire, as mentioned, were en route to the scene when they were told to disregard their page at around 12:03-p.m. Those units returned to their quarters and were back in-service a short-time later.

SAC CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A volunteer search organization assisting in finding a missing Sac County man, temporarily suspended searches, Monday. as they try determine new locations to investigate. Jake Rowley, the Midwest team leader for the non-profit United Cajun Navy search and rescue organization, said on social media Sunday night, that weren’t conducting any organized searches for 53-year-old David Schultz, of Wall Lake. The pause, he said, is so that they can regather any known information to determine new search areas. Searches may possibly resume on Wednesday, according to Rowley.

Sarah Schultz, David Schultz’s wife, said she last saw her husband at around 7:30-p.m. on Nov. 20th, before he left their home. David was a truck driver and had to deliver a load of hogs from Eagle Grove to Sac City, but he never made it to Sac City. His truck was found the next morning on Highway 71 on the road about seven miles north of Sac City, with the trailer still fully loaded with the hogs. David’s wallet and phone were found in the semi and his jacket was found in a nearby ditch. David is a white male who is approximately 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs about 180 pounds. He has brown hair and eyes. He was last known to be wearing Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, and a Peterbilt hat.

Anyone with information about David Schultz or where he may be is asked to call the Sac County Communications Center at 712-662-7127. In the update announcing they were temporarily suspending searches, Rowley said that they have so far searched more than 100,000 acres and feel they may have exhausted all possible locations. Instead, they will be focused on “specialized teams and investigators to try and receive any new leads” as they work with law enforcement.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – In update to our previous report, officials with the Des Moines Police Department, Monday, said another person was arrested in connection with the kidnapping and injury over the weekend, of a woman from Indianola. Authorities said 34-year-old Jessica Wheeler faces a charge of Kidnapping in the 1st Degree in connection with the investigation. Police said “Evidence indicates that she is a co-conspirator in crimes committed against the victim.” Earlier, authorities said the victim’s ex-boyfriend, 40-year-old Jordan Mangum, of Indianola, was charged with first-degree kidnapping, willful injury, and violation of a no-contact order. He is being held at the Polk County Jail.

(Original DM PD press release)

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s obesity rate is soaring and a new federal report says the number of American adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled in the past 20 years. Diabetes is a potentially life-altering condition that affects nearly 40-million people nationwide. Dr. Donna O’Shea at UnitedHealthcare is concerned the growing prevalence of diabetes could affect human longevity.

“Many people attribute that to the weight changes that we are seeing,” O’Shea says. “Obesity, starting in childhood and then, of course, getting worse as you become an adult and very high in the adult population. That obesity can affect all different disease states, but significantly diabetes.”

A state study in 2017 found nearly 232-thousand adult Iowans with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is when your body cannot use the insulin it produces, resulting from poor nutrition. It accounts for nearly 95-percent of all cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study also found an increase in the number of people under age 20 developing diabetes, which O’Shea says is a disturbing trend.

“We know, first of all, that the risk of childhood obesity is increasing. It’s now up to one in five young people,” she says. “The number of adults with diabetes has more than doubled in the last 2 decades, so, this is really becoming a significant health problem.”

According to a report released this fall by Trust for America’s Health, Iowa is among 22 states with an adult obesity rate at or above 35%, with Iowa reaching 37%. O’Shea says the steady rise in diabetes cases is why it’s important to stay active and eat a nutritious diet. “Even when you have diabetes, you need to control those blood sugar surges. For example, you want to be eating healthy proteins such as chicken, fish, or turkey, as well as non-starchy, fibrous vegetables like broccoli, green beans or carrots, and a moderate amount of carbohydrates.”

Carbs in the food you eat raises those blood sugar levels. The CDC recommends you keep track of how many carbs you eat and set a limit for each meal, as it can help keep your blood sugar levels in your target range. The Mayo Clinic says a person who eats two-thousand calories a day should be eating about 225 grams of carbs a day.

(Radio Iowa) – The state’s first-ever Iowa Black Farmers Conference is planned to be held in Des Moines later this month. Conference co-founder Todd Western the Third says his family has owned a farm in near Waterloo for more than 150 years. Western says growing up, he only knew of one other black farmer in the state. He says it’s important for black farmers to know they’re not alone.

“This is significant because it’s bringing together farmers of color who are scattered across the state to foster a sense of belonging and community,” Western says. “It’s also supposed to be information sharing. This platform will provide access to crucial information from agriculture industry officials that might not typically come to smaller or more remote farm communities. And lastly, celebrating our contributions.” After attending an event in North Carolina focused on black farmers, Western says he wanted to bring black farmers together in Iowa.

Western says, “Because I know how important it was for my son, who’s going to eventually — along with my nieces and nephews — take over the farm at some point, it’s important for them not to have the same experience that I had, thinking that we were the only ones.”

The conference is scheduled for December 16th. U.S.D.A. data from 2017 shows black farmers make up less than one-percent of the farmers in Iowa. Western says he hopes the Iowa Black Farmers Conference becomes an annual event and that it helps establish a network of black farmers that people can turn to in the future.

(Radio Iowa) – Congressman Zach Nunn, who represents Iowa’s third district, is inviting the top two Republicans in the U-S House to Iowa. “The Farm Bill right now needs direct leadership support,” Nunn says. “…As a member of the Ag Committee, I want to make sure that the leadership team knows what a priority this is not just for Iowa, but for the entire country.” The 2018 Farm Bill expired September 30th and last month congress voted to extend it to September of 2024.

“It is foundational to the future of America’s national security and our growers. We need to the speaker to have the opportunity to come here and get a good deep dive on this,” Nunn says. “Let’s not forget, the speaker has gotten to be on the job for just about a month and there is a steep learning curve here. Let’s be one of the first ones to give him a tutorial on the advantages of what a Farm Bill can do not just for Iowa, but for the whole world.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson AND House Republican Leader Steve Scalise are both from Louisiana, where the main crops are sugar cane, rice and cotton. “While I salute my Cajun brothers from Louisiana, I want to make sure they get to spend a little bit of time in the heartland, talking with the men and women who are actually feeding the bulk of the country, who are fueling a third of the country,” Nunn says.

The 2018 Farm Bill has provided about eight BILLION dollars in federal subsidies for crop insurance every year. The insurance covers revenue and yield losses in more than 100 crops, but the main ones are corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds and First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds invite Iowans and their families to join them for Christmas at Terrace Hill on Sunday, December 17, from 1-until 3-p.m. Guests are encouraged to explore the historic property and enjoy several activities including photos with Santa Claus and the first family, ornament decorating, carolers, Christmas cookies and a letter-writing station to send correspondence to deployed Iowa National Guard service members.  

At this year’s event, as an additional way to say “Thank You” to our men and women who are currently deployed, Terrace Hill will be collecting donations for deployed service members. A list of suggested items can be found here.  The event will conclude with Governor Reynolds reading No Company for Christmas, a story which centers around Terrace Hill and was written by local children’s author, Susan Maupin Schmid, with illustrations created by local artist, Tara Gartin.  

Tickets are $25 per individual or $50 per household + processing fees and must be purchased in advance. To purchase tickets, call our office at 515-281-7205 or click here.  Proceeds from the event benefit the Terrace Hill Partnership, the non-profit organization that supports necessary conservation and restoration projects at Terrace Hill. Last year’s event raised over $5,000 that went toward the upkeep of the 154-year-old building and grounds. 

(Radio Iowa) – North Dakota Doug Burgum has ended his presidential campaign.

Burgum did not meet the polling threshold for Wednesday’s debate for GOP candidates. Burgum, who did not qualify for the debate in November, either, said the Republican National Committee’s requirements are “nationalizing the primary process and taking the power of democracy away from the engaged, thoughtful citizens of Iowa and New Hampshire.”

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum appeared on Iowa Press on Iowa PBS in October. (Iowa PBS photo)

Burgum did participate in the first two televised debates. He met the fundraising requirement for the first one by offering $20 gift cards to donors who gave at least $1 to his campaign. The Des Moines Register Iowa Poll in late October showed Burgum with three percent support here, behind former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has not campaigned in Iowa this year.

Burgum launched his campaign in June.

(Radio Iowa) – The 2023 Iowa Teacher of the Year teaches English language learners at Des Moines Hoover High School. Ann Mincks says Hoover is one of the state’s most diverse high schools in the state with around 25 percent of students who are English learners. Mincks plans to focus on English language efforts as she travels the state for the Iowa Department of Education in the next year.

“I will really be working to be an advocate for those students. In addition, I’ve really been exploring literacy practices,” she says. “So I will be discussing evidence based practices and how to improve literacy instruction throughout the state.” Mincks gives credits her colleagues and family for allowing her to receive the honor.

2023 Iowa Teacher of the Year Ann Mincks. (Dept. of Education photo)

“For me the really important thing is that it’s kind of shining a light on Des Moines Public Schools and the good work that we’re doing here,” Mincks says. “And in addition just kind of honoring my family and all they have given me.” Mincks says her mother, aunt, grandmother and her grandmother’s four sisters were all in education. Mincks has been teaching for 15 years at Des Moines Hoover High School.

The Iowa Department Education announced her as the teacher of the year at a ceremony at the school this (Monday) morning.