(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate convened a gathering of state and federal officials at the Iowa National Guard’s headquarters today (Wednesday) to tout security measures surrounding the General Election.  “It is because of numerous checks and balances and many, many layers in place that help us ensure Iowa elections are safe and secure,” Pate said. Iowa Public Safety Commissioner Stephen Bayens says his agency will be a hub for collecting information from three-thousand law enforcement and intelligence agency partners.

“Our duty and focus for the upcoming election is to alert Iowans as to any false information that may circulate through email, social media or telephone calls,” Bayens said, “as well as an physical threats on election day or the days that follow.” Bayens says false information about the election typically centers around fake notices that polling sites have moved or are closing, as well as false allegations of election intimidation to spark fear about voting.

“Please also be mindful of scam artists claiming you can register a ballot or voting on online or over the phone. These fraudsters are attempting to obtain your personal information so they can either steal your personal identity or trick you into believing you have already voted,” Bayens said. “We encourage all Iowans to be mindful of such efforts and to only rely on trusted information sources such as state or local election officials.”

Cyber security staff from state government and the Iowa National Guard are monitoring election offices in Iowa 24 hours a day now. Phil Kirk of the U-S Department of Homeland Security is regional director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency or CISA. He says Iowa has key election safeguards, like testing of all election equipment before it’s used to count paper ballots and, after the election, results in randomly-selected precincts are audited for accuracy.

“The 2024 election cycle is facing arguably the most complex threat environment ever,” Kirk said, “but the nation’s elections infrastructure is more secure and the election community more prepared than ever.” Kirk emphasizes that every voter in Iowa will be casting a paper ballot that enables counts, recounts and audits.

“I want to address Iowa voters directly: thanks mostly to the hard work of your state and local election officials, their partners and CISA security experts across this region I have confidence we are doing everything we can to ensure a safe and secure election,” he said, “and that you should be confident, too.”

The F-B-I is the primary agency in charge of investigating election-related crimes and the special agent in charge of the F-B-I’s Omaha office says an “election command post” has been set up there to coordinate a state and federal response to any threats related to this year’s election.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says if Donald Trump becomes president again, he will dramatically reduce the size of the federal government. “The waste has to be just — and you all know it — astronomical,” Reynolds says. “…I’m excited they talk about maybe an Elon Musk getting in there and thinking about how we can restructure. I’m excited about those kind of opportunities because that’s invigorating and that creates a really awesome culture that really drives even more innovations.”

Reynolds spoke early this (Wednesday) morning to the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale, touting her own reorganization of Iowa’s government as an example of what could happen in a second Trump term if Republicans are in the majority in the U-S House and Senate. “First of all, you’ve got to go in there and blow it up. We need to start operating more like a business and we need to approach government like that, Reynolds says. “It is ridiculous — no metrics, no KPIs, nothing — nothing is based on outcomes or data.” Reynolds suggests more federal spending should be delivered to states as block grants and governors and state lawmakers should have greater authority and flexibility to decide where that money is spent.

Reynolds spoke for about 45 minutes this (Wednesday) morning, answering questions from the crowd of Republicans. The governor asked a question of her own, too, and nearly everyone in the audience raised their hands when she asked who had already voted. “Six more days until we take this country back. Who’s excited about that? Holy cow. Unbelievable,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds told the crowd Iowa’s early voting numbers show Republicans are competitive with Democrats, who have historically emphasized voting early. The governor says that allows Republicans to focus their resources on reaching Iowans who do not vote in every election.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors met this (Wednesday) morning (Oct. 30), in Greenfield. During their regular weekly session, the Board acknowledged a Manure Management Plan (MMP) update from Rose Acre Farms, and approved a Child Abuse Prevention Grant draw-down. The Board accepted the 2024 Annual Weed Commissioner’s report from Nathan Jensen. And, the Adair County Supervisors approved a request from Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, to advertise for a opening being created as of January 1st, due to the retirement of a Sheriff’s Department employee.

In other business, the Board approved Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman’s request for a new hire, effective November 4th, along with a $4.00/hour wage increase for Assistant to the Engineer, Sawyer Hansen. Kauffman made the request so that Hansen’s salary can be brought closer in-line to what other counties are paying persons in similar positions.

The Board authorized Chair Jerry Walker to sign two (updated) front pages for the N-7 (Eureka Township) and W-22 (Lee Township) bridge projects. Engineer Nick Kauffman then presented the Supervisors with his weekly report on Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities. That included storm damage updates.

He said also, they’re working on a right-of-way agreement for a box culvert project, and a bridge project. The N-16 Washington (Township) Bridge is being designed, and drilling for soil samples will be taken care of later this week, so the bridge will be temporarily closed. Work on the bridge itself is expected to begin in Sept, 2025.

Atlantic, IA – Officials with Cass Health in Atlantic have announced Whitney Schafer, MSN, ARNP, FNP-C is the newest recipient of the Recognition of Service Excellence (ROSE) Award. After more than a decade of nursing experience, Schafer graduated from Clarkson College and now serves as a primary care provider at Atlantic Medical Center and Massena Medical Center. Since joining the medical staff in January 2023, she has been consistently recognized by her patients as a provider who truly listens and cares.

Cass Health Director of Primary Care Melissa Maas said, “Over the years, we have seen Whitney consistently deliver exceptional patient care both as a nurse and provider. Her nomination is an example of the personalized, compassionate care that she delivers with each patient encounter, and we were not at all surprised to hear about yet another example of her going above and beyond. It is an honor to recognize and celebrate Whitney at the ROSE ceremony, alongside her fellow Cass Health colleagues, family, and friends.”

Whitney Schafer, MSN, ARNP, FNP-C. (Photo submitted)

Schafer’s nomination specifically recognized her for her compassionate listening and assistance. She was surprised with the award during a recent medical staff meeting, where she was celebrated in the presence of her family, friends, and colleagues.

The ROSE Award was created to honor and celebrate non-nursing employees of Cass Health who exemplify dedication, compassion, and a commitment to service excellence in carrying out their duties and advancing the goals and mission of Cass Health. The criteria are being knowledgeable and efficient, being compassionate and respectful, working with the care team, and going above and beyond for others. Nominations can be made by anytime online at casshealth.org/rose.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa’s state universities have reallocated more than $2.1 million originally used for positions and offices relating to diversity, equity and inclusion on campus as a result of Iowa Board of Regent directives and a state law set to go into effect next summer, according to a report released Tuesday. The Iowa Capital Dispatch says nearly a year after the board of regents implemented directives for state universities to restructure or eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion offices, positions and programs, the board and universities are working to come under compliance with a state law barring them from opening, maintaining or funding DEI offices.

Board President Sherry Bates announced at the board’s September meeting that board office staff had begun analyzing university departments, programs and positions relating to DEI in order to bring the universities under compliance with legislation pertaining to DEI activities on college campuses. Bates, along with Regents Greta Rouse, David Barker and JC Risewick, led this process.

(Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Senate File 2435 bars the University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University from launching, maintaining or funding DEI offices, which it defines in the law. Public universities cannot hire, either themselves or through a third party, anyone to conduct the duties of a DEI office, or assign these duties to a current employee. They also cannot make or compel anyone to submit a DEI statement.

Units that are exempt from the legislation include student organizations, student recruitment offices and offices tasked with making sure the university is following state and federal laws and court orders, according to the report. Despite the bill not going into effect until July 2025, Bates emphasized at the September meeting that the board and universities’ work will be complete by Dec. 31.

According to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report, board office staff worked with the universities starting in June to study areas of their operations and determine whether they are in line with the legislation “from a structural perspective.” They split the units they reviewed into four categories, the report stated, based on whether they meet the definition of DEI under the law and whether they are exempt from it, either because they meet the criteria in the legislation for exemption or because they are required by law or for accreditation.

In addition to studying university programs and departments, the group also reviewed state and federal laws, as well as accreditors, as some have policies relating to DEI. The review identified commonalities among the three universities, including positions that could have DEI aspects or responsibilities being vacant, broader definitions of DEI than the one written in the legislation and certain programs that were still in transition in response to the board’s directives from last November.

Each of the universities will provide updates to the board at its Nov. 6-7 meeting at the University of Northern Iowa.