(Radio Iowa) – Private colleges in Iowa have been cutting their tuition costs in an effort to retain students. Graceland College in Lamoni is the latest, with president Pat Draves making the announcement Tuesday.

She says cost has become one of the biggest factors for students in selecting a school.

Graves says that left them without the chance to even discuss what they had to offer.

Wartburg College in Waverly recently announced it was reducing its published tuition price by more than 45 percent to 25-thousand dollars. Wartburg president, Rebecca Ehretsman says that is part of an overall plan.

Wartburg also offers students what they call the “Knights Experience Fund. ”

Ehretsman says scholarships and other programs sometimes don’t get figured in when students are searching for a school.

Ehretsman says that is even more important with the nationwide drop in college students after the pandemic.

Wartburg has an enrollment of around 15-hundred students.

Red Oak Police report that on Tuesday, September 19th, they arrested a 14 year old juvenile from Red Oak on a pair of drug offenses.  The teen was charged with delivery to a minor, and distributing drugs near a school, both charges are class B felonies.  The juvenile was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs.

Many of Iowa’s trees are struggling in the long-running drought. Joe Herring, a district forester with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says some insects are causing problems with trees, and not just the emerald ash borer.

Herring says fall colors should be coming into view soon, starting with a species of small tree or bush found along roadsides, called sumac (SOO-mack).

During some drought years, the reds, yellows and oranges of fall appear more vibrantly on several species of trees in particular.

The D-N-R says the peak of fall color should be during the second week of October for the northern part of the state, and the second through the fourth weeks of October in southern Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has made her first public statement about former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about abortion policy. During an interview a few days ago with N-B-C’s Meet the Press, Trump said the six week abortion ban his rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed in April was a terrible mistake. Trump commented on his Truth Social platform yesterday afternoon, saying the three U-S Supreme Court Justices he appointed did something nobody thought was possible by ending Roe v Wade and sending the abortion issue back to the states.

Trump says Republicans need to learn how to talk about abortion or risk losing elections in 2024. Governor Reynolds posted a comment on social media a little over an hour later. Reynolds says it’s never a terrible thing to protect innocent life and she’s proud of the fetal heartbeat bill she signed into law in 2018 and, again, this summer. On Monday, DeSantis told Radio Iowa Trump’s remarks don’t reflect the values of Iowans and last night he praised Reynolds on social media for promoting a culture of life.

Trump is scheduled to campaign in eastern Iowa today(Wednesday). He’ll hold an event in Maquoketa, then appear at a late afternoon rally in Dubuque. It’s the same Davenport venue where Trump held a rally eight years ago — the first one Sam Clovis attended.

Clovis had joined the Trump campaign team the morning of that 2015 rally in Dubuque and introduced Trump to the crowd. Clovis later went on to become the national co-chair of Trump’s 2016 campaign. Clovis says it’s important for Trump’s current campaign to hold rallies in each of Iowa’s four congressional districts.

Clovis says “Ninety percent of winning the Caucuses is showing up and that to me is important that he make appearances out here in the state and I’m convinced he will.” Clovis, who does not have a role in Trump’s 2024 campaign, says while current polling shows Trump holding a commanding lead — the Caucuses are four months away.

Clovis says Trump faces a better slate of candidates than he did in 2016. In the 2016 GENERAL Election, Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to win Dubuque County in half a century. In the 2016 Iowa CAUCUSES, though, Trump narrowly won the Dubuque County with about 27 percent of the vote — roughly half a point ahead of Marco Rubio got in Dubuque that night.

(Nevada, Iowa) – Officials with the Nevada Public Safety Department, Tuesday, said two people were arrested in California, in connection with the death on Sunday of a 7-month-old child, in Nevada. As a result of an investigation, 35-year-old Juan Angel Montalvo, Jr., and 23-year-old Sheyenne Nichole Shore, of Nevada, were each charged with Murder in the 1st Degree, and Child Endangerment causing death. They were in custody in California on additional charges unrelated to the child’s death, and will be returned to Iowa to face charges.

A criminal complaint released Monday said Shore brought the baby to the hospital, where she was cold, stiff and her pupils were dilated and fixed. Doctors attempted life-saving measures, but they were unsuccessful.

The Iowa State Medical Examiner said the baby had multiple scrapes and bruises on the face, forehead, back and abdomen, skeletal fractures of her wrist, and hemorrhages of the right eye and liver. The medical examiner also said findings in the brain and eyes were consistent with non-accidental head injuries. Her death was ruled a homicide.

The criminal complaint said officials searched Montalvo and Shore’s residence and found the baby’s blood on her clothes and blankets.

(Winterset, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Madison County report a woman from Winterset died Tuesday, during an accident that occurred about seven-miles northeast of Winterset. The crash happened at around 2:24PM, at the Intersection of Cumming Rd & Quail Ridge Avenue.

Responding Deputies identified the driver as 62-year-old Carole Harms, of Winterset.  Harms, who was determined to be the lone occupant of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A preliminary investigation shows that Harms was southbound on Cumming Rd when she approached the intersection of Quail Ridge Ave and left the roadway as the road curved. After leaving the roadway, her vehicle struck an embankment and rolled into an adjacent ditch where it came to rest upright.

It is unknown at this time what caused Harms to leave the roadway, however a medical issue may have been a contributing factor. An autopsy at the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny has been scheduled.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday afternoon, issued an update on the search for a Glenwood woman missing since last Saturday. The information is as follows:

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic met this (Tuesday) evening. During their session, they heard a proposal from Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue and Wild Wayne’s Fireworks owner Jason O’Brien, to move the 4th of July fireworks show to the Labor Day weekend. This year’s 4th of July fireworks show was postponed to Sept. 2nd, due to the weather on the 4th. “By all accounts, the event was a huge success” Houge said, and just a few things that could be tweaked for the next fireworks show.

Afterward, Hogue and O’Brien discussed making the show more of an event than just a display. As with this year’s show, there would be live music, a beer garden run by the Little League and much, much more. The sponsor’s of the Sept. 2nd show were pleased with the attendance and reaction from the public, and most are anxious to make it happen again. If the fireworks show is moved to Labor Day, Saturday, next year, and years to come, it would mean the City could direct more effort into supporting the Exira Fireworks show, and they could reciprocate when it comes to Atlantic’s show. No action was taken during the Council’s meeting. It will be discussed more at a later date.

The Atlantic City Council also received an update from Splash Pad Fundraising group representative Jeremy Butler, who said to date, they have “$257,906 in the bank,” for the $600,000 project, with more funds coming in, including $21,000 who people who have pledged to donate directly from their retirement account. There are $18, 500 in signed pledges for 2024, he said, from companies and individuals who have exceeded their charitable giving this year, and who wish to have their donation submitted after January 1st, for next year’s tax purposes. With those funds, the total is $297, 906, Butler said, with other funds in the works, that would bring them over the $300,000 “hump,” that opens the door to certain, larger grants.

In other business, the Council approved closing certain streets for the 4-p.m. Oct. 14, 2023 Annual Fireman’s Parade, and set Halloween City-wide Trick or Treating in Atlantic for October 31st, from 5-until 7-p.m. Downtown Trick or Treating will be from 3:30-until 5-p.m.

The Council approved and adopted a Resolution “Approving and Adopting a Revenue Purpose Statement for the Use or Expenditure of Revenues, from a Natural Gas Franchise Fee.” The resolution stipulates the revenue may be used for property tax abatements, building permit fee abatements, and the abatement of other fees for property damaged by a disaster, as defined in the Code of Iowa.

The Council passed the third and final reading of an Ordinance pertaining to the Mayor and City Council’s compensation (as previously reported). Mayor Grace Garrett reminded the public that the new Council Compensation is effective Jan. 1, 2024, and the Mayor’s goes into effect after the next Mayoral Election.

The Atlantic City Council passed the second reading (& waiving of the rules), followed by the third reading of an Ordinance pertaining to the creation of a Parks and Rec Advisory Commission, which was amended to clarify the initial terms of the Commission as being “staggered, with two members serving for 2-years, and three members serving for 1-year. Appointments to the initial terms shall be 2-years for all members.”

Mayor Garrett said, if you have any interest in serving on the Parks and Rec Advisory Commission, “Please bring a letter of interest to City Hall in a sealed envelope. The deadline for accepting letters is Friday, Oct. 6th, at 4:30-p.m.” Garrett said your letter should indicate “Your contact information. Why you want to serve on the Commission, and any experience you have working with Parks, or volunteer experience.” A decision who will serve on the Commission will come after a lengthy process, with no actual timeline at this point, on when the Commission will become active.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports three additional candidates filed nomination papers to run for local government positions, today (Tuesday). The latest candidates whose names will appear on the ballot for the November 7th city elections include:

Ben Daughenbaugh – Mayor of Anita.

Russell L. Miller – Lewis City Council.

Kevin McCunn – Massena City Council.

Previously announced candidates who have filed for offices in Cass County include:

Anita City Council (vote for 2): Cheryl Sokol; Mark Harris.

Atlantic City Council – Ward 2: Jim Behrens.

Atlantic City Council – Ward 3: Pat McCurdy.

Atlantic City Council – Ward 4: Linda Hartkopf; Shawn Sarsfield.

Atlantic City Council – At Large: Elaine Otte.

Mayor – City of Cumberland: Nancy Virginia Coughlin.

City Council – Cumberland (Vote for 2): Sandra Eversole and Scott W. Becker

Griswold City Council (vote for 3): Brenda Tietz; Amanda Hansen.

Mayor- City of Lewis: Rick Sanny; Russell Hansen

Lewis City Council (Vote for 3): Ryan Lockwood; Leland M Baxter

Mayor – City of Marne: Randall I. Baxter

Marne City Council (Vote for 3) – Wayne Preister

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa lawmaker is suggesting the Iowa Utilities Board lacks the authority to grant Summit Carbon Solutions permission to seize property along its proposed pipeline route from unwilling landowners. Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says eminent domain authority is reserved for projects that have a clear public use and public benefit.

Holt, who is chairman of the Iowa House Judiciary Committee, says he’s not opposed to pipeline projects that developers argue would benefit farmers by making corn-based ethanol carbon neutral.

Holt was one of two Republican lawmakers who testified today (Tuesday) at the Iowa Utilities Board hearing reviewing Summit’s application for a permit to build and maintain a carbon pipeline in Iowa. Senator Sandy Salmon, a Republican from Janesville, says Summit’s request to seize about a third of its route across Iowa is breathtaking.

Salmon says private property rights are essential for prosperity and must be preserved.