(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Education, this week, announced nine teachers, representing all education regions of the state, as the first-ever Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year. Each teacher represents outstanding achievements in K-12 instruction within Iowa’s nine education regions. Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow said “This year, the Department of Education was excited to establish a new Regional Teacher of the Year designation that celebrates excellence in teaching across all corners of our state. We recognize the expertise, commitment and care of each of Iowa’s inaugural 2025 Regional Teachers of the Year, and we thank them for choosing this honored profession, putting students at the center of all they do.”

In Southwest Iowa’s Green Hills Region, Sarah Stephens with the Creston Community School District was named Teacher of the Year.

Green Hills Regional Teacher of the Year: Sarah Stephens, Creston Community School District

Stephens, a special education teacher at Creston Elementary School, is a veteran educator with 14 years of experience working with first through fifth grade students. She earned her teaching degree at Northwest Missouri State and a Master’s degree in education from Morningside University. She has served as an instructional coach, lead team member, peer mentor and middle school basketball coach. Stephens also serves as a Paraeducator Certification Course instructor. She believes that infusing employability skills with community opportunities in the classroom engages students and sets them up for success.

Others selected across the State from nominations submitted by educators, students, families and fellow Iowans, include: Kevin Gartman; Susie Stark; Samantha Freeman; Blake Hammond; Alyssa Dalsing; Kaitlin Mahoney; Beth Oolman and Melanie Bloom. Each is an Iowa 2025 Regional Teachers of the Year. Those teachers will now serve as finalists for the 2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year award, which will be announced later this year. (Read more HERE)

Established in 1958, the prestigious Teacher of the Year award recognizes an Iowa teacher who advances student learning through evidence-based instruction, empowers students with multiple pathways to postsecondary success, learns from and invests in fellow educators and serves students in partnership with families.

Last year, Ann Mincks, an English Language Learner educator from Des Moines Public Schools’ Herbert Hoover High School, was named as the 2024 Iowa Teacher of the Year. The Iowa Teacher of the Year serves as an ambassador for the Iowa Department of Education and a representative of and liaison for all Iowa educators.

(Carroll, Iowa) – A western Iowa man has entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors, with regard to sex abuse charges. According to reports, 38-year-old Michael William Alexander, of Manning, will plead guilty to two Class-C Felony counts of lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14 years.

His plea hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 16, 2024. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $20,000 in fines.

Court records say Alexander was originally arrested this past April (2024) on a charge of sexual abuse in the second degree, a class B felony. The charge was for crimes with a minor that occurred between March 1, 2019, and May 31, 2019. A jury trial had been scheduled in his case for January 14, 2025.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a ruling that allows surveyors for a carbon pipeline company onto the land of a Hardin County man. Kent Kasischke argued that allowing surveyors from Summit Carbon Solutions onto private property violates both the Iowa and U-S Constitution’s clauses preventing the illegal taking of land. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that Kasischke was properly notified by the company, so he has no right to exclude the surveyors because it does not take away a property right.

The unanimous ruling says Iowa has long authorized access to private property to conduct land surveys to determine routes for things such as roadways and utilities.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce report A.M. Cohron & Son, and the Harlan Family, have donated $250,000 to Vision Atlantic’s transformative project, which will bring a housing development, new childcare center, and YMCA expansion to Atlantic. Rick Harlan, Owner of A.M. Cohron & Son, said “Atlantic has needed a project like this for a long time, one that will work towards helping Atlantic grow and attract new businesses to our town. A.M. Cohron & Son and the Harlan family are thankful that we can support Vision Atlantic and this project.”

Construction of the 144 mixed unit housing development, 300 capacity child development center and expansion of the current YMCA facility is slated to begin late spring of 2025.Follow Vision Atlantic on Facebook for behind-the-scenes access to project updates or visit www.visionatlantic.org.

Pictured left to right: Debbie Waterbury, Melissa Ihnen, Christina Bateman, Jesse Harlan, Keith Harlan, Rick Harlan and Pam Wagner.

Vision Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to empower growth, enhance lives, and build a thriving community together through the economic development of Atlantic, Iowa.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston say no injuries were reported after a pickup truck struck a parked vehicle and a garage, Thursday night. Authorities say 23-year-old Brodie Wade Starlin, of Creston, was driving a 2014 Dodge RAM pickup northbound on Walnut Street at around 9:15-p.m., when his truck hit a legally parked 1998 Chevy Blazer, in the 500 block of N. Walnut. The impact caused disabling damage to the SUV, registered to Daniel Merritt, of Creston.

After it hit the SUV, Starlin’s pickup continued to drive through yards before it hit a garage belong to Justin Byers, of Creston, at 505 N. Walnut Street, causing about $3,000 damage.

The pickup then backed out of the garage and traveled to 1206 N. Elm Street, where it stopped due to disabling damage. Starlin was taken into custody on a charge of Operating While under the Influence/1st offense. Damage to his pickup amounted to $10,000. The parked SUV sustained $5,000 damage.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds is being honored by a tax-focused think tank that was founded in 1937 by the executives of General Motors and Standard Oil. The Tax Foundation has presented Governor Kim Reynolds with its Distinguished Service Award. She is the first governor to receive the annual award, which has previously honored dozens of federal officials, business executives and educators.

Reynolds has signed five bills to cut taxes since she took over as governor in mid-2017. The most recent will lower Iowa’s income tax to a single rate of three-point-eight percent next year. A panel of state officials recently predicted Iowa tax revenue will decline by a billion dollars over a 24 month period. In a written statement, Reynolds says she’s taken an approach that favors simplicity over complexity and economic growth over government spending.

Reynolds received the Tax Foundation’s award last (Thursday) night at the group’s annual “Tax Prom.” It’s a black tie event in Washington, D.C. with hundreds of officials from businesses and government in attendance. Reynolds is the second Iowan to receive the award. Herbert Hoover is among three presidents to be honored. The others were George W. Bush and Dwight Eisenhauer.