(Southwest Iowa) – Voters heading to the polls on November 5th in eight KJAN listening area counties, will find a Public Measure on their ballots for a $55-million Iowa Western Community College General Obligation, Bond Referendum. Iowa Western President Dr. Dan Kinney explains how the funds (if voters approve), will be used.

The space he mentioned may have welding in it during the morning, HVAC in the afternoon. Kinney says they can work with high school students, non-traditional/non-credit adult learners in late evening or afternoon, and they can work with business and industry when they need training/up-skilled learning for their workforce.

Kinney says 16-years or so ago, a majority (70%) of Iowa Western’s students were majoring in arts & sciences, 30% were there for a Career and Technical Education. Today, he says, it’s about a 50-50 mix.

He says with regard to the IWCC Atlantic campus, they tried this past Summer to set-up a welding program, but it just wasn’t feasible because of facility limitations and it would have resulted in an unacceptable learning environment.

He says they building – which started as a grocery store and was modified into a learning environment – needs to be modified again.

Kinney said the bond itself will have zero impact on the tax levy rate.

He says the college can do what it needs to do, without an impact on the tax base. Dr. Kinney says the college is in a good financial position because of increasing enrollment, and the bond is just a way of continuing to grow their centers as technology continues to change.

(Radio Iowa) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved about 68-million dollars in individual assistance for more than 69-hundred Iowa households that were impacted by severe weather this year, including deadly tornadoes and flooding. FEMA spokeswoman Sharon Karr says in all, 29 of Iowa’s 99 counties received a federal disaster declaration. “Unfortunately, Iowa was subjected to three major disasters this year, and it was terrifying for all of them,” Karr says. “Flooding, of course, was the largest and most frequent disaster.” The deadline for storm victims to apply for Iowa’s final presidential disaster declaration ended last week. Even though Iowans can no longer apply for individual assistance, Karr says FEMA will still have a presence in the state.

“We will not rest until Iowa is taken care of,” she says. “There may be people that come and go, but there is still a good, sound core number of people here to make sure that Iowa is taken care of and everything that is expected to be done for them is done.” Karr says FEMA is focused on ensuring storm victims have a safe place to stay this winter, which includes using manufactured homes.

She says three long-term disaster recovery centers in Council Bluffs, Spencer, and Rock Valley are available to help residents in person, or they can still reach out to FEMA by phone, online, or through a phone app.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston arrested three people on separate charges over the weekend. Late Saturday morning, 29-year-old Shyanne Renee Bird, of Creston, was arrested for Driving Suspended. Bird was cited at the scene and released on a promise to appear in court. A little before 1-a.m. Sunday, Creston Police arrested 21-year-old Brayton Alexander Clausen, of Corning, for Carrying a Weapon While intoxicated, and OWI/1st offense. Clausen was taken to the Union County Jail and later posted a $2,000 bond before being released.

At around 2:30-a.m., Sunday, 34-year-old Walter Ivan Malacara, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense. He was later released after posting a $2,000 bond.

GILBERT, Iowa [KCCI] – A central Iowa sixth-grade student has won the Girls Under 13 division in the Pan American Youth Chess Championship held earlier this month, in Paraguay. 11-year-old Irene Fei, of Gilbert, also earned the distinction of becoming the youngest Woman International Chess Federation Master in the Americas.

Irene’s parents introduced her to chess in kindergarten, and she developed her talent in an after-school chess club. At just 9 years old, she claimed a first-place world championship chess title in Panama City.

(Radio Iowa) – This year’s race in Iowa’s first congressional district is a rematch between Democrat Christina Bohannan, a University of Iowa law professor, and Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an eye doctor who’s seeking a third term.

Christina Bohannan has made abortion a central issue and has focused on the “Life at Conception Act” Mariannette Miller-Meeks co-sponsored in congress. “She has now tried to back track from that, saying she supports exceptions and things,” Bohannan said. “It’s election time, so she’s trying to moderate that position.” Last week, Miller-Meeks said she does not expect federal legislation on abortion any time soon. “How do we work in a bipartisan manner to pass something that is good for women and good for our nation instead of continuing to have this as a political football?”

Miller-Meeks asked. Miller-Meeks has focused on immigration. She says the border has been out of control because President Biden undid Trump-era policies. “My opponent didn’t mention the border until it because a liability for her and her party,” Miller-Meeks said. Bohannan criticizes Miller-Meek and other Republicans for failing to pass a bipartisan plan to boost border security. “When it comes down to it, they don’t want to do anything about it because they want to keep playing politics with this issue,” Bohannan said.

On October 1st, about 37 percent of registered voters in the first congressional district were Republicans and 32 percent were Democrats.

(Iowa News Service) – People can enroll in Medicare or make changes to their supplemental and prescription drug coverage between now and December 7.  In Iowa, experts are also reminding people to check their options when signing up for health coverage through the federal marketplace.

Iowans on Medicare will have a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on prescription drug costs starting next year. Prescription drug prices on insurance plans can change from year to year. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Director for the Senior Health Insurance Information Program, Kristin Griffith, said it’s important for Medicare enrollees to pay close attention to their drug plans and their supplemental or Medicare Advantage plans.

“One of the startling stats we hear is that only about 30% of people actually check their drug plan or their M.A. plan during open enrollment, which is what we have right now,” said Griffith. “For 2025, we’re seeing a lot of changes in networks that plans cover.”

About 660,000 Iowans are currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans.  For other health insurance, the open enrollment period in the federal health-care marketplace runs from this Friday to January 15 of next year. Chief Medical Officer for UnitedHealthcare – Employer and Individual – Dr. Rhonda Randall said in addition to checking drug prices, co-pays and other costs, it’s important to see whether a plan’s overall benefits have changed.

“Are your current benefit plans still meeting your healthcare needs and your budget needs, and has anything changed with your plan?” said Randall. “For example, is your doctor still in the plan? Is the medication you take still covered by the plan?”

Randall and other providers reminded people to look for mental health coverage options in their insurance plan, too, and whether they meet the needs of an entire family.