(Radio Iowa) – A central Iowa T-V sportscaster has realized a life-long dream with the publishing of a book that makes youth baseball a life or death proposition. Scott Reister says the book “Baseball Spy” features a kid named Zane who is trying to find a deadly spy on his team before things go wrong. “And if he doesn’t keep winning kuh-blammi everything goes down so literally in Baseball Spy the book it’s life or death Little League is life or death,” Reister says. Reister says the idea for the story came from his own baseball experience.

“Maybe I was 11 or 12 and I’m about to bat and in this pressure situation, I felt all these eyes on me and I thought, man, it’s not like it’s life or death, right?,” he says. “And then I started thinking, what if it was, what if I didn’t get this hit? Then there’s some bad guy out there about to blow everything up. And I always thought that’d be the coolest idea for a book or a movie, and I never really did anything about it. And I started thinking about if I ever wrote a book that was it, and I finally dedicated myself to figuring out how to write a book.” While the book’s plot includes spies and potential destruction, he says it’s a thriller that adults or kids would like.

“I would say if you’re about that fourth grade age anything younger than that be hard to kind of grasp the plot, but adults love it, kids love it, it’s a great gift especially if you have kids playing baseball, Reister says. He says the book has sold well already and says the plot keeps everyone interested. “There’s two major twists in the story that kind of propel the story forward, and then the end is so exciting, all heck breaks loose in the very end scene,” he says.

Reister had done a lot of writing as a sportscaster, but had to learn a whole new set of skills to write the book. It took him six years to get the book published and he has this advice for anyone who wants to give it a try. “As long as you’re willing to wait and not give up and seek as much advice as possible. And also take your time before you send it to literary agents, you know, you only get one shot at it to write that pitch letter to these agents,” Reister says. “So unless you know you’ve spent all that time on the book, and it’s as good as it can possibly be, don’t rush it. Take your time, get it completely ready, and then start to begin that process.”

Reister’s patience paid off and he now has a deal for two more books, with the ending of “Baseball Spy” setting up the second book, “Football Spy.” He has been busy doing signings are little leagues in central Iowa. You can find the book on Amazon and other book sellers.

Here are some of the upcoming book signings:
Saturday 5/11 3:00-5:00 Barnes and Noble (Jordan Creek)
Tuesday 5/21 6:30-8:00 Beaverdale Books
Saturday 6/8 11:30-1:30 Barnes and Noble (University Clive)
Saturday 6/29 10-12 Urbandale Public Library

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is blasting the Biden Administration for putting a hold on the shipment of 3500 bombs to Israel.

“This is absolutely unacceptable,” Ernst said. “Withholding any support from Israel is literally appeasing Iran-backed Hamas terrorists while they are still holding our Americans hostage and so I am demanding answers for why the administration is turning its back on Israel and preventing it from defending itself.”

Ernst and a fellow Republican senator returned to the U.S. Tuesday after meeting with allies in the Middle East, including Israeli government officials. “We have yet to hear from the (Biden) Administration on the true reasons why they have stopped these weapons shipments,” Ernst said.

During testimony at a U.S. Senate hearing today, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the U.S. had put a hold on a shipment of weapons and that U.S. assistance to Israel could change if there’s a major Israeli operation in Rafah, a major city in southern Gaza. Ernst said the delay in providing military assistance to Israel runs counter to President Biden’s own declarations.

Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC), Israeli PM Netanyahu, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) (photo provided by offices of Budd & Ernst)

“He had stated a while back that his support of Israel was iron clad, so he’s either misleading the people of Israel or he’s just certainly lying to Americans,” Ernst said. “…Hamas is the enemy, not Israel.”

A month ago, congress approved a package that included $26 billion in aid to Israel. Ernst indicated it’s not clear if this delayed shipment is part of that. Ernst said if these are weapons Israel has paid for, “which is often the case,” then they need to be delivered.

“There have been a number of responses again through the media because he has not been forthcoming with any information stating, ‘Oh, it’s a paperwork issue,’ but we’ve also heard, ‘Oh, the president has concerns about the operations in Rafah,’ which is why he stopped those weapons and munitions,” Ernst said, “so we’re seeking clarity, we’re seeking transparency.”

During her Middle East trip, Ernst met with Kurdish allies in Iraq. She also visited American soldiers at U-S installations in Syria and the United Arab Emirates. Israel was the final stop and Ernst met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, other Israeli government leaders and the families of Hamas hostages.

“We still have eight Americans that are held hostage, three of whom we know are deceased,” Ernst said. “We really want to see the return of our five American hostages.”

Ernst said too many Americans have forgotten what happened in Israel on October 7, 2023.

DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for four counties in response to severe weather that occurred on May 6. The governor’s proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and Disaster Case Advocacy Program for the following counties: Clarke, Marion, O’Brien, and Pottawattamie. 

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website at homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/assistance. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.   

The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Advocacy Program, contact your local community action agency or visit iowacommunityaction.org.    

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Council Bluffs Police Department reports that at around 10:10-a.m. today (May 8, 2024), Pottawattamie County Communications received a phone call from a subject who had found skeletal remains. The caller had found the remains while walking in the area north of Veterans Memorial Hwy and E. Manawa Dr. Officers responded and found a skeletal torso that is believed to be human in nature.

The remains appeared to have been exposed to the elements for some time due to the state they were found in. At this time, there is no means to identify the remains. The cause of death is unknown, and the gender of the remains is not confirmed at this time. This is an ongoing investigation. The remains will be sent to the State of Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office for further examination.

Authorities say it may take several weeks to learn an identity associated with the found remains.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Reynolds has signed a bill into law that raises the maximum tax deduction for contributing to a “College Savings Iowa” account to 52-hundred dollars. That’s 22 percent higher than what was allowed this year. State Treasurer Roby Smith says the higher tax deduction also applies to contributions to I-ABLE accounts which cover expenses related to a disability.

“Today is the biggest day in 26 years for Iowa’s 529 plans,” Smith says. “…This exciting update is a great way to save for others while giving yourself a tax benefit as well.” So-called 529 plans allow for tax-free withdrawals. “529 plan funds can be used on K-12 tuition, apprenticeships and trade schools and other qualified expenses,” Smith says. Among the 43 states that collect income taxes, there are only nine other states that have a higher tax deduction than Iowa’s new 52-hundred dollar amount for tax year 2025.

“It is an exciting time for the state’s 529 plans,” Smith said. “Serving Iowans with their savings goals, our programs continue to grow and lower their asset based fees for the account owners.” Smith, in his second year as state treasurer, proposed the higher tax benefit for deposits in 529 plans. “In addition to the new tax deduction amount, Iowa’s 529 account owners will have the ability to transfer up to a lifetime limit of $35,000 to a Roth IRA in their beneficiary’s name,” Smith says. That change took effect at the federal level this year, as the owners of some 529 accounts worry about having unused funds left in the accounts. This spring Iowa legislators have aligned the state’s tax code with that policy.

According to the state treasurer’s office, there’s six BILLION dollars in over 285-thousand College Savings Iowa accounts today. There nearly 67-thousand tax-free 529 accounts for people with disabilities under Iowa’s Achieving a Better Life Experience or I-ABLE program.

(Atlantic, Iowa) [in an update to an earlier post] – Emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle, injury accident in Atlantic this (Wednesday) morning. Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue says Officers responded at around 7:51-a.m. to the collision at Southwest 7^th and West 15^th street, in Atlantic. An investigation into the accident found that a 2021 Toyota Camry had pulled onto Southwest 7^th from the Atlantic Achievement Center driveway, when it was struck by a 2004 GMC Envoy that was traveling Northeast on Southwest 7^th.

The driver of the Toyota was checked at the scene by Cass EMS and taken by private vehicle to be seen for minor injuries. Both vehicles were able to be driven away from the scene. The driver of the Toyota Camry was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway. Because the accident involved a juvenile, their name and other details are not being released at this time.

If you have information regarding the incident please call the Atlantic Police Department at 712-243-3512. (Photo courtesy of Chris Parks)

(Radio Iowa) – The operators of the historic Webster City movie theater damaged by a fire last November 29th are hoping to get it back open this fall. The Webster Theater and two other buildings in the downtown section of the north-central Iowa town were damaged in the fire. Spokesman Jeff Pingel says they have gutted the theater and started the renovation. “We didn’t get any fire damage from that but we got extensive extensive smoke and water damage and we’re just we just it’s just finished the cleanup the 28th of April so it’s been five months just for cleanup,” he says. Pingel says the work continues, but they discovered something they will have to fix that they didn’t expect.

“The front wall has a six inch lean to it, which we had a structural engineer come in and check it out. It’s not unsafe but we have to pull it back,” Pingel says. “So before we can go begin any reconstruction we have to pull this wall back six inches, which isn’t that’s not an insurance thing, that’s money that we have to come up with on our own.”

The theater was constructed at the turn of the 20th century and had undergone an extensive remodeling more than 10 years ago. It was the subject of a documentary film “Made in Iowa” you can see on YouTube. Monetary donations are welcome to the Webster Theater website.

(Radio Iowa) – Boy Scouts of America will be renamed Scouting America on February 8th of next year. Matt Hill is executive of the Mid-Iowa Council for Boy Scouts of America. “We started allowing young ladies to join our programs about five years ago and so this coincidentally enough coincides with the five year anniversary of that change,” Hill says, “and really reflects our commitment to being inclusive of all young people that want to join scouting.” Hill says he has a unique perspective about the name change. He’s an Eagle Scout who appreciates what scouting meant to him and his buddies growing up AND he’s the father of a girl.

“I don’t know of any parent that would really not want his or her child to have the same opportunities that they did,” Hill says. “…Allowing girls into the program has been phenomenal for us so far.” The Boy Scouts’ Mid-Iowa Council covers 29 counties and Hill says nearly 50 girls in the region have become Eagle Scouts in the past five years. “The integration has really, in many ways, been seamless. The kids are so adaptable,” Hill says. “We’ve just had young ladies that whether their brother was in scouting, their dads were in scouting or another family member, or they just really like our programs, they have really embraces our programs and I think it’s been fantastic for all of us.”

Hill is in Orlando at the national annual meeting of Boy Scouts of America where the name change was announced. Since girls were accepted as Cub Scouts in 2018, six-thousand girls across the country have become Eagle Scouts. About a million U-S kids are in the Boy Scouts today. The Girl Scouts of America still exists and has not commented on the Boy Scouts name change. The Boy Scouts are in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings that have allowed it to keep operating while paying over 80-thousand men who say they were sexually abused when they were Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says prospects for congressional approval of a new Farm Bill are fading. “So what we call the five-year Farm Bill of 2018 last year became a six-year Farm Bill,” Grassley says, “and it could become a seven year Farm Bill.” The Democrat who’s chairwoman of the Senate Ag Committee released a framework for negotiations last week, but Grassley, a Republican, says the most likely outcome is that congress will vote to extend current Farm Bill policies for another year.”The certainty of a five-year Farm Bill is what we really need,” Grassley says. Disagreements over farm subsidies are holding up negotiations.

“It may sound like rhetoric when you say: ‘We want more farm in the farm bill,’ but remember only 15% of the Farm Bill goes to the Agriculture Department,” Grassley says, “and then just a small percentage of that 15% may wind up in farmers’ pockets.” The rest of the Farm Bill is mainly for food stamps and other government nutrition programs. Grassley says Senate Democrats have proposed a five percent increase to potential subsidies to cover rice, cotton and peanut farmers’ losses. However, the so-called reference prices for corn and soybeans that trigger federal subsidies to cover losses would remain the same. “That doesn’t reflect this inflation of seed, fertilizer, chemicals, diesel and higher interest rates,” Grassley says. “We want the new five-year Farm Bill to reflect that inflation.”

The one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill expires at the end of September.