(Des Moines, Iowa) – Drake University will offer two new financial aid options for certain students, with the hopes of expanding educational opportunities for those seeking associate or bachelor’s degrees. The Iowa Capital Dispatch says the university announced Monday in a news release that both the Bulldog Promise and Bright College Pathway scholarships will cover 100% of tuition for Iowa students who meet eligibility requirements.

“We believe that access to opportunity is a fundamental right,” said Marty Martin, Drake University president, in the release. “These programs provide the hardworking, talented students of Iowa access to a world-class education with aid that is equitable to their financial situation.” The Bulldog Promise provides first-year, in-state students with up to four years of full tuition coverage after other aid is factored in, according to the release. To qualify, students must have at least a 3.8 grade-point average at the time of admission, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by July 1 before the fall semester, and be Pell Grant eligible.

Drake University announced two programs that will cover 100% of tuition for certain students seeking their degree. (Photo courtesy of Drake University)

The Bright College Pathway scholarship is meant for students pursuing an associate degree through the university’s Bright College. The college offers two-year programs in business, organization and professional studies and integrated arts, sciences and humanities, and students who complete a program will have guaranteed admission to four-year programs at Drake.

Students who are residents of Iowa and are Pell Grant eligible will receive full tuition coverage for up to two years through the scholarship, according to the release. Both scholarships will be available for students starting in Fall 2025.

“A Drake education unlocks a return on investment that ranks in the top 3% nationally, and we want to provide that opportunity to more students, while helping the state of Iowa retain the best and the brightest future leaders,” Martin said in the release.

(Radio Iowa) – New tenants will start moving into Iowa’s first-ever “zero carbon certified” building in a few weeks. Star Lofts in Des Moines will have 20 affordable housing apartments and four spaces for businesses. To earn the title zero-carbon, new buildings must meet benchmarks for cutting carbon emissions both during the construction phase and when it’s in use. Developers must offset remaining emissions through renewable energy projects to reach net zero. Project developer Molly Cutle says a lot of trial and error was involved initially and she’s sharing the knowledge with others.

“There haven’t been a lot of projects yet who have achieved this certification to look from, but we’re very open book with how we achieved it, and have shared those learnings,” Cutler says, “and hope that other developers go after the same certification in the future.” Cutler says they met the criteria by swapping conventional materials for special ones like engineered wooden beams and low-carbon concrete. Solar panels offsite also offset the remaining carbon impacts. Cutler says they intentionally chose this certification because of its high standards.

“They actually do not allow you to simply purchase carbon credits of solar that already exist,” she says. “You have to be part of the production of new on- or off-site renewables.” Culter says Anawim Housing will help manage the apartments when tenants start moving in in December. The units are available to people in different income levels who make at least 80% or less of the area median income.

(Radio Iowa) – There will be no Democrats holding elected office in Woodbury County in January after Auditor Pat Gill was beaten by his Republican challenger and deputy auditor Michelle Scaff by about eight points. The political landscape has changed since Gill first took over as auditor, recorder, and commissioner of elections 28 years ago when Democrats controlled county offices. “It went from a blue county to a purple county to a bright red one. I suffered the consequences of that. And that’s just the way it is,” Gill says. Gill says the state shortening the window for early voting and outlawing the mailing of pre-filled absentee request forms hurt voters.

“The legislature over a period of time made it very difficult for people to participate in the election by mail,” he says. He also says the integrity of the election process has been under attack. “It was unbelievable that I would get some of the phone calls and people accusing you of different things,” Gill says. “It really did do a lot of damage to the way that people look at elections.”

Gill says he wishes Scaff the best of luck as he looks forward to spending more time with family before figuring out what’s next.

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision Sunday evening between an SUV and a deer in Union County, resulted in the driver of the vehicle being transported to the hospital for treatment of unknown/possible injuries. According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, 49-year-old Maria Kaye Dukes, of Afton, was driving a 2017 Nissan Murano eastbound on Highway 34 at around 5:30-p.m., when a deer came out of the ditch. When the SUV struck the animal, the vehicle’s airbags deployed.

Dukes complained of pain and possible injury. She was transported by ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston. Damage to her vehicle was estimated to be $10,000, or a total loss.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Red Oak Police, Monday, arrested 46-year-old Heidi Ann Divis, of Red Oak. She was taken into custody at around 5:40-p.m. on a charge of Theft in the 5th Degree (a simple misdemeanor). Divis was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office, has released a report on recent arrests and/or citations. On November 3rd, 29-year-old Matthew Jeffrey Le, of Urbandale, was arrested at around 9-a.m. in Greenfield following a traffic stop. Le was charged with Possession of Marijuana/1st offense. He was pulled over for failure to maintain lanes and a steady speed (30 mph in a 55 mph zone). He was released from the Adair County Jail a few hours later on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Later that day, 32-year-old Brittany Marie Weddington, of Omaha, was arrested by the Iowa State Patrol in Greenfield, after the Trooper saw her vehicle on the side of the road, with its flashers on, and a jack on the ground behind the vehicle. Upon further investigation, Weddington was arrested on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Marijuana. Her cash/surety bond was set at $2,000. A passenger in the vehicle, 33-year-old Andrew Michael Simmons, of Cedar Rapids, was arrested for Violation of a No Contact-Protective Order/Contempt of Court. He was released the following day on a $300 bond.

On November 4th, Greenfield Police cited 40-year-old Kristin Nicole Ladd, of Greenfield, for Public Intoxication. She was released with the citation, but at around 4:10-a.m. on November 5th, Ladd was arrested in Greenfield for Public Intoxication, two-counts of Theft in the 5th Degree, and Assault. The charges stem from the alleged theft of alcohol from the Casey’s Store in Fontanelle.

Ladd was arrested again on November 6th, in Greenfield, for Theft in the 5th Degree.  Her bond was set at $300.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board will hold their annual organizational meeting and regular business meeting this Wednesday evening, at the High School Media Center. Their session begins at 5:30-p.m.  During the organizational portion of the meeting, the Board will elect a new President and Vice-President of the Board, and appoint the Board Secretary Treasurer.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board will act (as part of the Consent Agenda) to approve the resignation of Derek Knisely, Boys Assistant HS Soccer Coach, and numerous recommendations to hire (See the attached Agenda PDF, below). Action items on their agenda include:

• The Superintendent Contract with current Interim Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen.
• A Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Atlantic, for a School Resource Officer (The Atlantic City Council previously approved the agreement during their meeting last week).
• A Snow removal bid, and
• Lawn Mower purchase.

The Board is expected to discuss District Enrollment Data and Staff BEDS (Basic Educational Data Survey) data.

_11132024 Public Agenda

(Radio Iowa) – The Wisconsin-based Jack Link’s company which makes beef jerky is planning to lay off 91 employees at its distribution facility in Laurens in northwest Iowa. K-C-R-G T-V reports the company will cut the jobs on January 24th. A company statement says that a restructuring of its operations resulted in a decision to downsize the facility in Laurens, and that affected employees will have the opportunity to apply for positions at Jack Link’s Underwood facility (in southwest Iowa). Workers at the plant received notice of the layoffs today (Monday, November 11).

Jack Links is headquartered in Minong, Wisconsin. The Jack Links location in Laurens will lay-off employees in the transportation and warehousing areas. State records show 57 people were laid off there in September 2022 and another 46 a year later.

Full statement from Jack Link’s:

(Radio Iowa) – The hospital in the southwest Iowa town of Greenfield is fully reopening today (Monday), nearly six months after being severely damaged in a tornado. Philicia Hancock, the hospital’s chief clinical officer, says major parts of the hospital are finally up and running, including the inpatient floor and the emergency room.

“The closest hospital for ER is about 20-25 minutes,” Hancock says, “and so that’s why we’ve been trying hard to get back open to be able to provide those emergency services that our patients really count on.” The E-F-4 tornado that tore through Greenfield last spring didn’t directly hit the Adair County Memorial Hospital, but its strong winds and flying debris caused enough damage that the hospital had to close. Hancock says the facility faced a long list of challenges to get it’s doors fully reopened.

“The whole construction process, making sure that we’re rebuilding to meet code, to meet our needs,” she says. “Being patient has been the biggest challenge, and we wanted to be open months ago, and that just wasn’t feasible.”

The May 21st tornado killed four people and injured at least 35.

(Radio Iowa) – Veterans Day Ceremonies across the state today (Monday) honored the men and women who served the country. Andrew Nelson, the chaplain of the 185th Air National Guard Unit in Sioux City was the master of ceremonies at an event at the Woodbury County Courthouse.

“We gather to recognize those still serving, to honor veterans and to show our appreciation for their sacrifice and for our continued freedom,” he says. Woodbury County Deputy Sheriff Zane Chwirka, a veteran of 21 years in the military was the keynote speaker. He told the story of meeting a veteran in a wheel chair at a Vikings game in Minnesota, and how he told the veteran he didn’t need to shake his hand fore his service. But the veteran said that wasn’t the case.

“You raise your right hand and took an oath to protect this country. Correct? You went overseas, correct? Yes, so what happened to me could have happened to you,” he says “So this vet was missing both legs and missing part of his right hand. So, seeing that so kind of comes surreal to us on the sacrifices that some of us have made, and what could have happened to any of us serving this great nation.” Chwirka says the injured veteran said he had considered taking his own life after being wounded.

“But then with one of his buddies that was there with him, talking about, don’t give the terrorists. And there’s some other more adult language that went with the satisfaction of knowing that you did that afterwards,” he says. “So he has a whole new outlook on life. And so we both agreed that each and every day is truly a gift and a blessing.”

Chwirka’s service included seven-and-a-half years in the Army National Guard, and then he switched to the Air Guard in Sioux City and retired as a Master Sergeant in 2022.