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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Radio Iowa) – A 40-year-old Webster City man has been arrested by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department after a lengthy investigation into a fatal accident last fall. Dustin Humlicek (HUM-leh-check) has been charged with homicide by vehicle operating while intoxicated, operating while under the influence and driving with a suspended license. The accident happened at about 3 a.m. on September 2nd near Webster City.
Authorities say Humlicek failed to stop at a stop sign, his pickup entered a ditch and came to rest in the yard of a home. Humlicek and a passenger, 48-year-old Kevin Beightol of Webster City were taken to Webster City’s hospital for treatment, then transported to hospitals in the Des Moines. Beightol, the passenger in the pickup, died later that same day.
A preliminary hearing for Humlicek is scheduled next Tuesday in Hamilton County Magistrate Court.
(Creston, Iowa) [Updated 11-a.m., 2/14] – A Union County man was arrested Tuesday night on drug charges, in Creston. According to the Creston Police Department, 66-year-old Terry Mark Brown, of Creston, was arrested at around following a traffic stop in the vicinity of Highway 34 and S. Lincoln Street. The K9 “Baxo” was deployed during the traffic stop, and conducted a free-air sniff around the vehicle. After Baxo alerted to the odor of narcotics, approximately one-half ounce of methamphetamine packaged for sale, and a digital scale to weight narcotics, were discovered.
Brown was arrested for Possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance (Meth) – over 5 grams (a Class-B Felony), and Failure to Affix Drug Stamp (a Class-D Felony). He was being held without bond in the Union County Jail until seen by a magistrate.
Tuesday afternoon, Police in Creston arrested 57-year-old Roy Dean Parrott, of Shannon City. Parrott was charged with Failure to Appear, and Driving While Barred. He was taken to the Union County Jail and later posted a $2,000 cash or approved surety bond on the FTA charges. Parrott was cited and released on a Promise to Appear on the Driving While Barred charge.
(Iowa DNR News) – Coyote hunting moves to center stage for an estimated 10,000 hunters, after most of Iowa’s other hunting seasons have now closed. Although its season never closes, coyotes, the state’s top predator, are hunted most often during the winter. The coyote population is distributed fairly well across the state with the highest numbers in western Iowa. Coyotes are habitat generalists and can be found near large brush piles, timber and grass fields, and in particular, fields with switchgrass. Coyote hunters need to be aware of the possibility – however remote – that the animal they see through their scope is not a coyote but a wolf passing through the state.
“We’ve had a slight increase in the number of reported wolf sightings over the past few years, so there is a chance, even if it’s small, that a coyote hunter may see a wolf while hunting coyotes, especially at night. Whenever we’ve been able to get DNA samples, these dispersing wolves were members of the Great Lakes population from Wisconsin or Minnesota that were wandering through,” said Vince Evelsizer, state furbearer biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Wolves are protected in Iowa and there is no open season. Shooting a wolf has the potential to bring state and or federal fines. “Hunters want to do the right thing. One of the first rules in safe hunting practices is to positively identify your target and what is behind your target before taking a shot. Wolves are two to three times the size of a coyote. If what you see is larger than the average coyote, it is definitely worth not pulling the trigger,” said Colonel Craig Cutts, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Law Enforcement Bureau.
Other than the obvious size difference – coyotes typically weigh 25-40 pounds, while wolves typically weigh 70-110 pounds – Evelsizer said there are other characteristics to help determine the identity of the canine. Coyotes have a pointed snout and their ears are larger proportionally to their body. Wolves are taller than coyotes, have long front legs and a heavier, squarer frame. There is more detailed information on coyote and wolf characteristics at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting and scroll to the bottom then click on Iowa’s Occasional Wildlife Visitors.
Hunters prefer a fresh layer of snow for tracking and the white background makes coyotes easier to see from a long distance. Wind is critical to coyote hunters because it impacts where and how they set up for calling and pursuing coyotes as coyotes have a keen nose and are naturally wary. Wearing snow colored camo is often effective to avoid detection. The demand for coyote fur for use as trim for hood and coats in foreign markets was strong just a few years ago, but that has changed. Iowa coyote pelts in 2020 averaged $20.53 per pelt depending on the quality and Iowa’s pelts are considered average. Last year’s average price was $8.70. “The top pelts come from the Dakotas, Montana, and Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada,” Evelsizer said.
“We receive complaints from the public about coyotes’ impact on young deer, turkeys and rabbits; harass pets, and farmers’ loss of livestock. So, in that respect, hunters provide an important service by hunting coyotes,” Cutts said. “That being said, they’re a very wary game animal worthy of respect. We don’t allow the use of artificial light for night hunting on purpose because we encourage fair chase and it could increase the incentive to misuse the technology to poach deer and other wildlife.”
Coyote trapping is allowed, but it must be done during the trapping season.
Coyote hunting dos & don’ts
Hunters are reminded that the way they hunt reflects on all hunters. “With our coyote hunters, we especially want to emphasize respect for landowners and their property lines. Take the extra time to close their gates, obey the laws for safe shots, and thank the landowner – keep your interaction with folks while out hunting positive,” Cutts said. Most coyote hunting takes place on private land, and occasionally hunters will cross property boundaries which lead to trespassing complaints. Hunters cannot pursue coyotes using a snowmobile, aircraft or with the aid of artificial light, regardless of light color.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic will hold a Budget Work Session beginning at 3-p.m. Thursday (Feb. 15th), in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. Here’s a look at the meeting agenda:
Review and Recommendation on Economic Development Focus for FY 2025
Order to go into Exempt Session Pursuant to Iowa Code Section 20.17(3) Providing for the Strategy Meetings of Public Employees for Collective Bargaining
Review and Recommendations on Local Option Sales Tax and & Hotel-Motel Tax
LOST Parks & YMCA Funds
Other Discussion
Adjournment
(Des Moines, Iowa; Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Lawmakers passed dozens of bills through committee Tuesday to keep them available for discussion as they near the first deadline of the 2024 legislative session. It’s “funnel week” at the Iowa State Capitol. That means most bills must be approved by a committee by the end of this week to remain eligible for consideration.
While bills that do not meet this deadline are considered “dead,” it does not mean that the proposals are completely out of consideration for the rest of the session. Legislation involving spending, tax and government oversight components are exempt from the funnel, and language from legislation that did not meet the deadline can be added as amendments to other bills or be brought up as leadership-sponsored legislation.
Legislators in both chambers met for 12 committee meetings Tuesday with packed agendas — the Senate Judiciary Committee had 23 bills on its schedule for discussion. Here are some of the bills kept alive:
Gender balance: The House State Government Committee passed legislation repealing Iowa’s gender balance requirement for boards and commissions on a 15-8 vote Tuesday. House Study Bill 670 would eliminate requirements of equal gender representation on state panels, a measure recommended by the Iowa Boards and Commissions Review Committee in their 2023 report to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and lawmakers.
School buildings: Senate Study Bill 3112 was passed with an amendment by the Senate Local Government Committee. In its amended form, the bill would prohibit political subdivisions, like cities and school districts, from any restrictions on the sale, lease or transfer of educational institutions to private schools. The bill also would require the sale of former school buildings to private schools if they are the highest bidder. Sen. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport, said the proposal would functionally mandate the sale of former educational buildings to non-public schools, as it would allow private schools to bid again if they are not the initial highest bidder on educational properties. Sen. Jesse Green, R-Boone, said the bill will ensure the best use of public funds by requiring that public school buildings can continue to be used for educational purposes, as well as prevent discrimination against private schools attempting to purchase property.
The measure passed out of committee with Republican support.
Public lands: Senate Study Bill 3129 was passed with an amendment by the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee on Tuesday. It would prevent the Iowa Department of Natural Resources from bidding for land and also from acquiring land from a not-for-profit organization that obtained it at auction. The bill was amended to remove an ambiguous clause that might have prevented all future land transfers from not-for-profit organizations to the DNR. Sen. Tom Shipley, R-Nodaway, said the bill aligns with current DNR policy. However, while there might be exceptions to department policy, the legislation does not provide any.
Republicans of the committee voted to advance it 9-4.
Hand-free driving and speed cameras: Democrats criticized Senate Study Bill 3016 during the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting for combining two measures that have been introduced in previous sessions as separate issues: banning drivers from using cell phones outside of voice-activated or hands-free modes, and banning state and local authorities from using traffic enforcement cameras to enforce traffic laws. Law enforcement officials spoke in support of the hands-free provision at a January subcommittee meeting but asked for lawmakers to remove the traffic camera provisions, saying the technology helps reduce accidents and uphold traffic laws.
The bill passed committee with a 10-8 vote.
Illegal immigration charges: The Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate File 2211, which would make illegal immigration a state crime in Iowa. Under the bill, law enforcement would be given the authority to arrest immigrants who entered the country illegally, and state courts would be able to order the deportation of undocumented immigrants arrested in Iowa. Law enforcement officers and state agencies would be able to transport undocumented immigrants to ports of entry to ensure they comply with the order to leave the country, and those who refuse to comply with an order to return to their home country could face felony charges.
Gender-neutral language instruction: Iowa foreign language teachers would be prohibited from incorporating gender-neutral language into languages that use grammatical gender systems, like French and Spanish under House File 2060. Rep. Bill Gustoff, R-Des Moines, said the legislation was necessary both to ensure Iowa students are being taught languages as they are used by native speakers throughout the world, and because teachers had been threatened with disciplinary action for not using gender-neutral language or words in world language instruction. But Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny, said the bill would prohibit teachers from including instruction that reflects evolutions in language. The bill passed 15-8.
DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — A bull that got loose during the Iowa Beef Expo at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Tuesday morning has been euthanized. The Des Moines Police Department first notified the public through a post on X at 7:52 a.m. that the bull had been discovered missing, but they weren’t sure whether it had left the Fairgrounds’ property. They offered a warning not to approach the bull and instead call 911 if you see it. At 9:49 a.m., DMPD posted that the bull had been captured.
A statement provided later in the morning by the Iowa Beef Expo revealed the bull had been euthanized for safety reasons.
“We regret to inform you that, despite our best efforts, the loose bull during the Iowa Beef Expo has been euthanized for safety. We understand the concern this may cause, and we share in that sadness. Our primary focus remains the safety and well-being of the people and animals at the show. We appreciate the swift and diligent response of staff and the cooperation of attendees and exhibitors. Our thoughts are with all those affected, and we are committed to learning from this experience to prevent similar occurrences in the future.”
Iowa Beef Expo
A representative for the Iowa Beef Expo declined to provide information about how the animal was euthanized and said they had no further comment or information on the matter at this time. The Iowa Beef Expo runs through February 18.
PERRY, Iowa [KCCI] — School officials in Perry announced Monday night that Perry Community School District was awarded funding from the state for school safety. The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management confirmed to KCCI that the district was awarded $50,000 for each of its three buildings — a total of $150,000.
This money is part of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ School Safety Improvement Program announced in 2022. The $75 million school safety improvement fund is coming from Iowa’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act signed by President Joe Biden nearly three years ago. Each public and nonpublic school district in the state may apply for up to $50,000 per school building to make minor capital security improvements aligned with each building’s completed vulnerability assessment.
The money can be used to install things like locks, cameras, reinforced doors, and other security measures. The superintendent said now that they’ve been approved, their next step is to meet as a safety group and assess their needs. The school district has until 2024 to designate money for projects and 2025 to get work completed and seek reimbursement. School districts will be reimbursed with proof of completed work.
(Radio Iowa) – A best-selling British novelist who writes crime-thrillers is releasing her tenth book this week, the second in a row that’s set in Iowa, more than four-thousand miles away from her home in Brighton, England. Erin Young’s earlier novel, “The Fields,” followed a sheriff’s deputy who was based in rural northeast Iowa, and the new book, “Original Sins,” picks up the story in Iowa’s capitol city with the heroine Riley Fisher in a new role. “She’s moved on, as you say, from being in Black Hawk County in the sheriff’s office where she had risen to become head of investigations, so she was pretty much at the top of her game and could have probably stayed there and done pretty well,” Young says, “but she’s decided to throw caution to the wind and has headed down to Des Moines on her first assignment as a rookie in the FBI.”
In a phone interview with Radio Iowa from the U-K, Young says that first book in the series started out as a small-town murder-mystery that spiraled into a global conspiracy involving high-level corporate and political corruption. “I’ve sort of done a similar thing in ‘Original Sin,'” Young says. “I’ve taken what looks to be a sort of standard serial killer format and I’ve tried to do something a little bit different with it, but it’s one of those things where it’s really hard to talk about without giving away the whole plot, so I better stop there before I do.”
Back in 2017, Young read an article about what she calls disturbing trends in big agriculture and corn production, which gave her a “lightning bolt idea” for the first novel. She Googled “world’s biggest corn producer” which led her to the Hawkeye State. “That kind of bounced me into somewhere that I’d never been,” Young says. “I didn’t know anything about it before I started the novel, and in 2018, when I got the go ahead from my publishers to write the book, I hopped on a plane and spent a good few weeks out in Iowa, doing as much research as I could, and ‘Original Sins’ follows on the story.”
In a Radio Iowa interview from 2022, Young said a production company had acquired the rights to “The Fields” with plans to launch a television series centered on Riley Fisher’s crime-solving adventures. She says it’s still in the works. “I had always been told that TV and Hollywood was kind of this very slow machine, but I had no idea quite how slow,” Young says. “Obviously, you know, with the pandemic, and with the writers’ strikes and actors’ strikes, it’s definitely slowed the whole thing down, but we have a fantastic screenwriter and showrunner and it’s all sort of poised at the moment.”
Young’s first eight books were all works historical fiction, written under her pseudonym, Robyn Young. All eight were international bestsellers that have sold two-million books worldwide. They’re available in 19 languages in 22 countries.
(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the Iowa House are proposing joint training of state nursing home inspectors and nursing home staff. The twice-per-year training would have to include a review of the most frequent complaints about care from the previous year. Republican Representative Ann Meyer of Fort Dodge says she wants nursing homes to stay open and the policy would build a more collaborative relationship between inspectors and facilities.
“Making sure that complaints in the nursing home are going to be addressed,” Meyer says. “And (with) the training, we want to make sure that both entities are on the same page, the nursing homes and the inspectors.”
Democrats in the Senate have been calling on state officials to hire more nursing home inspectors. Senate Democrats have also proposed more state funding to raise direct care workers’ pay and an increase in Medicaid’s allowance for things like hair cuts, toiletries and clothing for nursing home residents.
(Radio Iowa) – A bill to make changes in Iowa’s early voting process for this year’s elections has cleared initial review in the Iowa House and will be considered in the House State Government Committee today (Wednesday). For the past two years, absentee ballots had to be in a county auditor’s office by the time polls closed on election day. The bill moves that deadline up, to the day BEFORE the election, and adds new requirements for absentee ballot envelopes. Adams County Auditor Becky Bissell, president of the Iowa State Association of County Auditors, says the group opposes the bill.
“Due to the unnecessary changes to the voting process and for making it more confusing and difficult for our voters along with the increased financial burden this would put on our counties,” Bissell said, “especially this year, when we are making cuts.” Amy Campbell is a lobbyist for the League of Women Voters of Iowa and A-A-R-P. “I also work with an organization that does turnout for voters with disabilities,” Campbell said. “The continual changes that happen every two years are adding to a lot of confusion for voters.”
The bill also wades into the national debate over attempts by officials in Colorado and Maine to bar Donald Trump’s name from the ballots in those states. The bill says federal candidates cannot be disqualified from Iowa’s ballot if they’ve been convicted of a felony. Representative Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, is the bill’s floor manager. “Individual states don’t get to play left or right wing politics with the ballot access,” Kaufmann said. “…It is not our job to decide who is on the ballot. It is the voters’ job and it’s arrogant, frankly, for us to think we should overrule what they choose to do.”
Representative Adam Zabner, a Democrat from Iowa City, asked Kaufmann if he’d checked with the Trump campaign on that part of the bill, since Kaufmann worked on Trump’s Iowa Caucus campaign, then Zabner raised concerns about the absentee ballot changes. “Are you concerned that on Election Day, voters won’t be able to turn in their ballots?” Zabner asked. Kaufmann replied: “Do you think they’re stupid? Because I don’t.” Representative Amy Nielsen, a Democrat from North Liberty, spoke next.
“I really resent you telling that to Representative Zabner asking him if he thinks voters,” Nielsen said and at that point in her sentence Kaufmann said: “He can defend himself.” Nielsen replied: “Stop interrupting me,” and Kaufmann replied: “I didn’t interrupt you and this is my subcommittee and I’ll refer to anybody I want to refer to whenever I want to refer to it.” Nielsen then walked out of the meeting and Zabner followed her out. Kaufmann spoke with reporters a few moments later.
“If they can’t stay in the room and have an adult conversation, then good riddance,” Kaufmann said. Zabner told reporters the bill makes perverse changes in early voting. “At the same time that we’re putting barriers in the face of Iowans who just want to exercise their basic rights, we’re making it easier for felons to run for president,” Zabner said.
A similar bill cleared a Senate subcommittee on Monday.
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