(Radio Iowa) – The University of Okoboji Winter Games start a month from today (Monday) in the Iowa Great Lakes region. Outdoor events include flag football and a keg toss. There are indoor events, like bowling and a cribbage tournament. Blain Andera with the Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce says there’s a chance to be a cheerleader, too.

“Traveling around to all of the events and stuff January 25-28 for the 44th annual University of Okoboji Winter Games,” he says. Three brothers created a crest for the fictional University of Okoboji in the 1970s and it’s now marketed as a mythical, yet fun campus in the Iowa Great Lakes. Cheerleader nominations for the University of Okoboji Winter Games are being accepted through December 31st.

The Iowa Lakes Chamber of Commerce will host voting online and at the chamber office in early January. Andera says eight cheer squad members will be elected. “A ready smile, enthusiasm for all our U of O campus has to offer and just a sincere desire to give their time and talent to enhance the area,” he says. The University of Okoboji Winter Games typically attract 40-thousand visitors and participants.

Registration for most of the competitive events closes January, 22nd, but some events have a limited number of teams or individuals and those will fill up early.

(Radio Iowa) – If you are looking for a way to help others in the New Year it can be as simple as adding a little extra to your garden. Iowa State University’s Katie Sorrell oversees a program that helps raise vegetables for food banks, and says you can do your part as well. “Find your local food pantry and ask them what produce items their clients like. So depending on who is coming to the food pantry, they might have specific needs maybe their clients really like hot peppers, or maybe their clients love beets. Or maybe their clients love onions,” Sorrell says.

The “Growing Together Iowa” program she coordinates grows thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables, but . Sorrell says your contribution of a few pounds would help. “You could grow an extra row or plant a row specifically for your local food pantry. And also, if you have a home garden, I would just encourage you when your garden comes in strong right, when your zucchini just keep coming and coming, reach out to your local food pantry and donate it because it will be used there,” she says.

Sorrell says fresh vegetables are one of the most requested items at food pantries. She says donated produce frees up money for food bank clients to use on other things.

(Radio Iowa) – Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are the top three worst days of the year for cooking fires in Iowa and nationwide. Andrea Vaspis, public education director for the National Fire Protection Association, says December 24th and 25th will mean families and friends are gathering for big meals — and they’ll usually congregate in the kitchen. “There’s a lot more of the cooking going on, there’s a lot more people to distract you,” Vaspis says. “There is usually more alcohol use going on as well. That’s a recipe for a home fire when somebody thinks someone else is paying attention to something that’s on the stove.”

As guests arrive, there’s frequently chaos as people set down food they’ve brought to share, perhaps a little too close to the open flames. Watch for plastic containers that might melt or towels that could burst into flame. “The person who’s by the stove needs to stay by the stove. Stand by your pan, watch what you fry,” Vaspis says. “Keep a heavy lid nearby when you’re cooking on the stove. In case there is a flare-up, you can slide that lid right over the pan, turn off the ignition and avert a fire.” While a big part of the joy of the holidays is seeing kids and grandkids, she reminds safety should be your first priority while the cooking is underway.

“Keep kids and pets three feet away from where you’re cooking as it’s much too easy for someone to bump into something, spill something, knock something over, get burned,” Vaspis says. “You want to cook on those back burners while you can and turn your pan handles in.” Cooking is the leading cause of home fires year-round, accounting for 49-percent all home fires reported to fire departments.

(Radio Iowa) – A Dubuque native who’s been in the Iowa legislature since 1993 has a new role in the Iowa Senate, but she hasn’t decided whether to seek reelection in 2024. Democrats in the Iowa Senate met privately in June and chose Pam Jochum to replace Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls. Jochum says she didn’t seek the role. “It was my colleagues who really called me and said: ‘We have the votes lined up,'” Jochum says with a laugh. “I said: ‘Whoa!’ Anyway, here I am and I have had plenty of experience as a former county party chair, working on campaigns from courthouse to White House and running my own campaigns numerous times.”

Jochum was first elected to the Iowa House in 1992. She’s been a state senator since 2009 and served four years as Senate President when Democrats were in the majority. She’s one of three women to have served as senate president — but the only Democratic woman to do so. “In my lifetime I’ve cracked a few ceilings. I’m not so sure they’re glass. Sometimes they feel like marble,” Jochum says. “…In fact, I was the first woman from Dubuque to get elected to the Iowa legislature.” Jochum is now one of just 16 Democrats in the Iowa Senate. During a recent speech at a party fundraiser, Jochum acknowledged that low point. “I know lately it’s been feeling like we’ve been sailing against the political winds and we kind of have, but I can tell you the political winds are beginning to change,” Jochum said. “Iowans are beginning to realize that the Republicans, led by Kim Reynolds, have gone way too far.”

Jochum has come up with a “nine by 2029” plan. It means that over the next three election cycles, the goal is for Democrats to win nine seats currently held by Republicans. “It will not happen overnight,” Jochum said. “It took us six years to get where we are right now.” Jochum says Democrats need to be very strategic in how they’re recruiting candidates for the state senate. “Making sure they fit their district, getting whatever money we do need raised so that candidate can communicate what they believe in,” Jochum says, “…and then, of course, to organize at the community level to turn that vote out.”

Jochum says her six-year plan to gain nine seats in the Iowa Senate is realistic, since there have been only two recent elections when that many seats held by Republicans were won by Democrats. Those elections were in 1964, the year of President Johnson’s landslide victory, and in 1974, shortly after President Nixon resigned due to the Watergate scandal. Jochum’s current term expires in a year and she hasn’t decided whether to seek reelection in 2024. “I haven’t made up my mind on that yet and I told my colleagues yet when they were pushing me pretty hard to become the new Democratic Senate Leader,” Jochum says. “and they didn’t care.” Jochum isn’t ruling another run out.

“I have always found public service to be one of the most important things you can do with your life and I’m very committed to it and always will be,” Jochum says. “whether I am holding public office or not.” Jochum, who served eight terms in the Iowa House, would be seeking a fifth term in the state senate if she runs.

(Radio Iowa) – Sheffield based SukupManufacturing Company is acquiring Ramco Innovations, a West Des Moines company that specializes in factory automation. Sukup is the world’s largest family-owned manufacturer of grain storage, grain handling and grain drying equipment. Emily Schmitt, Sukup’s Chief Administrative Officer, says Ramco has done work at Sukup facilities in Sheffield, Manly and Hampton that are being automated, with robots.

Hank Norem, Ramco’s CEO, will be chief innovation officer for a new division of the Sheffield company called Sukup Innovations. Ramco’s 65 employees will continue to work at Ramco’s facility in West Des Moines. Sukup has over 800 employees.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man and a woman were arrested in Stanton Sunday night, on Domestic Abuse charges. Deputies responding to the 600 block of Elliott Street in Stanton at around 8:23-p.m. investigated, and subsequently arrested 54-year-old James Bruce Castillo for Domestic Abuse/3rd offense (a Class-D Felony), and 47-year-old Christina Marie Castillo, for Domestic Abuse/1st offense (a Simple Misdemeanor).

Both were transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where they were being held without bond.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports three arrests took place over the past week. Last Friday (12/22), 59-year-old Duane Eric Sickles, of Greenfield, was arrested on a warrant out of Polk County, for Failure to Appear for his Probation Violation hearing. He was held without bond until being released to Polk County Sheriff’s Deputies that same day.

On December 18th, 45-year-old Daniel Arthur Anderson, of Adair, was arrested by Adair Police, for being a Fugitive from Justice from Alabama. He was wanted on a warrant for Probation Revokation. Anderson was being held in the Adair County Jail without bond, pending extradition to Alabama.

And, on Dec. 17th, 45-year-old Niels Curtis Mikkelsen, of Orient, was arrested in Orient, following a traffic stop. He was taken into custody for OWI/2nd offense, on released on a $2,000 cash or surety bond later that same day.

The Council Bluffs Police Department reports that at around 3:21-a.m. today (Sunday), a vehicle pedestrian fatality crash occurred near the intersection of Poplar Dr. and Birch St. in Council Bluffs. A 74 year old male was near a vehicle on the street and was struck by a passing vehicle. The male party was declared deceased at the scene.

The female driver was uninjured. The intersection was closed and traffic was being diverted.

This incident is in the early stages of the investigation and the names are being withheld at this time.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report a woman was arrested Saturday, for Assault Causing Bodily Injury. Authorities say 52-year-old Kimberly Ridge, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 11:10-a.m. in the 800 block of N. 6th Street. She was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today announced his bipartisan legislation to expand parental leave eligibility for parents serving in the drilling Reserve or National Guard was signed into law.  The Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act, co-led with Representative Jeff Jackson (NC-14), was included in the National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Joe Biden.

“As a father and current Air Force Reserve member, I’ve experienced firsthand the sacrifices parents make to serve our country. I’m proud that our bipartisan bill has been included in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act to make life easier for military families,” Rep. Nunn said. “This law will ensure Reserve and National Guard parents have the same access to leave as their active duty counterparts. Any servicemember who serves our country deserves time with their new children.”

The Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act addresses a disparity under current policies implemented in 2021 that expanded parental leave for fathers and adoptive parents in active duty but did not include drilling members of the Reserve and National Guard. Currently, leave policies for those servicemembers are offered to new mothers but not fathers or adoptive parents.  This bill equalizes leave policies for all service members.

The bill, which was originally introduced on April 13, 2023 at the American Legion in Bondurant, Iowa, passed the House of Representatives on December 14, 2023 and Senate on December 13, 2023 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.  The President signed the bill into law on Friday, December 22, 2023.