(Radio Iowa) – The head of Iowa’s law enforcement training academy says its facilities, processes and training are “unacceptable” and a group of state lawmakers plans to recommend more funding. Brady Carney became director of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in March. On Wednesday, Carney told a statehouse committee there’s a crisis in the recruitment of law enforcement officers, and the state’s training resources have been inadequate.  “Ultimately, when it comes down to brass tacks,” Carney says, “about what is your training product, what is ILEA doing for new hires, and what is it creating and supplying for training content across the state of Iowa — unacceptable.”

Carney says the academy lacks proper training facilities. State Representative Steven Holt, a Republican from Denison, co-chairs the study committee. Holt says he went through law enforcement training in another state, and he was shocked to hear about some of the problems with Iowa’s police academy.  Holt says, “It is very clear that we are not properly funding the ILEA and the things that they need to do to train, to have the most professional training possible and to do it as efficiently as possible.”

Carney says the curriculum is being updated, as it was up to two decades old in some cases. He says the academy council worked through a major decertification backlog that meant some police officers continued to work when they should’ve been suspended.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Community School District Food Service Director Natalie Ritter provided the School Board with an annual update, Wednesday evening. In her report, Ritter said they are still participating in the Local Food for School (LFS) grant.

Ritter said produce for the food program is from FarmTable Procurement and Delivery, in Harlan. There is about $3,000 in grant funds left to use for produce.

Natalie said they ordered and installed new equipment in the kitchen, which she said makes life “easier for [her] staff.”

Ritter reminded the School Board that the District’s Thanksgiving Feast is over the noon hour on Thursday, November 16^th. They expect to serve 12-to 13-hundred students that day and around 200 guests. She says it takes the Food Service staff about 5-to 6-days to prepare for the meal. Anyone is welcome to come and help serve the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

She reminded the Board and parents about the Free and Reduced lunch applications and the negative lunch account balances.

Ritter says she “Totally understand the hardship that it takes to pay for lunch accounts and how to make ends meet, so I try to make payment plans that work for everybody. I do not want to add more stress or worries to any families than what we have to,” but she said “We are a business, and just like a business, we can’t operate [ on a negative balance].”

She says all she asks for, “really, is an effort” to make payments per month that are affordable, and they will work with you to make it as painless as possible.

(Radio Iowa) – A former Iowa National Guardsman from Des Moines is seeking next year’s Democratic nomination in Iowa’s third congressional district, for the chance to challenge Republican Congressman Zach Nunn of Bondurant. Democrat Lanon Baccam was born and raised in Mount Pleasant. His parents came to Iowa from Laos. Baccam got his parent’s permission to join the Iowa National Guard at the age of 17 and, in 2004, he did a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Baccam worked for former Governor Tom Vilsack at the U-S-D-A. Vilsack, a former mayor of Mount Pleasant, and his wife, Christie, who is a native of Mount Pleasant, endorsed Baccam this (Thursday) morning. Baccam says our politics is more divided than ever and Baccam says Congressman Nunn is part of the problem. Nunn will be seeking a second term in the U-S House next November.

Nunn defeated Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne last year by less than one percent.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State University’s student-run farm, known as Ag 450, is marking eight decades in operation. Skyler Rinker, an I-S-U ag ed professor, says students get to learn about the day-to-day work required to run a farm, everything from the financial side to feeding livestock to fine-tuning combines. Rinker says the farm was founded in 1943 and still runs on the premise of taking the science and putting it into practice.

Ag 450 focuses on farm management and operations, and many facets of production agriculture, with soybeans, corn and hogs. The farm was started on the Ames campus with 187 acres, while it’s grown to more than 600 acres today, with 80 to 100 students enrolling in the course every year.

(Corning, Iowa) – Officials with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office report an investigation into a shooting that took place Oct. 31st (2023) has resulted in an arrest. 37-year-old Lisa Marie Inman was charged with Tampering with evidence, three-counts of Child Endangerment, and Conspiracy to Commit a Forcible Felony. Inman was booked into the Adams County Jail and later released on an $18,000 cash or surety bond (w/10% acceptable).

*”Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations, and any defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”*

(Radio Iowa) – The trapping season is in its first full week across Iowa. D-N-R Furbearer Biologist, Vince Evelsizer, says there are a couple of positives for those venturing out. “A lot of the furbearer populations are doing well, they’re stable to slightly increasing,”Evelsizer says. “The weather is another story, it’s quite good to here, so though the weather’s good to be outdoors doing some trapping.” The drought could have an impact depending on the type of animal you are pursuing. “For those that trap water for things like beavers and muskrats and mink, things like that, otters, some of their favorite places may have low water levels or even be dry,” he says. “We have gotten some timely rains this fall so that has helped.”

The season was extended from the end of January through the month of February this year. Evelsizer says you aren’t going to make a lot of money from trapping right now, but you still get enjoyment out of the process. “The fur market is not very strong right now. So it’s a really good time to take your focus off of worrying about what fur prices are and have fun with it,” Evelsizer says. “Take a beginner out, whether that’s a kid or an older person that wants to try it out. It’s a good time to do that. It’s also a good time to try different methods for you know, some species that you maybe haven’t tried for in the past.”

He says raccoons have been one of the popular animals for trappers in Iowa. “Lately beavers are getting attention to and then it can vary from region to region — but otters and bobcats are still pretty popular,” he says. “And then in the northwest and parts of north- central Iowa, muskrat trapping on the marshes is still somewhat popular, if there’s water this year in the marshes.”

The D-N-R saw 15-thousand-300 furharvester licenses purchased in 2022 and Evelsizer says that number has been fairly stable over the past seven years. The Iowa Trapper’s Association and the D-N-R are offering a ‘learn to furharvest’ workshop for beginners this fall on November 18th in St. Charles.

(Corning, Iowa) – Residents of Corning, Tuesday, elected to change the way they are represented on the City Council. The 191-yes to 83-no votes, changes the current city council representation to five council members at-large without any ward residency requirements.

The Corning City Council is currently comprised of representation by two members elected At-Large, and one member from each of the three wards.

The new measure becomes effective at the beginning of the term following the next city election.

In other post-election news, the Adair and Montgomery County Auditors, Wednesday, updated their unofficial election results to include write-in nominations.

You can see the updated results on the News page at kjan.com.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Produce in the Park, in Atlantic, say the 10th Annual Harvest Market – a Produce in the Park holiday farmers market – will take place November 20th (Thanksgiving week), from 3-until 6-p.m., at the Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th St.). The event features drawings for $20 gift cards every hour.

Products on-hand during the Harvest Market will include: local produce and meats; farm-fresh eggs; baked goods; seasonal candles; decorations; holiday gifts, and more. A food truck from “Game Time Eats” will be on-site, serving Cheesesteaks, Burgers, and Nachos.

A reminder: Harvest Market accepts SNAP/EBT/Food Stamps and Double Up Food Bucks.

If you have any questions, Harvest Market can be reached at produceintheparkatlanticiowa@gmail.com. You can also check them out on Facebook @ProduceInThePark.

(Corning, Iowa) – Officials with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office report a man from Lenox was charged with OWI/1st offense, following an investigation into a rollover accident that occurred at around 9-a.m. Sunday, near the intersection of Highway 34 and Willow Avenue. Authorities say witnesses told them a 2013 Dodge Dart driven by 18-year-old Jesus Ramirez, of Lenox, was traveling at a high rate of speed and passing vehicles in a no passing zone before Ramirez lost control of the vehicle. The car entered the westbound ditch and rolled at least twice before coming to on its wheels.

Ramirez suffered minor injuries during the crash. In addition to the OWI charge, he faces charges of Reckless Driving and Driving without a valid driver’s license.

Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Adams County Fire Dept., Adams County Ambulance, Prescott Fire Dept., Lenox Fire & Rescue, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

*”Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations, and any defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”*

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man and a woman from Red Oak were arrested Wednesday on active Red Oak Police Department warrants for Reckless Dependent Adult Abuse with serious injury. 55-year-old Rickey Allen Jones and 55-year-old Lori Jean Jones were arrested in the 2400 block of N. 8th Street, in Red Oak. They were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond, each.