(Perry, Iowa) (updates with audio from Radio Iowa) – Officials with the Perry Community School District confirm the first day of classes after the Winter break were cancelled today (Wednesday), following a shooting incident. A large law enforcement presence was seen at the school, along with numerous ambulances and at least two medical transport helicopters. Radio Iowa reports Raccoon Valley Radio interviewed Perry High School Teacher Lori Meinecke, who said she heard about six to seven gunshots followed by the voices of several school coaches encouraging everyone to evacuate the area.

The Dallas County Sheriff says they’ve identified the person who fired several shots inside Perry High School about 15 minutes before school was to start this morning. The individual reportedly died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound. Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante spoke with reporters at the scene shortly after 10 o’clock. He said there are multiple victims.

One of the victims is reportedly a school administrator. The sheriff says an officer was at the scene within seven minutes after the emergency call that there was an active shooter in the school.  Sheriff Infante said also, that there were very few students and staff in the building at the time of the incident. One of the hospitals in Des Moines has confirmed its medical helicopter and ambulances were dispatched to Perry. The LifeServe Blood Center announced it was “actively sending blood and blood products to Des Moines area hospitals in response to the shooting.”

Perry is a Dallas County town with a population of about 8,000, located nearly 40 miles northwest of Des Moines. The school district has about 1,800 total students, with about 575 in grades 9-12.

(Radio Iowa) – The leader of Iowa’s largest food bank is urging Iowa lawmakers to provide state funding for the six major food banks in Iowa. Michelle Book is president and C-E-O of the Food Bank of Iowa, which distributes food in 55 counties.  “Many states provide line item budget funding to Feeding America food banks,” Book says. “…Today we’re funded by private donors, but going forward we would like to embrace a public-private partnership to ensure that we are able to feed all hardworking Iowans and Iowans that have retired or live on disability.” Book made a direct appeal to Governor Kim Reynolds during an online forum yesterday (Wednesday). Book also made an indirect reference to the governor’s decision to turn down federal funding for summer food assistance to low income households with children.

“As federal poverty benefits become more difficult for Iowans to access, I would like to encourage you to consider providing funds to help Feeding America Food Banks procure food for the over 1200 pantries and feeding sites which we support across all 99 Iowa counties,” Book said. Reynolds responded briefly, but did not commit to the idea of a public-private partnership with Iowa’s six Food Banks. “I appreciate you and what you do on behalf of those in need, so thanks a lot,” Reynolds says. “And I appreciate your recommendation.” Reynolds recently notified federal officials Iowa would no longer participate in a program that provides 40 dollars a month for each child in a low income family, to help pay for food while school is out for the summer.

In a written statement released December 23rd, Reynolds said COVID-era cash benefit programs are not sustainable and this program did nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic.

DES MOINES, Iowa [WHO-TV] – After holiday gatherings with family and friends, many Iowans are dealing with the lingering effects of illnesses likely spread at those get-togethers.
Metro doctors are seeing more patients for flu, COVID, and RSV. WHO-TV says the latest report from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services last month found COVID activity is “very high” in the state. Flu activity is considered moderate.

The spread of the illnesses has led to an increase in hospitalizations as well. According to the CDC, hospitalizations in Iowa because of the flu climbed 37% during the week ending December 29th. The CDC will release an updated report on Friday.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold a special session Friday, to receive departmental funding requests for Fiscal Year 2025. The meeting begins at 9-a.m. in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Courthouse, in Greenfield.

Their agenda is as follows:

9:00 a.m. Melissa Notion, DHS – FY25 Funding Request

Minutes

Claims

Jotham Arber, Environmental Health – FY25 Funding Request

Leesa Lester, Southern Iowa Trolley – FY25 Funding Request

Lillian Nichols, Library Association – FY25 Funding Request

Stephanie Claussen, Public Health – FY25 Funding Request

Brenda Meisenheimer, Fair Board – FY25 Funding Request

Connie Scarlett & George Feazell, Historical Society – FY25 Funding Request

The meeting is available in-person or via the telephone at (605)-313-6157. When prompted, use access code 526272#.

SAYDEL, Iowa (WHO-TV & KJAN) — Battling issues ranging from sagging student attendance to an inability to hire and retain teachers, the Saydel School District is considering a move to a four-day school week for 2024-2025. WHO-TV in Des Moines reports the district has been speaking openly on the subject for two years but talks accelerated in late 2023. Following a district-wide survey last month, district officials held an open forum with parents Wednesday night (Jan 3, 2024).

The session began with an explanation of why Saydel is considering a four-day week. It’s been losing teachers and having trouble replacing them. It’s also been losing students and thus also the state money that comes with them. That means simply raising salaries is not an option in Saydel. The district explained this to parents, then broke up into small groups to have a conversation and answer questions.

The district will then send out another survey to parents to ask whether they approve or disapprove of the plan. Superintendent Todd Martin says while this is a popular solution right now in Iowa (it’s used in five districts so far), it’s no gimmick.

Teacher Molly Fritz said the subject has been the talk of the district all year. Some 92% of teachers surveyed in the district said they approved of the idea. Students would be off either Monday or Friday, and then an extra 30 minutes would be added to the four remaining school days. That would meet the state requirements for class time. It would also shorten the school year for students by 15 days and for teachers by 20. The proposal could be sent to the Saydel School Board by the middle of next month with an ultimate decision soon to follow.

Last September, the Griswold School Board discussed the possibility of a four-day school week and future calendar considerations, but after a survey of District staff was conducted and returned for input, the Board voted 5-to-1 not to pursue the matter at that point in time.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports four arrests took place Wednesday (Jan. 4):

Early Wednesday afternoon, Officers arrested 32-year-old Dalton James Cormeny, of Creston. He was taken into custody on three Union County warrants for: Failure to appear an original charge of theft in the 1st degree; criminal mischief in the 2nd degree; and Burglary 3rd Degree; Failure to appear original charge of child endangerment with bodily-injury, and, Domestic abuse assault/ 2nd offense. Failure to appear original charge domestic abuse assault impeding flow air/blood. Cormeny was being held in the Union County Jail on a $35,000 cash-only bond.

A little after 4-p.m., Wednesday, 36-year-old Danny Alan Fry, of Creston, was arrested at his residence. Fry was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was taken to Union County Jail and later released on a $300 cash or approved surety bond.

Late Wednesday night, Creston Police arrested 44-year-old Ryan Wayne Feldhacker, of Creston, for Violation of Probation, Burglary in the 1st Degree and Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree. Feldhacker was taken to Union County Jail, where he was being held without bond until seen by Judge on the Violation of Probation charge, and a $30,000 cash or approved surety for the additional charges. At the same location of Feldhacker’s arrest, and at nearly the same time, Creston Police arrested 40-year-old Alicia Ellen Lovell, of Creston. She faces the same charges, with the exception of probation violation. Lovell was taken to Adams County Jail, where her bond was set at $30,000 cash or approved surety.

MILLS COUNTY, Iowa (KETV) — It’s been almost a year since Cattlemen’s Heritage Beef Company announced its plan to build a new beef processing plant in Mills County. The site near Interstate 29 and Bunge Avenue has seen little movement since the company worked to meet federal and environmental regulations.

In June, Cattlemen’s Heritage received a $25 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture for the project. This meant the ground needed to undergo a rigorous assessment to make sure there wouldn’t be any significant environmental damage. Other regulations also require the company to build a water treatment plant on site.

CEO Chad Tentinger tells KETV in Omaha, that it took longer than expected, and he underestimated the project’s timeline. He said they’re preparing to break ground later this year. It’s likely to happen near Spring, but hopes to announce a new date within a month. Legacy Beef Co-op will be the official supplier for the plant.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (KCCI) – Two people from California face over a dozen criminal charges each for allegedly stealing lottery scratch-off tickets in Iowa. Court documents say Robert Price and Samantha Flippo broke into a convenience store in Fort Dodge on Christmas Day with a crowbar and allegedly stole a lottery ticket kiosk.

Investigators say Price and Flippo then cashed winning tickets worth $135 at another convenience store in Fort Dodge. They also presented tickets marked as stolen during a burglary at a gas station in Sac City on Dec. 29, according to court documents.

Price faces 16 counts of lottery theft and a burglary charge. Flippo faces 17 lottery theft charges.

(Des Moines, Iowa (Audio courtesy O.Kay Henderson) – The CEO of Cass Health in Atlantic, representing the Iowa Hospital Association, spoke with Governor Kim Reynolds during her online hearing about the state budget, Wednesday. Brett Altman thanked Reynolds on behalf of the organization, for “championing the landmark tort reform bill, last year.” Altman said the bill is making a difference, with regard to a cap on non-economic damages, which he says has made Iowa more competitive, when it comes to recruitment of physicians and health care providers.

He also thanked the Governor for the health careers registered apprenticeship program, which, he says, Cass Health benefited from.

Brett Altman reminded the Governor Cass Health was one of the recipients of her Rural Hospitals Centers of Excellence program.

Altman said the Governor is “Obviously doing something right,” because the State ranks high in healthcare matters.

The Governor said the success of Iowa’s healthcare system and rank in the country, is also a reflection of what the medical community is “doing right.”

(Radio Iowa) – A Dubuque County landmark will get a significant overhaul this year as the rebuilding of the Centennial Cross is scheduled to start soon. Also known as the Blue Cross, it’s located in the town of Key West, about ten miles south of Dubuque. Tim McCaffery is president of the not-for-profit Centennial Cross Incorporated. McCaffery tells KCRG-TV that the cross has been part of the skyline in the Dubuque area since 1937.

“It was built to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the archdiocese,” McCaffery says. “In 1962 I believe it was, for the 150th year anniversary, we lit the cross, the Knights of Columbus of Dubuque lit the cross, and the plan is to keep it lit.” Construction is expected to start in the next few weeks and last four to six weeks. The group has raised about 150-thousand dollars toward of its goal of 350-thousand to pay for construction and for future maintenance of the cross.

“It’s served as a beacon for travelers coming back into Dubuque,” McCaffery says. “I remember as a kid, we’d travel to our cousin’s house or when we were out of town and coming home, we always knew we were close to home when we’d see that cross.” The current cross is 75 feet tall and has been blocked from sight for a number of years by trees. The new cross will stand 137-feet tall and will have L-E-D lighting on both sides.

“Over the years, the trees have grown up around the cross and that made it hard to see,” McCaffery says, “and then of course, neon lights were on the cross and the trees would blow against the cross and knock out the lights, or even wind storms would break the lights.” Donations can be made at the website: https://centennialcross.org/