Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds says she and Governor Branstad have had an “excellent working relationship” and she’s prepared to take over as the state’s chief executive when Branstad leaves to become the U.S. Ambassador to China. Reynolds spoke Friday afternoon with Radio Iowa news director O. Kay Henderson. An outline for the transition of power is being developed, but there’s no date set for Reynolds to take the oath of office and become Iowa’s next governor.

Reynolds says she’s working with Branstad and the entire “team” in his office to put together a package of recommendations for the 2017 legislative session. And it will be Branstad who’ll deliver the annual “Condition of the State” message to legislators in early January and present a state budget outline for the coming year.

As for whether Reynolds might make significant personnel changes in state government, she says this is “just the second day” after confirmation of Branstad’s exit and her elevation to the governorship. Reynolds isn’t ready to say who she’s considering to invite to be HER lieutenant governor once she takes the oath and is Iowa’s 43rd governor, but she has “a lot of individuals” on her list.

Reynolds says she’s looking for “good chemistry” since she will consider her lieutenant to be a governing partner. After 42 previous governors who were men, Iowa’s 43rd will be a woman and Reynolds hints she’ll run as an incumbent in 2018 — to become the first woman ELECTED as the state’s governor.

Reynolds served in local government as the treasurer in Clarke County before a two-year stint as a state senator, then she accepted Branstad’s invitation to be his lieutenant governor running mate in 2010. She’s the fifth woman in a row to serve as lieutenant governor. Until 2014 — when Joni Ernst was elected to the U.S. Senate — only the states of Iowa and Mississippi had never elected a women as governor or to federal office. “I’m really proud to have the opportunity to be a part of history and be part of that,” Reynolds says.

Not only is Ernst the first female senator from Iowa, but Reynolds points to Linda Upmeyer, who last year became the first woman to serve as speaker of the Iowa House. “Probably the majority” of state agency directors are women, too, according to Reynolds. “Although I’m proud of that, what I’m most proud of is I think for all of them it was not really about gender, but it was about a passion to serve and to make a difference and that’s what I think is reflected in every one of the individuals that I just named and that’s what I think is really important,” Reynolds says. “So, kind of as a side bonus, though, young girls in this state have some wonderful role models.”

Reynolds, who is 59, is a native of St. Charles. She and her husband live in Osceola.

(Radio Iowa)

With the holidays approaching, many Iowans are sending and receiving packages but be warned. A new scam involves an email that claims there’s a problem with a package delivery and the message appears to be from U-P-S, FedEx or the U-S Postal Service. Jim Hegarty, head of the Better Business Bureau office in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says don’t be fooled. “Scammers use this time of the year, every year, to send these spoofed emails,” Hegarty says. “They look like they’re from legitimate delivery services but they’re designed to download malware into your system which can cause you all kinds of headaches.”

Should you get such an email, report it to your internet service provider and delete it. You can also call the agency to verify there’s no problem with your delivery. Hegarty also warns of recent scams on Facebook that appear to be from friends, touting federal grant money for people with disabilities. Hegarty says don’t accept “friend” requests on Facebook from people you don’t know.

“We’re in an environment now where this is a venue that’s being used very consistently to take advantage of people and get access to accounts,” he says. “We just have to be super cautious.” The grant scheme recently duped an Omaha-area woman out of more than two-thousand dollars, thinking she was following the advice of a “friend.”

(Radio Iowa)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year with local band Popcorn Button returning to the Elks Lodge to provide a holly jolly night of music and dancing on Friday, December 30th. As always, admission is free and dancers and listeners of all ages are invited to attend.

The sixteen-piece band will be playing a variety of classic Big Band era hits along with some special yuletide charts that will deck the halls and jingle bell rock all night for everyone to dance the night away to. There are even rumors that Santa Claus himself will be coming down to jam with the band to relax after his big day of deliveries.

Popcorn Button, founded in 2010, is a group of volunteer musicians from all walks of life. Many hail from the Atlantic community, including many alumni of Atlantic High School. Also featured are students and recent alumni from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa, Buena Vista University, and the community at large.

Since 2012, the band has operated the Popcorn Button Community Music Scholarship. This award supports young musicians from the community as they attend honor bands, band camps, and music lessons.

Holiday Ball is a free public event. All ages and dancing abilities are invited and encouraged to attend on Friday, December 30th at the Elks Lodge on 501 Poplar Street in Atlantic. A free will donation will be accepted at the door to defray the band’s operating costs. For more information on Holiday Ball or the scholarship, email info@popcornbutton.org or visit www.popcornbutton.org.

Deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Friday evening, arrested a woman from Pottawattamie County. Officials say 18-year old Sarah Jeanette Croson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 6:20-p.m., following a traffic stop near the intersection of Boxelder/Highway 34, west of Red Oak.  Croson was taken into custody for Driving While Barred. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.

Firefighters from Westphalia and at least four other departments responded to a house fire Friday night, at around 6:15-p.m., at 107 4th Street, in Westphalia. Scanner reports indicated crews from Earling, Panama, Harlan, and Portsmouth were called to the scene. When Westphalia Fire arrived on the scene, the roof of the single-family structure was fully engulfed in flames.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Photos submitted to KJAN