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Lynnville Woman Dies in Rural Jasper County Accident

JASPER COUNTY – A collision between a pickup truck and a semi in rural Jasper County over the weekend took the life of a Lynnville woman.

According to traffic records, on Saturday afternoon, at around 4:27pm, 39-year-old Leticia Penate de Rodriguez of Des Moines was driving a semi truck for Lightning Logistics southbound on Highway T-22 as 56-year-old Gerry Lee VanDyke of Lynnville was driving a Chevrolet pickup truck northbound on T-22, when the right tires of the semi truck went off the edge of the road, resulting in the semi truck overcorrecting to the left and crossing the center line into the northbound lane. The pickup truck took evasive action to the right but collided head-on with the semi truck and both vehicles traveled off the roadway and into the ditch.

51-year-old Jill Christine VanDyke was a passenger in the pickup truck and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the pickup truck was transported to MercyOne Hospital in Des Moines, while the driver of the semi truck suffered no injuries. The accident remains under investigation.

IGHSAU Basketball Rankings – Week 3

Below are the updated high school girls basketball rankings from the IGHSAU. Area teams are highlighted in bold.

Class 5A

School
Record
LW
1
Johnston
4-0
1
2
Dowling Catholic
4-1
2
3
Waukee Northwest
4-1
4
4
Ankeny Centennial
2-2
5
5
Cedar Rapids Prairie
4-0
6
6
Ankeny
4-2
7
7
Pleasant Valley
3-1
8
8
Davenport North
2-1
3
9
Bettendorf
3-0
11
10
Waukee
3-2
12
11
Cedar Falls
3-2
9
12
Iowa City West
5-2
13
13
Iowa City Liberty
3-1
15
14
Southeast Polk
1-3
NR
15
West Des Moines Valley
1-3
10
Dropped Out: Cedar Rapids Washington (14)
 
Class 4A
School
Record
LW
1
Sioux City Bishop Heelan
4-1
1
2
North Polk
4-0
2
3
Sioux Center
4-0
3
4
Norwalk
6-0
4
5
Central DeWitt
4-0
8
6
Maquoketa
4-0
6
7
Gilbert
3-1
5
8
Dallas Center-Grimes
4-1
10
9
Waverly-Shell Rock
3-1
14
10
Cedar Rapids Xavier
3-2
7
11
Storm Lake
4-0
11
12
Carlisle
2-0
12
13
Clear Creek-Amana
1-3
9
14
Oskaloosa
3-0
15
15
Marion
3-1
NR
 
Dropped Out: Keokuk (13)
 
Class 3A
School
Record
LW
1
Mount Vernon
4-1
1
2
Estherville Lincoln Central
5-2
2
3
Dubuque Wahlert
2-0
3
4
Forest City
5-0
4
5
Roland-Story
3-1
5
6
Cherokee
4-0
6
7
Williamsburg
4-0
7
8
Algona
1-2
8
9
PCM
6-0
9
10
West Delaware
3-1
10
11
Monticello
3-2
11
12
Spirit Lake
3-0
15
13
Center Point-Urbana
3-2
13
14
Humboldt
2-2
12
15
Hampton-Dumont-CAL
4-0
NR
Dropped Out: Clarinda (14)
 
Class 2A
School
Record
LW
1
Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
6-0
1
2
North Mahaska
3-0
3
3
Central Lyon
4-0
4
4
Iowa City Regina
4-0
5
5
Rock Valley
3-1
6
6
MVAOCOU
4-0
7
7
Denver
4-0
8
8
Hinton
5-0
11
9
West Lyon
3-2
9
10
Hudson
3-0
10
11
Westwood
4-1
2
12
Cascade
2-2
12
13
Treynor
5-0
13
14
Maquoketa Valley
6-0
14
15
Pella Christian
2-3
15
Dropped Out: None
Class 1A
School
Record
LW
1
Algona Bishop Garrigan
3-0
1
2
North Linn
5-0
2
3
Riceville
3-1
3
4
Mount Ayr
4-0
4
5
Newell-Fonda
2-0
5
6
Council Bluffs St. Albert
5-0
7
7
Montezuma
2-3
8
8
Kee
3-1
6
9
Springville
4-1
NR
10
Woodbine
4-0
15
11
East Buchanan
3-2
14
12
Saint Ansgar
3-0
NR
13
Lynnville-Sully
4-2
NR
14
Highland
4-1
9
15
Gladbrook-Reinbeck
2-1
13

Dropped Out: Fremont-Mills (10), Dunkerton (11), Akron-Westfield (12)

Trump is named Time’s Person of the Year and rings the New York Stock Exchange’s opening bell

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump rang the opening bell Thursday at the New York Stock Exchange after being recognized for the second time by Time magazine as its person of the year.

The honors for the businessman-turned-politician are a measure of Trump’s remarkable comeback from an ostracized former president who refused to accept his election loss four years ago to a president-elect who won the White House decisively in November.

Before Trump rang the opening bell at 9:30 a.m., a first for the native New Yorker, he spoke at the exchange and called it “a tremendous honor.”

“Time magazine, getting this honor for the second time, I think I like it better this time actually,” he said.

Trump, accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump, daughters Ivanka and Tiffany and Vice President-elect JD Vance, grinned as people chanted “USA” before he opened the trading day. He then raised his fist.

In his remarks, he promoted some of the people he has named to his incoming administration, including Treasury pick Scott Bessent, and some of his policies, including a promise that the federal government will expedite permits for projects and construction worth more than $1 billion.

“I think we’re going to have a tremendous run. We have to straighten out some problems, some big problems in the world,” he said.

Sam Jacobs, the magazine’s editor in chief, made the announcement on NBC’s “Today” show, saying Trump was someone who “for better or for worse, had the most influence on the news in 2024.” Trump was Time’s Person of the Year in 2016, when he was first elected to the White House.

“This is someone who made an historic comeback, who reshaped the American presidency and who’s reordering American politics,” Jacobs said.

In an interview with the magazine that was published Thursday, Trump spoke about his final campaign blitz and election win.

“I called it ‘72 Days of Fury,’” Trump said. “We hit the nerve of the country. The country was angry.”

As Trump marked the ceremonial start of the day’s trading, the magazine cover featuring him was projected onto a wall at the NYSE. He was flanked by family and members of his incoming administration while his favored walk-on song, “God Bless the U.S.A.,” played. Afterward, he returned to his home in Florida.

The NYSE regularly invites celebrities and business leaders to participate in the bell-ringing, which has become a marker of culture and politics.

Trump has long had a fascination with being on the cover of Time, where he first made an appearance in 1989. He has falsely claimed to hold the record for cover appearances, and The Washington Post reported in 2017 that Trump had a fake picture of himself on the cover of the magazine hanging in several of his golf country clubs.

Earlier this year, Trump sat for interviews with the magazine for a story that ran in April. Time’s billionaire owner, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, criticized Harris for not granting the magazine an interview during her campaign with Trump.

In his latest interview, Trump reaffirmed plans to pardon most of those convicted in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “It’s going to start in the first hour,” he said of the pardons.

He said he would not ask members of his administration to sign a loyalty pledge. “I think I will be able to, for the most part, determine who’s loyal,” he said. But he said he will fire anyone who doesn’t follow his policies.

The incoming president also reflected on the future of his “Make America Great Again” political movement.

“I hope when I leave office, I’ll be able to also leave people that are extremely competent and get it. And we do have those people. We have far more than you think,” he said.

Trump said some of those people include family members and that some of his children would do well in politics. He suggested that daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who recently announced she is stepping down from her role as co-chair of the Republican National Committee, could be a part of his political dynasty.

“I think there could be, yeah. I see the people we’re talking about. Lara has been amazing. Look, she was the head of the Republican Party,” he said.

With Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., awaiting confirmation to be secretary of state, Lara Trump has said serving in the Senate is “something I would seriously consider.”

Trump crafted his image as a wealthy real estate developer, which he played up as the star of the TV reality show “The Apprentice” and during his presidential campaign. He won the election in part by channeling Americans’ anxieties about the economy’s ability to provide for the middle class.

In an interview on CNBC after he rang the NYSE bell, Trump likened the broad cuts to the federal workforce that he and his advisers have telegraphed to the TV firings he made of contestants.

“We’re going to be doing the same thing, I can tell you. Unfortunately, there’s too many of them,” Trump said.

Afterward, he walked the floor of the exchange and shook hands with traders.

Officials say Iowa tax receipts to be $1 billion lower, due to tax cuts

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

The governor’s top budget advisor and two other officials agree state tax collections during the next state budgeting year will drop $67 million more than they predicted two months ago.

Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a series of tax reductions since she become governor in mid-2017 and the state income tax will shrink to a single rate of 3.85% on January 1. The state Revenue Estimating Conference expects tax collections to drop by over $1 billion during the 24 month period that will end June 30, 2026.

“Tax cuts are clearly what are driving the reductions in state revenue,” said Iowa Department of Management director Kraig Paulsen, the governor’s budget chief and the chairman of the Revenue Estimating Conference, “so, to be clear, but for the tax cuts, the state would be seeing revenue growth.”

With over $6.6 billion of unspent tax money held in a cash reserve and the Taxpayer Relief Fund, there’s room for more cuts according to Paulsen.

“We’ll have to wait and see what the full impact is of things at the federal level…so that may limit some options,” Paulsen told reporters, “but we’re in a strong position to leave more money in Iowans’ pockets.”

Paulsen, during remarks at the Revenue Conference meeting this morning, said there are positive signals in the national economy, indicating taxes paid to the State of Iowa won’t fall precipitously.

“Moody’s state level data is projecting wage and salary growth of 4.11% in FY26,” Paulsen said, “and the National Retail Federation is also projecting sales to be above the 2023 levels with total sales up 2.15% year over year and projected sales growth of up to 3.5% for December.”

Democrats in the Iowa House say every week Iowans are experiencing more layoffs, while Republican lawmakers are planning for more tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. A top Democrat in the Iowa Senate says while state tax revenue is declining, Governor Reynolds is sending hundreds of millions of dollars to private schools and Iowans need more information about how the state money in Education Savings Accounts to cover students’ private school expenses is being spent.

Arrest Made in Ottumwa Following Online Threats

OTTUMWA — On December 9, 2024, the Ottumwa Police Department received a complaint forwarded to us from the FBI regarding an alleged threat that had been made on the social media site, TikTok.  The threat involved language that contained the wording “shoot up the school” along with other concerning language.  

The Ottumwa Police Department and the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office immediately began an investigation into the person responsible for the social media account.  On December 12, 2024, the child responsible for the posting was arrested and released to their parent.  The child was charged with Terroristic Threats, a class “D” Felony.

The Ottumwa Police Department shared in a press release, “It should be noted that the child that was charged in this incident did not have any means to do what they were communicating on social media with their peers.  However, this type of communication will not be tolerated.”

Wisconsin kayaker who faked his death and fled the country is charged after returning to US

GREEN LAKE, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man who faked his own drowning and left his wife and three children for Eastern Europe willingly returned to the U.S. after four months and was charged Wednesday with obstructing an intense lake search for his body.

The criminal complaint charging Ryan Borgwardt with misdemeanor obstruction offers a detailed account of how the 45-year-old pulled off his disappearance, including how he struggled to emerge from the water, almost didn’t make it through customs on his way overseas and was living in the country of Georgia when he realized he had left too many clues behind.

Police said Borgwardt turned himself in to authorities at the Green Lake County sheriff’s office in Wisconsin on Tuesday. A judge entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf during a brief court hearing on Wednesday afternoon. He was released on $500 bail, although he would only have to pay that amount if he misses a future court date.

Borgwardt told Judge Mark Slate that he would represent himself going forward since he has only $20 in his wallet. The judge advised he could get a court-appointed lawyer but didn’t name one for him.

It’s unclear what Borgwardt plans to do now. His parents were in court, but he was led out by bailiffs after the proceeding ended without speaking to them. Bailiffs escorted the couple out through a rear door to avoid waiting reporters.

Borgwardt was reported missing on Aug. 12. According to a criminal complaint, Borgwardt told investigators that he had been researching how to disappear, studying lake deaths and how deep a body has to sink so it won’t resurface.

He attended church with his family on the morning of Aug. 11 and then put his plan into motion that night, driving 50 miles (80 kilometers) from his home in Watertown to Green Lake. Sheriff Mark Podoll said Borgwardt told investigators he picked Green Lake because it’s the deepest lake in Wisconsin.

He paddled his kayak to the middle of the lake, inflated a raft he brought with him, overturned the kayak and paddled back to shore in the raft, dumping his cell phone and a tackle box with other identification in the lake on the way, according to the complaint.

Borgwardt said “he had to make this believable so that everyone, including law enforcement, would think he drowned in the lake,” the complaint said.

He told investigators he struggled to get out of the lake, sinking into waist-deep muck. Worried that police would find his muddy footprints, he tried to wash them off the road before retrieving an electric bike he had stashed nearby. He traveled 70 miles (112 kilometers) through the night to Madison, where he caught a bus to the Toronto airport.

He said he barely got through Canadian customs because he didn’t have his driver’s license, which he had thrown in the lake. He eventually boarded a flight to Paris and then to an unspecified country in Asia.

After landing in that country, a woman picked him up. They spent a couple days in a hotel, and he later took up residency in the country of Georgia, according to the complaint and a probable cause statement.

Investigators contacted Borgwardt through information they found on a laptop he left behind, including a photo of the woman he traveled to meet. He told investigators he had to leave the laptop behind to make his death believable but left too much information on it, according to the complaint.

Podoll said in November that investigators found passport photos, inquiries about moving funds to foreign banks and communication with a woman from Uzbekistan. They also discovered that Borgwardt took out a $375,000 life insurance policy in January. Podoll has said the policy was for his family.

The sheriff’s office has said the search for Borgwardt’s body lasted more than a month and cost at least $35,000. Borgwardt told investigators he often checked the news for updates on his disappearance and thought the search would last only a few weeks, according to the complaint.

Borgwardt told investigators that he knew police would find him but he wanted to delay their efforts for as long as he could, according to the complaint.

Podoll announced in November that investigators had made contact with Borgwardt and were “pulling at his heartstrings” to come home.

The sheriff told reporters during a news conference Wednesday morning that Borgwardt returned to the U.S. willingly and turned himself at the sheriff’s office in the Green Lake County Government Center on Tuesday afternoon. He declined to detail Borgwardt’s return trip, saying only that “he got on an airplane.” He also declined to elaborate on what drove Borgwardt to return.

“That’s going to be up to him someday,” the sheriff said. “We’re not going to release that. … We brought a dad back on his own.”

Attorney General Bird Urges U.S. Senate to Confirm Kash Patel as FBI Director

DES MOINES – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today led 24 states in urging the U.S. Senate to swiftly confirm President Trump’s nominee, Kash Patel, as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”).

Patel is a proven leader who will restore integrity to the FBI. As National Security Advisor to the House Intelligence Committee, Patel uncovered Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act abuse and shined a light on politically motivated abuses relating to President Trump. He also served as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense, worked to take down terrorists in the ISIS caliphate, and helped secure the release of American hostages. Former White House national security advisor Robert O’Brien wrote that Patel could be counted on “to get any job done, no matter how complex or difficult.”

“Confirming Kash Patel as FBI Director is a no-brainer,” said Attorney General Bird. “The FBI has long been a beacon for brave, hardworking men and women—but their leadership has failed them and our country. Kash Patel will rebuild Americans’ faith in FBI leadership. He has an impressive track record of eliminating terrorism and keeping Americans safe. With Kash Patel as FBI Director, our enemies will know that America is back and stronger than ever.”

The States sent the letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and incoming Majority Leader John Thune, calling on the Senate to confirm Kash Patel.

Iowa led the letter and was joined by Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Read the full letter here.

Stay safe on the ice this winter

DES MOINES — The recent blast of arctic air is growing ice on lakes and ponds across the northern two-thirds of Iowa. Outdoor ice enthusiasts are ready to get out ice fishing, snowmobiling, ice skating or fat-tire bike riding.

The DNR recommends a minimum of four inches of clear ice for fishing and at least five inches for snowmobiles and ATVs.

Ice forms at different rates on each body of water depending upon the size and water depth. Once frozen, conditions change constantly and ice thickness can vary across the lake. Rocks, trees, docks or other things that poke through the ice will conduct heat and make the ice around it less stable. Trust your instincts – if the ice does not look right, don’t go out.

A blanket of snow on top of an ice covered lake insulates the ice, slowing the growth of ice and hiding potential hazards or weak spots. River ice is 15 percent weaker than lake ice.  Ice with a bluish color is safer than clear ice.  Avoid slushy or honey-combed and stay away from dark spots on the ice.  Don’t walk into areas where the snow cover looks discolored.

Safety Tips on the Ice

  • No ice is 100 percent safe.
  • New ice is usually stronger than old ice.
  • Don’t go out alone – if the worst should happen, someone will be there to call for help or to help rescue.
  • Let someone know where you are going and when you will return.
  • Check ice thickness as you go out – there could be pockets of thin ice or places where ice recently formed.
  • Avoid off-colored snow or ice. It is usually a sign of weakness.
  • The insulating effect of snow slows down the freezing process.
  • Bring along these basic items to help keep you safe: hand warmers, ice cleats to help prevent falls, ice picks (wear around your neck) to help you crawl out of the water if you fall in, a life jacket, a floating safety rope, a whistle to call for help, a basic first aid kit and extra dry clothes including a pair of gloves.
  • Use extreme caution when snowmobiling on ice. Snowmobiles can be difficult to steer and take a long time to stop with limited traction on ice. Slow down and avoid heavy braking.

North Mahaska Sweeps HLV

GIRLS

NEW SHARON – North Mahaska’s defense forced seven first quarter turnovers and did not allow a score through the first five and a half minutes of the game to score a 62-18 South Iowa Cedar League win over HLV Tuesday. 

No. 3 NM led 16-0 when Ayla Hall stole a ball and raced to the basket. Emery Hall would add a 3-pointer, but the Warhawks were off and running. North Mahaska led 21-5 after one period and jumped up 48-9 by intermission.

“Our defensive intensity was pretty good tonight,” said NM coach L.E. Moore. “There are things we need to work on. You can always get better. Our half-court defense needs to get better.”

Four senior Warhawks scored in double figures. Regan Grewe had 13, Breckyn Schilling finished with 12, Sydney Andersen had 10 as did reserve Peyton Sanders. Grewe added six rebounds and four steals to her total while Andersen grabbed eight boards. Senior Kayla Readshaw doled out five assists and another senior, Aly Steil had four.

North Mahaska was able to play the entire bench for significant minutes even with a running clock.

“We got everyone into the game and that will help us down the road,” said Moore.

North Mahaska (3-0) outrebounded HLV 32-18 and forced 16 turnovers to six for the Warhawks.

Emery Hall paced HLV with five points.

North Mahaska plays Friday at SICL rival Lynnville-Sully then goes to No. 9 in Class 3A to play PCM. They will host Colfax-Mingo next Tuesday before closing out the pre-holiday season with a game at Moravia on Dec. 20.

BOYS

North Mahaska boys basketball coach Kevin Kelderman will be searching for some answers as to how HLV was able to penetrate for a number of easy baskets while his team missed several points in the paint. Despite those questions the Warhawks were able to hit shots when they needed to score a 60-48 win over the HLV Warriors.

In the beginning it looked like North Mahaska was going to run away with the game as they built a 17-5 lead after one period. NM senior Asher DeBoef, who finished with a game-high 28 points, hit a 3-pointer a minute into the second half but the Warhawks would not score for nearly four minutes. Meanwhile HLV attacked the basket and closed the game to 20-19 when DeBoef hit another long ball. NM then scored seven points and held the Warriors scoreless for a 30-19 lead at half.

HLV would cut into the North Mahaska lead to four to five points but could get no further. Free throws by NM were able to seal the victory.

“They played well,” said NM coach Kevin Kelderman. “They were hitting those penetrating drives, and we missed a lot of bunnies.”

DeBoef led the way with his points, 10 rebounds and five steals. Gabe Hora added 12 points and Lucas Nunnikhoven chipped in 10. Jack Kelderman and Aidan Smith each recorded six rebounds. North Mahaska turned the ball over 16 times to 14 for HLV but hit 10-for-17 at the free throw line while HLV was 6-of-13.

HLV had three players in double figures. Peyton Roth led with 14, Levi Molyneux added 12 and Sean McCulloch had 11. Devon Weisskopf added eight with seven rebounds.

North Mahaska will travel to Lynnville-Sully Friday, PCM Tuesday and close out the pre-holiday season at Moravia Friday.

What did you Google in 2024? From the elections to Copa América, here’s what search trends show

NEW YORK (AP) — Remember what you searched for in 2024? Google does.

Google released its annual “Year in Search” on Tuesday, rounding up the top trending queries entered into its namesake search engine in 2024. The results show terms that saw the highest spike in traffic compared to last year — ranging from key news events, notably global elections, to the most popular songs, athletes and unforgettable pop-culture moments that people looked up worldwide.

Sports — particularly soccer and cricket — dominated Google’s overall trending searches in 2024. Copa América topped those search trends globally, followed by the UEFA European Championship and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, the U.S. election led news-specific searches worldwide. Queries about excessive heat and this year’s Olympic Games followed.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump topped searches in Google’s people category this year — followed by Catherine, Princess of Wales, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who also led athlete-specific searches. Meanwhile, the late Liam PayneToby Keith and O.J. Simpson led search trends among notable individuals who died in 2024.

In the world of entertainment, Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” was the top trending movie of the year, while Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer” led TV show trends. And Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” dominated song trends.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Queries for the Olympic village’s chocolate muffin, made famous by Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen over the summer games, led Google’s global recipe trends this year. The New York Times’ “Connections” puzzle topped game searches. And in the U.S., country-specific data shows, many people asked Google about online trends like the word “demure” and “ mob wife aesthetic.”

You can find more country-specific lists, and trends from years past, through Google’s “Year in Search” data published online. The California company said it collected 2024 search results from Jan. 1 through Nov. 23 of this year.

Google isn’t the only one to publish an annual recap or top trends as 2024 draws to a close. Spotify Wrapped, for example, as well as Collins Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s words of the year, have offered additional reflections for 2024.

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