😁 Happy Friday! If February had a personality, it would be the friend who can’t decide what to wear and shows up in both flip-flops and a parka. This week gave us a little taste of Spring with sunshine and almost 60-degree days— just enough to get our hopes up, only to remind us that it’s still winter with below freezing temps back in the forecast this weekend. The good news? Spring is just 28 days away, so hang in there.

Weekend Weather:
Today ☀ Hi 30, Sat 🌦 Hi 31, Sun ☀ Hi 28, Mon ⛅ Hi 29

B&A Club:
🎂 Happy Birthday
Tom Willenborg -- Dedham
Mollie Leiting -- Westside (18 yrs)
Brittany Behrens -- Carroll (28 yrs)
Terry Huffman -- Audubon
🥂 Happy Anniversary
none reported

With a second Lombardi Trophy behind it, the franchise could fetch a record-breaking $8 billion, per execs.

Millie Giles

After weeks of speculation, and even less time from a Super Bowl win, the Seattle Seahawks have officially been put up for sale, the Paul G. Allen Estate confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.

Having defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 to win the team’s second-ever NFL title on February 8, the Seahawks are now underway with a sales process that’s expected to continue through the 2026 offseason, per CNBC.

Following the death of longtime owner Paul Allen — who bought the Seahawks for $200 million nearly 30 years ago — the franchise was placed in a trust in 2018, headed by the Microsoft cofounder’s sister, Jody Allen, with a directive that it would eventually be sold and the proceeds given to charity.

It’s worth pointing out that league rules require an individual, rather than a group or trust, be the controlling owner of a franchise, leading to reports that the Seahawks were hit with a $5 million fine for their current structure. The NFL commissioner has since denied the fine reports.

Of course, with the way sports team valuations (especially in the NFL) have soared in the years since Allen’s initial investment, the Seahawks will fetch many magnitudes more than they did in 1997, when the takeover bid helped the team out of a particularly turbulent passage in its history.

Given that Forbes was already valuing the team at $6.7 billion by the end of 2025 — before they had a second Super Bowl win to their name — the franchise could likely end up with one of the biggest price tags in sporting history. Indeed, the 2025 valuation had already put the Hawks as the joint 21st-most-valuable sports team in the world alongside NBA team the Boston Celtics... though this was still about half the value of the Dallas Cowboys, which has held Forbes’ top spot for 10 consecutive years.

But, in light of another Lombardi Trophy on the shelf at Lumen Field, the sale looks poised to break the NFL record for a franchise purchase, with a team exec telling ESPN that the deal could fetch up to $8 billion. The current record was set in 2023, when the Washington Commanders were sold for $6.05 billion.

Hunters, outdoorsmen, and conservationists will gather this weekend in Arcadia for the Carroll County Pheasants Forever Banquet. The 2026 festivities will be held on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Arcadia Legion Hall. Chris Van Dyke, who serves on the local organization’s board, says they have another wonderful evening planned for attendees. Organizers are excited to announce they’ve partnered with Glidden’s Dairy Mart to provide dessert for this year’s meal. The highlight of the banquet each year is the auction, and Van Dyke says there is a tremendous slate of live and silent auction items to bid on, ranging from hunting gear to patriotic artwork. Carroll County Pheasants Forever President John Danner says tickets are easy to get ahold of and you don’t need to be a hunter to join in Saturday’s fun. A portion of annual membership dues is sent to the national organization for administration and advocacy, but all the money raised at the Carroll County Pheasants Forever banquet, outside of dues, is used locally, and Van Dyke says they use those funds in a variety of ways. Again, the 2026 Carroll County Pheasants Forever banquet is this Saturday at the Arcadia Legion Hall.

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💸 Western Iowa Networks (WIN) is donating $75,000 to support construction of the new Crawford County YMCA facility in Denison, company officials announced. The Breda-based communications provider’s contribution to the nearly $19 million project is the latest in the company’s long-standing history of supporting communities in its service area. WIN CEO Jeff Roiland says, “The Crawford County YMCA will be an incredible resource for families across the region. We are honored to support a facility that will promote youth development, healthy living, and social connections for generations to come.” The new facility will offer expanded programming and modern amenities designed to meet the needs of Crawford County residents. YMCA Director Trevor Cast says, “We are incredibly grateful for the generous support of Western Iowa Networks and their investment in the Crawford County YMCA. This donation reflects what makes our community so special: local businesses stepping up to make a lasting and meaningful impact. Partnerships like this strengthen our ability to expand access to youth programs, wellness initiatives, family activities, and so much more. Their commitment is truly an investment in the people and future of Crawford County, helping ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive at the YMCA.“ The new facility is nearing completion and is expected to open soon.

🌳 Sac County Conservation is looking to expand its environmental education program for both youth and adults and is asking for public feedback. The online survey consists of three questions, giving opinions and requests on the Knee High Naturalist program for children 2-5 who have not started kindergarten and crafts at the center which occurs monthly. The third question asks on public programs and what more the community would be interested in attending, such as adult-only events, hiking, trivia, etc. All questions ask on preferred time and day for the programs to try to bring in more individuals to participate. The survey can be accessed online using the link including here.

💵 Agriland FS donates over $4,000 to Audubon Fire and Rescue from its Fuel Up and Give Back pilot program. From Oct. 2025 through Jan. 2026, three cents of every gallon of fuel purchased at the Audubon FAST STOP was directly donated to the fire department that can be utilized for a wide variety of purchases that would best benefit the department. A check for $4,663 was presented to the department on Feb. 10 between the varsity basketball games at the Audubon Community School District High School. Audubon Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Tyler Thygesen says “thank you to AGRILAND FS and everyone who fueled up to give back to our department. Proceeds from this campaign will help support our new fire station project which will help us better serve and protect the Audubon community.” AGRILAND FS has 18 FAST STOP locations across southern Iowa and northwest Iowa and after seeing success from this initiative will be launching a new phase of the program that will impact local community school districts. Director of Energy at AGRILAND FS Ross Knobloch says “The Fuel Up & Give Back program has been a great opportunity for our community fire departments. It became clear that our customers found value in the program and have been supportive of it. As a local business, we are proud we could give back to the Audubon Fire & Rescue, and we look forward to kicking off phase three of the Fuel Up & Give Back program and supporting our communities that fuel up at our FAST STOP locations.” Phase three will begin on March 1 and run until June 30.

Wendl’s Weapons Indoor Range has created this special feature to honor local veterans in a meaningful way and so we can celebrate them for their years of service and dedication for protecting our freedoms. Each month there will be a special featured veteran that will be highlighted right here on this page, plus you will see it on Carroll Broadcasting’s social media accounts, and hear about it when there is a new feature. But we also want your participation as well. Please take a moment to nominate a veteran that you would like to highlight using the simple form below. Together with Wendl’s Weapons Indoor Range let’s recognize our local veterans in a way that our local communities can acknowledge them in an impactful way by highlighting their Branch of Service, Year’s of Service, Photos and their Story. NOMINATION FORM

At the start of each week the Carroll Broadcasting Sports Network Crew catches up with area high school coaches to recap their previous weeks events and preview the match ups that are happening for the week ahead. Listen here and subscribe.

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If you want the latest local sports anytime when you want it, download our APP to read, listen, and watch everything our local sports department has to offer!

The House Agriculture Committee advanced a bill Thursday aimed at ensuring Iowa farmers can make their own repairs on agricultural equipment. 

House Study Bill 751 would require agricultural equipment manufacturers to make documentation, parts, software, firmware and tools available at “fair and reasonable terms and costs” to independent repair facilities and equipment owners. 

The bill was introduced by the committee chair, Rep. Derek Wulf, R-Hudson, who said the farm economy needs more “problem solvers.” 

“Farmers are our best problem solvers, they’re known for self reliance,” Wulf said. “If something breaks, farmers want to be able to fix it themselves whenever possible. This bill certainly gives them that ability.” 

Wulf brought forward an amendment, which the committee adopted, that he said addressed concerns raised by equipment dealers about some of the “pricing mechanisms” in the bill.

As introduced, the bill explains that the mechanisms required for repair should be offered to equipment owners or independent repair shops at terms that are “equivalent” to those offered to authorized repair providers and at “costs that are no greater than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.”   

Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, said the bill would help to “balance things out” between farmers and equipment manufacturers. 

Farmers and the Federal Trade Commission have launched lawsuits against equipment manufacturers claiming the manufacturers have made increasingly sophisticated equipment that requires specific tools that are only available at dealerships. Farmers argue this means breakdowns take longer and are more expensive to repair. 

Earlier in the session, the House Agriculture Committee advanced a bill that would similarly allow farmers to repair their own equipment, though that bill, House File 2529, applied specifically to diesel engine repairs. 

Rep. Dave Sieck, R-Glenwood, said in the committee meeting Thursday that HSB 751 was “still sort of a work in progress” but he voted to advance the bill. 

HSB 751 was approved by the committee with a vote of 18-5. Reps. Jon Dunwell, Kenan Judge, Norlin Mommsen, Elizabeth Wilson and Jeff Cooling voted against the bill. 

The House Agriculture Committee additionally voted to advance House File 2444, a bill that would create new licensing permits for farm-to-table events, expand the permissible sales of raw milk and allow cottage foods to be sold in grocery stores.

The bill passed with a vote of 17-6.

More State Headlines:

✅IOWA NICE: Things Iowans do that no one else understands.

✅INTENTIONAL: Strategic naps act like a “reset” button for the brain and body.

✅LAUGH A LITTLE: Stress relief from laughter is no joke.

✅HYDRATION CHECK: Winter air is sneaky-drying. Make it a goal to drink an extra glass of water today.

✅ENTER TO WIN: Iowa Winters are wild… prove it! Enter your wildest Iowa Winter story for a chance to win.

✅ALL WEEKEND: Winter Blowout SALES at Carroll Design & Salvage!

✅SATURDAY: “Night at the Museum” hosted by the Carroll Children’s Museum!

✅SUNDAY: Brunch, Bubbles, & Bingo at The Local 712!

-Pop Culture History

Word Search: For those of you that wake up each morning wanting a challenge —how fast can you complete this word search. Ready, set, go.

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