😁 Happy Friday!  Over 119 million Americans are expected to travel (50 miles or more) for Christmas and New Year’s this year. With nearly 90% of those holiday travelers driving to their destinations, it’s worth noting that gas prices are lower this holiday season than last year.

-Axios

Weekend Weather:
Today 🌤️ Hi 23, Sat ⛅️ Hi 31, Sun 🌤️ Hi 39, Mon 🌤️ Hi 43

B&A Club: 
🎂 Happy Birthday
Joyce Masching -- Carroll (80 yrs)
MaKenna Koster -- Breda (4 yrs) - KKRL
Mary Schreck -- Willey (65 yrs)
Neal R. -- Roselle
Wade Ragaller -- Westside (18 yrs) - KIKD
🥂 Happy Anniversary
None Reported

MARKETS FROM SHERWOOD Snacks
Amazon delays its full-time RTO because it doesn't have enough office space
 

Order more office?… Amazon’sAMZN $225.27 (-4.62%) struggling to deliver on its 5 day/week in-office mandate. In September, it ordered its 350K+ corporate employees to be back in the office full time by January. Update: the ecomm leader reportedly told staff in Atlanta, Houston, Nashville, and New York to cool their RTO heels. Apparently, Amazon doesn’t have enough desk space for its white-collar workers. Business Insider reported that Amazon told some employees to stay away until May, and it’s unclear how (or if) the company intends to solve its space problem. Amazon’s said to be bailing on office construction plans and breaking leases to save $1.3B.

• Backdoor layoffs? Amazon’s mandate was criticized by employees, some of whom said it was a sneaky way to cut headcount while avoiding layoffs. Nearly 75% of employees are said to have considered quitting because of the rule.

• Primed for problems: Amazon’s struggled with square footage before. When it announced a required 3 days/week in the office last year, it was also short on space. rest of the story

LOCAL NEWS

‘I Saw The Sign’ Business Owner Graduate Of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program

One of the owners of I Saw The Sign LLC in Carroll is a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program graduate through Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). Chelsea Bissen was one of 31 entrepreneurs graduating from the 12th cohort of this program, being equipped with tools to help small businesses succeed from challenges that are faced by many small businesses across the state. Participants worked one-on-one with a business advisor to help develop skills to recognize opportunities and create a personalized plan to grow their business and take it to the next level. Bissen says this program has been life-changing, and a large take away from it was dreaming big and having the confidence to believe in yourself and your business. She says big things are coming soon to I Saw The Sign and looks forward to introducing them to customers very soon. She highly recommends this cohort to any small business and will talk to anyone about her experiences if they want to learn more. The complete list of graduating small business owners is included here.

More Local Headlines

• Iowa State Bank Doantes $30,000 Towards Sauk Rail Trail Project

• CCSD Signs Settlement Stipulation To Avoid Further Legal Action From Graphite Construction

• DIFS Financial Literacy Director Discusses Smart Savings When Spending Money This Holiday Season

• CCSD Board Of Education Approves New Student Conduct Policy On Busses

• DNR Urges Caution As Ice Fishing Season Nears

AREA NEWS
Area headlines

🏞️ The City of Sac City has received a generous donation of over 21 acres of woodlands from the United Bank of Iowa, a gift expected to enhance the city's parks, expand outdoor recreation opportunities, and conserve natural resources. The property is located in the northeast section of town on the east side of the North Raccoon River. Mayor Scott Bundt says, "We are incredibly grateful to United Bank of Iowa for this extraordinary donation. This land will be a tremendous asset to our community, providing a space for residents and visitors to connect with nature, enjoy outdoor activities, and create lasting memories." The donated land features mature woodlands ideal for hiking, birdwatching, mountain biking, and other recreational activities. City officials intend to integrate the land into its existing park system, potentially adding trails, picnic areas, and other facilities while prioritizing environmental conservation. City Administrator Jamie Lawrence says, "This donation is a testament to the commitment of the United Bank of Iowa to our community. We are proud to partner with such a valued institution to enhance the quality of life for our residents." The donated land has an estimated assessed valuation of nearly $1 million.

🚔️ A Manning man has turned himself in at the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office after violating his pre-trial release conditions while awaiting his sentencing hearing for sexual abuse charges. According to Carroll County District Court Records, 38-year-old Michael William Alexander turned himself in on a warrant for violating his pre-trial release by leaving a program he was directed to attend, failing to keep scheduled appointments, and remaining in contact with PO officer. Alexander was initially charged with two counts of third-degree sexual abuse of a child, class C felonies, for sexually abusing a thirteen-year-old back in 2019. Due to the special sentencing of a minimum of 85 percent of a life sentence, Alexander entered a plea agreement for two counts of lascivious acts with a child, a class C felony. Alexander is currently being held at the Carroll County Jail on a $10,000 cash-only bond in the defendant’s name only while awaiting a hearing scheduled for Jan. 13, 2025.

🦝 The North Raccoon River watershed will be part of a new partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), the Iowa Soybean Association, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service focused on water quality. According to Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, the partnership will coordinate efforts to work with farmers and landowners in the targeted areas to implement at least 30 multi-purpose oxbows, 21 saturated buffers, and 900+ acres of perennial cover in its initial phase. Alongside the North Racoon River Watershed, which encompasses the eastern half of Sac County, nearly all of Calhoun County, a portion of northeast Carroll County, and most of Greene County, the Boone, Skunk, Middle Cedar, and Turkey River watersheds are part of phase one. Naig says, “Our more than 350 public and private partners are key to getting more water quality practices implemented across all of Iowa’s landscapes, and I am grateful to the Iowa Soybean Association and U.S. Fish and Wildlife for working with us on this project to keep the momentum building. This project, and others like it, prove collaborating is key to making meaningful progress.” IDALS will contribute $1.4 million for outreach and design costs, with ISA and USFWS providing $933,682 in matching funds. The agreement runs through June 2027.

LOCAL SPORTS
PODCAST: Weekly Sports Recap and Preview

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 previews the match up for the week ahead. If don’t follow this podcast yet, you should, get in depth dialogue from our area coaches by clicking here.

More Sports:

• Sports Schedule

• Brincks Exteriors Sports Reports

• Brincks Cabinets + Design Athlete Spotlight 🆕 

• Macke Motors Photo Gallery

• Motor Inn Player of the Game

• Outlaw Graphics Regional Player of the Week

• St. Anthony Athletes of the Week 

• Teamwork with Olsen’s Outdoor Power

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!

STATE NEWS
Iowa's sports betting hits record $2.6 billion

Jason Clayworth

Iowans have placed a record $2.6 billion in legal sports bets during the fiscal year that ended in June.

Why it matters: Missouri could siphon some of that revenue away after voters legalized sports betting there last month.

Catch up quick: Iowa launched sports gambling in 2019, soon after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a law that made it illegal in most states.

• Iowa's bets have so far generated almost $45 million in state taxes, which are deposited into a state fund that helps pay for gambling addiction treatment programs, philanthropic projects and tax incentives for charitable giving. rest of the story

MORE STATE NEWS:

• Iowa invests in industry-favored farm pollution fix that doesn’t fix much

• Trump lawsuit targeting Register’s Iowa Poll is off base

• Even in ‘successful’ cases, federal funding for rural homeless students falls short

• Iowa State football's team-first culture makes opting out not an option

• Iowa can stay on realistic NCAA Tourney track with win vs. Utah

MORE NEWS
What else!

• Sammy Sosa appears to acknowledge PED use and apologizes. Cubs welcome him back into fold

• Big Lots closing all stores, liquidation sales starting soon

• Starbucks workers say they will begin a strike in 3 cities on Friday

• On Virgin River, the Scenery Is Just as Dramatic as the Storylines

• Jelly Roll shares video for ‘Run It’ from ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ film

WEEKEND
To Do List

✅GIFT EXCHANGE: Shake up the way your family opens gifts this season!
✅FOR THE FOODIES: What would YOU bring to the function?
✅WATCH: Get in the Holiday spirit with the best Christmas movies of 2024.
✅STAY IN: Family activities you can do at home as the temperatures drop.
✅RECIPES: A list of the most delicious appetizers for your next Holiday party!
✅LAST MINUTE: Survive the last few days before Christmas with these tips!
✅FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: Check out the Festival of Lights at Swan Lake before it’s too late.

HOLIDAY HISTORY
Alabama was the first state to officially recognize Christmas in 1836, and Oklahoma was the last in 1907.
-Good Housekeeping