😁 Happy Friday!  The idea of switching schools to a 4-day week has become increasingly popular in some districts across the United States. While the 4-day school week has many clear advantages— cost savings, improved teacher morale, and potentially better student focus— there are significant challenges related to academic performance, equity, family logistics, and student well-being.

Weekend Weather:
Today 🌨️ Hi 27, Sat ☁️ Hi 31, Sun 🌨️ Hi 27, Mon ⛅️ Hi 15

B&A Club: 
🎂 Happy Birthday
Bruce Schulz -- Carroll
Ivy Hagge -- Westside (3 yrs)
Jason Sheeder -- Carroll
Kristi Jorgensen -- Carroll (68 yrs)
Madonna Schreck -- Carroll
🥂 Happy Anniversary
none reported

MARKETS FROM SHERWOOD

Mall mania continues: Owner of Aéropostale and Forever 21 merges with JCPenney

Investors have been pumping their cash into mall companies lately, as some retailers come back into fashion and investors tap into their nostalgia. That was on display again Wednesday, as JCPenney announced a merger with Sparc Group, the owner of brands including Lucky, Eddie Bauer, Aéropostale, Forever 21, and Brooks Brothers.

In 2020, JCPenney filed for bankruptcy and then got bought for $800 million by commercial real-estate juggernauts Simon Property and Brookfield. The new company, called Catalyst Brands, will now operate a combined 1,800 store locations, with 60,000 employees and $1 billion in liquidity.

The deal comes as mall foot traffic has started to pick up and some nostalgia-laced retailers are staging a comeback. Shares of Abercrombie & FitchANF $151.62 (-0.30%), for example, have surged about 60% over the past year after the company shifted to leaner store footprints and a more expansive clothing range. Rival American EagleAEO $16.52 (-1.14%) is back to ranking as a top brand pick for teens. And Build-A-BearBBW $42.50 (-8.17%) has been on a tear.

LOCAL NEWS

Carroll Knights Of Columbus Host Scholarship Soup Supper Saturday

The Knights of Columbus Charles Carroll Council #780 is taking care of dinner on Saturday night with the group’s annual soup supper fundraiser. The Knights will be serving from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Kuemper High School (KHS) cafeteria to coincide with the games against the East Sac County (ESC) Raiders. Grand Knight Jason Schwarte says they have another great spread for this year’s event. Scwharte says the Knights of Columbus use the money raised to support scholarships for local graduating seniors. Each scholarship is $300 to help offset a little of the cost for continuing education. Schwarte says that isn’t all the Knights have planned for January, as they have another joint fundraiser planned for the following weekend. That breakfast fundraiser runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, at the Greteman Center. The New Creation Pregnancy Center opened last January and serves as a pro-life resource for women in western Iowa who need assistance before and after their child’s birth. And again, the Knights of Columbus scholarship soup supper fundraiser is Saturday, Jan. 11, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Kuemper High School.

More Local Headlines

• District 6 Senator Jason Schultz Ready To Begin 17th Year In State Government

• Iowa HHS Officials Warn Of Rising Norovirus Outbreaks

• Sen. Ernst Named Senate Small Business Committee Chair For 119th Congress

AREA NEWS
Area headlines

 👮‍♂️ The Lake View City Council has approved of hiring a police officer, despite concern from council members on the distance he lives from Lake View. During Monday night city council meeting, it was approved to hire Officer Romeo Chavez from Alta, which is approximately 37 miles away from Lake View. Council members raised concerns over response times, asking if the 44-minute drive was going to be too long in case emergencies would arise. Lake View Police Chief George Athan says he is in favor of a one-hour response time, as when it comes to true emergencies, other agencies would step forward to assist. Athan says there are many police and county sheriff’s offices doing away with living requirements, or at least reviewing established restrictions once a year due to the difficulty of hiring qualified officers. Due to federal law, Athan says the city is kind of tied when it comes to setting living restrictions when it comes to hiring officers. rest of the story

🐺 The IKM-Manning District recently received a donation of nearly 400 personalized “Wolves” bags for students, thanks to the first fundraising efforts from the IKM-Manning Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). In October 2024, Karly Burmiester approached the district, hoping to get the very first PTO established. The non-profit organization would serve as an additional funding source through fundraising efforts to assist in covering the costs of supplies needed by teachers not allocated in the district’s general budget. In the first fundraising event, $7,000 was collected to purchase 385 personalized mesh tote bags for all PK through fifth-grade students for winter gear, sports equipment, and more. Burmeister says she is so thankful for everyone’s support and help for this first big fundraiser for the IKM-Manning PTO and is looking forward to seeing what else the group can assist the district in 2025. She encourages individuals to follow the IKM-Manning PTO Facebook page and to watch for meeting dates that will be scheduled very soon. Carroll Broadcasting will bring you more on the IKM-Manning PTO in future newscasts.

🚔️ A Halbur man found guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child was denied his motion for a new trial. According to Carroll County District Court records, 31-year-old John Mark Toyne was found guilty by a jury of one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child after allegedly engaging in sex acts with a juvenile female in the 200 block of N. Main Street in Halbur from Jan. 1, 2022, through Nov. 30, 2023. A motion for a new trial was filed on the grounds that the jury was exposed to information, such as cell phone images, the diary of the victim, etc., that should not have been known to the jury on the grounds of the prosecuting attorney committing misconduct, and grounds to support verdict is contrary to law or contrary to the weight of evidence. A district judge has denied Toyne’s request for a new trial, as he was given a fair trial and found guilty by a jury. Toyne’s sentencing hearing remains scheduled for Jan. 13 at the Carroll County Courthouse, where he faces a maximum sentence of up to 50 years in prison.

🚨 A Mapleton man faces up to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to child pornography charges. According to the U.S. Attorney General’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, 22-year-old Gregory William Douglas McCormick submitted his guilty plea to the federal court in Sioux City on Monday. McCormick admitted he knowingly received, distributed, and possessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) using the social media messaging app, Kik. Authorities say McCormick possessed over 120 images and seven videos, which included infants and toddlers. McCormick remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, pending his formal sentencing of up to 20 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, and supervised release following his prison term. The case was brought as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Project Safe Childhood with assistance from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Cyber Crime Bureau.

LOCAL SPORTS
PODCAST: Weekly Sports Recap and Preview with Area Coaches

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
Southridge, Merle Hay malls in the mix for indoor BMX park
by Linh Ta

Southridge and Merle Hay Malls are potential prime spots for a public indoor BMX race track, according to a new feasibility study commissioned by local cycling advocates.

Why it matters: The vision is a "world-class" indoor BMX race and pump track that can help people get active year-round, says Bobby Kennedy, a member of West Des Moines' Bicycle Advisory Commission and one of the project leads

• "It would be fun to have a better indoor space than just a gym," Kennedy tells Axios.

State of play: The feasibility study, conducted by CSL International, estimates the park would cost around $19.1 million, which would be raised through public and private funds, Kennedy says.

• The goal is to make the park accessible, affordable and usable for multiple sports, including skateboarding. full story

MORE STATE NEWS:

• University of Iowa study: Investors react positively to CEOs staying quiet on issues

• State and local leaders use federal COVID relief funds to improve access to child care across the state

• Iowa Dental Board agrees to license woman who stole $81,000

• Iowa State basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger discusses the Cyclones' substitution patterns

• PODCAST: Iowa AD Beth Goetz talks revenue sharing, Kirk Ferentz's successor, hoops apathy

MORE NEWS
What else!

• Calmer winds aid firefighters in Los Angeles as scope of devastation from wildfires comes into focus

• Trump has financial advisors changing their tune on crypto

• Photos: See the California wildfires' destructive force, in satellite images

• Tom Holland and Zendaya are engaged

• Stream WWE’s Monday Night Raw, Back in Action, The Recruit Season 2, and Selling the City.

WEEKEND
To Do List

✅UPCOMING: Look forward to these movies coming out this year!
✅GOOD USE: 20 snow activities for the whole family to enjoy all winter!
✅CATCH UP: A parent’s guide to teen slang.
✅TRY IT AT HOME: Lazy but genius life hacks!
✅WINTER BUCKET LIST: The best Winter attractions across Iowa.
✅READ: Weird, but true!
✅SATURDAY: 39th Annual Toy Tractor Show!
✅25 IN 2025: People, places, and things turning 25 this year!

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
In 1946, radar signals bouncing off the moon were detected for the first time.
-Britannica

GAMES
Ready…Get Set…Go

Time for Wrod Search: For those of you that wake up each morning wanting a challenge—how fast can you finished this quiz. Ready…get set…go.

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