Pictured from left are Blackhawk Bank and Trust President Chris Lemon ('80), Senior Vice President Scott Beeler ('98), Vice President Angie Peterson Bigham ('03), and Director of Marketing Ashely Owens Horberg ('12)

DES MOINES, IOWA (January 21, 2025) — The Iowa Court of Appeals has reselected Judge Mary Tabor, Des Moines, as chief judge. At the first meeting in each odd-numbered year, the judges of the court of appeals by majority vote designate one judge as chief judge, to serve for a two-year term. Chief Judge Tabor has served on the court of appeals since 2010 and was first elected chief judge in 2024 when Chief Judge Thomas Bower retired.

BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA (January 17, 2025) — South Dakota State University announces Rhett Schaefer of Walcott, Iowa, has been named to the Dean's List for the fall 2024 semester.

Schaefer is a student in SDSU's Jerome J Lohr College of Engineering.

DES MOINES, IOWA (January 16, 2025) — Governor Kim Reynolds has released the Families First Bill to the Iowa House and Senate.

Gov Reynolds is proposing four weeks of paid maternity leave and one week of paid paternity leave for state employees.

Gov Reynolds is also proposing four weeks of paid leave for state employees who adopt a child. Currently, the state offers no paid parental leave to its employees who are caring for a new child.