NEWS CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO - Maintenance director Steve McAdoo was bestowed the gigantic pair of scissors to cut the ribbon, surrounded by district stakeholders. From left to right Ben Adams, John Cain, Elizabeth Dolezal, Beth Wiese, Matt Zmolek, Steve McAdoo, Kendall Jordan, Denise Fletcher, Rick Hopper, and Jennifer Nelson.

As the earth made its way around the sun for yet another time, the Tama-Toledo area made 2025 a year to remember. From the supervisors to the schools, things progressed and changed in our community this year. Here is a look back at the good and the bad in the biggest stories of 2025.

New STC middle school opens at former Iowa Juvenile Home; Potential buyers withdraw interest in purchasing old middle school property

After years of planning, setbacks, and construction, the South Tama County Community School District marked a major milestone in August with the ribbon cutting of its new middle school in Toledo, housed in the former Iowa Juvenile Home. Community members gathered on the site as Superintendent John Cain and other speakers reflected on the collaboration that brought the project to completion. School board members, district staff, community volunteers, and construction partners were recognized for their roles, with speakers emphasizing the persistence and teamwork required to move the project forward. Cain noted that the building represents a commitment to students and credited the many individuals who helped guide the district through the process.

The ribbon cutting capped a project that began with a failed bond referendum in 2020, when voters narrowly rejected a proposal to build a middle school addition at the high school. After reworking the plan, the district shifted its focus to repurposing the vacant Iowa Juvenile Home, an idea that earned overwhelming voter approval in 2022. By the end of August, construction was complete and the building was prepared to welcome students for the new school year.

The 110 year old STC Middle school became empty, and a potential buyer was identified as George Duncan and Southfork Premier Properties LLC. The school district saw a strong amount of pushback from the community and its leaders.

NEWS CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

The School Board held two public hearings on the topic and listened to comments from citizens. Eventually, the buyer pulled their offer to purchase the school. The school board, along with the members of the Toledo City Council, later held a meeting in order to discuss moving forward. All options for next steps with the old middle school are being explored at the moment. Whether finding a new buyer, demotion, or some other use for the property, the district is back at square one as the old middle school is concerned.

New supervisors bring new outlook to county government

At the start of 2025, some major changes came to Tama County’s local government. County Attorney Brent Heeren swore in Sheriff Casey Schmidt, County Auditor Karen Rohrs, and the new set of five supervisors. Chairman Mark Doland, along with Heather Knebel, David Turner, Curt Kupka, and Curt Hilmer, were sworn in, bringing the number of board members up from three to five.

Over the year, the new set of supervisors had many trials and tribulations, but made sure to do things their way. The board took on challenges from day one; one of the first items on their agenda was the ‘budget crisis’. The board cut funding and borrowed money in order to get to the end of the fiscal year. Chairman Doland spoke on the county’s budget in one meeting, saying, “This was planned to go in the hole $950,000. I don’t know why anybody would have approved this. It would either only be for two reasons, one, incompetence, or two that this was done intentionally. And we don’t know the answer to that.”

In a three-to-two decision, the board approved to terminate the employment of Tama County’s longtime human resources manager and insurance administrator, Tammy Wise. The board then hired the services of PJ Greufe & Associates LLC to take over the duties of the human resources director and insurance manager.

Bob Vokoun resigned as the weed commissioner and Planning and Zoning administrator and was replaced by Laura Wilson.

The supervisors were also sued by, fought against, and then settled with Salt Creek Wind. In court, in meetings, and in public hearings, the issue was talked about, negotiated, and ultimately taken care of.

Wind energy controversy continues in Tama County

The new look Tama County Board of Supervisors swept into office with a decidedly tougher attitude on the development of wind energy projects in the county, and the familiar topic once again dominated discussions at meetings and even inside local courtrooms in 2025.

On Jan. 6, the board unanimously passed a moratorium on new wind and solar projects in the county, which led to a lawsuit being filed by Salt Creek Wind LLC the following month as the company and its lawyers argued that they had already made “significant progress” on their 60-turbine project in the central part of the county.

On May 27, a court hearing was held regarding Salt Creek’s request for a temporary injunction against the Board’s enforcement of a construction stay on the project, and in September, after a marathon five-hour meeting and public hearing, the supervisors voted 3-2 against approving a settlement agreement that would allow the project to move forward while securing a $1.2 million payment to the county.

After further negotiations with Salt Creek Owner Sean Roberts, however, the supervisors voted unanimously to approve a revised settlement agreement on Sept. 22, and the project continues to proceed despite the bitter controversy it has generated over the last several years.

Cooper and Danker sentenced to life in prison for murder of Ryan Cooper

More than four years after the June 18, 2021 murder of rural Traer farmer and father Ryan Cooper, the lengthy criminal case surrounding his death reached its conclusion in 2025 with life without parole sentences for both individuals responsible.

In July, a Linn County jury found Karina Sue Cooper guilty of first-degree murder following an eight-day trial in Cedar Rapids that detailed months of planning, digital communication, and forensic evidence. Prosecutors argued that Cooper conspired with her then-lover, Huston William Danker, to orchestrate her husband’s killing, pointing to Snapchat messages, physical evidence from the crime scene, and witness testimony describing escalating hostility in the years leading up to Ryan’s death. The jury deliberated just over three hours before returning a unanimous guilty verdict. Cooper was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

That same sentence was delivered in October for Danker, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder shortly before his scheduled trial was set to begin in Johnson County. During his sentencing in Tama County District Court, Danker acknowledged his role in aiding and abetting the murder. He, too, received the mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. The case was later profiled in a Dateline NBC special titled “The Farmer’s Wife.”

Hometown Action Team raises $237,000 towards community infrastructure

The Safe Routes to School project reached a major milestone this year as the Hometown Action Team (HAT), local leaders, and community members celebrated the successful completion of the project’s fundraising campaign, officially moving the initiative from years of planning into its action phase. More than four years in the making, the project is designed to address long-standing concerns about unsafe crossings, incomplete sidewalks, and limited pedestrian connectivity for students and residents in the Tama-Toledo area. In just over 100 days, organizers raised more than $237,000 to meet the local match requirement, allowing the project to advance. The total cost of the project is nearly $1 million, with the Iowa Department of Transportation covering 80 percent of the expense and local fundraising fulfilling the required 20 percent match.

The project will establish continuous, accessible sidewalks along high-traffic routes frequently used by students, creating safer connections between neighborhoods, schools, and community spaces. Planned improvements include a sidewalk connection from the existing flashing beacon at Business Highway 30 to McClellan Street, linking the Toledo Aquatic Center and Tama City Park, then continuing along 15th Street to the elementary and high school. A pedestrian route will also connect to the new middle school. In addition, a pedestrian stoplight at Highway 63 and 15th Street has been approved, and the City of Tama has signed a contract with the DOT to begin engineering work on the signal. Surveys conducted during the grant process showed that 94 percent of STC parents do not currently allow their children to walk or bike to school due to safety concerns, despite more than 1,000 students living within two miles of a school.

Tama man killed in standoff with police, no charges filed against officer

A Tama man, later identified as 19-year-old Logan Kurth, was killed in an officer-involved shooting early on July 5 after the Tama and Toledo police departments and the Tama County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for a welfare check on an individual who was reported to be suicidal and in possession of a handgun, later determined to be a Glock style Airsoft gun “designed to look authentic,” in the 800 block of West 13th Street in Tama.

Almost three weeks after the incident, Kurth, a Class of 2024 STC High School graduate, was identified as the man who was killed, and the officer who fatally shot him, Lt. Nathan Wunn of the Toledo Police Department, was placed on critical incident leave pending an investigation by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

On Friday, Aug. 22, the AG’s office released its report determining that the shooting was justified, and no criminal charges were filed against Wunn after a grand jury was convened on Aug. 11.

“Wunn was justified in using deadly force against Logan Kurth. Kurth was reported to be acting erratically and armed with a handgun. He was making threats against himself and others, and officers had heard him threaten to burn down his grandmother’s house and then threaten to steal a car, endangering the public. When officers located Kurth he advanced directly toward them. He repeatedly ignored commands to drop his handgun and instead continued to advance on the officers, demanding that they shoot him. Despite that, they did not fire, instead adjusting their positions to give themselves cover. Once Kurth rounded the corner of the SUV, Lt. Wunn no longer had any cover. Even then, Wunn did not open fire until Kurth raised his arm and aimed his handgun directly at him. Wunn was justified in using deadly force to prevent the imminent threat against his own life and those of the other officers in the area,” the report concluded. “The Iowa Attorney General’s Office concludes that the officer’s actions were legally justified and that criminal charges are unwarranted. It considers the criminal investigation into this incident to be closed.”

STC sophomore Corbin Shuckahosee, mother Kathy dance in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Corbin Shuckahosee, a member of the Meskwaki Nation and a sophomore at South Tama County (STC) High School, recently enjoyed a rare opportunity to travel to New York City and showcase his fancy dance at the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade alongside his mother Kathy thanks to a connection with another Trojan alum, Larry Yazzie, the owner and founder of Native Pride Productions.

“I really felt that Kathy and Corbin were a perfect fit because of what they represent in the community and what they do in the community,” Yazzie said. “I really wanted to bring family and friends into this year’s Macy’s parade.”

Yazzie, who grew up on the Settlement and attended school with Corbin’s father Charlie before graduating from STC in 1985, is now based in Jacksonville, Fla. He has performed at the Macy’s parade twice before, including in 2013 with Tyler Lasley, a fellow resident of the Settlement.

“I always make sure to come back to my community just to be part of the community with the ceremonies and our local powwows and just supporting family and our community as well,” Yazzie said.

He started Native Pride Productions about 20 years ago, and Yazzie said that for this year’s parade, the Macy’s producers hoped to highlight the multigenerational aspect of Native dancing. Both Corbin and Kathy have been dancing for almost all of their lives — Corbin did the men’s traditional last Thursday, and Kathy the women’s appliqué — so they were a natural fit when Yazzie was seeking performers.

“It’s pretty cool. It’s quite an honor to be asked, and I’m thankful that he did ask. I’m for sure grateful,” Kathy said.

Corbin added that he never dreamt of dancing on such a large stage.

“You don’t really feel it until you get there, so (I was) nervous and excited,” he said.

Tama-Toledo Christian School opens to students

The Tama-Toledo Christian School opened its doors for the 2025-2026 school year, marking the culmination of more than a year of planning, renovation, and community fundraising. The non-denominational K-8 school is housed in the former Catholic church at 600 Oswego St. in Tama, a building that sat vacant for more than two decades before being repurposed into classrooms, offices, and shared learning spaces.

When the school opened, 33 students were enrolled across multiple grade levels. Staffing included three full-time teachers and one paraeducator, with an additional staff member scheduled to join in January. School leaders reported that the opening months went smoothly overall, though the transition was busy as staff and students adjusted to new routines. Board President Dean Fisher noted that students adapted well both academically and to the school’s spiritual instruction, and interest in enrollment continued even after the school year began, with several mid-year enrollment requests received.

Tama County Caffeine Options

Two new coffee shops opened in Tama County this year, adding both a national brand and a locally driven business to the options for caffeine consumers.

In February, a full-service Starbucks opened inside the Meskwaki Bingo Casino and Hotel, marking one of the newest Starbucks builds in Iowa. Casino officials said the addition has drawn strong traffic and expanded the property’s appeal beyond gaming, offering guests a place to meet, relax, or stop in without stepping onto the casino floor. The location features modern upgrades not found at many area stores, including rapid single-brew coffee machines and a digital order status board, while also serving as a gathering space for tribal members, casino guests, and visitors from across the region.

In October, Holy Grounds Coffee opened its doors in Toledo, bringing a locally focused, faith-based coffee shop to the community. Holy Grounds offers espresso drinks alongside an expanded food menu, kid-friendly spaces, and plans for community meeting rooms. Emphasizing connection and service, the business aims to become a hub for teachers, first responders, families, and local residents. Holy Grounds hopes to give back to the community, one cup at a time!

Brian vs Brian

It was a battle for the ages. A competition like no other. Ali vs Foreman, Tyson vs Holyfield, Billie Jean King vs Bobby Riggs, Spartacus vs Rome, all of these have been turned to dust and reduced to ashes in comparison to the town vs town, mayor vs. mayor event that will be shouted about in history classes and whispered about from generation to generation, the phenomenon forever known as Brian vs. Brian.

This town vs town bout, the battle, the cage rattler of a knock-down-drag-out dunk tank onslaught was watched by large groups of citizens with glee. The event saw some issues, as the tank had to be moved inside due to the weather, but that didn’t stop the festivities. Whether it was to work off a little pent-up acrimony over a pothole or because it was for a good cause or just for fun, citizens of all ages came to try and dunk the mayors. After every splash down that resulted in water cascading onto the cement floor of the firehouse next to a caution slippery when wet sign, the mayors would wipe their wet eyes, then, like Sisyphus with the boulder, they’d reset their seat and ascend again.

In the end, Toledo Mayor Brian Sokol won the day by raising a whopping $1,245, compared to Tama Mayor Brian Hanus’ $182 during the annual Lincoln Highway Bridge Festival in Tama. All of the money raised was donated to the Safe Routes to School initiative.

Ten stories can’t capture all that happened in 2025, but it shows how big this year was. From the tragic to the encouraging, Tama-Toledo has had an eventful year. Hopefully, 2026 will bring more good fortune and delightful times for our community.