Just in time for National Work Zone Awareness Week, the Iowa Department of Transportation is launching a new website to keep motorists better informed on the location of major Iowa DOT construction projects that may impact travel. The site, www.iowadot.gov/travel.html#/highwayconstruction, lists interstate and state highway construction projects’ details.

For calendar year 2014, the Iowa Department of Transportation is anticipating approximately $700 million in repairs to Iowa’s state highway system. Cities and counties across the state will have numerous projects underway as well. Remember, in a work zone, a flagger has the same authority as a regulatory sign, so you can be cited for disobeying his or her directions.

Mark Bortle, the Iowa DOT’s traffic safety field engineer, says “We’re excited about the new website for a number of reasons. First, it will help the public get the information they need any time of the day or night. Of course, they can always call one of our offices, but sometimes that isn’t as convenient as just logging on. Launching the site just in time for Work Zone Awareness Week is just another reminder to keep an eye out for the many family members, friends, and neighbors out working on the roads. The work is being done to improve safety for all of us.”

Basic travel can also be found at www.511ia.org or call 511 (in Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide).

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — State prosecutors have requested a change of venue for the trial of a Council Bluffs doctor charged with sexually abusing a 5-year-old girl. Officials say in a motion filed Wednesday that it would be “difficult, if not impossible” to find a fair or impartial jury in Pottawattamie County because of Dennis Jones’ ties to the community. They also cited extensive media coverage of the case.

The Daily Nonpareil reports the Attorney General’s Office is handling the case because Jones served as an expert witness for the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office. Jones is accused of inappropriately touching a girl outside of his pediatrics practice and faces a second-degree sexual abuse charge. Court documents show authorities found child pornography during a search of Jones’ home. His attorneys maintain their client’s innocence.

The President of Casey’s General Stores today (Friday), recognized Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Shelby McCreedy for her selfless actions of stopping an attempted robbery at an Atlantic Casey’s convenience store, while off-duty.

Casey’s President/CEO Robert Myers presents a letter of gratitude to Special Agent Shelby McCreedy. (DPS Photo)

CEO Robert Myers presented Special Agent McCreedy with a framed letter of gratitude from Casey’s for what he says was “going above and beyond the call of duty.”

On January 29th, 2014, 22-year old Brady Thomas Salberg entered the Casey’s store and informed the cashier he had a weapon and demanded the money in the cash register.   Special Agent McCreedy noticed the incident unfolding, instructed people in the parking lot not to enter the store, and had her son call 911. Special Agent McCreedy entered the store and ordered Salberg to the floor and held him there until officers from the Atlantic Police Department arrived.

Salberg was taken into custody and charged with 2nd Degree Robbery, a Class C Felony.

A new health report finds nearly seven-percent of all Iowans have diabetes and the numbers are climbing every year. Chris Carmichael, national spokesman for the Tour de Cure, says the cause of diabetes is still a mystery, but both genetics and environmental factors like obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. “It’s a growing concern nationally,” Carmichael says. “Nearly 26-million people have diabetes and if this trend continues, by 2050, one in three adults will have diabetes.” In Iowa, the latest studies find six-point-nine percent of the population has diabetes, or about 207-thousand Iowans.

“Almost everybody has been touched by diabetes in some form, whether you have it yourself or a family member or a friend,” Carmichael says. “That’s why we need to get out, get active and raise some money to eventually find a cure that stops it.” Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Several bicycling fundraisers for diabetes research are planned in the coming months in Iowa and in the region.

“Go to diabetes.org/tour and you can find out all the information you need to know in order to get signed up and start fundraising for Tour de Cure events,” Carmichael says. Events include: May 31st in Omaha, June 7th in Clive, June 28th in Coralville and July 12th in Sioux Falls. Most have family-friendly rides as short as five or ten miles, with longer options of 20, 50 and 100 miles.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa Republican  Senator Chuck Grassley will hold five town hall meetings in Iowa during the week of April 14th, as part of his annual 99-county tour. Grassley has held a meeting in each of Iowa’s 99 counties at least once every year since he was first elected to the U.S. Senate. On April 14th, 15th and 16th, Grassley will be in Corning, Hamburg, Woodbine, Harlan and Audubon. The town meetings are open to the public.

Grassley starts off his day April 14th with an Adams County Town Meeting at Boz’ Kitchen (613 Davis Ave.) in Corning, from 7:30-to 8:30-a.m.  Later that afternoon, he’ll hold a Fremont County Town Meeting in the dining room at the George C. Grape Community Hospital in Hamburg. The meeting takes place from 3:30-to 4:30-p.m.

On April 15th, a Harrison County Town Meeting will be held from 2:45-to 3:45-pm at the Main Street Station (303 Walker St.), in Woodbine.  An hour later (4:45-to 5:45-pm), he’ll be in Harlan for a Shelby County Town Meeting at Shelby County DevelopSource (1901 Hawkeye Ave.) in Harlan.  And on April 16th, Grassley will hold an Audubon County Town Meeting in the Community Room at Audubon County Economic Development (800 Market St.), from 8-to 9-am.

Iowa’s senior Senator says “Representative government is a two-way street. It’s strengthened by dialogue between elected officials and the people we represent.” He added “I appreciate the opportunity to hold town meetings, answer questions and take comments.”