(Clarinda, Iowa) – Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers says “With the weather forecast for later this week, the Clarinda Police Department would like to remind the citizens of Clarinda about the snow ordinance. The ordinance states that; no person shall park any motor vehicle or other apparatus upon any street of the city that will obstruct the removal of snow when there has been an accumulation of two (2) inches or more.

Any vehicle left parked on any street in violation of this ordinance may be impounded, and the registered owner of the vehicle will be subject to a $30.00 parking fine, and payment of all applicable towing and storage fee before the vehicle is released.

The parking ban remains in effect until the snow ceases to fall and the streets have been plowed from curb to curb.”

(Radio Iowa) – It’s the time of year when some Iowans like to pack the family into the van at dusk, switch the radio to Christmas music, and drive around town taking in the colorful holiday light displays. Triple-A-Iowa spokeswoman Meredith Mitts says if you’ll be making the rounds, remember to follow the rules of the road — and don’t stop dead on the street to take selfies. “As you’re looking at the lights, whether they’re in a residential area or a little bit more high traffic, there are still pedestrians and other drivers around,” Mitts says. “You need to remain focused about driving on the road and if you want to enjoy the lights, make sure you find a place where you can safely pull over.”

Some spectacular holiday displays may rival Clark Griswold’s house, but while the lights are beautiful to look at, they can also be a dangerous distraction. “Make sure everybody in the car is buckled up — you are still out on the road and things happen,” Mitts says. “Make sure the driver is staying focused on the road and that you are constantly scanning the area for bicyclists, pedestrians, any young children who might be playing in the snow. And then, make sure someone other than the driver is taking photos.” Many Iowa communities have professionally-lit light displays in parks, golf courses, arboretums and other locations. Some are walk-through shows, but those that are the drive-through style demand drivers stay vigilant so the jolly mood isn’t wrecked by a fender bender.

“A lot of these places have lots of vehicles so make sure you’re keeping an eye on the vehicle ahead of you and going whatever the posted speed limit is,” Mitts says. “Also, remember to turn your lights back on when you are leaving the park because generally, they have you turn them off as you’re going through the park so you can enjoy the lights better.”

She suggests you make sure to have the appropriate winter gear in the car in the event of a roadside emergency. The kit should include things like: blankets, water and snacks, a flashlight with fresh batteries, tools, a shovel, an ice scraper, jumper cables, sand and a first aid kit.

(Radio Iowa) – Des Moines Police have made another arrest in the deadly drag racing accident that took place Dec. 13th. Police say they arrested 47-year-old Keith Eric Jones of Des Moines on Monday on charges relating to the drag-racing crash that killed a four-year-old boy and injured three others. Police say the racing reached speeds of up to 100 miles an hour before the crash. Another man, 35-year-old Robert Miller III was arrested on Thursday.

(Radio Iowa) – The acquisition of land in Minnesota could help boost the water quality in northwest Iowa’s Spirit Lake. The Spirit Lake Protective Association’s, John Smeltzer, says he’s been worried for a decade about the amount of sediment being pumped from the cropland north of the lake — and that’s why they’ve partnered with a Minnesota conservation organization to buy the 195 acres to restore it to wetland and prairie.

“Cause Iowans drink this water. Iowans come to this area to birdwatch to enjoy the wildlife. And also to know that the wildlife is being cared for,” Smeltzer says. The watershed protection project is expected to decrease phosphorus and nitrogen deposits by 85 percent. Smeltzer says it also will restore habitat for diverse types of waterfowl, like trumpeter swans and Sandhill cranes. Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation communications director Joe Jayjack says the hope is to significantly reduce the amount of runoff that makes its way from the often flooded parcel of land.

“It’s a place for this water to go into to slow down, have the plants that are naturally occurring in these wetland areas pull out a lot of those nutrients and clean the water before it can go into these bigger lake systems,” he says. Jayjack estimates it will take two to three years until the natural habitat is restored. The land will then become a Waterfowl Production Area and be managed by the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service.

(reporting By Kendall Crawford, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds and two dozen other Republican governors are urging President Biden to end the national public health emergency for COVID in April.

Ending the national public health emergency will mean emergency Medicaid insurance coverage for millions of Americans will end. In Iowa, Medicaid enrollment is 48% higher than before the pandemic. Reynolds and the other governors say some individuals are no longer eligible for Medicaid coverage under traditional rules, but the national public health emergency is keeping them in the program and that’s negatively impacting states’ budgets.

Reynolds ended her own statewide public health emergency in February and she says it’s time for the federal government to do the same.

President Trump declared COVID a national emergency in March of 2020. President Biden has extended the order through next month and is expected to extend it again through April. Reynolds and the 24 other GOP governors are asking Biden to let the pandemic declaration expire at that time.

(Radio Iowa) – A company that makes a nasal spray that reverses opioid overdoses is pushing to expand access to the medication in Iowa. Larry Lanier is a lobbyist for Emergent Biosolutions, which manufacturers the opioid reversal drug naloxone and sold under the brand name NARCAN. “Our country’s in the midst of an epidemic right now that’s invading our communities, our neighborhoods, our families,” he says. “It’s taking the lives of our citizens and, even worse, it’s killing our children.”

Iowa law lets pharmacists dispense naloxone without a prescription, but the pharmacy keeps a record of who gets it, which could discourage people from picking up a kit. Other states let non-profits, businesses and other organizations register to distribute naloxone kits anonymously. Lanier is asking Governor Reynolds and Iowa lawmakers to adopt that policy.

“There are community organizations that are very good at that. It’s called secondary distribution,” Lanier says. “As we move into 2023, we look forward to an opportunity to converse and collaborating with you, Governor Reynolds, and with the legislature to talk about ways that we can increase community distribution in Iowa.”

Lanier made his comments during an online forum hosted by Governor Reynolds. In 2021, 258 Iowans died of an opioid overdose — a 21 percent increase from the year before.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests, and an injury accident. Those taken into custody include:

• On Sunday, Dec. 18: 35-year-old Kyle Lee Davis, of Glenwood, for OWI/2nd offense ($2,000 bond).
• On Saturday, 40-year-old Kandall Omax Brown, of Omaha, for Domestic Abuse Assault (No Bond), and
• on Dec. 14th, 52-year-old Bryan Allen Dennis, of Omaha, on a warrant for Failure to Appear ($2,000 bond).

The sheriff’s office said also, 43-year-old Brian Doyle, of Imogene, was transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital by an unknown individual, after the 2007 Jeep Doyle was driving hit a patch of ice as he was westbound in the 36000 block of Noyes Avenue,  on Dec. 13th. The Jeep rolled over into a waterway culvert. The accident happened at around 9:30-a.m.

Authorities say he was driving too fast for the weather conditions and lost control of the vehicle. He was cited for Failure to Maintain control.

The were two other accidents reported, one of which was on the 13th, the other on the 15th. No injuries were reported in either incident.

ATLANTIC, IA (December 19, 2022) – Due to a winter storm predicted for Thursday, the in-person Christmas Market has been cancelled for 2022. All pre-orders for Christmas Market can be picked up from the Cass County Community Center on Wednesday, December 21, from 3-7 PM. Christmas Market continues to accept pre-orders through December 20 at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com, however some vendors will stop taking new orders Monday night, December 19, in order to have time to prepare for Wednesday’s pickup.

Any shopper who has placed a pre-order for Christmas Market who cannot pickup on Wednesday, December 21, should email or call Produce in the Park Market Manager Brigham Hoegh at produceintheparkatlanticiowa@gmail.com or 712-249-5870.

There was much excitement for the free kids’ activities, including a bounce house and crafts, that were planned for Christmas Market at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA. Sweetheart Market will be held at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA on Saturday, February 11 from noon to 3:00 PM. The YMCA will offer a free bounce house and craft fun for kids at that market.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County say there were two accidents late last week (In addition to the previously reported accident involving 16-year-old Colby Waltz, of Bagley). Authorities say at around 4:30-p.m. Friday, a two vehicle accident occurred in front of 610 McPherson Street, in Casey. An investigation revealed a 2012 Dodge RAM pickup driven by 45-year-old Amber M. Shearer, of Casey, was backing out of a parking spot. She failed to notice a legally parked 2014 Chevy Impala and backed into the car, causing $5,000 damage to the Impala. No injuries were reported. Shearer was cited for Failure to provide proof of financial liability (accident insurance), and for Unsafe backing on a Highway.

And, at around 4:42-p.m. Thursday, a 2008 Ford F250 super Duty pickup driven by 20-year-old Trenten Lee Custer, of Jefferson, was traveling east on Highway 141 in Guthrie County, when he tapped the brakes as he was approaching the intersection with Oak Avenue. The pickup went out of control and slid into the north ditch, near Oak Avenue. The vehicle struck the ditch, hit a culvert and flipped onto the driver’s side, causing $15,000 damage. There were no injuries reported, and no citations issued, as the road was covered by snow and blowing snow.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s tourism industry is urging the governor and state legislature to maintain state spending on programs that promote Iowa as a place to visit or live. Chelsea Lerud of Burlington is executive director of Iowa Travel Industry Partners or I-TIP. “We cannot rest on our past successes and I-TIP pledges to be a partner to the state,” she says, “showcasing all the wonderful things we are doing.”

Tourism-related spending by the state is at historic levels this year, according to Lerud. “Each of these programs have contributed to the growth of our state and it’s helped to attract and retain Iowans,” she says.

Lerud’s group is urging lawmakers to budget another nine MILLION dollars for state parks as well as one-and-a-half MILLION dollars for the state tourism office. Those are the spending levels in the current year. Lerud says there’s another one-and-a-half MILLION for tourism marketing and strategic planning by the Iowa Economic Development Authority in this year’s budget that her group would like to see continued next year, as well as another 10 MILLION dollars worth of grants for community attractions. According to a state report, there were about 65-thousand jobs in Iowa’s tourism industry last year and travelers spent more than six BILLION dollars while visiting Iowa in 2021.