(Radio Iowa) – Forecasters say wintry weather will return to Iowa’s northwestern half on Tuesday and it’ll mean slow-going for traffic with two-to-four inches of snow possible along with a light glazing of ice. Meteorologist Brad Small, at the National Weather Service, says a Winter Weather Advisory is posted from 6 A-M to 6 P-M Tuesday for seven counties in the far northwest corner of the state.  “The snow will begin during the overnight hours early Tuesday morning and then continue for much of the day and mainly affect northwest and north-central Iowa, with even higher amounts farther north into Minnesota,” Small says. “Central Iowa will only see light snow amounts and southeast Iowa will see little or nothing.”

The pre-winter storm could have a significant impact on the roads and travel, Small says, especially for areas like Estherville and Algona, where snowfall may be the heaviest. “We’ll see brisk northwest winds, gusting 20 to 30 miles per hour, so the flow won’t be too dry and fluffy but when you get those winds coupled with existing snowfall there, there could be some low visibilities and blowing snow,” Small says. “There could also be a period of freezing drizzle with the snow, too, as it goes in and out, so we can see a light glazing potential but the main threat is going to be the snow.”

Winter Weather Advisory on Tuesday for parts of NW Iowa.

The snowfall is expected to taper off along a line of cities that includes Council Bluffs, Atlantic, Ames and Waterloo. The snow that falls will likely be sticking around for a while, as bitter cold weather will come behind the storm front. “After the snow diminishes and ends Tuesday night, we will be dry Wednesday and Thursday but that will also be accompanied with much colder temperatures,” Small says. “Lows Wednesday night will be in the single digits and teens across the state, and with those brisk northwest winds, we’ll see wind chills below zero for periods from Wednesday into Thursday across northern Iowa.”

Find out about the latest road conditions by calling 5-1-1 or log on to the Iowa D-O-T’s travel information website 5-1-1-i-a-dot-org.

Police in Creston (IA) report three arrests took place over the weekend. A little after 1-a.m. Saturday, 23-year-old James Allan Erlbacher, of Earling, was arrested in Creston for OWI/1st offense. Erlbacher was taken to the Union County Jail where he was later released on $1,000 cash or surety bond. And, at around 3:15-a.m. Saturday, 39-year-old Nicole Irene Leusink, of Winterset, was also arrested for OWI/1st offense. Leusink was taken to the Union County Jail where she was later released on $1,000 cash or surety bond.

At around 12:06-a.m. Sunday, Creston Police arrested 32-year-old Cody John Courtney, of Thayer, for Failure to Affix Drug Stamp for 7 or more grams, Intent to Manufacture/Deliver Meth Over 5g, and Possession of Controlled Substance. Courtney was transported to the Union County Jail where he is being held on $40,000 cash or surety bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Cass County Transfer Station(Landfill) and Recycling Center report, the Station/Recycling Center will be closed this Wednesday, November 30th, so that co-workers can attend memorial services for long time employee and friend Gerald Peck, who died November 22nd. The facility will otherwise be open for business during their normal operating hours for the remainder of the week.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State University economist Peter Orazem says while there have been gains, the number of Iowans who are working continues to lag pre-pandemic levels. “If you look at Iowans under the age of 45, labor force participation rates actually went up. It’s Iowans over 45 where labor force participation rates went down and they really went down for people over 55,” Orazem says. “…We don’t think that they’re coming back and so that’s going to be holding back the Iowa economy in terms of its ability to make up for for its lost labor.” Iowa had one of the oldest labor forces in the country prior to the pandemic and Orazem says it appears many who opted to retire in the past 18 months are not going to return to the workforce.

“We’re lagging the rest of the U.S. in terms of recovery of employment and that’s holding back, actually, the Iowa economy,” Orazem says.” Ten days ago, the Iowa Workforce Development agency announced the state had added back all the jobs that were lost due to the pandemic. Orazem says the total number of employed Iowans still remains about one percent below pre-pandemic levels — and the labor participation rate is about two percent below what it was in February of 2020.  “We’ve had three straight quarters of negative Gross State Product, which would meet the classic definition of a recession,” Orazem says.

Orazem made his comments during a weekend appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.

(Radio Iowa) – Finding a reliable, affordable used car online can be a hassle, especially with pre-owned vehicles in such short supply, and Iowans are being warned that scammers are aiming to take their hard-earned money. Lisa Schiller, at the Better Business Bureau, says the first warning sign is that the car is listed at a super-low price.  “When you contact the seller, you’ll then find out that the vehicle is actually located in another city,” Schiller says, “but luckily for you, the seller knows a transport company that can deliver the vehicle to you — and that is a red flag.” The crooks may try to get you to pay for the transportation with a money order or gift cards, and if you do that, the money is gone and so is the car.

She says, “Your vehicle will not actually be delivered because the sale was a scam and the con artist was in cahoots with the third party make-believe transport company.” Schiller says you should always insist on seeing the car in person and get it inspected before making any payments.  “If you get really vague answers, if the seller gets defensive or aggressive or if they can’t confirm their location or the location of the vehicle, you’re probably dealing with a scammer.”

Schiller also reminds people to insist on all of the paperwork to ensure the sale is legit.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is conducting a pilot study on the state’s gray fox population. Furbearer biologist, Vince Evelsizer, says the study comes as the number of animals is dropping. “This pilot project will be starting to get into figuring out more understanding and learning more about gray foxes and what the causes for the population decline is,” he says. Evelsizer says it’s puzzling because it’s not an issue in other areas of the country. “Their numbers are declining drastically, and we don’t fully understand why that is. And it’s also a trend going on in the Midwest, but it’s not going on in other parts of the U-S,” Evelsizer says.

He says for example, the gray fox population is doing great in the southeastern U-S. Evelsizer says they’ve gotten five g-p-s collars from Iowa State to use in the grey fox study. “And we’re asking private trappers to help with the project by trapping a grey fox with the trap type that will keep them in great shape alive and well, such as a foothold trap,” Evelsizer says. One a trapper has caught a fox, then the D-N-R will see if it can be a part of the pilot study. “Check it for any injuries — if it’s in great shape, then we will utilize that animal and put a collar on it — as well as getting some other measurements and tissue samples from it. And then we will track those foxes in and see what happens to them,” Everlsizer says. He says the information they gather from the tracking will hopefully confirm some of the thoughts they have on what may be happening.

“The hypotheses so to speak of what could be causing their population decline are habitat changes, or predators other predators such as coyotes and bobcats,” he says. “Or disease, such as distemper, or a combination of factors may be doing it as well, a combination of those factors and possibly others we don’t know about yet.” The D-N-R says the gray fox can be found statewide, but their core area is eastern and southern Iowa, in forested habitats, like cedar thickets, deciduous forests, the Driftless region, on old farms and overgrown pastures.

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrest. A traffic stop in rural Adams County, Saturday, resulted in the arrest of the driver for OWI/1st offense. Edwin Scott Blazek, of Prescott, tested .175% for intoxication at the Adams County Jail. He later posted bond, and was released.

On Nov. 23rd, a traffic stop was conducted at 120th and Quince in Adams County, and resulted in the arrest of Carlos Miranda Gutierrez, of Creston. He was placed under arrest for Driving While Barred, and on an Adams County warrant for Failure to Appear. Gutierrez was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $2,900 cash-only bond.

And, on Nov. 1st, Adams County Deputies arrested 57-year-old Karen Anderson, of Nodaway. She was arrested on a warrant in connection with an accident that occurred Oct. 5th in Adams County. Anderson was charged with OWI/2nd offense, and was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

*Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations, and any defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State University economist Peter Orazem says while there have been gains, the number of Iowans who are working continues to lag pre-pandemic levels. “If you look at Iowans under the age of 45, labor force participation rates actually went up. It’s Iowans over 45 where labor force participation rates went down and they really went down for people over 55,” Orazem says. “…We don’t think that they’re coming back and so that’s going to be holding back the Iowa economy in terms of its ability to make up for for its lost labor.”

Iowa had one of the oldest labor forces in the country prior to the pandemic and Orazem says it appears many who opted to retire in the past 18 months are not going to return to the workforce.  “We’re lagging the rest of the U.S. in terms of recovery of employment and that’s holding back, actually, the Iowa economy,” Orazem says.” Ten days ago, the Iowa Workforce Development agency announced the state had added back all the jobs that were lost due to the pandemic.

Orazem says the total number of employed Iowans still remains about one percent below pre-pandemic levels — and the labor participation rate is about two percent below what it was in February of 2020. “We’ve had three straight quarters of negative Gross State Product, which would meet the classic definition of a recession,” Orazem says. Orazem made his comments during a weekend appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.

(Leon, Iowa) – UPDATE by Iowa DCI:  On Saturday, November 26, 2022 at 4:28-p.m., the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a burnt vehicle with a deceased subject, nearby, in a field 3-to 4-miles east of Leon IA. The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office requested additional assistance from Iowa DCI, State Patrol and DNR. Neither the vehicle or the victim could be immediately identified. The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office has contacted surrounding area agencies inquiring about any missing person reports.

This case remains under investigation and is pending autopsy results. Law enforcement does not suspect any nefarious activity at this time. Further information will be released as it becomes available.