(Radio Iowa)- Iowa’s weather pattern is expected to make a big shift this week, from cold and rainy to hot and humid, raising familiar concerns about drought. Meteorologist Doug Kluck, climate services director for the Central Region of the National Weather Service, based in Kansas City, says some forecasts show improving conditions in the months ahead across the Missouri River basin.

“The forecasters in this case pared back drought substantially across almost the entire basin, really,” Kluck says. “I’ll cross my fingers and hope this comes true.” While Iowa’s high temperatures last week were mostly in the 40s, 50s and 60s, the week ahead promises highs climbing into the 70s and 80s to near 90. Looking ahead, Kluck says there are conflicting signals.

“Short term, temperatures are sort of a mixed bag,” Kluck says. “There’s going to be some warmth and that’s going to be realized in the eastern part of the basin. Precipitation slightly favors above normal, that’s good. Long term, not so good. Above normal temperatures and drier than normal conditions are what the current outlooks say.” Forecasters had expected the La Nina weather pattern to fade away in the past few months, but that hasn’t happened.

“We’re hanging on to La Nina this year through the summer,” Kluck says. “We don’t know if that’s going to hang into the fall or not yet, but La Nina is what we had the last few years and it tends to have a dry and warm aspect to it. So, La Nina is not necessarily our friend.” The U-S Drought Monitor map issued for Iowa late last week showed little change from the week before, with no drought at all in roughly 56 counties, 30 counties were abnormally dry, and 10 counties were considered in moderate drought. Parts of three northwest Iowa counties, Plymouth, Monona and Woodbury, were in severe drought.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – On Wednesday evening, the community group, United Today, Stronger Tomorrow – a grassroots of coalition of labor, faith, service, and community organizations working to ensure an equitable and prosperous recovery from the pandemic in Iowa, held its final town hall meeting in Council Bluffs to lift up country residents priorities on how federal Covid recovery funding provided by the American Rescue Plan should be prioritized by the county. Fifty five residents showed up for the meeting, in which Supervisors Brian Shea and Justin Schultz also attended to hear what local residents want federal Covid funding to be used for.

Geri Frederiksen, a coalition leader and member of the Concerned Citizens of Pottawattamie County, says, “The Council Bluffs town hall, the last of our three county events, was a huge success! A diverse group of Pottawattamie County citizens shared their stories and suggestions for the allocation of the second round of ARPA funding. I was pleased to see two Supervisors attend and listen to how their fellow citizens have been affected by Covid. This is truly the power of community!” Local business owner and rural resident, Shawna Anderson, noted, “I am excited about the great work we have done to get community input. Amazing ideas come from organic conversation, and the citizens of Pottawattamie County have brought up
important needs. I know not every need can be met with these once-in-a-lifetime dollars, but I’m hoping that once we present it to the Board, we can help influence a project that will meet most of the needs of the county.”

Story and photos submitted by Dave Bushaw

This town hall was the last of three public meetings the group held to make sure citizens’ voices were heard as well as to educate residents about the funds that were available to communities – but this is not the end of United Today, Stronger Tomorrow’s work in the region. In addition, the group has been collecting survey data, hosting zoom meetings, doing in-person canvassing, and one on one conversations to help create opportunities for local residents to share their priorities for how the money should be spent. These outreach efforts will help to inform what top-line priorities are from the community. After reviewing the data, UTST will not just be sharing the data results, but using their broad and diverse coalitions’ collective resources to formulate a proposal to present to the Board of Supervisors.

According to Jen Pellant, Executive Director of the Western Iowa Labor Federation AFL-CIO, “Our work is not done. We are going to use all of the input and data we’ve collected to put together a proposal for how the next round of ARPA funds will be spent – one that will represent the needs of the community as a whole rather than just a few special interests.” The American Rescue Plan was passed just over a year ago by Congress and signed into law by the President to address the impacts of Covid 19 on states and local economies and communities. Iowa has received billions in federal aid at both the state and local level, including a total of ~$18 million for Pottawattamie County.

In the rural communities of Oakland and Avoca, town halls held in the previous two weeks drew close to 60 participants between them. In those meetings, healthcare infrastructure, specifically a healthcare clinic in a rural part of the country and/or a mobile healthcare van, and affordable housing for country residents were identified as top needs with the federal funding.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report a traffic stop at around 2:20-a.m. today (Saturday), in Elliott, resulted in the arrest of a man wanted on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Failure to Appear, on an original charge of Driving While Barred. 37-year-old Cory Ross Smith, of Elliott, was taken into custody in the 200 block of Cherry Street in Elliott, and was transported to the Montgomery County Jail in Red Oak, where he was being held without bond.

And, Red Oak Police said Saturday (today), a Red Oak man was arrested at around 9:20-p.m., Friday, on two Page County warrants for Violation of Probation. 26-year-old Dylan Elwood Taylor was transferred to the custody of Page County authorities and was being held on a $10,000 bond in the Page County Jail.

Des Moines, Iowa — A Des Moines man is at a loss after at least two thieves attached his trailer to their truck and took off. Steve Felton is a subcontractor and makes a living with that trailer. Felton said he’s out about $20,000. KCCI reports the trailer was filled with all of his tools and sat right outside his home. Video shows at least two people attached his trailer to their truck and left with it. Felton says several nearby business owners and homeowners also saw the truck driving off with his trailer.

Tools in the trailer ranged from all types and sizes, but there were a few that were special to Felton — like some owned by his father and grandfather. Felton is asking the thieves to bring his trailer and tools back. He’s even offering a $1,000 reward to them for the return of his  property.

The reward is also for anyone who provides tips leading to the return of his trailer and a conviction. Des Moines police confirm they are investigating the theft. If anyone has information relating to the trailer, contact police at 515-283-4811.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Two more Iowa State Patrol troopers’ names have been added to the Iowa Peace Officers Memorial near the statehouse.  Trooper Ted Benda and Sgt. Jim Smith were both honored in a ceremony Friday morning. Both lost their lives in the line of duty.

Benda died in October 2021 while responding to a call in Clayton County. He served the department for 15 years. Sgt. Smith was shot and killed in April of 2021 while trying to arrest a suspect in Grundy Center. He served the Iowa State Patrol for 27 years. The trial for the man charged with killing him begins Monday.

Trooper Benda

Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg attended the event. The Iowa State Patrol says this type event is always emotional for everyone involved.

Sgt. Smith

(Algona, Iowa) — A fiery collision of two semi tractor-trailers in northern Iowa’s Kossuth County, Friday morning, left one man dead and another seriously injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash happened in the Algona city limits, a little before 9-a.m., Friday.

The Patrol reports a 2000 Freightliner semi driven by 49-year-old Chad Bjork, of Albert City, was southbound on 70th Avenue, and a 2006 Peterbilt semi driven by 48-year-old Allan Schuler, of Thompson, was eastbound 160th Street, when Bjork failed to yield to the right of way. His semi was struck by Schuler’s rig, in the middle of the intersection.

Both vehicles came to rest in the southeast ditch. Both caught fire and burned completely, according to the Patrol. Bjork was seriously injured. The man was not wearing a seat belt. He was airlifted to MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City. Schuler died at the scene.

(Waterloo, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Corrections, Friday, said 29-year-old Tracy Vanshion Traylor, who was convicted on 1st Degree Burglary and other charges in Black Hawk County, failed to report back to the Waterloo residential facility as required Thursday.

Tracy Vashion Traylor (IA DOC photo)

Traylor is a Black male, height 5′ 10″, and weighs 208 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on 03/08/2022.

Persons with information on Traylor’s whereabouts should contact local police.

(Red Oak, Iowa) — Police in Red Oak, Friday evening, arrested a man on a warrant for Assault. Authorities report 37-year-old Randon Daniel Phelps, of Red Oak, was taken into custody on a valid warrant for domestic abuse assault – 1^st offense.

Phelps was being held without bond int the Montgomery County Jail.

(Red Oak, Iowa) — Authorities in Montgomery County, Friday, said a man was arrest on a Felony Theft charge related to the theft of nearly 864 gallons of fuel. A joint investigation involving the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Red Oak Police resulted in the arrest of 19-year-old Tucker Alan Tepoel, from Villisca. He was charged with 2nd degree theft–a Class D felony. His bond was set at $5,000.

And, Police in Red Oak Police are asking for your help in locating a stolen pickup truck. A blue, 1997 Chevy extended cab half-ton pickup with Iowa license plate BOJ 946, was reported stolen from Red Oak at around 12:30-p.m., today (Friday). The vehicle was taken from outside of a residence at 111 W. Walnut Street, in Red Oak, between 10- and 10:30-a.m.

The vehicle has blue fender flares, and has a loud squeal, because it doesn’t have a power steering pump. If you see this vehicle, please notify your local law enforcement agency or you can also call the Red Oak Police Department at 712-623-6500.

(Radio Iowa) – Consumers can buy small handheld devices that measure outdoor air quality for as little as 110-dollars these days — and Brian Hutchins of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says these monitors do show air quality TRENDS — but often have higher air pollution readings than the monitors used by government agencies like his.

“EPA has been doing some studies to show the differences between these monitors, so one needs to bear that in mind,” Hutchins says. At least one manufacturer of outdoor air monitors for personal use has warned that in wildfire conditions air quality readings may be slightly too high — because of the density of smoke particles. Hutchins says people with asthma or other health conditions still may find the information useful.

“It will give an indication of what the air quality is in real time, so one can look at the results from the low cost sensors and help people make determinations of their outdoor activities on a day to day basis,” Hutchins says. In 2020, the D-N-R participated in a 16-state study of how results from government-maintained monitors compared to hand-held devices.

The U-S Environmental Protection Agency then came up with a way to calculate the difference in readings and now uses data from small, consumer-grade monitors along with information from satellites and government-maintained monitors to measure air quality.  “People can go to EPA’s Air Now website and you can see the real-time data on that website and it will tell you whether we’re having a good day for air quality,” Hutchins says, “or if we have elevated levels, it will show that, too.”

There are also smart-phone apps that show air quality measurements. Last July, an air quality alert was issued for the entire state of Iowa due to wildfires in Canada and the western United States. Last month’s wildfires in southwest Nebraska did not dramatically affect air quality in Iowa, but experts say with wildfire seasons starting earlier in the west and spreading into Nebraska and Kansas, that’s likely to cause prompt more air quality alerts in Iowa.