(Radio Iowa) – A count performed earlier this year in 96 Iowa counties found 308 homeless people, a slight uptick compared to last year. The Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care connects people to resources and funds statewide programs. The group’s director Courtney Guntly says homelessness in rural areas can be very different than in urban areas, as it can be harder to find people and direct them to resources because there’s less population density and fewer service providers.  “That makes it challenging when we really want to serve people where they are and where they may want to get rehoused, because they have those same family or friends or there’s other the community surrounding them,” Guntly says. “So if people have the community and want to stay in their rural community, that we want to make sure we respect that.”

Guntly says the group recently received five-million dollars in grants for three years to address homelessness in Iowa’s rural communities. The count excludes Polk, Pottawattamie and Woodbury counties. A separate survey was done in January in Polk County alone that found 644 homeless people, an upturn of six-percent from last year. Angie Arthur is the executive director of Homeward, a regional planning organization focusing on homelessness. Among those counted, Arthur says there was a significant increase in people who reported they were fleeing domestic violence.

“From a larger perspective, a lot of the funding that we see within our state focuses on correctional aspects,” Arthur says, “as opposed to prevention of domestic violence and supporting the victims and the choices that they make for how they want to flee or address domestic violence within their life.”  The Polk County survey showed a decrease in youth and veteran homelessness, which Arthur attributes to the success of special programs targeting those groups.

(Catherine Wheeler, Iowa Public Radio)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – May 11, 2023 – Motorists should be prepared for changes to Interstate 80, I-29, and Northbound Frontage Road in Council Bluffs next week that may slow down their trip.

On Sunday night, May 14, weather permitting, the ramp from future northbound I-29 and Northbound Frontage Road to westbound I-480 is scheduled to open at around 11 p.m. This change will allow detoured interstate traffic traveling towards westbound I-480 to merge onto the interstate sooner, instead of driving to West Broadway. The ramp can be accessed from the left lane on Northbound Frontage Road. When northbound I-29 opens, the ramp will be accessible from the right lane, which is different from the previous interchange configuration.

Furthermore, the ramp from Madison Avenue to eastbound I-80 is anticipated to close early Monday, May 15, around midnight. This closure may last up to six months. The closure will allow construction crews to rebuild the ramp and connect it to the new eastbound bridge that is currently being built. Motorists should follow the marked detours during this time.

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Iowa DOT is working hard to keep the public informed of construction impacts and actively seeks opportunities to update the public. For more information or to sign up for alerts, visit the program website at www.CouncilBluffsInterstate.IowaDOT.gov. You can also contact the program office at 712-216-3339 or info@CouncilBluffsInterstate.com.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved a draft for the updated five-year construction and improvement plan. The D-O-T’s Stuart Anderson says they had to deal with inflation and increases that made the dollars not stretch as far as they updated the plan. “So with those higher construction costs, and with revenue being relatively flat over the last year, that means the commission had to consider some actions to be able to balance that program. And one of those actions was looking at delaying some projects by no more than a year,” Anderson says. He says they ended up with 12 projects they propose moving back.

“No projects were removed, and some were delayed. And the commission still was able to add some additional work in the program, particularly out in year five of this program for additional road bridge rehabilitation and reconstruction work,” he says. Anderson says the commission felt it was important to keep up on the bridge work, as they’ve made good progress there. “In the last 17 years, we’ve gone from 256 bridges in poor condition back in 2006, to now we’re at 26, this year in 2023,” Anderson says. “So they’ve certainly seen the impact of those increased focus of investments on stewardship on our bridge conditions on the state highway system,” Anderson says one of the projects that’s being delayed is in northeast Iowa.

“A new interchange being proposed in the Cedar Falls area on Iowa 58 at Green Hill Road, that was in the program for beginning construction in 2027. That’s now being proposed to move to 2028,” he says. He says another interchange in last year’s program for U-S 151 in Linn County near Springville has been moved from 2027 to 2028 in this draft program.

The full draft plan is available on the D-O-T’s website and are taking public input as well. The Transportation Commission will vote on approving the plan at their June 13th meeting.

(Radio Iowa) – An Illinois man faces 92 years in prison after being convicted of shooting and wounding a Linn County sheriff’s deputy in 2021 during a convenience store robbery in Coggon. Thirty-eight-year-old Stanley Donahue of Chicago was convicted of attempted murder of a peace officer and several other charges following his trial in February. Linn County Deputy William Halverson was seriously injured in the shooting, but was wearing a vest and has returned to work.

(Radio Iowa) – The U-S Drug Enforcement Agency is wrapping up a year-long investigation that identified connections between Mexican drug cartels and communities in Iowa and elsewhere. Emily Murray, spokeswoman for the D-E-A Regional Office in Omaha, says Operation Last Mile provided valuable information. Murray says they pinpointed the different places where the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels have infiltrated. She says “they’re pushing their poisons to our citizens.”

Murray says the illegal, dangerous drugs are landing everywhere and there’s really nowhere in the U-S that isn’t being touched by fentanyl, methamphetamine and other drugs. In the last year, investigators from the Omaha office linked 26 cases directly to the cartels. They made 87 arrests and seized 60 firearms tied to the cartels.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday, approved the 2022-23 Amended Certified Budget, which will not result in an increase in taxes, according to District officials. As previously mentioned, the amendment amounts to an increase of $793,569, for a total budget of $27,140,000. Increases come in the areas of Instruction, Total Support Services, and Other expenditures.

In other business, the Board approved the resignation of Paul Iekel, HS Cross Country Asst. Coach, and Contract Recommendations for Dalton Franken, Varsity Boys Basketball Coach, and Bri Loving – Paraeducator.They also passed a Resolution to transfer $21,120 from the General Fund to Activity Fund, for Protective Athletic Equipment, including: pads/girdles; helmets; helmet reconditioning, and additional pads/helmets. The Board approved a recommendation from HS Asst. Principal/Activities Director Andy Mitchell, for Winter Sport Coaches assignments, and 2023-24 Club Sponsors.

2023-24 Substitute Employee Pay Rates were also approved by the Atlantic School Board. Superintendent Steve Barber…

The Board, at the request for Superintendent Barber, approved student fees for breakfast and lunch, which are unchanged from the past six-years, as far as student fees are concerned, but food prices will increase the Adult Meal price from $4.13 to $4.85. They also approved the awarding of a milk contract to Andersen-Erickson, and the bread contract to Pan-of-Gold, both of which have served the district “well,” according to Steve Barber.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved a quote from Per Mar Security for the addition of a door entry key fob system for the district’s buildings, in the amount of $28,690 for installation, plus $350/month for operating costs. And, a change order for the storage shed in the amount of $31,300, that would increase the size of the shed 750 square feet, from 35×50, to 40×60 feet.