(Radio Iowa) – Two more commercial bird flocks have been confirmed with the avian flu. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig announced today (Tuesday) that a Guthrie County layer facility with one-point-five million birds and a Hamilton County turkey facility with 28-thousand birds are infected. “We are now at nine cases total in the state of Iowa, two backyard flocks, seven commercial operations,” Naig says.

Naig says this year’s outbreak is a little different than the major one in 2015. “What’s notable about what is happening this year is there is a strong indication that the virus is being carried in the wild bird population. That what we are seeing largely across the entire country — starting on the East Coast and now moving into the Midwest — is that these are independent wild bird introductions into these operations,” according to Naig.

Naig says it does not appear there is any facility to facility spread now and they want to keep it that way. He says it remains important for producers to closely monitor the animals and report any signs of the disease immediately. Information on the disease is available at IowaAgriculture.gov. State Veterinarian Jeff Kaisand says protocol requires the birds to be destroyed within 24 hours once the bird flu has been detected.

He says they start talking with producers about what typ of depopulation method they want to use at the first signs that they may have an infection and then work with them to carry it through. Kaisan says they so far have been able to meet the 24-hour timeline. “They’re doing it on-site and we are not moving anything bird wise from an infected site,” he says. Kaisand says they are monitoring the wild bird migration as part of their efforts.

“There’s some days when there’s a lot of movement and when it gets cold there is a little bit of stall out. And some days there’s movement in different directions. We are all hopeful that it moves through quickly and we get to warmer weather. But it all depends on the weather and how quickly they move,” Kaisand says. More than seven million birds have now been impacted.

(Logan, Iowa) – The family member of a teen from Logan who is in critical condition following a head-on crash March 25th, is asking for help in paying for her care and other expenses. 16-year-old Ava Fischer and an adult male from Woodbine were injured in the collision.

Ava Fischer

An “Ava’s fight for life” GoFundme page has been established, with more information on her condition.

(Original story)

(Beebeetown, Iowa)) – An adult male and a juvenile were injured during a head-on collision Friday evening, in Harrison County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2010 Hyundai Tucson (SUV) driven by a 16-year-old from Logan, was southbound on Overton Avenue at around 5:35-p.m., when the vehicle crossed the center line while rounding a curve north of York Road.

The SUV struck a northbound 2009 Toyota Tundra pickup, driven by 43-year-old Jason King, of Woodbine. Following the head-on crash, the SUV came to rest on its top in the east ditch. The pickup came to rest on the road, facing northeast.

The unidentified driver of the SUV – who was wearing a seat belt – was transported by LifeNet helicopter to Bergan Mercy Hospital. Jason King – who was not wearing a seat belt -was transported by Missouri Valley/Logan Rescue to the hospital in Missouri Valley.

Deputies with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

DES MOINES – The State Objection Panel, comprised of Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, State Auditor Rob Sand and Attorney General Tom Miller, met Tuesday to hear several challenges to candidates’ nomination petitions for the June 7 primary ballot.

The following rulings were made:

Tom Miller, Democratic candidate for Attorney General: Nomination petitions accepted, challenge rejected. Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg replaced Attorney General Miller on the panel for this objection.

Abby Finkenauer, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate: Nomination petitions accepted, challenge rejected.

Kyle Kuehl, Republican candidate for U.S. House, District 1: Nomination petitions rejected, challenge sustained by default ruling.

Anthony LaBruna, Republican candidate for Iowa Senate District 3: Nomination petitions accepted, challenge rejected.

Ken Rozenboom, Republican candidate for Iowa Senate, District 19: Nomination petitions accepted, challenge rejected.

Jack Whitver, Republican candidate for Iowa Senate, District 23: Nomination petitions accepted, challenge rejected.

Jeff Shipley, Republican candidate for U.S. House, District 87: Nomination petitions accepted, challenge rejected.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Parks and Recreation Dept. Director Bryant Rasmussen says, if you’re “Looking for an opportunity to give back to the community?  There is a work day out at Sunnyside Park on Saturday April 2^nd from 1-3 pm.”

Rasmussen said also, ” We are gearing up for a busy summer season and appreciate all the help we can get.” If you have any questions, please give him a call at 712-243-3542, or e-mail brasmussen@cityofatlantic.com

Flyer created by an Atlantic High School student.

The Adair County Engineer’s Office reports Clay Avenue is closed to traffic roughly 0.5 miles south of 210th St. for a culvert replacement project. This project is expected to last 3-4 weeks. (May 29th to April 22nd)

(Atlantic, Iowa) – In a follow-up to our reports about Cass County Primary Election candidates, Wendy Richter has officially announced her candidacy for the Cass County Board of Supervisors, representing District 3. Richter says “I’ve been a resident of Cass County for most of my life, the exception while at college. For nearly twenty-seven years, I have worked and held numerous positions on local boards, as well as regional and state boards/committees. As the Director of Family Crisis Support Network, I served not only Cass County residents, but 7 other counties in southwest Iowa. During that time, I was trained as an expert witness for the State of Iowa, a certified advocate on behalf of crime victims and spent many hours collaborating with individuals & groups in each county working to get services for their residents.

Wendy Richter (Photo submitted)

“I worked with the State of Iowa and numerous other entities to begin programs and bring public and private funds to the area. Without going into details of every committee, group, and volunteer efforts I’ve participated with, I want people to know that I have a vested interest in making Cass County and our communities a place that people are proud to call home and look forward to returning to.”

In announcing her candidacy, Wendy Richter said, “I believe I have the qualifications necessary to hold the position as a Supervisor, making decisions to lead the county in the right direction. The skills I’ve gained have taught me to know how important it is to work together, listen to people, work together, to do your due diligence to get the accurate information, work together and that everyone has a voice to be heard – yes, work together needs to be in there multiple times!”

(Onawa, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public meeting at 6 p.m., March 31, at the Lewis and Clark State Park’s Visitors Center to discuss ongoing lake restoration efforts at the park, including a hydraulic dredging project slated for the 2022 open water season. Restoration activities planned for the park will be presented at the meeting, along with an opportunity for the public to ask questions about the dredging operations and potential impacts to the park throughout the construction season.

Over the past decade, members of the community have worked with DNR and other project partners to develop and implement a comprehensive lake restoration plan to improve water quality and recreational opportunities at Blue Lake. Hydraulic dredging is a significant step in the restoration process for improving water quality in the lake.

Blue Lake, Onawa, Iowa (Via Lewis-Clark.org)

The dredging project at Blue Lake wildlife area is being completed in two phases: phase one, completed in 2021, constructed a sediment containment site for holding dredge materials from the lake, and phase two will hydraulically remove approximately 434,000 cubic yards of sediment from the main basin of the lake to minimize sediment resuspension and improve water clarity. For more information about the Blue Lake Restoration project, check out the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAlqglIxTBU

Blue Lake was added to the State’s list of Impaired Waters in 2004 due to poor water transparency attributed to sediment resuspension within the water column. A water quality improvement plan (TMDL) was completed for the lake in 2009, but water quality remains poor. Restoration planning efforts began in 2011 to address sediment resuspension within the lake and better manage water levels and nutrient inputs at Blue Lake.

Lewis and Clark State Park is a very popular recreation destination with more than 40,000 visitors each year. The campground is consistently one of the busiest in Iowa. The park is a popular place for boating, camping, relaxing, hiking or walking the trails, and fishing.

(Ida Grove, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports, an investigation that began as a turkey poaching case last fall has concluded with five individuals pleading guilty to 48 wildlife charges and assessed nearly $83,000 in fines and liquidated damages. State conservation officers were executing a search warrant at the home of 26-year-old Devon Lewis, of rural Washta, Iowa, on Nov. 21, when they discovered evidence of other poaching activity. Once an additional search warrant was secured, investigators uncovered evidence of a year-round poaching network involving at least 70 deer, four turkeys, ducks, raccoons and red fox dating back to at least 2018.

State Conservation Officer Kirby Bragg said evidence from the lengthy investigation showed that these individuals would shoot wildlife out of season, over bait and from vehicles, often without the proper tags. The deer were primarily bucks with antlers.

Iowa DNR photo

The following individuals pleaded guilty in January in Ida County court.

• Devon Lewis, 26, of rural Washta, pleaded guilty to 23 citations with fines and damages totaling $37,600 and a minimum seven-year hunting license suspension;
• Taylor S. Luvaas, 27 of Schaller, pleaded guilty to 14 citations, with fines and damages totaling $31,118 and a minimum seven-year hunting license suspension;
• Jacob R. Fouts, 23, of Cherokee, pleaded guilty to six citations, with fines and damages totaling $5,861 and his hunting license will be suspended;
• Dylan D. Lewis, 22, of Cushing, pleaded guilty to three citations, with fines and damages totaling $5,251 and his hunting license will be suspended;
• Austin T.L. Lewis, 19, of Cushing, pleaded guilty to two citations, with fines and damages totaling $4,300.

The judge condemned five rifles, three shotguns and three bows used to commit the crimes. “Our best chance to catch poachers is when the public provides us with timely information after witnessing illegal activity take place,” said Officer Bragg. “It was apparent that this activity had been going on for quite some time.”

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources was assisted by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, Woodbury County Conservation Board, Ida County Sheriff’s Office and the Ida County Conservation Board.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Monday evening, of a man from Woodbury County. Authorities say 53-year-old Darrin Lee Sulsberger, of Hornick, was arrested at the Woodbury County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Contempt of Court. Sulsberger was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

Authorities said also, a woman from Silver City was injured during a single-vehicle accident that took place at around 10-a.m. today (Tuesday) on Barrus Road at 250th Street. 67-year-old Sharon Grauer was driving a 2013 Ford westbound on Barrus Road, when her vehicle went onto the north shoulder and then into the ditch. The accident happened as her vehicle was rounding a curve in the road.

In the ditch, the vehicle hit a culvert pipe and drove over 250th Street, before coming to rest on the northwest side of the intersection. Grauer told Deputies she accidentally went off onto the shoulder and over-corrected, causing the vehicle to enter the ditch. The woman was transported by Silver City Rescue to Mercy Hospital.

(Radio Iowa) – Several U-S senators have already declared how they’ll vote on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the U-S Supreme Court, but Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s not yet ready to commit one way or the other. “No, and I don’t think I’ll announce it until next Monday when we have a committee meeting,” Grassley says. “I might make up my mind before then but right now I’m going through the — I don’t know — 35 to 40 hours the hearing went on, through the records, because I had other committee meetings and couldn’t be there for all of it.”

Grassley says he and members of his party asked “tough, thorough” questions of Jackson and conducted a “fair” hearing, though he remains unhappy the Judiciary Committee didn’t have access to all of her non-public documents. “We’re still, as Republicans, some documents we’re trying to get,” Grassley says. “We may not get them but we’re not going to hold up the nomination from going forward just for that reason but I’m sure that most people are going through the same process I am.”

The Judiciary Committee has a vote on Jackson scheduled for Monday. As yet, there are no Democrats who have indicated they’ll oppose Jackson’s nomination, while no Republicans have yet said they would support her.
—————-
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he has no worries about Justice Clarence Thomas and any possible cases that may come before the U-S Supreme Court regarding the January 6th riot. Several agencies report Thomas’ wife, Ginni, exchanged more than two dozen texts with then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about efforts to overturn the election.  “I think a wife has a right to have her own personal views on anything she wants to have them on,” Grassley says. “I mean, I don’t want to tell Mrs. Grassley what she can say or not say.”

Grassley, a Republican, says Justice Thomas is “a person of integrity” and it’s Thomas alone who should decide if he should recuse himself from any future proceedings. “It’s pretty well established in the Supreme Court that each justice themselves make a determination for recusal,” Grassley says, “and it’s worked this way for 240 years and that’s the way it’s going to have to work now.”

In the past, Ginni Thomas has said there is no conflict of interest between her husband’s position and her conservative activism.