(Radio Iowa) – The new map from the U-S Drought Monitor shows soil conditions in Iowa are improving, slightly, thanks to rain and snow in the past week. The broader picture for the Midwest is worsening, however, with drought conditions expanding over much of the Northern Plains. Meteorologist Dennis Todey, director of the U-S-D-A’s Midwest Climate Hub in Ames, says some crops in the region are already stressed. “We have, obviously, great concerns for winter wheat right now because that area that is in drought and has been in drought extending is much of that winter wheat area from the Central Plains south,” Todey says. “Still a lot can happen but there’s been damage done to it because of drought and some other things.”

The worst of the drought in our state is isolated in far west-central Iowa, and for the region, the driest areas are also to the west. “Most of the major drought areas are just west of the major corn and soybean growing areas but it’s right on the edge,” Todey says, “and the areas that are dry and hot are on the western part of the Corn Belt, so we do have risk there.”

Todey notes much of South Dakota and Nebraska saw less than half of the normal snowfall for the winter. He says there is a big contrast in conditions across the Midwestern crop production areas. “You have a two sides issue with crop production: potential for it being too dry in the far west and the potential for it being too wet — at least as we get started — in the east,” Todey says. “In between is kind of an ‘unknown’ area, Iowa, Illinois, we have some dry areas but we can work with those if we get rainfall.”

The latest map from the U-S Drought Monitor shows roughly 41 Iowa counties are in the category of “abnormally dry,” improving from 45 counties last week. The new map shows 34 counties are in “moderate drought,” versus 36 a week ago. Large sections of Monona and Woodbury counties are listed as “severe drought,” that’s unchanged, while there are around 22 counties where soil moisture levels are considered “normal,” an improvement from 16 counties last week.

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School Board has approved the District’s 2022-23 Budget. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said the Board, Monday evening, approved a Tax Levy rate of $13.04/$1,000 assessed valuation. That’s the lowest it’s been, he said, since 2018, and keeps a promise they made to District patrons.

The Budget includes an advanced payment on General Obligation bonds, to help lower the amount of interest being paid.

Dave Henrichs said also, the Board approved contracts for district employees who had not otherwise tendered their resignation effective the end of the current school year. Beginning with the Certified Staff…

As far as Non-Certified Staff are concerned, current staff will get a $2-dollar an hour increase, with the starting wage at $14 per hour, which is an increase of $2.50.

In addition, the Board approve a Retention Bonus for all employees currently under contract and remaining under contract a pay period next year.

He said the Board was happy to be able to offer the Bonus, payable through the ESSER funds. Henrichs said also, Sharing Agreements with the Atlantic and Riverside School Districts for certain positions were renewed with no changes, but Driver’s Education fees, what students are charged and teachers are paid, are going up five-percent.

Griswold students will be charged $365, with non-Griswold students taking the course charged $470. Classroom instructors for Driver’s Ed will be paid $1,545 plus $33.50 per hour, Drive-Time. The Board approved the renewal of a mowing contract with Bob’s Mowing, but they tabled discussion and action on Baseball Field Maintenance bids, until they have more information.

A woman from Texas was transported by Medic 1 Ambulance to the Greater Regional Hospital’s E-R room in Creston, following a collision that occurred at around 3:34-p.m., Wednesday. The extent of her injuries was not disclosed.

Creston Police report a 2012 KIA Sportage driven by 20-year-old Laura L. Ramirez, of Alamo, TX., was traveling north on Maple Street, and a 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo driven by 27-year-old Joshua R. Wills, of Creston, was traveling west on Clark Street. The KIA had the right-of-way.

Police said Wills told them he didn’t see the car, due to a truck parked on the west side of Maple Street, close to the intersection. Ramirez her vision of the intersection was obstructed by the parked truck. The Monte Carlo struck the KIA in the middle of the intersection. No citations were issued. Damage to both vehicles was estimated at $1,000, each.

Police in Creston arrested a man Wednesday night, on an out-of-county warrant. Authorities say 38-year-old Joseph John Leatherby, of Creston, was arrested at a residence in the 300 block of N. Pine Street at around 8:26-p.m.  He was wanted on a Dallas County warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree. Leatherby was held in the Union County Jail, until being picked up by West Des Moines Police, and transported back to Dallas County.

(Updated 3/24/22) – Police in Red Oak, Wednesday evening (March 23rd), arrested a man for OWI/1st offense, following an investigation into a property damage accident. Authorities said the incident occurred at around 7:45-p.m. in the 400 block of East Reed Street, at Fountain Square Park. The driver of the suspect vehicle, identified as 67-year-old Randal Joe Barr, of Red Oak, was located at the intersection of 2nd and Prospect Street, along with a 2003 Ford Ranger pickup.

The pickup sustained an estimated $6,000 damage. Barr was checked for injuries by Red Oak Rescue personnel, but was not to have been injured. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, and held on $1,000 bond.

The City of Red Oak sustained an estimated $5,000 in damages to multiple city-owned objects at Fountain Square Park, and, a Chevy Malibu, registered to Russell Skellenger, of Red Oak, was broad-sided, sustaining about $1,000 in damage during the incident. The car was parked in the 700 block of N. 2nd Street, when it was struck.

(Marne, Iowa) – Rescue crews from the Marne Fire Department and Cass EMS in Atlantic were dispatched to a two-vehicle, personal injury accident this (Thursday) morning. The incident, which occurred on I-80 eastbound near the 52.5 mile marker, was reported at around 6:27-a.m.  An injured elderly female was said to be in one of vehicles, that was in a ditch. Additional details are currently not available.

(Radio Iowa) – Morningside University is buying more than 70 acres of farmland in Sioux City from Woodbury County that will be used to expand agricultural opportunities for the college’s students. Tom Paulsen heads the agricultural and food studies department at Morningside and says hands-on learning is vital for agricultural careers. Paulsen says, “A lot of our students go back to family farming operations and having the opportunity to work in the agronomy sector, the crop production sector, as well as all the other opportunities we have for them is going to be critical for their future success.”

Lessons like crop-scouting or hybrid analysis will move out of the classroom and onto the farm. Paulsen says the land will give students the opportunity to learn everything from budgeting to hybrid selection.  “When the students have the opportunity to be engaged, and to actually manage something themselves and make decisions that are meaningful, not just theoretical, it’s a whole different aspect to the quality of their educational experience,” he says.

The farm sits just five miles down the road from the university. Paulsen says students could start using the land as early as next year. He hopes the addition can help expand the department’s offerings.

(reporting by Kendall Crawford, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa S-E-I-U 199 union representing healthcare workers has merged with a similar union in Minnesota to form a new 50-thousand member organization called S-E-I-U Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa. Iowa union member Dawn Shannahan is a teacher at the University of Iowa Hospitals and says both unions face many of the same battles. “Having a larger voice, joining with Minnesota, is going to help us so much,” she says. Shannahan says they can now share resources.

“That means that we can collaborate even more and it allows us to have even more power. And more power is going to allow us to fight and win — not only for our workers here at the hospital — but workers across the state of Iowa,” Shannahan says. Barbera Stanerson was the president of the Iowa union and now becomes of vice president of the newly merged organization. “What I feel is the most important thing we were going to get out of this merger is that it is reassuring workers in Iowa that we are not alone in this fight,” according to Stannerson.

Barbera Stanerson w/SEIU

Stannerson says she also believes the merger will go beyond current members to help others. “Who also have been struggling with Iowa’s anti-labor laws,” Stannerson says. “Our goal is to build a strong union so our members’ safety and economic security are no longer ignored. The playing field will become more level — because when we do better — everybody does better.”

Mayo, HealthPartners, and Mercy One have facilities in both Minnesota and Iowa. Iowa S-E-I-U 199 had five-thousand members before merging with Minnesota S-E-I-U — which has 45-thousand members.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate have voted to reduce the maximum number of weeks Iowans may receive unemployment benefits by 10 weeks — from about half a year today, down to 16 weeks. Senate Republicans favor an additional step — a one-week delay in delivery of the first unemployment check for a laid off worker. Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, says Iowa would join at least 39 other states that have a one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits.

“It is also the opportunity when you make sure that everybody who is applying is eligible, that benefits have been paid out on that person and most importantly, probably, is that the level of fraud may be kept down,” Schultz says. Schultz says Senate Republicans are going to stand firm and insist that this be part of the final bill.

“There’s a mindset that takes place,” Schultz says. “…They are told: ‘Your benefits start in a week’…They immediately go look for something and they better their lives.” Governor Kim Reynolds has said these two moves will address Iowa’s workforce shortage by getting unemployed Iowans back to work more quickly. Representative Michael Bousselot, of Ankeny, is the Republican who led House debate of their plan to cut the number of weeks of unemployment benefits.

“Getting back to work is more important than ever,” Bousselot said. “…It’s important for Iowa families, but it’s most important for hardworking Iowans, for hardworking Iowans who I’ve heard from, who we’ve all heard from, who say that they own a business and they can’t fill the jobs that they need.” Bousselot says cutting jobless benefits to a maximum of 16 weeks ensures the stability of Iowa’s Unemployment Trust Fund for workers, like a waitress he met in Ankeny.

“She says: ‘I keep working and working and working to get ahead…I don’t understand why people are getting paid not to work,'” Bousselot said. “…We need to make the system that we’re talking about solvent for her.” Representative Chris Hall, a Democrat from Sioux City, says the state needs to attract more residents rather than come up with more punitive policies.

“Is the solvency of the Unemployment Trust Fund at risk? No,” Hall says. “And nobody’s buying the governor’s rational that garbage policy like this will have a positive economic impact.” House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst) of Windsor Heights says the plan punishes people who’ve been fired through no fault of their own. “This is short sighted,” Konfrst said. “This is mean and this is wrong.” Democrats say the state should be boosting investments in child care and affordable housing to address the workforce crisis.

Representative Timi Brown-Powers, a Democrat from Waterloo, says there’s a workforce shortage here because Iowa is a low-wage state. “We don’t respect our workers. We have shown that time and time again,” Brown-Powers says. “In fact, this particular bill is a slap in the face of hardworking Iowans.” Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines, says these moves aren’t Iowa Nice and he got into a brief shouting match with Republicans in the Senate last (Wednesday) night.

“I don’t know how we get any lower than this,” Bisignano. “…The governor of this state chooses this as our direction?…This is your party’s agenda at its worst.” Last fall Governor Reynolds announced she intended to refocus the state agency that manages unemployment benefits on “rapid re-employment.” Bousselot — who used to be the governor’s budget director — emphasizes that, too.

“It’s about key jobs that are open,” Bousselot says. During her Condition of the State address in January, Reynolds said unemployment benefits had become a hammock for some and contributes to Iowa’s labor shortage.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture has issued an order canceling all live bird exhibitions in response to the bird flu outbreak. The order prevents bird exhibitions at fairs and other gatherings and also prohibits live birds from being sold or transferred at livestock auction markets, swap meets, or exotic sales. The Department’s order begins immediately and lasts until 30 days have passed without confirmation of a new infection in domestic poultry in the state.

The Ag Department says Iowa currently has more than six million birds impacted by the bird flu across five commercial and backyard poultry flocks.