Minden, Iowa – After being devastated by two tornadoes in a span of eleven days this spring, the City of Minden continues its recovery efforts. On Monday, November 4th, community leaders will host a visioning session to move the recovery efforts forward. Minden Mayor Kevin Zimmerman said “We’ve been doing a lot of work to address residents’ immediate needs, and we’ve also been laying the groundwork for our long-term recovery. A community’s recovery from a disaster like ours takes time. We understand this but are anxious to hear what the community wants to see in the future.”

As this long-term planning launches, the community also will have the opportunity to celebrate the re-opening of the Minden Bowl Café & Lounge. The community gathering hub was severely impacted by the April 26th tornado and has been closed since. Now, Minden Bowl leaders are thrilled to again be serving the community.

Minden Bowl owner Chad Heilig said “It’s been a long few months, so having the opportunity to celebrate our re-opening with the community is going to be pretty special. We’re excited to again be a regular part of so many people’s lives.”

Monday’s event will begin at 6:00 pm with the Minden Bowl ribbon cutting, followed by the community visioning session. For those unable to attend the event, an online survey will be available to share their ideas.

(Davenport, Iowa) – Davenport police say a body found in the Mississippi River on October 24th, has been identified as 24-year-old Olivia Harrison. Harrison had been reported missing to police earlier this month. Police say no foul play is suspected. Her body was found in the river, on the LeClaire Park riverfront. The medical examiner investigator indicated the body appeared to have been “in the river for an extended period of time,” according to a press release.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans will need to reset all of their clocks this weekend as we fall back an hour, and now is the ideal time for parents to start getting their kids ready for the shift as Daylight Saving Time ends. Pediatrician Dr. Casey Freymiller says even small changes over the next few days can have big impact. “Spending a few days beforehand, adjusting little by little, 15 minutes each night, going down later, getting up a little bit later, can lead to less of a dramatic shift of a whole hour for them on Sunday,” Freymiller says, “and especially going into Monday into school again.” Freymiller says exposure to light plays a big part in a kids’ sleep schedule, and it’s important for them to have light in the morning.

“If it’s a particularly dark day, having a good sunlight exposure with an artificial lamp that’s designed to do that, that can really help wake kids up as well and set their clock,” Freymiller says. “Having less sunlight definitely makes us want to sleep, and so you definitely can notice kids being tired earlier on. Some kids, just like adults, can be affected by a little bit of the seasonal affective disorder.” Many of us have to sacrifice sleep from time to time, but Freymiller says it’s a precious commodity that’s often overlooked, especially for kids.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (photo)

“Getting good sleep is important for learning. Being able to be present and awake and alert at school to do the learning, but also to keep what we learn during the day,” he says. “It helps kids regulate their emotions, keeping them from being too high of emotions and keeping them from being way too low.” Freymiller says parents can also try small doses of melatonin to help shift a child’s sleep schedules ahead of the time change.

(Radio Iowa) – Halloween pumpkins that didn’t get smashed or eaten by squirrels pose a problem for waste haulers after the trick-or-treating is over. The Ames Resource Recovery Plant burns garbage to produce electricity and assistant superintendent Mark Peebler says mushy pumpkins don’t burn. They have collection areas outside the plant for them. “Two totes that are out there they’re marked with pumpkin labels or pictures. The pumpkins can just be dropped off in there, and then we aggregate it, and then we haul it out to our current contractor for organics and yard waste,” he says. He says they also take gourds along with the pumpkins.

“Last year we were over 23-thousand-300 pounds, so almost 12 tons of pumpkins and gourds were collected,” Peebler says. He says they get pumpkins of all sizes and some are showing their wear and tear from being Jack-o’-lanterns. “By the time we get them, they’re usually pretty shriveled up, but I would guess, anywhere from ten to 15 pounds for the average. And then you get some of those large ones that are much heavier,” he says. Waste recyclers say keeping organic food materials separate from recyclables has long been a problem. Peebler says they try to keep letting residents know the importance of keeping things separated.

“There’s constant education and outreach. I know several different local haulers offer yard waste as a subscription base to collect that material at the residence,” Peebler says. Peebler says they will keep their collection bins for the pumpkins and gourds available 24/7 through December 1st, as some people use them for Thanksgiving decorations.

The Red Oak Police Department requesting your assistance in a hit-and-run investigation. Authorities say that at around 6:30-p.m., Wednesday, Red Oak Rescue and Red Oak Police were dispatched to the 200 block of E. Joy Street, following a call about a pedestrian who had his arm run over by a pickup truck. The victim said he had slipped on the pavement and fell onto the road. After he fell, a pickup truck ran over his arm. The victim said the driver of the pickup stopped and asked if the pedestrian was OK, before leaving the scene of the incident or the arrival of law enforcement.

A witness who was driving-by, told police they saw the truck stopped, causing the other motorist to stop behind the pickup. The witness said once the truck drove-off, she saw the victim on the ground and assisted him in getting out of the street. The unidentified victim was checked out by Red Oak Rescue, but refused transport to the hospital.

The only description of the suspect vehicle is that it was a grey or silver pickup truck, unknown make or model. There was no description of the driver.

If you happen to have been in the area and witnessed the incident, or can provide Red Oak Police with any information, they would greatly appreciate it. Also, any homeowners in that particular area that has any security cameras, these can be extremely useful to us in the course of our investigation.

Please contact the Police Department at 623-6500 if you were to review the footage and find any pertinent information to the above mentioned incident.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – One person was transported to the hospital in Red Oak, early Wednesday afternoon, following a collision at the intersection of Highway 48 and Chestnut Street, in Red Oak. Authorities report a car driven by 22-year-old Tanner Burnison, of Elliott, was making a turn from Chestnut onto southbound Highway 48 at around 12:45-p.m. A pickup truck driven by 29-year-old Taylor Foster, of Renick, MO., was northbound on Highway 48 and passing another vehicle, when Foster saw Burnison’s car. Both drivers took evasive action to avoid the collision, but the left front of both vehicles collided. The car and pickup came to rest on the southbound shoulder of the road.

Burnison complained of pain and possible injury. He was transported by private vehicle to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital. Damage from the collision amounted to a police-estimated $10,000 altogether. There were no citations issued.