(Radio Iowa) –  When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and when it’s the dead of winter in Iowa, you make ice sculptures. Davenport hosts its annual Icestravaganza this weekend on the Mississippi riverfront. The fest features six expert ice carvers who will be using some 36-thousand pounds of ice to create glimmering, frozen visions under the theme Famous Monuments — everything from pyramids and the Statue of Liberty to the Eiffel Tower.

Each block of ice weighs around 300 pounds and they’re trucking in 120 blocks for the event. Plus, a lighting director will illuminate each completed ice sculpture with a series of colored L-E-Ds, switching them on nightly at dusk. The free event runs Friday through Sunday.

(Ida County, Iowa) – One person died during a collision early Wednesday afternoon between a semi tractor-trailer and a car in northwest Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu had stopped at the controlled intersection of Highways 59 & 20, near Holstein.

When the driver failed to yield to oncoming traffic and proceeded into the intersection, their vehicle was struck by a westbound Highway 20 semi. The unidentified driver of the Malibu died at the scene. The driver of the semi was uninjured.

The crash, which occurred at around 12:06-p.m., remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports one person complained of neck pain and was transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital by Red Oak Rescue, following an accident that occurred at around 4:30-p.m., Thursday. Authorities say 58-year-old Tammy W. Glasgo, of Elliott, was hurt in the collision at N. Broadway and Cherry Streets. Police determined Glasgo’s 1997 Honda Accord was stopped at the intersection stoplight. A 2018 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 31-year-old Brent M. Davis, of Villisca, stopped behind the car.

Davis’ proceeded to drive forward when he saw vehicles in the turn lane moving. In doing so, his pickup struck the rear of the Honda, while was waiting for the green light. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,500. No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s 43rd governor will take the oath of office for another term later this (Friday) morning. Republican Kim Reynolds — the first woman to serve as Iowa’s governor — has been the state’s chief executive since mid-2017. Terry Branstad chose Reynolds as his running mate in 2010 and she took over the governorship when Branstad resigned. Reynolds won a full, four-year term in 2018 and she was reelected this past November.

Today’s Inauguration Ceremony starts at 9 a.m. in Des Moines. The governor will host an open house at the governor’s mansion at noon and a reception at the statehouse starting at 2 this (Friday) afternoon. Tonight’s Inaugural Ball in downtown Des Moines is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

(Radio Iowa) – State Auditor Rob Sand held a reception in his statehouse office, Thursday, to officially mark the start of his second term.  “When I started this job four years ago, I had a pretty simple idea of what it was that I wanted to do,” Sand said. “Number one: I wanted to match the passion that I had seen from auditor office employees in my time as assistant attorney general.” Sand spent seven years as the lead state prosecutor on public corruption cases. Sand says in the past four years, the audits and special investigations his office conducted have uncovered a record amount of misspent tax dollars.

“Those dollars must be respected if we are going to maintain trust for the mission of self-governance under our constitution,” Sand said. Sand, who finished ahead of Republican Todd Halbur by fewer than three-thousand votes, was the only Democrat to win a statewide race in November. Sand acknowledged three Republicans in yesterday’s (Thursday’s) audience — State Treasurer Roby Smith, Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig and Attorney General Brena Bird.

“Just because we don’t agree on everything doesn’t mean we don’t come at this interested in serving all the people in the state Iowa and I’m looking forward to working with all of you, so thank you all for being here very much,” Sand said. Sand’s current term started January 1st. He publicly recited his oath of office at the start of Thursday’s event. Naig and Secretary of State Paul Pate will hold similar ceremonies in the statehouse rotunda this (Friday) afternoon.