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Ernst, Grassley Survey Tornado Damage in Greenfield

News

May 24th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

ADAIR COUNTY, IowaU.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today met with local leaders in Greenfield to survey the damage and discuss recovery efforts following this week’s devastating tornado and storms.

“My heart breaks for the Greenfield community. Witnessing the damage today has been sobering,” Ernst said. “In the midst of such devastation, Senator Grassley and I saw true Iowa resilience: neighbors helping neighbors and communities coming together in the midst of hardship. That is what it means to be Iowa strong! As our state continues to recover, I will keep working at the federal level with our entire delegation and Governor Reynolds to ensure Iowans have access to the resources they need.”

“I was grateful for the opportunity to support the Greenfield community and meet with those on the ground who are working tirelessly to put their town back together. Iowans stand together in good times and bad. Greenfield is showing remarkable strength and resilience after experiencing terrible destruction and losing neighbors, homes and businesses,” Grassley said. “I’ll continue to do all I can to assist Greenfield and other storm-affected areas in Iowa as they rebuild.”

The senators earlier this week led the entire Iowa congressional delegation in urging President Biden to approve Governor Kim Reynolds’ Presidential Disaster Declaration request to aid in storm recovery.

Senator Ernst shared the following video message from Greenfield:

Gov. Reynolds issues Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for 10 additional counties impacted by recent severe weather

News

May 24th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster emergency proclamation for 10 additional counties in response to severe weather that occurred on May 21, 2024. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and Disaster Case Advocacy Program for the following counties: Calhoun, Cerro Gordo, Johnson, Keokuk, Marion, Scott, Shelby, Union, Washington, and Wright counties.
A disaster proclamation was previously issued on May 21 for Adair, Adams, Cass, Clay, Hardin, Harrison, Jasper, Kossuth, Marshall, Montgomery, Page, Palo Alto, Pottawattamie, Tama, and Warren counties, and on May 22 for Black Hawk, Buena Vista, Butler, Cedar, Clinton, Dubuque, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Humboldt, Iowa, Jackson, Mills, Muscatine, O’Brien, Polk and Story counties.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website https://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/assistance. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.
The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Advocacy Program, contact your local community action agency or visit iowacommunityaction.org.
The proclamation waives fees for the issuance of replacement motor vehicle registration cards, plates, and driver licenses. The proclamation also temporarily suspends regulatory provisions of the Iowa Code that pertain to procurement of goods and services, hours of service for disaster repair crews, and various requirements for the transportation of loads related to disaster repairs. Additionally, the proclamation waives fees collected by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics or a county recorder’s office associated with the replacement of records lost, destroyed, or rendered illegible as a result of the recent severe weather.

Man found guilty of murdering retired grocer from Nashua in 201

News

May 24th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa)- A northern Iowa man has been found guilty of murdering a retired grocer more than a decade after the crime. A Chickasaw County jury has found 51-year-old Randy Patrie guilty of killing 70-year-old Carl Gallmeyer of Nashua in September of 2012. Patrie was the primary suspect, however, before local officials could proceed with their case, he was sentenced in 2014 to life in federal prison on felony firearms charges and for being a career criminal.

In 2018, Patrie was re-sentenced “I think everyone is very grateful the jury delivered justice to the Gallmeyer family after nearly 12 years of waiting,” Laudner says.

Patrie’s first degree murder conviction carries a mandatory life sentence in an Iowa prison. No sentencing date has been set.

President approves federal aid for 4 counties hit by Tuesday’s tornadoes

News

May 24th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – President Biden has approved federal disaster assistance for residents and businesses in four counties hit by Tuesday’s severe weather. Governor Kim Reynolds made the request yesterday (Thursday), noting over 200 homes had been severely damaged or destroyed in Adair, Montgomery, Polk and Story Counties. The state’s initial damage estimate is 11 million dollars.

In a written statement, Reynolds thanked Biden for expediting the assistance, which the governor says it critical to Iowa’s recovery process. Homeowners and renters in the four counties who were affected may seek federal assistance now to cover temporary housing, medical bills and other expenses.

U-S Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has approved U-S-D-A disaster assistance for farmers in 29 counties that had damage from the tornadoes and severe weather that hit Iowa LAST month.

Three Men and One Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Narcotics Charges

News

May 24th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced May 21, 2024, to 84 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencings, Alejandro Almaraz, 24, and three co-defendants, conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska metro areas. This case involved the seizure of approximately 12 kilograms of methamphetamine. The seized methamphetamine was transported from Juarez, Mexico to the United States through El Paso, Texas.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Almaraz will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

Almaraz’s three co-defendants were sentenced earlier this year. Arnulfo Ibarra-Nunez, 57, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Stacey Hernandez, 19, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Manuel Gamez-Acosta, 25, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Council Bluffs Police Department.

Iowa counties approved for USDA assistance following severe weather in April

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 24th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – This (Friday) morning, Governor Reynolds spoke with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack regarding the severe weather event in Iowa on April 26th, 2024, and her request on May 14, 2024, for USDA disaster assistance for impacted farmers.

Secretary Vilsack informed the Governor that USDA has determined that Iowa meets the requirements for an FSA Administrator’s Physical Loss Notification (APLN) which will open up federal emergency loan assistance for impacted Iowa farmers suffering from physical farm losses in the following counties: Adair, Adams, Audubon, Boone, Carroll, Cass, Clarke, Crawford, Dallas, Decatur, Fremont, Harrison, Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Marion, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Story, Taylor, Union, Warren, and Wayne.

“I want to thank Secretary Vilsack for approving this much-needed federal disaster assistance for Iowa’s farmers whose property was damaged due to severe weather last month,” said Governor Reynolds. “This opens up federal loans and other emergency assistance programs that will help our farmers recover from their losses.

More information from USDA is expected in the coming days.

Segment of I-35 closed due to semis flipped over by the storm

News

May 24th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Tornado sirens wailed this (Friday) morning in several central and eastern Iowa counties as severe storms rolled across the state. In Hamilton County, southbound traffic is being detoured off of Interstate 35 due to several semis having been knocked over by powerful winds. Hamilton County Sheriff Doug Timmons says there were no serious injuries reported.

One of several semis along I-35, flipped by the strong winds. (Photo by Pat Powers, KQWC)

“About the 139 mile marker, which is the Kamrar exit, is currently closed,” Sheriff Timmons says. “We got multiple semis that are tipped over and we got powerlines across the road. We’re diverting traffic.” Timmons says there’s damage to buildings in the county that was either caused by a small tornado or strong straight-line winds. As yet, no tornadoes are confirmed in today’s storms.

MidAmerican Energy reported some 35-thousand customers statewide were without power at the peak this morning, while Alliant Energy had another 12-thousand customers in the dark.

Atlantic Memorial Day Flags Update

News

May 24th, 2024 by Jim Field

The Atlantic Memorial Day service will be held Monday, May 27 at 10:00 am at the Atlantic Cemetery Field of Glory.  Steve Livengood, local veteran who helps to coordinate those events, has announced that the flags that are normally raised on Friday and left through the weekend will not be raised until Monday morning.

The flags will be raised to half-mast Monday morning at 7:00 am and lowered and stored at 5:00 pm.  The service will feature canon fire to begin, the Atlantic High School Band and keynote speaker Ryan Graham.  If you can’t make it to the service, KJAN TV will provide live streaming video.

Waterloo’s Visiting Nurses Association to shutter May 31

News

May 24th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Waterloo Visiting Nurses Association will be closing its doors at the end of the month after almost a century of work in Black Hawk County and beyond. Executive director Annett Burke says like many nonprofit health organizations, the Waterloo Visiting Nurses Association has seen diminishing private donations and minimal Medicare reimbursement. “With all of that, it has all combined into the perfect storm in that we are just no longer able to provide services and still cover the overhead.” Burke says staffing has become a major issue.

“It’s very difficult to get and retain nurses and nurses aids,” says. “They are the ones who are the meat of the industry.” The non-profit in Waterloo has provided a variety of services, like nutrition classes, blood pressure checks and immunization clinics.

There are other Visiting Nurses Associations still operating in the state in places like Council Bluffs, Iowa City and Dubuque.

Help protect Iowa’s forests – Leave firewood at home

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 24th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Thousands of Iowans will be camping and building campfires this Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages campers to buy firewood from where they will burn it instead of bringing it from home. Tivon Feeley, DNR Forest Health Forester, says “Moving unseasoned firewood around the state can threaten the health of our forests by spreading insects like emerald ash borer (EAB), oak wilt, and other pests that live in firewood.”

Plenty of firewood is available locally to your favorite state or county park. Ask a park ranger or campground host where you can get local firewood. Make sure you burn all of your firewood at your campsite and not leave it or transport to a new area.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship requires all firewood sold or acquired in Iowa to have the county and state of harvest location on the label of packages and the delivery ticket for bulk firewood.

Learn more about the importance of using local or certified heat-treated firewood at www.dontmovefirewood.org/.