(Creston, Iowa) – Two people were arrested on separate charges in Creston, Wednesday afternoon. According to Creston Police, 24-year-old Bradford Guy Boyer, of Kent, was arrested at the Creston Wal-Mart Store, around 12:55-p.m. Boyer was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Marijuana 1st Offense. He was transported to the Union County Jail and later posted a $1,000 cash or approved surety bond, before being released.

A little before 5-p.m., Wednesday, Creston Police arrested 27-year-old Adam Edward Lee Austin, of Creston, in the 100 block of N. Elm Street, on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault/3rd or Subsequent Offense. Adam Austin was being held without bond in the Union County Jail, until seen by a judge.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – As mentioned in an earlier report, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Wednesday issued a disaster proclamation for Cass and five other counties affected by severe storms on Tuesday, April 16^th, 2024. Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon was in a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday morning. Afterward, he received word from residents and local officials in the area, wanting him to take a look about damage from a possible tornado having occurred in Anita, near the golf course, across a subdivision, a business on the north side of Highway 83, and at Lake Anita State Park.

Damage area image courtesy Mike Kennon

The damage occurred at around 10-a.m., Tuesday. Kennon says 12 homes were identified as having some minor damage. Broken windows, siding and trim, shingles and ridge caps, as well as garage doors, sustained damage in some parts of Anita. Numerous trees also fell, to varying degrees. Mike Kennon said the nursing home in Anita also appeared to have sustained damage from the weather event.

While the skies turned dark in Atlantic and parts of Cass County, late Tuesday morning, Kennon said there were no warnings issued by the National Weather Service at the time.

As mentioned, the governor’s proclamation open’s up the possibility of individual assistance that can be accessed, according to Kennon.

He said there may also be other, widespread damage from a storm front that passed through Cass County Tuesday afternoon. Strong winds affected most, if not all of the county. Kennon said Persons with property damage, who have not already done so, should contact Mike Kennon at 712-254-1500. And, if you happen to have photos of the severe weather event as it was occurring, you can send those to Mike Kennon at mkennon@casscoia.us .

CLIVE, Iowa — A man from far eastern Iowa has claimed a $2 million Powerball prize he won in November. According to an Iowa Lottery press release, 72-year-old Mark Krogman, of Clinton, who is retired, claimed his prize on Wednesday. He said he felt “shock and joy” when he found out he’d won. Krogman’s ticket was purchased at Clinton Liquor and came within one number of winning the $337.9 million jackpot in the Powerball drawing on Nov. 25.

Krogman’s ticket was the only one in the country to win a $2 million prize in that night’s drawing. His ticket initially matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to win a $1 million prize. Krogman had also added the Power Play option to his purchase, which multiplies the prize at the Match 5 level to $2 million, the release said.

Krogman has specific plans for his winnings, including paying off his house with a possible add-on, helping his family financially, and simply enjoying life.

Clinton Liquor received a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the winning ticket.

NORWALK, Iowa — Norwalk police are investigating a case of 60 dogs and cats living in filth at a Norwalk home. Police got a tip about a house full of animals that smelled bad.  They notified the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, who removed the animals. The ARL says the scene at the Norwalk home was like a nightmare: “57 dogs and puppies, some just days old, and 3 cats were trapped inside the home. The floors of the house were covered in trash and feces, and the smell was overwhelming. Some dogs were trapped in kennels while others roamed free.

Charges are pending against the homeowner. The ARL says you can make donations if you’d like to help care for the surviving dogs and cats. They also hope to put the animals up for adoption once their health improves.

ARL Facebook page photo (4/17/24)

WATERLOO, Iowa — (KCRG) – A community is mourning after a member of the Hudson Volunteer Fire & Rescue team was killed in a motorcycle crash Tuesday evening. According to police, 26-year-old Riley Gilbert was killed in a crash on April 16th, 2024. He reportedly struck a curb near the Fletcher Avenue traffic circle in wet and slippery conditions from recent rain. The motorcycle spun out, and Gilbert was thrown and struck a yield sign. When responders arrived, Gilbert was not breathing. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Hudson Volunteer Fire Department said he was a newer member of the department and was eager to learn.

Riley Gilbert (Hudson, IA Volunteer Fire & Rescue Facebook page photo)

DES MOINES, Iowa — [KCCI] – Blank Children’s Hospital is running out of beds amid an unseasonable spike in hospitalizations of young children with respiratory diseases. Pediatric infectious disease Dr. Joel Waddell said the hospital staff is working overtime to care for the unusual number of patients with RSV, flu and other respiratory illnesses at the hospital. Waddell said cases typically drop off in the spring as cold and flu season comes to a close, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s noticed more illnesses happening outside the “sickness season.”

He also said the types of patients experiencing serious symptoms are unusual. Illnesses that usually only manifest severely in babies or immunocompromised patients are impacting healthy 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds similarly, contributing to the number of patients requiring hospital support. By quarantining during their formative years, Waddell is concerned many of his young patients were not exposed to elements that would’ve boosted their immune systems, leaving them more vulnerable to disease now.

To protect your children, Waddell recommends checking that they are up to date on vaccinations. If your child does get sick, keep them home if they’re experiencing a fever and seek medical attention if their fever spikes or they’re having trouble breathing.

CLIVE, Iowa (KCAU) — The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is taking nominations for the state’s best breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. From now  through to June 3rd, Iowans can nominate a restaurant or establishment that they believe offers the state’s most “delectable” sandwich, according to a release. Each person can nominate one restaurant, and those who nominate the eventual winner may win $100.

The 22nd annual Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest celebrates a sandwich that’s a mainstay in restaurants in Iowa, the nation’s leading pork producer. You can nominate a restaurant by clicking here. Establishments must be consistently open year-round and offer the sandwich on their regular menu in order to be eligible (for example, food trucks are not eligible).

Courtesy of the Iowa Pork Producers Association – 2021 winning pork tenderloin sandwich

After the nominations are over, the top 40 restaurants’ breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches will be ranked by “pork quality, taste, physical characteristics, and overall eating experience,” the release states. The top five will be revealed in October, which is National Pork Month. The winning restaurant gets a plaque, $500 in cash, and statewide publicity.

Last year, Cliff’s Place in Manning took home the top prize, while The Roadhouse in Orange City was runner-up. 774 different places were nominated that year. A list of past winners going back as far as 2003 can be seen by clicking here.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds is applauding passage of a bill she says will help struggling students become better readers. The bill requires a focus on the science of reading and spells out what is standard practice in most schools. Teachers must develop a plan to improve the reading ability of any student in kindergarten through sixth grade who is not reading at their grade level. Senator Ken Rozenboom of Oskaloosa says schools are required to notify parents if their child isn’t reading well and let the student repeat a grade.

“To make sure we’re clear, retention is not required unless requested by the parent or guardian,” Rozenboom said. Reynolds also had hoped to require that teachers pass a test showing they have the skills to teach elementary students how to read. The bill will only require Iowa college students who plan to teach in kindergarten through sixth grade take the test, but they won’t have to pass it to graduate.

“It requires that teacher prep programs must administer the ‘Foundations of Reading Assessment’ and report to the Department of Education annually on the percentage of students who score above, at or below the passing score,” Rozenboom says.

Thirteen other states include the test as a requirement for teaching licenses.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa legislature has unanimously voted to let Iowans give a gun they legally own to a federally licensed gun dealer — if the gun dealer volunteers to store it. If the person asks to retrieve their gun later, the dealer would not be liable if the person uses the gun to hurt themselves or commit a crime. Representative Elinor Levin, a Democrat from Iowa City, says it’s a great bill.

“It gives the dealers an option, it gives the owners an option for anyone who feels at that time it’s not a good time to be storing (a gun) in the home,” Levin said, “for space, because of who’s in the house — whatever.”

Republican Senator Scott Webster of Bettendorf says the bill has the backing of gun rights groups and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “I believe this bill will help Iowans overall with a voluntary type program for the case of somebody who may have mental health issues and so on and so forth,” Webster said.

Republicans who control the Iowa legislature’s debate agenda in the past have rejected a so-called “red flag” law to police or family members seek court orders to prevent people considered to be a danger to themselves or others from having guns. Critics say red flag laws violate a person’s due process rights.