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Adams County Sheriff’s report, 8/12/21: Lenox man arrested being clocked at 115 mph

News

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County, Thursday (Today), said a traffic stop at around 11:24-p.m. Wednesday at Highway 34 and Ginko Avenue, resulted in an arrest. 26-year-old Cole Ray Aldrich was arrested for three counts of Driving Under Suspension. His bond was set at slightly more than $1,473. And, at around 9:50-p.m. Wednesday, Adams County Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling 115 mph on Highway 25, toward Clearfield. The driver, Cedric Nelson, of Lenox, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, and Possession of dangerous weapons while under the influence. He was also cited for Speeding, and Open Container.

In other news, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports 36-year-old Joshua Andrew Fink, of Stanton, was arrested July 27th, on two counts of driving while suspended. He later posted bond, and was released.  On July 26th, Adams County Deputies arrested Terry Gordon Weeks on three active warrants for Failure to Appear. Weeks later posted a $4,000 bond and was released.

State fair opens

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – People flowed into the gates when they opened this (Thursday) morning as the Iowa State Fair returned after being canceled in 2020 by the pandemic. Fair C-E-O Gary Slater spoke at the opening ceremonies. “I can tell you it was a hard 14 months, but we weren’t sure we would be here today — but we are resilient, we are resourceful, and I can confidently say that we are back,” Slater says. Governor Kim Reynolds also spoke.”Yeaah, welcome back to the Iowa State Fair,” she says. The governor was cheered and told the crowd she has already taken several steps and is counting them to be sure she gets enough exercise to offset anything she eats. “I am tracking my way so I can eat the rest of the afternoon. It is a strategy that we all should be taking,” Reynolds says.

She spoke with Radio Iowa after the opening ceremonies and says she expects huge crowds during the 11-day run. “It’s so exciting, it’s just a tradition that families look forward to every year and generations of families,” according to Reynolds. “And it’s not just in Iowa, it’s all across the country and really around the world. People know about the Iowa State Fair and they really look forward to coming,” she says. Some critics says the State Fair brings too many maskless people together and risks the spread of COVID. “We did RAGBRAI and we did Hinterland that had thousands and thousands of people and I didn’t see a lot of masks there. We need to do it safely and responsibly — Iowans are doing that,” according to Reynolds.

Gov. Kim Reynolds at the 2021 Iowa State Fair

COVID case numbers have gone back up — as have hospitalizations — but Reynolds says this is not the same as the height of the pandemic. “You have to put it in context though of what we saw back in December and November when we actually peaked. At that time, probably 37 percent of our hospitalizations were COVID-related. And I actually had hospitals reaching out and saying we are on the brink and we are afraid if something would happen we wouldn’t have the capacity to take it.” Reynolds says the current infection rate is still well below the peak. “We’re not even at three percent right now — so yeah they’re rising — but the difference between then and now is we have a vaccine,” Reynolds says. “And the deal with the vaccine is that it prevents people for the most part being hospitalized or death. We are not seeing it correlate to the deaths like we did.”

She says that’s especially true among the elderly population.

Dyersville Mayor talks about impact of Field of Dreams

News, Sports

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Dyersville area is getting a lot of national attention for tonight’s (Thursday) for the Major League baseball game, but Dyersville’s mayor James Heavens says the impact it has had on the state is a good thing. “I’m very impressed and very amazed that the people of Iowa — because I get around quite a bit in my business — are very aware of this game and I think they are very proud it as Iowans that it’s happening. It happens to be in Dyersville — but it is kind of an Iowa strong, Iowa cornfield type of thing,” Heavens says. He says he’s found that to be the case everywhere he goes in the state.

“When they find out I am from Dyersville — not even knowing I am the mayor — they’ll comment,”Oh you got the big game up there, we’ll be watching that.’ That kind of warms your heart,” he says. Heavens has been mayor in two different stints totaling 14 years. He says the movie site is something unique. “You know when you go out to the Field of Dreams it’s like everybody’s barriers around them drop. I mean you can go up to somebody and say ‘Hey where are you from,’…and they say we really like Dyersville. And they’ll tell you their whole life story, it’s like all of their defenses drop when they are out there and it’s like one big neighborhood almost,” Heavens says. Heavens says it is good to see the movie site back in the national spotlight, which he said had kind of dropped off until new owners took over with improvement plans.

“For many years the Field of Dreams was kind of just there,” according to Heavens, “it wasn’t a big economic engine for the city or the county. But it did attract 60-thousand visitors per year,” he says. Heavens will watch the game on T-V outside with others. “They offered a couple of tickets to the mayor and the city council and I elected to not take one because there’s a lot of people who really, really wanted to go to that game. And if they can take my seat — so much the better,” Heavens says. Heavens says they’ve spruced up the city and filled what few potholes they have to prepare for all the visitors — but they don’t have to worry about much else.

“This is Major League Baseball’s party here, and we want to help them host that as best as we can — and I think we do a good job of that. You know we have a toy show here in the fall, we like company and we like people to come and see us,” Heavens says. Heavens hopes ML-B will continue holding games at the Field of Dreams movie site and he would especially be interested in seeing one between the Cubs and Cardinals.

Stanton woman arrested in connection with alleged vehicle theft

News

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Shenandoah, Iowa) – Police in Shenandoah reports one person was arrested Wednesday evening in connection with the alleged theft of a vehicle. Authorities say 41-year-old Amber Sue Grantz, of Stanton, was arrested late Wednesday evening for Operating [a vehicle] without the owners consent–an aggravated misdemeanor.

Grantz was arrested at around 11 p.m. She was being held in the Page County Jail on $2,000 bond.

Another phone scam circulating in the area

News

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Another phone scam is being reported in Atlantic. According to the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, someone stating they are with the “Federal Reserve” is calling some businesses and/or residents, stating that there is a suspicious transaction in your bank account, that needs immediate action. The current number being used is 909-638-2878. The Chamber says to ignore that phone call, and don’t give out any banking information.

Connections Area Agency on Aging offering caregiver stress-busting program

News

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Connections Area Agency on Aging is offering a “Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers.” The Program is designed to improve the quality of life of family caregivers and help caregivers manage their stress and cope better with their lives. It consists of nine weekly 90-minute sessions. The program is conducted in a small group setting with two trained group facilitators. Participants are provided with many resources including a handbook covering class material.

The Stress-Busting Program teaches you:

  • The impact of stress on your health and how it relates to caregiving.
  • How to deal with stress through relaxation techniques and problem solving.
  • How to care for yourself while providing better care for your loved one.

Caregivers who have completed the program report feeling significantly lower stress, depression, and anxiety and are able to enjoy a better quality of life. They have also experienced improvement in their ability to relax, manage stress and feel better about themselves. Choose between classes that meet starting, September 21, 2021 through November 16, 2021 either on Tuesday afternoons 1:30-3:00 p.m. or Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:00 p.m.

For more info: contact Jan Schnack, Family Caregiver Community Engagement Specialist at 800.432.9209 extension 8116 or JSchnack@connectionsaaa.org

Connections Area Agency on Aging Family Caregiver Program supports people who care for their parents, spouses, or others aged 60+ by providing information, resources, and support.

Juvenile injured in Page County collision, Wednesday

News

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

A male juvenile passenger in a pickup truck involved in a collision Wednesday in Page County, was transported to the hospital after complaining of pain. The accident happened on a gravel road a little after Noon on Wednesday, about four-miles east of Shenandoah. The Page County Sheriff’s office reports an investigation determined 16-year-old Benjamin Roger Labrum, of Riverton, was driving a 1994 Ford Ranger pickup northbound in the 2000 block of on F Avenue, and was slowing to turn into the driveway located at 2037 F Avenue.

A 1991 Ford Crown Victoria driven by 15-year-old Blake Dellas Herold, of Shenandoah, was also traveling  northbound on F Avenue, behind Labrum’s pickup. Due to gravel dust kicked-up by Labrum’s pickup, Herold did not see for Ranger slowing for the turn. The car struck the rear driver’s side of pickup. Both vehicles came to rest in the roadway. Damage from the collision amounted to $5,000.

Herold was cited for Following to Closely. The juvenile passenger in Labrums vehicle was transported to Shenandoah Medical Center by Shenandoah Ambulance Service.

Lieutenant Governor says now’s the time to market Iowa to out-of-staters

News

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg is hinting at a state marketing campaign targeting former Iowans and others considering moving into the state to fill job openings. “Keep your eyes peeled for some future efforts in this regard in terms of communicating with folks who might be interested in coming to our state,” Gregg says. Gregg says now is the time to sell Iowa’s cost of living and quality of life with residents of urban areas of the country. “I think with some of the safety concerns that we see in some our big cities, with the pandemic challenges, with the continued lock downs in some of those big cities, I think there’s a renewed interest in coming to Iowa and coming to rural Iowa where we value freedom,” Gregg says, “and where social distancing is sort of baked into the cake in our rural communities.”

Gregg toured the Winnebago Industries assembly plant in Forest City yesterday (Wednesday). The company has several job openings at the plant — on the production floor and in management and engineering staff. “They’re talking about hiring over 500 people over the course of the next year. What great opportunities for folks to have a great quality of life in rural Iowa, work for a great company, build a career and support a family, but there’s also challenges as well in having a workforce that’s trained to meet those needs,” Gregg says. “I know that they’re making some significant investments in a career center here, which means great opportunity for students.”

Winnebago sales have increased during the pandemic and the company’s expanding its workforce to meet that demand. The lieutenant governor made stops yesterday (Wednesday) in Whittemore, Estherville and Milford as well as Forest City, part of his 99 county tour of the state.

Biofuels backer says infrastructure bill is bad for Midwest economy, farmers

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The trillion-dollar infrastructure bill that passed the U-S Senate this week contained nothing for biofuels but did include more than seven-billion dollars in funding for a charger network for electric vehicles, or E-Vs. Cassidy Walter, spokeswoman for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, says the Senate missed a tremendous carbon reduction opportunity. Walter says, “If our country is trying to reduce carbon emissions by having a singular focus on EVs, we’re really setting aside the huge impact that biofuels are prepared to make.”

The biofuels industry is already making great leaps, Walter says, toward being more planet-friendly. “Today, they’re reducing carbon emissions by roughly 50% or more already and they’re on a path to be carbon negative in the next decade,” Walter says. “It’s a missed opportunity that’s actually worse for our environment, it’s no good for the Midwestern economy and it hurts farmers.” The bill has headed to the U-S House where Walter says her organization will be lobbying members of Iowa’s congressional delegation to include biofuels.  “There is a lot of room for biofuels to grow when it comes to infrastructure,” Walter says. “We have a long way to go in terms of increasing consumer access to higher biofuel blends like E-15, E-85 and B-20.”

Walter says it’s critical Congress embrace multiple solutions to the nation’s environmental challenges instead of following a one-size-fits-all approach as the Senate did.

Drought conditions increase across parts of Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

August 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Cass and parts of surrounding counties are still experiencing drought conditions. The latest Drought Monitor released today (Thursday), indicates all of Cass, Adair, and Mills Counties are Abnormally Dry. Most of Audubon and Madison Counties are also Abnormally Dry, with a section of Guthrie and most of Dallas County in a Moderate Drought. Other counties in the area experiencing abnormally dry soil conditions include: the eastern half of Pott. County; the southeastern part of Shelby County; the northwestern half of Adams County; and about two-thirds of Fremont and Page Counties.

Extreme Drought continues to plague all or parts of 11 counties in northeastern Iowa, and parts of five northwest/central Iowa, closest to the Minnesota border.

The Drought Monitor map released 8/12/21