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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
PERRY, Iowa [KCCI] — The Perry High School has a new principal. The Perry News reports that interim Principal Brad Snowgren will succeed Dan Marburger. Marburger died days after the Jan. 4 school shooting. The online newspaper reports that the Perry School Board unanimously approved Snowgren’s hiring.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Emergency personnel responded to a small biplane crash Wednesday afternoon at the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport. The pilot was reported to be OK. The crash, reported at about 2:35 p.m. The plane involved was said to be a 1944 De Haviland Tiger Moth DH 82A. According to the FAA, the aircraft is registered to John Frederick Rued, of Bellevue, NE.
Preliminary FAA information stated the aircraft departed the airport in a crosswind, lost directional control, veered-off the runway and over a berm. The name of the pilot was not immediately released.
Additional details are currently not available.
(Radio Iowa) – The Midwest is seeing a rise in cases of Lyme disease and other health problems associated with ticks, and experts say the trouble is, millions of the tiny insects are now surviving our warmer winters. Megan Meller, an infection preventionist at Gundersen Health System, says now that spring is here, Iowans should start doing tick checks on a regular basis. “Tick season essentially now is moving year-round. I think we previously would think that we would have started looking for ticks once the weather turned warmer in April and May, when we’re spending more time outside,” Meller says, “but this year, we were seeing warm weather back in really from December through January and currently, and even those brief cold spells didn’t kill the ticks.”
The experts say there are more than a dozen species of ticks in Iowa, the three most common are deer ticks, dog ticks and lone star ticks. Meller says some are easier to spot than others. “If we’re lucky, they’re large and we can find them right away but some of them are really tiny, the size of a dot at the end of a sentence, and if you overlook those, they can also cause an infection,” Meller says. “It’s really important to not just do a thorough tick check on yourself and on your pets and children, but to also take additional preventative measures.” Those measures include wearing long pants and long sleeves.
“Wearing bug spray when you’re outside that repels ticks. It’s closing up your sock line. That’s an easy way for ticks to get up, too. It’s wearing long socks over your pants,” she says. “It’s just being really mindful that as we spend more and more time outside, there are also hidden dangers lurking out there.” Along with the rise in tick-borne diseases in the region, there’s a silver lining to the story.
“We’re seeing a greater push for vaccine development to prevent Lyme disease. So right now, there is a vaccine in Stage-3 clinical trials that has some promising results, so we’re keeping an eye on that,” Meller says. “Hopefully, at some point in the near future, there’ll be a vaccine that helps prevent Lyme disease, so we don’t have to keep worrying about this potential added fear in the woods.”
There’s another tick to be watchful for, especially if you raise cattle or horses in Iowa. The Asian longhorned tick has been found in at least 19 states, including Missouri, but it’s not yet been spotted here. Gundersen Health System has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Sierra Club Iowa is asking the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the large fertilizer spill on the East Nishnabotna River that killed thousands of fish. Chapter Director Pam Mackey-Taylor says they sent a letter with the request. “We’re asking that the Environmental Protection Agency which is federal government agency pick up the investigation of what happened and initiate criminal and serious civil charges related to the spill,” she says. Mackey-Taylor says if the issue only goes through the state civil process there would be a maximum 10-thousand dollar penalty and the cost of the dead fish.
“It’s a little bit of a long drawn out process. We feel that this is serious enough given that it’s 60 mile stretch of the river. It’s in two states, massive amount of fertilizer,” Macky-Taylor says. “And we think that it needs to be stepped up and gone through the civil as well as the criminal courts to get resolution.” The D-N- R reports more than 749-thousand fish were killed from the fertilizer spill at the NEW Cooperative near Red Oak in Montgomery County March 11th. The spill killed nearly all the fish in an almost 50-mile stretch of the East Nishnabotna River into Missouri. “They said that this is one of the largest kills of fish in Iowa. There are a few spills that are larger, but no we haven’t heard of anything this large for some time,” she says. She says the company should be held responsible.
New Cooperative spill
“Obviously, there was nobody around doing any kind of surveillance or survey, or monitoring of what was happening. No monitors on the equipment to notify what spills are happening. No guards. And so this is just a flagrant violation that just needs to be fixed. And it’s more than just a simple little accident,” Mackey-Taylor says. She says Missouri wildlife officials believe some 40-thousand fish were killed in their state.
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments this (Thursday) afternoon over the Iowa law that would ban abortions after fetal activity can be detected, around the sixth week of a pregnancy. The policy has been on hold due to the legal challenge filed soon after Governor Kim Reynolds signed the law last July.
“We’re optimistic and hopeful. We’ve passed the ‘heartbeat’ law twice in the state of Iowa,” Reynolds said. “It passed by a larger majority this last go-round in the special session.” Reynolds signed a Fetal Heartbeat Act in 2018, but it was ruled unconstitutional in state court. Last year, after the U-S Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, Reynolds asked Iowa’s Supreme Court to let the law take effect, but the request failed on a tie vote among the justices.
In July, Reynolds convened a special legislative session to pass the law again. Planned Parenthood quickly sued to block the law, arguing it violates Iowans’ constitutional right to an abortion. The Iowa Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling by the end of June.
(Radio Iowa)- The Iowa Senate has passed a bill giving schools some legal protection if staff with a professional gun permit volunteer to respond to a shooting on school grounds. Senator Dave Rowley, a Republican from Spirit Lake, says 20 Iowa school districts have expressed interest in having policies that allow armed staff on school grounds. “In 2001 there were 30 school shootings compared to 327 school shootings in 2023. It is a trend, my colleagues, that is not going away,” Rowley says. “This bill provides an option for school districts.”
Republican Senator Lynn Evans of Aurelia, a retired superintendent, says parents want school officials to explore every option — including this one — to keep students safe. “We live a pretty comfortable, safe life in Iowa. It only takes seconds for that comfortable life to be taken away,” Evans said. “I get a pit in my stomach just thinking about, talking about this issue.”
The bill passed with the support of 30 Republican senators and opposition from 14 Democrats. If the bill becomes law, school staff who volunteer to seek a professional permit to undergo training, including how to respond to an active shooter. Senator Sarah Trone-Garriott, a Democrat from Waukee, says the required training is not rigorous enough. “This bill asks me to put my child’s life into someone else’s hands, but says that person doesn’t have to put in the work to ensure they are up to the task,” Trone-Garriott said. “This is terrifying.”
Senator Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids who’s a teacher, says the legislature should be taking other kinds of steps to protect students. “We could be investing far more funding in mental health resources…to identify the supports for students who may pose a risk to themselves or others,” Donahue says. “We could be funding enhanced training for staff on emergency procedures, crisis intervention and threat recognition.”
The bill won approval in the Iowa House weeks ago, but Senate Republicans removed a section of the bill that would have established state grants for schools that hire private security or police to patrol school buildings. The bill, which goes back to the House for review, still requires Iowa’s largest school districts to have a police officer or private security guard inside each high school building.
(Atlantic, Iowa [updated]) – The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education met Wednesday evening. During their regularly scheduled session, Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen spoke about proposals for Summer School programs. Dr. Johnsen said the Atlantic Public Library is open to holding a “Trojan Boost” program that would begin two-weeks before school starts in August. The focus would be on Elementary School students who are most at-risk, those who are losing their math and reading skills.
At the Middle School, Dr. Johnsen said they’re trying something different this Summer.
The Atlantic High School still has the Credit Recovery program, so students can obtain credit for classes they didn’t already pass, and Vocational Rehab for high school grade students. Para educators would provide transportation for Voc-Rehab students.
In other business, the Atlantic School District Director of Finance, Lisa Jones, said she had some revised numbers with regard to the property tax levy (rate) of $12.51/$1,000 valuation, down from 12.91524 announced during the March 27th meeting. Last year, it was $13.00/$1,000. That latest rate was arrived at following discussion on whether or not the District should make an additional payment on the bonds through property taxes, and pay the bonds off sooner, and based on the Iowa Legislature’s action on per pupil student supplemental aid.
She had suggested making a full payment of $740,000, but the Board chose to make an additional $500,000 payment on the bonds, which accounts for the new rate.
A decision on the final rate will be acted upon following a public hearing at 5:30-p.m., prior to the Board’s Work Session, on April 24th.
Atlantic School Board meeting, 4-10-24
The Board, Wednesday, approved a quote from Apple Computers for Teacher computers for the 2024-25 Fiscal Year, a list of Senior Graduates, and the 2024-25 School Calendar. School starts on August 23, 2024, with new teacher in-service days on August 15 and additional in-service days on August 16, 19, 20, 21, and 22. Students will be dismissed early on November 27 for Thanksgiving break. The Christmas break is from December 23 to January 2, Spring break is from March 24 to March 28, and classes will dismiss for the summer on May 23 with a two-hour early dismissal.
The School Board approved the purchase of a Dump Trailer from Olson’s Outdoor Power, and a Vodec Contract. High School Principal Heather McKay explained Vodec provides services to children with special needs.
The Board approved the following resignations:
The Board approved Contract Recommendations and/or Letters of Assignment:
DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Bicycle Coalition announced today (Wednesday) that HF 2568 passed the Iowa Senate unanimously without debate today and will be sent to the Governor for signature. The measure previously passed the house in February with a large majority.
HF 2568 establishes critical protections that benefit everyone who uses crosswalks including pedestrians, cyclists, and other people on any other mobility device or personal conveyance. The legislation was led in the Senate by Iowa Senator Mark Lofgren and in the Iowa House by Representative Thomas Gerhold.
Luke Hoffman, Executive Director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, said in a statement on the bill’s passage, “Inevitably everyone will use a crosswalk as a pedestrian, so passing this bill is a clear and convincing victory for the individual rights of all Iowans. This bill closes a loophole in state code that brings us in line with surrounding states including Nebraska which already affords the same protections to all pedestrians regardless of your form of transportation.
“Whether you are out on the trails as a cyclist, a person with disabilities in a wheelchair, a senior citizen on an electric scooter, a kid on a skateboard, or a parent with a baby in a stroller, it’s a win for all Iowans. No matter if you are traveling in a car, by foot or by bike, your safety matters, and you deserve the peace of mind to know you are afforded the same individual rights as everyone else by the State of Iowa.”
Hoffman said also, “The Iowa Bicycle Coalition commends the legislators who worked hard to pass this bill and our friends in our coalition including AARP who supported this bill with us and the University of Iowa Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Safety Lab researchers who helped develop the brief on the impact of this policy on Iowans.”
(Radio Iowa) Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that lets Iowa law enforcement arrest and deport people who are in the country illegally. Reynolds says the law will give Iowa the power to enforce U-S immigration law, something Reynolds says President Biden is unwilling to do.
The law, which will go into effect July 1st, would let Iowa judges issue deportation orders. It’s similar to a Texas law that’s on hold due to a court challenge and a lawsuit may block Iowa’s new law as well. Last month, after the bill cleared the legislature the executive director of the A-C-L-U of Iowa said the policy would consume already strapped law enforcement resources and lead to racial profiling.
Governor Kim Reynolds held a news conference in her Iowa Capitol office on April 3, 2024. (RI file photo)
Federal courts have previously ruled that the federal government has sole authority to enforce immigration laws. Reynolds says the Biden Administration is failing at that task and putting the protection and safety of Iowans at risk.
(Radio Iowa) – Changes in tax structures mandated by the legislature are forcing smaller Iowa communities to make difficult cuts to recreational programs, like in the northeast Iowa town of Waverly which is having to close its community swimming pool. Anne Duncan is coach of the Waverly swim club, which serves about 80 kids during the summer. Duncan says those children say they feel as though they’ve lost a home.
“They’ve found a place and they have found a community in swimming,” she says, “and they felt like that was threatened when the pool wasn’t going to open.” The summer swimming team has been a staple in Waverly for nearly 50 years, but the city was forced to cut one-point-eight million dollars from its budget, and pool services were a part of that. Duncan says she’s concerned about the future safety of the kids who won’t have access to the pool, swim team or not.
“When those kids become teenagers and young adults, are we going to see an uptick in aquatic-related accidents?” Duncan says. “Especially for families that might have a financial barrier to private lessons or group lessons and they never get that formal education, going to the pool is the only way they learn.”
Duncan says her team members have petitioned the city council with their concerns. The team involves youth from five additional communities outside Waverly. The town is considering building a new pool, which would displace the swim club and residents for at least two more years.
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