(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa State University analysis shows rural households are being disproportionately impacted by rising inflation. The study finds disposable income for rural residents is down 38 percent — compared to 17 percent in cities. I-S-U researcher Dave Peters says that means rural communities have less of a safety net for unexpected costs. “A healthcare issue that costs extra money, you get a reduction in your hours. Big home repair that you didn’t plan for. So, any kind of these unexpected expenses, that’s only six-thousand dollars to cover that,” Peters says. He says rural households are using more gasoline to travel and fuel to heat their homes – – which are both surging in price.

And Peters says wages in small towns are growing more slowly than in other places. Peters says he’s most concerned with how long these communities can withstand inflationary costs. “If they’re for the long term, then this becomes a big crisis for rural households, you know, that disposable income cushion makes them really vulnerable to debt and bankruptcy,” he says. Peters says low-income and older residents are at even greater risk of being impacted.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Cass Health reports AMC Rapid Care will be closed this (Thursday) morning (July 14), but they will re-open at noon, after staff move into their temporary home in Atlantic Medical Center. AMC Rapid Care personnel they will work out of the AMC until their space is fully renovated, the process for which is expected to be completed in early 2023.

(Radio Iowa) – The latest survey shows gas prices have fallen again. Triple-A says the average price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline dropped 12 cents to four dollars, 46 cents. That is down 30 cents a gallon from one month ago. The current Iowa average is 17 cents below the national average. It is still one dollar, 48 cents higher than one year ago.

Diesel prices dropped nine cents this week to five dollars, 27 cents. It’s still well above the three dollars, 11 cents a gallon for diesel one year ago.

(Radio Iowa) – Three people were injured in a massive explosion in Le Mars today (Wednesday) that destroyed one house and left a second heavily damaged by fire. Fire Chief Dave Schipper says the explosion happened around 6:35 a-m. “It was called in actually by an Assistant Fire Chief who was on his way to station one and was just four blocks to the north of here when he witnessed the explosion and the debris landing in the street,” he says. One of the victims is seriously injured.

“All three of those were treated by Le Mar’s Fire Rescue and transported to Floyd Valley Hospital one to Mercy in Sioux City, and that person since has been life-flighted to St Elizabeth’s Burn Center in Lincoln with some severe burn injuries,” Schipper says. Schipper says the early investigation points to a possible gas leak as the cause of the explosion. He says the blast rattled several city buildings.

KLEM photo via RI

“We have several structures around the area houses that have been damaged either windows or doors or things blown off the walls,” he says “Station one sits about five blocks from here — it actually had some things blown off the wall at the fire station.” The house closest to the explosion suffered the most damage.

“We had a serious fire in the second structure we had structural integrity that was not safe for our firefighters to enter,” Schipper says. He says the second home was demolished because of the damage. Both homes that were destroyed were rental properties owned by the same landlord. A third home caught fire — but the fire was quickly put out.

(Walnut, Iowa) – Authorities say one person died when a train collided with a grain truck at around 2:30-p.m. today, near Walnut. KETV in Omaha reported the accident happened near 500th Street and Rosewood Road.

Officers received reports of a semi-truck colliding with a rail train and the train dragged the semi approximately 100-150 yards, according to authorities. When first responders arrived on the scene, the truck was on fire — “fully involved,” according to law enforcement.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office said the train was traveling eastbound and the grain truck was traveling southbound. Law enforcement was still on the scene as of 4:30–p.m., investigating the accident. The intersection is closed at this time, according to authorities.