(Hull, Iowa) – A collision in northwest Iowa, Wednesday morning, resulted in two deaths and one person injured. The Iowa State Patrol reports the accident happened at around 10:33-a.m., a little northwest of Hull. Authorities say a 2017 Dodge Caravan driven by 56-year-old Suzanne Barron, of Sioux City, was traveling west on 310th Street, at the same time a 2019 Freightliner truck driven by 46-year-old Jamie Hueschen, of Sioux City, was traveling southbound on U-S Highway 75. A 2009 Chevy Silverado driven by 31-year-old Ethan Kooima, of Hull, was eastbound on US Hwy 18, waiting to turn south onto Hwy 75.

When the van failed to stop at the intersection, it was struck on the passenger side by the Freightliner truck. Both vehicles exited the southwest corner of the intersection, where the van hit two stops signs and overturned, coming to rest on the driver’s side. The Silverado pickup was struck by flying vehicle debris from the initial collision.

Suzanne Barron and her passenger, Rene Ross, II, of Hull, died from their injuries. The driver of the semi was hurt and transported by Sioux Center Ambulance to the Sioux Center Hospital. All of the crash victims were wearing their seat belts.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is urging the Justice Department to drop its appeal of a ruling that struck down the mask requirement for public transportation. “Americans’ decisions to wear masks should be up to them,” Ernst says. “…Americans are tired of the masks. They’re ready to move on and get on with their life.”

Last week a federal judge in Florida ruled the Centers for Disease Control had exceeded its authority by issuing a mask mandate for planes, trains, buses and subways. Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, points to President Biden’s statement last week that it’s now up to Americans to decide whether to mask up and she says pursuing an appeal creates uncertainty for businesses and travelers. “This is a point in the pandemic, and I wish that we would start calling it an endemic, that people can make up their own mind,” Ernst said.

The now cancelled nationwide mask mandate for public transportation was set to expire May 3rd. Ernst says the Biden Administration should focus its public health measures on immigrants who are illegally crossing the southern border. “You don’t know if they have been vaccinated. You don’t know if they are carrying COVID,” Ernst says. “You simply don’t know the background and their circumstances.”

Ernst opposes the Biden Administration’s plan to end a Trump era policy that has sent unauthorized immigrants and asylum seekers back to Mexico to wait for immigration court action on their cases. Human rights groups say the policy has led to an increase in violence in areas where migrants are waiting in Mexico. Ernst and other Republicans say ending the policy will lead to a dramatic increase in illegal border crossings.

(Radio Iowa) – Sioux City residents are being asked to voluntarily conserve water because of the ongoing drought. The flow in the Missouri River is low and Sioux City Utilities director Brad Puetz says wells that are used to provide water in the system are low, too. “What we’re seeing right now is significant lower levels in those supply wells,” he says, “and we’re having to valve them back a bit just to keep those wells in water.”

Puetz says residents can reduce lawn watering, take shorter showers and adjust the length of washing cycles on dishwashers and washing machines — and he emphasizes these are voluntary moves for Sioux City residents. “There is a conservation plan in place. This step does not start step one of the conservation plan,” Puetz says. “We’re trying to head it off as early as possible, asking citizens to conserve water in the home as much as possible.”

City officials are reducing street cleaning in Sioux City and will not flush fire hydrants unless it’s necessary. The Missouri River helps replenish the city’s water wells. Puetz does NOT expect the Army Corps of Engineers to boost the water flow out of the Gavins Point Dam upstream in Yankton, South Dakota. “I can’t speak for the Army Corps of Engineers, but I think right now the max releases are going to say right around 25,000 to 26,000 cubic feet per second, just to meet navigation and recreational purposes,” Puetz says. “They’re dry up north, too. The larger basins — (Lake) Sakakawea, Garison and Fort Peck — they’re 10 to 11 feet low.”

Sioux City Utilities also provides water to South Sioux City, Nebraska and Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. Puetz says if customers start voluntarily conserving water now, it will lower the possibility the city will have to mandate restrictions early in the summer.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Education for the Atlantic Community School District met in a Special Session this (Wednesday) evening. During their session, the Board received an update from Guy Somers on the iJAG (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates) Program. They are also discussed School Social Work/Therapeutic classroom programs.

Superintendent Barber reminded the Board of the following dates of events:

• Their next regular meeting, which is 5:30-p.m. May 11th.
• Senior Class Night takes place at 7-p.m. May 11th.
• Baccalaureate will be held 7:30-p.m., May 18th.
• Superintendent Evaluation Comments are due in on May 18th, also.
• Graduation/Commencement is at 2-p.m. on May 22nd.
• There is a Board Work Session on May 25th at 5:30-p.m.
• The last day of school is May 26th.
• And, the End of Year Reception/Employee Recognition will be held May 27th.

The Atlantic School Board approved the following resignations and Contract Recommendations:

• Resignations:
  • Brandon Baggett, and Robert Astuni, HS English Teachers
  • Rhonda Hawkins, HS Business Teacher/Multi-Occupations Coordinator
  • Laura Vogel, HS Math Teacher
  • Pattiey Koontz, 3rd Grade Teacher
  • Jeff Hetrick, Preschool Route Driver.
• Contract Recommendations for:
  • Scott Dickerson, Transfer from HS Night Custodian to MS Day Custodian
  • Allison Widrowicz, MS Special Education
  • Nathan Berg, Volunteer Girls Golf Coach
  • Anna Pauley, HS Chemistry/Physics Teacher
  • Molly O’Hara, HS Physical Education/Health Teacher

The Board also approved the High School Gymnasium Sound System improvements. Superintendent Steve Barber said the original system was installed in 1995, and that they are “lucky” it’s lasted them this long. “We’ve looked at two different systems,” Barber said, “One that comes out of the scoreboard, which is limited to reach, and then a comprehensive one,” which would include acoustics, and is under the cost estimate of $51,000. It includes multiple speakers and controls, and will be an upgrade from the system they’ve been struggling with all year.

The goal is to have the work complete by sometime in August.