(Atlantic, Iowa) – A man from Nebraska was injured during a chain-reaction crash involving his motorcycle and three other vehicles Thursday afternoon, north of Atlantic. The Iowa State Patrol says the vehicles: a 2014 Honda CTX-130, operated by 60-year-old Anthony Haynes, Sr., of Omaha; a 2024 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup driven by 53-year-old William Smith, of Vernona, NY, and a 2021 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 30-year-old Jacob Swoboda, of Gretna, NE, were all traveling east on Interstate 80 near Exit 57 (Cass County Road N-16/Olive Street/620th St.) at around 3:25-p.m.

When a pilot car for an oversized load pulled into the traffic lanes, a 2021 BMW X-1 driven by 23-year-old Carly Boss, of Clive, slowed and pulled over to the left shoulder, as the vehicle ahead of the BMW was doing the same thing. When the BMW slowed to a stop, it was struck by the motorcycle.

The motorcycle was then hit by the Chevy pickup truck, which was hit by the Dodge pickup truck. The Patrol says Anthony Haynes, Sr., was transported by Cass EMS to Cass Health in Atlantic, before being flown by LifeFlight helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha. A report on his condition was not released.

Atlantic Fire and Rescue, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Cass EMS assisted at the scene.

CRESTON, Iowa – In an update to our previous report, the Iowa Department of Public Safety says that at around 7:37-a.m. today (Thursday, August 15, 2024), officers with the Creston Police Department were dispatched to the 800 block of North Lincoln Street after receiving reports of gunshots. While officers were en route, they were notified of an adult male at the Greater Regional Health Center with multiple gunshot wounds. Medical professionals treated the man, who was then airlifted to a Des Moines area hospital for additional treatment. He is expected to recover.

In response to the shooting, the GRHC and other local businesses were placed in a brief lockdown while officers secured the area. The lockdown has since been lifted.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., Creston police officers and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agents arrested Daniel McDowell, 22, of Lorimor, Iowa. He was taken into custody without incident at the Union County Law Enforcement Center and has since been processed into the Union County Jail. He is facing one count of attempted murder and a probation violation.

Daniel McDowell (Booking photo via the Iowa DPS)

This is an ongoing investigation. No additional information will be released at this time.

(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) and Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) today announced their newly designated 2025 Iowa Thriving Communities.  The communities of Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Mason City, Newton and Waterloo have received designations.

“Housing is the foundation of upward economic opportunity, and when all Iowans have access to affordable homes, families, communities, and businesses can truly thrive,” said IEDA|IFA Director Debi Durham. “Iowa Thriving Communities have stepped up as leaders in embracing housing for all income levels, and I extend my congratulations to our newly designated communities.”

Addressing the housing needs of our thriving economy requires a strategic, proactive, and innovative approach. Iowa communities, local partners, and employers must work together to ensure that all Iowans can afford to live in the communities where they work.

To highlight and encourage these efforts, IFA and IEDA launched the second annual Iowa Thriving Communities designation. This initiative recognizes communities that are going above and beyond, using innovative strategies to attract housing opportunities for their workforce.

“We are thrilled to receive the Iowa Thriving Community designation,” said Mason City Mayor Bill Schickel. “This recognition not only affirms our commitment to providing housing for our workforce but also energizes our ongoing efforts to build a brighter future for all residents. With this designation, we can continue to create a vibrant, inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to prosper.”

These communities demonstrated their commitment and innovation in welcoming housing for all income levels through a rigorous application process. By showcasing best practices in attracting housing development, they aim to serve as models for both state and national efforts. In addition to the recognition, the designation comes with valuable scoring points for the Federal Housing Tax Credit and Workforce Housing Tax Credit programs, effective through 2025 for each community.

In addition, the following 2024 Iowa Thriving Communities were granted extensions to encourage additional development: Charles City, Creston, Knoxville, Manning, Muscatine, Stanton and West Des Moines.

More information about Iowa Thriving Communities is available at iowafinance.com.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says the current administration has to take responsibility for the crisis at the southern border. Hinson says she’s tired of seeing stories about immigrants who are in the country illegally committing serious crimes. “A recent report from the House Judiciary Committee raised serious concerns about suspected terrorists released into our communities under the Harris-Biden administration. During her time as the Border Czar Harris has only traveled near the southwest border once, and there were reports that border patrol agents were actually told to sanitize the area ahead of her arrival to mask the true severity of the crisis,” Hinson says.

Hinson says the national media are trying to revise history on Harris’ role at the border instead of questioning it. “She, along with every single congressional Democrat who refused to support secure border policies and hold this administration accountable, bear responsibility for the dangerous illegal immigration crisis,” she says. “They bear responsibility for those who have been violently attacked and in some cases killed by illegal immigrants.” Hinson says the issue needs to be addressed.

“There must be accountability for the ongoing crisis at our southern border, and I will continue working to hold Harris and Biden accountable so we can make America safe again,” Hinson says.

Hinson made her comments during her weekly conference call with reporters.