(Radio Iowa) – Most kids look forward to summer vacation, but three months away from school and friends can cause some children to feel isolated and spiral into depression, anxiety and even substance use. Avery Desy, adolescent unit coordinator at Rosecrance Behavioral Health in Sioux City, says the lack of structure and routine during the summer break can be difficult for some pre-teens and teens. “Kids are often looking for things to do and not finding many things to do,” Desy says, “and with someone who’s already struggling with being triggered by boredom, looking for that social acceptance, needing the structure, and expectations from their home and from school, it can actually worsen those symptoms for kids.”

A recent survey finds more than 20-percent of adolescents suffer from anxiety symptoms, while 17-percent report symptoms of depression. Desy says providing structure in their daily lives can be a big benefit. “We want to make sure that we’re establishing good routines with kids, and parents are a great place to start with that,” Desy says. “What are the home expectations? Meeting kids’ friends, helping them with activities that they can do, encouraging involvement in sports and hobbies, and volunteering — all of those can be great options for kids.” She suggests parents make time for daily conversations with their kids, even if that means staying awake late until a child returns home.

“General conversation with your adolescent or your teen is important, just to build a connection with them, build trust with them,” Desy says. “If they are struggling with mental health or poor peer influences or anything like that, they have someone to go to, and it’s not uncomfortable at the end of the day to come back to someone and say, ‘You know, I’m struggling with this,’ or ‘I’m feeling bored throughout the day,’ or ‘My summer’s not going the way I wanted it to.'” Studies find about nine in every ten American teenagers have a cell phone, and research is starting to link excessive cell phone use to a rise in young peoples’ depression and suicide rates.

Desy says parents can help find things for their teens to do with their free time so they’re not staring at social media for hours on end. “It’s important for parents to have those ongoing conversations about the dangers of social media, or encourage their teen to put the phone down, do some family activities, and be involved in things where they’re not glued to their phones,” Desy says. “There’s a lot of peer influence that comes from social media. There’s a lot of standards that come from social media that already have a large impact on mental health for kids.” Parents should watch for any behavior changes, mood swings, altered sleep or eating patterns, or signs of self-harm. Desy says it’s essential for parents and caregivers to be proactive in developing a plan to support and guide their adolescents.

“Have fun with your kids. Enjoy the time with your kids. Kids are going to think their parents are boring,” Desy says, laughing, “but I think it’s important just to stay in touch with your kids throughout the summer, invite their friends over, get to know what they like to do, and who they’re hanging out with. Just that communication and staying close with them is probably the most important.”

Rosecrance facilities in Iowa serve more than 7,000 teens and adults every year at outpatient treatment clinics in Sioux City, Cherokee, Davenport, Estherville, Le Mars, Spencer and Sheldon.

Home

GREENFIELD, Iowa [KCCI] — A local church in Greenfield is helping people find precious mementos, some of which were blown 100 miles away by the May 21 tornado. Greenfield United Methodist Church has a lost and found room where people can go to look for lost items and return things they may have found in the aftermath of the storm. It’s open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Scattered across several tables, you can find everything from baseball gloves and records to wedding photos, action figures and baby photos.

If you have found an item from the Greenfield tornado or want to look for lost items, click here to get in contact with the church.

(Radio Iowa) – This is Primary Election Day in Iowa as voters choose the nominees who’ll represent the two major parties in the General Election. Secretary of State Paul Pate — the top election official in Iowa — isn’t making a prediction on turnout. “We always like to see a very robust turnout, but that is driven by the candidates and the campaigns,” Pate says. “You’ll see across the state those areas that have primaries that have generated a lot of interest you’re going to have a higher turnout.”

Pate says participation in the primaries isn’t likely a predictor of General Election turnout. “It’s not the same thing as this fall when we do have a clear contrast between the parties,” Pate says. Two years ago, more than 356-thousand Iowans voted in the 2022 primaries. It was the second-highest voter turnout since 1994. There is no statewide race this year, though. Pate says all the election equipment being used today (Tuesday) was tested in advance — and ballot tabulators are not connected to the internet.

“We have pre- and post-election audits,” Pate says. “We have paper ballots, bipartisan teams of poll workers and partnerships with election security partners that are all critical components to what we’re doing.”

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You have to be a registered Republican or a registered Democrat to vote in that party’s primary. Iowans may register to vote or switch parties at their local polling site by showing a photo I-D. Absentee ballots have to be received by county auditors by 8 p.m. today (Tuesday) or they will not be counted. You may check online to see if a ballot that was mailed has been received. The website address is voter-ready-dot-iowa-dot-gov (voterready.iowa.gov).

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Primary Election in Iowa will take place Tuesday, June 4th (2024). Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Pre-registered voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before receiving and casting a regular ballot. Persons attempting to vote in the wrong precinct will be directed to the correct precinct.

To be eligible to vote in Cass County, one must have registered. Voters who are not pre-registered and voters changing precincts must also provide proof of residence. A voter who is unable to provide an approved form of identification (or prove residence if required) 1) may have the voter’s identity/residence attested to by another registered voter in the precinct, 2) prove identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents. Election Day Registrant attesters must provide an approved form of identification.

For additional information about providing proof of identity and/or residence visit: https://sos.iowa.gov/voterid or phone 712-243-4570.

CASS COUNTY POLLING PLACES:

Absentee and special voter ballots will be counted at the Cass County Courthouse, 5 W 7th Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022. Voting equipment will be used at the election. Any voter who is physically unable to enter a polling place has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle. For further information, please contact the County Auditor’s Office at the telephone number or e-mail address listed below:

Telephone: 712-243-4570

(Radio Iowa) – Polls open at 7 a.m. tomorrow for Iowa’s Primary Election. There are no statewide contests for either major political party, but two of the Republicans who represent Iowa in the U.S. House face challenges from fellow Republicans.

A GOP Primary in Iowa’s First Congressional District

Davenport businessman David Pautsch (POWTSCH) is challenging Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the Republican Primary. Pautsch has never run for office before.

“I’m not a politician. I’m a statesman. I don’t need to be doing this. I’m 70 years old,” said Pautsch, the long time host of the Quad Cities Prayer Breakfast. “…We have to restore God to government. You can’t have good government without God. You can have government without God, but it won’t be good because you need God in the government to give people a sense of right and wrong.”

Pautsch, who has raised very little money for his race, said he decided to run because of Miller-Meeks’ voting record, which he described as “intolerable.”

Miller-Meeks is an eye doctor, a former state senator and former Iowa Department of Public Health director who’s seeking a third term in the U-S House. Miller-Meeks, who has established a residence in Davenport, said she has the best chance of keeping Iowa’s first district seat in Republican hands.

“Our Democrat opponent raised $820,000 last quarter,” Miller-Meeks said. “I have raised the money to defend this seat and I will do everything in my power to keep it.”

With no statewide race, Iowa’s 2024 congressional primaries draw attention

A GOP Primary in Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District

Kevin Virgil is challenging Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull, who’s seeking a third term in the U-S House. Virgil is a former Army captain, a former CIA officer and the current owner of a software company. Virgil moved back to his family’s O’Brien County farm in December before announcing his run in early January.

Virgil’s main focus has been on the proposed construction of carbon pipeline. Virgil said eminent domain should not be used for the project.

“It’s not just unconstitutional to seize land from a private citizen for another person or another company’s private gain, it’s unAmerican,” Virgil said, “and I think it’s an extremely important issue.”

Feenstra’s campaign manager said Feenstra “delivers conservative results” and Iowans will “reject Steve King’s effort to send a New Yorker to congress to represent Iowa’s 4th Congressional District.” Former Congressman Steve King, who lost to Feenstra in a GOP Primary four years ago, encouraged Virgil to run and has endorsed him.

Feenstra is a former state senator, a former Sioux County Treasurer and a former city administrator in Hull who has taught at Dordt University.

A Democratic Primary in Iowa’s Third Congressional District

Two Democrats are running in Tuesday’s third district primary for the chance to challenge Republican Congressman Zach Nunn of Bondurant, who is seeking a second term in the U.S. House.

Lanon Baccam of Des Moines and Melissa Vine of West Des Moines are both first time candidates. Baccam, who was born and raised in Mount Pleasant, served in the Iowa National Guard for eight years. He’s also worked 10 years at positions within the USDA for former Iowa Governor and current U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, who has endorsed Baccam.

Vine, a recent law school graduate, is executive director of a non-profit that provides services to women recovering from a traumatic experience. She’s also a single mother to four boys.

Both candidates say the number one issue for Democrats in 2024 is to respond to the Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v Wade. Baccom calls Nunn “an extremist” on the issue and Vine argues that, as a woman, she is better able to attract female voters in the General Election who support abortion rights.

Vine fired her campaign manager and recently paid a state fine after the Iowa Ethics Board found her campaign manager made contributions to a political action committee as it was deciding who to endorse in this race. Vine said the incident is not an issue with the voters she’s talking to. “They are more interested in the issues like abortion, our economy and moving away from extremism,” Vine said, “so that’s what our campaign is focused on.”

Baccam said voters bring up the same issues to him. “People are concerned about our democracy,” Baccam said. “They see and sense people are moving apart and they just really want a sense of community again.”

Nunn is a former state legislator who has served in the Air Force, the Iowa National Guard and is currently a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve.

Democrats in Iowa’s First, Second and Fourth Congressional Districts Have No Primary Opposition

Christina Bohannon of Iowa City, a former state legislator, is the only Democrat running in Iowa’s first congressional district. “I kind of like my chances, but you know I’m not taking any votes for granted,” Bohannon said. “It’ll be interesting to really turn this corner to really be able to focus in on the General Election.”

Bohannon, a University of Iowa law professor, ran in the first district in 2022 and finished about 7% behind Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

In Iowa’s second congressional district, Democrat Sarah Corkery of Cedar Falls is unopposed in the primary and will be the challenger to Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who doesn’t have a Primary opponent either.

“While a primary may not be exciting, it is important to have your voice count,” Corkery said, “and everybody’s vote counts the same when you enter that booth to cast your vote.”

Corkery is a breast cancer survivor who owns a marketing agency.

In the fourth congressional district, Ryan Melton of Nevada is making a second run for the U.S. House. “I’m really concerned about the viability of our communities, the cancer incidence rate,” Melton says, “…landowner rights and waterway health with these carbon capture pipelines.”

Melton, a supervisor for an insurance company, got about 30% of the vote in his 2022 race against Congressman Randy Feenstra.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests that took place from May 5th through the 29th. Beginning with the with most recent arrests….

5/29/2024: Anthony Michael Bennett, Age 33, Harlan IA. Bennett was arrested on an active Shelby County Warrant and transported to the Shelby County Jail

5/28/2024: Jonathon Anthony Montoya, Age 26, Harlan IA. Montoya was arrested after a traffic stop on Cyclone and transported to the Shelby County Jail. Montoya was charged with Failure to Provide proof of Insurance, Possession of drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a controlled substance, and Driving under Suspension.

5/27/2024: Amber Lea Nelson, Age 39, Dow City, IA. Nelson was arrested after a call for service and transported to the Shelby County Jail. Nelson was charged with Possession of a controlled substance- 3rd offense, Possession of a controlled substance Marijuana- 3rd offense, Possession of contraband in a correctional institution; Kirby David Stoneking, Age 40, Harlan IA. Stoneking was arrested after a call for service and transported to the Shelby County Jail. Stoneking was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault – 1st offense.

5/25/2024: John Joseph Bowen, Age 43, Harlan, IA. Bowen was arrested on an active Shelby County Warrant and transported to the Shelby County Jail.

5/24/2024: Elizabeth Grace Christo, Age 41, Harlan, IA. Christo was arrested after a call for service and transported to the Shelby County Jail. Christo was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault- 2nd offense.

5/22/2024: William Joseph Daeges, Age 61, Harlan, IA. Daeges was arrested after a call for service and transported to the Shelby County Jail. Daeges was charged with Public Intoxication and Disorderly conduct.

5/20/2024: Rex Dean McDermott, Age 57, Elkhorn, IA. McDermott was arrested following a call for service and transported to the Shelby County Jail. McDermott was charged with OWI- 3rd Offense, and Open Container.

5/16/2024: Rex Dean McDermott. Age 57, Elkhorn, IA. McDermott was arrested following a call for service and transported to the Shelby County Jail. McDermott was charged with Public Intoxication.

5/15/2024: Sarah Jolene Finney, Age 54, Harlan, IA. Finney was arrested following a traffic stop on Chatburn Ave. Finney was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while License Denied or Revoked, OWI- 3rd offense, Open Container, and Driving on Wrong Side of Two-way Highway.

5/14/2024: Mark Anthony Gonzalez, Age 21, Denison, IA. Gonzalez was arrested following a traffic stop on HWY 59. Gonzales was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Interference with Official Acts.

There were numerous arrests in Shelby County on May 9th: Bryson Martin Kramer, Age 31, Wall Lake, IA. Kramer was arrested following a traffic stop on Linden Rd. Kramer was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance -3rd offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia,  Possession of a Controlled Substance- Marijuana 3rd offense, Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance Violation, Driving while Barred, Improper brake light, and Failure to Provide Financial Liability; Dustin Allen Hansen, Age 36, Harlan, IA. Hansen was arrested following a traffic stop on Cyclone. Hansen was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while License Denied or Revoked; Rex Dean McDermott, Age 57, Elk Horn, IA. McDermott was arrested after a call for service. McDermott was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Public Intoxication; and Reid Jeffrey Hemminger, Age 39, Harlan, IA. Hemminger was arrested after a traffic stop on 10th Street. Hemminger was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while License Denied or Revoked.

5/7/2024: Essaye Michael Jaden, Age 19, Harlan, IA. Jaden was arrested on an active Shelby County Warrant and transported to the Shelby County Jail; Christopher Charles Hargens, Age 37, Shelby, IA. Hargens was arrested following a traffic stop. Hargens was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Theft 2nd degree, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Keeping Premise or Vehicle for Controlled Substance, Controlled Substances, and Controlled Substance Violation.

5/06/2024: Joseph Bryan Schuemann, Age 37, Harlan, IA. Schuemann was arrested on an active Shelby County Warrant and transported to the Shelby County Jail.

5/05/2024: Justin Ryan Smith, Age 33, Avoca, IA. Smith was arrested following a traffic stop on HWY 59. Smith was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Operating While Under the Influence- 1st offense, and speeding.

(Radio Iowa) – Dickinson County’s sheriff says a jail inmate charged with an attempted murder in early May has been charged with another felony for trying to escape from the county jail.

Dickinson County Sheriff Greg Balloun says 19-year-old Caleb Crosby was being escorted to different area in the jail for a medical consultation when he pushed through an unlocked door at the courthouse and ran. Spirit Lake Police helped capture Crosby in about a minute.

Crosby was arrested in Osceola County on May 5th after allegedly shooting another man in Montgomery and stealing two different vehicles trying to elude authorities.

The sheriff says the door Crosby used to escape should have been locked.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports there were four arrests over the past week:

On May 28th, 57-year-old Ronald Joseph Schaecher, of Greenfield, was arrested at around 12:17-a.m. by Greenfield Police, for Domestic Abuse Assault w/injury or mental illness – 1st offense. The report states he allegedly struck his female domestic partner in the face with a fist. Officers noted the woman had a red mark near the left eye. Schaecher was released later that afternoon, on a $1,000 cash or surety bond, with 10% acceptable.

At around 12:45-a.m. on May 30th, Police in Adair arrested 39-year-old Luke Daniel Hommes, of Adair, for Assault Causing Bodily Injury or Mental Illness, after allegedly struck a man in his face with a fist. The victim was spitting blood and advised police his right wisdom tooth had been knocked loose. Hommes was taken into custody and released later that day on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Police in Stuart arrested 41-year-old Norma Dawn Purcell, of Cumberland, at around 2:22-a.m. on June 1st, following a traffic stop. A Guthrie County Sheriff’s Department K9 unit was requested. When the K9 conducted an open-air sniff around the vehicle, it alerted to a positive odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle Purcell was driving, but a Probable Cause search failed to turn-up any evidence of drugs. On her person, the Stuart Police Officer found she was in possession of a pipe and a burned crystalline residue inside the bowl. She also had in her pocket a small baggie of a substance believe to be methamphetamine.

Purcell was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine-1st offense, Possession of drug paraphernalia, and Driving While Revoked. She was later released on her Own Recognizance.

And, 22-year-old Emily Elizabeth Lewin, of Scribner, NE, was arrested by the Iowa State Patrol on Interstate 80 near Casey, on charges that include OWI/1st offense and Assault on persons in certain occupations (law enforcement) without injury. She was also cited for Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability/accident related, Failure to Maintain Control, and Open Container/Driver-21-years of age or older. Lewin was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $1,000 c/s bond.

Trooper Tyler Shiels was called to the scene of an accident and located a vehicle Lewin had been driving, in a ditch beside the roadway on I-80 eastbound at mile marker 83. Lewin declined medical attention and during a Standardized Field Sobriety test, was shown to have a Breath Alcohol Content of .333-percent, which was slightly more than four-times over the legit limit for intoxication.

During his interaction with Lewin, she allegedly spit on Trooper Fischels and kicked Schiels in the groin area as he was attempting to get her out of the Patrol car. Lewin was read the Implied Consent Advisory and refused to submit to a urine sample. She was placed under arrest and transported to the Dallas County Jail, after being medically cleared at the hospital in Perry. Lewin was transported to Dallas County due to the Adair County Jail being closed as the result of the recent tornado.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State University Extension has been hosting meetings for farmers with soggy fields who have to make decisions about delayed planting. Gentry Sorenson is a field agronomist with I-S-U Extension who’s based in northwest Iowa. “The last time we had some delayed planting workshops was 2019,” Sorenson says, “so it’s been a few years.” Workshops were held in Spencer, Spirit Lake and Emmetsburg last week.

“Workshops designed to help them kind of go through some of the options,” Sorenson says, “and also hear from a crop insurance agent on some of the deadlines that are out there.” According to the National Weather Service, nearly seven inches of rain fell late last week in the small northwest Iowa community of Cleghorn — just a few days after torrential rains in places like Storm Lake and Aurelia.