The Fourth of July falls on a Wednesday this year and many Iowans are either taking a long weekend before or after the Fourth — or they’re taking all of next week off. Nick Jarmusz (JAR-mus), spokesman for Triple-A-Iowa, says the motor club survey indicates it’ll be a vacation weekend like never before. “This is going to be the biggest Independence Day holiday travel period that we have on record,” Jarmusz says. “Nearly 47-million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more from home during the six-day stretch around the holiday.”

The travel forecast is up five-percent from last year. Based on the survey, the highways across Iowa and nationwide will be busy.”The vast majority are going to be traveling by car,” Jarmusz says. “It’s still a road trip auto weekend, although we are expecting quite a few air travelers, in fact, quite a few more air travelers than typical. We’re expecting an 8% increase in the number of folks who are traveling by air.”  Even higher gasoline prices aren’t keeping people home for the holiday. “We’re seeing nationwide and here in Iowa the highest gas prices that we’ve seen in the past three to four years,” Jarmusz says, “Still, it’s not nearly as high as what we saw as recently as 2014.”

The statewide average price for gas is two-70 a gallon. That’s up about 60-cents a gallon from a year ago, but the average price back in 2014 topped three-50 a gallon. The current national average price is two-85, about 15-cents a gallon higher than in Iowa. July Third is already being referred to as Terrible Tuesday as the motor club predicts heavy traffic congestion in the late afternoon as commuters leaving work early mix with holiday travelers.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County, Monday, released a report on a Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) that took place from May 21st through June 3rd. Deputies issued seven warnings for OWI, 11 citations and four warnings for seat belt violations, 19 citations and 49 warnings for speeding, one warning for improper passing, and 13 registration violation warnings, along with one citation. The were also a little more than less than 20 warnings or citations issued for other moving violations. One vehicles’ driver was issued a warning for illegal, dark windows.  In all, there were 42 citations and 84 warnings.

There were also three arrest warrants served, four narcotics-related arrests, 10 motorists assists, and two interdiction/canine searches.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — An advisory commission in Dubuque has recommended a $68.5 million construction plan for a local multi-purpose facility. The Telegraph Herald reports that members of Dubuque’s Civic Center Advisory Commission recommended the plan for the Five Flags Center on Monday. The plan includes renovating the center’s theater, expanding the facility and building a new 6,000-seat arena.
A consulting firm presented a report last month with multiple options for addressing the center’s future. Commission members unanimously voted to recommend the fourth idea presented, which was one of two that called for expanding the facility.

Commission chairwoman McKenzie Hill says public feedback indicated that the option chosen was the most popular among Dubuque residents. The City Council will consider the recommendation on July 2.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic stop June 16th on the Interstate 80 eastbound on-ramp from Minden, resulted in the arrest of an eastern Iowa man who was a passenger in the vehicle. Authorities say 344.9 grams of “a green leafy substance” in a container, along with THC suckers and THC oil, were located in the 2004 Dodge Journey. 36-year old Justin Anious Jones, of Waterloo, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Contempt of Court for Violation of an order.

And, a woman who showed up at the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office, Monday on a warrant. Was arrested for Violation of Probation. The Pott. County warrant for 34-year old Michelle Dawn Renshaw, of Council Bluffs was confirmed, and she was booked into the jail without incident.

The Better Business Bureau is warning of vehicle sales scams that are popping up in multiple states in the region. B-B-B spokesman Dan Hendrickson says Iowans should beware of ads on Craigslist and in Autotrader and other free publications, particularly if the seller suggests a third-party handle the transaction. “They’re seeing ads for cars, trucks, R-Vs, even boats at too-good-to-be-true prices,” Hendriskson says. “What they’re finding out, of course, is the ads are not legitimate and any money they send away, they will lose and they will not receive anything in return.”

Hendrickson says it should raise a big red flag if someone’s selling a vehicle or a boat at a price that’s super-low. “Usually what happens is the bad guys will say, ‘Well, I went through a divorce here, I’m just trying to get rid of some stuff or get some money in the bank, or I’ve been deployed,’ this kind of thing. And so they’re trying to make it seem like, ‘Hey, you’re doing me a favor here and helping me out’.”

People who suspect such a scam should contact local law enforcement and the Better Business Bureau.

(Radio Iowa)

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports four arrests took place over the past week. Friday afternoon, 35-year old Stephanie Lynn Werner, of Exira, was arrested after she arrived at an in-progress traffic stop, for Carry a Weapon (a knife over 8 inches long). The knife was found to be protruding between the driver’s seat and center console. Werner was cited at the scene and then released. Also arrested Friday afternoon, was 18-year old Timothy Dethlef Asmus, of Audubon. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop, during which a set of brass knuckles were observed on the seat next to him. Asmus said the device was for self defense. He was cited for carrying weapons and released at the scene.

On June 19th, at around 9-p.m., 42-year old Mark Gerald Irvin Bentler, of Dexter, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Assault Causing injury, with regard to an incident in Stuart that took place June 8th, at a bar. Bentler was released the following day on a $1,000 bond. And, 47-year old Scotty Lee Coe, of Stuart, was arrested by Stuart Police on June 18th, for Driving While Barred/Habitual offender. He later posted a $2,000 bond and was released.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Officials with the Creston Police Department are trying to sort out who was driving a vehicle that crashed into parked vehicles Friday night. Police were dispatched to East Howard Street and North Cherry Street in Creston, at around 11:07-p.m., where a 2017 Jeep Compass SUV was on its top. Medics checked out the supposed female driver of the vehicle, 29-year old Emi Lu O’Neall, of Creston, who was transported by ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, after complaining of head and neck pain.

An investigation determined the Jeep was traveling south in the 400 block of N. Cherry Street, when it veered to the right and sideswiped a parked and unoccupied 2005 Chrysler Sebring. The Chrysler was shoved forward into a parked 2003 Ford Mustang. Officials say the SUV was traveling fast enough, that after the impact, it spun around almost 180 degrees and flipped over onto its top. A male occupant of the SUV told police he had to crawl out through the back seat doors before he could help the driver out. He explained O’Neall fell asleep after a trip to Adventureland and dinner, both he and O’Neall were sleepy.

Witnesses said the unidentified male passenger told her he fell asleep while driving, which resulted in conflicting information to officers. O’Neall and her passenger then claimed she was driving, and that the man can’t drive because of a suspended license. Both occupants of the SUV were given field sobriety tests and preliminary breath tests. None of the tests were immediately conclusive. Citations will be issued pending results of the investigation, based on who was driving the Jeep.

Damage from the collision amounted to $18,000.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The National Weather Service says a weak tornado (estimated at EF-0) lifted some debris into the air Monday evening, in Ringgold County. A trained spotter observed the rain-wrapped twister near Delphos at around 5:17-p.m.. A funnel cloud was also observed one-mile west/southwest of Redding, at around 4:55-p.m. The funnel lasted for about five-minutes. There were no reports of injuries. Heavy rain was the main feature of the storms that passed through western and central Iowa, Monday.

Rainfall in excess of three-inches was reported in Des Moines. Other communities saw anywhere from 2.1- to as much as 4-inches of rain in central Iowa. The heavy rain led to street flooding in Des Moines, Pleasant Hill and Cumming, Monday evening, as well.