(Radio Iowa) – The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is getting a grant of two-and-a-quarter million dollars to help address child mental health issues. The grant will allow the Iowa Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program to expand its services into schools. Dr. Tom Scholz, a U-I pediatric cardiologist, says they’re working with the U-I’s College of Education to reach kids for mental health support. “It allows them to perform better in school, interact better with their family and neighbors, and just allow them to have more success in the short term,” Scholz says, “which will certainly translate to more success in the long term.” The three-year grant is through federal and state Health and Human Services agencies.

Scholz says the money allows the program to broaden and reach more school districts in Iowa, especially in rural areas.  He says, “What this grant allows us is to connect into those communities, into those school systems, where the mental health services are quite limited.” Scholz says the program has been running for five years and, so far, has focused on workforce development and providing mental telehealth services to kids across the state.

(Radio Iowa) – Creighton University Economist Ernie Goss says the two surveys he conducts don’t show a lot of promise for merchants this holiday season.  “Holiday and Christmas buying probably up about three to four percent — and most of that’s inflation,” Goss says. “So when you look at it, when you subtract out inflation, you’re at zero to one percent increase from last year at this time.” Goss says high interest rates will impact holiday spending. “One of the problems with it is credit card balances are maxed out, we’ve got the highest balances there on record. And of course that individuals are paying 20 to 30 percent on balances that are carried forward,” he says. “So that’s a real issue. And we got a nation of creditor of high a lot of debt out there right now.” He says the high interest rates are also taking away more income with increased mortgage rates.

“Individuals now are spending as much as 40 percent of their income on housing. Now, that shouldn’t be 28 to 30 percent, well it’s now that 40 percent,” Goss says. “Of course, that just that just reduces your ability to go out there and spend for the Christmas and holiday buying.” Goss says he’s seeing people opting to get out of town instead of spending on gifts. “A lot of buying is going into things like air travel and travel, even automobile travel to locations for leisure and hospitality,” he says.

Goss says October retail sales were not that good and were also down for September. He says some of that September buying was for seasonal purchases, so it’s going to be interesting to see what happens with Black Friday and the rest of the holiday season.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, Monday evening, arrested a man wanted on a warrant out of Shelby County. Authorities report 31-year-old Drew Ashton Gagnon, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 5:30-p.m., in the 300 block of Nuckols Street, on the warrant for Probation Violation. The offense was connected to an original charge of OWI/1st offense. Gagnon was being held in the Montgomery County Jail, while awaiting extradition to Shelby County.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says it’s time to bolster literacy programs in the early grades in Iowa schools. Reynolds has indicated raising teacher salaries would likely be a priority as well.

“We’re going to continue to invest in education. It’s really important. We’re going to continue to invest in our teachers. We’re going to continue to invest in kids with special needs,” Reynolds says. We’re not where we need to be.” The annual Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress last spring shows students from low income households had English proficiency scores that were about 15 points below the overall average, while students learning to speak and read English scored even lower.

“They deserve better and so we’re going to make sure that teachers have the tools that they need, that we’re really focused on early literacy, ESL, and again students with special needs,” Reynolds says. “We can do better. We will do better and we just need to make sure that we’re providing consistency and the rigor that’s important that will help us get the results that we need.”

Last spring’s test scores showed gains in the subject areas of math and science, but students with disabilities, English language learners and students from low income households scored significantly lower than the statewide average.

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision Monday afternoon (Nov. 20) in Creston caused $5,000 damage altogether, but no one was injured. Creston Police say a 2011 Chevy Malibu driven by 54-year-old Melissa Lynn Raddatz, of Creston, was southbound on Birch Street at around 3:40-p.m., and had stopped at the intersection with Mills Street.

A 2000 Chevy pickup driven by 59-year-old James William Newton, of Diagonal, was heading east on Mills Street, and had the right-of-way. Raddatz looked, but did not see the pickup before proceeding into the intersection and striking the pickup on the driver’s side door.

Police say Raddatz was cited for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign, and Yield the right-of-way.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has proclaimed Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, as “Mia Peterson Day in Iowa,” to commemorate the 50th birthday of an under-recognized Iowan who worked throughout her adult life to promote self-advocacy and equal treatment. Peterson served in state and national roles while living in Iowa and Ohio. She returned to Iowa in 2005, and passed away in 2021, but her legacy endures. The proclamation includes Peterson’s belief that we should “let people with disabilities speak for themselves, and don’t let others speak for them.”

Iowa Developmental Disability Council Chair Brady Werger of Waverly will read the proclamation during a ceremony at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at the State Historical Building of Iowa in Des Moines. It will be live streamed via Facebook Live. The program will serve as the official event for the proclamation.

“Mia Peterson created a lifelong advocacy legacy,” Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council Executive Director Brooke Lovelace said. “She was an inspiration to everyone, always encouraging people to be their own voice. This proclamation just keeps her legacy alive and will continue to encourage others to be their own advocate.”

Peterson was born in Sioux City in 1973, grew up in Webster City, and became the first person with Down syndrome to serve on the Iowa Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities, known today as the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council. She would go on to testify before Congress, serve on the National Developmental Disabilities Council, and be viewed as a national trailblazer for self-advocacy.

“I learned of Mia Peterson’s importance shortly after her death,” said Leo Landis, state curator for the State Historical Society of Iowa. “She was a model for all Iowans to seek ways to shape society. When we wanted to recognize Iowans who changed our state and nation in our ‘Civics in Action’ exhibit, I wanted to include her, and we are honored to share a bit of her story. We can all learn from her example.”

“Civics in Action”

The State Historical Museum of Iowa’s “Civics in Action” exhibit features the Iowa caucuses and Iowans of action with more than 60 artifacts, including Peterson’s Olympic torch, a Ding Darling political cartoon, election tickets from the 1860s and ’70s, Iowa caucus artifacts – banners, buttons, brochures – and the pen Ambassador Terry Branstad used when he was governor to sign legislation for the construction of the State Historical Building

(Waterloo, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Corrections, Monday, said 24-year-old Tyrin James Jones, a black male who was convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree in Fayette County, failed to report back to the Waterloo Residential Correctional Facility as required on Friday (Nov. 17, 2023).

Tyrin Jones (IDOC photo)

Jones stands 6-feet 3 inches tall, and weighs 198 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on October 12, 2023.

Persons with information on Jones’s whereabouts should contact local police.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Officials with the Glenwood Police Department, today (Monday) report 34-year-old Ashley Ann Flint, of Glenwood, was arrested today on two different Mills County warrants. Her cash bond amounted to $10,300 altogether.

Flint was taken into custody following an investigation into a single-vehicle accident that took place at around 11:47-p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16th, on North Locust Street, in Glenwood. Authorities say the 2021 Chevy Equinox Flint was driving struck a curb and utility pole light support, a traffic sign support, and finally a fire hydrant, before coming to rest.

The vehicle sustained $15,000 damage. Damage to the City of Glenwood Stop sign was estimated at $100. Flint complained of pain & possible injury. She was transported to Mercy Hospital by Glenwood Rescue. The Police report attributed excess speed and failure to maintain control as causes for the crash. No citations were issued.

(Cumberland/Massena area) – In an update to our previous post, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, late this (Monday) afternoon, said multiple, minor injuries were reported following a collision on Highway 71. At around 11:29-a.m., a wide load semi was traveling southbound on the Highway.  The driver intended to turn east onto Highway 92.  In preparation for the wide load making the turn, the lead pilot car went to the crest of the first hill on Highway 92 east of Highway 71 to stop westbound traffic.

A pilot car operator stopped a 2019 Chevy 2500 pickup on Highway 92.  A 2007 Chevy Town and Country was westbound and did not see the pickup stopped on Highway 92.  The Town and Country rear ended the pickup. The accident took place just west of 640th and Highway 92. Persons in both vehicles were injured. They were transported to Cass Health in Atlantic.

No names have been released.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday), released a report on arrests covering the period of Oct. 26th through November 16th, 2023. Beginning with the most recent arrest:

On Thursday, November 16th, Cass County Deputies arrested 29-year-old Joel White, of Council Bluffs, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. White was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

On November 14th, 37-year-old Justin Knutsen, of Cumberland, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. Knutsen was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release after seeing the Magistrate; Also arrested on the 14th, was 54-year-old Paul Jessen, of Atlantic. He was arrested on a warrant from the United State’s Marshal’s Office. During the course of his arrest, Jessen was found to be in possession of a controlled substance and charged with drug trafficking. Jessen was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

On November 6th, Sheriff’s Deputies in Cass County arrested 65-year-old Gail Christensen, of Cumberland, for OWI/3rd Offense. Christensen was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

On November 5th, 35-year-old Apolonia Tilipou, of Oakland, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense. Tilipou was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release on her own recognizance.

On November 2nd, 40-year-old Zachary Frank, of Atlantic, was arrested in Cass County for Driving Under Suspension and Operating a Non-Registered Vehicle. Frank was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.

On October 30th, 2023, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32-year-old Cody Pleis, of Atlantic, on two warrants for Violation of Probation. Pleis was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

On October 28th, 53-year-old Tammy Pringnitz, of Pflugerville, TX, was arrested in Cass County for OWI/1st Offense. Pringnitz was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release after time served.

And, on October 26th, Cass County Deputies arrested 21-year-old Sean McCormick, of Villisca, on a warrant for Assault While Displaying a Dangerous Weapon. McCormick was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.