DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Those in Iowa looking for a few extra dollars around the holidays may be able to find them at the United States Postal Service. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that more than 250 temporary positions at the postal service are available in Des Moines.

The U.S. Postal Service is hiring support employees and mail handler associates. The jobs pay about $15 an hour. The extra hands will sort packages, move mail and get it ready for distribution to offices around the area.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Applications are being accepted for those interested in filling a judicial vacancy left by the retirement of District Court Judge Edward Jacobson in northwest Iowa.

The Sioux City Journal reports that applicants may obtain a questionnaire and other required forms from the district court administrator or from any clerk of court in the judicial district. The district covers Crawford, Ida, Monona, Plymouth, Sioux and Woodbury counties.

Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. Nov. 3. Interviews will be held Nov. 20 at the Woodbury County Courthouse. The Judicial Nominating Commission will submit the names of two nominees to Gov. Kim Reynolds, who will appoint the new judge.

The application form also is available online at http://www.iowacourts.gov/District_Courts/District_Three/Current_Judicial_Openings/ .

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former University of Iowa employee has been fined for secretly placing a video camera in a campus bathroom in 2014. The Press Citizen reports that 48-year-old Nicodemus Hendrik, of Coralville, was fined $1,875 at his sentencing hearing on Thursday in Johnson County Court.

Hendrik entered an Alford plea on Sept. 5 to trespass causing injury, a misdemeanor. In an Alford plea, the defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges that prosecutors likely have enough evidence to convict.

Hendrik, a former employee of UI’s Information Technology Services department, was arrested in April 2015 for placing a video camera in a restroom in the University Capitol Centre’s ITS space.

Hendrik was removed from his job and banned from UI’s campus in June 2014.

Clarinda Police responded this (Saturday) morning at around 1:40-a.m., to 11th and Chestnut to investigate a report of a stabbing incident. An investigation revealed that a forty-nine-year-old white male had been stabbed multiple times. None of the stab wounds appeared to be life threatening. The victim is in stable condition.

The victim – whose name was not released – was transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center by private vehicle. Police Chief Keith Brothers said an investigation into the incident is continuing. Brothers advised that this is an isolated incident and that there is no danger to the public.

Emergency crews from Anita, Wiota and Atlantic were dispatched to a fiery rollover accident this (Saturday) afternoon on Interstate 80, in Cass County. Anita and Wiota Fire and Rescue and Medivac were responding to a crash off I-80 eastbound in the median, between the 69-and 70-mile marker, where the vehicle was on fire and a victim was trapped. The accident was reported at around 1:04-p.m.

No further details are available at this time.

w/ Chris Parks

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (8.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

A contest is underway to select the cover of the next Iowa Travel Guide. Iowa Tourism Office spokesperson Jessica O’Riley says Iowans can vote for one of four options. “We have one of a couple shopping in downtown Mount Vernon, we’ve got people hiking in the Loess Hills in western Iowa, we’re showing off one of Iowa’s three whitewater parks – one on the cover is in Manchester, and then we also have a nice image of some people paddleboarding at sunset on Gray’s Lake in Des Moines,” O’Riley said. Iowans can check out the photos and vote for their favorite at traveliowa.com

ITG 2018 cover options

Visitors to the website can vote daily through early next week. “Voting closes at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and we’ll announce the winner on Wednesday, October 25, at the Iowa Tourism Conference (in Sioux City) and on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts,” O’Riley said. The 2018 Iowa Travel Guide will be available in late January. More than 125,000 guides are distributed annually to travelers from every state and around the world.

A photo of the Snake Alley Criterium in Burlington is on THIS year’s cover of the Iowa Travel Guide.

(Radio Iowa)

The first day of winter is two months away according to the calendar. But, for the Iowa Department of Transportation, the winter season has already arrived. Craig Bargfrede, the DOT’s winter operations administrator, says they’re busy preparing equipment and materials for that first big snowfall. And the agency is hiring snow plow operators.

“We’re looking at somewhere around 600 of those slot available across the state. So far, we’re getting a pretty good response for getting those positions filled,” Bargfrede said. For the DOT, the winter season runs from mid-October through mid-April. Snow plow drivers can earn quite a bit of cash if it’s a harsh winter.

“The starting wage is $17.28 an hour and it varies from location to location, but it’s basically an on-call type of program,” Bargfrede said. The Iowa Department of Transportation is responsible for snow and ice removal on more than 9,000 miles of Iowa highways.

(Radio Iowa) – More info. at https://www.iowadot.gov/careers

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of crashing his car into a river in western Iowa, killing a teenager, has been found guilty of vehicular homicide and eight other charges.

The Sioux City Journal reports that a Crawford County jury convicted 26-year-old Ramon Hernandez on Friday. Besides the homicide count, Hernandez was found guilty of three counts of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor, one count of delivery or possession with intent to deliver and four counts of providing alcohol to a minor.

Authorities say Hernandez drove through a farm field with four teenagers in his car before it plunged into the Boyer River on Jan. 19. He and three of the others reached safety. The body of 15-year-old Yoana Acosta was found a week later on Jan. 26.

Authorities in Union County said today (Friday), that “Text 2 911” is now live for U.S. Cellular customers in Union County.  Chief Dispatcher Mark Williams said they want the public to know that this option is available to them if needed.  Voice calls are the preferred method of contacting 911.  Call if you can, text if you cant.

Text 2 911 is primarily for the deaf, hard of hearing or those with a speech impediment.  It is also beneficial to those who would be put into a dangerous situation to make a 911 call. Unlike voice calls, you must have an active cell phone plan to text 911.  Currently, any phone can make a voice call to 911, regardless of service status.

Text e 911 capable counties shaded in tan. (as of 10/20/17)

You cannot send a picture or video message to 911. Williams said “Abuse of 911 applies to both text and voice calls for 911.  Please use it only in emergencies.”

Currently all counties in the KJAN listening area have Text 2 911 capability, EXCEPT Pottawattamie and Monona. Three counties in southeast Iowa are also not yet capable of receiving text 911 messages.