(Radio Iowa) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved about 68-million dollars in individual assistance for more than 69-hundred Iowa households that were impacted by severe weather this year, including deadly tornadoes and flooding. FEMA spokeswoman Sharon Karr says in all, 29 of Iowa’s 99 counties received a federal disaster declaration. “Unfortunately, Iowa was subjected to three major disasters this year, and it was terrifying for all of them,” Karr says. “Flooding, of course, was the largest and most frequent disaster.” The deadline for storm victims to apply for Iowa’s final presidential disaster declaration ended last week. Even though Iowans can no longer apply for individual assistance, Karr says FEMA will still have a presence in the state.

“We will not rest until Iowa is taken care of,” she says. “There may be people that come and go, but there is still a good, sound core number of people here to make sure that Iowa is taken care of and everything that is expected to be done for them is done.” Karr says FEMA is focused on ensuring storm victims have a safe place to stay this winter, which includes using manufactured homes.

She says three long-term disaster recovery centers in Council Bluffs, Spencer, and Rock Valley are available to help residents in person, or they can still reach out to FEMA by phone, online, or through a phone app.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston arrested three people on separate charges over the weekend. Late Saturday morning, 29-year-old Shyanne Renee Bird, of Creston, was arrested for Driving Suspended. Bird was cited at the scene and released on a promise to appear in court. A little before 1-a.m. Sunday, Creston Police arrested 21-year-old Brayton Alexander Clausen, of Corning, for Carrying a Weapon While intoxicated, and OWI/1st offense. Clausen was taken to the Union County Jail and later posted a $2,000 bond before being released.

At around 2:30-a.m., Sunday, 34-year-old Walter Ivan Malacara, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense. He was later released after posting a $2,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – An expert at Iowa State University’s Insect Zoo says there may actually be some science behind the folklore about how the thickness of a Woollybear caterpillar’s stripes can help predict the severity of the winter ahead. Ginny Mitchell, the insect zoo’s education program coordinator, says a fellow entomologist in New York studied the fuzzy creatures in the 1940s. “He sampled all of the woolly caterpillars in the area for nine years, and during that time, there was actually some correlation between the markings on the woolly caterpillar and the winter,” Mitchell says, “but that study had a very small sample size, so people do not consider it scientifically factual.”

The black-and-brown caterpillars are prevalent in Iowa right now as they’re looking for safe places to spend the winter. As the story goes, Mitchell says the thickness of the caterpillar’s center stripe is key in weather forecasting. “The rusty, kind of orange color, if that band is really big, that means we’re going to have a mild winter,” Mitchell says. “If the black parts of the woolly caterpillar are very large, it’s going to be a more severe winter. If there is more hair on the woolly caterpillar, then that means that it’s going to be a more severe winter.”

There are also theories that if the caterpillar is crawling south when you find it, it’s trying to flee the looming northern cold, and the reverse, if it’s heading north, a mild winter is ahead. At least two communities — Vermilion, Ohio and Banner Elk, North Carolina — have fall festivals devoted to the alleged prognosticating abilities of the woolly bear caterpillar. One remarkable fact, Mitchell says these fuzzy critters hibernate during the wintertime and their bodies contain a sort of natural antifreeze. “Say you’re out raking leaves or moving some brush and you find one, it will kind of look like it’s dead. It’ll be curled up like a ‘C’ and it won’t be moving very much,” Mitchell says, “but if you take it inside and you warm it up, then it’ll start to move.”

There are reports of woolly bear caterpillars surviving temperatures as low as 90-degrees below zero, even spending an entire winter frozen in an ice cube, to emerge just fine in the spring. Once temperatures warm up for the season, it will create a cocoon and emerge a few weeks later as an Alexandra or Isabella tiger moth.

PERRY, Iowa (KCCI) – A company is in negotiations with Tyson Foods to purchase the pork plant according to Perry City officials, KCCI reported. The negotiations were discussed during a meeting earlier this week by Mayor Kirk Cavanaugh. As of now, not much is known about the potential sale.

Perry City leaders have not said who the potential buyer is.

Before the pork plant shut down at the end of June, Tyson Foods was Perry’s largest employer. Over 1,000 people lost their jobs when the plant shut down.

GILBERT, Iowa [KCCI] – A central Iowa sixth-grade student has won the Girls Under 13 division in the Pan American Youth Chess Championship held earlier this month, in Paraguay. 11-year-old Irene Fei, of Gilbert, also earned the distinction of becoming the youngest Woman International Chess Federation Master in the Americas.

Irene’s parents introduced her to chess in kindergarten, and she developed her talent in an after-school chess club. At just 9 years old, she claimed a first-place world championship chess title in Panama City.

(Radio Iowa) – This year’s race in Iowa’s first congressional district is a rematch between Democrat Christina Bohannan, a University of Iowa law professor, and Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an eye doctor who’s seeking a third term.

Christina Bohannan has made abortion a central issue and has focused on the “Life at Conception Act” Mariannette Miller-Meeks co-sponsored in congress. “She has now tried to back track from that, saying she supports exceptions and things,” Bohannan said. “It’s election time, so she’s trying to moderate that position.” Last week, Miller-Meeks said she does not expect federal legislation on abortion any time soon. “How do we work in a bipartisan manner to pass something that is good for women and good for our nation instead of continuing to have this as a political football?”

Miller-Meeks asked. Miller-Meeks has focused on immigration. She says the border has been out of control because President Biden undid Trump-era policies. “My opponent didn’t mention the border until it because a liability for her and her party,” Miller-Meeks said. Bohannan criticizes Miller-Meek and other Republicans for failing to pass a bipartisan plan to boost border security. “When it comes down to it, they don’t want to do anything about it because they want to keep playing politics with this issue,” Bohannan said.

On October 1st, about 37 percent of registered voters in the first congressional district were Republicans and 32 percent were Democrats.

(Iowa News Service) – People can enroll in Medicare or make changes to their supplemental and prescription drug coverage between now and December 7.  In Iowa, experts are also reminding people to check their options when signing up for health coverage through the federal marketplace.

Iowans on Medicare will have a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on prescription drug costs starting next year. Prescription drug prices on insurance plans can change from year to year. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Director for the Senior Health Insurance Information Program, Kristin Griffith, said it’s important for Medicare enrollees to pay close attention to their drug plans and their supplemental or Medicare Advantage plans.

“One of the startling stats we hear is that only about 30% of people actually check their drug plan or their M.A. plan during open enrollment, which is what we have right now,” said Griffith. “For 2025, we’re seeing a lot of changes in networks that plans cover.”

About 660,000 Iowans are currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans.  For other health insurance, the open enrollment period in the federal health-care marketplace runs from this Friday to January 15 of next year. Chief Medical Officer for UnitedHealthcare – Employer and Individual – Dr. Rhonda Randall said in addition to checking drug prices, co-pays and other costs, it’s important to see whether a plan’s overall benefits have changed.

“Are your current benefit plans still meeting your healthcare needs and your budget needs, and has anything changed with your plan?” said Randall. “For example, is your doctor still in the plan? Is the medication you take still covered by the plan?”

Randall and other providers reminded people to look for mental health coverage options in their insurance plan, too, and whether they meet the needs of an entire family.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Jill Ozuna, Montgomery County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Office, Sunday (Today) announced the successful completion of public testing for voting equipment ahead of the upcoming general election on November 05, 2024.

The testing event, held on October 24th and 25th at the Montgomery County Courthouse ensured that all voting systems function accurately and securely. Representatives from the public, media, and community organizations were invited to attend the event, observing firsthand how ballots are scanned, tabulated, and verified for accuracy. All equipment passed the testing process with no issues, confirming the readiness of our systems for election day.

“We take every measure to ensure the integrity of the election process,” said Jill Ozuna, Auditor and Commissioner of Elections, “The successful completion of public testing demonstrates our commitment to transparency, accuracy, and public trust in the voting process.”

Public testing is an essential part of election preparation, providing an opportunity for community members to witness how votes will be counted and verified. The process includes running sample ballots through the machines to confirm that all votes are recorded and reported correctly.

The Montgomery County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Office encourages all eligible voters to participate in the upcoming general election. For more information about voting locations, hours, or absentee ballots, please visit www.montgomerycountyia.gov or contact the election office at 712-623-5127.

Key Election Dates:

• General Election: Tuesday, November 05, 2024

• Early Voting: October 16– November 4th

**Auditor’s office will be open Saturday November 2, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.**

• Absentee Ballot Request Deadline: Ended October 21st

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County are set to meet at 8:30-a.m., Tuesday** On their agenda are two items that pertain to 220th Street. The first is action on approving the donation of a portion of Clark Subdivision road to be called 220th Street. The second is approving an aggregate agreement with Jeremy Clark for the upgrade of the portion of 220th Street donated to the county. (shown below or here:220th Street Map)

In other business, the Board will discuss the removal of a fence on the County Farm, with action as necessary.

Their next regular weekly meeting takes place Wednesday, Nov. 6th, at 8:30-a.m.

**Please note, this is a public meeting; however, it may be conducted via ZOOM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85039693411
Meeting ID: 850 3969 3411
Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 If you are calling in, Press *9 to raise your hand if you wish to speak.31

(Red Oak, Iowa) – No injuries were reported following a collision at around 12:40-p.m. Saturday, in Red Oak. Authorities say the accident happened in the 1700 block of N. Broadway Street, when a 2008 Pontiac Vibe traveling north on N. Broadway and driven by 61-year-old Aneta S. Parker-Housman, of Red Oak, turned to head east onto an unnamed road. Her vehicle was struck by a 1998 Ford Crown Victoria that was traveling north and driven by 20-year-old Owen Nathaniel Turnbull, of Red Oak.

The Ford struck the Pontiac on the front driver’s side. Damage amounted to $5,000 altogether. Red Oak Police cited Parker-Housman for Unsafe Turn or Failure to Give signal.