(Radio Iowa) – Work continues to remove the cars and trucks that hit the ditches in eastern Iowa following last week’s winter storms.

Tegeler Wrecker and Crane supervisor Holly Paris says employees are exhausted as they work around the clock to pull cars and trucks out. Paris told KCRG TV Tuesday that the phone has not stopped ringing.  “We took 9,900 incoming calls yesterday (Monday). Today, we were upwards of 6,000 right now, since midnight last night.” Paris says. Some cars are trapped under snow or ice and some tow truck operators have to shovel several feet just to get the car back on the road.

Paris says they have strict criteria for choosing who to help first, and those still in the vehicles have been the top priority. “We’ll either go get the driver or go get the truck – those people take top priority because their safety is in danger.” said Paris. Some tows can only be done at night and that requires traffic control from the state Patrol.

DOT traffic camera view on I-80 near Iowa City.

Trooper Bob Conrad tells KCRG TV it is not easy duty.  “In two days, we had two of our squad cars hit in this area. It’s very dangerous,” He says. Conrad says that while law enforcement, the Iowa Department of Transportation, and tow truck operators are working to get the cars and trucks out — it will still be some time before everything is cleared. “I would say before it’s all said and done, it will be upwards of a week.” Conrad says.

Conrad says it’s essential for drivers to lower their speeds and to always be on the lookout for tow trucks or patrol cars working on the side of the road.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill to provide new product liability protection to Iowa retailers AND manufacturers has cleared its first hurdle in the House, but Republican lawmakers say it will only apply to retailers if it’s brought up for a vote in a House committee. The bill in its original form bars most lawsuits over faulty products if the product or its components cleared government safety reviews. Brad Hartkopt is a lobbyist for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, which represents 15-hundred companies in the state.

“Federal agencies promulgate extensive rules and requirements for products,” he said. “…Manufacturers expend extraordinary resources and time to ensure that the products they produce meet those standards.” Doug Struyk, a lobbyist for the Iowa Bar Association, says there are all sorts of products that were deemed safe by federal agencies, only to later be declared dangerous or defective. “And the Boeing 737 Max — how many times has the FAA stamped that thing as safe?” Struyk asked lawmakers. “…I guess we were lucky no one was injured when we blew out the door a week or two ago.”

Iowa Capitol Building (RI file photo)

Lisa Davis-Cook is a lobbyist for the Iowa Association for Justice that represents trial lawyers. She was 11 years old, attending a 4-H meeting in Clinton County, when the home’s furnace exploded and she suffered burns over 25 percent of her body. “The company that manufactured the furnace and the company that manufactured the valve were fully cognizant of the fact that that valve was faulty. They knew there was a problem and it was cheaper to keep that product on the market than to recall it and keep people safe,” Davis-Cook says. “…What this bill does is it tells companies: ‘As long as you’ve met safety standards, even though you find out later that it’s faulty, don’t worry about it.'”

One of the Republicans working on the bill says he has no desire to grant immunity to manufacturers, but is interested in some liability protection for Iowa retailers — as long as they don’t do anything negligent.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic High School Speech & Debate Team Head Coaches Trisha Niceswanger and Troy Roach say the team has qualified to send students to the National Speech and Debate Tournament.  The “small but mighty” Speech Team, Coach Niceswanger says, has had some great success over the years and this fundraiser will help to continue that success. She said also “We have qualified students to the National Tournament several of the past 10 years and our goal is to grow our program even more.”

The online “Bang Cookies” fundraiser will help support the registration costs, purchase of scripts, props, memberships, and travel costs. Bang Cookies are one-third POUND, giant organic cookies that get rave reviews throughout the nation.

Supporters can purchase directly from the company and they ship right to your home, anywhere in the US. They have multiple options available in variety boxes.  It runs until Monday, Jan 29 and 40% of the proceeds support the Atlantic Speech and Debate program.

(Atlantic, Iowa)- Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) and Regional Planning Affiliation 13 (RPA 13) is currently accepting applications for its Regional Transportation Alternatives Program fund, for projects in Cass, Fremont, Montgomery, and Page Counties. Applications are being accepted until February 28, 2024.

Local governments, regional transportation authorities, transit agencies, school districts and local education agencies, natural resource or public land agencies, tribal governments, and non-profit entities are among those eligible to apply. Funds are limited to meeting certain project types. Those include but are not limited to construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized forms of transportation; conversion and use of abandoned rail corridors for trails; construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas; vegetation management; and historic preservation and rehabilitation of transportation facilities.

Projects and sponsors must provide a non-federal match of at least 20 percent of the eligible costs, comply with federal regulations, and maintain the project for 20 years among other requirements. Projects must be completed withing two fiscal years of the award.

Completed applications must be in to SWIPCO by 4:30 p.m. on February 28, 2024. Applications will be submitted to the Iowa DOT for review. The RPA 13 Technical Committee and Policy Board will meet to score applications and to award recommendations. Award letters will be sent to applicants and the Iowa DOT by August 1, 2024. Funds will be released by the Iowa DOT after October 1, 2024.

Application and criteria can be found online at htps://www.swipco.org/rpa-13/ For more information or to obtain a hard copy of the application contact SWIPCO Grant Specialist III, Tammy DeBord at 866-279-4720 ext. 234 or 712-249-4300. You can also email Tammy.DeBord@swipco.org

SWIPCO is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A program being held this weekend in Atlantic, will detail the story of former Atlantic Airport Manager Hap Westbrook. Westbrook managed the Atlantic Airport for 25 years, but few people know the rest of his story. His son, Dick Westbrook, will provide a more complete story about Hap this Sunday, January 21st, beginning at 2-p.m.  The event will be held at the American Legion Memorial Building, in Atlantic.

Hap was a decorated military pilot, Prisoner of War, flight instructor and pilot examiner. He served in WWII and the Korean Conflict retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He started the Iowa Air National Guard. He served his community in many ways such as delivering newspapers to small towns and even individual homes from his airplane. He created and instructed the Aviation Mechanics’ Program for Iowa Western Community College.

These are just a few of Hap’s experiences and accomplishments with more to be shared on Sunday. Dick is his father’s son beginning when he was a child playing at the airport and getting his pilot’s license before his drivers’ license. He has been flying for over 50 years.

The presentation is one of a series of programs sponsored by Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise (ARISE). There is no fee but donations are welcome. Everyone is welcome. The building is located at 201 Poplar Street, Atlantic and is handicapped accessible.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A vehicle that slid on an icy road Tuesday afternoon in Red Oak, collided with a parked car, but no one was injured. Red Oak Police report the accident happened at around 3:30-p.m, in the 100 block of E. Nuckols Street. Authorities say 16-year-old Ashton N. Williams, of Red Oak, was driving a 1998 Jeep Cherokee eastbound on E. Nuckols, when the he lost control of the vehicle. The SUV hit a parked 2018 Ford Focus registered to Brett Bourlon, causing $1,500 damage to the car, and an estimated $100 damage to the Jeep.

No citations were issued.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken, Tuesday, told the Board of Supervisors his crews worked through the weekend battling a one-two punch from snow and blowing snow, but they really were stymied until Sunday and Monday in making a progress. He said crews put in a lot of O-T getting the job done.

Wolken said, as of Tuesday morning, all roads in Cass County were open, at least one-way. The County’s V-Plow is capable of crushing through many large snow drifts, but in the future, Wolken his department may look at contracting with commercial or private snow clearing equipment to handle the roads, especially companies with giant snowblowers. The cost of buying that type of equipment is very costly.

He noted also, that the year in construction had concluded, at least for now.

Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken (Center pew) at the BOS mtg on Jan. 16, 2024

In total, Wolken said, Cass County Secondary Roads handled $5.7-million dollars in construction projects last year.