NORWALK, Iowa — Norwalk police are investigating a case of 60 dogs and cats living in filth at a Norwalk home. Police got a tip about a house full of animals that smelled bad.  They notified the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, who removed the animals. The ARL says the scene at the Norwalk home was like a nightmare: “57 dogs and puppies, some just days old, and 3 cats were trapped inside the home. The floors of the house were covered in trash and feces, and the smell was overwhelming. Some dogs were trapped in kennels while others roamed free.

Charges are pending against the homeowner. The ARL says you can make donations if you’d like to help care for the surviving dogs and cats. They also hope to put the animals up for adoption once their health improves.

ARL Facebook page photo (4/17/24)

WATERLOO, Iowa — (KCRG) – A community is mourning after a member of the Hudson Volunteer Fire & Rescue team was killed in a motorcycle crash Tuesday evening. According to police, 26-year-old Riley Gilbert was killed in a crash on April 16th, 2024. He reportedly struck a curb near the Fletcher Avenue traffic circle in wet and slippery conditions from recent rain. The motorcycle spun out, and Gilbert was thrown and struck a yield sign. When responders arrived, Gilbert was not breathing. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Hudson Volunteer Fire Department said he was a newer member of the department and was eager to learn.

Riley Gilbert (Hudson, IA Volunteer Fire & Rescue Facebook page photo)

DES MOINES, Iowa — [KCCI] – Blank Children’s Hospital is running out of beds amid an unseasonable spike in hospitalizations of young children with respiratory diseases. Pediatric infectious disease Dr. Joel Waddell said the hospital staff is working overtime to care for the unusual number of patients with RSV, flu and other respiratory illnesses at the hospital. Waddell said cases typically drop off in the spring as cold and flu season comes to a close, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s noticed more illnesses happening outside the “sickness season.”

He also said the types of patients experiencing serious symptoms are unusual. Illnesses that usually only manifest severely in babies or immunocompromised patients are impacting healthy 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds similarly, contributing to the number of patients requiring hospital support. By quarantining during their formative years, Waddell is concerned many of his young patients were not exposed to elements that would’ve boosted their immune systems, leaving them more vulnerable to disease now.

To protect your children, Waddell recommends checking that they are up to date on vaccinations. If your child does get sick, keep them home if they’re experiencing a fever and seek medical attention if their fever spikes or they’re having trouble breathing.

CLIVE, Iowa (KCAU) — The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is taking nominations for the state’s best breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. From now  through to June 3rd, Iowans can nominate a restaurant or establishment that they believe offers the state’s most “delectable” sandwich, according to a release. Each person can nominate one restaurant, and those who nominate the eventual winner may win $100.

The 22nd annual Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest celebrates a sandwich that’s a mainstay in restaurants in Iowa, the nation’s leading pork producer. You can nominate a restaurant by clicking here. Establishments must be consistently open year-round and offer the sandwich on their regular menu in order to be eligible (for example, food trucks are not eligible).

Courtesy of the Iowa Pork Producers Association – 2021 winning pork tenderloin sandwich

After the nominations are over, the top 40 restaurants’ breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches will be ranked by “pork quality, taste, physical characteristics, and overall eating experience,” the release states. The top five will be revealed in October, which is National Pork Month. The winning restaurant gets a plaque, $500 in cash, and statewide publicity.

Last year, Cliff’s Place in Manning took home the top prize, while The Roadhouse in Orange City was runner-up. 774 different places were nominated that year. A list of past winners going back as far as 2003 can be seen by clicking here.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds is applauding passage of a bill she says will help struggling students become better readers. The bill requires a focus on the science of reading and spells out what is standard practice in most schools. Teachers must develop a plan to improve the reading ability of any student in kindergarten through sixth grade who is not reading at their grade level. Senator Ken Rozenboom of Oskaloosa says schools are required to notify parents if their child isn’t reading well and let the student repeat a grade.

“To make sure we’re clear, retention is not required unless requested by the parent or guardian,” Rozenboom said. Reynolds also had hoped to require that teachers pass a test showing they have the skills to teach elementary students how to read. The bill will only require Iowa college students who plan to teach in kindergarten through sixth grade take the test, but they won’t have to pass it to graduate.

“It requires that teacher prep programs must administer the ‘Foundations of Reading Assessment’ and report to the Department of Education annually on the percentage of students who score above, at or below the passing score,” Rozenboom says.

Thirteen other states include the test as a requirement for teaching licenses.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa legislature has unanimously voted to let Iowans give a gun they legally own to a federally licensed gun dealer — if the gun dealer volunteers to store it. If the person asks to retrieve their gun later, the dealer would not be liable if the person uses the gun to hurt themselves or commit a crime. Representative Elinor Levin, a Democrat from Iowa City, says it’s a great bill.

“It gives the dealers an option, it gives the owners an option for anyone who feels at that time it’s not a good time to be storing (a gun) in the home,” Levin said, “for space, because of who’s in the house — whatever.”

Republican Senator Scott Webster of Bettendorf says the bill has the backing of gun rights groups and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “I believe this bill will help Iowans overall with a voluntary type program for the case of somebody who may have mental health issues and so on and so forth,” Webster said.

Republicans who control the Iowa legislature’s debate agenda in the past have rejected a so-called “red flag” law to police or family members seek court orders to prevent people considered to be a danger to themselves or others from having guns. Critics say red flag laws violate a person’s due process rights.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday, held a public hearing on the adoption of the FINAL Fiscal Year 2025 City of Atlantic Budget. Having received no oral or written comments, the Council passed a resolution adopting the budget as presented. The budget will be submitted to the Atlantic News Telegraph for publication, and to County Auditor Kathy Somers, so that it can be submitted to the State.

The Council passed the following resolutions, Wednesday:

• A resolution “fixing the date of meeting for a public hearing on the receipt and approval of proposals for the disposal and development of certain City-owned Real Property in the Southeast Urban Renewal District.”
• The first reading of an Amended Ordinance pertaining to RAGBRAI. It essentially updates the vendor fees, and dates for the limited-time Ordinance, which is in effect from July 22^nd and 23^rd, 2024.
• A Resolution “Adopting the wages for Seasonal/Part-Time Parks & Recreation and Airport Employees.” City Administrator John Lund…

• and they passed a Resolution “Setting Salaries for Appointed Officers and Employees of the City of Atlantic,” for the Fiscal Year that runs from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.

The Council acted to approve Orders pertaining to a Grant Management Services Agreements and a Development Agreement – with SWIPCO – for an Upper Story Rehab Grant for 300 Chestnut Street, and a Community Catalyst Grant for 207 Chestnut Street. They also passed three readings of an amended Ordinance with regard to the “Abatement of Nuisance[s] by Written Notice of Collection Costs.”

The Atlantic City Council removed discussion and action from their agenda pertaining the contract and bonds for the Sunnyside Park Splash Pad Project. That is expected to take place during their next meeting.