SIOUX CITY, Iowa – March 26, 2024 – If you drive on Iowa 39 from Odebolt south to Denison you need to be aware of an upcoming construction project that may impact your trip.

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27, until late April, weather permitting, the road will be closed as crews work to improve the surface of the road, according to the Iowa DOT District 3 Office. You will be directed to a marked detour route while the roadway is closed.

While the road is closed, you will still be able to get to local homes and businesses.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through 511ia.org.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials in Union County are investigating the attempted theft of two ATM’s from a bank in Creston. According to Creston Police, at around 3:16-a.m. today (Tuesday), an unknown number of individuals attempted to steal two ATM’s from the PCSB Bank in Creston. Entry was gained into one of the machines, with an unknown amount of cash taken. The second machine was recovered nearby, unopened.

PCSB Bank, Creston, IA

Anyone with information regarding the incident, is asked to contact the Creston Police Department, at 641-782-8402.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) is sponsoring its first annual “Coolest Thing Made in Iowa” competition. A-B-I spokesperson, Kelsey O’Conner says you don’t have to be a member to nominate a cool thing. “We’re joining about 20 other state associations who have hosted a successful competition like this in their state and it’s really meant to highlight all the cool products that the manufacturing industry in Iowa produces,” O’Conner says. She says it also shows the varied jobs available in the state. O’Conner says agriculture is a major part of the state’s economy, but not the only industry.

“We do tend to go the Ag way when we think of what I will produces, as we should, but we also have lots of cool products that are made that support the ag industry and a lot of other industries worldwide,” she says. You can make a nomination at www.coolestthingIA.com. “And under contest information you’ll find the nominate a product tab and you go there fill out the simple form, it’s not too intimidating. We just ask for a logo and an image of the product and a short description and then you submit the nominations and we will review those here at A-B-I,” she says.

They will take nominations through April 8th and then move through until they have a final four. “And once those top four are announced they’ll go head to head with each other all four of them and in the final round of voting and then we will announce the winner at A-B-Is annual taking care of business conference,” she says. “That conference moves around the state different years. This year we’re going to be in the Quad Cities.”

She says the Coolest Things website can also answer any of your questions about the contest.

(Radio Iowa) – A senate committee will likely vote on the governor’s nominee to lead the Iowa Department of Education tomorrow (Wednesday). McKenzie Snow took over as acting director of the department in late June, but she must win 34 yes votes in the Iowa Senate to be confirmed for the role. Taryn Frideres, the governor’s chief of staff, was the first person to testify in favor of Snow at a subcommittee hearing this (Tuesday) morning. “I am here to say she is eminently qualified for the position,” Frideres said, “and exactly the type of leader the department needs at this time.” Iowa State Board of Education president John Robbins, a retired superintendent, also spoke on Snow’s behalf.

“Director Snow’s experience in state agencies in Virginia and New Hampshire along with her experience at the U.S. Department of Education have positioned her to successfully address the unique challenges of state leadership in Iowa.” Critics say Snow is not qualified for the role and its 200-thouand dollar salary because she has never been a licensed teacher or school administrator — at a time when the department is absorbing other agencies. Jackson Kleinmeyer, a student at Kirkwood Community College, is urging senators to reject Snow’s nomination. “You’re going to put a lot of faith in someone to run our entire education system,” he said, “and never mine this person is not legally qualified to run an elementary school.”

Jessica Roman of North Liberty, a special education consultant with the Grant Wood A-E-A, says Snow’s experience lies in policy writing, in four different jobs over the past seven years. “If you’re having heart surgery, who do you want to consult, the surgeon or the person who wrote the hospital handbook?” Roman asked. Snow delivered an opening statement to start the hearing and answered questions from the three senators on the panel. “I’ve heard, maybe a few times, that I didn’t come up through the ranks of education in Iowa and that’s true. I bring something different,” Snow said. “…I am a leader experienced in managing teams of experts and large scale budgets with a track record of results for students.”

Snow was the deputy director of Virginia’s Department of Education when Governor Reynolds hired her.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, during the public comments portion of their meeting today (Tuesday), heard a plea from Barb Nelson, who lives near Stanton, to put discussion and action on an ordinance pertaining to pipelines, on their agenda for the next meeting.

The request was acknowledged by Board Chair Mike Olson, but no action was taken at this time. The Montgomery County Supervisors received a report on the destruction of noxious weeds and passed a Resolution to that effect. Here’s a portion of the Resolution as read by Supervisor Mark Peterson….

The Supervisors also received a report from Montgomery County Zoning Commissioner/Assistant to Engineer Karen Albert, Barry Byers. He said road crews have been spotting rock, conducting cold patching, building equipment maintenance

And, they discussed at length, increasing the County Veterans Affairs Office hours, effective April 1^st. County V-A Executive Director Curtis White requested the change in hours, due to the number of claims and contacts made, and to take care of the added work load.

A motion to set the White’s hours at 30-hours per week through June 30^th (pro-rated), to include sick time, failed. A second motion for 28-hours from April 1^st until June 1^st, with a review to see how that fits in with the FY 25 Budget, after that time, passed as presented.