(Radio Iowa) – Iowa might be quieter than usual around the holidays this year as a survey finds a large percentage of the state’s residents are planning to go, well, someplace else. Brian Ortner, spokesman for Triple-A Iowa, says Christmas is less than three months away and savvy travelers are booking early. “People are wanting to travel, especially across the state of Iowa,” Ortner says. “More than half of Iowans, 52% say they’re going to take a holiday vacation this year. The difference is, there’s about 40% of them booking travel plans right now due to higher travel prices, but people are still planning on traveling. They’re going to be taking at least one flight.”

COVID-19 is a distant, bad memory for many of us, and he says many Iowans are breaking the habits they formed in recent years by returning to taking vacations abroad. “The numbers for travel, as we’ve seen over the summer in the last couple years, are continuing to get back to pre-pandemic levels,” Ortner says, “so that’s a great sign for all of us who are ready just to get out and live again.”

Christmas falls on a Monday this year, so Ortner suggests you plan carefully to avoid a zoo at the airport. “A lot of folks travel two to four days prior to the holiday, so that means we might be seeing folks traveling on Thursday or Friday before Christmas. So those busiest days at the airport are probably going to be that Friday and Saturday,” Ortner says. “So if you can swing an extra day around Christmas to leave on Wednesday or Thursday, it might not be a bad opportunity or possibly even coming home and booking the day after Christmas, if you’re able to do that.”

According to a report from the travel app Hopper, airfares are down about nine-percent compared to last year, and they’re down ten-percent compared to 2019.

(Creston, Iowa) – No injuries were reported and no citations were issued, following an accident Tuesday morning, in Creston. Authorities say a 2010 Toyota Highlander SUV driven by 59-year-old Timothy H. Gerber, of Lenox, pulled in behind an unoccupied 2005 Chrysler Minivan at the Creston Wal-Mart service bay and attempted to stop, but the SUV hit the rear bumper of the mini-van.

Gerber told police his brakes failed. He attempted to back out, but struck the van again. The accident happened at around 8:22-a.m. Damage from the incident amounted to $3,000.

Witnesses told police the SUV’s brakes were functioning properly, in contradiction his statement. The report recommended Gerber have his driving skills re-examined because he “Showed his inability to safely keep his vehicle under control.”

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna, Tuesday evening, issued a statement indicating “Per Iowa code Lots were drawn to determine Candidate Ballot Order” today (Tuesday) and that 5-p.m. was the deadline for objections and withdrawals.

Listed below are the candidate positions in ballot order, along with public measures, for the upcoming City-School Election on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. The polls will be open from 7-a.m. until 8-p.m. that day.

CITY OFFICES THAT WILL BE ON VARIOUS BALLOTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Red Oak City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor – Vote for One: Shawnna L. Silvius

Council Member Ward #1 – Vote for One: John F. Haidsiak

Council Member Ward #3 – Vote for One: Adam Hietbrink

Council Member At Large – Vote for One Sharon Bradley

Elliott City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor – Vote for One: Michael Carson

Council Member At Large – Vote for Two: Leta Rush, Lisa Jamison

Grant City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor – Vote for One: John J. Giefing, Emerson Hill

Council Member At Large – Vote for Five: Greg Karwal, Connie K. Giefing, Clay Amos, Chelsea Dvorak, Lyn Sliger, Jeff Brown, Nancy Taylor

Stanton City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor – Vote for One: None Filed

Council Member At Large – Vote for two: Pier Osweiler, Greg Hampel

Council Member At Large – TFV- Vote for one: Justin R. Rhamy

Coburg City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Council Member At Large – Vote for Three: None Filed

Villisca City Offices and Candidates Filed:

Mayor – Vote for One: Marilyn Halda

Council Member At Large – Vote for Three: Robert Tripp Narup, Marsha S. Shepherd, Vince Abraham, Gabrielle Jackson

SCHOOL BOARDS THAT WILL BE ON VARIOUS BALLOTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Red Oak School Board:

Director At Large – Vote for Two: Ashley York, Scott Bruce, Aaron D. Schmid

Stanton School Board:

Director At Large – Vote for Two: John McDonald, Zachary Ward

Villisca School Board:

Director At Large – Vote for Three: Richard Allen Mullen, Jason Poston, Tom A. Williams

East Mills School Board:

Director District #1 East – Vote for One: Mark Stearns

Director District #2 West – Vote for One: Trent Jones

Director District At Large – TFV – Vote for One: Suzanne Schraft, Nicole Marie Semrau, Dana Carter

Essex School Board:

Director At Large – Vote for Three: Doug Ohnmacht, Meredith K. Baker, Brian R. Johnson

Director At Large – TFV – Vote for One: Heidi Hossle

Griswold School Board:

Director At Large – Vote for One: Ryan Smith

Shenandoah School Board:

Director At Large – Vote for Two: Jeffrey A. Hiser, Glenn Owen Mason Jr, William Brent Twyman

Iowa Western Community College:

Director District #1 – Vote for One: Gilbert Thomas

Director District #2 – Vote for One: Kerry Newman

Southwestern Community College:

Director District #2 – Vote for One: Fred Shearer

Director District #3 – TFV – Vote for One: Susan Stearns

Director District #4 – Vote for One: Carol Saxton

Director District #7 – Vote for One: Amy Mobley

Director District #8 – Vote for One: John Cass

PUBLIC MEASURES THAT WILL BE ON VARIOUS BALLOTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

East Mills School District: Public Measure OZ:

Shall the Board of Directors of the East Mills Community School District, in the Counties of Mills and Montgomery, State of Iowa, for the purpose of purchasing and improving grounds; constructing schoolhouses or buildings and opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings; purchasing of buildings; purchase, lease or lease­ purchase of technology and equipment; paying debts contracted for the erection or construction of schoolhouses or buildings, not including interest on bonds; procuring or acquisition of libraries; repairing, remodeling, reconstructing, improving, or expanding the schoolhouses or buildings and additions to existing schoolhouses; expenditures for energy conservation; renting facilities under Iowa Code Chapter 28E; purchasing transportation equipment for transporting students; lease purchase option agreements for school buildings or equipment; purchasing equipment authorized by law; or for any purpose or purposes now or hereafter authorized by law, be authorized for a period of ten (10) years to levy and impose a voter-approved physical plant and equipment tax of not exceeding One Dollar Thirty-four Cents ($1.34) per One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of assessed valuation of the taxable property within the school district, and be authorized annually, in combination, as determined by the board, to levy a physical plant and equipment property tax upon all the taxable property within the school district commencing with the levy of property taxes for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and to impose a physical plant and equipment income surtax upon the state individual income tax of each individual income taxpayer resident in the school district on December 31 for each calendar year commencing with calendar year 2025, or each year thereafter?

Essex School District: Public Measure QV

Shall the Board of Directors of the Essex Community School District, in the Counties of Page and Montgomery, State of Iowa, for the purpose of purchasing and improving grounds; constructing schoolhouses or buildings and opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings; purchasing of buildings; purchase, lease or lease-purchase of technology and equipment; paying debts contracted for the erection or construction of schoolhouses or buildings, not including interest on bonds; procuring or acquisition of libraries; repairing, remodeling, reconstructing, improving, or expanding the schoolhouses or buildings and additions to existing schoolhouses; expenditures for energy conservation; renting facilities under Iowa Code Chapter 28E; purchasing transportation equipment for transporting students; lease purchase option agreements for school buildings or equipment; purchasing equipment authorized by law; or for any purpose or purposes now or hereafter authorized by law, be authorized for a period of ten (10) years, to levy annually, a voter-approved physical plant and equipment property tax not to exceed One Dollar Thirty-Four Cents ($1.34) per One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of the assessed valuation of the taxable property within the school district commencing with the levy for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, or each year thereafter?

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Authorities say two people were transported to Cass Health following a collision west of Atlantic, early Tuesday afternoon. Atlantic Fire and Rescue along with two Cass EMS ambulances were dispatched at around 12:18-p.m. to the area of 570th and Galveston Road, where two vehicles rolled over.

According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, a 2001 SUV struck the driver’s side of a UPS truck at the uncontrolled intersection, causing the truck to roll over before coming to rest on its wheels. The Ford Explorer SUV rolled onto its side.

The accident victims suffered minor injuries and were treated at the hospital. Their names were not immediately released.

(Radio Iowa) – A leader in the union that represents 19-thousand federal employees who work in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and the Dakotas says some of them will be required to work, without pay, if there’s a federal government shutdown. Ruark Hotopp is a national vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees. “TSA employees would still go to work during a shutdown, however,” Hotopp says, “without a paycheck.” Hotopp joined an online news conference organized by the Iowa Democratic Party.

“In our union, we had many discussions with a lot of federal lawmakers up on Capitol Hill,” Hotopp says. “The indication we had as of a month ago was that there was going to be a deal struck amongst House Republicans to avert this, only for them to then renege on that deal and to come back and hold us all hostage with the threat of a shutdown.” Hotopp says a shutdown would bring the country to a screeching halt.

“I don’t know that folks really realize how many government agencies really exist and what they all do,” Hotopp says. “…We run the full gamut of law enforcement agencies, agriculture — you name it.” Some U-S-D-A employees are represented by Hotopp’s union, but the U-S-D-A would shut down — with the exception of critical functions, like fire fighters in the U-S Forest Service who protect property.

(Radio Iowa) – The rain farmers have been hoping for slowed some of the harvest last week. The U-S-D-A reports says rainfall cut the time in the field by about two days. The corn harvest is now nine percent statewide, compared to five percent the week before. The corn harvest is still six days ahead of last year.

The percentage of beans in the bin hit 11 percent last week — up from three percent. The bean harvest is three days ahead of last year, and one day ahead of the five-year average.

(Radio Iowa) – Recent court filings show a southeast Iowa man who skipped the jury verdict in his murder trial and went on the run faces another charge after his capture. Sixty-three-year-old Gregory Showalter of Ottumwa was not present in court on Friday when a Wapello County jury returned a guilty verdict for first-degree murder, willful injury, abuse of a corpse, and domestic abuse. Authorities say Showalter murdered his wife, Helen Showalter, in July 2021. Police say Showalter, who was out on bail, cut off his ankle monitor and turned off his phone before leaving his home on Friday. A search commenced and Showalter was found in his home on Saturday morning hiding behind a chair.

Showalter was apprehended and transported to the Wapello County Jail where he is being held without bond. Showalter faces an additional charge of interference with official acts. His sentencing in the murder trial is scheduled for October 16th.

(Rural Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Fire and Rescue along with two Cass EMS ambulances were dispatched at around 12:18-p.m. to the area of 570th and Galveston Road (west of Atlantic), for a two-vehicle accident. Both vehicles rolled, but there were reportedly only minor injuries. The road is blocked at this time. No other details are currently available.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Conservation is looking for volunteers for their 30th biannual Halloween Hike! The CCC Department is looking for Actors, Hike Leaders, and Treat Makers!! The 30th biannual Halloween Hike, will be held on Saturday, October 28th, as you follow a trail where meet the Little Red, her forest friends like Brown Bat, Mice, and The Wolf! Starting at 7:00 p.m. small groups will depart from the Camblin Addition of Sunnyside Park every ten minutes. Please call 712-769-2372 or online at https://form.jotform.com/232684779061163, to sign up as a volunteer!

Officials say it is not their intent to scare or frighten anyone, but to educate and entertain people of all ages! The hike is sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board.