SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Oct. 24, 2023 – You can now travel on U.S. 30 northeast of Woodbine in Harrison County. The Iowa DOT says crews have completed the bridge replacement project.

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 the 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

(Radio Iowa) – A time capsule from the cornerstone of a former northeast Iowa church was recently opened to reveal contents that haven’t been seen in nearly a dozen decades. Delaware County Historical Society President Craig Lange says the copper box was salvaged after the Presbyterian Church in Hopkinton was torn down. Lange says the box was placed in the cornerstone 119 years ago. “Some artifacts were still intact in it, a copy of the Delaware County Historical Leader, the Chicago Record Herald, Lenox College days book was still somewhat intact,” Lange says. “Everything else inside of it, unfortunately, has deteriorated over the time.”

The church’s bell was also rescued and that will be incorporated into a new display at the museum. “I want to make a cement box that has brick around the outside from the church,” Lange says. “Hopefully, inside the cement box, we can put a vault in and start a new time capsule. Then we’ll have limestone slabs from the church on top of it, with the bell sitting on top of that.”

Lange says the old church was a big part of the Hopkinton community, so it’s nice that part of it will still remain at the Lenox College campus.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic FFA Reporter Lily Johnson says on October 5, 2023, 15 Atlantic FFA members attended the fall contest held at Northwest Missouri State University located in Maryville, Missouri. The members got the opportunity to compete in several different contests.

Livestock Judging
Left to Right: (1st row) Kaydence Sturm, Aly Dreager, Maddy Anderson, Addalyn Sonntag, Mckenna Sonntag, Jailynne Castillo, Jacquie Freund. (2nd row) Frank Freund, Keston Schmit, Addie Freund, Hayden Kleen, Lauren Comes, Dylan Dreager, Mia Kloewer, and Miraylie Stuart.

This year, the chapter had eleven members compete in the Livestock Evaluation contest, placing 9th out of 31 teams. The top 4 scores for Atlantic FFA came from McKenna Sonntag, Addie Freund, Lauren Comes and Hayden Kleen. In this contest, members had the opportunity to display their agricultural knowledge of various livestock breeds. Those who competed had to place breeding and market classes of beef, swine, and sheep, while also doing three classes of oral reasons.

In the Dairy Cattle Evaluation contest, Colton Rudy competed and individually placed 6th. The purpose of the District Dairy Cattle CDE is to enable students to develop skills in dairy animal selection and dairy herd management. They evaluated and ranked dairy animals based on visual factors of selection.

The last contest that FFA members competed in, was the Dairy Foods contest. The team was comprised of Lola Comes, Lily Johnson, and Natalie Smith. The trio got to try different types of cheese, find the defects in milk, look at milking equipment, and take a written exam. Together they placed as the top Iowa team.

Dairy Foods team
Lola Comes, Lily Johnson, Natalie smith

WAUKEE, Iowa (WHO-TV) — A western Iowa allegedly crashed into three Waukee Police vehicles during a chase late Saturday night — causing thousands of dollars in damage. WHO-TV reports that at around 11:37 p.m. an officer with the Waukee Police Department responded to a report of a hit and run involving a tan Jeep Cherokee, court documents state. The officer located that vehicle on Ute. Ave and attempted to perform a traffic stop, but the car sped off and a pursuit ensued.

According to a criminal complaint, the suspect driver, later identified as Cory Hansen, of Adair, hit two police vehicles during the pursuit. Hansen then continued to Linden Drive and Windfield Parkway where he hit another police car head-on, the complaint states. Hansen was transported to a nearby hospital to be evaluated for injuries he sustained in the crash. One officer sustained minor injuries.

Two of the police cars that were hit sustained an estimated $1,000 in damage each and the third patrol car sustained an estimated $10,000 in damage, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Hansen has been charged with interference with official acts – bodily injury, eluding, failure to provide proof of financial liability – accident, leave scene of accident – property damage only, possession of drug paraphernalia, and fail to obey stop sign/yield right of way.

Hansen was booked into the Dallas County Jail, but has since been released on a $7,500 surety bond. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 1.

(Radio Iowa) – The the Iowa Cyber Hub is launching a “cybersecurity ambassador” program to help educate everyone about threats. Iowa State University Cybersecurity professor, Doug Jacobson says some of the ambassadors will be students. “And they can go out and into the community, then go out into the schools, and really promote the idea of cybersecurity or talk to people about various cybersecurity issues,” he says. They will also have community ambassadors.

“Which are ambassadors that are in an I-T or a cyber field already. And again, arming them with materials and, stuff that they can go out into their community, going to retirement homes, going to other types of venues, and really just trying to get people to be more conscious of the things they can do to be safer online.” Jacobson says. He says they are working through some of the logistics on how the ambassadors will get the word out in their local communities. Jacobson says for some groups it should be easy to do.

“Take a an ambassador chapter in high school, they have a captive audience already,” he says, “they could go talk to students middle school, they could talk to their peers, and go down and talk some the students in the grade schools.” Jacobson leads the Cyber Hub and says they will also have people who can help follow up after the ambassadors meet with groups.  “If questions come across. There’ll be a resource that people can go to, to ask those questions. Because often times you’ll give a presentation and a lot of questions that come up and people will think of things afterwards. And there may be some specific questions. So we’ll have a resource for people to ask those questions,” Jacobson says.

The program will officially launch in one week on October 31st.

(Radio Iowa) – One of this past summer’s biggest movies is proving to be equally big business for Halloween costumes in Iowa. Juanita Cameron, at the Theatrical Shop in West Des Moines, says blonde wigs and pink outfits are top sellers this October. “The first item is Barbie with her companion, Ken,” Cameron says. “Full outfits, cowboy, she has a white hat and he has the shirt with the fringe, and they’re rockin’ it this Halloween.” The dolls will be marking their 65th anniversary next March, and so far, the “Barbie” movie has grossed more than one-point-four billion dollars at the box office. Cameron says other characters from the big screen are continuing to be popular for Halloween costumes.

“People are falling back on the horror thing, Pennywise, Michael Myers and also, Jason, he’s in there, too,” Cameron says, “but they also like that Spiderverse, so the new Spiderman, and also the Ninja Turtles.” Instead of buying costumes off the rack, Cameron says some shoppers are getting quite creative this season. “People are coming in and they’re kind of doing their own thing and makeup,” Cameron says. “They’re making up as characters in their past. Someone actually wanted to be Lucy, when she was eating all the chocolate in the chocolate factory. People are kind of falling back on those type of things.”

Cameron is referring to Lucille Ball and an “I Love Lucy” episode that first aired in 1952.

(Radio Iowa) – South Carolina Senator Tim Scott’s presidential campaign plans to double its staff in Iowa and has announced that the candidate will be visiting the state weekly. In a news release, Scott’s campaign called it an “all-in on Iowa” strategy. It’s a bet that going for a win in the Caucuses could spur campaign fundraising and propel him in the polls.

Scott’s campaign manager says no other 2024 candidate has higher favorability ratings with Iowa evangelical voters — and there’s a lane for Scott to win the Caucuses if his appeal to those voters is successful. Scott’s faith is front and center as he speaks to Iowa audiences.

“I’m so thankful to know a risen Savior who has helped guide my way,” Scott said recently in Des Moines. This was his message at an Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition event in late April. “A liberal reporter wrote that the era of value of voters was over. How ridiculous is that? They have never been to the great state of Iowa,” Scott said. “They have never been a room with a thousand value voters who have faith on their sleeves and Jesus in their hearts.”

Scott often uses Bible verses to frame his policy statements and Scott cites a passage from the New Testament as he talks about the situation in Israel.  “Romans 13:4 says for those who do evil, the wrath of God should be the consequence,” Scott said, “and I hope it comes with some Israeli and American hardware.” Scott is holding a town hall meeting in Indianola late this (Tuesday) morning. He campaigned in Marshalltown last (Monday) night.

Scott’s retooled campaign follows news that a political action committee supporting Scott had pulled the ads it planned to run this fall. It’s also unclear whether Scott will qualify for next month’s candidate debate, as the criteria calls for higher poll numbers. Scott’s campaign says it will boost its spending on social media and has reserved one-point-six million dollars worth of television ads in Iowa markets.

Police in Creston say no injuries were reported following a collision at around 3:30-p.m. Monday, at Highway 25 and Prairie Street, in Creston. Authorities say a 2009 Chevy Impala driven by 16-year-old Jarrett Patrick Luther, of Creston, was attempting to cross Highway 25 as he was traveling west on Prairie Street.

When Luther pulled out in front of a northbound 2013 Ford Escape, driven by 19-year-old Hallie Nicole Orr, of Creston, he didn’t notice the oncoming SUV. He tried to avoid the collision, but his car struck the SUV, causing a total of $6,000 damage.

No citations were issued, but the police report noted Jarrett Luther failed to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Oct. 23, 2023) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed two positive cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), one in Pocahontas County and the other in Guthrie County.

The affected site in Pocahontas County is a commercial turkey flock. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Monday, announced the signing of a disaster proclamation for Pocahontas County, Iowa effective immediately through November 22, 2023. The USDA has confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock there. 

This proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites.   

The affected site in Guthrie County is a mixed species backyard flock.

Commercial and backyard flock owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Sick birds or unusual deaths among birds should be immediately reported to state or federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections in birds do not present a public health concern. It remains safe to eat poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always utilize the proper handling and cooking of eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165 F.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report the arrest on Saturday, Oct. 21st, of 31-year-old Tawnya Arlene Dunlap, from Lincoln, NE. She was arrested on 2 counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, following a traffic stop at around 8:10-a.m. on Interstate 29 at mile-marker 32. Bond was set at $3,000.