Most Iowans are seeing new choices in fuel at their local gas stations. Many pumps will now have ethanol stickers above two handles instead of just one. Due to a national change in how gasolines are being refined, some premium blends will now contain corn-based ethanol. Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, says it’s been a quiet, yet monumental, change. “Premium gasoline without ethanol is very expensive and so by blending that 10% ethanol into the premium, they can lower that cost,” Shaw says. “Consumers are really going to have some options. To me, that’s a good thing. Let consumers pick the product and the price point they want, but it is different than what we’ve seen for 30 years.”

The change has taken place over the past week or so in Iowa and depending on the service station’s supplier, the premium blends may now contain ethanol. Shaw says you’ll need to pay attention when you grab the gas pump handle. “Most Iowans are going to chose an 87 octane E-10, so you’ve gotta’ look for the 87 sticker now with the ethanol sticker combined, that’s going to be your cheaper gas,” Shaw says, “and I think you’re really going to see the sales of the non-ethanol go way down.”

In recent years, about 80 to 83-percent of all gasoline sold in Iowa has been an ethanol blend. Shaw predicts that number will rocket to 95-percent once this change-over is complete. “There’s two ways it can be a boon for ethanol,” Shaw says. “Number one, we probably will see more people go to that E-10 blend, but also, as the E-zero sales, the non-ethanol sales go down, retailers will have to really look hard at whether or not to keep selling that fuel or to put E-15 in that tank. E-15, which is approved for all 2001 and newer vehicles, is going to be even cheaper than E-10.”

Iowa is the nation’s number-one producer of ethanol with 41 plants in operation and three cellulosic ethanol plants under construction. Triple-A-Iowa says the statewide average price for gas is $3.42 a gallon, two cents below the national average. Iowa’s current average price is down ten-cents from a month ago and down 40-cents from a year ago.

(Radio Iowa)

The federal government shut-down means federal offices will be closed, but Iowa’s governor says state government will be open for business. “We’re going to try to minimize any disruptions or any problems that could occur,” Branstad says. However, some Iowa National Guard soldiers and some workers at the Rock Island Arsenal will be furloughed.

The state-level health insurance exchanges that were created by the federal Affordable Care Act start taking applications today (Tuesday). Governor Branstad says some of the low-income Iowans who can start getting health care coverage through Medicaid can start enrolling on the state health care exchange today (Tuesday) — even though the state doesn’t have a federal waiver for some of the program requirements that are unique to Iowa.

“We’re going to continue to go forward on the assumption that the Department of Human Services is eventually going to approve this,” Branstad says. “We’ve been working with them since February.” The main sticking point for Iowa is the proposed monthly premium some of the new Medicaid recipients would be required to pay under the “Iowa Health and Wellness” plan. 

(Radio Iowa)

Two people were arrested in Red Oak overnight. Red Oak Police report 33-year old Peggy Sue Gurney, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 1:30-a.m. Tuesday (Today), at North 3rd and East Nuckols Streets. Gurney was charged with OWI/1st Offense, and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where she was being held on $1,000 cash bond. And, late Monday night, 22-year old Charlie Daniel Brooms, of Red Oak, was arrested near the intersection of North 3rd and Hammond Streets in Red Oak. Brooms was charged with Public Intoxication and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $300 cash bond.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report the arrest Monday afternoon of 20-year old Drew Dale Goodrich, of Corning, on a valid warrant for probation violation. Goodrich was taken into custody at the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and transported to Montgomery County Corrections, where he was being held on $7,500 cash bond.

An annual survey by State Farm Insurance on deer/vehicle crashes shows a mixed result for Iowa. State Farm spokesperson, Ann Avery, says they survey their claims and accident reports from federal officials to make an annual ranking of states where hitting a deer is most likely. “Iowa has moved up one spot to third this year,” Avery says. But the good news is the overall chance of hitting a deer in any state is down.

“We find that U-S deer/vehicle collisions have declined overall, and in Iowa the likelihood has declined as well, despite the fact that they have moved up one spot in the rankings,” Avery says. The likelihood of hitting a deer declined by nine-percent in Iowa. West Virginia topped the list of states where you are most likely to run into a deer for the seventh year in a row. Hawaii was again at the bottom of the rankings. Avery says they can’t say how the individual deer populations in each state impact the rankings — but does say efforts to let people know about the dangers of such collisions can help in any state reduce its collisions.

“We liked to think it’s due in part at least to the amount of attention that’s being drawn to this issue — because awareness is very important,” Avery says. “Especially in these coming months when the likelihood (of a collision) is at a peak.” She says avoiding collisions is important for safety reasons and it can also prevent costly repairs. “They average property-damage costs of these kinds of incidents during the final half of 2012 and the first half of 2013 was three-thousand-414 dollars — up three-point-three percent from the year before,” Avery explains. Avery has these tips for drivers to avoid hitting a deer.

“Deer generally travel in herds — so if you see one, there’s a strong possibility that others are nearby,” Avery says. She says be aware of the deer crossing signs as they indicate areas where the deer are known to roam. “And we also want you to remember that deer are most active between six and nine p-m.” State Farm estimates there were one-22-million deer collisions between July first of 2012 and June 30th of 2013, a three-point-five percent reduction compared to last year.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A judge will decide Tuesday whether to sanction former attorneys for Sholom Rubashkin for contacting jurors after the verdict that landed the former kosher slaughterhouse executive in prison. U.S. District Judge Linda Reade says the juror contacts were done without permission. One attorney says he believed Reade authorized the contacts when she told jurors they could speak with anyone or no one.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City man wants his conviction and sentence thrown out in a fatal 2012 traffic accident. The Globe Gazette newspaper reports 34-year-old Jason Glenn Genzler has filed an application in district court seeking the post-conviction relief. Genzler claims his attorney didn’t properly investigate and defend him and that the victim may have contributed to his own death.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines officials are beginning the process of removing memorial decorations from gravesites in municipal cemeteries as part of a cleanup. The city’s Park and Recreation department will remove the decorations beginning Tuesday. They will be cleared by Oct. 18. The public will be able to place decorations again after the staff is done with clearing. They will be left in place until the spring cleanup in March.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines Register is moving its 150-pound globe, which was a fixture in the newspaper’s lobby since the 1950s, to the State Historical Museum in the city’s East Village. The Register reports a ceremony is planned Wednesday morning. After being temporarily stored in the museum’s basement, the globe will be installed in the building’s lobby later this year. The Register donated it after moving into new offices a few blocks from its old building.

One person was injured during a rollover accident Monday morning, in Page County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 27-year old Christy Dawn Gordon, of Essex, was transported to the Shenandoah Memorial Hospital by Essex Fire and Rescue, after the pickup she was a passenger in went out of control and rolled over and came to rest on its top. The woman  was wearing her seat belt during the accident, which happened at around 9:35-a.m. on Highway 48.

Officials say the 1998 Chevy pickup, driven by 33-year old Nathan Rick Gordon, of Essex, was traveling south on the highway and passed a slower moving, blue van. Christy Gordon said she told Nathan that the van was gaining on their pickup. He responded by reportedly having “tapped” the brakes on his truck and pulled the vehicle to the side, where it went out of control on the gravel shoulder.

The vehicle slid into the ditch and rolled. The blue van, meanwhile, continued past the crash without stopping. An investigation determined the pickup left 155-feet of skid marks on the road before it entered the shoulder and left the road. There was no contact made with the other vehicle.

Damage from the crash amounted to $3,500. No citations were issued.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a Massena woman was arrested Friday as a result of an investigation into a report of stolen lottery tickets at the Massena C-Store. Deputies arrested 45-year old Lisa Ann Herrmann, of Massena, on a charge of Felony 1st Degree Theft. Herrmann was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released later that day on $10,000 bond.

On Saturday, deputies arrested 51-year old Robert James Williams, of Council Bluffs, on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear for Child Support Hearing. Williams was taken to the Cass County Jail where he is being held on $2,000 bond.

That same say, 25-year old Cody Lee William Lillard, of Carter Lake, was arrested in Cass County on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear for Child Support Hearing. Lillard was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $500 bond.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a Cumberland man faces charges in connection with a semi that was stolen and later found wrecked and abandoned. 30-year old Daniel Floyd Edwards, of Cumberland, was charged with Theft 1^st Degree and Criminal Mischief 1^st Degree in regards to the 2005 Freightliner semi that was discovered on Tucson Road in Cass County on September 18th, 2013.

Upon investigation, it was determined that Edwards was the driver of the semi, which had been stolen from a location in Creston, and driven to Cumberland, where the driver struck the corner of the roof at the Cumberland Community Building and left the scene, then wrecking the semi against a utility pole on Tucson Road east of 690^th Street. The semi, which was owned by Mark Edward O’Reily, of Creston, sustained an estimated $65,000 damage. Damage to the Cumberland Community Center was estimated at $2,100.

An area of a corn field was also damaged in the amount of $2500. Damage to the utility pole is yet to be determined. Edwards remains at the Cass County Jail without bond from his arrest on September 20, 2013, for a Parole Violation.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports ballots for the Nov. 5th, 2013 City Elections in Cass County (for the cities of Anita, Atlantic, Cumberland, Griswold, Lewis, Marne, Massena and Wiota), are available at the Cass County Auditor’s Office. Absentee ballots may be requested by registered voters who will not be going to their assigned voting sites on election day.

The polls will be open on November 5th from Noon to 8-p.m. for all cities in the County. Persons unable to go to the polls on election day, may vote prior to election day by paper ballot, either by mail, or in person during normal business hours, at the Auditor’s Office at the Cass County Courthouse. The deadline to request an absentee ballot to be mailed to you, is Friday, November 1st.

Absentee ballots may also be cast on Election Day from 8-a.m. to 11-a.m.

Polling site information:

Anita – The Anita Community Center; Atlantic – Ward 1, Zion Lutheran Church. Ward 2, Atlantic Public Library. Ward 3, Cass County Community Center. Ward 4, United Church of Christ. Ward 5, Heritage House; Cumberland – Cumberland Community Center; Griswold – Griswold Community Center; Lewis – The Lewis Public Library; Marne – The Marne City Hall; Massena – at the Massena Public Library; Wiota – at the Wiota City Hall.

In Atlantic, two current members of the City Council won’t seek re-election this fall. Shawn Shouse, in Ward 5, and At Large Councilman Steve Livengood, did not file their nomination papers for re-election.