Air temperatures in the teens-below-zero with wind chills in the 20s and 30s-below caused a host of problems for Iowans since 2018 arrived.  The water tower froze on New Year’s Day in Evansdale, leaving residents in the Waterloo suburb without water for hours and under a boil order. The cold caused a fire hydrant to malfunction when crews arrived at a burning condo complex in Urbandale last night. Damage was heavy to the 36-unit building. Nearby, there was an 11-vehicle chain-reaction crash on Interstate 235 in Des Moines this morning on a slippery overpass. School districts like Cedar Rapids, Marshalltown and Ottumwa stayed closed today, while others were delayed. Sioux City had an air temp of 24-below a night ago, the coldest reading there in 28 years.

(Radio Iowa)

The State of Iowa has launched a new initiative to combat childhood obesity. The childhood health campaign called “5210 – Healthy Choices Count” is a public-private partnership with the Healthiest State Initiative and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). 5210 is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program that focuses on the importance of four simple daily health habits:

5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables;
2 hours or less of screen time (television, computer, video games, phones, etc.);
1 hour or more of physical activity; and
0 (or reduced) sugar-sweetened beverages.
“Research has shown that children who have healthy eating habits, are physically active and spend less time in front of a screen do better in school,” Gov. Reynolds said. Local obesity rates are a concern to the Healthy Cass County group. Looking at Iowa teen data, nearly 30 percent are overweight or obese, according to IDPH.

The childhood obesity prevention program was developed in the state of Maine. The goal is to increase physical activity and healthy eating for children from birth to 18 years through three core principles: healthy places support healthy choices, consistent messaging across sectors is essential, and strategies are based on science and recommended by the medical community. Watch for future articles promoting health and well-being from Healthy Cass County.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police data shows that Des Moines saw the highest number of homicides in nearly 40 years in 2017. The 25 homicides last year in Iowa’s largest city is the greatest amount since 1978, when 27 people were killed. The Des Moines Register reports that law enforcement officials attribute many of the homicides to soured personal relationships, gang-related violence and a trend of young adults solving conflicts and social media disputes with guns.

Police Chief Dana Wingert says conflict resolution has gone to the extreme. The city’s police department had a 72 percent homicide clearance rate in 2017, up from 57 percent in 2016. No individual has been arrested or identified as responsible in seven of the 25 killings. A clearance doesn’t mean a suspect has been prosecuted.

Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputies called to a domestic disturbance in Walnut, last Friday night, arrested 31-year old Phillip Michael Houston, of Walnut. Houston was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault/2nd offense. The arrest was associated with an alleged incident involving Houston’s ex-wife, who, according to the report, suffered a minor injury during the altercation. Michael Houston was being held without bond in the Pottawattamie County Jail.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Tuesday), approved the appointment of Michael D. Hooper, of Atlantic, as the full-time County Attorney. His salary will be $100,000. Hooper, who was sworn-in by Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman, succeeds David Wiederstein, who last August announced he would no longer serve as part-time Attorney, effective January 1^st, 2018. Wiederstein had objected to the Board’s move on August 15, 2017, to make the position full-time, and resigned to concentrate more on his private practice. Hooper’s appointment went into effect immediately to fill a vacancy term until the 2018 General Election. Citizens have 14-days from now to call for a special election, if desired.

Atty. Michael Hooper

Officer/Deputy Tim Olsen

The Board also approved Sheriff Darby McLaren’s hiring and appointment of Atlantic Police Officer Tim Olsen to Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy. Olsen was also sworn-in during the Board of Supervisor’s meeting. Olsen has served on the Atlantic Police force for three and one-half years. His position begins January 8th, but he’ll officially be on the County payroll on January 17^th. In other, administrative matters, the Board of Supervisor’s unanimously voted to re-appoint Gaylord Schelling as Board Chair, and Frank Waters as Vice-Chair. The Supervisors appointed Administrative Assistants to the Cass County Attorney: Bev Groves, Eva Jensen, and Kris Schuler,

They also voted, at the suggestion of Supervisor Green, 4-to 1 to set mileage reimbursement for County employees using their personal vehicle to attend meetings, etc., at 40-cents per mileage, which is down from last year’s 56.5-cents per mile. Supervisor Frank Waters was the lone No vote. The Supervisors approved the appointment of Alan Peterson as County Weed Commissioner, subject to his pesticide application certification. Former Weed Commissioner Larry Randall mentioned earlier, that he did not want to continue in that capacity.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors’ meetings will continue to be held on Wednesday’s beginning at 8:30-a.m., per the Board’s vote.

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) — Water pressure has returned in a northeastern Iowa town after its water tower froze in the arctic freeze that’s covering the Midwest. The Waterloo suburb of Evansdale lost water service for a time Monday, but it’s resumed at a low-pressure level. Mayor Doug Faas says a boil order is in effect until full pressure is restored and water is tested.

The National Weather Service says the temperature at the Waterloo airport got down to 20 below zero Monday morning.