(Radio Iowa) – The latest federal data shows about 105-thousand union members were in Iowa’s workforce last year. That’s seven percent of the entire workforce and the first increase in statewide union membership in four years. Paul Iverson at the University of Iowa Labor Center says it’s partly due to the impact of the pandemic.

Recent strikes — and even the threat of a strike — are drawing attention to the labor movement’s impact, according to Iverson.

Last week Iverson visited the picket line at Thombert in Newton where 84 United Auto Workers went on strike August 1st. Thombert is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of polyurethane wheels for electric forklifts. “It’s an issue of we want a safe workplace, we want safe working hours, we want pay and benefits commensurate with the profit that we are making for you,” Iverson says, “so all of those things go into this strike.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Multiple area fire departments responded to assist Atlantic Fire in battling ditch fires that spread to corn and soybean fields north of Interstate 80, Sunday evening. The fires between the 57 and 61 mile markers westbound, north of I-80, were reported at around 5-p.m., and were contained roughly 90 minutes later.

Crews from Atlantic, Anita, Marne, Brayton and Exira contended with southerly winds at around 15-20 mph that were fanning to spread of the flames. No injuries were reported. A cause of the fires was not immediately known.

(Woolstock, Iowa) – A man and a woman died during a motorcycle collision with a pickup truck Saturday afternoon, in northern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports the accident happened northeast of Woolstock, in Wright County, at around 3-p.m, at 330th Street and Ida Avenue.

Authorities say a 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by 52-year-old Eric Gustafson, of Thompson (IA), was following a pickup eastbound on 330th, and was in the process of passing the pickup, when the vehicle made a left turn onto Ida Avenue. The cycle struck the bumper of the pickup, causing fatal injuries to Gustafson, and his passenger, 48-year-old Mindy Chandler, of Waukee.

The driver of the pickup, 49-year-old Patricia Kriger, of Woolstock, was not hurt.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council has a full slate of business to cover during the 5:30-p.m. meeting Wednesday (Sept. 6th). The Council will hold the first reading of an Ordinance (#1039) which discontinues the Parks and Recreation Board and deletes Chapter 24 of the Ordinance entitles “Park and Recreation Board.” They are then expected to approve an order waiving the rules for the Second and Third Reading of the Ordinance, followed by the Second and Third (Final) reading. The first, second and third readings must be passed by a simple majority vote of the Council in order for the Ordinance to be adopted.

The Atlantic City Council will hold the First Reading of Ordinance #1040, “Adding Chapter 24 entitled “Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission,” as determined during the August 23rd City Council Work Session. The Commission would consist of five people, with a minimum of three representatives residing within the City limits, and allowing for two in Cass County. A sixth, non-voting representative from the Atlantic Community School District High School, would also serve on the Commission. For all voting members, the appointments would be staggered for two-year terms, with a Jan. 1, 2024 start date. The school representative’s term would be for one-year.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, will act on an Order to close selected streets, between 2:15-p.m. and 3:30-p.m. on Sept. 15th, for the Atlantic Homecoming Parade. (See the attached map).

The Council will also hold a Public Hearing on the Sale of City-Owned Real Estate at 1013 E. 3rd St. Place, to the ACSD for the sum of $1-dollar. The If the sale is approved, the District will build a home valued at $100,000 or more.

The Council will also act on the Second Reading of an Ordinance based on a recommendation from the Personnel and Finance Committee, to increase the Mayor’s annual pay from $10,000 to $12,500, and the Council’s pay from $40-to $50 per meeting.

Red Oak Police report the arrest on Friday, of 21-year-old Kaitlyn Elizabeth Hemiller, from Villisca. She was arrested at the intersection of Highway 34 and Highway 48, and charged with Driving Under Suspension. Hemiller’s bond at the Montgomery County Jail was set at $491.25.

Officials with the Creston Police Department have released information with regard to an injury accident that took place at around 7:15-p.m. August 27th, at the intersection of Highway 25 and Sumner Avenue, in Creston. Authorites say a 2011 Nissan Maxima SUV driven by 15-year-old Jayden Zaragoza, of Lenox, was traveling west on Highway 34, when the vehicle proceeded to turn south onto Sumner Avenue, in front of an eastbound 2013 VW Passat, driven by 45-year-old Jeffrey Alan Adams, of Leon.

The VW struck the Nissan on the front passenger side. While there were no declared injuries at the time of the investigation, police learned Adams and his passenger complained of neck and back pain, and transported themselves to the hospital in Creston, to be checked out.

Creston Police cited Zaragoza for Failure to Yield the right of way on a left turn, and issued a written warning for violating the terms of his instruction permit, by not having an adult with him in the vehicle. Damage from the collision amounted to $2,000.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department report a two-vehicle hit-and-run crash occurred at around 8:51-p.m., Friday, near the S. Expressway and 30th Avenue. The suspect vehicle was described as being a red, Dodge Charger. At around 8:52-p.m., another hit-and-run crash occurred near the S. Expressway and 23rd Avenue, involving the same Dodge Charger.

The suspect vehicle continued northbound at a high rate of speed before losing control and colliding with a tree near the 600 block of S.  6th Street. A 3-year-old boy was pulled from the vehicle by responding police officers, and appeared to be unharmed. The female driver of the car was alive, but unresponsive. Both were transported to an area trauma center.

The case remains under investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit. Names were being withheld at the time of the police report. Anyone with information about the incident(s) are encouraged to call 712-328-4948.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – State and local fire investigators say faulty wiring in the basement of a funeral home in Red Oak, resulted in a fire that gutted the building’s interior. According to Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce, firefighters were dispatched to the Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel at 410 N 6^th Street, in Red Oak, at around 4:30-a.m., Friday, after smoke was seen coming from the structure.

Law enforcement arriving on the scene minutes before the fire department, reported that the windows were hot and had begun to turn black. They also advised they could feel the heat coming from the building.

Elliott and Stanton Fire Departments were dispatched as part of  a mutual aid protocol that takes place when a working structure fire is confirmed. Firefighters from Shenandoah, Essex and Villisca responded as well, to help with salvage and overhaul operations, which concluded at around 9:30-a.m., Friday.

The building was deemed a total loss.

Emmetsburg, Iowa – On January 19, 2023, EMT’s responded to 1605 8th Street, Emmetsburg, Iowa for a call of an unresponsive child. 23-month-old Sebastian Jespersen was transported to Palo Alto County Hospital and then to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines. On January 24, 2023, he was pronounced deceased.

An investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner revealed that Sebastian died of head trauma consistent with inflicted injuries.

As a result of the investigation, Sebastian’s daycare provider, Hannah Priest, 28, of Emmetsburg, was charged with child endangerment resulting in death under Iowa code section 726.6(1)(b), a class B felony. She is currently being held on a $50,000 cash only bond.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Link to Complaint and Affidavit

(Radio Iowa) – A Fort Dodge man was sentenced today (Friday) for his involvement in the death of his newborn daughter.
Thirty-two-year-old Brandon Thoma was originally charged with first-degree murder in the along with the child’s mother, Taylor Blaha. Thoma plead guilty to a lesser charge of child endangerment causing death and was sentenced to up to 50 years in prison, and also pled guilty to an abuse of a corpse charge and was sentenced to 10 years on that charge.

During his change of plea hearing, Thoma told the court that he removed the baby’s body from the apartment and threw it into a dumpster. Although area agencies searched for the baby’s body throughout downtown Fort Dodge and at the landfill, the body was not recovered.

Blaha pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and last month and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.