United Group Insurance

Assault and drug arrests in Creston

News

October 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – Three men from Creston were arrested on separate charges, Thursday. According to the Creston Police Department, 27-year-old Jacob Jack Davis was arrested at around 3-p.m. Thursday, for Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Violation of Probation. His bond on the combined charges was set at $4,000.

At around 1:30-p.m., Thursday, Creston Police arrested 36-year-old David Carter McLain, on two counts of Assault. He was cited and released from the scene on a Promise To Appear in court.

And, at around 9:30-a.m., Thursday, 34-year-old Jabon Allen Lee Diercks was arrested in Creston, for Failure to Appear. Diercks was taken to Union County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond.

Local 24-Hour Rainfall Totals Reported at 7:00 am on Friday, October 13, 2023

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

October 13th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

  • KJAN, Atlantic  .87″
  • Atlantic Airport  .5″
  • 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .69″
  • Massena  .46″
  • Anita  .51″
  • Elk Horn  .44″
  • Avoca  1″
  • Oakland  .58″
  • Audubon  1.06″
  • Manning  .51″
  • Bridgewater  .8″
  • Villisca  .3″
  • Corning  .24″
  • Underwood  .42″
  • Red Oak  .78″
  • Shenandoah  .63″
  • Missouri Valley  1.31″
  • Carroll  1.04″

Eastern Iowa family announces $500,000 Gift to Support UNI-Dome Renovation

Sports

October 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (UNI Press release)– The campaign to outfit the UNI-Dome for the next generation is gaining momentum thanks to a leadership gift from Jason and Julie Junge of Marion, Iowa.  Jason, co-owner of the Junge Automotive Group located in Cedar Rapids and North Liberty, said the gift is about creating opportunities for future generations to enjoy the UNI-Dome and make memories. Jason Junge said “Our family loves attending events in the UNI-Dome, from Panther Football games to the high school football championships to car shows and everything in between. The UNI-Dome is a symbol that not only represents UNI but also the state of Iowa and the Midwest.”

The Junge family’s connection to the UNI-Dome runs deep, from Jason’s early days of pee-wee wrestling in the facility to watching their son win a high school football championship with Xavier High School in 2017. Gary Junge, Jason’s father and co-owner of the Junge Automotive Group, has also been a staunch supporter of UNI Athletics since Jason was in college. Julie Junge said “We chose to support this project because we want to pave the way for our kids and future generations to enjoy the UNI-Dome as much as we have. Our gift is a small piece to a much bigger picture – it’s vital that we update this facility for the next 50 years.”

Jason Junge family (UNI photo)

The Junges said their gift also recognizes the impact UNI has had on their family. Jason attended the university and participated on the football team in the early 1990s, and their daughter is a current student. In honor of the investment, the Junge’s will be recognized with a premier named space in the new UNI-Dome facility. The UNI-Dome renovation project is a part of UNI’s Our Tomorrow campaign. Donations to the UNI-Dome project are tax-deductible through the UNI Foundation and can be made as a multi-year pledge.

For more information and to view the renderings, visit the UNI-Dome renovation website, unidomerenovation.com.

Manning restaurant receives Pork Tenderloin Champion award; Orange City establishment take 2nd place

News

October 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Clive, Iowa) – Two western Iowa establishments have taken the top prizes in an Iowa Pork Producer’s Association (IPPA) 21st annual contest. Officials have announced Cliff’s Place in Manning is home to the 2023 Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin! The restaurant has been in business for almost 50-years. Cliff’s will receive $500, a plaque, and a large weatherproof banner to display. The Roadhouse in Orange City claimed the Runner-Up title. That designation comes with a $250 prize and plaque from IPPA. As announced earlier this month, other finalists, listed alphabetically by town, have earned top five plaques:

The IPPA says a Cliff’s Place tenderloin starts with six ounces of pork, sliced from a never-frozen boneless loin and tenderized to achieve the desired texture and thickness. Hand-breaded to order, the meat is dredged through a mixture of flour and Flavor-Crisp’s “Chick on the Run” Find Grind seasoned breading, dipped in buttermilk, and coated a second time in the dry flour before deep fried to a golden brown. The $6.00 sandwich is served with pickles on a Rotella’s Italian Bakery bun and halved for easier handling. Lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon, and cheese can be added for a slight upcharge. “We don’t glorify anything on it,” said Jim Waterbury, who owns the nearly 50-year-old restaurant with his brother Jon. “It’s all about the pork—that’s what we want you to taste.”

Tenderloin finalist judge Chef Phil Carey said of the Cliff’s Place tenderloin, “The breading just complimented the pork so well, and the tenderloin didn’t overwhelm the bun. It was a perfect combination, juicy to the final bite, and a very enjoyable sandwich.” Cliff’s typically serves about 70 tenderloins a week. When Jon Waterbury learned the restaurant had claimed the title, he joked, “I’ll sharpen my knife,” in preparation for an uptick in orders. According to the Iowa Pork Producers, winning restaurants have reported selling five to ten times more sandwiches for at least a month following the announcement.

Cliff’s Place started in 1976 when the Waterburys’ parents Cliff and Vicki purchased a tavern there. Eight months later, they opened a kitchen in what had been a storage room. And in January 1987, the business expanded into an adjacent storefront, to add a dining area and private space for meetings or parties. Jim and Jon Waterbury took over in 2008 following the death of their father, but Vicki Waterbury still works daily at the restaurant, preparing food for the salad bar and tending to customers.

The Iowa Pork Producers Association received a record of more than 9,000 nominations for 774 restaurants this past spring. Iowa Pork Producers members and industry affiliates anonymously visited the top 40 locations this summer, scoring each on pork taste, quality, physical characteristics, and eating experience. The Restaurant and Food Service Committee used those evaluations to select five contenders to advance to the next round. From there, a team of judges traveled to each of the five finalists to determine first and second place.

Exhibit shows how your grandmother upcycled flour sacks into stylish garments

News

October 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A new exhibit is opening soon at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum which highlights the creative ways materials were used — and reused — decades ago. Melanie Wier (WIRE), assistant curator of the facility in West Branch, says the exhibit called “Thrift Style” demonstrates the ingenuity of past generations and offers a lesson for today’s efforts towards sustainability. “People would upcycle the flour sacks to make clothing,” Wier says. “They would make bags, dolls, quilts, just any household need that they had, they would use the fabric from the feed sacks to make things out of.”

The exhibit features more than 40 items made from feed, flour, and sugar sacks. Wier notes, they’re not just light brown canvas or cotton fiber, either. “The thing that’s interesting about the flour sacks from the World War Two era is that manufacturers would pattern the fabrics so that it was more fun and easier for people to make things out of,” Wier says. “They would also send out patterns and tutorials to help seamstresses and homemakers create these fabulous items.”

The exhibition provides a nostalgic view into American sensibility and optimism during a challenging time of economic hardship. Plus, Wier says the outfits were far from shabby. “They look amazing, especially some of the dresses,” Wier says. “The apparel that’s shown, very nice, very well made, and it’s a little different from some of the items we have in our collection that are World War One era but don’t have that same printing on the fabric.”

The exhibit offers visitors a unique connection to Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover, as they led massive food relief efforts in Belgium and France during World War One, feeding more than nine-million people per day. “People learned how to do more with less, and it just kind of instilled in them that importance of recycling or upcycling and just using what they had,” Wier says. “It shows that it was just as important to reuse or use what you had as recycling is today.”

The exhibit opens October 21st and will run through the end of April, 2024. The library and museum is open daily.

(On the web at https://hoover.archives.gov)

Fall bird migration raises alert level for Iowa poultry producers

Ag/Outdoor, News

October 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says the fall migration of wild birds is a danger sign for poultry producers about the potential for Avian Influenza exposure. Naig says the first major outbreak in 2015 saw a lot of contamination between sites, but the most recent outbreak saw isolated exposures in facilities brought on by wild birds. “I think the lessons of the last couple of years would tell us that it’s not just during the spring migration, when birds are flying north that you can see high path, it’s unfortunately, also in that fall migration when birds are flying south that you can see it,” Naig says.

Mike Naig (RI file photo)

He says there are already confirmed cases in two states to the north of us. “In South Dakota and Minnesota, and that’s pretty logical as those birds start to come south we’re going to see an increased threat here in the state of Iowa, to our poultry producers,” Naig says. “And so it’s just a time of high alert. And folks really need to be vigilant in watching the health of their birds and calling us if they see anything or have questions.”

Naig says producers can’t take anything for granted when it comes to keeping down the contact with wild birds. “Trying to keep what’s outside, and what’s inside inside. You don’t want to track, you know what could be outside into those buildings. That means taking care of your boots, that means securing your buildings, you know, there’s any number of things that you can do, but it takes vigilance every single day,” he says.

The Avian Influenza or bird flu can have different strains, but Naig says he doesn’t know yet what the test results show from the early cases. “I have not seen the analysis yet on whether or not this is the same strain as we’ve seen in previous years. But I think we’ll all be watching very closely to understand that,” Naig says.

There were some 77 facilities impacted in the first major outbreak in 2015, with millions of birds destroyed. The most recent outbreak saw 32 facilities impacted.

Thursday’s Local High School Volleyball Scores

Sports

October 13th, 2023 by admin

Corner Conference:

East Mills 3-East Union 0 (25-10, 25-9, 25-14)

Hawkeye Ten Conference:

Lewis Central 3-Denison-Schleswig 0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-21)
Shenandoah 2-Council Bluffs Jefferson 0 (25-13, 25-18)

Pride of Iowa Conference:

East Mills 3-East Union 0 (25-10, 25-9, 25-14)

Racoon River Conference:

Carlisle 3-Des Moines Lincoln 0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-15)

Western Iowa Conference:

AHSTW 2-IKM-Manning 0 (21-14, 21-10)
Missouri Valley 2-AHSTW 1 (21-18, 17-21, 16-14)
Missouri Valley 2-IKM-Manning 0 (21-14, 21-10)
Treynor 3-Riverside 1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-19)
Tri-Center 3-Audubon 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-17)
Underwood 2-IKM-Manning 0 (21-10, 21-14)
Underwood 2-Logan-Magnolia 0 (21-8, 22-20)
Underwood 2-Missouri Valley 1 (18-21, 21-18, 15-8)

2024 ACA Health Insurance Open Enrollment Approaches

News

October 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Des Moines, Iowa – Open enrollment for Iowans purchasing or changing their Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual health coverage for 2024 runs Monday, November 1, 2023 – Saturday, January 15, 2024. Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen says “Iowans need to be thinking about health insurance coverage for 2024 now.  Many employers are also offering choices, but for Iowans looking to purchase their own coverage through the individual market, the time to enroll is coming very soon.”

Iowans can begin previewing sample premium amounts for individual ACA-compliant health insurance plans at https://data.iowa.gov/Health-Insurance/Sample-2024-Iowa-Individual-Affordable-Care-Act-Pr/v8ct-c8un/ for each of Iowa’s seven rating areas.  These premium amounts will become official once posted to healthcare.gov during open enrollment beginning November 1, 2023. Ommen says “As the ACA’s open enrollment season begins, Iowans considering individual plans should talk with a licensed insurance agent to thoroughly research all coverage options to determine the best plan for themselves and their families.”

The sample premiums available for window-shopping are NOT a substitute for healthcare.gov, but now is the time to be thinking about the choices.  “It is important to realize that the sample premiums do not account for the premium assistance tax credits available for many households,” Ommen added.  “The sample premiums available for review are based on geographical rating areas and also may not be available in the county in which you reside, but are a way to begin to understand the offerings.”

Iowans who wish to purchase ACA-compliant coverage must complete enrollment between November 1 – December 15, 2023, for coverage to begin January 1, 2024.  For those enrolling between December 16, 2023 – January 15, 2024, coverage will begin February 1, 2024.  During open enrollment, Iowans may call 1-800-318-2596 or visit healthcare.gov for information regarding enrollment and to calculate applicable tax credits.

Local insurance agents, assisters and Iowa’s navigator are available to help Iowans review which insurance plan may best fit their needs.  Iowans can find local help by visiting https://localhelp.HealthCare.gov/.

Important information about individual coverage for 2024

Medica, Oscar, and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa will be offering ACA-compliant individual health insurance plans to Iowans for plan year 2024.  Medica and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa will serve Iowans in all 99 counties while Oscar will serve Iowans in 75 counties[1].
If you currently have coverage through the exchange and do not choose a plan for 2024 by the end of open enrollment, you will be re-enrolled into the same or similar plan.
If you are considering changing insurance carriers, double-check to ensure your preferred healthcare provider(s) are in-network and your prescription drugs will continue to be covered.
Changes in federal and state regulation have opened other options for Iowans to find health coverage through a health benefit plan sponsored by a non-profit agricultural organization or through short-term limited duration plans.

[1] Adair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clayton, Clinton, Dallas, Decatur, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Tama, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Wayne, Winnebago, Woodbury, Worth, Wright

Update: Overnight road closures on I-80 in West Des Moines for two nights beginning Sunday, Oct. 15

News

October 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

CRESTON, Iowa – Oct. 12, 2023 – (In an update to our earlier report) As part of the Iowa Department of Transportation’s continuing efforts to improve the work zone on Interstate 80 around Jordan Creek Parkway, the DOT says it will be closing I-80 overnights between Jordan Creek Parkway and Grand Prairie Parkway.

contractors have planned two nights of overnight road closures. On the first night of work, westbound I-80 will close at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15, and re-open by 5 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 16. On the second night, eastbound I-80 will be closed from 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 16 to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17.

The closures will allow the contractor to place asphalt on the pavement over the rumble strips. This smoother pavement will address several issues in the work zone including difficulty seeing lanes as well as making the road easier to drive on and less noisy.

While the roadway is closed for construction work you will follow a marked detour route using Jordan Creek Parkway, University Avenue, and Grand Prairie Parkway.

College Springs man arrested in Red Oak Thursday morning

News

October 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A Page County man was arrested late Thursday morning in Montgomery County. Red Police report 51-year-old Kelly Dean Baker, of College Springs, was arrested in the 1500 block of North Broadway in Red Oak, for Disorderly Conduct. Baker was taken into custody at around 11-a.m.,  and transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he was being held on a $300 bond.