We’re at the mid-point of summer, but the summer travel season is almost over as many kids will soon be returning to school. Gasoline prices in Iowa dropped 15-cents a gallon in the past month and one fuel analyst says summer travel hasn’t been this cheap in more than a decade. Gail Weinholzer, at Triple-A-Iowa, says prices at the pump will likely stay low for the duration of the season.

“We will go through the switch-over as we always do in the fall from the summer to the winter grade of fuel,” Weinholzer says. “That also reduces prices.” Gas prices in Iowa are averaging two-ten a gallon, down from two-25 a month ago and down from two-67 a year ago. Weinholzer predicts little change in the weeks to come. “The only thing to keep an eye on during this time frame is the hurricane season,” she says. “As we know, that can be quite devastating to the gas supply and crude oil supply in the United States.”

Hurricane Earl swept through the Gulf of Mexico, across Mexico and parts of Central America this week. It’s been downgraded to a tropical storm, but had little impact on U-S oil operations in the Gulf. The national average price for gas is two-12 a gallon, two cents higher than Iowa’s average.

(Radio Iowa)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence, rallied with nearly two-thousand people in downtown Des Moines this (Friday) afternoon. Trump called his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton the “queen of corruption” and accused her of being a “weak” secretary of state. “After Hillary Clinton, the world went up in flames,” Trump said. “…This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton. It’s called death, destruction, chaos and weakness.”

In addition, Trump railed about the news coverage he’s been getting. “It’s so disgusting what’s going on with the media,” Trump said. “That’s why we have to win.” His 70 minute speech concluded with a request: “Let me just tell you: I hope you can get out on November 8th and vote for Trump,” the Republican presidential nominee said to loud cheers.

Iowa is considered one of the few truly toss-up states in the General Election.

(Radio Iowa)

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad has ordered all flags in Iowa be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday, August 8, 2016, to honor West Des Moines Police Officer Shawn Miller, who was killed in the line of duty in the late afternoon on August 3, 2016.  Officer Miller will be laid to rest on Monday, August 8, 2016.

The governor’s directive applies to all U.S. and state flags under the control of the state.  Flags will be at half-staff on the state Capitol building and on flag displays in the Capitol complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two people have died in a small plane crash north of Indianola. Warren County Sheriff Brian Vos told KCCI-TV two people died in the crash a few miles north of Indianola. It was reported about 11:40 a.m., Friday. The names of those killed haven’t been released. The crash remains under investigation.

SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northwest Iowa say a human skull found earlier this year at the Raccoon River in southern Sac County is that of a Native American man who died hundreds of years ago. The skull was found July 11th on a sandbar in the river, and was initially thought to be that of an adult white man.

But Sac County Sheriff Ken McClure says in a statement that a forensic anthropologist has determined the skull is that of a 40- to 50-year-old man of American Indian ancestry who likely died “more than a few hundred years ago.” McClure says the skull will be returned to the Iowa State Medical Examiner.

(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors recently approved more than $2.3 million in homeless assistance grants to assist 32 agencies with homelessness prevention and assistance initiatives during the 2017 calendar year. Among them, in western Iowa, is: Heartland Family Services; The Crisis Intervention and Advocacy Center; area Family Crisis Centers; and Micah House.

The funding is made available through the federal Emergency Solutions Grant program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and by the Iowa Finance Authority in Iowa. The purpose of the Emergency Solutions Grant program is to help Iowans and their families quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness and to the help persons experiencing homelessness to quickly move back into stable long-term housing.

Types of assistance can include emergency shelter, street outreach, homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing. Examples of eligible initiatives include funds for shelter operations and essential services, short-term rental or utility assistance, case management and housing relocation and stabilization services.

The following is a breakdown of the Providers, areas served and amount of assistance awarded:

• Heartland Family Service – serving Pottawattamie County; Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Rehousing: $80,000.
• Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center = serving Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Dallas, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Madison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Taylor, Union and Decatur Counties; Rapid Rehousing: $72,000.
• Family Crisis Centers – serving 17 counties (Including Sac, Crawford and Carroll); Shelter & Rapid Rehousing: $105,000.
• Micah House – serving Adair, Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pott. & Shelby Counties; Shelter: $49,000.

A motorcycle accident early Friday morning near Onawa, claimed one life and resulted in injuries to another person. The Iowa State Patrol says 54-year old Daniel Smith and 23-year old Dejanee Smith, both of Circleville, Kanas, were riding a 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Daniel Smith, as it was heading northbound on Interstate 29.

At around 4-a.m., the cycle’s rear tire blew out near the Onawa exit. The motorcycle went out of control and slid into the east ditch. Neither of the Smiths were wearing a helmet. Dejanee Smith died at Burgess Memorial Hospital in Onawa. Daniel Smith was transported to air ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Sioux City. A report on his condition was not immediately available.