(Radio Iowa) – Video conferences may be a permanent part of our work lives now, and an Iowa State University study delves into what people are actually looking at during Zoom and Webex meetings.

Joey George, an ISU professor of information systems and business analytics, says they used eye-tracking technology to find participants -did- pay attention to whoever was speaking during video conferences, but they looked off-screen frequently and for long periods.

“We don’t know exactly what was going on in their heads,” George says. “We just know that for whatever reason they were disengaged from looking at the screen for about a third of the time.”

Anyone who’s been on a video conference knows they can use the camera like a mirror, but shouldn’t do so during a call. Still, the study found women looked at themselves during video conferences twice as often as men.

Joey George (ISU photo)

“Women are much more conscious of how they look and they actually use that image of themselves in the meetings to make sure that their hair is right and their makeup is right and the clothing is all right,” George says, “and men apparently just don’t care as much.”

One of George’s personal pet peeves is people eating during a video call, so one of the distractions they used in the study was people munching on snacks or moving the camera to change the background.

“We found that everybody noticed the distractions but they really didn’t pay attention to them for very long,” George says. “They saw them, they registered them and within a couple of seconds, they went back to the meeting. I guess that’s kind of good news that the distractions are noticed but they just don’t become something that’s a major concern.”

The technology for video calling was around long before the pandemic, but George believes Zoom and similar programs will most certainly continue to be popular well after COVID is a distant memory.

“It’s not going to be the only game in town anymore,” George says. “People really like the personal contact, but I think it’s here to stay.” He says one goal of the study was to help people avoid distractions and to inform the future designers of video conferencing.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Food Pantry say the Pantry intends to be open for drive through food distribution to those who absolutely need food, this Thursday, December 22 starting at the usual time of 12:30 PM.

Due to the extreme cold temperatures and wind chill, however, the Pantry urges all those who do not immediately need food this week to be safe and please consider staying home this Thursday.

The cold temperatures could make it difficult for you to stay warm in your car and lead to vehicle malfunctions or difficulty restarting engines in the pantry line.

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced the Iowa students she is nominating to U.S. Service Academies.

“Thank you to our young Iowans who have answered the call to serve our country! As a combat veteran and mom to a West Point graduate and current active-duty servicemember, I know the commitment each of our nominees has for our state and country,” Ernst said. “It is my honor to nominate and support this future generation of leaders as they take this next step toward serving our nation.”

Below are the Iowa students (from around the area) nominated by Senator Ernst to attend U.S. Service Academies for the Class of 2027:

United States Air Force Academy

• Matthew Turack – Griswold

United States Military Academy at West Point

• Manuel Garcia-Paz – Denison
• Pierce Johnson – Oakland

Every year, Ernst nominates Iowa students to U.S. Service Academies, including the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require a congressional nomination for students to apply. To learn more about the service academy nomination process, click here.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisor’s today (Tuesday) heard from Brigham Hoege, Cass County Tourism Volunteer Kenner Baxter, CADCO Executive Director Jennifer McEntaffer and Bailey Smith, with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, as a follow-up to their meeting last week, where the group asked the Board for funds to create a Cass County Tourism Director for a two-years.

For the past number of years, the Supervisors have provided $5,000 in funding to Cass County Tourism annually. The funds have primarily been used for county event marketing. Minimal funding was used to reimburse Baxter for the costs of attending regional and state tourism events, where she has represented Cass County. Baxter announced this past Spring, that she intends to step away from the position.

Last week, the group proposed forming a 501 (c) 6 non-profit organization to create a full-time or possibly part-time director, to take on a more comprehensive approach to marketing the various attractions, including in-person attendance at conferences, brochures, and an online presence — to name a few.

Board members individually mentioned that in speaking with the constituents they are responsible to, most are opposed to the creation of another office using government funds. Supervisor Steve Green..Mark O’Brien and Bernard Pettinger….

O’Brien said the people he’s spoken with feel tourism falls under the responsibility of CADCO (Cass-Atlantic-Development Corporation) and the Chamber, under the category of economic development, to which Chamber Director Bailey Smith said those entities should receive more funding from the public. Wendy Richter, who was elected to the Board of Supervisors in November, said she had her own concerns about the proposal, as she understands it.

She wondered also, as a 501 (c) 6, how a candidate for the position would receive benefits (Healthcare, etc.).

In the end, the Supervisors tabled action and discussion on the proposal until Board Chair Steve Baier has a chance to explore how Golden Hills RC& D would handle the matter, including promoting tourism and possibly grant writing.

December 20, 2022 (DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Tourism Office announced $299,200 in Iowa Tourism Grants to 33 organizations around the state. The program funds tourism-related marketing initiatives, meetings and events that benefit both local economies and the state’s economy with awards ranging from $2,500-10,000 with a 25% cash match. In southwest Iowa, the Iowa Tourism Office awarded: $6,400 to Golden Hills RC&D, for Southwest Iowa Art Tour; $10,000 was awarded to the Pottawattamie Countywide Tourism Committee, for the 2023 Pott. County Shoulder-Season Marketing Campaign, and, $10,000 for the Southwest Iowa Nature Trails Project, Inc.’ “Rooster Tail Ride.”  (Download a list of these awards here.)

Visitors spent more than $6.1 billion across Iowa’s economy in 2021, an expansion of 35% over 2020 spending and within 5% of a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels. This direct visitor spending impact generated a total economic impact of $9.4 billion in Iowa, sustained nearly 65,000 jobs and generated $1.0 billion in state and local tax revenues in 2021.

The Iowa Tourism Office, part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, works closely with community partners, attractions and events, to promote the state’s beautifully vast scenery and unique history. Tourism in Iowa generated $1.8 billion in tax revenues in 2021, with more than $1 billion supporting state and local governments, while employing a total of 65,000 people statewide. For more information on everything Iowa has to offer tourists, visit traveliowa.com.

(Radio Iowa) – Homicide investigators in Iowa’s largest city are being kept very busy. Des Moines police say a woman and her daughter were shot to death in their home early Monday by the daughter’s ex-boyfriend. Police say the unidentified 22-year-old shot himself nearby and is hospitalized in critical condition. The victims are identified as 47-year-old Danielle Remily and 20-year-old Emma Parker.

In a separate case, a man’s body was found Monday afternoon in a southside Des Moines park who’d also been shot. Police say he was victim of a homicide, Des Moines’ 21st this year. No arrests are reported.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports two arrests. Monday (12/19), 22-year-old Hunter Bickle, of Plattsmouth, NE., was arrested in Glenwood for Driving Under Suspension (Bond $300 cash or surety). And, last Friday, 43-year-old Kerri Thomas, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills County warrant (bond $12k, cash or surety). Thomas posted bond and was released.

(Griswold, Iowa) – Members of the Griswold Community School District’s Board of Education met in a regular session Monday evening, during which a public hearing was held with regard to an Easement for the Noble Initiatives DayCare Center Project that’s being constructed beside District property.
Superintendent Dave Henrichs….

The Board approved the Easement later on in their meeting. The Board also elected new officers, and chose Ryan Askeland as President. Erika Kirchhoff was elected Vice-President. In other business, the Griswold School Board closed out their FY 22 Financial Books, which Henrichs said the biggest highlight is that the District’s Unspent Budget Authority increased again, to $2.7-million.

Dave Henrichs says “We’re very appreciative of everyone, because we made a lot of sacrifices.”

In other business, the Griswold School Board approved three new hires.

They also approved about 10 people hired as volunteer high school girls basketball coaches.

The Board voted to keep the dates and times of their future meetings the same as they are now: the third Monday of the month, at 5:30-p.m.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers says “With the weather forecast for later this week, the Clarinda Police Department would like to remind the citizens of Clarinda about the snow ordinance. The ordinance states that; no person shall park any motor vehicle or other apparatus upon any street of the city that will obstruct the removal of snow when there has been an accumulation of two (2) inches or more.

Any vehicle left parked on any street in violation of this ordinance may be impounded, and the registered owner of the vehicle will be subject to a $30.00 parking fine, and payment of all applicable towing and storage fee before the vehicle is released.

The parking ban remains in effect until the snow ceases to fall and the streets have been plowed from curb to curb.”

(Radio Iowa) – It’s the time of year when some Iowans like to pack the family into the van at dusk, switch the radio to Christmas music, and drive around town taking in the colorful holiday light displays. Triple-A-Iowa spokeswoman Meredith Mitts says if you’ll be making the rounds, remember to follow the rules of the road — and don’t stop dead on the street to take selfies. “As you’re looking at the lights, whether they’re in a residential area or a little bit more high traffic, there are still pedestrians and other drivers around,” Mitts says. “You need to remain focused about driving on the road and if you want to enjoy the lights, make sure you find a place where you can safely pull over.”

Some spectacular holiday displays may rival Clark Griswold’s house, but while the lights are beautiful to look at, they can also be a dangerous distraction. “Make sure everybody in the car is buckled up — you are still out on the road and things happen,” Mitts says. “Make sure the driver is staying focused on the road and that you are constantly scanning the area for bicyclists, pedestrians, any young children who might be playing in the snow. And then, make sure someone other than the driver is taking photos.” Many Iowa communities have professionally-lit light displays in parks, golf courses, arboretums and other locations. Some are walk-through shows, but those that are the drive-through style demand drivers stay vigilant so the jolly mood isn’t wrecked by a fender bender.

“A lot of these places have lots of vehicles so make sure you’re keeping an eye on the vehicle ahead of you and going whatever the posted speed limit is,” Mitts says. “Also, remember to turn your lights back on when you are leaving the park because generally, they have you turn them off as you’re going through the park so you can enjoy the lights better.”

She suggests you make sure to have the appropriate winter gear in the car in the event of a roadside emergency. The kit should include things like: blankets, water and snacks, a flashlight with fresh batteries, tools, a shovel, an ice scraper, jumper cables, sand and a first aid kit.