(Radio Iowa) – January is typically one of Iowa’s coldest months of the year, but forecasters say this January could be less frigid than in the past. State climatologist Justin Glisan says new computer models being released by the Climate Prediction Center indicate Iowa could be starting off 2023 a bit balmier than usual. “They’re suggesting warmer-than-average temperatures across the state,” Glisan says, “and for January, the statewide average is about 20 degrees, so still cold temperatures, of course, but we’re looking like it could be above average temperature-wise.” The weather pattern known as La Nina, which impacts conditions all across the continent, is lingering for a third straight year, which is exceptionally rare. Glisan says that pattern may bring Iowa more than its usual share of precipitation during January, and that’s much needed, given the long-running drought.

“A slightly elevated shot at wetter conditions in eastern Iowa, but no clear guidance on the rest of the state,” Glisan says. “So we’re still stuck in that La Nina pattern, which if we look at wintertime La Nina behavior, we are slated to see above-average snowpack across the state given the weakness of the La Nina.” Last year was a very dry year, with drought worsening across much of Iowa. December was one of only three months during 2022 where Iowa’s precipitation was above-average.

“So the statewide average was about 1.73 inches and that’s a little over four-tenths of an inch above average,” Glisan says, “and a lot of the moisture that we received on the front end of the month was actually able to infiltrate into the soil profiles, given that temperatures were above-average and the soil profiles were still not frozen.” Parts of northwestern Iowa got more than 13 inches of snow this week, but Glisan says it takes between eight and 12 inches of snow to equal just one inch of rainfall.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday, said a man from Nebraska was arrested at around 5-p.m., Thursday, on an active Montgomery County warrant. Matt Staley, of Chapman, NE, was taken into custody on an original, Possession of a Controlled Substance/ 2nd offense, charge. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is the first of five statewide officials elected in November to hold a public ceremony to recite their oath of office.

Bird, who officially started her term on Monday, told a big crowd in the Capitol’s rotunda yesterday (Thursday) that she was just getting used to speaking about her new post in the present tense. “I’m going to take the values I learned on the farm, work hard, do the right thing and get the job,” Bird said. “That’s my commitment: to uphold the laws and the constitution.” Bird is the first Republican in 44 years to serve as Iowa Attorney General. She acknowledged Tom Miller, the Democrat she defeated, who attended the ceremony.

“You have been so helpful to us, so gracious to us in every way. I appreciate your service and your courtesy and your approach to your work as a lawyer. Thank you,” Bird said and the crowd stood to applaud. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, who will be inaugurated for a new four year term next Friday, campaigned extensively for Bird. Reynolds says Bird is taking office at just the right moment — to challenge Biden Administration policies.

“America’s form of government rests on federalism, which limits the powers of Washington, D.C. while protecting the rights of the states and most importantly the rights of its citizens, but so often our leaders in Washington get it backwards,” Reynolds says. “They disregard the democratic process within the states on issue after issue.” The governor says Iowa’s new attorney general will fight federal mandates and open borders as well as what Reynolds called social engineering.

“To them, the states are simply in the way,” Reynolds says. “Well, they’re right about one thing, at least. States like Iowa are definitely in the way and with Brenna in the AG’s office it will be no easy thing to push us aside.” Earlier this week, Bird joined a lawsuit challenging President Biden’s plan to cancel some student loan debt as well as three other lawsuits challenging COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican U.S. Senator Joni Ernst says failure of HOUSE Republicans to elect a House Speaker could be sending the wrong message to foreign adversaries.  “If they continue this, then it’s disrupting what we’re able to get done as members of congress. It’s important than we do our work,” Ernst says. “They will need to recognize that and find a consensus around a leader.”

Ernst, who is part of the Senate’s G-O-P leadership team, says the situation in the House is frustrating, but will be resolved. “We’re going to have a fair process and we’re going to have a solid governing body at the end of the day after this discussion is over,” Ernst said. Ernst made her comments Thursday, after a town hall meeting in Glenwood.

Iowa’s other U.S. Senator, Republican Chuck Grassley, has not commented on the G-O-P stalemate over the speaker’s election in the House. Congressman Randy Feenstra, the Republican representing Iowa’s fourth congressional district, has issued a written statement on the impasse. Feenstra says the days-long delay in organizing the House for action helps Democrats block the G-O-P’s conservative agenda.

(Radio Iowa) – Many people are warming up their cars on these cold winter days to melt the snow and ice off the windshields before they head out. Sioux City Police Department spokesman, Jim Clark says that has led to a surge of stolen cars Wednesday. “Yesterday we had six of those that were taken people warming up their cars is leaving them,” Clark says. The unlocked cars were all stolen within a half-hour period.

Sergeant Clark says you need to take steps to lock the car if you are going to start it and then come inside. “So we’re gonna recommend that you either go get a remote start putting your car sir there’s plenty of places around here that do that,” Clark says. “Or at least make an extra set of keys for your car, start up go back in the house and lock it.”

Clark says there was another car left running that was stolen this (Thursday) morning.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State Patrol spokesman, Alex Dinkla, says 2022 ended with 338 fatal traffic accidents. “That number is down from the past few years. But again, it still is over our goal of trying to obtain 300 fatalities, which has not been done in Iowa since 1925,” Dinkla says. Sergeant Dinkla says they haven’t had time to analyze all the numbers yet –but there was one that stuck out. “This year, we did have 11 A-T-V or U-T-V fatalities. That’s the highest number that we’ve had in a number of years,” he says “And so that is pretty alarming when we look at that statistic.” He says part of the increase could because more people are driving them.

“These are becoming more and more popular as we see those being used all around Iowa and on our roadways. And the recent legislation did allow those vehicles to be driven on our roadways, legally now. And so now that we see those being legally operated on our roadways, those are just becoming more prevalent,” he says. Dinkla says they do know that some of the traffic death could have been prevent if people had buckled up.

“A hundred and 14 people failed to buckle that seatbelt in collisions had they buckled that seatbelt, there’s no doubt that we would have had more lives saved and possibly not even had as many people injured in those car crashes,” Dinkla says. “Whether you’re in the front seat back seat, no matter where you’re at, think of safety as the forefront when you get in that vehicle. And before you head out somewhere.”

Iowa State Patrol spokesman, Sergeant Alex Dinkla

Dinkla says their ultimate goal is to have zero fatal accidents on the roadways — and they plan to continue working to get below 300. He says they will step up the effort throughout this year with special efforts across each Patrol district. “And so, they are going to be proactively setting up projects every month that are geared towards reducing crashes on our roadways. So moving forward, there’s no doubt that you’re gonna see clusters of officers work against impacts, to drive down these fatality numbers,” Dinkla says.

Dinkla says each fatal accident affect families, friends and loved ones all over Iowa.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Fire Department today (Thursday), identified a man who died as the result of an explosion that occurred late Tuesday morning. 56-year-old Martin Desomma died, when a compressed natural gas cylinder exploded in a garage near Avenue G and North 35th Street.  Authorities said an autopsy will be performed as part of the investigation. According to the fire department, there are no indications that the explosion was caused by a gas leak from the utilities at the property.

Council Bluffs police said Desomma was cutting the tank, resulting in a gas explosion. Two additional compressed natural gas containers were removed from the property “as a safety precaution.”

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on numerous arrests spanning the time frame of December 16th through the 31st, 2022.

• On Dec. 31st, 28-year-old Aaron Dale Kobes, of Missouri Valley, was arrested following a traffic stop at Station St and East St in Shelby, IA. Kobes was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with OWI 1st and Turning at Intersection Violation.
• On the 29th of December, 21-year-old Jonathan Gary Shimerdla, of Harlan, was arrested after a call for service in the 500 block of 12th St., Harlan, IA. Shimerdla was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
• On the 28th, 26-year-old Victoria Anne Griffen, of Shelby, was arrested following a traffic stop on Plateau St., Shelby, IA. Griffen was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Interference with Official Acts and Driving while Barred; and, 22-year-old Nathaniel Lee Gangwer, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Shelby County Warrant. Ganger was transported to the Shelby County Jail for Failure to Appear.
• Christmas Day, 45-year-old Joshua Howard Finken, of Irwin, was arrested following a traffic stop on Chatburn Avenue, in Harlan. Finken was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drug, Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Controlled Substance 2 counts, and No Valid Driver’s License.
• On Christmas Eve, 22-year-old Scott Alexander Selix, of Harlan, was arrested after a traffic stop on 12th Street. Selix was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while Suspended, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability, and Improper Rear Lamps.
• Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 25-year-old Spencer Lee Miller, of Manilla, on December 22nd. Miller was arrested on a Shelby County Warrant. He was transported to the Shelby County Jail for Failure to Appear.
• On the 17th of December, 35-year-old Matthew David Andersen, of Harlan, was arrested after a traffic stop in the 1100 block of Linden Rd. Andersen was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with OWI 1st.
• There were two arrests December 16th, in Shelby County: 24-year-old Anton Jason Ahlhem, of Harlan, was arrested after a traffic stop in the 100 block of East St, Shelby. Ahlhem was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Failure to Maintain or use Safety Belt; and, 30-year-old Drew Ashton Gagnon, of Harlan, was arrested after a traffic stop in the 100 block of East St, Shelby. Gagnon was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of Controlled Substance, Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, No Valid Driver’s License, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability, and Operating Non-Registered Vehicle.

Note: Criminal charges are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – Human remains found on the Cedar River have been identified as a missing Cedar Rapids city employee. The State Medical Examiner has identified the remains found by hunters December 30th as those of 54-year-old Erik Spaw.

Spaw went missing on May 7th after the city-owned pickup truck he had been driving between work sites was found submerged in the Cedar River. An extensive search of the river had failed to locate his body. Spaw’s mother told K-C-R-G T-V that complications from his diabetes could have contributed to his accident.