(Radio Iowa) – The only oak species that are native in all of Iowa’s 99 counties is facing some disease issues. The D-N-R’s Tivon Feeley, says they are seeing a lot of Bur Oak Blight. “And that is a fungus that is on the leaf. And it tends to overwinter on the bud scales where the leaf will come out the nest year and infects the tree next spring,” according to Feeley. “The numbers of Bur Oak Blight have been kind of fluctuating. We’ve seen it high, the last couple of years it has been low. But once you have it — if you don’t treat the treat it — the tree will eventually decline. And those numbers are now showing up in our forest inventory data.” He says it’s a concern from two aspects.

“You’ve got the landscaper, you know the person who owns the property that wants the beauty of these big bur oak trees out there. And then you’ve got it from the forestry perspective/. If you are out in western Iowa in the Loess Hills, it’s one of the drought-tolerant oaks that you can grow — and if you want you can harvest,” he says. While there is a treatment — he says it is not the best for a large scale.

He says it is an injectible fungicide that you inject in the spring. “The problem with bur oak blight is it is so common that the treatments are only affordable and can work in small capacities like one or two yard trees. It’s not something you can use to treat a forest worth of bur oaks,” Feeley says. He says if you suspect you have a tree is suffering from Bur Oak Blight, get the problem correctly diagnosed before any management decisions are made. You can send samples to the Iowa State University Plant Diagnostic Clinic for testing.

(Radio Iowa) – A Casey’s convenience store in the town of Maxwell is permanently closing its doors after two recent fires, which officials are labeling as suspicious. The first fire to affect the business occurred on February 3rd with a second fire being reported at the same store on February 6th. On Friday, the company announced it would not replace the store. That means there is no longer a place for the town’s nearly 900 residents to get gas or warm food without leaving town.

Officials say the next closest place to buy gas is in Collins, which is five miles to the east, but that location has only pumps and not a store. The next closest place to purchase both gas and food items is in Huxley, which is nine miles to the west. Community leaders say they’re now working to try to attract another gas station to Maxwell.

The Story County sheriff’s office is continuing its investigation into the cause of the recent fires, which have put the Casey’s convenience store in Maxwell out of business.

(Radio Iowa) An Ames man was stabbed to death early Saturdaym and his roommate is charged with first-degree murder.  Police located the victim, 39-year-old Maccarone DeClements, who they say had been stabbed in the upper torso with a knife by his roommate. Officers also located the suspect, 39-year-old Robert Lon, of Ames, inside the home, and placed him under arrest.

DeClements was transported to an area hospital by air ambulance where he later died. Lyons, the suspect, is now charged with first degree murder, a class a felony. H’s currently being held in the Story County Jail.

At this time, it’s not clear what circumstances may have led to the stabbing.

(Shenandoah, Iowa) — A collision between a moving vehicle and a parked vehicle, Saturday evening, resulted in the arrest of a woman on OWI and other charges. According to Shenandoah Police, the accident happened in the 800 block of 6th Avenue, at around 7:30-p.m., Saturday.

Authorities say after further investigation, 37-year-old Amber Michelle Hughes, of Shenandoah, was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated/1st offense (a serious misdemeanor), and child endangerment resulting in bodily injury (a Class D Felony).

Hughes posted a $6,000 bond and was released with a court date.

(Corning, Iowa) — A traffic stop a bit east of Corning at around 1-a.m., Sunday, resulted in the arrest of a woman from Union County. According to the Adams County Sheriff’s Department, 42-year-old Crystal Mack, of Creston, was arrested on charges that include driving under suspension, failure to have ignition interlock device, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Mack was being held in the Adams County Jail on a little less than $2,100 bond.

Crystal Mack

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says people involved in blockades and occupations like the one that’s been going on in Canada would be quickly arrested if that happened in Iowa, but Reynolds is expressing sympathy to Canadians who’re unhappy with that country’s vaccination requirements.

“The means don’t justify the end, but I’m telling you it is a reflection of where people are at today,” Reynolds says. Reynolds approved a state law last year that raised the penalties for protest-related crimes. It created a new crime called “interference with public disorder control” and people convicted of “unlawful assembly” can be sentenced to up to two years in prison.

Iowa law now provides civil liability protection to drivers who accidentally hit protesters blocking roads. Demonstrators began blocking the streets of Ottawa, Canada on January 28th and police began making arrests and towing vehicles late last week.

(Radio Iowa) – The governor’s plan to provide state scholarships to parents who start sending their kids to a private school is being changed to try to gain more votes. Rural lawmakers worry the concept will put more financial strain on small school districts and the plan has stalled in the House for a second year. Last month, Governor Kim Reynolds suggested a new fund for public school districts with fewer than 500 students. This weekend during an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S, Reynolds shared a counter offer that would send more money to more rural schools.

“One of the other things we’re looking at as we talk about the bill is maybe look at occupational sharing and that would cover an even broader group of rural districts,” Reynolds says, “so we’re still working on the pieces of the legislation.” The state already provides increased state funding to Iowa school districts that share superintendents, social workers, custodians or business managers. House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst expects a fierce pressure campaign to get a bill passed this year.

“This is an election year, so I think all bets are off when it comes to what’s going to happen,” Konfrst says.”I remain hopeful that there are enough Republicans in the House who recognize this for what it is, which is a sham to move public money to private schools.”

The initial copy of the governor’s Students First Scholarship program advanced out of the Senate Education Committee last week, but the panel’s Republican chairwoman says changes are going to be made in the plan. House Speaker Pat Grassley has used his authority to move the bill to another House committee, so it remains eligible for debate.

Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst (from Red Oak) will make stops in Adams and Shelby Counties this week, as part of her “99 County Tour.”  Her first event is a 10:30-a.m. Town Hall meeting in Adams County, at the Corning Community Center (601 6th St., Corning). Ernst will hear from and discuss with her constituents, matters of importance to them. The event is open to the public.

Her stop in Shelby County, at the Exira-EHK High School, is NOT open to the public. The Senator will visit “Kids in the Village,” a child care center, to tour the facility and meet with their leadership team.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Iowa 3rd District Democrat Representative Cindy Axne will hold a “Connect with your Congresswoman” town hall event in Atlantic, Wednesday (Feb. 23rd). The event takes place at the Atlantic Public Library, beginning at 5:15-p.m.

Axne will be available to answer questions about her work in Washington and discuss issues or concerns facing constituents. Attendees are asked to wear a face mask to slow the spread of COVID-19 variants.

At least two area school district boards of education will hold their regular monthly meetings, Monday evening (Feb. 21st). In Griswold, the School Board meeting gets underway at 5:30-p.m. in the Conference Room at the High School. New Business on their agenda includes (but is not limited to…), considering and possible approval of:

• Auditor bids for Fiscal Years 2023,2024, & 2025 (Decision Required [D.R.])
• E-Rate Application [D.R.]
• Chemical Application, Middle School Gym, and Baseball Field Maintenance bids. [D.R.]
• Mowing Specifications [D.R.]
• An adjustment to Substitute Pay (Information only, or [D.R.])

The Griswold School Board will then consider/act on entering into a Closed Session for strategy negotiations with the Certified Bargaining Unit.

In Audubon, the District School Board meets at 7-p.m., Monday, in the High School Board Room. Action items on their agenda include:

• Naming the Audubon Education Association as the Official Bargaining Unit for Teachers.
• Setting the time and dates for: Public Bargaining Meeting (Board opening proposal), & a hearing on the School Calendar.
• The Board will also act on approving an agreement with Advantage Administrators, re: Early Retirement HRA.
• Act on approving the second reading of policies (105, 200.1, 210.8, 212, 212.1, 401.4, 502.4 & 606.6)
• Rescinding Policy 307,
• and they will act on any Personnel matters to come before the Board (Resignations, Contracts, etc.)

The Audubon School Board is expected to receive an Open Bargaining Proposal from the Audubon Education Association, prior to hearing regular monthly reports from the Superintendent, Principals and with regard to Transportation.