BLOCK ISLAND, R.I. (AP) — The winds are blowing fair for America’s wind power industry, making it one of the fastest-growing U.S. energy sources. Land-based turbines are rising by the thousands across America, from the remote Texas plains to farm towns of Iowa. And the U.S. wind boom now is expanding offshore, with big corporations planning $70 billion in investment for the country’s first utility-scale offshore wind farms. But there’s an issue. And it’s a big one. President Donald Trump hates wind turbines.

He’s called them “disgusting” and “ugly” and “stupid,” denouncing them in hundreds of anti-wind tweets and public comments dating back more than a decade, when he tried and failed to block a wind farm near his Scottish golf course. And those turbine blades. “They say the noise causes cancer,” Trump told a Republican crowd last spring, in a claim immediately rejected by the American Cancer Society.

Now, wind industry leaders and supporters fear that the federal government, under Trump, may be pulling back from what had been years of encouragement for climate-friendly wind.
The Interior Department surprised and alarmed wind industry supporters in August, when the agency unexpectedly announced it was withholding approval for the country’s first utility-scale offshore wind project, a $2.8 billion complex of 84 giant turbines. Interior Department spokesman Nicholas Goodwin said offshore energy remains “an important component” in the Trump administration’s energy strategy. But the strategy includes “ensuring activities are safe and environmentally responsible,” Goodwin said in a statement.

Wind power now provides a third or more of the electricity generated in some Southwest and Midwest states. And New York, New Jersey and other Eastern states already are joining Massachusetts in planning for wind-generated electricity. On land, the wind boom already is well established. By next year, 9% of the country’s electricity is expected to come from wind power, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The wind industry already claims 114,000 jobs, more than twice the number of jobs remaining in U.S. coal mining, which is losing out in competition against cleaner, cheaper energy sources despite the Trump administration’s backing of coal.

In Iowa, home to nearly 4,700 turbines that provided a third of the state’s electricity last year, wind’s popularity is such that Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley had a drone film him as he sat, grinning, atop one of the country’s biggest wind turbines. Grassley had no patience for Trump’s claim in April that wind turbines like Iowa’s beloved ones could cause cancer.
“Idiotic,” Grassley said then.

The Creston Police Department reports three recent arrests. Sunday night, 39-year old Robert Vanleuvan, of Thayer, was arrested in Creston on charges of Theft in the 4th and 5th Degrees. He was later released on a $1,300 bond. Friday afternoon, 27-year old Shanda Kile, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense. She was later released from the Adams County Jail on a $2,000 bond. And, 22-year old Alison Clear, of Creston, was arrested Friday afternoon for Violation of a Protection Order. Clear was later released from the Adams County Jail on a Promise to Appear in court.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rain for parts of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa and issuing flash flood watches. The service says a slow-moving cold front will trigger thunderstorms and deluges. Up to 5 inches is expected this (Monday) evening through early Wednesday along a corridor from Iowa’s Monona County west to Nebraska’s Platte County. The service says up to 2 inches is possible elsewhere in the two states.

The coming storms follow heavy rain over the weekend in much of the same area. The service also says there’s a marginal risk of severe weather on Monday across most of Nebraska and western Iowa. Flood warnings continue along the Missouri River south of Tekamah in Nebraska and Little Sioux in Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa City is the latest community in the state to move forward with a bike share program. The council is working with a company called Gotcha to launch the service later this fall. Iowa City staffer Darian Nagle-Gamm says the program will help meet the needs of low-income residents while also helping the environment. “The goal of the bike share is to provide a healthy, safe, affordable and easily accessible transportation options for residents and visitors to reduce demand on our roadways, vehicle congestion, greenhouse gas emissions.”

This fleet of bikes will be electric-assist. Iowa City council member Mazahir Salih says the need is there. “Really, this will be like much needed at the low income neighborhood and the people who will really in need of this because they can use it,” Salih says, “Especially if they have a discount…for low income.”

For a one-time ride, customers will pay two-dollars to unlock the bike and ten-cents a minute, or a flat fee of 80-dollars a year. Low-income customers can qualify for a discounted annual membership for just five-dollars a year. Other Iowa communities with bike sharing programs include: Ames, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Mason City and Sioux City.

Cass County Supervisor’s Board Chair Steve Baier reports Nicole Stinn, of Webster City, has withdrawn her application for the position of county engineer.  As Stinn previously mentioned during her interview Sept. 20th,  there were considerations in regard to her husband John’s position that would have a bearing on whether they could make the move to Cass County and he is at a pivotal point in his career. Stinn is a native of Atlantic.

Baier said in a statement, “Nikki was a very strong candidate for the position with excellent credentials and 6 year’s experience as intern and assistant engineer and the last 3 years as county engineer of Hamilton County. She had a good interview with the supervisors and acknowledged that many parts had to come together to make a move by her family back to Cass County possible.  We are disappointed this couldn’t be worked out but wish the Stinns nothing but the best.”

(Radio Iowa) — The president of the Iowa Association of Realtors says home sales across the state were up in August. John Goede says that’s not the only good thing he sees in the numbers. “And just as importantly — year-to-date everything statewide is stable — the sales are up slightly, the closings are up slightly, the listings are very stable,” Goede says. He says sellers are earning a little more on average. “The price of a home and also the median price of a home has gone up about three-thousand dollars.The median prices is 169-thousand statewide up from 163. And then the average price is 197-thousand up from 190,” according to Goede.

He says they normally expect an uptick in August as people try move and buy homes before school Goede says there is one factor they don’t know about yet. He says they don’t know if any of the farm subsidies or the tariffs are going to make any difference. Statewide he says they haven’t seen any impact from flooding — but in the areas where there is flooding — they have seen a drop in sales and new listings. Goede says things have really been steady when you look at statewide numbers through the year thus far. But, he says there are differences when you look at different regions. “West-central Iowa, their report year-to-date says that their median price is 95-thousand for their housing. You can compare that with Des Moines at 232-thousand, or Iowa City at 248-thousand,” Goede says. “You can see that there is quite a bite of difference.”

He says it shows the differences in the growth in the urban areas of the state compared to rural areas. “That’s no secret, there are small towns that are getting smaller and smaller, a lot of school consolidations. I guess that’s a concern,” Goede says. “And there’s a lot of counties and cities that are trying to work ways and incentives to get people to stay where they are.”

There were five-thousand-398 (5,398) homes sold in August compared to five-thousand-363 (5,363) in August of 2018. The number of days on the market this year was 55 in August, compared to 53 last year.

No injuries were reported early this morning, following an accident on Interstate 80 in Cass County. Anita Fire along with Wiota 1st Responders were called to I-80 eastbound between the 72- and 73 mile markers, for an accident with a vehicle blocking the left (passing lane). The crash happened at around 4:20-a.m.  Authorities said the vehicle apparently hit a metal guard rail prior to approaching a bridge.

A female in the vehicle denied having been injured. The accident resulted in a blockage of the left lane until crews can remove the wreckage. No other details are currently available.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:33 a.m. CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A 28-year-old Iowa man has been sentenced to five years in prison for injuring his girlfriend and causing her death. KCRG reports that Cody Brown was sentenced Friday to the maximum sentence for involuntary manslaughter in the connection with the June 2018 death of 24-year-old Stephanie Bowling. Prosecutors say Brown threw Bowling to the ground during an argument, and she died several days later from head injuries.

HIAWATHA, Iowa (AP) — One Iowa police department is adding cameras to its handguns. Hiawatha Police Chief Dennis Marks told KCRG that the new cameras will help ensure that a full recording will be made of any incident when officers pull their weapons.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The fast-moving water flowing out of Gavins Point dam on the South Dakota-Nebraska border will create dangerous fishing conditions this fall. The Sioux City Journal reports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is warning fishermen to take precautions and stay out of restricted areas because of the high volume of water in the river.

Summer isn’t quite done yet! The National Weather Service in Des Moines says unseasonably warm and muggy weather will set in from later tonight through Monday night. High temperatures on Monday afternoon will range well into the 80s, combining with dewpoints in the low to mid-70s to push heat index values over 90 degrees in most areas.

click to enlarge the graphic

Officials advise you to take appropriate precautions if engaging in outdoor physical activity.