(Radio Iowa) — Two people died in a fatal wrong-way crash on Highway 30 Sunday night in Cedar Rapids — making it seven deaths from wrong-way crashes in eastern Iowa since 2016. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Bob Conrad tells K-C-R-G T-V there are many issues that lead to someone getting onto the highway and going the wrong way. “Sometimes it’s someone who is an elderly person after dark and they got confused and went the wrong way. Sometimes it’s a medical situation, a lot of times it’s an impaired situation,” Conrad says.

He says flashing your headlights at the other driver might help, but honking your horn at them won’t work as they don’t hear it. Conrad says if you are driving and see a car going the wrong way toward you — you should move to the right-hand lane and shoulder as quickly as possible while hitting the brakes. He tells K-C-R-G T-V that just by slowing down, drivers are reducing the chance someone is hurt, even if they are hit. “When you have two vehicles coming at such a high rate of speed, when they hit, the potential for that fatality crash is huge,” he says.

Conrad said to never assume the wrong-way driver will pass you. “If I see someone coming at me with headlights in my lane, I’m going to get over to the side of the shoulder as far as I can and stop my vehicle,” Conrad says. Most importantly, he says drivers need to always pay attention, especially at night. “If you’re distracted, you’re not seeing danger coming at you at 70 miles-an-hour,” according to Conrad.

The trooper says you should call 9-1-1 as soon as you can if you see a wrong-way driver.

(Radio Iowa) — High water due to prolonged flooding at a southwestern Iowa nature preserve is changing some of the habitat and a few species are taking advantage of it. DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge typically sees a dry period at this time of year, but last spring’s flooding has kept a lot of water around. Supervisory Park Ranger Peter Rhea says some species have adapted well. “We’ve seen a lot more herons feeding in the flooded water, feeding on all the fish and stuff like that,” Rhea says. “We’ve seen a ton of frogs, way more frogs than we’ve ever seen, that have benefited from all that water.”

Rhea says not all species in the 83-hundred acre refuge have adapted, as their usual grassland habitat has turned into wetlands. “With the flooding, a lot of the pheasants that need that upland, grassland habitat, obviously a lot of that is now wetland water,” Rhea says. “You’re not seeing as many pheasants. The same can be said for species like quail.”

Rhea says he’s interested to see what the fall migration holds. He says more birds like eagles could come in and feed on the fish trapped in shallow water.

(Thanks to Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) Authorities in the central Iowa town of Nevada are investigating the cause of a house fire early this (Tuesday) morning that claimed the life of one person. The Nevada Fire Department received the call after 3 A-M to the home on 10th Street. The structure was fully engulfed when they arrived. The fire was extinguished within a short period of time. As fire fighters sifted through the remains, a body was discovered along with a dead dog. The name of the person is being withheld until notification is made. The state medical examiner and fire marshal have been called in to investigate.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A northeast Iowa man has pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. Prosecutors say 31-year-old Derek Clemens, of Evansdale, entered the plea Monday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. He admitted that, between March 2018 and October 2018, he knowingly received child pornography. Clemens faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment. His sentencing hearing hasn’t been scheduled.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a Council Bluffs man turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office, Monday afternoon. 27-year old Skyler Ian Goodwin was wanted on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Once the warrant was confirmed, Goodwin was transported to the Pott. County Jail, and booked-in.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Construction has begun on a free lodging facility for families of sick or injured Nebraska and western Iowa veterans being treated at the veterans hospital in Omaha.
The Omaha World-Herald reports that the $8 million Fisher House will include 16 hotel-style suites at a site near the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. It is funded by the Fisher House Foundation with local donations and will be given to the VA when complete to operate as a federal building. It is expected to open in late 2020.

There are more than 80 Fisher Houses at military and veterans hospitals around the United States, as well as two in Europe. The program was begun in 1990 by philanthropist and real estate developer Zachary Fisher.

(Radio Iowa) – Investors across Iowa are taking advantage of new federal tax incentives designed to spur economic development in distressed communities. They’re called Opportunity Zones. 62 of these areas have been designated across the state. One of them is in Denison, where Mayor Jared Beymer announced last week 45 housing units will be built to address the community’s housing shortage. “It’s brought in local investors, and it’ll probably bring in some money from outside of the community. It could turn out to be quite a very useful tool.”

Naomi Hamlett is a Des Moines city official, where an Opportunity Zone project is underway near Drake University. It will include a restaurant, retail space and a hotel. “We haven’t seen a new hotel in that part of the city for a very long time,” she says. “…The hope is that the program will provide economic stability, job growth, and improved housing conditions in disadvantaged areas that have traditionally been overlooked by the private sector.”

Two U.S. Senators have touted Opportunity Zones during political events in Iowa. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, a Republican, and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, who’s also a Democratic presidential candidate, say the tax breaks help direct needed investment in both rural and urban communities. Click HERE to see a map of the 62 Opportunity Zones that have been designated in Iowa.

Officials with the Atlantic Parks & Recreation Department and Cass County Conservation Board report Nishna Valley Trails is holding a Kids Bike Ride this Saturday, August 10th, at the Schildberg Recreation Area’s West Parking lot. The event begins at 10:30-a.m.  Check in and start the ride at the West Parking lot of the Schildberg Rec. Area. Three age groups, ride length according to age. FREE, and all ages welcome. Co-sponsored by Atlantic Parks and Recreation, Cass County Conservation, Fareway, and West Side Diner in Atlantic.

If you have any questions, call Lora at 712-769-2372. After the ride check out Atlanticfest going on downtown!

Three people were arrested on separate charges, Monday, in Creston. Authorities say 28-year old Ahdri Evans, of Creston, was arrested at her residence on the charge of Child Endangerment. She was released from the Adams County Jail on a S2000 bond. 55-year old Thomas M. McKinley, of Lafayette, IN, was arrested in Creston for Public Intoxication and Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st offense. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,300 bond. And, 30-year old Chelsey Kile, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Barred. She was later released from the Adams County Jail on a $2,000 bond.