(Radio Iowa) — The president of the National Association of Manufacturers made a few stops in Iowa Thursday as part of his nationwide tour. Jay Timmons says the purpose of the tour is to spread the word about the industry. “We spend a lot of time talking to young people and those who are trying to figure out what they want to do in terms of their career. And pointing to modern manufacturing facilities as exciting and rewarding.”

Jay Timmons

Timmons says one of the things they are trying to show is the way the industry has changed. “Folks think about manufacturing as what it was like in their parents day and their grandparents’ day. It’s very, very different form that now,” Timmons says. “Manufacturing is very technology driven, very clean, very sleek. You think about robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality. All of those processes now require a different skill set to operate them.”

He says all it takes is to show young people a working plant. “When you actually expose young people to a manufacturing facility today, you see their eyes light up and the get pretty excited about those possibilities,” he says. One thing Timmons says he tells young people is the pay scale in manufacturing. “So in Iowa for instance — the average manufacturing compensation….is 68-thousand dollars — that’s compared to 42-thousand dollars for the average job in other sectors of the economy,” according to Timmons.  He says they also explain how you can get a degree that doesn’t take four years and a lot of money to get that level of salary. “You don’t have to start our your career with 200-thousand dollars in college debt,” Timmons says, “we always think that’s a pretty good plus when you don’t have to deal with that for a number of years.”

The “State of Manufacturing Tour” made stops at Sukup Manufacturing in Sheffield, Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, SwineTech in Cedar Rapids, and The Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa in Coralville.

Two arrests took place Thursday, in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 20-year old Diamond Alexis Marks, of Omaha, was arrested at around 12:25-a.m., for Leaving the scene of an injury accident, no valid driver’s license, and reckless driving. Her bond was set at $1,000. And, at around 1:55-p.m., 52-year old Shad Lee McCurley, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Pottawattamie County, on a Mills County warrant for Probation Violation. His bond was set at $5,000.

Officials with the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa report, on Tuesday, February 19th, Nishna Valley Family YMCA Executive Director Dan Haynes presented a $23,000 check to the Cass County Community Foundation for the YMCA’s permanent endowment fund held through the community foundation. The Nishna Valley Family YMCA Endowed Fund provides a permanent stream of support to further the local YMCA’s charitable mission. Endowment funds were collected and will be deposited into the Cass County Community Foundation’s pool of funds, managed by the Omaha Community Foundation. The funds are invested, so that the core balance is maintained for future growth and a percentage of the investment earnings is available annually for distribution to the YMCA to help further their programs and support operational needs.

The Nishna Valley Family YMCA and representatives from Camblin Mechanical presented a check to the Cass County Community Foundation for the YMCA’s permanent endowment fund. Pictured were (left to right) Nancy Nolte, Camblin Mechanical retiree Keith Nolte, Camblin Mechanical Vice President Randy Watts, Cass County Community Foundation – Iowa Foundations Director Stacey Goodman, Camblin Mechanical retiree Dean Finken, Carol Finken, and Nishna Valley Family YMCA Executive Director Dan Haynes. Not pictured: Camblin Mechanical retiree Dorleen Westering.

Haynes said “The Nishna Valley Family YMCA is grateful for our endowment fund donors and is pleased to place funds in the Cass County Community Foundation for investment and growth for a strong future for the YMCA.” The contribution was the result of the generosity of a number of donors. Nine thousand dollars of this donation was made possible through a special recognition program of Camblin Mechanical, whereby a $3,000 donation was made to the Nishna Valley Family YMCA Endowed Fund on behalf of three recent retirees.

Camblin Mechanical Vice President Randy Watts said “This is a very meaningful way to honor these employees’ service to Camblin Mechanical. Rather than purchasing an item to recognize those retiring, we are making an investment in the future of our YMCA in our employees’ names and leaving a lasting legacy.” Nick Hunt, Cass County Community Foundation Chairman, said “This generous contribution helps ensure that the Nishna Valley Family YMCA has long-term support to respond to unmet needs and opportunities to continue to serve our county for years to come.”

For additional information on donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact Stacey Goodman, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458. Those with questions about the Nishna Valley Family YMCA Endowed Fund or the Heritage Club can call Dan Haynes, Nishna Valley Family YMCA Executive Director, at 712-243-3934.

A man who allegedly stole a bottle of Old Spice body wash valued at about $4, was arrested Thursday night after he tried to run from a Sheriff’s Deputy. The Deputy responded at around 7:25-p.m. to the HyVee Drug Store on W. Broadway in Council Bluffs, after store employees reported an adult male was leaving the store with merchandise in his pockets that he did not pay for. The Deputy ordered the suspect, later identified as 25-year old Deion Jarell Fleming, to stop, when the man tried to run from the store. Fleming tripped and began to fall to the ground, as the Deputy grabbed him by the arm. The Deputy fell to the ground on top of Fleming, and placed him under arrest. After Fleming was escorted back to the store, the Deputy noticed the suspect suffered from a scraped left thumb. The Deputy applied a bandage for the injury.

Authorities say he was issued a ban and bar letter, prohibiting him from entering the store again. He was then transported to Pott. County Corrections and booked into the jail for Theft in the 5th Degree and Interference with Official Acts. And, a woman who was transported to the Pott. County Jail from the Douglas County, NE. jail, Thursday, was presented with a warrant Thursday, for being a Fugitive from Justice out of Sarpy County, NE. 30-year old Rebecca Sue Cardona had originally been brought to Pott. County, for Probation Violation.

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

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(Update) — Audubon Superintendent Brett Gibbs reports the Audubon School Board has approved a contract for Quentin Stanerson as the new 5 – 12 Principal. Their decision was made during a Special Board meeting held this (Friday) morning.  Mr. Stanerson comes to Audubon from Center Point, IA and has been a teacher and coach at North Linn MS/HS since 2004.  At North Linn Community School Mr. Stanerson taught high school social studies and over the years has coached football, wrestling and track.  He has an extensive background in working with the implementation of the Iowa Core and served on North Linn’s Teacher Leadership planning committee and Technology committee.

Mr. Stanerson was a Non-Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and spent four years in the Iowa State Legislature where he served on the Education and Veterans affairs committees. Mr. Stanerson and his wife have three kids and will be moving to Audubon this summer to begin his new position. He succeeds Eric Trager as 5-12 Principal, when Trager succeeds Brett Gibbs as Superintendent at the end of this school year. Gibbs is retiring at the end of June.

Three people were arrested Thursday on Theft charges, in Creston. Authorities say at around 10:35-p.m., 32-year old Trisha Breanne Moffitt, and 36-year old Wesley Allan Gregg, both of Creston, were arrested at the Wal-Mart in Creston. Both were charged with Theft in the 5th Degree. And, at around 11:18-a.m. Thursday, 50-year old Karie Jean Walters, of Creston, was arrested at the Fareway store in Creston, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Walters was later released on a $300 bond. Moffitt and Gregg were released at the scene with a citation, and promise appear in court.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The National Weather Service says several Iowa rivers have an increased risk of flooding this spring. The service said Thursday in the first of two planned Spring Flood and Water Resource Outlooks that the concerns include snowpack melting rates and high soil moisture. The report says the probability for flooding “is very high for at least minor flooding along the Mississippi River and most tributary rivers across eastern Iowa.”

It also says several waterways on the state’s western and eastern borders have a better than 50 percent chance at flooding and some have a better than 50 percent chance of major flooding. The service says a fast melt combined with heavy spring rains “could cause high-impact flooding, while a slow melt with little additional precipitation would cause flooding to be much less severe.” Missouri River flooding is expected along the state’s southwest border.

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

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The National Weather Service says “Phase #1 of a very potent storm system will bring a round of freezing drizzle to central and northern Iowa this evening through Saturday morning.” Ice accumulation of up to one tenth of an inch is expected. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for the central section of Iowa. This will likely make for difficult travel this evening through Saturday Morning. Please be careful in traveling.

Here’s a reminder of the current Winter Weather Watches & Advisories…