(Radio Iowa) – To some Iowans, it just isn’t the holiday season if there isn’t snow on the ground. If a white Christmas is on your wish list, you’ll have the best shot of finding flakes across Iowa’s northern-most counties. National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Small says they’ve studied the data spanning back decades and have compiled a map showing the probabilities of having snow on the ground on December 25th.

“Iowa can probably be generally weighted into four different tiers actually, with about a 60-plus-percent chance toward the Minnesota border, and then it steps down, Highway 20 corridor 50-percent, then 40, and then it gets down into the 30s as you get closer to the Missouri border,” Small says. “So it kind of behaves as you’d expect, with better chances the farther north you go.”

National Weather Service graphic

Since Christmas is still 19 days away, Small says it’s difficult to predict whether we’ll have a significant snowfall in Iowa by then. “It’s a little too far out to put too much on the end of the month,” Small says. “Probably the historical probabilities work better than anything else, at this point. There are some snow chances this weekend. Confidence in where that occurs and how much is pretty low, and it doesn’t look like to be a major system, so it’s potential, even if we do get snow this weekend, it could melt before Christmas.”

(Radio Iowa) – Four G-O-P presidential candidates will be on stage tonight (Wednesday) for the last scheduled debate before the January 15th Iowa Caucuses. Televised debates drew large viewing audiences before the 2012 and 2016 Iowa Caucuses, but University of Iowa political science professor Tim Hagle says former President Donald Trump’s absence is having an impact.

“At this point it does still seem that Trump is dominating the race and as result of that it means that some of these debate are just not as interesting to a lot of people,” Hagle says. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie WILL be on stage tonight (Wednesday).

University of Iowa political science professor Tim Hagle (UI photo)

“Really, I think at this point what a lot of folks would like to see is basically just Haley and DeSantis on the stage,” Hagle says, “because those seem to be the leading ones to be the alternative to Trump.” However, Hagle says Haley benefited from sparring with Ramaswamy in past debates. Tonight’s (Wednesday’s) debate is being held in Alabama and Hagle notes there’s been some grumbling that Iowa and New Hampshire, the states that will vote first in 2024, haven’t been a debate site.

“Sometimes having a debate in a particular location helps to generate interest, generate sort of excitement among the voters, which would make sense to have one right before the Caucuses here in Iowa. It’s not likely that will happen,” Hagle says. “I haven’t heard anything more specific except for people ruminating about it just in general terms.” Hagle says a wildcard for tonight (Wednesday) is that the debate is being hosted by NewsNation, a cable news network launched in early 2021.

“It’s going to make it, potentially, a little bit harder for some people to see,” Hagle says. “Now I will say that it’s apparently going to be over the internet and most people have the internet these days, so they can sit down in front of their computer.” The debate will be available on the NewsNation website and its subscription streaming service. The channel is available on many cable systems. NewsNation is also available on DIRECTV and DISH and streaming services like Hulu and YouTube T-V. Hagle plans to watch it on his T-V via Roku.

“I put it on mine. I haven’t actually tried it yet, so hopefully it works,” Hagle says. “If not, well, then back to the internet kind of a thing.” The Republican National Committee has arranged for the debate to be on Rumble, another online alternative.

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision this (Wednesday) morning in Creston caused no one to be hurt, but resulted in $6,000 damage. Police report a 2020 Chevy Malibu driven by 18-year-old Denton Paul Lane, of Creston, was stopped at the intersection of Elm and Prairie Streets at around 11:15-a.m., and a 2012 Chevy Impala driven by 88-year-old Ralph Edward Goddard, Jr., of Creston, was traveling north on Elm Street.

Goddard did not have a stop sign. Lane told Police he saw the Impala traveling north, and thought he had enough time to turn. When he failed to yield the right-of-way leaving the stop sign, his car was struck by Goddard’s vehicle on the rear, driver’s side door. Both vehicles were able to be driven away from the scene.

The report says no citations were issued.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston say someone stole a 2006 Ford F-150 Crewcab pickup from a residence late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, and went on a joy ride that left the vehicle with $3,500 damage. The vehicle was stolen from a property at 607 Levy Street, and driven recklessly around McKinley Park and the Cozy Campers Campground in Creston, before it smashed into four camp site signs, a picnic table and finally, and electrical box. The pickup was abandoned at the scene.

Police say the City of Creston’s electrical box sustained $3,000 damage.

(DES MOINES, Iowa) – The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Board of Directors today (Wednesday), announced the award of a total of more than $11.2 million in grants to 26 Local Housing Trust Funds to support local housing initiatives. The grant awards are made available through the Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) program and are expected to assist 2,824 families. The grant funds will support a range of initiatives aimed at developing or preserving housing for low-income households across the spectrum of housing needs. This includes the development and preservation of housing, infrastructure development, transitional housing, assistance for homeless individuals, rental assistance, homeownership support, bolstering the capacity of local housing organizations and other efforts that directly address local housing needs.

Among the area Housing Trust Funds receiving a grant, is:

• The Council of Governments Housing, Inc., (serving Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie and Sac Counties) received a grant of $379,792.
• The Dallas County Local Housing Trust Fund, Inc. received a $351,887 grant.
• Pottawattamie County LHTF received a grant of $341, 367.
• The Southern Iowa COG HTF (serving Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties) received an LHTF grant of $372, 217.
• The Southwest Iowa HTF (Serving Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page & Shelby Counties) received a grant amounting to $404,149.

View the entire list of grant recipients HERE. IFA Director Debi Durham says “The 2024 Local Housing Trust Fund awards represent the largest annual amount with the largest projected impact allocated through the program since inception. Today’s awards will support housing initiatives that will ensure that nearly 3,000 families have the ability to live, work and thrive in our communities.”

The State Housing Trust Fund was created by the Iowa Legislature in 2003. The awards announced today will leverage an additional $3.3 million in other financing or $.30 for every dollar of Local Housing Trust Fund program funding. Since its inception, the State Housing Trust Fund has provided $123.6 million in affordable housing assistance to benefit nearly 38,000 Iowa families, leveraging more than $180 million in other funding resources.

The State Housing Trust Fund helps ensure decent, safe and affordable housing for Iowans through two programs. The Local Housing Trust Fund Program receives at least 60 percent of the SHTF allocation to provide grants for organizations certified by the Iowa Finance Authority as a Local Housing Trust Fund.

The remaining funding goes to the Project-Based Housing Program, which aids in the development of affordable single-family and multifamily housing. The Iowa Finance Authority administers both programs and provides technical assistance to housing-related organizations.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County today (Wednesday) released reports with regard to four accidents that occurred last week (11/27-12/2).

On Dec. 2nd at around 9:28-a.m., a 2019 Chevy Equinox SUV driven by 71-year-old David Gene Clawson,of Panora, was northbound on Highway 4. Clawson told authorities a southbound pickup truck crossed the center line of the road into his lane. Clawson avoided a head-on collision, by driving into the east ditch. His SUV sustained $5,000 damage. A passenger  in his vehicle, 65-year-old Nancy Rae Clawson, of Panora, was uninjured. David Clawson reported pain and possible injury, but was not transported to the hospital.

On Dec. 1st at around 10-p.m, a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 54-year-old Patrick James Connor, of Austin, MN, was traveling west on 200th Street near the Lake Panorama National Golf Course, when the SUV went through the T intersection with Sage Trail. The vehicle entered the ditch before going airborne. Once it landed, the SUV ran over a small boulder and rock garden before striking a tree stump and coming to rest a short distance away. No injuries were reported. The Jeep sustained $15,000 damage. Property owned by the golf course sustained $500 damage.

On Nov. 29th at around Noon, a 2014 Dodge Ram 2500 driven by 69-year-old Delmar Morris Frisbie, of Adair, was reported to have been broken down on Justice Road. When a deputy arrived, he discovered the pickup and a Disk Ripper it was towing. The wheel/axle of the M&W Earthmaster ripper had began to dig into the roadway surface, causing about $10,000 damage to Highway  44. Frisbie’s pickup sustained $3,000 damage.

And, at around 6:10-p.m. on November 27th, a 2017 Ford Explorer driven by 72-year-old Kenneth Alan Bahrke, of Panora, was eastbound on Highway 44, when the SUV collided with a deer that was on the road. The vehicle sustained $2,500 damage. Bahrke wasn’t hurt.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Court of Appeals has denied the appeal of a man convicted of murder following a 2020 bar fight in Harrison County.

Kristofer Erlbacher, of Woodbine, was found guilty of first-degree murder after hitting and running over Caleb Solberg of Moorhead three times with his pickup outside a bar in Pisgah. Erlbacher appealed, saying he was acting in self defense and that he was intoxicated. The Court of Appeals ruling says Erlbacher told police he was scared, but if that were the case, he could have just driven away.

The ruling also noted Erlbacher told others in the bar “I got this” before going to his pickup and running over Solberg, indicating he was not too intoxicated to carry out his plan.

Court records show Erlbacher and Solberg had been in a fight at a bar in Moorhead earlier in the night after Erlbacher put mayonnaise on Soldberg’s food.

Erlbacher is serving a life sentence.

(Radio Iowa) – A federal judge has permanently blocked two Iowa counties from enforcing ordinances that would have set restrictions for carbon pipelines. The ordinances in Shelby and Story Counties set zones around homes, schools and city limits through which pipelines were not to pass. The counties also sought to force Summit Carbon Solutions to provide county-specific emergency plans for pipeline ruptures.

The Iowa Capital Dispatch was first to report that the judge ruled the restrictions would have imposed severe limitations, leading to a situation where the Iowa Utilities Board could grant a construction permit for the pipeline, but Summit would be unable to build it. The same judge issued a temporary injunction this summer against Shelby County’s ordinance. Shelby County Supervisor Kevin Kinkel said at the time it was disappointing that other levels of government aren’t supporting counties in their efforts to protect residents.

Emmet County Supervisors passed zoning restrictions for pipelines that transport hazaroud liquids in early March and Summit Carbon Solutions sued later that month, but that lawsuit has not been resolved. Bremer County also has a zoning ordinance related to carbon pipelines and Navigator C-O-2 sued this spring, but the company has dropped the lawsuit after cancelling its pipeline project.

(Anita, Iowa) – Firefighters from Anita were requested at the CAM High School in Anita, this (Wednesday) morning, following a fire alarm and the observation of smoke. All students were safely evacuated to the North Elementary Gymnasium, as a precaution. Superintendent Paul Croghan said 7th thru 12th grade students will be released earlier than normal, today only.

(As said: The issue was with an overheated electrical motor. Parents were notified by JMC. Croghan said if you cannot pick your child-up, the District will run bus routes like normal on Wednesday, and students can ride the buses at those normal times).

Parents with questions should contact the school office.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Adair County, today (Wednesday), received updated with regard to a Manure Management Plan, Insurance rates, and Bond interest/premium rates. Their first action was to acknowledge the receipt of a Manure Management Plan Update. Board Chair Jerry Walker…

County Auditor Mandy Berg updated the Board of FY25 ISAC Group Health Insurance rates.

County Engineer Nick Kauffman reported on Adair County Secondary Roads Department maintenance work and activities. He said the Washington 32 bridge is finished, with the exception of some dirt work.

And, Maggie Burger with Speer Financial provided insight into Bond interest rates, the issuance of additional obligation debt, etc. With regard to the latter, Speer said….

The majority of the debts are for road projects. The County is currently looking to take on about $5-million in debt for a similar project.

She said they likely wouldn’t need to do any work on TIF (Tax Increment Financing), to get the project ready to go. Speer said the next part of the process is setting the date for a public hearing on the borrowing itself, and then proceed forward with the actual borrowing timeline. That can be as little as 75 days, or as long as the Board determines is necessary.

Interest rates on bond are higher than have been seen in quite some time, she said.

The County is looking to bond for road construction projects sometime this March or April. Speers suggested the County go out for bids first, before taking on bond debt, so the “amount not to exceed” can be determined prior to a public hearing on the issuance of bonds. County Engineer Nick Kauffamn said the bid letting is set for January or February.