(Radio Iowa) – Winnebago Industries is laying off 33 workers from its Forest City plant next month. The company disclosed the layoffs on a state website where companies report layoffs. About a third of Winnebago’s 61-hundred workers are employed at facilities in northern Iowa. The R-V and boat manufacturer announced on Wednesday it had revenue of over three BILLION dollars in its just concluded fiscal year, but profits were down 26 percent compared to the previous 12 months. Winnebago president and C-E-O Michael Happe says that reflects sluggish retail demand and operating inefficiencies within the company.

“While the retail environment remains challenging in the short term, we anticipate gradual market improvement over the next 12-15 months,” Happe says. Happe says motorhome dealers are in de-stocking mode and the inventory of Winnebago products was down four-and-a-half percent in its last quarter. “Which underscores our focus on continuing to aggressively manage production amidst what remains a challenging macroeconomic environment.” In additional to the layoffs at Forest City facilities on November 22nd, Winnebago closed a plant in Charles City on September 1st and moved production of camper vans to its Lake Mills facility.

“We have made substantive leadership changes at Winnebago Motorhome and Winnebago Towables to remedy the operational and financial challenges that have affected the performance of those businesses in recent quarters,” Happe says. The company’s operating expenses increased during its last fiscal year, with net income of 13 MILLION dollars. Happe says despite the weak retail market, the company is well-positioned. “As we look to the future, I am confident in our company’s strong positioning and long term growth potential,” Happe says. “…Our strong balance sheet and healthy free cash flows are not just numbers on a page. They represent opportunity. We have ample dry powder to invest smartly in growth initiatives, while simultaneously returning capital to our valued shareholders.”

Winnebago has seen growth in its marine division. In 2018, the company acquired powerboat maker Criss Craft and three years ago Winnebago bought Barletta, which manufactures pontoon boats.

DES MOINES, Iowa — A pedestrian died after being hit by a vehicle on Interstate 80 Thursday morning, near Dexter. Sgt. Alex Dinkla with the Iowa State Patrol says the accident  happened in the westbound lanes of I-80 near Dexter at the 98.6 mile marker. The call about the incident came in about 7:16 a.m.

The name of the person who was struck was not immediately released, and the incident remained under investigation.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak say no injuries were reported following an accident involving three vehicles, Wednesday afternoon. Authorities say the accident occurred in the 500 block of N. 4th Street, at around 4-p.m.  An investigation determined a 2000 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 31-year-old Devon Ray Briggs, of Red Oak, was northbound on 4th when Briggs failed to notice a Ford 500 sedan driven by Julie White, of Red Oak, backing out of a parking spot near the Family Vision Center.

The pickup hit the car on the left rear side, causing $2,500 damage to the vehicle. As a result of the impact, the pickup lost its ability to be steered, and collided with a parked 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup on the west side of the street. The Dodge sustained a police estimated $1,500 damage. Briggs’ pickup sustained an estimated $2,500 damage. No citations were issued.

CLARINDA, IOWA, October 23, 2024: The Page County Attorney’s Office has announced that following a two-day trial and about 90-minutes of jury deliberation, 38-year-old Samantha Wheatley, of Shenandoah, was found guilty of the crime of Willful Injury, a class D felony, and Assault with Intent to Inflict Serious Injury. The verdict was rendered Wednesday afternoon.

Wheatley was originally charged with Attempted Murder and Willful Injury after striking Sayj Martin with an automobile Wheatley was driving in Shenandoah, on December 31, 2023. Wheatley was released on bond and sentencing will take place on January 8, 2025.

Samantha Wheatley (Photo courtesy of the Page County Attorney’s Office)

The case was investigated by the Shenandoah Police Department, with assistance from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol, and was prosecuted by the Page County Attorney’s Office.

(Radio Iowa) – A map released this (Thursday) morning by the U-S Drought Monitor shows -all- of Iowa is again experiencing some level of drought. Last week’s map showed about two-and-a-half percent of the state was still in the normal category, but even that’s gone now. The new map indicates about 16-percent of Iowa is abnormally dry, all in south-central Iowa, while almost two-thirds of the state is in moderate drought. That leaves about 19-percent that’s in severe drought, with large patches of that category in northwest, west-central and northeast Iowa. As yet, none of the state’s in the worst two levels of extreme or exceptional drought.
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A steady, soaking rain would be welcome, and not hail or high winds, but parts of Iowa may see all of them later today (Thursday). National Weather Service meteorologist Rod Donavon says the majority of Iowa is quite parched, so the expected downpour will be a refreshing change of pace. “We do have actually a pretty strong system coming into the state by later this afternoon, into this evening,” Donavon says. “We are expecting showers and thunderstorms to develop. It looks like in most areas, that development occurs sometime between 6 PM and midnight, and we may have a few strong storms, and we could have some large hail with those as well.”

While some areas are 50-50 for rainfall, parts of eastern Iowa are closer to a 100-percent chance for rain, though he says the quantities that are expected vary. “As you get up into the Webster City and Fort Dodge area, actually parts to the northwest might actually be our lower areas with the precipitation. They’re generally at around a 10th of an inch or so is the main forecast for there,” Donavon says. “Farther to the southeast, as you get south of Highway 30, basically Ames and Marshalltown, and east of I-35, there actually could be some areas that receive over an inch of rain.”

Dry conditions are expected to return for the weekend with highs in the 60s. The latest 6 to 10-day outlook shows a chance for more precipitation late next week.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Some residents of Montgomery County will have to find an alternate route for the next few weeks, as a bridge is being repaired. Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert spoke about the change during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting in Red Oak.

She said also, the Secondary Roads Department is working on plans for projects in the County’s 5-year construction plan program. There’s also an upcoming meeting of the County Planning and Zoning Commission….

The Montgomery County P&Z meeting begins at 5:30-p.m., Nov. 4th.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Officials with the non-profit Vision Atlantic organization report Snyder & Associates Engineers in Atlantic have donated $50,000 to Vision Atlantic’s transformative project, which will bring a housing development, new childcare center, and YMCA expansion to Atlantic. Dave Sturm, Snyder’s Atlantic Business Unit Leader, says “It can’t be overstated how transformative of a project this will be for Atlantic. It is an exciting initiative for Snyder & Associates to be a part of and we appreciate Vision Atlantic’s commitment to progress. This will be an incredible accomplishment that will have immeasurable benefits for our community.”

Photo courtesy Bailey Smith, Executive Director of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce; Shown from left-to-right: Mike Jorgensen, Jeff Godwin, Melissa Ihnen, Garrett Reynolds, Christina Bateman, Dave Sturm, Chris Petersen, Mason Goergen, Austin Sonntag, Erik Jorgensen, Shawn Maas and Deanne Knudsen.

As previously mentioned, Vision Atlantic, through extensive research and surveying of the community and surrounding region, identified three areas that will help increase Atlantic’s population: expanded childcare, quality housing and quality of life amenities. Construction of the 144 mixed unit housing development, 300 capacity child development center and expansion of the current YMCA facility is slated to begin late spring of 2025.

With substantial monetary support from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation and local donors, $18.4 million has been raised in the past 11 months, over 60% of a $30 million goal. Vision Atlantic’s Project Committee is actively working to secure the remaining $11.8 million needed to meet the fundraising goal. If you are interested in helping transform Atlantic, whether it’s through monetary donations or acts of volunteerism, please contact Vision Atlantic at visionatlanticiowa@gmail.com. Follow Vision Atlantic on Facebook for behind-the-scenes access to project updates or visit www.visionatlantic.org.

Vision Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to empower growth, enhance lives, and build a thriving community together through the economic development of Atlantic, Iowa.

(Des Moines/Ames, Iowa) – Students at the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) will be able to take advantage next Fall, of a new 3+1 nursing agreement between the college and Iowa State University, that will allow DMACC students to obtain a degree in Nursing. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports the community college and four-year university signed an articulation agreement on the new program Wednesday, creating a pathway for DMACC students to easily transfer and earn their bachelor of science in nursing,  through a combination of online classes and in-person experiences at ISU.

DMACC Health & Public Services Executive Academic Dean Jeanie McCarville-Kerber said a transfer program between DMACC and ISU has been under discussion since 2018, with staff from both institutions working together to develop the best curriculum and pathway for students. The 3+1 program will be available to nursing students starting in fall 2025. With the new partnership, DMACC nursing students will spend three years at the community college completing their associate of applied science in nursing degree, taking courses developed for the program that align with both institutions’ standards, said Laura Jolly, dean of ISU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.

Once they’ve graduated from DMACC, students must take and pass the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurse Licensure in order to qualify for the transfer to ISU. Their last year of the program will take place mostly online through ISU, with some in-person requirements. ISU Director of Nursing Education Dawn Bowker said the hybrid learning will also allow students to work in the field while finishing their schooling. In addition to the flexibility the 3+1 program provides, Bowker said students will have opportunities to sign up for practicum experiences in the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and Oslo, Norway.

Bowker said research shows that nurses who hold a bachelor’s degree have improved patient outcomes, decreased medication errors and decreased mortality rates. ISU’s program has a 94% completion rate, she said, compared to the national rate of 60%.

Iowa State University College of Health and Human Sciences and DMACC President Rob Denson, right, signed an agreement on Oct. 23, 2024 to launch a 3+1 nursing program for students. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

This fall DMACC restructured its nursing program, DMACC Director of Nursing Education Natalia Thilges said, combining its previously standalone associate nursing degree and practical nursing program into a “ladder program.” Now students will first take prerequisite courses then take a year of practical nursing courses and, if they qualify, move ahead to a year of associate nursing degree courses. DMACC also holds a 3+1 program agreement with the University of Iowa for nursing, which they are currently working to modify in order for it to work with the new structure and partnership with ISU.

More than 400 students are currently enrolled in DMACC’s nursing program, which DMACC President Rob Denson said is one of the largest in the state. ISU is the community college’s top transfer institution. DMACC and ISU have a long history of supporting each other through partnerships, Denson said, starting as far back as 2006 with the signing of their first transfer agreement. The schools also have partnerships for fashion design, cybersecurity and supply chain management, and DMACC students get additional supports when they attend ISU due to the DMACC-ISU Connect program.

(Radio Iowa) – The four Republicans who represent Iowa in the U-S House are seeking reelection — and the race in the third congressional district is among the tightest in the country.

In 2022, Republican Congressman Zach Nunn of Bondurant won his race by less than one percent. At the beginning of this month, Republicans had a nearly six percent voter registration advantage over Democrats in the third congressional district, but nearly 29 percent of voters in the district are independents. Lanon Baccam of Des Moines, the Democrat from who’s running against Nunn, has made restoring abortion rights the central issue of his campaign.

“Women should make the decisions about their own bodies,” Baccam says. “When I get to congress, I will fight to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act and we will restore the rights found under Roe v Wade.” Nunn has focused on economic issues, like extending the Trump-era tax cuts. “We’ve got a real opportunity here not only to change the make-up of DC, but to do what all of us do — pass a balanced budget,” Nunn says. “We’ve got 35 trillion reasons why spending on a credit card is not good for us or our kids.”

Both candidates have military experience. Nunn is a corporal in the Air Force Reserve. Baccam enlisted in the Iowa National Guard at the age of 17 and served a decade.

(Radio Iowa) – Law enforcement crisis negotiators from around the state are in Sioux City this week to train and compete against each other in the 11th annual Iowa Hostage and Crisis Negotiator Conference. Sergeant Michael Clyde of the Iowa State Patrol is one of the event leaders. “The furthest this team is from Dubuque in Fort Madison, so they crisscross the state from the opposite corner to the opposite corner. One-hundred-13 negotiators and there’s probably 15 or 16 teams, and then there’s 12 teams who are actually competing,” he says.

The teams are competing in a scenario where a father is in a hospital and doesn’t want his dying son taken off life support. “And so it’s really challenging the negotiators to dig deep into their empathy really kind of feel for where this guy is in his life,” Clyde says. “How would they feel they were in the same situation, about ready to lose a family member. So it’s really challenging them to kind of turn the cop brain off and turn the listening negotiator brain on.”

The competitors are judged on a scale of one to nine, with nine being the best. “The judges have rubrics of different categories, active listening skills, rapport, teamwork, communication skills, and then there’s a couple just yes or no questions if they did certain techniques that we would expect every team to do,” he says.

The winning team gets a championship belt. Attendees also had case studies and debriefs from nationally recognized experts in the field of crisis/hostage negotiations. The three-day event wraps up today (Thursday).