GRIMES, Iowa – Dec. 4, 2023 – If you’ll be driving on Interstate 80 near the interchange that connects Interstates 35, 80, and 235 on the east side of the Des Moines metro this week, you’ll need to be aware of some overnight road closures that might impact your travel.

The Iowa DOT’s Grimes construction office will need to close the following roads and ramps for nighttime work to place bridge beams on the new bridge at the interchange. All closures will depend on the weather and may change. Marked detours will be in place.

1. Thursday, Dec.  7, and Sunday, Dec 10 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

• • The eastbound I-80 to northbound I-35 ramp will be closed

2. Monday, Dec. 11 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., the following will be closed

• • Westbound I-80
  • Ramp from westbound I-80 to westbound I-235
  • Loop from eastbound I-235 to westbound I-80
  • Ramp from eastbound I-80 to northbound I-35

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

Officials with the Creston (IA) Police Department report a man from Lamoni was arrested at around 12:22-a.m. today (Friday). 22-year-old Adrian Iseah Zendejas was arrested at the intersection of Osage and E. Adams Streets in Creston, on charges of that include Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Controlled Substance Marijuana/1st Offense. Zendejas was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on $1300 cash or surety bond.

Monday night, 42-year-old Lexie Elaine Wambold, of Creston, was arrested at 801 W. Taylor Street. Wambold was charged with Theft 5th Possess/Control under $300. Police say she was cited and released from the scene.

And, a little after 5-a.m., Monday, 27-year-old Wyatt Dean Low, of Stuart, was arrested at 905 N. Cherry in Creston. Low was charged with Obstruction of E-911 communications, and Domestic Abuse Assault – 1st Offense/with Dangerous Weapon. Low was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

(Shenandoah, Iowa) – Officials with the Shenandoah Police Department, Monday (12/4/23), released a report detailing 23 arrests that occurred last month. Among them, was:

• 34-year-old Jesse Eugene Hutton, of Omaha, who was arrested Nov. 27th, for Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree, and on two-counts of Theft in the 5th Degree.
• On the 25th, Shenandoah Police arrested 30-year-old Trent Brammer, of Shenandoah, for Child Endangerment causing bodily injury.
• On Nov. 20th, 19-year-old Ethan Glidden, of Shenandoah, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
• On the 15th: 24-year-old Cameron Craig Hilligoss and 21-year-old Hunter Jason Stanley, both of Shenandoah, were arrested on a valid Page County warrants pertaining to original charges of Theft in the 4th Degree and Lottery-Forged/Theft of ticket.
• Police in Shenandoah arrested 25-year-old Sayj Elizabeth Matin, of Shenandoah, on Nov. 10th, for Domestic Assault causing injury.
• On the 9th, 62-year-old Rochelle Denise Olson, of Sioux Falls, SD, was arrested in Shenandoah for Possessionof drug paraphernalia and Poss. of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense.
• 46-year-old Andrew Lee McCue, of Shenandoah, was arrested Nov. 6th, for Abandon[ment] of cats and dogs, causing serious injury.
• And, on Nov. 2nd, 28-year-old Deborah Jordan Snider,  of Shenandoah, was arrested on four-counts of Child Endangerment and two-counts of Animal Neglect, causing death.

View the complete Shenandoah Police report HERE.

(Walnut, Iowa) – Firefighters from Atlantic and Marne were requested by Walnut Fire late Monday morning, to assistant Walnut Fire with a residential structure fire. The call for mutual aid went out to at around 11:51-a.m.

A fire in an upstairs bedroom took place at 50596 Highway 83. Walnut Fire Chief Rob Akers reported smoke was coming from roof of the home upon the arrival of the first crews. The fire, he said, started when a malfunctioning electrical wire ignited a mattress. Akers reported there was significant damage to the upstairs of the home.

Firefighters from Avoca and Hancock were on-hand to assist in conducting containment operations. Atlantic and Marne Fire, as mentioned, were en route to the scene when they were told to disregard their page at around 12:03-p.m. Those units returned to their quarters and were back in-service a short-time later.

SAC CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A volunteer search organization assisting in finding a missing Sac County man, temporarily suspended searches, Monday. as they try determine new locations to investigate. Jake Rowley, the Midwest team leader for the non-profit United Cajun Navy search and rescue organization, said on social media Sunday night, that weren’t conducting any organized searches for 53-year-old David Schultz, of Wall Lake. The pause, he said, is so that they can regather any known information to determine new search areas. Searches may possibly resume on Wednesday, according to Rowley.

Sarah Schultz, David Schultz’s wife, said she last saw her husband at around 7:30-p.m. on Nov. 20th, before he left their home. David was a truck driver and had to deliver a load of hogs from Eagle Grove to Sac City, but he never made it to Sac City. His truck was found the next morning on Highway 71 on the road about seven miles north of Sac City, with the trailer still fully loaded with the hogs. David’s wallet and phone were found in the semi and his jacket was found in a nearby ditch. David is a white male who is approximately 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs about 180 pounds. He has brown hair and eyes. He was last known to be wearing Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, and a Peterbilt hat.

Anyone with information about David Schultz or where he may be is asked to call the Sac County Communications Center at 712-662-7127. In the update announcing they were temporarily suspending searches, Rowley said that they have so far searched more than 100,000 acres and feel they may have exhausted all possible locations. Instead, they will be focused on “specialized teams and investigators to try and receive any new leads” as they work with law enforcement.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – In update to our previous report, officials with the Des Moines Police Department, Monday, said another person was arrested in connection with the kidnapping and injury over the weekend, of a woman from Indianola. Authorities said 34-year-old Jessica Wheeler faces a charge of Kidnapping in the 1st Degree in connection with the investigation. Police said “Evidence indicates that she is a co-conspirator in crimes committed against the victim.” Earlier, authorities said the victim’s ex-boyfriend, 40-year-old Jordan Mangum, of Indianola, was charged with first-degree kidnapping, willful injury, and violation of a no-contact order. He is being held at the Polk County Jail.

(Original DM PD press release)

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s obesity rate is soaring and a new federal report says the number of American adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled in the past 20 years. Diabetes is a potentially life-altering condition that affects nearly 40-million people nationwide. Dr. Donna O’Shea at UnitedHealthcare is concerned the growing prevalence of diabetes could affect human longevity.

“Many people attribute that to the weight changes that we are seeing,” O’Shea says. “Obesity, starting in childhood and then, of course, getting worse as you become an adult and very high in the adult population. That obesity can affect all different disease states, but significantly diabetes.”

A state study in 2017 found nearly 232-thousand adult Iowans with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is when your body cannot use the insulin it produces, resulting from poor nutrition. It accounts for nearly 95-percent of all cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study also found an increase in the number of people under age 20 developing diabetes, which O’Shea says is a disturbing trend.

“We know, first of all, that the risk of childhood obesity is increasing. It’s now up to one in five young people,” she says. “The number of adults with diabetes has more than doubled in the last 2 decades, so, this is really becoming a significant health problem.”

According to a report released this fall by Trust for America’s Health, Iowa is among 22 states with an adult obesity rate at or above 35%, with Iowa reaching 37%. O’Shea says the steady rise in diabetes cases is why it’s important to stay active and eat a nutritious diet. “Even when you have diabetes, you need to control those blood sugar surges. For example, you want to be eating healthy proteins such as chicken, fish, or turkey, as well as non-starchy, fibrous vegetables like broccoli, green beans or carrots, and a moderate amount of carbohydrates.”

Carbs in the food you eat raises those blood sugar levels. The CDC recommends you keep track of how many carbs you eat and set a limit for each meal, as it can help keep your blood sugar levels in your target range. The Mayo Clinic says a person who eats two-thousand calories a day should be eating about 225 grams of carbs a day.

(Radio Iowa) – The state’s first-ever Iowa Black Farmers Conference is planned to be held in Des Moines later this month. Conference co-founder Todd Western the Third says his family has owned a farm in near Waterloo for more than 150 years. Western says growing up, he only knew of one other black farmer in the state. He says it’s important for black farmers to know they’re not alone.

“This is significant because it’s bringing together farmers of color who are scattered across the state to foster a sense of belonging and community,” Western says. “It’s also supposed to be information sharing. This platform will provide access to crucial information from agriculture industry officials that might not typically come to smaller or more remote farm communities. And lastly, celebrating our contributions.” After attending an event in North Carolina focused on black farmers, Western says he wanted to bring black farmers together in Iowa.

Western says, “Because I know how important it was for my son, who’s going to eventually — along with my nieces and nephews — take over the farm at some point, it’s important for them not to have the same experience that I had, thinking that we were the only ones.”

The conference is scheduled for December 16th. U.S.D.A. data from 2017 shows black farmers make up less than one-percent of the farmers in Iowa. Western says he hopes the Iowa Black Farmers Conference becomes an annual event and that it helps establish a network of black farmers that people can turn to in the future.

(Radio Iowa) – Congressman Zach Nunn, who represents Iowa’s third district, is inviting the top two Republicans in the U-S House to Iowa. “The Farm Bill right now needs direct leadership support,” Nunn says. “…As a member of the Ag Committee, I want to make sure that the leadership team knows what a priority this is not just for Iowa, but for the entire country.” The 2018 Farm Bill expired September 30th and last month congress voted to extend it to September of 2024.

“It is foundational to the future of America’s national security and our growers. We need to the speaker to have the opportunity to come here and get a good deep dive on this,” Nunn says. “Let’s not forget, the speaker has gotten to be on the job for just about a month and there is a steep learning curve here. Let’s be one of the first ones to give him a tutorial on the advantages of what a Farm Bill can do not just for Iowa, but for the whole world.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson AND House Republican Leader Steve Scalise are both from Louisiana, where the main crops are sugar cane, rice and cotton. “While I salute my Cajun brothers from Louisiana, I want to make sure they get to spend a little bit of time in the heartland, talking with the men and women who are actually feeding the bulk of the country, who are fueling a third of the country,” Nunn says.

The 2018 Farm Bill has provided about eight BILLION dollars in federal subsidies for crop insurance every year. The insurance covers revenue and yield losses in more than 100 crops, but the main ones are corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton.