More than 700 members of the tourism industry have voted Iowa’s Loess Hills Region as the “Best of the West,” in the category of “Watchable Wildlife.” Nominations were solicated in nine categories on the Western Iowa Tourism Region’s website, Survey Monkey, e-mails and community announcements. The winners were announced during the WITR’s annual meeting in Wall Lake. The Loess Hills Region received 150 nominations and 798 votes.

Shirley Phillips, President of the Western Iowa Tourism Region and Director of the Sac County Economic Development Office, said in a press release, that “Tourism is a proven economic driver for Iowa, generating more than $6-billion in revenue and more than 62,000 jobs.” The 200 member WITR organization works to connect communities, attractions and businesses interested in developing and promoting tourism and travel in western Iowa.

WITR is funded by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, County Boards of Supervisors in the region, and private memberships from chambers of commerce and other organizations. Regional bi-monthly meetings, which are held throughout the 36-county area, are open to the public. For more information, visit www.visitwesterniowa.com.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Topsoil in more than half of Iowa’s fields still needs more rain to reach adequate levels.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in Monday’s weekly report that topsoil in 54 percent of Iowa’s field rated very short or short of adequate moisture. The east-central part of the state was the driest, with 78 percent of the topsoil moisture rated short to very short.  The USDA says 68 percent of the corn crop, which is silking in most parts of the state, is in good or excellent condition.   The soybean crop is rated 63 percent good to excellent.   The USDA report says 98 percent of the state’s oat crop has headed, which is nearly three weeks ahead of normal progression.

Beginning July 2^nd and continuing through July 8^th, law enforcement in Iowa and across the nation will step up their enforcement efforts to curtail impaired driving during the Independence Day holiday week, as part of the ongoing “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdown.  The goal is to find and arrest impaired drivers who put themselves and others at risk.

During last year’s four-day STEP (or, Special Traffic Enforcement Program) enforcement wave, Iowa officers made 455 drunken driving contacts, and more than 12,700 traffic violations were reported by 225 law enforcement agencies across the state.   During the official three-day holiday, six fatalities occurred on Iowa roadways.

Iowa law enforcement agencies across the state are strongly urging all motorists to buckle up; slow down; and if you decide to drink, be responsible and designate a sober driver so everyone can enjoy a safe 4^th of July holiday.   The goal is to make the roads safer for everyone.

For more on the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.

An infant secured in a child safety was checked for injuries at the Shenandoah Medical Center, following a single-vehicle accident Saturday morning. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports Landon Jared James Wright, of Clarinda, who is less than one-year old, was traveling in a 2006 Pontiac driven by 24-year old Betsy Breanne Krienert, of Osmond, NE, when the woman went to check on her son. The car drifted onto the west shoulder of southbound Highway 59.

Krienert overcorrected. Her actions caused the car enter a ditch and come to rest beside a ditch and a bean field. Krienert didn’t have a cell phone with her. A passing motorist transported her to the Shenandoah Police Department. After authorities spoke with the woman, she took the boy to SMC to be checked for possible injuries. No charges were filed. The car sustained about $1,000 damage during the accident, which happened at around 11:30-a.m. Saturday, about three-miles north of Shenandoah.

Officials with the American Red Cross’ Midwest Blood Services Region based in Omaha, are putting out an emergency call for blood donors. Tricia Quinn, CEO of the organization’s Midwest Blood Services Region says the blood supply has reached emergency levels, with fewer than 50,000 donations than expected so far this month. The shortfall, she says, leaves the Red Cross with half the readily available blood products on-hand now, than this same time last year.

All eligible blood donors, especially those with “O Positive” “O” Negative, “B and A Negative” types of blood, are encouraged to roll-up their sleeves and give the gift of life. Even though those are the most needed types, all blood types will be accepted, especially in preparation for the upcoming 4th of July holiday.

Call 1-800-Red Cross or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. Upcoming area blood donation opportunities include:

In Pottawattamie County, at the Loess Hills Chapter Donation Center (705 N. 16th St., in Council Bluffs), from 12:30-6:15-pm. today (June 25th); tomorrow (June 26th), from 11am-5pm; and June 30th 6:30-a.m. to Noon.  Other dates are available as well, in July.

In Cass County on June 28th at the Wesley Heritage House, from 11am-4pm.

In Shelby County, on June 27th from Noon-6pm at St. Mary’s School in Panama, and on Julu 10th, from 11:30-a.m.-5:30pm, at the Veteran’s Memorial Building.

Donation opportunities are also available late this month through mid-July in Carroll, Harrison, and Page Counties. Those who donate blood between now and September 5th, will automatically be entered into the Life Life, Give Life promotion, for a chance to win prize packages from GiftCertificates.com. Those donating between June 29th and July 8th will be entered to win additional prize certificates, to thank them for giving blood around the Independence Day holiday.

The Secretary of the Navy was in Sioux City this weekend for the naming ceremony for the first ship to ever carry the western Iowa city’s name. Secretary Ray Maybus spoke at a city hall ceremony paid tribute to the actions of Sioux City Medal of Honor recipient, Colonel Bud Day. “That’s the kind of character that the people of this city, that Sioux City has exemplified, and that’s the kind of character that will sail in the U-S-S Sioux City,” Maybus said. The U-S-S Sioux City is what’s called a littoral combat ship, and is designed to be able to switch its setup to do many things.

“Right now we’ve to three mission modules, we’ve got an anti-surface, anti-submarine and an anti-mine. But a lot more are in development and a lot more are on the way,” Maybus explained. “So when the mission changes, all she has to do is pull in, you take out one module and put in another, and she’ll be ready to go.” The new ship will be fast, with a top speed of 40 knots. Construction is set to begin next year with completion by 2016. Maybus said the U-S-S Sioux City is part of an effort to build the fleet back to levels that were seen around 9-11.

“We’re going to grow the fleet to 300 ships by 2019. Since December of 2010 we have put 40 ships under contract, and that compares to three in 2008. This is gonna allow us to protect America,” Maybus said. Maybus said the fleet had shrunk to 283 ships since 9-11, and they are able to rebuild it using fixed-price contracts and better competition from bidders. Another ship in the same class as the U-S-S Sioux city will be named the U-S-S Omaha.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Atlantic report the arrest on Friday of 31-year old Steve Pedersen, of Atlantic. Pederson was taken into custody on a charge of assault. He was booked into the Cass County Jail pending an appearance before the magistrate.

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An Anita woman is lucky to alive after a fire occurred at her home this (Monday) morning. Firefighters from Anita and Wiota responded to the call about smoke and flames coming from the home at 306 Elm Street just before 8:30-a.m.

Fire at 306 Elm St. in Anita (Ric Hanson photo)

Anita Fire Chief Duane Murphy says when they arrived there was a large amount of smoke venting from the windows on the north side of the building and up in the attic. Murphy says firefighters were able to get control of the situation “pretty quick.” He said while the cause remains under investigation, there was a report of a “boom” or a “bang” ahead of their arrival. He says they suspect the air conditioner may have burned through and vented into the home, but natural gas was not immediately thought to have been to blame. The initial investigation leads them to believe that it started on the inside of the home in the attic area, which is where most of the damage occurred. The Chief said there was extensive damage to the home.

306 Elm St. Fire (Ric Hanson photo)

A woman believed to be in her 50’s was in the home, along with her dog. Murphy said the woman had some injuries, but is “very lucky.” She showed indications she had taken in a lot of smoke and soot. She was transported by Anita Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic for treatment, before being flown by helicopter to a burn unti in Nebraska for additional treatment. Chief Murphy said her refusal leave the home to try and find the dog, could have cost her her life. He says it’s hard to get across to people that their health is more important than their pets. He says they spent 25-minutes trying to convince her to go to the hospital. He says if a human’s health is in jeopardy, the health of the animal isn’t going to matter if there’s no one around to take care if it. Firefighters and neighbors were still searching for the animal late this morning.