Officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation said Tuesday, that the westbound I-80 rest area, located between Adair and Casey at milepost 80, will be closed beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25th, until approximately 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26th, weather permitting, for installation of a wind turbine blade. The rest area will be closed to allow the wind turbine blade to be installed on the facility’s grounds using two large cranes.

The blade will ultimately serve as a sculptural element on the site and be accompanied by an interpretive plaque. The blade and transportation to the site were donated to the State of Iowa by Siemens Energy of Fort Madison, Iowa.  There will be no public viewing area for the wind blade installation. Parking on interstate highways and freeways is for emergencies only.

The rest area is located at the threshold of an Adair County wind farm. Visitors to the site will discover several design elements incorporated into the building and grounds that speak about energy and alternatives such as wind.

Iowa has become a national leader in the wind energy industry, employing many Iowans in this important energy sector and businesses throughout the state. The industry is a significant contributor to the state’s economy. According to the Iowa Wind Energy Association, the wind energy industry in Iowa currently employs at least 3,000 full-time workers in manufacturing, operation and maintenance of wind turbine components, with an estimated payroll of $70.2 million.

Iowa produces 20 percent of all the electricity generated in the state from wind turbines, ranking it first in the nation and second in the world. Siemens has a 600,000-square-foot wind turbine blade manufacturing facility in Fort Madison, serving as the largest employer in that community and Lee County with nearly 800 employees, contributing to the economic revitalization of the region.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa legislative committee has voted to overturn a Natural Resources Commission rule that would have banned hunting mourning doves with lead-shot ammunition. The Senate Natural Resources committee voted 9-3 for the measure on Tuesday. The commission last year unanimously recommended lead-shot ammunition be banned. Environmental advocates say it can harm or kill animals when ingested. A legislative committee put the ban on hold, but it would take effect if lawmakers don’t reverse the rule before adjourning in a few months. If lead-shot is banned, steel-shot ammunition would still be allowed. But hunters say steel-shot doesn’t perform as well, and is inconvenient and expensive. The resolution now goes to the full Senate.

The Audubon Police Department reported today (Tuesday), 34-year old Steven Joseph Nowman, of Audubon, was arrested Sunday on numerous charges, including Assault on a Peace Officer. Nowman faces additional charges of Unlawful possession of ammunition by a person subject to a No Contact Order, and, violation of a domestic abuse No Contact order. He was being held in the Audubon County Jail, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

And, two people were arrested in Audubon on Tuesday, January 17th. 41-year old Barbara Ellen Carfrey, and 44-year old Gary Eugene Bertelsen, both of Audubon, were taken into custody on 5th Degree Theft charges. Both were being held in the Audubon County Jail, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

An Atlantic woman was cited for Failure to Maintain Control, after her vehicle hit two parked vehicles Monday evening. According to Atlantic Police, Margery Johnson, of Atlantic, was parked in front of the News Telegraph building in the 400 block of Walnut. When she proceeded to back out of a parking stall, Johnson backed across the street and hit a legally parked vehicle registered to Dell Weaver, of Griswold. Her car then shot forward and hit another legally parked car, registered to Ed Leistad, of Atlantic. The accident happened at around 4:35-p.m., Monday.

Officials say Johnson left the scene of the incident after she hit the Leistad vehicle. Damage to the vehicles amounted to $8,000.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reports they are continuing to see outbreaks of norovirus illness across the state, and reports of activity have been increasing in recent weeks. Anyone can be infected with norovirus and become ill and you can get norovirus illness more than once. “With this virus in our communities and because it is so easy to spread, we need everybody to stay home when they are ill with diarrhea and vomiting,” said IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk. “There’s no vaccine and no antibiotics for norovirus. It can spread in food, in the air, by shaking hands and by touching things like door knobs that an ill person has touched. So the only way to stop its spread is for those who are ill to stay home.”

Norovirus is sometimes called a ‘stomach bug.’ Symptoms of norovirus infection usually include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach cramping. Norovirus can spread quickly from person-to-person, especially in crowded, closed places like schools, hotels and daycare centers. The viruses are found in the vomit and stool of infected people, and can get into the air. Typically you get it by:

• Eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus (someone gets stool or vomit on their hands because they are ill, they then touch your food or drink).
• Touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then putting your hand or fingers in your mouth.
• Being near someone who is vomiting or having diarrhea.
• Having direct contact with a person who is infected with norovirus (for example, when caring for someone with norovirus).

There are two critical ways to stop the spread of norovirus:

• Stay home when ill and do not prepare food for anyone but yourself until three days after all diarrhea and vomiting have stopped.
• Wash hands frequently, especially after using the toilet and changing diapers, and always before eating or preparing food.

For more information about norovirus, visit http://tinyurl.com/7g3gvml.

Iowa’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.6 percent in December, the lowest level since June 2009. Iowa Workforce Development spokesperson Kerry Koonce says the report shows the state’s economy has improved a quite a bit over the last year. The unemployment rate is down from 5.7 percent in November and 6.1 percent in December 2010. An estimated 93,500 Iowans were unemployed in December. That’s down from 102,600 one year ago. The manufacturing sector added 800 jobs last month and 86-hundred (8,600) jobs over the year. Government cut the most jobs in 2011, shedding 43-hundred (4,300) positions.

(Pat Curtis/Radio Iowa)

Regularly scheduled meetings of the Cass and Adair County Boards of Supervisors will take place Wednesday, in Atlantic and Greenfield, respectively. In Atlantic, the Cass County Board will hear an Annual Report from West Central Community Action, and the organizations’ Fiscal Year 2012 Budget request. They’ll also hear a quarterly report from County Veteran’s Affairs Director Mitch Holmes. Action items on the Board’s agenda, include allowing or disallowing Family Farm Credits and approval of Agricultural Land Credits, and possible appointments to the County Conservation Board, Pymosa Township Clerk and Trustee’s positions.

In Greenfield, the Adair County Board of Supervisors will conduct a budget session as time allows during their open meeting. They’ll also hear from Cass-Adair County Engineer Charles Marker or his designated representative, with regard to Semi bids and a longevity increase. Tim Ostroski, with the Southern Iowa Council Of Governments (SICOG), will head-up discussion about a Housing Trust Fund, and John Hansen, with Midwest Construction Consultants, will speak via telephone conference call, with regard to an Adair County Public Safety Center utility bill.

Both meetings begin at 9-a.m.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold a work session this evening in the High School Media Center, beginning at 7:30. During the meeting, the Board will hear a presentation on the Fiscal Year 2011 Audit. They’re also set to discuss the 2012-2013 Budget, and Middle School Renovation project. Any decisions made during the session will be acted upon during the Board’s regular meeting next month.

Iowa Secretary Matt Schultz has introduced a bill that would change the method in which county supervisor redistricting plans can be challenged if questions regarding the consideration improper political purposes are raised. 

An Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board order dismissing a complaint, filed November 8, 2011, said “The system motivates the supervisors to appoint political allies to the commission to safeguard the interest of their respective political parties.” The bill would require Legislative Services Agency to draw a map for county supervisor redistricting plan if a petition containing signatures equal to 2% of the total votes cast for the office of Governor in the preceding General Election, are collected.

Schultz said “I share the IECD Board’s frustrations with the process and the need to change the current system.   However, I believe that local control must remain a key element in creation of the redistricting plans. I believe this bill takes a necessary step to remove politics from redistricting at the local level while maintaining local control of the process.”

For more information please visit www.sos.iowa.gov<http://www.sos.iowa.gov>