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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
A collision in Harrison County a little after 12-a.m. today (Wednesday), left one person dead and another injured. The Iowa State Patrol reports 39-year-old Carson Stiffler, of Omaha, died in the crash that happened at the I-29 off-ramp to exit 89, near Mondamin. Authorities say a 2006 Honda Civic driven by Carson Stiffler was traveling south in the left lane of northbound I-29 at the same time a 2017 Toyota RAV4 driven by 20-year-old Serena Mailes, of Sioux City, was traveling north in the same (left) lane.
After the vehicles collided at the off-ramp, the Civic entered the median and rolled-over. The car came to rest on its wheels in the median. Its door was torn-off during the collision, resulting in Stiffler being ejected from the vehicle. The Patrol says he was wearing a seat belt. The RAV4 entered the median and struck the car.
Stiffler was transported by Mondamin Rescue to the hospital in Missouri Valley, where he died from his injuries. Mailes, who was wearing her seat belt, was also transported to the Missouri Valley Hospital by Mondamin Rescue. The accident remains under investigation. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the crash scene.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa hospitals and their employees face a number of challenges as they take care of an increasing number of patients with COVID-19. Dr. Toyosi Olutade, Chief Medical Officer for UnityPoint Health Trinity, says people put off routine health care last year, and now the system is struggling to deal with pent-up demand. “The hospitals have been very busy with non-COVID illness and if you add on COVID-19, it’s going to be a whole new level of stress to the hospital systems,” Dr. Olutade says.
Even large health care organizations in the region are shuffling patients and beds in an attempt to meet demand. “Missouri, southern Illinois, they’ve been sending patients to Iowa, the University of Iowa, because they don’t have beds,” he says. “So what happens to the people that maybe require care over there or with us? There are no beds because COVID-19 patients have occupied those beds.”
The doctor says he wishes he could say employees are doing very well, but in reality, they’re just plain tired. Olutade says everyone who works at the hospital is stressed out. Not just doctors and nurses, but also secretaries, clerks, lab and x-ray technicians, therapists, housekeepers, food service workers, and maintenance personnel. “Many people who were planning to retire in two or three years have actually just retired because it’s been overwhelming for them,” he says. “There’s such a limited pool of nurses available, a limited pool of respiratory therapists, a limited pool of ultrasound techs because people are leaving the health care field faster than new people are coming in.”
UnityPoint Health operates Iowa hospitals in: Anamosa, Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Dubuque, Grinnell, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Muscatine, Sioux City, and Waterloo — as well as in Illinois and Wisconsin.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds attended the dedication of an apartment complex in Sioux City and talked about the importance of adding more modern housing to attract new workers to the state. She also talked Tuesday about how the state is ready to help those facing eviction as the federal rent moratorium comes to an end. “Last year in 2020, so between May and December, we set up a rent eviction program as well as a mortgage program and utility program, and allocated close to 45 million dollars that helped keep a lot of Iowans in their home,” Reynolds says.
Gov. Reynolds attends apartment complex dedication in Sioux City, Aug. 3 2021 (Photo credit: Woody Gottburg, KSCJ in Sioux City)
The program is behind in getting the money out and Reynolds says state Economic Development Authority director Debbi Durham has reached out to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. “To let them know with Legal Aid that it is in the process and not to be rash in following through with the evictions until we can work through with the backlog. But she hoped….certainly by the end of this week — that the backlog will be filled,” according to Reynolds.
Reynolds says the new multi-plex in Sioux City is one of the things that will help attract much-needed workers. “That’s one of the reasons that I ended the 300 dollars a week supplemental unemployment payments,”Reynolds says. “Because it was a disincentive for people to go to work — and when we have more job openings than we have people on unemployment — we need to help Iowans to get the skills to fill the jobs.” She says the Economic Development Authority is working on a recruiting campaign. “That really showcases what we have to offer here in the state of Iowa. So we’re kind of finalizing that right now. That will go nationally,” she says.
The “District 42” Sioux City complex features studio, one, two, and three-bedroom options, plus an outdoor pool, community building, and a fitness center. The developer says it is already two-thirds full.
Council Bluffs Police are investigating what’s been deemed a “suspicious death.” Authorities say at around 11:30-a.m. Tuesday, officers were dispatched to the area of Lookout Point, Fairmont Park, in the 1200 block of Fairmont Avenue, after a decomposing female body was found. As of late tonight (Tuesday), additional information was not available, except to say, this is an ongoing investigation. Authorities say additional details will be released after an autopsy is performed, Wednesday.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board, Tuesday evening, held a special meeting to discuss the goals and ultimately approve a plan ( see details here: scan_ssheeder_2021-08-03-20-07-05) for transitioning students from the Atlantic Middle School (AMS) to other District sites. The change is necessary due to a fire on July 27th that left the building with substantial water damage. Superintendent Steve Barber said last week, the building cannot be occupied when school starts August 23rd. The building is currently being cleaned, he said, and restoration will follow. Barber said “although those working on the building are making good progress, the process should take a whole year.”
Atlantic School Board meeting 8/3/21 via Zoom.
Barber said he and AMS Principal Josh Rasmussen got together and came up with three goals the district must accomplish to serve the students in light of the current situation.
(To serve each of the middle school grades together; finding a plan that was logical and doable, making it the least disruptive to middle school students and staff; and developing a plan that would disrupt the least amount of individuals or programs in the school district.)
He said the proposed plan is divided into three sections. The first is with regard to 8th Grade students. The High School Media Center will be used for classrooms, with the goal of keeping MS students as separated as possible from 9-12th graders
The second concerns 7th Grade students. They will be housed in the eastern third of the District’s Achievement Center, in Atlantic.
The 6th Grade students will be served in the developed western third of the Achievement Center building. EOC (Educational Opportunity Center) students will be relocated to two classrooms at Iowa Western Community College, in Atlantic.
Links program students and staff will find a temporary new home in the Early Learning Center, where the Home school Assistance program is located.
Before the plan is put into action, there are several necessary steps: It must first be approved by the State Fire Inspector; A plan will also be developed to determine transportation needs; The back end of the Achievement Center will be cleaned-out and another location found to safely store the equipment; Technology must be ordered, also, and the necessary access points to provide internet access; They will also need to begin to furnish the spaces with the necessary equipment to conduct classes; and Mr. Rasmussen will collaborate with teachers at the Middle School to determine their needs and the best ways to educate in the new setting.
In addition to approving the Transition Plan, the Atlantic School Board approved the purchase of certain pieces of technology in the amount of $80,140, from 2ndGear in Temecula, CA.
The National Weather Service in Omaha reports a severe thunderstorm caused microburst wind damage south of Persia, in Harrison County (Iowa), last Friday, July 30th. The extent of damage suggested wind speeds around 100 mph. Several grain bins and barns sustained damage from this intense but fairly narrow wind event. Most of the damage was concentrated in a 1.15 square mile area. There were no injuries reported.
The Ottumwa Police Department announced an arrest took place Tuesday morning, in connection with the death of a woman found in the Des Moines River in Wapello County. Police charged 61-year-old Gregory Allen Showalter with first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the death of his wife, 60-year-old Helen Elizabeth Showalter.
Helen Showalter’s family reported her missing Saturday. Her body was located one day later. Police said Gregory Showalter turned himself in to authorities and that a preliminary investigation found his wife’s death was “the result of foul play.”
The death remains under investigation by the Wapello County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Ottumwa Police Department.
(Radio Iowa) – What was billed as the state’s first-ever cryptocurrency summit was hosted in Sioux City Monday by the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce. Bitcoin Foundation chairman Brock Pierce met with leaders of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota to discuss the multi-TRILLION dollar bitcoin industry. Pierce says Wyoming has already passed 19 laws regarding cryptocurrency and he talks with a lot of states about the issue.
“I’ve been spending time with legislators in Alaska, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Florida, all over the place, and that’s part of why I am here,” Pierce says, “is to make sure these three states understand A — what is happening, what is this all about what does it means? And to hopefully provide them with knowledge of what the opportunity is here and how that could benefit the states.” He says while some are still unsure of bitcoin — the newness has worn off and the number of investors has surged.
“This thing is going mainstream right now. There are hundreds of millions of people now who have cryptocurrency — probably ten percent of the population of the United States. And when bitcoin hits a hundred thousand dollars, a majority of the world’s billionaires will have made their money from bitcoin. Kind of a big deal,” Pierce says.
Pierce got his start in videogaming and when they became networked like World of Warcraft, he started a company to mine the virtual currency. He is considered one of the foremost national authorities on cryptocurrency and is a member of Forbes’ list of the richest in crypto.
(Radio Iowa) – At least four Iowa counties are now calling themselves Second Amendment “sanctuaries,” but there’s also at least one county where the leaders say they will -not- be going that route. Dan Campidilli, of Webster City, is chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors and says the panel reached a decision on this sanctuary fad. “We don’t feel there’s any need to take action,” Campidilli says. “From our understanding, it’s largely symbolic. It’s just a gesture. There’s no teeth behind it.
The Drake Constitutional Law Center says it’s not legally binding.” In some counties, the sanctuary resolution aims to keep law enforcement from enforcing state or federal laws which may be viewed as infringing on gun rights. Hamilton County leaders say there’s no need for such measures.
Campidilli says, “We don’t feel, at this time, that it would have an impact or there would be any need to put any resolution in place that basically amounts to nothing, in my opinion.” The Hamilton County board is supportive of the Second Amendment, he says, but there’s no practical reason to declare the county a sanctuary as it’s just an attempt to scare gun owners.
“We went through a similar situation when Barack Obama was elected president. I still have my guns at home,” Campidilli says. “I feel that it’s just an extension of the election.” The four sanctuary counties in Iowa are: Cedar, Hardin, Jasper and Madison.
(Radio Iowa) – Tickets to next week’s Major League Baseball game at the Field of Dreams site in Dyersville are a hot commodity some Iowans have found out they were chosen in a drawing for tickets. Nikki Glatt of Dubuque is one of them.
“I was shocked and then I immediately called my nephew because he was the one who said ‘you need to register,’ and he is actually out at Yellowstone National Park right now visiting,” she explains. “So, I was like ‘sorry to interrupt your vacation, but guess what I qualified for?’ He was like, ‘that’s awesome, sell them’ but I can’t because they are non-transferable. He was like ‘okay take me’.”
Iowa residents had from July 16th through the 23rd to enter a lottery drawing for a chance to purchase tickets for the highly-anticipated game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox. They’ll be playing in Iowa’s first Major League Baseball game under the lights in the newly-constructed stadium near the Field of Dreams Movie Site next Thursday night, August 12th. Glatt had an appointment to try to purchase tickets at 11 a-m – and was able to get two tickets for 375 dollars each. She says she’s had a lot of people reaching out to her willing to buy them – even though it appears tickets are non-transferable.
“It’s crazy how many people are Facebook messaging me, saying…’hey this is my story, can I please purchase your ticket?’ It’s insane. Or the number of text messages I’m getting saying from people like ‘hey I’ll go with you.’ Strangers on Facebook, and then it’s friends and family texting me,” Glatt says.
Eight-thousand fans will be at the game itself – and the Dyersville Chamber says Major League Baseball isn’t even sure how many people will be coming to Dyersville for the event or the “Beyond the Game” two-day festival that the community will be hosting next Wednesday and Thursday. Glatt says she’s not looking forward to the crowds, but she is excited for the game itself – even though she’s a Braves fan.
She says her cousin sent her photos saying she had Yankees stuff, but Glatt says she will probably wear her Braves stuff. The Field of Dreams game between the Yankees and the White Sox will be aired live on FOX next Thursday night, August 12th at 6 p-m, with an official M-L-B viewing party at the “Beyond the Game” Festival in Dyersville’s City Square. For more information on the “Beyond the Game” festivities, check out beyondthegameiowa.com/schedule.
(By Janelle Tucker, KMCH, Manchester)