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Cooking is leading cause of fires reported in homes

News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa fire chief says there’s a good reason preventing kitchen fires is the focus of National Fire Safety Week this year. Estherville Fire Chief Travis Sheridan says most of the fires his department responds to start in the kitchen. “People that leave things on stoves or in their oven,” he says. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires in the U-S. Estherville’s fire chief says there should be a fire extinguisher in every kitchen.

“Sometimes burners get left on, electric stoves get left on and the tops continue to get hot and people set stuff on top,” Sheridan says, “or they accidentally bump those burners with stuff on top of their ovens as well.” Estherville fire fighters, including the fire chief, are visiting preschools and elementary classrooms in their community this week to talk with kids about preventing fires.

“Actually if you took this program from 30 years ago to today, the kids are very involved and our fire calls have gone down quite a bit due to educating the youth who take this back home and help keep us parents on our toes,” Sheridan says.

According to the U-S Fire Administration, four-point-three percent of the calls Iowa fire departments responded to in 2021 were for fires. More than six out of 10 calls for a fire department response were for a medical emergency. Just over three percent of Iowa fire departments have paid career employees, while nearly 90 percent are totally volunteer.

Three juveniles in custody after threat at Storm Lake Elementary School

News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Storm Lake Police took several juveniles into custody after a reported threat this (Wednesday) morning at the Storm Lake Elementary School. According to Storm Lake Police, officers got word of the threat during the morning drop-off period. School staff and officers quickly escorted students into the elementary building and into their classrooms.

All other schools in Storm Lake were immediately notified, and they were also put on lock down as a precautionary measure. Three juveniles were taken into custody for questioning. The Storm Lake Police Department says there is no active threat, and all lockdowns were lifted later in the morning.

The school day was set to continue as planned at the Storm Lake schools, with increased police presence throughout the day.

I-80 accident in Cass County (IA) Wed. morning

News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Anita, Iowa) – Rescue crews were dispatched at around 11:40-a.m. today (Wednesday), to the scene of a semi tractor-trailer accident off eastbound Interstate 80 near mile-marker 62, in Cass County. Initial reports indicated the semi was in the ditch, with the driver possibly trapped. Additional rescue personnel have been requested.

Later reports said the driver was transported to the UNMC in Omaha.

Additional details are currently not available.

Mills County Sheriff’s report, 10/11/23

News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 30-year-old Daevon Deshone Sanchez, of Omaha, was arrested Sunday night at the Douglas County, NE, Sheriff’s Office. Sanchez was arrested on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear (FTA). His bond was set at $2,000.

And, Michael Allen Wiggins, of Omaha, was arrested Monday night following a traffic stop on Interstate 29 in Mills County. Wiggins was charged with OWI/2nd offense, with bond set at $2,000.

Davenport mayor and state legislator to face off in November election

News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A state legislator has won the slot to challenge the mayor of Iowa’s third largest city in November’s election. Just over four-thousand votes were cast in yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) primary for Davenport mayor. There were four candidates. Incumbent Mike Matson, who’s seeking a second term, got about 44 percent of the vote. His General Election challenger is Ken Croken, a former Scott County Supervisor who was elected to the Iowa House last year. Croken got about 35-and-a-half percent of the votes in the primary.

Croken is a lawyer who worked for the Genesis Health Care System in the Quad Cities. Matson, the current Davenport mayor, is an Army veteran who served on Davenport’s city council before being elected mayor in 2018. There were primary elections for city council races in Davenport and five other Iowa cities yesterday (Tuesday).

Adair County Supervisors receive Weed Commissioner, Engineer & Environmental Health reports

News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday), acted on approving Homestead & Military Disallowances, a Child Abuse Prevention Grant draw-down in the amount of $1,874.68, and to begin the process of hiring of a Sheriff’s Department employee to replace an employee who resigned. Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg read a letter to the Board from Sheriff Jeff Vandewater who was unable to appear in-person, due to a prior commitment.

The Board also received an annual report from Weed Commissioner Nathan Jensen. He said overall, he had a pretty good year.

The Board approved the report as presented. Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman reported on the Safety Program that was held Monday. He wasn’t too impressed by employee participation among the county’s staff.

The Board discussed options for making attendance mandatory. Supervisor John Twombly.

Kauffman also reported on Secondary Roads Dept. maintenance and activities. He provided the Board with updated photos on bridge and box culvert projects. One of the bridge projects involves beams being delivered and set on the Sec. 32 Washington bridge.

Sec. 32 Washington bridge (Screen capture from Adair Co. Engineer’s Office Facebook page)

Each beam is cast in a factory and reinforced with pre-tensioned steel wires to provide strength against tension forces experienced during loading. After the beams are set they will be bolted together with steel diaphragms and the crew will begin decking the bridge. He said also, his department is advertising for two positions within the Secondary Roads.

And, Environmental Health Director Jotham Arber presented his quarterly departmental update to the Supervisors. He said there is about a two-week wait on percolation tests right now. They’ve also been busy testing water.

He said also they started septic system drawings, beginning with Beacon, in Cass County.

The State of Iowa, he said, is backed-up two-years on grants for septic systems, but there may be additional monies coming down the pike from leftover ARPA funds, and, there are other options. Arber said also, they’ve developed a new septic system manual.

He says they’re printing 1,000 copies of the manual which should answer many new or existing homeowner questions about septic systems, inspections and repairs.

Shenandoah is forced to enact water restrictions due to prolonged drought

News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The prolonged drought is causing a critical water shortage in the southwest Iowa town of Shenandoah, where the city council voted last (Tuesday) night to enact what it’s calling “stage three water rationing.” It’s the first time in 23 years the city has gone to that level of rationing. Shenandoah Water Superintendent Tim Martin outlined the provisions, which includes restrictions for watering lawns. “There will be no hoses used to irrigate, except even houses would be Mondays, and odd houses would be Thursdays,” Martin says, “and the hours for the irrigation for those days for people would be 6 to 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. to midnight.”

The restrictions also include how residents can wash their cars. “Just use a bucket to wash your car at home,” he says. “Otherwise, you can go to the car wash. They’ll still be open. These restrictions don’t cover businesses like Earl May that rely on water for irrigating their plants, or car washes, themselves. So, you have to use a bucket to wash your car.”

Adding water to swimming pools or filling pools is also prohibited. Martin cites low water levels in the city’s wells as the reason for the city’s first stage three water conservation level since 2000. He says water levels are down 35-percent, based on a five-year average. “In a normal year, we could run three or four wells and get the amount of water we’re getting currently,” Martin says. “But, since water levels are low due to the river being low — and no rain — we have to run all of the wells together at a lower setting.”

Otherwise, the wells would draw the water down faster than it can be replenished and the pumps would shut off. Martin hopes residents use due diligence and abide by the water use restrictions. “I spoke to my engineer and he’s looked at the numbers. He thinks Shenandoah is fairly conservative residential-wise, roughly 110 gallons per day per person is pretty conservative,” Martin says. “So, I think people are pretty good with their water usage, as we speak.”

It’s unclear how long the restrictions will be in force. Forecasters are calling for widespread rain across much of Iowa both Thursday and Friday, with some areas expecting up to three inches.

Gov. Reynolds Extends Harvest Proclamation  

Ag/Outdoor, News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds today (Wednesday), signed an extension of the proclamation relating to the weight limits and transportation of grain, fertilizer, and manure.  The proclamation is effective immediately and continues through November 11, 2023. The proclamation allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas), and manure (dry and liquid) to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit for the duration of this proclamation.  

 

This proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (6) (a) and (b), by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.  

 

See the proclamation here.

Bond holder wins bidding for bankrupt Mercy Iowa City hospital over UI’s $20M offer

News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – An investment firm has outbid the University of Iowa in the bankruptcy court auction of Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Texas-based Preston Hollow Community Capital had invested nearly 42 million dollars in Mercy Iowa City in 2018. Preston Hollow has announced a California company with experience in rehabilitating hospitals around the country will step in and continue to operate Mercy Iowa City as a community hospital. Mercy Iowa City filed for bankruptcy in August. The University of Iowa had offered a 20 million dollar bid to merge Mercy Iowa City operations into its health care system.

Mercy Iowa City executives say transition plans are underway and American Healthcare Systems is likely to begin managing the hospital next month. The amount of the winning bid for the hospital has not been disclosed. A bannkruptcy court hearing to approve the deal is set for later today (Wednesday). The president of the University of Iowa and the dean of its College of Medicine released a statement early this (Wednesday) morning, saying they are disappointed in the outcome because they believe there is value in having patient care delivered by an Iowa-based health system — but the two added they are heartened the selected bidder is committed to keeping Mercy Iowa City as a hospital.

Young K9 already making a difference in Boone County

News

October 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Boone, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Boone County say their K9 team assisted in finding a man with dementia, Tuesday night. Authorities says K9 “Djanga,” at just 10 months old, and Deputy King located an elderly male with dementia who was frustrated, and walked into a standing corn field.
His family was unable to find him and he was presumably lost and/or disoriented. “Djanga,” authorities said, “Put her nose on the ground and tracked the gentleman guiding Dep. King right to him.” The Sheriff’s Office said “Very few dogs in the state of Iowa can do what our puppy just did at 10 months old. The Djanga/King duo is going to be a tremendous asset to Boone County. The sky is the limit with these two.”
They said also, “Djanga is 1 for 1. [This is] Just the beginning.”