(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.

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.

(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.

(Creston, Iowa) – A man from Creston was arrested Tuesday evening for Public Intoxication and on two counts of Assault. Creston Police report 20-year-old Garrett Neal Thomson was arrested at 408. S. Vine Street, at around 6:15-p.m. He was taken to Union County Jail and held without bond, until seen by a Magistrate Judge.

(Omaha, NE via Iowa Capital Dispatch)  – Officials with Navigator CO2, Tuesday moved to withdraw their carbon dioxide pipeline permit application in Illinois, effectively halting its project.The motion comes about a week before the Illinois Commerce Commission was set to hold an evidentiary hearing for the application. The company’s proposed 1,350-mile pipeline system suffered a setback in South Dakota in September when state regulators denied Navigator a construction permit. Later that month, the company asked to suspend its permit process in Iowa. At the time, Navigator indicated it would wait for a ruling on its permit in Illinois, which was expected by the end of February 2024.But the company now says it is “taking time to reassess the route and application.”

Navigator CO2 Ventures seeks to build about 1,350 miles of carbon dioxide pipeline in five states. (Map courtesy of Navigator CO2 Ventures)

OMAHA, Neb. (KETV) –  One person was pinned and two other people were injured after a partial building collapse in Council Bluffs on Tuesday afternoon. The building is part of Decker Plastics, a packaging group, located near S 11th Street and 2nd Avenue. According to Council Bluffs police, there were roof rafters being put up as part of new construction at the building when one fell and pinned a worker.

Two other people were injured, but were able to walk out of the building, according to authorities. The injuries are not believed to be life-threatening at this time.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Education in the Atlantic Community School District will meet this (Wednesday) evening in the Atlantic High School Media Center, beginning at 5:30-p.m. Among the items on their agenda, is a presentation from Booster Club President Brian Wagner, and a Bryce Smith, Carry Pellett, Lori & Barry Reid, who are expected to talk about an Aviation program and related opportunities for students.

The Board will act on approving contract recommendations for: Lily Renfro – Elementary Paraeducator; Rick Boysen – Substitute Bus Driver, and the following Spring 2024 Sports Coach recommendations from High School Asst. Principal/Activities Director Andy Mitchell:

In other business, the Atlantic School Board will discuss the Director of Health services position. Earlier, it was noted the School Nurse had resigned, and the District was advertising to replace a person in the position. During the Board’s Work Session on Sept. 27th, it was mentioned two applications for the position had been received, and that administrators were looking at having a plan in-place to cover District health needs until the position is filled. The Board is expected to act on the Director of Health Services position following additional discussion items.

They are also expected to approve a request from Junior Class Sponsor Andy Mitchell, for a fundraising activity during the week of Oct. 16th. About 100 students will be involved in the activity, selling plain or frosted Krispy Kreme donuts to friends, family and interested District patrons. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards Prom 2024 and Graduation 2025. Following their regular business agenda, the Atlantic School Board is expected to enter into a Closed Session for the purpose of discussing whether to conduct a hearing or hearings, to suspend or expel a student, unless an open session is requested by the student or  their parent/guardian, if the student is a minor, as allowed under the Code of Iowa.

View the full agenda HERE. Watch the school board meeting beginning at 5:30-p.m. via YouTube, HERE.

(Radio Iowa) – The amount of soybeans harvested statewide more than doubled last week, and corn wasn’t far behind. Dry weather saw farmers bump the bean harvest up from 24 to 52 percent in the latest U-S-D-A report. That’s one week ahead of the five-year average. The corn harvest hit 30 percent complete — up from 16 percent last week. The corn harvest is now five days ahead of last year and six days ahead of the five-year average.

(Radio Iowa) – Tonight’s (Wednesday) Powerball drawing is estimated at more than one-point-seven BILLION dollars. Iowa Lottery spokesperson Mary Neubauer says we are in an extraordinary run for jackpots. “Twenty-23 marks the first time that four lottery jackpots have topped a billion dollars in the same year — I mean it’s ‘s incredibly unusual,” Neubauer says. There was a one-point-six BILLION Mega Millions jackpot won August 8th, a Powerball jackpot just above one BILLION was won on July 19th, and a nearly one-point-three-five BILLION Mega Millions jackpot was won January 13th. Neubauer says the jackpots came after the games were tweaked to match what players want.

“I know people love to joke about the odds in Powerball and Mega Millions, right. I mean, the games have long odds. There is no doubt about that,” she says. “But you don’t get the big jackpots without those long odds, so over time, some of the changes that have occurred in the games do mean that the odds are longer to win. But also the jackpots are so big because they they’ve been growing for months.” The jackpot drawing tonight is no exception.

“It was last one on July 19th with a ticket in California. So the interesting thing is that when you get just these long runs in between winners that also helps achieve the sky high numbers that we’re seeing today,” she says. Another factor is more players buy tickets once the jackpot reaches a certain level, which adds more money to the pot. Neubauer says this current jackpot has followed that pattern. “It seems like we’re to the point where it’s what we call water cooler talk where everybody’s talking about it you know we start to see office pools forming,” Neubauer says. “And we do see when the jackpot is really up there like it is now, we see first time and occasional players jumping in.” Neubauer says the key thing is to remember the shut off time for tickets.

“It is 8:59 p-m on the night of the drawing, If you buy a ticket after that time it will still be a valid ticket, but it will be for an upcoming drawing,” she says. The estimated prize for this drawing is now the second-largest in history behind the two BILLION dollar jackpot won last November.