(Radio Iowa) – A leader in the union that represents 19-thousand federal employees who work in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and the Dakotas says some of them will be required to work, without pay, if there’s a federal government shutdown. Ruark Hotopp is a national vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees. “TSA employees would still go to work during a shutdown, however,” Hotopp says, “without a paycheck.” Hotopp joined an online news conference organized by the Iowa Democratic Party.

“In our union, we had many discussions with a lot of federal lawmakers up on Capitol Hill,” Hotopp says. “The indication we had as of a month ago was that there was going to be a deal struck amongst House Republicans to avert this, only for them to then renege on that deal and to come back and hold us all hostage with the threat of a shutdown.” Hotopp says a shutdown would bring the country to a screeching halt.

“I don’t know that folks really realize how many government agencies really exist and what they all do,” Hotopp says. “…We run the full gamut of law enforcement agencies, agriculture — you name it.” Some U-S-D-A employees are represented by Hotopp’s union, but the U-S-D-A would shut down — with the exception of critical functions, like fire fighters in the U-S Forest Service who protect property.

(Radio Iowa) – The rain farmers have been hoping for slowed some of the harvest last week. The U-S-D-A reports says rainfall cut the time in the field by about two days. The corn harvest is now nine percent statewide, compared to five percent the week before. The corn harvest is still six days ahead of last year.

The percentage of beans in the bin hit 11 percent last week — up from three percent. The bean harvest is three days ahead of last year, and one day ahead of the five-year average.

(Radio Iowa) – Recent court filings show a southeast Iowa man who skipped the jury verdict in his murder trial and went on the run faces another charge after his capture. Sixty-three-year-old Gregory Showalter of Ottumwa was not present in court on Friday when a Wapello County jury returned a guilty verdict for first-degree murder, willful injury, abuse of a corpse, and domestic abuse. Authorities say Showalter murdered his wife, Helen Showalter, in July 2021. Police say Showalter, who was out on bail, cut off his ankle monitor and turned off his phone before leaving his home on Friday. A search commenced and Showalter was found in his home on Saturday morning hiding behind a chair.

Showalter was apprehended and transported to the Wapello County Jail where he is being held without bond. Showalter faces an additional charge of interference with official acts. His sentencing in the murder trial is scheduled for October 16th.

(Rural Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Fire and Rescue along with two Cass EMS ambulances were dispatched at around 12:18-p.m. to the area of 570th and Galveston Road (west of Atlantic), for a two-vehicle accident. Both vehicles rolled, but there were reportedly only minor injuries. The road is blocked at this time. No other details are currently available.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Conservation is looking for volunteers for their 30th biannual Halloween Hike! The CCC Department is looking for Actors, Hike Leaders, and Treat Makers!! The 30th biannual Halloween Hike, will be held on Saturday, October 28th, as you follow a trail where meet the Little Red, her forest friends like Brown Bat, Mice, and The Wolf! Starting at 7:00 p.m. small groups will depart from the Camblin Addition of Sunnyside Park every ten minutes. Please call 712-769-2372 or online at https://form.jotform.com/232684779061163, to sign up as a volunteer!

Officials say it is not their intent to scare or frighten anyone, but to educate and entertain people of all ages! The hike is sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, September 26, 2023– On Saturday, September 23, a record-breaking 700 Council Bluffs area residents participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Iowa Western Community College. Walkers helped raise a record-breaking $90,000 to fund the care, support and research programs of the Alzheimer’s Association. Fundraising continues through the end of the year, so there is still time to donate at alz.org/walk.

This year’s Top Team is EJ-REG290 Team Jensen, led by Ross Jensen, and they raised over $4,300 through in memory of Jensen’s grandmother, aunt and other family and friends affected by the disease. This year’s Top Walker is JoDee Junkman who raised over $4,000 in honor of her husband Tim who is living with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Her Team Big Time Timmy is a Top Team as well raising over $4,100.

The other top teams and walkers are:

·       Team Primrose Retirement Council Bluffs, led by Tiffany Eggett, raised over $4,000.

·       Walker 100 Block Story on Team Poppy raised $3,200.

·       Team Midstates Bank, led by Bridget Epperson, raised over $3,300.

All top teams and walkers can be found at act.alz.org/CBWalk.

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Iowa, there are more than 66,000 people living with the disease and 98,000 caregivers. The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.  Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.

The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Its mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Visit alz.org or call 800.979.3900.

(Radio Iowa) – State Auditor Rob Sand has found administrative costs in Iowa public schools accounted for about eight percent of NEW spending over a recent six year period. When spending is calculated on a per pupil basis, administrative costs increased nearly 20 percent. Sand reviewed compensation for superintendents, principals, secretaries and staff who manage a district’s finances and H-R issues. “For our K-12 schools, the costs of administration per pupil actually decreased once you account for inflation,” Sand says, “effectively meaning that while it’s grown, it’s grown slower than inflation and has been a smaller cost increase than almost everything else that they pay for.” Sand reviewed publicly available data from July 1st of 2017 through June 30th of last year. Sand found smaller school districts spend a higher proportion of their budgets on administrative costs.

“Service sharing is a good idea,” Sand says. “In fact it’s a recommendation…because if you’ve got somebody who can effectively do it for two locations, you’re going to save on costs.” The report also shows regional differences. Northwest Iowa was the region with the lowest average pay for school administrators and support staff, for example. Sand says the report is part of the Public Innovation and Efficiencies or PIE program he started in 2019 shortly after being elected auditor.

“The entire idea is making sure we are saving taxpayer dollars and have a good idea of how our money is getting spent around this state,” Sand says. Sand will host a town hall meeting in Perry’s Caboose Park at noon today (Tuesday). It’s one of the stops on his schedule to visit with residents in each Iowa county this year.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County have approved an agreement with the Iowa Dept. of Transportation, with regard to the stop lights at the intersection of Highways 34 and 48. Engineer Karen Albert…

She said the detour route will be as follows:

Other areas may temporarily closed for the project. It’s not clear when work on the project will begin. Engineer Karen Albert provided the Board with an update on current projects and maintenance activities.

Ten-miles of highway crack sealing has also been completed in Montgomery County. In other businesses, the Montgomery County Supervisors approved a request to abate property taxes for a City of Stanton-owned parcel at 225 Center Street, in Stanton.

The Montgomery County Supervisors also discussed and acted on awarding a lease for the 114.5-acre County Farm. Last week, the Supervisors opened sealed bids; however, two were identical. Acting upon advice from the County Attorney, the Board today (Tuesday) approved the bid of $310 from the current tenant.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Tuesday) passed a Resolution abating the taxes, penalty and interest for two parcels in the City of Massena. They also approved resolutions awarding bids and contracts for box culvert projects located northeast of Cumberland and southwest of Massena. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken said the bids came in $45,000 below his estimated budget of $1.16-million dollars, or $1.11-million. Wolken updated the Board on Secondary Roads Department projects and maintenance activities.

The Board also heard a monthly report from Cass County General Services/Mental Health Director Debbie Schuler. She mentioned there were 10 claims for assistance during the month of August, totaling $5,001. They included claims for rent, utility disconnects and indigent burials.

Schuler said beginning November 1st, individuals can apply for the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through West Central Community Action.

Shuler said with regard to Mental Health, she attended 15 meetings last month, there are 54 persons on her case load under a court order, and there two new commitments.

(Radio Iowa) – It’s still early, but the harvest season in northwest Iowa is getting off to a good start, according to I-S-U Extension agronomist Leah Ten Napel. “Overall, we have a lot of acres left to go,” Ten Napel says. “A very small percentage has been harvested so far. The areas that are getting harvested are actually at fairly good, harvestable moistures, which is great to hear, and yields are not coming back all too shabby for the year we’ve had.”

Weather conditions during this growing season were widely varied, she says, and so are the yields. “Some of our soybean fields were hit really hard with late-season pests and those yields are going to be down in those areas,” she says, “but overall, corn yields have been average-to-above-average and soybean yields maybe slightly below-average-to-average, so far, what I’m hearing.”

Ten Napel says some farmers are predicting about a 200-bushel average for the corn crop. “I would say for our area of northwest Iowa, we may be over that 200 bushel average, in my area,” she says, “just from what I’m hearing so far.” Ten Napel says much of her region received adequate moisture this season, though she notes, parts of Woodbury and Monona counties, just south of Sioux City, were among the driest in the state.