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Gov. Reynolds Announces Disaster Proclamation for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Cherokee County

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 2nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Today (Sunday), Gov. Kim Reynolds authorized a disaster proclamation for Cherokee County, Iowa effective immediately through July 2, 2024. The USDA has confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock. 

This proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites. 

The recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern, and it remains safe to eat poultry products. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. 

High School Baseball results from Saturday June 1st

Sports

June 2nd, 2024 by admin

CYO Tournament @ Carroll

  • Remsen St. Mary’s 6, Kuemper Catholic 1
  • Remesen St. Mary’s 5, Bishop Heelan
  • Bishop Heelan 10, Kuemper Catholic 1

MVAOCOU Tournament @ Mapleton

  • IKM-Manning 7, MVAOCOU 0
  • Woodbine 7, MVAOCOU 6
  • Woodbine 11, IKM-Manning 1

Coon Rapids-Bayard Tournament 

  • Coon Rapids-Bayard 6, Bedford 0
  • Pleasantville 8, Bedford 7
  • Kee 12, Coon Rapids-Bayard 6

Boone Invitational 

  • Des Moines Lincoln 7, ADM 3
  • ADM 4, Algona 0
  • Boone 2, Algona 1
  • Boone 7, Des Moines Lincoln 0

Non-Conference Games

  • Treynor 7, Red Oak 1
  • Van Meter 8, Carlisle 2
  • Clarinda 7, Missouri Valley 2

High School Boys & Girls State Soccer Tournament results from Saturday June 1st

Sports

June 2nd, 2024 by admin

Boys

Class 1A Championship – North Fayette Valley 2, Van Meter 0

Class 2A Championship – Bishop Heelan 3, Assumption 2

Class 3A Championship – Dallas Center-Grimes 3, Des Moines-Hoover 0

Class 4A Championship – Johnston 3, Dowling Catholic 0

 

Girls 

Class 1A Championship – Nevada 2, Denver 0

Class 2A Championship – Dallas Center-Grimes 6, North Polk 1

Class 3A Championship – Bettendorf 3, Valley 1

 

Montgomery County Supervisors to receive U-S SBA disaster/recovery information

News

June 2nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will meet this Wednesday morning (June 5th), beginning at 8:30-a.m. in their Board Room at the Courthouse in Red Oak. During their session, the Board will hear from Marielle Anne Alipio, with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). She will present information with regard to Disaster/Recovery Assistance.

The Board will also hear from Laura Kyndesen, with the 4th Judicial District Court Administration, with regard to office space for Magistrate Mensen. And, they will discuss RAGBRAI participant camping on the property of the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center (LEC), with action as necessary.

The final order of business for the Montgomery County Supervisors, is action on passing a resolution with regard to the 2024-25 Sheriff’s schedule of fees.

Stakey announces her run for Supervisor in Cass County (IA)

News

June 2nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Massena, Iowa) – Democrat Phyllis Stakey has officially announced her candidacy for the Cass County Board of Supervisors in District 5. The District includes Anita, Wiota, Massena, and Cumberland. The District 5 seat is currently held by Republican Bernard Pettinger.

Phyllis describes herself as a lifelong resident of Cass County with a history of community involvement. She is running for Cass County Supervisor because she believes it is important for elected county officials to manage our monetary resources efficiently, and she wants to help promote and further develop thriving communities in Cass County.

Phyllis served on the Cass County Hospital Board of Trustees for 18 years, where she was a member of the finance committee. She also worked as a realtor for 23 years. While serving on the Cass County Board of Review, Phyllis gained experience with tax assessments. Phyllis says the combination of these responsibilities gives her insight into taxation and finance, at both the personal and county level.

Phyllis Stakey (Photo & information submitted)

Phyllis is quick to point out that she knows how much Cass County has to offer, and says she is committed to spending the time and doing the hard work to position the county for long-term success. Phyllis believes all County Supervisors should be actively engaged in supporting and promoting their communities. Through the years, Phyllis has been active in Cass County
tourism, various housing committees, Massena Historical Society, Massena Chamber of Commerce, and other various community organizations.

Phyllis and her husband Jim, a rural mail carrier, raised their three children in Massena. Jim passed away from Alzheimer’s in 2014. Phyllis is an active member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Massena. Phyllis can be reached at 712-779-0291.

Head-on crash in eastern IA leaves 1 dead, 1 injured

News

June 2nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Bellevue, Iowa) – A head-on collision this (Sunday) morning in eastern Iowa’s Jackson County left one person dead and another injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2019 Ford SUV was traveling north on Highway 52 north of Bellevue, at around 3:30-a.m., when it crossed the center line and collided with a 2001 Chevy passenger car that was traveling southbound.

The names of both crash victims was being withheld by the Patrol, pending notification of family. Multiple agencies assisted at the crash scene.

Drake University, CBS News partner on character education programming

News

June 2nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Drake University and CBS News will work together to provide educational lessons on having good character to teachers free-of-charge through a new partnership. The collaboration will bring together CBS News’ “Kindness 101” series and the Character Counts program, housed within the Robert D. and Billy Ray Center at Drake, according to a news release. Both are centered around teaching about good choices and character.

Developed in 1992 by the Josephson Institute, Character Counts is aimed at instilling six pillars of good character — caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness. Character Counts moved to Drake in 2019.

CBS News Correspondent Steve Hartman will work with Drake University to create educational programming centered around good character. (Photo courtesy of Drake University)

In a news release, Drake University President Marty Martin said “We are proud to partner with CBS News to bring new, inspiring resources to educators through Kindness 101. We seek to transform lives and strengthen communities, and our Kindness 101 partnership provides a unique and powerful platform to achieve those goals.”

The programs will develop short videos containing lesson plans and activities surrounding pillars of good character for K-12 teachers. They will be available and free for K-12 teachers to utilize at Kindness101.com starting in August.

“Kindness 101” is a video series created by CBS News Correspondent Steve Hartman and his children during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the news release stated, covering stories of people demonstrating kindness and character and featuring sections from Hartman’s “On the Road” series. It is now a weekly series that airs as part of “CBS Mornings.”

“This has been a dream of mine for a very long time,” Hartman said in the release. “The people I’ve met ‘On the Road’ have given me so many important life lessons. I’m beyond grateful to now have this opportunity to share those lessons with school children across the country.”

Greenfield woman’s cat rescued from the rubble of her home

News

June 2nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

GREENFIELD, Iowa [WHO-TV] – When an EF-4 tornado rolled into Greenfield Iowa, it carved a swath of destruction, taking out some 153 homes. Cheryl Ringer, of Greenfield was watching the news coverage, warning of the tornado, when she heard the sirens sound. She headed for the basement. Ringer told WHO-TV in Des Moines, she grabbed most of her cats when the storm hit and headed for the basement. When the tornado hit, she was struck on the back and trapped in the rubble.

After about 15-minutes, she saw daylight and stuck her hand out through the debris, which allowed her to be spotted and rescued.

She was pulled out of the debris, and was ok, but one of her 5 cats, “Danny,” a seven-year member of her family, was missing. A wildlife trail cam got a picture of Danny in the ruins of the house. So Amy Heinz, with AHeinz57 Animal Rescue, who worked to keep demolition crews from hauling the debris of the house, so the injured animal could be located.

Danny the cat was eventually found, and Cheryl has relocated to an apartment.

Iowa DNR seeking Chronic Wasting Disease Ambassadors in southern Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 2nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are seeking Chronic Wasting Disease Ambassadors in southern Iowa, for a collaborative education program between the agency and Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach, that seeks to help Iowans address the challenge of chronic wasting disease.

Hunters, landowners, and conservationists interested in learning more about chronic wasting disease are encouraged to attend a course offering June 11, 18, and 25 at the Rathbun Fish Hatchery, in Appanoose County.

The course will cover best practices for preventing spread of the disease, how to collect tissue samples for testing, and how to educate others within their community, all in an effort to better educate Iowans on how to manage a healthy deer herd and slow the spread of the disease. The goal of the program is to develop a small, connected, and well-educated network of local leaders to effectively communicate about the management and mitigation of chronic wasting disease.

“Partnerships are key to the effective management of chronic wasting disease,” said Tyler Harms, biometrician for the Iowa DNR and co-organizer of the course. “We need hunters, landowners, and interested conservationists working together to slow the spread of this disease.”

The course includes three in-person meetings from 6-9 p.m. and two online lessons completed between the in-person sessions. In-person sessions will include instruction and hands-on exercises related to the ecology of chronic wasting disease, sampling for the disease, and effective communication strategies. Participants will also have the opportunity to network with area wildlife biologists. Graduates of the course will be given resources to help spread the word regarding effective chronic wasting disease management in their communities.

Registration is available at https://iastate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ebL4dhDJanzAbFs or by contacting course facilitator, Adam Janke, at ajanke@iastate.edu or 515-294-7429 and is open until the week before the course starts, or until the class is filled (25 participants). There is no cost to participate. A light meal and refreshments will be served at each of the three sessions.

Chronic wasting disease is always fatal to deer and has been found in wild deer in 23 Iowa counties. To learn more about the disease and its management in Iowa, including ways to help slow the spread of the disease, go to www.iowadnr.gov/cwd.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day data released

News

June 2nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Washington, D.C) – Officials with the U-S Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced on Friday, the results of the most recent, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. According to the report, this spring, DEA and law enforcement partners collected 670,136 pounds of unneeded medications at collection sites across the country. Since 2010, DEA, along with its partners, has collected nearly 18.6 million pounds of old, unwanted prescription drugs.

In Iowa, 66 law enforcement agencies participated in the event. There were 68 collection sites which gathered a total of 5,077-pounds of unwanted prescription drugs, for an All-Time Total of 207, 201-pounds.

National Details:

  • Total Law Enforcement Participation: 4,607
  • Total Collection Sites: 4,869
  • Total Weight Collected:  670,136 lbs. (335 tons)
  • Total Weight All Time: 18,570,487 lbs. (9,285 tons)

If you missed DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, don’t worry! You can drop off your old, unneeded, or unused medications at one of the 17,000 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses working to help clean out medicine cabinets throughout the year. In addition, many police departments provide year-round drop boxes.

In southwest Iowa, the list of drop-off sites (within 50-miles of Atlantic) can be found HERE. Additional information can be found HERE.