Almost one in every three Iowans is expected to take a trip for the year-end holidays, according to a survey. Gail Weinholzer, spokeswoman for Triple-A Iowa, says if the weather isn’t too frightful, a record number of people will be on the nation’s roads and bustling through airports, train stations and bus depots. “We are expected to top 100-million people traveling for the Christmas/New Year’s holiday for the first time ever,” Weinholzer says. “We expect just over 100.5-million Americans to travel at least 50 miles from home between Wednesday, December 23rd and Sunday, January 3rd.”

She says the boost in holiday travel is being driven by continued improvement in the labor market, rising incomes and low prices, including gasoline prices, which remain well below last year’s levels.  “In part, it is due to gas prices, this is however, the 7th consecutive year that we’ve seen growth in Christmas/New Year’s travel over the previous year,” Weinholzer says. “It’s not entirely due to gas prices but certainly in large part due to gas prices as we’re seeing record low prices for the Christmas/New Year’s holiday season. This is the lowest people have paid since 2009.”

Gasoline prices in Iowa have been steadily dropping for several weeks and now are averaging just under two-dollars a gallon statewide. While many Iowans will be taking buses, boats or planes to their holiday destinations, she says most of us will be on the road. “The overwhelming majority are traveling by personal automobile,” Weinholzer says. “Ninety-percent of all travelers, which equates to just over 91-million people. We encourage people to drive safely and that includes slowing down, paying attention, driving sober and buckling up.”

Triple-A says airfares for the top flight routes are six-percent lower this holiday season, car rental rates are up three-percent from a year ago, while lodging at most of the nicer hotels is up between four and 11-percent.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak are asking for your help in locating a pickup that was reported stolen early this (Wednesday) morning. A grey, 2010 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab was stolen from in front of the United Farmers Mercantile Cooperative, in Red Oak, at around 5:30-a.m. The vehicle has clearance lights on the roof, chrome rocker panels down the sides, and black racing-style rims and tires. A Ruger, Single Six .22-caliber firearm and ammunition were inside the vehicle.

The incident took place while the owner, Daniel Phelps, of rural Red Oak, stopped at the store and parked his pickup on the east side of the business. A person or persons unknown entered the pickup and took off heading northbound on N. Broadway Street.

Anyone with information about the theft or location of the pickup, should call your local law enforcement agency.

A Council Bluffs woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a drug task force found her with more than six grams of methamphetamine. The Daily NonPareil says 32-year old Amber Walker fought back tears as she pleaded guilty Tuesday, to an amended charge of drug possession with intent to deliver. The amended charge is a Class C felony. Walker was initially charged with a Class B felony for being in possession of more than five grams of meth.

Fourth Judicial District Judge Mark Eveloff sentenced Walker to 10 years in prison. She will need to serve at least one-third of the sentence before she will be eligible for parole. Walker was arrested and booked into Pottawattamie County Jail, where she will remain until she is transferred to the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women in Mitchellville.

According to the arrest affidavit, on Sept. 28th, Walker, and her boyfriend at the time, Vicente Gomez, were inside an apartment on the 800 block of Fifth Avenue when Council Bluffs police officers and investigators with the Metro Fugitive Task Force appeared at the door. The task force was looking for Gomez, who had a warrant out for his arrest from Sarpy County, Nebraska.

According to police, while apprehending Gomez, investigators saw drug paraphernalia and suspected meth in the apartment. Gomez and Walker were in the back room of the apartment, and Walker did not allow investigators to search the room. Council Bluffs narcotics officers arrived with a search warrant. After the entire apartment was searched, police found 6.1 grams of meth.

Gomez remains held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on $50,000 bond. His trial is set for Feb. 16, 2016.

ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) – An Iowa television station was doing a live update on a Minnesota bank robbery when police say the suspect returned to rob it a second time.
KIMT-TV of Mason City, Iowa, was outside Sterling State Bank in Rochester on Tuesday when a bank employee ran out and pointed out the robbery suspect. Reporter Adam Sallet broke away from the report, saying: “I have to go. I have to call 911.”

The Post-Bulletin reports that police spotted the suspect’s vehicle on U.S. Highway 52. Minnesota State Patrol says the 36-year-old Rochester man was pulled over south of Minneapolis and arrested. Police Capt. John Sherwin says the man is suspected of robbing the bank two days in a row. In both robberies, the suspect presented a note and escaped with money.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Two youth organizations in Sioux City have teamed up with a bicycle shop owner and anonymous donors to give bicycles to more than 300 children. The Sioux City Journal reports that Girls Inc. gave out 115 bicycles Friday, and the Boys Club of Sioux City surprised 225 boys with bikes Tuesday afternoon. The children also received helmets and locks.

Doug Albrecht, owner of Albrecht Cycle Shop, worked with the anonymous donors to order the mountain bikes. The team assembled about 60 bicycles a week over five weeks. The retail value of each bike is about $400, but Albrecht was able to get a discount from the manufacturer since they were purchased in bulk. He says this is the largest one-time donation the bikes shop has ever seen.

Officials with the Adair-Casey and Guthrie Center School Districts have released details about a proposed five-year, Whole Grade Sharing agreement. According to information on the districts’ websites, each district would maintain its own kindergarten-6th grade program. 7th and 8th grade students would attend class at Adair-Casey. 9th-12th graders would attend high school in Guthrie Center. In addition, both districts would share all activities in grades 7-12, including their athletic programs. All high school competitions would take place in Guthrie Center, with the shared districts jointly competing in the West Central Activities Conference. The agreement would go into effect July 1st, 2016.

Public hearings regarding the proposed agreement will take place this (Wednesday) evening at the Adair-Casey Junior-Senior High School Library, beginning at 7-p.m., and on Tuesday, December 22nd, in the Library Media Center at the Guthrie Center High School.

Further details about the proposed WGS agreement are available at http://gcs.dynamicwebware.com/school_board/ACGC-WGSA_12.15.pdf
And, details on the activity agreement can found at http://gcs.dynamicwebware.com/school_board/ACGC-activitysharingagt-12.14.pdf