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Enjoy the near-record warmth, as Iowa’s first frost is likely next week

News, Weather

October 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Forecasters say the summer-like weather will have a last hurrah today (Thursday) and tomorrow before we fall headlong into the more seasonable chill of autumn, with a frost and freeze likely early next week. Meteorologist Craig Cogil at the National Weather Service, says Iowans are in for a temperature rollercoaster over the next few days. “We’re going to see highs in the upper 70s to 80s across much of the state as we head into Friday, even near-record highs are expected across portions of central and southern Iowa,” Cogil says, “so certainly unseasonably warm weather as we end out the work week.” Just last weekend, many Iowa communities saw high temps in the mid-90s. This weekend, though, it’ll definitely feel like fall as a cold front is expected to arrive late Friday.

“We’re going to see progressively colder air move into the state through the weekend. It looks like the coldest morning will be Tuesday morning, with lows down in the mid to upper 20s in northern Iowa, to lower 30s in southern Iowa,” Cogil says. “So it does look like widespread frost and freeze conditions across the state and probably the end of the growing season.” Iowa’s first frost is tracking right on target, Cogil says, as next Tuesday is the 15th of October. “In general, a good average is right around the 15th of the month,” Cogil says. “You go up into northern Iowa, it’s usually the first week. If you get down into southeast, south-central Iowa, it’s usually the third or last week of the month. So yeah, it’s about average.”

Cogil says the weather pattern that produced both hurricanes Helene and Milton in the Gulf of Mexico is having a continued impact on Iowa’s climate, too. “One of the biggest effects we’ve seen from that is the fact that it’s keeping a lot of the moisture that might work up into the central part of the United States, it’s keeping it down in the Gulf,” Cogil says. “We’re not really seeing much moisture return, which is leading to a lot of the -at least- dry conditions that we’ve seen recently.”

A new map is due out later this (Thursday) morning from the U-S Drought Monitor. The map from last week shows only about six Iowa counties have no significant moisture problems, while around 70-percent of the state is abnormally dry, with 23-percent of Iowa in moderate drought, and portions of Harrison and Monona counties in western Iowa under severe drought.

First grants awarded for Iowa electric vehicle charging network

News

October 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa D-O-T has awarded the first round of funding for the National Electric Vehicles Infrastructure program to create a network of electric vehicle charging stations. The EV charging stations include the towns of Percival, Onawa, Shelby, Walnut, Adair, Stuart, DeSoto and Sioux City. The D-O-T’s Deb Arp says the federal program is providing more than seven billion dollars nationwide. “Iowa will be allocated about ten-point-three million ($10.3) per year, totaling over 51 million dollars over the five-year life of the act,” she says. Iowa designated four alternative fuel corridors, Interstates 80, 380, 29, and 35, where the chargers will be installed.

“Seventy-three applications meeting the program requirements were reviewed, requesting over 45-million dollars. Twenty-eight applications have been selected with an intended award amount 16-point-two million dollars and five-point-six million in matching private funds, for total estimated project costs of nearly 22 million dollars,” Arp says. The funding requires the chargers be spaced no more than 50 miles apart and less than one mile from Interstates and highway corridors, and be near restrooms, small businesses, and other amenities.”With just this first cycle, we were able to select projects leaving just a few gaps in the network, remaining toward full build out if all of these sites develop as proposed, our next priority will be to award three to four sites to fill those remaining gaps,” Arp says.

EV charging stations (DOT graphic)

Arp says they can now get started on the planning for the sites. “Our next steps include working with these awardees to execute project agreements and begin the logistics of assisting them through the federal project development process,” Arp says. She says they’ll also conduct some outreach to the remaining gap areas before the next round of funding.

See the list of DOT awards for EV infrastructure sites here: EV-charger-2024-funding-PDF

Man arrested on warrants Wed. afternoon in Montgomery County

News

October 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, Wednesday afternoon, arrested a man wanted on two Montgomery County warrants. 40-year-old Michael Scott Stafford was taken into custody at around 4:25-p.m., in the 200 block of N. 4th Street, in Red Oak. Stafford was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a total of $4,000 bond.

TSA stopped 5,028 firearms at airport security checkpoints nationwide during the first nine months of 2024

News

October 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

WASHINGTON —The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intercepted 5,028 firearms at airport security checkpoints during the first nine months of 2024. This total represents an average of 18.3 firearms detected per day at TSA checkpoints, more than 93% of which were loaded. According to the TSA, in 2023 there were seven firearms detected at the Des Moines International Airport. As of September 30 there have been 13 firearms detected at TSA checkpoints this year.

Nationally, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) screened more than 678 million passengers through the first three quarters of 2024, which comprised record-setting summer travel volumes, compared to more than 638 million passengers in the same period of 2023, an increase of nearly 6.3%.

The rate of firearms discoveries at TSA checkpoints during the most recent quarter (July – September) was 7.5 firearms per one million passengers, which is a decrease from the same period in 2023 when officers discovered 8.1 firearms per one million passengers.

TSA encourages airline passengers to #PreparePackDeclare and learn the proper packing procedures before arriving at the airport. Passengers may travel with a firearm, but it must be:

  • Secured in their checked baggage.
  • Packed unloaded.
  • Locked in a hard-sided case.
  • Declared to the airline when checking the bag at the airline ticket counter.

Firearms are prohibited at security checkpoints, in the secure area of an airport and in the passenger cabin of an aircraft, even if a passenger has a concealed carry permit or is in a constitutional carry jurisdiction. When traveling internationally, airline passengers are responsible for learning about the firearms laws of their foreign destination, which may prohibit traveling with firearms and carry significant criminal penalties for doing so.

TSA does not confiscate or seize firearms. If a passenger brings a firearm to the security checkpoint on their person or in their carry-on luggage, TSA contacts local law enforcement to safely take possession of the firearm. Depending on local laws, the passenger may be arrested or issued a citation. TSA may also impose a civil penalty of up to $15,000. For a first offense, passengers will lose TSA PreCheck® eligibility for five years. A second offense will result in permanent disqualification from the program, along with additional civil penalties.

For more information on how to properly travel with a firearm, visit the Transporting Firearms and Ammunition page on TSA.gov. To view the complete list of penalties, go to TSA.gov.

Des Moines City Council Unanimously Approves Selection of Chief of Police

News

October 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Des Moines, Iowa  – The Des Moines City Council, Wednesday, gave its seal of approval to hire Michael McTaggart as the City’s 45th Police Chief at a special meeting this afternoon. CityManager Scott Sanders said “Michael McTaggart stood out as a candidate not only for his achievements, but also for the relationships he has built in our community over the past 25 years. Chief McTaggart will have big shoes to fill in his new role and I have the utmost confidence that he will be able to rise to the challenge.”

The City Council’s 7-0 vote to approve City Manager Scott Sanders’ recommendation concludes a search for the City’s next police chief that began when current Chief of Police Dana Wingert announced his retirement this spring. The search process included multiple rounds of community engagement and feedback that helped shape the recruitment process, and including giving feedback on the two finalists.

Michael McTaggart began his career as a Police Officer with the Des Moines Police Department 25 years ago before rising to through the ranks to the position of Police Major in 2022. Through the course of his career, McTaggart has spent time in the Patrol Division, Robbery / Homicide Section, Intelligence Unit and the Investigations Division before overseeing the Operations Division as major, the largest division in the DMPD.

Chief Appointee McTaggart (City of Des Moines photo)

McTaggart’s time with the City also includes implementing and growing the C.A.R.E. and Mobile Crisis Response Team and spearheading the downtown safety plan, both of which have seen tremendous success. He possesses a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati, and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of Northern Iowa.  He has also completed training at the Senior Management Institute for Police with the Police Executive Research Forum and the School of Police Staff & Command with Northwestern University.

With City Council confirmation of Sanders’ choice for police chief, the City Manager will now finalize details of a plan for DMPD to transition from the leadership of Chief Wingert to Chief McTaggart over the next month.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area: Thu., Oct. 10, 2024

Weather

October 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: Mostly sunny. High near 83. S/SW winds 5-10 becoming mostly southerly.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny. High near 85. South winds 5 to 10 mph becoming westerly in the afternoon.
Tom. Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.
Sunday: Sunny & breezy. High near 64.
Sun. Night: Mostly clear w/areas of frost after midnight. Low around 35.
Columbus Day: Areas of frost in the morning. Mostly sunny. High near 58.

Wednesday’s High in Atlantic was 83 (4 degrees shy of the record high). The Low was 38. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 70 and the Low was 29. The Record High in Atlantic on Oct. 10th was 96 in 1893. The Record Low was 17 in 1906. Sunrise: 7:26. Sunset: 6:47.

Drake coach Todd Stepsis previews Butler

Sports

October 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Two teams with championship hopes in the Pioneer Football League race collide in Des Moines Saturday when Drake hosts Butler. Drake is 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the league race and The Bulldogs clinched the PFL title last season with a 13-9 win at Butler to close the regular season.

That’s Drake coach Todd Stepsis. Butler is using a pair of dual threat quarterbacks and is averaging better than 257 yards of rushing per game.

Stepsis says Butler has combined that run game with a big play passing attack that has 12 touchdowns in a 5-0 start.

South Dakotan says his state is firewall against Summit pipeline

Ag/Outdoor, News

October 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A farmer who’s a spokesman for South Dakota landowners who oppose the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline says his state is the firewall that could stop the project. Ed Fishbach spoke at a rally at the Iowa Capitol this week. “Summit has nothing in South Dakota at this point in time that they can claim a victory for,” Fishbach said, “not one thing.”

The Iowa Utilities Commission has granted a permit to Summit, but with the requirement that North and South Dakota regulators approve the pipeline before construction may begin in Iowa. Fishbach lives near the small town of Mellette, about 25 miles south of Aberdeen, South Dakota. “I live in Spink County,” he said, “and by the way, my county in Spink County has the most miles of this Summit pipeline in South Dakota.”

South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission has denied Summit’s permit application and South Dakota’s Supreme Court has ruled Summit has yet to prove the pipeline is a service to the general public. That limits the company’s ability to do surveys along its proposed pipeline route in South Dakota without landowner permission. “That’s a landmark decision,” Fishbach said, “and I hope your supreme court is listening to what our supreme court said about Summit because it is damning.”

This November, South Dakota voters will decide a ballot question seeking repeal of a law South Dakota’s legislature and governor approved last winter. Supporters say the law is a compromise that provides protections to landowners, while preserving a path for pipeline projects. Fishbach says the law gives state officials authority to overrule county ordinances that regulate where pipelines may be routed.  “There will be nothing to stop Summit from putting that pipeline anywhere they want,” Fishbach said. “…This is what we’re up against, folks.”

Summit and pipeline advocates say the 25-hundred mile pipeline will drive job growth in the Midwest and provide a substantial boost to the ethanol industry and the U-S farm sector by making ethanol carbon neutral. Summit’s proposed pipeline route goes through five states and would connect to 57 ethanol plants, including 30 in Iowa.

AARP Iowa presses candidates on support for family caregivers

News

October 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa News Service) – AARP Iowa has released a series of videos asking congressional candidates how they would support Iowans who are unpaid caregivers.

The group traveled Iowa this summer on its “Cruisin’ for Caregivers tour” to not only educate people about the issue but to hear from caregivers about what is important to them. Caregivers from each district sat down with Congressional candidates to discuss the challenges they face and potential solutions. AARP Iowa said unpaid family caregivers in the state provide what amounts to about $5 billion worth of services every year.

Paige Yontz, state advocacy manager for AARP Iowa, said unpaid family caregiving is a top issue for Iowa voters age 50 and older. “The fact of the matter is, these voters are the driving force behind every election,” Yontz pointed out. “In Iowa, voters accounted for 54% of the total electorate in 2020 and 62% in 2022, that’s voters in the 50-plus category.”

AARP polling shows voters in this age group are more likely to choose candidates who have a plan to support unpaid family caregivers. In the videos, Iowa’s congressional candidates have 30 seconds to describe their approach.

Seniors have said aging at home has become increasingly important to them and Yontz argued having the help and care they need to do that is critical.  “In Iowa, there are over 330,000 unpaid family caregivers that assist their loved ones with needs that allow them to remain independent in their homes,” Yontz explained. “That might be medical care and finances to chores, transportation, grocery shopping, you name it.”

AARP said nationwide, unpaid family members provide at least $600 billion in care and services to loved ones and others who need support.

Atlantic Cross Country to Host Pink Out Meet on Thursday

Sports

October 9th, 2024 by Christian Adams

The Atlantic Trojans and their cross-country team will host their annual meet on Thursday. With October being breast cancer awareness month, this one will be a little different than most as it will be a pink out. However, head coach Daniel Vargason says this one means a little more.

Although a quick decision for Vargason and the program,  he said it was a no-brainer to show support for the Kelley family.

Vargonson stated that there was no financial goal for the event, but merchandise will be available and the team will also be taking in-person donations.

For those looking to add a wardrobe item, unfortunately, they will not be unavailable at the meet. However, coach Vargason says there are plenty of football shirts still available.

In the true spirit of community, all of Atlantic’s pink outs have been combined into a single effort and thus far have raised over $1,700.

As pink outs stand for a little something extra for the program this year, Vargason said it was also an excellent teaching opportunity.

The Meet at the Nishna Hills Golf Club will start at 4:30 pm.

You can also purchase pink out apparel at Trojans Football Pink Out 2024 | A PLUS DESIGNS INC (itemorder.com)