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(UPDATE) Officials have released the name of a Rathbun Lake drowning victim

News

June 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in eastern Iowa this (Thursday) afternoon, released the name of a teen who died while swimming near the Buck Creek swimming area at Rathbun Lake, Wednesday evening. The 17-year-old was identified as Ayden Beeson. His body was recovered a little after 7:30-p.m., Wednesday, in 15 to 20 feet of water. Beeson, who graduated from Centerville High School this spring, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was last seen in the water at around 6:15-p.m., Wednesday.  The incident remains under investigation.

Centerville schools posted a statement on its Facebook page Thursday saying, in part:

“Ayden was an active member of our school community, participating in football, tennis, and was elected Prom King by his peers. Students and staff recognized that Ayden was a genuinely kind person who treated every student and staff member with respect. For the last two summers, Ayden also served as a summer maintenance worker for the school district helping to prepare our buildings for each fall. He was a hard worker who did his best at everything he did and made a positive impression on everyone around him. Words cannot express the depth of the sadness felt by the school community in this horrible tragedy. Our thoughts are with Ayden’s family and friends as they work through this tragic event.

District officials say there will be grief counselors and other staff available Friday for any students, staff and local families who are grieving:

SWITA receives two major honors at 2024 Iowa Public Transit Association Annual Awards

News

June 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Ames, Iowa – Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA) brought home two major honors from the 2024 Iowa Public Transit Association Annual Awards last week. SWITA was named the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Regional Transit System of the Year and received the FTA Region 7 Rural Transit Systems Award of Excellence. The awards were handed out on Thursday, June 6th at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in Ames.

The Iowa DOT Award is based on several factors meant to represent ridership and efficiency. SWITA has earned this award again due to record ridership all while being the most cost-efficient system in the state. The FTA Region 7 Rural Transit Systems Award of Excellence is derived from the best year-over-year ridership percentage and number increase from 2021-2022. SWITA also received this award in 2021 with 377,547 rides provided that fiscal year. 2022 ridership went up to 480,229 rides, resulting in the award presented this year. SWITA will hold this honor for the 2023 year as well with 526,300 rides provided.

SWITA Transit Director Mark Lander said, “SWITA continues to see growth with all our services. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the men and women at SWITA that work day in and day out to get the people of Southwest Iowa where they need to go. This takes everyone from the board, the office, the shop, and the drivers.”

SWITA accepting the FTA Region 7 Rural Transit Systems Award of Excellence. (L-R: FTA Deputy Regional Administrator Mark Bechtel, SWITA Transit Director Mark Lander, SWITA Transit Scheduler Tracy Clark, FTA Operations and Program Management Director William Kalt. (Photos and info. courtesy Chris Parks)

SWITA accepting the Iowa DOT Regional Transit System of the Year Award (L-R: Amy Colwell, Iowa DOT; Emma Simmons, Iowa DOT; Jamie Wingert, Iowa DOT; Laura Lutz-Zimmerman, Iowa DOT; Mark Lander, SWITA Transit Director; Tracy Clark, SWITA Transit Scheduler; Kristin Haar, Iowa DOT; Matthew Oetker, Iowa DOT

SWITA transportation is accessible to everyone in the eight-county region, including the disabled and elderly. SWITA offers several transportation options including work routes, medical trips, student transportation, taxi service in six communities, and special/charter trips. SWITA vehicles are equipped with wheelchair accessibility and one personal attendant rides free.

Southwest Iowa Planning Council Executive Director John McCurdy said, “At SWITA we’re lucky to have the best staff and drivers anywhere who go the extra mile to get our clients where they need to go. Public transportation means freedom of movement for our riders and adds fuel to our local economy. Many take for granted being able to hop in a car and go somewhere but not everyone has that luxury. These awards recognize the fact that Southwest Iowa has one of the best public transit systems in the state, which makes all aspects of life more accessible to our residents, whether they have a car or not.”

You can find out more about SWITA by visiting our website SWITA.com and you can follow us on
Facebook for regular updates. For questions or to request a ride, contact SWITA at 712-243-2518 or
1-800-842-8065.

Audubon Chamber of Commerce announces new Director

News

June 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Audubon, Iowa) – Officials with the Audubon Chamber of Commerce, today (Thursday), introduced on social media, their new Chamber Director: Tiffany Wittrock.
An Audubon native, Wittrock graduated with the Class of 2013. She continued her education at Iowa State University in Interdisciplinary Studies. Shortly after graduation and two other jobs, she realized that wasn’t what she wanted to do anymore. The Chamber says “Tiffany found a job through Chick-fil-A JCTC and climbed the ranks quickly. In her four years, she became the D-O and helped bring the first Chick-fil-A Food truck to Iowa, and help her former Operator open a new restaurant in Florida. Many people from Audubon traveled to that specific CFA to support Tiffany and her accomplishments and it truly touched her heart every time a familiar face was in line. She always made sure each guest was treated with respect and left happier than they came in. After four years and the passing of her grandmother, she decided it was time to come home, to Audubon.”

New Audubon Chamber Director Tiffany Wittrock & family. (Chamber Facebook page photo).

After leaving Des Moines, Wittrock and her fiancé, Jared Coder (originally from Atlantic), relocated to Irwin to be closer to family with the anticipated arrival of Madison, their daughter. Very soon after her arrival, they were able to move to Audubon to raise their family and that’s where the brainstorming truly started happening. Tiffany took over the Audubon Farmers Market and the Spring/Fall Garage Sales. But that wasn’t enough, she wanted to help the community more and Modern Mix and Modern Rentals came to life.
The Chamber says “Tiffany wants Audubon to continue to thrive as do many others in this community.”
Previous Audubon Chamber of Commerce Director Mercedes Johnston resigned June 14th for personal reasons. She had served in the position for a little more than a year.
Following Johnston’s resignation, the Chamber took to social media, asking for the community’s input on how the organization should be run to best benefit Audubon.

Twenty-eight additional counties approved for Public Assistance under the May Presidential Major Disaster Declaration

News

June 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds announces the approval of twenty-eight (28) additional counties for Public Assistance under the previously approved Major Disaster Declaration, FEMA DR-4784-IA, for Iowa counties where significant damage was sustained from tornados, severe storms, and widespread flooding that occurred between May 20, 2024 – May 31, 2024. 

In addition to Adair County the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Program has been activated for the following counties:  Adams, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Cedar, Cherokee, Clay, Dallas, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Humboldt, Jasper, Iowa, Jackson, Kossuth, Marshall, Mitchell, Montgomery, Muscatine, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Shelby, Story, Tama and Wright. The additional counties have been approved for funding for emergency work, such as debris removal and emergency protective measures. 

Adair County has also been approved for Public Assistance funding for permanent work. 

Iowa was approved for another Presidential Disaster Declaration on June 24, 2024 in response to flooding in northwest Iowa. Information on the second Presidential Disaster Declaration can be found here. 

Flood Death in Rock Valley confirmed

News

June 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Kyle Kreykes

(Radio Iowa) – A man who had been missing is now confirmed to have died in the flooding in northwest Iowa. Rock Valley Police Chief Monte Warburton says 52-year-old Kyle Kreykes, of Rock Valley, died as a result of flooding in Rock Valley over the weekend. Kreykes was listed as a missing person during the flooding, and Warburton says they found him late Monday afternoon.

According to the chief, Kreykes succumbed to injuries after the foundation of his house caved in and a wall fell on him. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning at 11 a-m at the Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Sheldon. It’s the second confirmed flood-related death in the area. An Illinois man died when a pickup he was driving was swept away by flood waters on the east side of Spencer Saturday.

State fire deaths right about average midway through the year

News

June 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – State Fire Marshal Dan Wood says there have been 15 fatal fires as we approach the halfway mark of this year.

“We have between usually 30 and 40 deaths a year you know some years a little bit more but we’re right about where we usually are this time of year,” he says. Wood says one issue he’s seen more of are fires that are started by people who smoke or those who smoke while on oxygen. “Those things seem to come up more and more each year. So, you know, it’s sometimes hard to reach those people because they not typically, you know on social media they’re not you know, getting out and being active. But the smoking and smoking well on oxygen also the ones that are really getting my attention each year,” Wood says. There are a lot of education efforts on the importance of smoke alarms, and he says they’ve seen some results.

“It seems to come and go we used to have fires where they have no smoke detection but you know it seems to get a little bit better every year you know people seem to change their batteries twice a year,” Wood says. “We still have fatal fires where they have smoke detection but it didn’t work.” Wood says it’s important to maintain and check the smoke alarms so they do work when you need them.

Wood says the smoke detectors with a battery that is good for ten years are an option to get away from having to replace old batteries. “Ten-year sealed lithium batteries are nice because you know typically you don’t have to worry about him for ten years,” he says. “There’s still that chance of the sensor going bad and you have to replace it before ten years. But the good thing about batteries you can’t take it out.” He says that ensures someone didn’t take the battery out of an alarm and forget to put it back in.

IGHSAU Released Regional Softball Pairings for 2024

Sports

June 27th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released the full list of all regional postseason softball matchups for 2024.

 

Below is the link for the full brackets page of all classes:

https://www.gobound.com/ia/ighsau/softball/2023-24/brackets

Full 2024 High School Baseball Postseason Brackets Revealed

Sports

June 27th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Baseball substate brackets for the 2024 postseason are now available for all classes.

The first round of postseason games in 2A and 1A are scheduled for Saturday, July 6. In 2A and 1A, district finalists will meet in the substate final, matching Substate 1 District 1 with Substate 1 District 2, Substate 2 District 3 with Substate 2 District 4, etc.

Class 4A and Class 3A first round games begin Friday, July 12.

Eight teams from each classification will advance to the 2024 IHSAA State Baseball Tournament, currently scheduled for July 22-26 in Carroll (2A, 1A) and Cedar Rapids (4A, 3A).

 

Link to postseason brackets page: https://www.iahsaa.org/baseball-2024-postseason-brackets/

Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce: Rodeo Scam ALERT

News

June 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce report they “…have received multiple calls asking about the Pro Rodeo in town this weekend. This is in fact a mistake/scam. We have confirmed with the Cass County Fairgrounds, there is NOT a rodeo this weekend.”
The Chamber asks you to share this information, as this event is VERY convincing. The event uses pictures from rodeo events in Cass County, and tickets can to be purchased online.

THIS EVENT IS NOT TAKING PLACE!

Red Oak man arrested on a Theft charge

News

June 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Red Oak was arrested this (Thursday) morning. 53-year-old Anthony Edward Decker was arrested at around 9:42-a.m. for Theft in the 2nd Degree. Decker was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.