CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The war in the Middle East could have an impact here in Iowa when it comes to oil prices. Right now, Americans are seeing a downward trend when it comes to gas prices. According to AAA, the national average is $3.49. Iowa’s average is below that at $3.20.

The questions of if that downward trend will continue, though, depends on a lot of factors, including what happens between Israel and Hamas. Since Hamas attacked Israel with thousands of rockets on October 7, Israel has responded with its own airstrikes followed by a ground operation attacking the Gaza Strip.

A Commodity Markets Outlook special report from the World Bank said, so far, markets have reacted “calmly” to the conflict. However, it said if the conflict escalates and involves the entire region, the situation would be comparable to the Arab oil embargo in 1973 and could send oil prices up 56-76%.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — The Lewis and Clark rural water system in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota will get $7 million dollars to support the expansion of the water system. It’s part of a total of $65 million dollars in funding for rural water projects for FY2024, as part of the Biden Administration’s investing in America agenda.

On October 10th, the water system’s board of directors awarded a nearly $8.5 million contract for the Sibley service line to metro construction from Tea, South Dakota. The line will include a 12-inch diameter PVC pipe for 17 miles.

(Corning, Iowa) – We now know more details about what led to the arrest late last week, of an Adams County man charged with Attempted Murder and other offenses. 38-year-old Cole Justin Inman, of Corning, allegedly fired a pistol at three teenagers, Friday night.

A criminal complaint said Inman was chasing after the teens in his white Chevrolet Traverse because he thought the teens’ tan Chevrolet truck was on his property the night before. After both vehicles stopped at the intersection of Highway 148 and 130th Street, deputies said Inman grabbed a .45 Ruger semi-automatic pistol from his car. The complaint said Inman shot the gun multiple times at the truck, leaving bullet holes in the rear bumper and tailgate.

According to deputies, Inman’s wife and his four children were also in his truck at the time of the incident.

Cole Inman faces charges that include 3 Class-B Felony counts of Attempted Murder, and a Class-C Felony charge of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. Inman was also charged with 3 counts of Child Endangerment, and one count of Reckless Use of a Firearm, the latter two of which are aggravated misdemeanors.

(Ft. Dodge, Iowa) – Over three dozen vehicle, residential and business windows were reported damaged early Monday morning, in Fort Dodge. According to Ft. Dodge Police, the Webster County Communications Center began receiving calls at around 5:45-a.m., Monday (Oct. 30), from citizens who said their windows had been damaged. An investigation determined at least 39 incidents of window vandalism reported to police had occurred sometime between 2-a.m. and 6-a.m., Monday. Authorities say additional calls were received from citizens who chose not to file a formal report.

An investigation into the incidents continues. No arrests have been made. Police say if you saw or heard anything suspicious in Fort Dodge in the areas of incident, you are strongly encouraged to call the police department. Video evidence, Police say, is extremely valuable in these cases, and anyone who has surveillance systems in the affected areas, is encouraged to review that footage from the mentioned time-frame, and contact police if you see anything out of the ordinary.

Below is a map of window damage incidents reported in Fort Dodge, on Monday:

(Atlantic, Iowa) – In one week, voters have the opportunity to change the face of their city government and local school boards. The polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 7^th, from 7-a.m. Until 8-p.m. Here’s a look at the races for city government in Cass County (IA):

In Atlantic, two candidates are running for City Council in the 3rd Ward, including incumbent Pat McCurdy and challenger Mike McDermott. Two candidates also filed to run for the 4th Ward, including incumbent Linda Hartkopf, and challenger Shawn Sarsfield.

In Anita, three candidates filed to run for two city council seats, including Cheryl Sokol, Mark Harris and Roger L. Huffman, and two people have filed to run for mayor, including Ben Daughenbaugh and Kevin Littleton.

In Lewis, seven persons filed to run for three city county seats, including Leland Baxter, Ryan Lockwood, Russell L. Miller, Larry W. Perdue, Jr., Donna Roberts, Roy O. Wheatley and Betty F. Auten, and two people filed to run for mayor, including Rick Sanny and Russell Hansen.

Five people are in the running to fill three seats on the Atlantic School Board, including Jordan Dailey, Jodi Stowater-Goodrich, incumbent Laura McLean, Kristen Holaday and Gini Jordan

Other uncontested races include:

Atlantic- Emily Kennedy is a candidate for Atlantic City Council 1st Ward; Jim Behrens is running for Atlantic City Council Ward 2; and Elaine Otte is running for the At Large seat on the Council.

There are two candidates for the City Council in Cumberland: Sandra Eversole and Scott W Becker; And,Nancy Virginia Coughlin is the incumbent for Mayor.

In Griswold Brenda D Tietz, Amanda Hansen and Xaiver Johnson are running for the three, open Council seats.

In Marne, there are three City Council seats open, and three candidates: Wayne Preister, Mark Opbroek and Zachary Schmitt. Randy Baxter is running for re-election as Mayor, in Marne.

Massena has three candidates for three City Council seats- Kevin McCunn, Micah Lee and Adam McCunn.

No one filed for two seats on the Wiota City Council, or Wiota mayor.

In the CAM School District, Julie Williamson is running for the north district seat and Chris Spieker is running for the south district seat.

In the Griswold School District,: Ryan Smith is running for the at-large seat; Erika Kirkhhoff is running for the director 1 seat and Scott Hansen is running for the director 2 seat.

Kansas City, MO — This Halloween, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Region 7 Office, is partnering with the State Highway Safety Offices in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska to remind everyone that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. Drivers should be extra cautious on Halloween, as more pedestrians are out at night on the hunt for candy and more drivers are heading to and from parties. If your evening includes travel to a party or festivity, make sure you plan for a sober ride home. If you’re the designated driver, honor that commitment for yourself, your passengers, and the other drivers and pedestrians on the road. Remember: It’s never safe to drink and drive.

For most, Halloween is a night to trick-or-treat, get creative with costumes, and enjoy the seasonal festivities. Unfortunately, for some families, the evening has become a nightmare. Between 2017 and 2021, there were 159 drunk-driving fatalities on Halloween night (6 p.m. October 31 – 5:59 a.m. November 1). Adults between the ages of 21 and 34 had the highest percentage (55%) of fatalities in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night in 2021. That same night, 17 pedestrians were killed. One point that is critical to remember every night, but especially on Halloween with the holiday’s increase in pedestrians (trick or treaters): you need to do your part to be sober and vigilant when driving.

“No matter what your Halloween festivities include, make sure your party plans account for a sober ride home if you’ll be out drinking,” said Regional Administrator Susan DeCourcy. “We want our community to have a fun Halloween but, more importantly, a safe Halloween. If you choose to drink alcohol, drink responsibly and do not drive! Even one drink can impair judgment. You should never put yourself or others at risk because you choose to drink and drive. Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.”

According to NHTSA data, there were 13,384 motor vehicle crash-related deaths involving alcohol-impaired drivers in 2021. This represented 31% of all traffic fatalities in the United States for the year and a 14.2% increase from 2020. Do not contribute to these senseless deaths by driving impaired this Halloween. Drivers should also watch out for unpredictable pedestrians — whether they are children trick-or-treating or adults who have had too much to drink. Walking on or near roadways while intoxicated can also be deadly, as a lack of attention to surroundings could put pedestrians at risk of getting hit by a vehicle.

“Thousands of families and children will be out on Halloween night,” said DeCourcy. “We expect drivers to refrain from driving after drinking on Halloween night and every single day. Let’s work together to keep our community safe,” she said.

Nationally, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher, except in Utah, where the limit is .05 g/dL. In addition to the danger in which you place others while driving impaired, your wallet can see consequences. If you’re caught drinking and driving, you could face jail time, lose your driver’s license and your vehicle, and pay up to $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, car towing, higher insurance rates, and lost wages — much more expensive than a taxi or rideshare.

No one should mix drinking and driving, and no one is immune to the effects of drunk driving. If you find yourself drunk and stranded with your vehicle, follow these tips to keep you and others safe:

Give your keys to a sober driver who can safely drive you home or call a taxi/rideshare.
Remind your friends to never get in the vehicle with a drunk driver.
If you have a friend who is about to drive drunk, take away their keys and help them get home safely.
Always have a plan before you head out for the evening.
If you wait until after you’ve been drinking to figure out how to get from one place to the next, you’re already too impaired to make the right choices.
Remember, you shouldn’t worry about offending someone; you might be saving their life.

There are plenty of options to help impaired drivers get home safely, such as designating a sober driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. If available, you can use your community’s sober ride program. Finally, if you see a drunk driver on the road, do not hesitate to call 911.

Always remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.

(Radio Iowa) – Just like Fourth of July fireworks can stress out Iowans’ pets, Halloween can also be a night of horrors for our dogs and cats. Jessie Phillips, director of development at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, says to keep your animals calm during trick-or-treating, you will likely want to find a quiet place for them to camp out. “It really is best if they are kept in another room, maybe in the interior of the house, so they’re not seeing people come to the door, ringing the doorbell,” Phillips says. “Some pets prefer to be crated, if they’re crate trained, so in their safe space or maybe in a bedroom that is their safe space. Read your pet’s cues.”

It may look adorable to dress your dog in disguise for the spooky season, but Fido may think otherwise.  “Not every pet loves to be dressed up in their Halloween costume,” Phillip says. “But regardless, any costume that you do put on your pet, they should be able to move freely, it shouldn’t restrict them. Make sure that their eyes aren’t covered and that they can see clearly. That can be really stressful for pets if their vision is blocked in any way.” Whether your dog will be staying home or accompanying you while trick-or-treating, it’s always important that there be an I-D tag on their collar, as they might manage to dart off.

“Making sure that their tags are updated, that the number on the tag is up to date,” Phillips says. “We get new cell phone numbers or move addresses, so always make sure that information is up to date. And then microchipping is a great way to make sure that if your pet does happen to get loose or get out, that your pet will be returned safely.”

Bowls and bags of Halloween candy should be kept in a cabinet and away from pets, as Phillips says chocolate and other sweets can be dangerous — and even deadly — to a pet.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man from Nebraska who was recently found locked inside of a bar in Red Oak, was subsequently arrested on a charge of Public Intoxication. According to Red Oak Police, Frederick W. Lorenz, of Omaha, claimed he was locked in the Stadium 34 Bar, and could not get out. When officers arrived at the scene, they opened an UNLOCKED door, and found Lorenz inside the establishment.

He was transported to Montgomery County Jail and held on a $300 bond.