(Radio Iowa) – It’s the time of year when some Iowans like to pack the family into the van at dusk, switch the radio to Christmas music, and drive around town taking in the colorful holiday light displays. Triple-A-Iowa spokeswoman Meredith Mitts says if you’ll be making the rounds, remember to follow the rules of the road — and don’t stop dead on the street to take selfies.

“As you’re looking at the lights, whether they’re in a residential area or a little bit more high traffic, there are still pedestrians and other drivers around,” Mitts says. “You need to remain focused about driving on the road and if you want to enjoy the lights, make sure you find a place where you can safely pull over.” Some spectacular holiday displays may rival Clark Griswold’s house, but while the lights are beautiful to look at, they can also be a dangerous distraction.

“Make sure everybody in the car is buckled up — you are still out on the road and things happen,” Mitts says. “Make sure the driver is staying focused on the road and that you are constantly scanning the area for bicyclists, pedestrians, any young children who might be playing in the snow. And then, make sure someone other than the driver is taking photos.” Many Iowa communities have professionally-lit light displays in parks, golf courses, arboretums and other locations. Some are walk-through shows, but those that are the drive-through style demand drivers stay vigilant so the jolly mood isn’t wrecked by a fender bender.

Baird family Christmas display (Dec. 2018)

“A lot of these places have lots of vehicles so make sure you’re keeping an eye on the vehicle ahead of you and going whatever the posted speed limit is,” Mitts says. “Also, remember to turn your lights back on when you are leaving the park because generally, they have you turn them off as you’re going through the park so you can enjoy the lights better.” She suggests you make sure to have the appropriate winter gear in the car in the event of a roadside emergency. The kit should include things like: blankets, water and snacks, a flashlight with fresh batteries, tools, a shovel, an ice scraper, jumper cables, sand and a first aid kit.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Positive COVID-19 tests are spiking in Iowa and the state’s 14-day positivity rate is nearing 12%. The Iowa Department of Public Health on Monday reported 12,254 positive tests in the last seven days, up from 9,706 on Friday. The state’s 14-day positivity rate increased from 11.5% to 11.9%.

Hospitalizations, however, have declined since Friday. There are now 721 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 747 on Friday. Of those hospitalized with COVID-19, 71.9% are unvaccinated, while 86.5% of those listed in intensive care with the virus are unvaccinated.

The number of long-term care facilities reporting outbreaks also declined from 20 to 17. IDPH reports 4,276,328 vaccine doses have been administered in the state, with 69.2% of those 18 and older fully vaccinated and 72.5% of those 12 and older with at least one vaccine dose.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports the County Board of Supervisors will conduct, at 10-a.m. Friday, Dec. 10th, a manual recount of the ballots counted in each and all of the three City of Atlantic precincts, of the votes cast for Mayor in the Nov. 30th city run-off election. The recount takes place in the Supervisors Board Room at the Cass County Courthouse.

Afterward, they will complete a written report of the findings from the recount.  Following the election on Nov. 30th, the unofficial results showed Grace Garrett won by just four votes over Tim Teig. Since the race was so close, Teig requested the recount. The election had been held because none of the four candidates received 50.1% of the vote during the Nov. 2nd election. Garrett and Teig received the most votes, though, resulting in the run-off.

A recount is a formal procedure in which ballots that were voted and counted at an election, are counted again. Any candidate whose name was printed on the ballot may file a request for a recount. Recounts, like all canvasses of votes, are open to the public. Observers may watch and listen, but they may not participate in, or interfere with, the recount. Observers cannot touch the ballots.

(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowa organizations say “donor fatigue” is setting in as everyone gets overwhelmed by donation requests. Salvation Army Captain Shawn Debaar in Cedar Rapids says they’ve already through November a massive decrease in the number of donations from last year. He tells K-C-R-G T-V donors stepped up during the pandemic, and more locally the August 2020 derecho. “The challenge of course for us and other non-profits in the area is that while we’ve been abundantly blessed by donors the last couple of years –the need is continuing,” Debaar says.

Debaar says they’ve had to come up with some new ideas for donors who have been giving about their normal levels. “Some of the need for some of our givers to go back to their normal giving patterns means we’re having to come up with some creative ways to still meet that increased need,” DeBaar says.

Debaar tells K-C-R-G T-V one issue they are seeing is increased operating costs for the organization. For example, the cost of the hams the organization donates at Christmas has more than doubled. That means the money donated doesn’t go as far as it did before.

(Red Oak) Police in Red Oak have issued a report on a non-injury accident that took place Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of the Red Oak McDonald’s restaurant.
Officials say at around 2:40-p.m., a 2010 Hyundai SUV driven by 66-year-old Lynn R. Reynolds, of Stanton, was stopped waiting on traffic so she could turn onto Broadway Street. A 1986 Jeep Cherokee driven by 19-year-old Brendon Lee Nenneman, of Red Oak, was leaving the McDonald’s parking lot, when he became distracted.
The Jeep struck the passenger door of the Hyundai, causing a total of $4,000 damage.

Red Oak Police cited Nenneman for providing no proof of insurance.

(Radio Iowa) – A Chicago man who sold heroin to a Cedar Falls woman who overdosed has been sentenced to four decades in prison. The woman died in 2018 of acute heroin intoxication. Police used the woman’s Facebook Messenger account, asked Eric DeAngelo Griggs for more heroin and, when he showed up, Griggs was arrested. Griggs was living in Waterloo at the time of his arrest.

This past April, a jury convicted him of distribution of heroin resulting in death. He is 40 years old and has been sentenced to 40 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

(Rural Montgomery County) — A blaze destroyed a home in rural Montgomery County late Sunday evening. According to Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce, his crews were dispatched to 2559 K Avenue, southeast of Red Oak, at around 8:50-p.m. Soon after their arrival, Red Oak requested mutual aid for tanker support and personnel, from Essex and Stanton, as the first engine crew reported heavy flames shooting from the two-story structure. Chief Bruce said as they battled the flames, winds averaging 20-to 25 mph made the job difficult.

Grass trucks were requested, and local farmer Kent Swanson brought his tractor and disc in, to work a couple of areas around the affected area, to make sure the embers didn’t spread to other structures or the land.

Photo submitted

Firefighters were at the scene for almost three hours. No injuries were reported. Bruce says the unoccupied house, owned by Robert and Carroll Peterson of Red Oak, is a total loss. He says the fire’s cause and origination are undetermined at this time. Montgomery County Emergency Management, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies, and SIRWA assisted at the scene.