(Radio Iowa) – It’s the day for the wearin’ of the green, but some Iowans will be seeing red and blue if they don’t make smart choices. Iowa State Trooper Paul Gardner, who’s based in Fort Dodge, says law officers across Iowa will be focused on Highway 20 today (Thursday) as part of a special traffic enforcement program.  “What that’s going to include is troopers working Highway 20, looking for excessive speeders, people not wearing their seat belts, people who are distracted and driving,” Gardner says. “And of course, with St. Patrick’s Day, we tend to see alcohol consumption go up so we will also be watching for people who are under the influence as well.”

Trooper Gardner explains why this year’s focus will be on that particular east-west corridor from Dubuque to Sioux City. “When we look at the numbers, the stats for traffic crashes along Highway 20 in the last five years, we’ve had 33 fatalities and 13 of those were alcohol-related, so close to 40% were attributed to OWI,” Gardner says. “We want to make sure we’re bringing that number down to avoid crashes and avoid casualties.”

If you’ve had a little too much green beverage, he reminds drivers not to get behind the wheel but to first designate a driver or call a cab or a ride.

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), the first female combat veteran elected to the U.S. Senate, joined Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in a resolution urging the Biden administration to facilitate the transfer of aircraft, such as MiG-29s, and air defense systems to Ukraine. In her statement, Ernst said “Putin and his army continue to target innocent Ukrainian civilians, their public infrastructure, farms, hospitals, and even homes. The Ukrainian people, under President Zelenskyy, have fought back valiantly, but they need more support from the United States and our NATO allies. President Biden must act immediately to transfer MiGs and air defense systems to our allies and allow the Ukrainians to protect their people and their country. Every second counts.”

The resolution:

• Encourages the President of the United States to support the transfer of aircraft, such as MiG-29s, and air defense systems to Ukraine.
• Supports continued efforts by members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and other countries around the globe to identify additional aviation and air defense capabilities to transfer to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• Expresses that the Senate stands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people in their struggle against Russian aggression.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department say a man residing in the 1400 block of N. Elm Street, told them Tuesday afternoon, that an iPad had been stolen. The device was taken from the victim’s pickup truck that was parked at 601 New York Avenue, in Creston. The loss was estimated at $400.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Members of the Atlantic School District’s Board of Education met during a regular session Wednesday evening, during which they held public hearings on the proposed 2022-23 School Calendar and the High School south parking lot and driveway improvement project.

With regard to the parking lot, the Board approved a low bid of $429, 733 from United Construction Services Corp. of Atlantic. The offer was more than $66,000 under the engineer’s projected cost estimate. Construction is set to begin after school lets out this Spring, with a proposed completion date of August 12, weather permitting.

The School Board approved the 2022-2023 school calendar, as presented. As per State law, the first day of school in August will be on the 23rd. The last day is May 25, 2023. The calendar also includes a winter break from December 22 to January 2, five days of spring break-March 20 to March 24, with the last day of school on May 25th.

In his report to the Board, Superintendent Steve Barber said the Middle School reconstruction project continues to progress at a good rate. The only supplies they are waiting for, he said, was replacement heat pumps, and they have since all arrived on site. Mr. Barber said that means the project will not be held-up by supply chain issues, as some had feared.

He said there are some hurdles to overcome, though, with regard to progress pertaining to the District’s outdoor facilities, including making sure dormant seeding planted in November meets the performance standard outlined in the specifications, and they are watching an area of the sidewalk around the Trojan Bowl, to ensure it is not settling to a point where water would start flowing the wrong way. Each of the three facilities, Barber said, have reached substantial completion, so they can be used by students and the community.

In other business, the Board set April 13th as the date for a public hearing on the amended 2021-2022 Budget (Here is School Business Official Sarah Sheeder’s FY23 Budget Presentation) and proposed 2022-2023 accredited budget. The proposal for the fiscal year 2023 budget reduces the tax levy from $13.95 per one thousand dollars of valuation the previous year to $13.25 per thousand dollars of valuation for the next fiscal year. The Board’s decision to lower the tax levy is to offset the financial impact to property taxpayers due to the 7.09 percent increase in property valuations.

The Atlantic School Board approved a three-percent salary increase for the central office staff, technology,  directors, principals, and school business officials, and they agreed to provide each social worker with a salary increase of $6,100, for a total of $21,427.

In addition, the Board agreed to pay the increase in health insurance, in order to keep the premium the same for the employees.

(Radio Iowa) – Those who are Irish — and those who celebrate with them every year on this day — are preparing for the return of the St. Patrick’s Day Parades. Sioux City’s parade is back after a two-year absence brought on by the pandemic. Spokesman Kelly Quinn says a lot of people have signed up to participate. “I think we have probably more than we have ever had as far as floats. I think it’s going to be a good year — especially after taking two years off,” Quinn says. He expects a big turnout for those watching the parade as well.

“I think people are excited to just get out and about — plus St. Patty’s day is traditionally just a day for every to have fun and kind of let loose,” he says. The parade begins at 6 p-m and will travel the length of historic 4th Street through the downtown area. Quinn says many local people of Irish heritage will be taking part in the parade, walking or riding on floats.

(Radio Iowa) – A Sioux City man is going to prison for a second time for selling unapproved versions of drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction. Sixty-one-year-old David Kempema was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to selling mis-branded drugs with the intent to defraud. Information from his plea agreement showed Kempema ordered pills from India or Germany that contained the same active ingredients as Viagra and Cialis.

He placed ads in men’s restrooms in businesses along with Interstate 29 advertising the pills as “dietary supplements” called “Supermale” and “All Natural Male.” Kempema admitted that he knew the drugs were not F-D-A-approved. He had reached another plea agreement for doing about the same thing back in 2011 and was sentenced back then to 60 days in jail.

Prosecutors say drugs from overseas may contain unknown or dangerous ingredients and are manufactured under unknown or unregulated conditions that can put consumers at risk for side effects.