(Radio Iowa) – As the weather got warmer, so did the state and regional economies, according to the monthly Creighton University survey of supply managers in Iowa and eight other states. Creighton economist Ernie Goss says for the third straight month, the Midwest’s overall index climbed above growth neutral, which is 50 on a zero-to-100 scale. Goss says the region’s April numbers were particularly encouraging.

“The overall reading jumped significantly up,” Goss says. “It’s still in a slow-growth range to April 54.8, and that’s up from March’s slightly-above-growth neutral reading of 50.8. It was a good reading, but still not back up to the readings we saw at this time last year.” The survey found almost six in ten supply managers fear recession will strike later this year, while about half report having trouble finding qualified workers to fill open positions.

“We’re still seeing labor hoarding out there, because companies really are attempting to not let loose of workers,” Goss says. “They don’t want to let them go knowing full well they may not ever get them back. So in some cases, we’re seeing workers not being fully busy at their jobs, so that’s bringing down productivity.” For April, Goss says hiring numbers were weak. On the plus side for consumers, the survey shows inflation is finally backing off.

“The inflation gauge dropped. It’s down from March’s 77.1 down to April 67.4, and that’s the lowest reading since December of 2022,” Goss says. “We’re seeing less and less inflationary pressures now as the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates and that is putting downward pressure on prices.”

Iowa’s economic numbers looked especially good during April, as the overall index jumped from 49.4 in March to 55.8, well over growth neutral. Goss says between the first quarter of 2022 and this year’s first quarter, Iowa’s hourly manufacturing wages climbed by more than eight-percent.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five recent arrests:

On Saturday, April 29th

• 47-year-old Daniel Lee Dolen, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving While Denied or Revoked (Bond $1,000).
• 29-year-old Angel Gomez, of Omaha, was arrested for Public Intoxication (Bond $300).
• and, 59-year-old Joseph Ray Hedrick, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Burglary in the 3rd Degree (Bond$5,000).

On Friday, April 28th, 27-year-old Dylan Wayne Helton, of St. Joseph, MO., was arrested for: Neglect or Abandonment of a Dependent Person; 2 counts Possession of a Controlled Substance; Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia; No Valid Driver’s License, and Operating a vehicle without registration/plate (Bond $12,900).

And, on April 26th, 25-year-old Devin Donte Sattizahn, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Domestic Abuse. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

(Huxley, Iowa) – A restaurant in Huxley has claimed the title of “Iowa’s Best Burger,” for 2023. The Iowa Beef Industry Council reports the Flight Bar + Grille, in Huxley, was crowned winner for their burger they call “The Foundation,” a double-smash burger with cheddar cheese. “It includes mustard aioli, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions and is topped with thick-cut bacon served between a beautiful and buttery brioche bun,” explained Katie Boughey, executive chef and kitchen manager. She said “We use simple seasonings – salt and pepper – to let the beef’s flavor be the star of the burger.”

The burger features 80% lean, fresh ground beef – the ideal ratio for creating outstanding flavor. The never-frozen and Midwest-sourced beef is rolled into a meatball and then smashed straight on the grill with a steak weight to give it a crisp crust. The judges noted the crust preserves the juices inside, resulting in a perfectly cooked burger that makes the food an exceptional experience. House-made pickles and flight fries (aptly dubbed the most delicious fries you’ve ever tasted!) round out a plate of goodness that has taken off for patrons of this restaurant turned must-visit destination. It’s one of a half dozen mouthwatering burgers on Flight’s menu.

The Foundation burger at the Flight Bar & Grill, in Huxley.

Restaurant owners Marianne and Matt Pacha moved to Huxley six years ago, immediately felt at home with the sense of community the central Iowa town of 4,500 provided. The intersection of community and family values with a desire to create a restaurant with a hometown feel led the Pachas to develop and open Flight Bar + Grille in 2022. Their establishment name was inspired by the local Ballard school district’s mascot – the Ballard Bombers.  In addition to the prize-winning burger, other menu items give a nod to the aviation theme with Flight Fries with house-made aioli sauces, Bomber Sliders, the Flight Club and a kids’ menu for pilots in training, featuring Jet Sliders named for the town’s youth football program mascot.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Education for the Atlantic Community School District will hold a Special/Closed Session, on Tuesday. The meeting is being held to conduct interviews with candidates applying to become the new, District Superintendent. The session takes place at 1:45-p.m., Tuesday (May 2, 2023), in the Central Office at the Achievement Center.

The Board previously met in a Closed Session last Friday (April 28), for the purpose of reviewing applications received from persons interested in the Superintendent and School Business Official (SBO) positions.

Both positions became open with the resignations in early April, of Superintendent Steve Barber, whose last day is June 30th, and SBO Sarah Sheeder, whose last day is May 31st.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports five arrests occurred during the past week. On April 23rd, 49-year-old Matthew James Malloy, Sr., of Des Moines, was arrested following a traffic stop for speeding on Highway 25 in Adair County. When an Iowa State Patrol Trooper spoke with Malloy during an investigation that immediately followed the traffic stop, Malloy acknowledged he was speeding, and furthermore, that he did not have a driver’s license. He said also, his license was suspended. A records check confirmed Malloy was barred for being an Habitual Offender, with three license withdrawals in effect. The earliest his license would be reinstated, in April, 2026. He was charged with driving while barred and transported to the Adair County Jail in Greenfield. Malloy was released a few days later on a $2,000 bond.

On April 25th,19-year-old  Xachariah Mickale Hinson, of Greenfield, who was in the Adair County Jail, was charged with a Violation of a No Contact Order, by means of phone calls and text messages. He being held on a previous charge of Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, for allegedly breaking a woman’s apartment windows, plus a Stalking charge. Hinson remains in the jail until his sentence is served.

Also on April 25th, an Adair County Sheriff’s Deputy arrested 33-year-old Seth Michael Thompson, of Earlham, in Greenfield, on charges of Driving While Barred. He was also cited for Operating a vehicle without Registration, and Failure to provide proof of Insurance. He was released the following day on a $2,000 bond. On April 26th, 29-year-old Bryce Austin Garrels, of Statford, Iowa, was arrested in Webster County, on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. He remains held in the Adair County Jail without bond.

And, on Friday, April 28th, Police in Adair arrested 66-year-old Harold David Hytrek, Jr., of Madrid, for OWI/2nd offense, Eluding, Interference with Officials Acts, and Carrying a Weapon While Intoxicated. He was taken into custody following reports just before 6-p.m., of an erratic driver in a RAM pickup traveling westbound Interstate 80. He refused to yield to a marked squad car, and was boxed-in by two police vehicles, but Hytrek managed to get around the first blockade and take-off. The second time he was boxed-in, about a mile later, a DNR Officer held Hytrek at gunpoint, but he continued to resist orders to surrender, and cooperate. He was eventually transported to the Adair County Jail and released Saturday on a $1,500 bond.

(Audubon, Iowa) – The Audubon County Board of Supervisors will meet at 9-a.m. Tuesday, in their Board Room at the Audubon County Courthouse. Here’s a look at their agenda, as prepared by Auditor Janell Remsburg:

◼ Call meeting to order
◼ Approve Agenda
◼ Department Head Meeting
1) Discuss PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Central Location?
2) Auditor’s Office has laminator for everyone’s use
3) Possibly change Department Head Meetings to 2nd Tuesday of the Month
4) How to handle assets
◼ Approve the 4/25/2023 meeting minutes
◼ Accept/File Annual MMP Update for Keno Farms VIII LLC-Dove Finisher Farm #69332
◼ Approve Asset Deletion #2414 for Auditor’s Office
◼ Set new deadline for FY23 Budget Amendments (Public Hearing 5/23/23)
◼ 10:00am phone call with John Danos regarding the Feed Mill property tax rebate and other Urban Renewal questions
10:00am Mike Galloway-discussion of Employee Handbook recommendations/review & approve union contract changes
◼ Secondary Roads
◼ Review FY23 amendment requests-other departments
◼ Supervisor amendment work session with AP Janell Remsburg-Supervisor dept expenditure reports
(01,51,52,99) finalize amendment amounts and submit to Auditor
◼ Approve Claims for Payment
◼ Adjourn

The meeting will be viewable by Zoom.

(Radio Iowa) – It’s prom season for Iowa high school students, and law enforcement officers across the state are working to keep a closer eye out for young drivers who may be impaired. Iowa State Patrol public resource officer Paul Gardner, who’s based in Fort Dodge, has some advice for teens who are planning for the big night. “Stay sober. Don’t go out drinking. Don’t go to parties that are serving alcohol or that will have drugs present. These activities can certainly get a young person into a lot of trouble,” Gardner says. “If a teenage driver is caught behind the wheel with just about any amount of alcohol or narcotics in their system, they can get cited for an underage possession or processed for an OWI.”

Gardner says the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving has compiled some figures about the dangers. “In 2021, 31% of all fatal crashes in Iowa involved a younger person between the ages of 15 to 20 years old,” he says. “That’s an alarming statistic. That’s almost one-third of the traffic crashes that involved younger drivers.” Just one drink, or even part of a drink, may land a teen driver in deep legal trouble.

“Iowa has a zero tolerance law, which limits the blood-alcohol content in a teenage driver to .02, which can just take a small amount of alcohol to reach that point,” Gardner says. “Once that driver is tested for being over that .02 level, they can lose their driver’s license for 90 days or more, and that will certainly impact their getting an adult license.”

A recent national survey found the average high school student and their families will spend between 900 and a-thousand dollars on prom.