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Spring arrives tomorrow, but a snowstorm may arrive this weekend

News, Weather

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Don’t put away those heavy coats, shovels and snow-melt just yet. Tomorrow (Tuesday) marks the first day of spring, but it’s possible a large area of Iowa will be digging out from a winter-weather storm in less than a week. Meteorologist Katie Gross, at the National Weather Service office in Omaha, says they’re following a developing weather system that may arrive over Iowa next Sunday, and could last into the following Tuesday.

“The whole system is still kind of up in the air, with all the models not quite agreeing on what exactly is going to play out just yet,” Gross says. “The best consensus we’ve got so far is that there’s probably going to be some snow falling over parts of northern Iowa, with maybe some heavier rain across the rest of the state.” The computer models are not lining up as to the location of the rain-snow line, but for the moment, it appears the northern few tiers of Iowa counties may see snow late next weekend.

“We are not really certain where exactly this will set up,” Gross says. “If the whole system shifts south, more of Iowa could see snow. If it moves north, more of Iowa will be kind of stuck in that warmer air and get some heavier rain.” She says there is still substantial uncertainty with the storm track, but one thing is sure, Mother Nature often doesn’t pay attention to the calendar.

“This time of year, we’re just kind of in that flux between winter and spring,” Gross says. “It kind of bobs back and forth between the two for a few weeks here.” She suggests you keep a close eye on the forecast throughout the week as the details become more clear.

Low water, high temperatures a concern for trout stocking

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa D-N-R has already been keeping an eye on water temperatures for their urban trout stocking program, and now they are facing potential problems stocking the trout’s natural habitat. Northeast Iowa Fisheries Supervisor, Mike Siepker, says his team is cautious about when and where they’ll be stocking more than 300-thousand fish in area streams. “This is kind of uncharted territory. We’ve had droughts in the past, but for staff that are here now this is kind of a new thing where we’re dealing with these low stream conditions and what could potentially be a really warm summer,” as he says.

Trout thrive in cooler water. Many of the D-N-R’s hatcheries in the region rely on groundwater reserves, which are also low and could also be a problem.  “They’re spring-fed flows that feed the hatcheries, so we’ve already had discussions at the hatcheries that if the droughts continue, how will we adjust our practices at the hatchery to take advantage of the water that we have,” Siepker says.

Siepker says one of solutions is staggering the 18-month hatching and growth window across multiple sites, which would ultimately use less water. They D-N-R also stocks one to two-thousand trout in nine different lakes around the state as a way to introduce people to trout fishing. They are watching the water temperatures in those lakes, as lower water levels and unseasonably high temperatures could warm the lakes up.

Traffic stop in Clarinda results in the arrest of a Missouri man on drug charges

News

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports officers with the Clarinda P-D conducted a traffic stop at around 2:30-p.m., Saturday (March 16), at the intersection of 16th and Orange Streets, and arrested a man on drug charges. 40-year-old Matthew Lee Gusman, of Kansas City, Missouri, was taken into custody after drugs were located in the vehicle he was driving.

Gusman is charged with felony possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and failure to have the required drug tax stamps. He was booked into the Page County Jail and held on $100,000 bond, pending the filing of formal charges by the Page County Attorney.

All defendants are presumed innocent under our system of criminal justice until found guilty in a court of law.”

Restaurant in Adair makes the Top 10 Iowa Best Burgers list!

News

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Ames, Iowa) – From quaint hometown diners to upscale urban eateries, the competition was fierce as the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association accepted nominations for the 15th annual Iowa’s Best Burger contest. This year’s contest saw record-breaking engagement, with more than 7,500 burger enthusiasts casting their ballots, underscoring the deep-seated love and passion for beef in Iowa. The restaurants making the 2024 Top Ten finalists list (in alphabetical order) include:

  • Big Head Burger, Waterloo
  • Chuckwagon Restaurant, Adair
  • Flight Bar + Grille, Huxley
  • Houston’s On Main, Milo
  • JJ’s Tavern + Grill, Ankeny
  • Lucile’s at The Continental Hotel, Centerville
  • The Flying Elbow, Marshalltown
  • The Market at the Tap, Monticello
  • Wilder at Graduate Hotel Iowa City, Iowa City
  • Williamson Tavern, Williamson

Kylie Peterson, Director of Marketing for the Iowa Beef Industry Council, says “More than 500 restaurants were nominated during this year’s voting process. This year’s Top Ten restaurants are award-winning worthy, but are only a few of the many restaurants in Iowa that do an outstanding job of promoting and serving our beef products to their customers on behalf of Iowa’s beef farmers.” To qualify, the burger must be a 100% real beef patty served on a bun or bread product. Burgers may include any combination of condiments, sauces, cheese or toppings. In celebration of the contest’s 15th anniversary, we allowed all previous Iowa’s Best Burger winners the chance to compete in the 2024 contest.

Three of the Top Ten restaurants are past Iowa’s Best Burger winners, including Chuckwagon Restaurant (2016), The Flying Elbow (2022) and Flight Bar + Grille (2023). Only one of the remaining restaurants, Lucile at The Continental Hotel, has been a previous Top Ten Iowa Best Burger qualifier.

The final phase in the quest for the 2024 Iowa’s Best Burger will now begin. All Top Ten restaurants will be visited by a panel of anonymous judges who will evaluate the burgers based on taste, appearance, and proper doneness (160 degrees Fahrenheit). The judges’ scores and comments will be accumulated and the winner will be announced on May 1 to kick off May Beef Month.

As beef remains a cornerstone of Iowa’s economy, events like Iowa’s Best Burger contest serve as a testament to the dedication and passion of Iowa’s cattlemen and food service providers working together to provide memorable and delicious beef eating experiences.

Previous Iowa’s Best Burger winners include: 2023 – Flight Bar + Grille of Huxley; 2022 – The Flying Elbow of Marshalltown; 2021 – Bambino’s of Ossian; 2020 – Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon of BeeBeeTown; 2019 – Wood Iron Grille of Oskaloosa; 2018 – Café Beaudelaire of Ames; 2017 – The Smokin’ Hereford BBQ of Storm Lake; 2016 – The Chuckwagon Restaurant Adair; 2015 – The Cider House of Fairfield; 2014 – Brick City Grill in Ames; 2013 – 61 Chop House Grille in Mediapolis; 2012 – Coon Bowl III in Coon Rapids; 2011 – Rusty Duck in Dexter; and 2010 – Sac County Cattle Company of Sac City.

To learn more about the contest and the Top Ten restaurants, visit www.iabeef.org.

Busy agenda for Wednesday’s Atlantic City Council Meeting (3/20/24)

News

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council has had relatively short agendas during their past few meetings, but that changes with their session set for this Wednesday at 5:30-p.m. in their Chambers at City Hall, in Atlantic. There are Public Hearings scheduled with regard to: The submission of a CDBG application for an AMU Clearwell Water Project; The plans, specifications and form of contract for the Atlantic SplashPad; and on a proposal to Enter into a General Obligation Solid Waste Management Loan Management Agreement.

There are also Resolutions to consider and act on, including:

  • Approving the aforementioned plans, specifications and form of contract for the Atlantic SplashPad, and Awarding a contract for project.
  • A resolution setting the date for Public Hearings and Additional action on proposals to Enter into a General Obligation Loan Agreement and to Borrow Money,” with regard to a new Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Fund. (See details in the PDF link below).
  • A resolution “Taking additional action on a proposal to Enter into a General Obligation Solid Waste Management Loan Management Agreement and Providing for the Levy of Taxes.”
  • and, a resolution “Approving a Professional Services Agreement with Barb Barrick to temporarily provide City Clerk consulting services for the City of Atlantic.”

Read more about the upcoming meeting here: City Council Agenda Packet March 20, 2024-compressed_1

Ernst seeks new Senate GOP leadership role

News

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Republican Joni Ernst is seeking the number three leadership position among her G-O-P peers in the U-S Senate. “This is the main communicator job or position for the Republican  Conference in the Senate,” Ernst says.

Ernst is currently the fourth-ranking G-O-P Leader and her title is Senate Republican Policy Committee chair. Her decision to seek a higher rung on the leadership ladder in the next congress comes after Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell announced he would step down as Senate Republican leader at the end of the year. As G-O-P conference chair, Ernst would help guide the message Republicans present to voters.

“This is a great opportunity for me to communicate what’s going on in middle America. We’re tired of hearing all about the coastal elites,” Ernst says. “It is time to hear directly from folks in Iowa, hear what’s going on on the ground.”  Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton is seeking the same position as Ernst. “It is a competition. It is an election and we have all the way ’til this fall to get our message out,” Ernst says. “It is going to be a very long campaign for this leadership position, but I’m up for the challenge.”

Ernst was reelected to a second term in the U-S Senate in 2020. She has not announced whether she’ll run for reelection in 2026.

Gov. Reynolds and First Gentleman Invite Iowans to Terrace Hill’s Annual Egg Hunt on the Hill

News

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds and First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds invite Iowans to join them for Terrace Hill’s Annual Egg Hunt on the Hill Saturday, March 23 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm.  The Egg Hunt on the Hill event is for children ages 1 to 10, and children must be accompanied by an adult. This is a free event. Families wishing to attend must RSVP by e-mail only to molly.thompson@governor.iowa.gov. Please include first and last names of each attendee and the age of each child. Guests should dress appropriately for the weather and bring their own sack or basket to collect eggs.

Guests will enjoy photos with the Easter Bunny, meeting Governor Kim Reynolds and First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds, eggs on a stick from the Iowa Egg Council, balloon animals, and most of all: the Easter egg hunt.

Space is limited to 150 children, and registration will close once capacity is reached.

Adair County Sheriff’s report for 3/18/24

News

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports seven arrests took place over the past week. Sheriff Jeff Vandewater says there were two arrests on March 10th: 39-year-old Jacob Joseph Pratt, of Independence, MO., was arrested following a traffic stop by Stuart Police, and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, PCS/Marijuana – 1st offense, and Possession of Drug paraphernalia. Pratt was released later that same day on a $2,300 cash or surety bond. And, 24-year-old Richard Paul Welsch, of Greenfield, was arrested March 10th by Greenfield Police, for OWI/1st offense. Welsch was released a short time later, on a citation.

On March 11th, an Iowa State Patrol Trooper arrested 59-year-old Jon Jefferson Perry, of Fontanelle, following a traffic stop on Highway 92. Perry was charged with Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

On March 14th, 24-year-old Dylan Michael Cory, of Stuart, turned himself-in to the Adair County Sheriff’s Office. Cory was wanted on an Adair County warrant for OWI/1st offense. He was released the same day on a $1,000 c/s bond. And, 50-year-old Jason James Masolini, of Stuart, was arrested March 14th on an Adair County Felony warrant for Violation of Probation. Masolini was released the next day on a $5,000 bond after appearing before a Judge.

Last Friday (March 15th), 39-year-old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of Fontanelle, was arrested in Fontanelle, for Driving While Barred. He was cited at the scene and released. And, on Saturday (March 16th), 46-year-old Brandie Sue Whitney, of Creston, was arrested in Greenfield, for Driving While Barred. Whitney was cited at the scene and released.

Glenwood Police report: 3 arrests, 1 accident

News

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department says three people were arrested over the weekend. On Saturday, 21-year-old Ethan Wyatt, of Glenwood, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. He posted a $1,300 bond and was released. Also arrested Saturday, was 30-year-old Sandon Slater, of Glenwood. Slater was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. He posted a $1,000 bond and was released.

On Sunday, Glenwood Police arrested 32-year-old Elisabeth Coffey, of Glenwood, for OWI/1st offense. Coffey was taken into custody following a crash that took place a little after 1-a.m., Sunday, in the area of 4th and Linn Streets, in Glenwood. A Glenwood Police Officer was providing assistance with a traffic stop, when he heard a crash. He proceeded around the block and upon arrival, noticed a 1993 Ford Crown Victoria had struck a mailbox. The driver’s side of the Crown Vic and the left front side of a legally parked & unoccupied 2007 Chevy Malibu about 20-yards to the south of the Ford, were damaged.

Coffey was checked-out by paramedics but refused treatment. She was transported to the Mills County Jail and later posted a $1,000 bond. Damage from the incident amounted to $7,100 altogether.

State universities meet increased demand for on-campus living

News

March 18th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Iowa’s public universities are seeing increased interest in on-campus living from new and returning students, citing convenience and satisfaction with offered resources by their colleges. Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa and University of Iowa have all reported expecting higher numbers of students living in their residence facilities, in part due to more returning students wishing to stay on campus. At UNI, a near-record number of returning students submitted housing contract renewals, about 15% more than last year, a news release stated.

In total, UNI is predicting around 3,200 students will choose to live on campus, almost 3% more than its current occupancy and the highest number since 2018. UNIy housed 3,114 students according to its fall census, and its capacity is 3,594. In a recent presentation to the Iowa Board of Regents, he said the university is expected to be at close to 90% occupancy this fall, the highest since 2016. UNI has offered a financial incentive to students thinking about staying on campus past their freshman year — the Live 2 Succeed program. Students who live in university housing for a second year will receive a $1,000 scholarship, broken into $500 chunks in the fall and spring semesters, and priority room selection each year after their first living on campus.

More than half of UNI’s new residents are choosing to participate in the Live 2 Succeed program. High costs off campus could also be a reason to live in university housing, Rafanello said, especially rising food prices due to inflation. With rent, utilities and even commuting becoming more expensive, the price tags of living on and off campus are similar. It makes sense students would go with the option that affords them more, he said.

ISU converts single rooms to doubles

Iowa State University housed just over 10,000 students in the fall, according to Vice President for Campus Life and Director of Residence Michael Harwood. That’s about 96% of the university’s capacity. ISU is seeing increased interest in on-campus housing, especially from returning students, prompting the college to shift some rooms from single to double occupancy. Around 150 spaces are being made available to meet the greater need, and the residence system governance report stated this would bring the university’s capacity to 10,566. ISU is expected to reach about 97% capacity in fiscal year 2025, according to the report, or just over 10,250 students. According to research from ISU, students who live on-campus have a 34% higher retention rate, 38% higher four-year graduation rate and 5% higher grade-point average than students who live off-campus.

UI keeps residence hall open

High numbers of returning students wanting to live on campus and record numbers of admissions applications have led the University of Iowa to keep Mayflower Residence Hall open another year, while keeping it on the market for sale. More than 1,500 students have applied to live on campus another year according to UI spokesperson Steve Schmadeke. The UI has also heard anecdotally that students are staying on campus for its location, support systems and not having to deal with rent and cooking. Von Stange, UI assistant vice president for student life and senior director of university housing and dining, said at a board of regents meeting that 94% of respondents to a student satisfaction survey would recommend on-campus living to new students.

Schmadeke said the university is also seeing a record number of applications from prospective students. The UI began the 2023-24 school year at 98% capacity, and according to a board of regents residence system governance report, the university is forecast to be at full capacity this fall with the increase in students living on-campus and the closure of Parklawn Hall due to lack of interest from students.

The UI expects to have enough space to accommodate all students wishing to live on-campus, according to Schmadeke.