(Radio Iowa) – The annual University of Okoboji Winter Games begin today (Thursday) with thousands of people expected to take part through the weekend. Okoboji Director of Tourism Rebecca Peters estimates the games for the fictional university have a three-million-dollar economic impact on the area.

The games feature everything from a polar plunge, broom ball, snowmobiles, and a kite festival. Most of the tourism in the area happens when the lakes aren’t frozen and there’s no snow on the ground.

Peters says there’s another benefit to the winter games as she says finding ways for locals to enjoy Okoboji beyond the summer months has helped fuel population growth in Dickinson County.

(By Kendall Crawford, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the Iowa House are considering a bill that would let 16-year-olds work in child care facilities on their own, without having an adult supervisor in the room. Wade Riedinger is executive director for the Iowa Alliance of Y-M-C-As, which supports the bill. He says 16 and 17 year olds already serve as lifeguards and youth sports officials. “Our families are facing waiting lists to get into our child care centers and we feel that this bill will give our child care directors the opportunity of having a bigger pool of candidates,” he says.

Janee Harvey with the Department of Human Services says Iowa would be the only state to let 16 and 17 year olds work, unsupervised, in child care centers or homes that provide child care, and it could jeopardize federal funding.  “I want to make clear, especially like a child development home — so it’s not a child care center where you have other adults around — with this current change, you could have a 16-year-old alone with up to 12 kids,” Harvey says. “That raises some significant concerns.”

Harvey says her agency is proposing that 15-year-olds be allowed to work at child care centers, but keeping adult supervision for all minors. Key lawmakers working on the issue say they’re considering changes to the bill before it’s debated in a House committee.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Adair County will conduct an in-person meeting in their Boardroom at the Courthouse in Greenfield, Friday, beginning at 9-a.m. (The meeting will be accessible by dial-in, as well**). On their agenda, is a 5th Judicial District Annual report, a Manure Management Plan (MMP) update, and a Resolution to extend the City of Stuart Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Ordinance.

The Board will hear from County Treasurer Brenda Wallace, and her Semi-Annual report, along with a Longevity Increase. Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg will present an Agreement for the Combination of a Rural Township & City Precinct, along with a Legislative Services Agency (LSA) Redistricting Plan. Afterward, the Board will act on setting the date for a public hearing on the Redistricting Ordinance.

Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman has numerous road projects to report on, during his segment of the meeting. He’ll also discuss budget matters and the FY 23 Construction Program. The Supervisors will conclude the meeting with a FY 2023 Budget Work Session.

(**Dial-In number: (605)-313-6157, Access Code: 526272#)

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports the arrest on a warrant, of a man from Texas. Authorities say 19-year-old Samien Phillip Flores, of San Juan, TX., was arrested at around 2:30-p.m. Wednesday, on a Texas warrant for Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon. US Marshals apprehended Flores with the assistance of Creston Police Department and Union County Sheriff Department. Flores was transported to Union County Jail.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two men have been arrested on separate charges so far this week. Monday night, 36-year-old Brandon Heath Smith, of Glenwood, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. His bond was set at $300. And, at around 3:40-a.m. today (Thursday), 29-year-old Keith Patrick Schreck, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Trespass, and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. Bond was set at $600.

Area and State News.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) – The “State of Tobacco Control” report issued by the Iowa American Lung Association shows the state’s grades have not changed from last year. Association advocacy director, Kristina Hamilton, says there has been one recent improvement in tobacco prevention. She says Iowa’s Medicaid program now provides a comprehensive quit smoking benefit. “This is something that the Lung Association is very excited about, because it provides new opportunities to help smokers on Medicaid quit,” she says.

The state received an F grade for providing access to services to help people quit tobacco prior to the recent change. The report also gives Iowa an F grade for ending the sale of flavored tobacco products, the level of state tobacco taxes, and the amount of funding of tobacco prevention programs. “Despite receiving over 265 million dollars from tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes in Iowa — the state only funds tobacco control efforts at 17-point-one percent of the level that the C-D-C recommends,” Hamilton says. “So, we really want to at a minimum protect the four million dollars in tobacco control funding at the state level.”

The one area where the state gets an A grade is the Smokefree Air Law. “Our smoke-free air law it is very strong, we just want to see the loophole closed for casinos,” Hamilton says. Currently, smoking is allowed in restricted areas within casinos and we would like to see that loophole closed to protect workers and patrons.” Hamilton says they would also like to see E-cigarettes defined and taxed as tobacco products. “We are very concerned about the use of electronic cigarettes among youth. Those rates have risen in past years and we are very concerned about that,” she says.

She says smoking rates have dropped from 25 percent 20 years ago when they first did the report to below 16 percent now. “Smoking rates are still high among men, indigenous people, L-G-B-T people, and people of lower socioeconomic status. So, we still have to remain vigilant and we definitely have made a huge dent in smoking rates in the state of Iowa,” Hamilton says.

She says tobacco use remains our leading cause of preventable death and disease.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report 31-year-old Benjamin Wyatt Barnes, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 4:20-p.m. Wednsday, in the 100 block of W. Coolbaugh Street, on a Montgomery County warrant. Barnes was wanted for Violation of the Sex Offender Registry, 2nd or subsequent offense. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic High School Large Group Speech team competed at the District level at Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln on Saturday, January 22nd. All ten groups (Varsity and Freshman teams) received a Division 1 rating and will advance to State contest on Saturday, February 5th at West Des Moines Valley High School.

Coaches Trisha Niceswanger and Brandon Baggett are very excited about last weekend’s results. Niceswanger says “It is a huge accomplishment for all ten of our entries to earn a 1 and advance to State! I am really looking forward to how we can improve on our pieces and compete again in two weeks.” (Photos courtesy Coach Niceswanger)

Baggett adds “I have really enjoyed working with this year’s group of students. Our experienced competitors have improved dramatically and our freshmen have some serious potential. It is an exciting time to be involved with the speech program.”

District Results are as follows:

Clarinda, Iowa – The Iowa Dept. of Corrections said Wednesday evening, that 59-year-old Kenneth Louis Howell Jr., who was serving a 35-year maximum sentence for the crimes of Prohibited Acts — Manufacture, Delivery, Possession from Lee County, died late Sunday night at the Clarinda Regional Health Center. Officials his death was likely due to complications related to COVID-19 and other preexisting medical conditions

An autopsy will be completed by the State Medical Examiner. Howell Jr. began his sentence on October 16, 2018.