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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
DES MOINES – On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments related to the OSHA Vaccine Mandate and has not yet issued a decision in the case. But as required by federal regulations, Iowa Labor Commissioner Rod Roberts has submitted a notice that Iowa will not be adopting or enforcing the mandate.
Roberts said “As a state plan state, the Iowa Division of Labor is charged with protecting the health and safety of those in the workplace and has the authority to enforce workplace safety and health standards for Iowa businesses. Iowa doesn’t have a standard requiring the Covid-19 vaccine or testing. But after closely reviewing the federal OSHA Vaccine Mandate, Iowa has determined it will not adopt the federal standard. Iowa has concluded that it is not necessary because Iowa’s existing standards are at least as effective as the federal standard change.”
In response to Commissioner Roberts’ decision, Gov. Reynolds issued a statement applauding Commission Roberts’ decision. “We are going to continue to protect the freedoms and liberties of Iowans,” Reynolds said. “The Biden Administration continues to ignore the constitutional rights afforded to all Americans, which our country was built on. Instead, they’d rather dictate health care decisions and eliminate personal choice, causing our businesses and employees to suffer and exacerbating our workforce shortage.”
With Commissioner Roberts’ decision, Iowa OSHA will not be enforcing the federal OSHA Vaccine Mandate. Iowa employers and their employees are not required to comply with the federal OSHA Vaccine Mandate.
Red Oak Police are searching for information on a small dark SUV that left the scene of a two vehicle accident in Red Oak on Friday. The accident happened at approximately 4:41 p.m. at the intersection of North 2nd Street and East Reed Street. After investigation at the scene it was determined a 2014 Cadillac SRX owned and operated by 55-year-old Debra Lynn Blay of Red Oak was traveling westbound on East Reed Street at the intersection with North 2nd Street. A smaller black or dark SUV was traveling northbound on 2nd Street and ran the stop sign and hit Blay’s Cadillac. The SUV continued northbound on 2nd Street and turned East on Hammond Street.
Blay was uninjured in the collision and her vehicle sustained an estimated $2,500 damage.
If anyone was in the area of the accident and provide further information in regards to the vehicle that left the scene, please contact the Red Oak Police Department at 712-823-8600.
The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest on Friday night of 33-year-old Zachary Clay Younts of Red Oak on a valid Page County warrant for Theft 5th Degree. He was arrested at 6:23 p.m. in the 200 block of East Reed Street and taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.
DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds, Friday, signed a new Public Health Disaster proclamation that extends some regulatory relief for an additional 30 days. The proclamation can be found online here.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s office on Friday (Today), released a report on arrests that took place this week.
The Sheriff’s Office said also, there were two accidents to report:
On December 31st, 2022, at approximately 4:38-p.m., deputies responded to a single vehicle accident on Interstate 80 at the 70-mile marker eastbound, where a 2018 Jeep Cherokee driven by Preston Kelsey, of Colorado, went out of control due to slick roadway conditions. The SUV entered the south ditch and rolled over. No injuries were reported. The vehicle sustained approximately $15,000 worth of damage.
And, on December 31st at around 7:04-p.m., Cass County Deputies deputies responded to a single vehicle accident on Interstate 80 near the 74 mile marker eastbound. Officials say a 2002 Honda Accord driven by Saleem Salih, of Nebraska, was rounding a curve when it went out of control due to slick roadway conditions, and entered the south ditch.
As with the earlier accident, no injuries were reported. The vehicle sustained minor damage, estimated at $1,500.
(Radio Iowa/KJAN) – A viral social media movement urges people to donate five dollars to a local animal shelter on January 17th, what would have been the 100th birthday of the late actress and animal advocate Betty White. Persons wishing to donate to the Atlantic Animal Shelter may use this link: https://atlanticia.seamlessdocs.com/f/shelterdonationcenter?fbclid=IwAR0nupzxCc3iZRTMdKOmm1UEOQtU1rEXIQ6tOHISSH-szTIJ1zbs4y2eyjU
Tom Colvin, C-E-O of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, says generous pet lovers don’t necessarily need to wait until the 17th, as financial gifts can be made at any time online. “Absolutely,” Colvin says. “They certainly can do that and we’d love to see those donations coming in — of any size.” The A-R-L is Iowa’s largest nonprofit animal shelter, caring for many thousands of pets each year. Colvin says only about 20-percent of the facility’s budget comes from tax dollars for things like housing strays or operating animal control.
Colvin says, “Eighty percent of what we do, all of the programs that we have that help in the community and pay for that extra surgery than an animal might need to be ready for adoption, all of that is dependent on donations.” The ARL serves pets — and people — across Iowa through its programs, which include pet adoption, humane education, pet behavior training, spay/neuter, animal cruelty intervention and more.
White died on December 31st of last year, just 18 days shy of reaching the century mark. Colvin recalls how White had a special ability to light up a room. “I remember being at a conference, it may have even been in the late 70s, where she came and spoke just briefly,” Colvin says. “When she walked in the room, standing ovation. Everybody, even back then, was just so thankful to her to keep pets on the forefront of people’s minds.” Even if you don’t make a donation on January 17th, Colvin says Iowans should make an effort to at least stop for a moment to reflect on the joy animals bring to our world.
“It is a day that people can think about pets and how Betty White always spoke fondly of pets and the importance of being kind to animals,” Colvin says. “Just all of that positive energy that she always seemed to generate. It’s also very valuable from just a day we can particularly think of that as well.” There are multiple ways to make donations to the A-R-L, one-time, monthly or through any of several programs, like the Full Bellies Food Fund, the Miracle Medical Fund or Paw It Forward.
https://www.arl-iowa.org/donate/
(Radio Iowa) – The number of Iowa hospital patients who’ve tested positive for Covid has increased 12 percent since Wednesday. The Iowa Department of Public Health’s website shows nearly 900 hospital patients in the state have tested positive for Covid and 19 percent of them are in intensive care.
Eight out of 10 Covid patients in the I-C-U are not vaccinated. Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids keeps track of the positivity rate among all its patients on a rolling, seven day average. It’s up to 32 percent today.
About 56 percent of Iowans are fully vaccinated. The more contagious omicron variant of the virus is now the dominant varient in Iowa according to Centers for Disease Control.
(Des Moines, IA) The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today (Friday) announced that 94 community water systems in Iowa have been awarded Water Fluoridation Quality Awards from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The award recognizes water systems that achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent level of fluoride in drinking water throughout 2020. A total of 1,292 public water systems in 29 states received the award.
Among the communities/water systems awarded 2020 Iowa WFQ awards, are those in:
Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level that is effective for preventing cavities. Community water fluoridation is recognized by the CDC as one of the great 20th century public health achievements. “It is exciting to have 94 Iowa water systems recognized on a national level for their commitment to oral health,” stated Dr. Bob Russell, dental director for the Iowa Department of Public Health. “I congratulate all of the community water systems for their efforts to provide safe, dependable drinking water to our communities–including helping to prevent cavities using water fluoridation.”
The CDC recommends water fluoridation as one of the most practical, cost-effective, equitable, and safe measures a community can take to prevent cavities and improve oral health. The Bureau of Oral and Health Delivery Systems at IDPH monitors the fluoride levels of Iowa communities and provides information and assistance to water supply professionals, healthcare professionals, and the public.
IDPH supports CDC-approved fluoridation programs. To find the fluoridation status of Iowa counties and towns, visit My Water’s Fluoride here: https://nccd.cdc.gov/doh_mwf/Default/Default.aspx
(Radio Iowa) – There’s some relief coming from the cold weather as wind chill advisories have expired. National Weather Service Meteorologist, Mike Fowle, says the cold winds are moving out. “The coldest air of the season that impacted us is gradually going move off to the east — and we are expecting a little milder temperatures for this upcoming weekend,” he says. “I guess I would categorize it more as a roller coaster. We are going to warm up a little bit tomorrow (Saturday) to near seasonal normals or seasonal averages with temperatures in the 20s and 30s. And then we will tumble a little bit late into next week. Not as cold as we were — but back below seasonal averages — with highs falling back to the single digits up into the teens,” Fowle says.
The recent run of single-digit temperatures with subzero windchills seemed a lot worse after a December that saw some days in the 60s and 70s — but Fowle says the cold was normal. “We haven’t really approached any record-type low temperatures. So although it’s been cold we weren’t seeing any sort of record cold. This is more typically January in Iowa kind of conditions,” he says. Fowle says we aren’t likely to see much new snow in the coming days.
“Right now we are not seeing any real large weather systems on the horizon — at least for the next week to ten days,” according to Fowle. “There is a change for some weaker systems to move across the state — including even tomorrow. We are watching the potential for a little bit of freezing drizzle possibly developing — and as we know — sometimes these real minor events can cause headaches on the roadways.”
Fowle says the best thing to do is to keep an eye on the updated forecast when you head out and be prepared for any type of winter conditions.
(Radio Iowa) – Senate Republican leaders have decided to deny media access to the floor of the Iowa Senate chamber where reporters have had work space for more than a century. Last year as a pandemic precaution, access to the House and Senate floors was limited to elected members of the legislature and a select number of staff. For the 2022 session, which starts Monday, House G-O-P leaders are allowing reporters and photographers who cover the legislature back into areas called “press benches” on the House floor. Senate Republican leaders are not.
A spokesman for Senate Republicans says the media plays an important role in the function of our republic, but he says the proliferation of non-traditional media and First Amendment concerns make it difficult for the Senate to define media access. Iowa Broadcast News Association leaders have issued a statement, calling on the Senate to reconsider media access. The Iowa Capitol Press Association says having real-time, in-person access to legislators helps reporters serve as the eyes and ears of the public and provide important information about legislative activities.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Iowa Senate will be one of a handful of legislative chambers in the country to deny members of the media floor access.
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