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Bridge guardrail damaged by semi tractor-trailer in Red Oak

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak say no injuries were reported, but an Iowa DOT bridge guardrail/parapet sustained about $1,000 damage when it was struck by a semi tractor-trailer, at around 4:20-a.m. today (Tuesday). Officers located the property damage accident that had just taken place, on the Highway 34 bridge, west of Red Oak. Following an investigation, it was determined that a 1998 Peterbilt semi tractor-trailer operated by 59-year-old Sterling Ray Hirrill, of Walnut, was traveling west through the construction zone, when he got too close to the guardrail, and sideswiped it.

The semi, registered to Red Oak Carriers, LLC., sustained about $800 damage. Hirrill was cited by Police for Failure to Provide proof of financial liability (Accident insurance).

Theft & vandalism reported in Creston

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Creston Police Department today (Monday), said a man from Creston reported Sunday afternoon, that his storage unit at Graphic Displays Self Storage, on E. Clark Street, had been broken into. Multiple items were taken. The loss was estimated at $300. And, Monday afternoon, a Creston woman reported to Police that someone unplugged and ripped off two of her security cameras, and threw them in the road. The loss was estimated at $170.

(Podcast) KJAN News, 11/16/21

News, Podcasts

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Local and area News at 7:07-a.m., from Ric Hanson.

Play

Post-election audit to be conducted in Adair County, Nov. 18th

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Elections Deputy Joshua Nelson reports that on Thursday, November 18th, the Adair County ASVP Board will meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Adair County Courthouse (400 Public Sq, Greenfield, IA), to conduct the post-election audit of the voting system used in the November 2, 2021 City/School Election. The action was requested by the Iowa Secretary of State, and is required by Iowa Code, as a means of verifying vote integrity.

The audit is open to the public.

After almost a century, Mason City dumps ‘Mohawks’ as mascot

News, Sports

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – By a unanimous vote, the Mason City School Board Monday night approved beginning the process of retiring “Mohawks” as the district’s mascot and nickname. The issue of the school’s nickname is tied into logo and branding discussions that the school district has been having for the last year. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe recently called for the district to end the use of the name and associated imagery. Board member Katie Koehler hopes the community can turn its passion on the issue into finding the best new name possible for the students.  “They are so much more than a label,” Koehler says. “They leave here and they represent us, not as a label, but as an amazing human soul that goes out and does the best they can for the community that raised them and the communities they encounter.”

Board member Peterson Jean-Pierre says it wasn’t hard to make a decision to move forward and find other things that can represent the community as a whole without offending anyone or anything. “No one is taking away your pride and your compassion,” Jean-Pierre says. “The change of a name does not take away the years that you spent as a Mohawk. We’re not asking you to take your jerseys, or your shirts, or your paraphernalia or whatnot that has that logo on it and saying trash it. Love it, you love it, we love it, but if someone is asking you to hear them, and understand them and respect them, it’s our duty to do that.”

Seven people, four for keeping Mohawks and three supporting the name change, spoke to the board prior to the vote. Jan Groff is a retired teacher and coach and graduate of Mason City High School. She says she never saw or read anything disrespectful about the Mohawk and that the name was held in high esteem, pride and respect.  “I’m afraid that the decision will be made in this current atmosphere of what I want to call hypersensitivity,” Groff says. “I would hate in a few years to look back and wonder what we were thinking, dropping or changing the Mohawk after nearly 100 years. That is five generations of Mohawks, and quite the legacy and tradition that we have at our high school here in Mason City.”

Cristy Tass says the Mohawk name has not been used in any disrespect by the school district.  “Mason City has promoted the Mohawk name with values that inspire respect and have used logo images that are not caricatures, but portraits that resemble historic paintings for 97 years,” Tass says. “Not now, nor in our history, have we ever portrayed a negative stereotype of the Mason City Mohawks. Quite the opposite. For 97 years, we have worn this logo with ultimate pride in our school.”

The board approved administrators to start the transition from the use of the Mohawk name and mascot, including Native American images, symbols and likenesses to a new mascot immediately and for the administration to present at the board’s January 17th meeting a timeline to complete the transition from the Mohawk name and a plan to adopt a new mascot before July 1st. The district will immediately stop using Mohawks to introduce athletic teams, and the name will be removed from electronic communications such as the district’s website and other documents that can easily be edited.

2 fatal crashes in eastern Iowa, Monday

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(State News) – Two separate accidents in eastern Iowa Monday, claimed the lives of two people. The Iowa State Patrol reports the first happened in Chickasaw County at around 9-a.m.  Officials say 70-year-old Steven Demaray, of New Hampton (IA) died, when his pickup left Highway 63 near 270th Street south of New Hampton. The vehicle entered the median, and struck a concrete overpass support pier. Demaray was transported to the hospital in New Hampton, where he died from his injuries. He was wearing a seat belt. The accident remains under investigation.

The second accident happened at around 10:45-p.m. Monday, in Johnson County. The Patrol says 59-year-old Jay A. Statser, of West Liberty, died when the SUV he was driving went out of control on Interstate 80 westbound, and entered the north ditch before hitting the bridge pillar for the Highway 1 overpass and coming to rest in the ditch. Statser died at the scene. That accident also remains under investigation.

Griswold woman arrested on a warrant for Harassment

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak have arrested a woman on a Red Oak Police Department warrant for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. 65-year-old Marcia Elaine Lehman, of Griswold, was taken into custody in the Red Oak Legion Park, at around 4:30-p.m., Monday. She was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $300 bond.

Moose spotted in northwest corner of Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A moose has been sighted in northwest Iowa. Chris Larue of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says it’s likely the same moose spotted in Luverne, Minnesota on Halloween. “It apparently decided to wander down Main Street over there and a couple of days later it was sighted in Lyon County between Rock Rapids and Little Rock.” Rock Rapids, Iowa, is about 23 miles south of Luverne, Minnesota.

Larue says it’s not unusual for moose to make their way into Iowa. “It does actually periodically happen,” Larue says. “Since I’ve been here the last 20 years, this is probably the fourth or the fifth moose that kind of appeared in Iowa.” Larue is a biologist on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ wildlife management staff — working Lyon, Osceola, Dickinson, Sioux and O’Brien Counties, the five counties in Iowa’s northwest corner. Larue says the moose sighted in Lyon County is a young male.

“Sometimes these things are just typical wanderlust,” Larue says. “Otherwise they could maybe have a little bit of a health issue which gets them disoriented and they can just kind of get headed into a direction until they figure out to head back to the habitat they’re supposed to be in.” Moose typically stay near lakes, streams or swampy areas and they avoid warm climates. An adult moose can be 10 feet tall and weigh more than a thousand pounds.

“We do encourage folks to let us know where they are when they see one because we don’t want them to get into a location that would be dangerous — near a highway or something like that,” Larue says. “Obviously we do not encourage people to approach them because they are very unpredictable.”

The antlers of an adult moose can weight up to 40 pounds. Moose tend to have a heightened sense of smell and of hearing, but most moose have poor eyesight. A female moose was sighted in Plymouth County this past January.

Atlantic Parks & Rec “Turkey Hunt” begins Wednesday

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Beginning tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov. 17th), the City of Atlantic’s Park and Recreation Department will have nine wooden, painted “turkeys” hidden around parks in the City, for people to find and take selfies with. Take selfies with all nine turkeys when you find each one, and then leave them for others to enjoy.

Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen says “We lost our turkeys and we need help finding them all.”

 

Two pronged approach needed to address state drug abuse issues

News

November 15th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s Drug Czar is looking to address the record number of alcohol and drug-related overdose deaths in the next year. Dale Woolery says on the drug side it’s not a simple solution.”It’s not a one-dimensional issue — it’s at minimum a two-dimensional issue where we have to work on reducing the demand here — but we also need to work on reducing the supply,” he says.

The state broke up eight meth labs in 2020 — the lowest number in more than 20 years. But the amount and purity of meth smuggled from Mexico into Iowa remains at or near all-time highs, and Woolery says the amount of other drugs is also increasing.”Everything I hear is that for instance, cartels in Mexico are doing more production of synthetic drugs, and so the supply is going up and prices are coming down, and that’s helping to fuel the demand,” according to Woolery.

He says a federal and international effort is needed to slow the drug flow.”I’m encouraged by recent news that U-S and Mexico officials at high levels are talking about this vary issue and hopefully we will see a plan of action coming soon,” he says. Woolery says the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy that he leads is encouraging everyone to help those who need treatment. “We need to have eyes on one another and we need to identify needs and act accordingly and get help,” he says.

He says if you are struggling with drug addiction, there is help you can get, and it is confidential. “There is no wrong door for getting help and any Iowan who needs help — or if you have a loved one or anyone else you know who needs help and you are not quite sure where to go for it –there is a statewide helpline 24/7 in the Iowa Department of Public Health’s YourLifeIowa.org,” Woolery says.

He says the pandemic kept many people away from the help they needed in isolation, and he hopes people will now seek it out to get the treatment they need.