Two people were injured during a collision between a pickup truck and a semi, Sunday morning, in northeast Iowa’s Chickasaw County. According to the State Patrol, a Ford F-350 pickup driven by 21-year old Hunter Poppe, of Shell Rock, was traveling north in the southbound lane of Highway 63 from the exit ramp with Highway 18, when the pickup collided nearly head-on in the right lane, with a 2015 Peterbilt semi, driven by 58-year old Ricky Toutges, of Byron, MN. The collision happened at around 7:10-a.m.

Poppe suffered life threatening injuries and was transported by ambulance to the hospital in New Hampton and then to the Mayo Clino by helicopter. He was not wearing a seat belt. Toutges suffered minor injuries in the crash. The accident remains under investigation.

The State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Dept., IA DNR, IA DOT MVE, Mercy One Air, New Hampton Fire & Rescue, and New Hampton Ambulance.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A dispute between Iowa’s governor and the state’s largest school district could mean summer school for students and crippling bills for the school system. Des Moines school officials have repeatedly refused to abide by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ order that districts hold at least half their classes in-person, saying it’s not safe. After the district last week again voted to violate Reynolds’ order, the governor called their action “unacceptable.”

The state Education Department is beginning the process for punishing the district. If they find the district is out of compliance, state officials could take a variety of actions, including requiring the district to keep students in classes until the end of June. Each additional day would cost the district about $1.5 million.

Police in Red Oak report the arrest Saturday night, of 28-year old Eric David Taylor, from Red Oak. Taylor was arrested in the 500 block of E. Washington Avenue, in Red Oak, for OWI/1st offense. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

A single-vehicle accident early this (Sunday) morning in Madison County has claimed the life of a Winterset man. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 58-year old Rustin Wade Tuttle, who was not wearing a seat belt, died when the 2008 Cadillac DTS he was driving went out of control, southbound on Pamel Park Road, southeast of Winterset. The vehicle entered the west ditch and went airborne over a culvert before hitting a tree and coming to rest on its passenger side. The accident happened at around 2:15-a.m.

Authorities say the results of a Blood Alcohol Test (BAC) are pending.

Kansas City, MO — Every day in America, millions of parents and caregivers travel with children in their vehicles. While some children are buckled in properly in the correct car seats for their ages and sizes, many are not, if they are buckled up at all. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly half (46%) of
car seats are misused.

To help combat this issue, NHTSA is sponsoring Child Passenger Safety Week from September 20-26, 2020, a campaign dedicated to helping parents and caregivers make sure their children
ride as safely as possible — every trip, every time. “Every 32 seconds in 2018, a child under 13 was involved in a passenger vehicle crash. Using car seats that are age- and size-appropriate is the best way to keep your children safe,” said Regional Administrator, Susan DeCourcy. “In 2017, there were 312 children under the age of 5 saved because they were using car seats. Car seats matter and having the right car seat installed and used the right way is critical.”

Too often, parents move their children to the front seat before they should, which increases the risk of injury and death, even if they’re buckled up. The safest place for all kids under 13 is in the back seat. In 2015, about 25.8% of children 4 to 7 who should have been riding in booster seats were moved too early to seat belts, and 11.6% were unbuckled altogether. “As parents and caregivers, we have a long list of things we do for our children to show our love. One of the simplest and most important things on the list should be to make sure our kids are in
the right car seat for their age and size,” DeCourcy said. “Get your car seats checked. Make sure they’re installed correctly, and that your kids are in the right seats and are buckled in correctly.
Get your car seat checked with a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, so you can be sure that your child is the safest while traveling.”

Remember to register your car seat or booster seat with the seat manufacturer to get notifications in the event of a recall. Parents and caregivers can view more information on car seat safety and locate a certified technician at www.nhtsa.gov/therightseat.