(Radio Iowa) – Iowa volunteers with the American Red Cross are already providing help in the South after weekend storms spun off at least 50 tornadoes in eight states. Josh Murray, spokesman for the Iowa-Nebraska region of the Red Cross, says most of the Iowans are now in western Kentucky, where the damage is extreme and one entire town was nearly wiped off the map. “We have some from eastern Iowa, we have some from central Iowa, we have someone from up near Sioux City, so really across the state,” Murray says, “We’re represented well with our responders.”

Driving those white emergency response vehicles, or ERVs, the Iowa volunteers will be providing a range of services, from feeding and sheltering tornado survivors to helping them mentally recover from the massive, devastating storm. “There’ll be some that work in shelters helping people who are going to be in the shelters. We have some folks going down to help with warehouses, making sure they get supplies out,” Murray says. “They’ll help load trucks and drive trucks and unload trucks. We also have some who’ll go down to help with mental health, to have someone to be there and give emotional support.”

The number of dead is expected to exceed 100 with many dozens injured and a few thousand left homeless. A Kentucky candle factory was hit by a twister as was an Amazon warehouse in Illinois and a nursing home in Arkansas. One tornado was reportedly on the ground for more than 220 miles. “It’s definitely one of the largest and worst impacts, especially for this time of year. We’re used to seeing these maybe in the spring but to happen this time of year is really unusual,” Murray says. “The widespread destruction that’s taken place, the number of people it’s impacted. We anticipate being there for a while. This will be a long-term process, a long-term response for us.”

Iowans who would like to help financially can call 800-RED CROSS, log on to www.redcross.org, or text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Police in Council Bluffs arrested a Nebraska man Friday afternoon, following an investigation into a reported car alarm going off at around 3:32-p.m., in the 100 block of Park Avenue. Upon arrival officers found a Chevy Impala with heavily tinted windows. When they shined their flashlights in the windows to determine if the vehicle was occupied, Police saw a man sit up in the driver’s seat. Officers instructed the man to get out of the car, but he refused. The subject started the vehicle and backed-up, striking one of the officers’ patrol vehicles.

Anthony David Martinez, of Omaha

One officer had to move out of the way from keep from being struck by the vehicle. After hitting the cruiser, the man in the Chevy drove down Park Avenue, where the car struck another vehicle traveling eastbound on Pierce Street. As a result of the crash, the Impala spun around 180-degrees, lost a tire, and became wedged against a fence. As more officers arrived on the scene, commands were given ordering the suspect driver out of the vehicle. Instead of complying, the man climbed out the driver’s side window and fled on foot toward Broadway Street. When he was apprehended in the 1100 block of Broadway, the suspect, later identified as 26-year-old Anthony David Martinez, of Omaha, was found to have a handgun in the front of his waistband.

No injuries were reported. Martinez was found to have had a valid felony warrant issued for his arrest, through Colorado. He was also booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail on charges that include:

• Assault on persons engaged in certain occupations
• Carrying weapons
• Criminal Mischief in the 3rd degree
• Fugitive from Justice
• Possession of a firearm as a felon
• Poss. of a Controlled Substance
• Unlawful possession of prescription drugs and.
• Poss. of drug paraphernalia.

Council Bluffs Police say the appreciate assistance from the U.S. Marshals who were in the area during the incident.

More area News from Ric Hanson.

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(Red Oak, Iowa) – One person complained of pain following a chain-reaction collision Saturday afternoon, in Red Oak, but they did not require or request transport to the hospital. According to Red Oak Police, a 2011 KIA Sorento driven by 45-year-old Mahlon John Richardson, of Red Oak, struck a legally parked 2013 Honda Civic on 6th Street, at around 4:40-p.m., Saturday. The impact caused the Honda to be pushed into a parked 1998 Chevy pickup. Both parked vehicles are registered to Craig Archer, of Red Oak.

According to the report, Mahlon told Police the accident happened when he fell asleep at the wheel. He was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Damage to the three vehicles amounted to $20,200. Red Oak Police were assisted at the scene by Red Oak Fire and Rescue and deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

The broadcast News from Ric Hanson.

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(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report two arrests and one break-in took place recently. Authorities say at around 2:20-a.m. Saturday, 57-year-old Jon Jefferson Perry, of Creston, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Operating While Intoxicated – 1st Offense. He was taken to Union County Jail and later released on a $1,300 bond. And, Friday night, 30-year-old Kelly Lea Belt, of Creston, was arrested at her residence for Violation of No Contact/Protective Order – Contempt. Belt was taken to Union County Jail then transferred to Adams County Jail, where she was being held without bond until seen by Judge.

And, a Creston man reported to Police Dec. 5th, that an RV at 400 S. Maple St., had been broken into. The owner of the RV reported several items were missing, including: multiple household/kitchen appliances, clothing, personal items, and tools. The loss was estimated at $10,030 altogether.

(Radio Iowa) – A D-N-R expert says the state’s drought situation has improved dramatically as we enter the winter. Tim Hall says the drought isn’t completely gone. “Right now about half the state is shown in some sort of drought condition — but most of that is D-zero — which is abnormally dry,” Hall says. “Now there’s a little stretch of D-1 moderate drought kind of winding its way from north-central Iowa down toward Waterloo in little patches.” Hall says the wet October was the big turning point — as a dry November didn’t help. “Had we seen normal rainfall in November — we might have gotten some improvement. Right now, the conditions are holding pretty steady in the state at about 13-percent of the state is now shown as D-1 moderate drought. And the total amount of the state shown in some form of drought is just over 50 percent,” according to Hall.

Hall says the warmer temperatures have left the ground warmer and the door open for any moisture that falls to still be helpful. “It’s not frozen yet. It’ll take a pretty decent stretch of cold weather to get that soil frozen — especially at the top,” he says. “Once that soil at the ground surface freezes — that pretty much shuts down the infiltration of moisture. So, hopefully, we’ll get a few more weeks where we can get some water into the ground.” He says any rain or snow we get now is a bonus. “It’s really important to keep an eye on what’s going on here probably for the next couple of weeks. Any moisture we get will help us out — because it’ll get locked into the soil profile,” Hall says.

Hall says the water that gets into the ground now will be key when it comes time to plant once again in the spring.

(Radio Iowa) – An inmate from the Webster County Jail in Fort Dodge enjoyed a short taste of freedom this weekend after escaping Saturday and being caught Sunday. Forty-three-year-old Jordan Mefferd of Fort Dodge escaped the jail by propping open a third-story exit door to the jail late Saturday night and using sheeting to climb down the alley. The car Mefferd was driving was later found in Otho and a chase was then pursued back to Fort Dodge.

Police used stop sticks which then deflated one of the tires to the car. Police then arrested Mefferd and a passenger 27-year-old Destiny Sumpter. Mefferd was charged with felony eluding and felony escape while Sumpter was charged with violation of probation and aiding and abetting felony escape.

ATLANTIC, IA (December 13, 2021) – Produce in the Park’s Christmas Market is now accepting preorders at  www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com. Pre-orders will be accepted through Monday, December 20. Christmas Market 2021 will also offer in-person shopping, but some products—such as Miss NiNi’s pies and cheesecakes and Pomodoro Fresh Italian Food Truck’s take and bake meals—are only available pre-order.

Christmas Market is being held Thursday, December 23 from 3-7 PM at the Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th St. Atlantic, up the hill from the fairgrounds). Christmas Market offers an excellent variety of premium homegrown and homemade products. The holiday farmers market is being held just two days before Christmas, so shoppers can enjoy delicious local foods on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day—including a variety of sweet treats, desserts, produce, meats, and more—in addition to handmade stocking stuffers, gifts, and decorations.

Christmas Market Vendors:
Vendors offering pre-ordering only:
• Miss NiNi’s Fine Desserts – Handmade pies and cheesecakes in over 10 flavors
• Harrisdale Farmstead – Produce (squash, pie pumpkins, garlic)
Prepared food vendor (take and bake meals offered pre-order only):
• Pomodoro Fresh Italian Food Truck:
o Homemade pasta, sauces, sandwiches, salads and dessert offered on-site.
o Take and bake meals for two or four offered pre-order only (Chicken Alfredo, Lasagna,
Spaghetti and Meatballs).
Vendors offering pre-ordering and in-person shopping:
• Bridgewater Farm – Organic produce (spinach, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots,
kohlrabi, garlic, turnips), eggs, and meat
• Brun Ko Farm – Beef, pork, chicken, lamb, granola, suet blocks, cookies, and desserts
• Erickson Foods – Produce, syrups, fruit butters, and jellies
• Frosting Inc. – Cupcakes, cookies, hot cocoa bombs, and more
• Johnna Joy Designs – Jewelry and more
• Kingwood Farm – Goat milk soap, detergent, bath shreds, lotion. Pasture-raised pork, eggs,
beef
• Kringle Man – Danish kringle, cream horns, Danish letters, Danish pastries
• Noble Provisions – Beef
• Smudge – Bath and body products, soaps, and candles
• Sweet Sisters Vegan – Vegan health and beauty products
• The Pet Bistro – Dog and cat food and treats; cat toys and beds
• TJ’s Kitchen – Wine bread pastries
Vendors offering in-person shopping only:
• Connie’s Creations – Hand-crocheted dishcloths, hats, hot pads, and more
• DeLaine’s Designs – Doll clothes
• DezaRae Farm Soaps – Goat milk lotions and soaps
• JD Crafters – Items made using a laser and CNC router and a lathe, including Christmas and table
ornaments, signage, cutting boards, coasters, serving trays and catch all trays, and more
• Mandy’s Sweet Tooth Confections – Homemade pies, sugar cookie bars, cupcakes, cookie trays,
candy barks and fudge, savory pretzels and snack mix, and other assorted desserts
• Slightly Sassy Orchid Designs – Tumblers and signs
• Wud Bi Tek – CNC laser carvings and cuttings

Christmas Market is made possible by sponsorships from the Atlantic Community Promotion Commission, First Whitney Bank and Trust, Camblin Mechanical, Cass County Tourism, Cass County Farm Bureau, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Meyer and Gross, and Smith Land Service. Produce in the Park thanks customers for masking and distancing at indoor markets. For the latest information on Christmas Market, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook
(www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/) or sign up for the Produce in the Park newsletter at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com.

(Radio Iowa) – A representative of the 19 state-licensed casinos in Iowa says lawmakers may debate legalizing online casino gambling — but NOT during the 2022 legislative session. Six other states (Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia) have already authorized online casinos. Iowa Gaming Association president and C-E-O Wes Ehrecke says the concept is still in its embryonic stage.

“We don’t envision any legislation coming forward, but if it is, we’re going to be neutral,” Ehrecke says. “We have some of our members that support looking at it. There are others that are opposed. They have questions and thoughts and so this is going to need to evolve over the next year or two before any serious legislation or consideration would happen.” It became legal for Iowans to place SPORTS bets online on August 15th of 2019. Ehrecke says he doesn’t expect making online casinos legal as well would lead to the demise of the brick and mortar operations in the state.

“It’s not just gaming,” Ehrecke says. “It’s the dining, the hotels, the comedy clubs — the variety of things that are within a casino, plus the concerts and conventions and the like. We’ve really created premier destinations in 19 places.” But Ehrecke says analyzing the record in the six states that have legalized online casinos will be key. He says there’ll be questions of how online gaming revenue compared to in-person wagering and whether foot traffic declines significantly in casinos.

“Is it going to be something that’s worthwhile like when we’re having our blizzards in the wintertime and things like that, so there’s just a variety of things — and how to structure it properly,” Ehrecke says. “You know, where’s the appetite for Iowans and legislators to want to have this as an option?”

Ehrecke made his comments during an appearance this weekend on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.