(Radio Iowa) – This week’s temperatures in Iowa are fairly on target for the season, but soon enough, we’ll be getting into the hot, humid days of summer. Today (Thursday) is Heat Awareness Day in Iowa and meteorologist Donna Dubberke, at the National Weather Service, explains the goals. “Heat awareness is really important because it’s an underrated hazard,” Dubberke says. “We know it’s going to be hot in the summer and sometimes we don’t take it seriously and you can have serious injury and even fatalities in extreme cases if you don’t do the right things.” She notes that spending too much time outside can mean more than just a bad case of sunburn.

“When we get hot and humid in the summer, it becomes really difficult for your body to make the necessary adjustments and stay cool enough,” Dubberke says. “If your body gets overheated, you can have heat illnesses, heat exhaustion, heat stroke. That’s why we’re encouraging people to learn what you need to do and to be ready for when it does get hot, even though it’s not going to be that hot this week.” Iowa motorists need to take special care with their passengers when the weather starts to warm up.

“Never leave a pet or a child and in a hot car,” she says. “It can heat up so quickly, so much hotter and so much faster than you think it normally would.” Find more tips about heat awareness at www.weather.gov/dmx

(Red Oak, Iowa) –  The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests: At around 12:10-a.m. today (Thursday, June 2nd), Deputies conducted a traffic stop at 110th and G Avenue, and as a result, arrested 51-year-old Martha Anngeline Oltmanns, of Council Bluffs. She was taken into custody for Driving While Barred, and held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

And, on Tuesday, Deputies in Montgomery County arrested 30-year-old Jesse Allen Luft, of Villisca, for Violation of a No Contact Order. Luft was being held on a $300 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Two Republicans are listed on this year’s Primary ballot for state auditor and the winner will face Rob Sand, the Democratic incumbent, in the General Election. Mary Ann Hanusa, who has been endorsed by Governor Reynolds, managed the White House Office of Correspondence for President George W. Bush. She was more recently elected to five terms in the Iowa House, representing her hometown of Council Bluffs for 10 years.

“I served as Government Oversight chair in the House when I was in the legislature,” Hanusa says, “I brought in front of the committee heads of state agencies, asking tough questions, making sure the Iowa taxpayers’ dollars were being spent appropriately.” Hanusa says Sand, the current state auditor, was wrong to audit and question how Governor Reynolds spent federal pandemic relief money on staff salaries and computer software.

“I believe that for the last four years our state auditor’s office has been politicized,” Hanusa says, “and there just isn’t any room for politics in this office.” Todd Halbur, of Clive, is the other G-O-P candidate for state auditor. Halbur sued the state in 2018, alleging he was fired from his job as chief financial officer the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division after he questioned some transactions. A spokesperson for the agency has said Halbur’s allegations are untrue. Halbur says if he’s elected state auditor, he’ll educate state employees on how to spot waste, fraud and abuse.

“The eyes and ears of all employees know what’s right and wrong,” he says. Halbur, who is a realtor, also owns a school supply business. He’s previously worked for three different banks and is taking the test to become a certified audit examiner. “I believe that Iowa needs an auditor that has the financial background and the qualifications that I have as a prior banker and the CFO of a large state agency of Iowa,” he says.

Sand, the Democrat who is Iowa’s current state auditor, is seeking a second term. The Democratic and Republican Primary Elections are next Tuesday, June 7th.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett, Wednesday evening, administered the Oath of Office to a member of the Atlantic Police Force, who was recently promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Before she did so, Mayor Garrett read from Caleb Smith’s bio, and explained his duties, past and present.

A graduate of the Red Oak High School, Sgt. Smith received an Associates of Science Degree in Criminal Justice in 2008 from Iowa Central Community College in Ft. Dodge. He and his wife have lived in Atlantic for 12-years.

Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett congratulates Sgt. Caleb Smith.

In report to the Council and citizens of Atlantic, Mayor Garrett said the City’s Code Enforcement Officer conducted 31 inspections today (Wednesday), that were in response to citizen complaints about properties. During the inspections, 12 additional violations were found.

Garrett said citizens are free to submit a complaint or concern, with the understanding there is a process that the City must work through, with regard to ordinances. Some of those processes are being tweaked to further resolve complaints.

She issued a “Thank you,” to those who are maintaining their property. If you are being a good neighbor, offer to help your neighbor with lawn mowing and sidewalk shoveling during the winter. If you truly need the help, the Mayor said, please allow someone to help you so the City doesn’t have to bill you to get the job done. In other business, City Administrator John Lund proposed having the Independence Day celebration for three days: July 2nd, 3rd and 4th (Saturday, Sunday, Monday). The hours will be the same as last year, from Noon until 11-p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and Midnight on July 4th. The Council was in agreement on the dates and times. The City of Atlantic’s fireworks display will take place the night of July 4th.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston, today (Wednesday) cited a man for Reckless Driving, following an investigation into a property damage accident that occurred a little after 1-p.m. Wednesday. Authorities say 18-year-old Marcus Eugene Carney, of Creston, was driving a 1999 Toyota Avalon westbound on the Spillway Road, and traveling approximately 50-mph in a 15 mph zone.

The vehicle went out of control on a slight curve in the road just before the campground, and began to fishtail. The car left the road and entered the campground, where it struck a legally parked, and unoccupied 2016 JayFlight camper. The vehicle then struck a water hydrant in the campground, causing it to bend.

Carney was not injured. Damage to the car, camper and City of Creston hydrant, amounted to $8,200 altogether.

(Radio Iowa/KJAN) – State climatologist Justin Glisan says the numbers show the state May temperature average was slightly warmer than normal. “We look at the average for all our weather stations we are about one and a half degrees above average at 61 degrees,” he says. Glisan says there were some 80 and 90-degree days in the month that brought the average up. He says the warm days helped make it an active month for severe weather.

“We actually had a derecho clip the northwestern part of the state, also forming what we call a haboob — or a large scale dust storm that we don’t typically get in the midwest,” he says. Glisan says those storms brought rain with them and May ended up wetter than May of last year. “But we were still drier than average. We were about …. one-point-six-four inches below average,” Glisan says. “The driest conditions in the southeastern part of the state.”

Glisan says the end of May marks the start of the climatological summer season that will run through August 31st.

(Radio Iowa) – A monthly survey shows the economic pictures for Iowa and the Midwest are darkening, with a few sunny breaks in the clouds. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the overall figures for Iowa sank during May, as did the numbers for the nine-state region. Goss says the survey of business leaders and supply managers showed hiring slowed during the past month.

“Regional employment still remains well below pre-pandemic levels, about 1.4% below pre-pandemic levels,” Goss says. “We’re still moving. We’re crawling out of this economic downturn, but we’re doing somewhat better, and we’ll see how that trends out in the weeks and months ahead.” According to the survey, the greatest economic threats for the rest of 2022 include supply chain disruptions, inflationary pressures, higher interest rates and labor shortages.

“Inflation will remain high for the rest of the year, but I expect it to come down a bit,” Goss says. “There’s some indicators that inflation is declining. Economic growth will likewise slow for the rest of the year but we’re still in the positive range right now. Supply chain disruptions and delays will lengthen, but I think even there, we’ll see some improvements.” The inflation index for May rose to 91.7 on a scale of zero to 100, that’s up from 89.7 during April. The survey asked supply managers how much more they expect prices to rise during the second half of the year.

“For the next six months, they expect 8.7% growth. Of course, you double that and annualize it, that’s 17.4% in the wholesale price index. So that’s some big, big time numbers in terms of growth and wholesale prices,” Goss says. “So of course, that will spill over into consumer prices in the weeks and months ahead.” Again, using the zero to 100 scale, Iowa’s overall economic index for May fell to 59.6, dropping significantly from 69.8 in April. Despite that, Goss says: “Both durable and non-durable goods manufacturers in the state are growing at a solid pace with companies linked to the farm economy expanding at a healthy rate.

The state’s leisure and hospitality industry has benefited from this healthy growth, but employment in this industry remains 8,300 jobs (5.7%) below pre-pandemic levels.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Persons wanting to conduct business with the Cass County Treasurer’s Office can expect to find changes in how often the office is open for business, as a result of what can only be described as a mass exodus of office staff. Cass County Board of Supervisors Chair Steve Baier confirms most of the staff have resigned and taken other jobs, while another will be retiring. Baier said he didn’t want to speculate on why the staff quit, but that “Sometimes the dynamics can change a little bit and all of the sudden you’ve got more than just a ‘tempest in a teapot.” Baier said those who have resigned include one who Treasurer Tracey J. Marshal had recently hired because the person “felt like she didn’t get any training, and she felt awkward trying to help people,” according to Baier.

He said “Tracey’s been involved in the State Treasurer’s organization and hasn’t always been in [her] office, been out of the Treasurer’s Office a lot since January, and I don’t think that’s helped matters.” Baier said also, in his view, “Ashley McDermott knew how to do just about everything there. I’m not sure she had certifications (such as CDL),” but she “had the broadest scope of knowledge,” and “that’s like losing your All-Star pitcher.” McDermott was offered a job with Solutions in Atlantic, he said.

Tracey Marshal issued the following statement Wednesday evening:

“Sometimes change happens unexpectedly, over the last few months we have been losing staff. I have hired one new staff member and interviewed several others, waiting for the posting time period and approval. I have always had a good relationship with my staff. It’s been a bit stressful with many changes from federal and state mandates, along with county conflicts. My staff have been recruited by other companies with better paying positions and more flexible for their families. I support each one of them for the dedication while they worked here and there new adventures. As you know the work force is changing everywhere. I hear it every day from other counties and businesses. I am very proud of my accomplishments, including the presidency of the state association. We are working on finding and training employees.

A notice posted on the Courthouse main entrance states “Cass County Treasurer’s Office Hours Starting June 3, 2022,” as:

8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Closed on Tuesday’s

Property Taxes and Motor Vehicle Renewals: The best way is by mail or online. www.iowatreasurers.org

A BILL OF SALE is required for all Motor Vehicles purchases. We will process your payments as they come in. Please provide a telephone number in the event we need to contact you.

Please use the yellow drop box outside- envelopes are in the side box.”

(Radio Iowa) – U-S Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is unveiling hundreds of millions of dollars in new U-S-D-A grant and loans to do things like establish grocery stores in underserved areas, build more cold storage facilities for fruits and vegetables and support training for employees in the meat and poultry industry. “With these investments, the transformed food system will mean more, new and better markets, generating better income for producers,” Vilsack says, “and better choices and prices for consumers.”

Vilsack says 155 million dollars in federal grants will be available to set up grocery stores in rural and urban communities that are considered “food deserts.” Six-hundred million will be awarded to expand or build new facilities that process and store fruits and vegetables. Three-hundred million is set aside to bolster organic food production. “The process for becoming an organic producer is complicated and financially difficult, especially during the early days of transition when expenses can be high and income limited,” Vilsack says. “I believe a transformed food system needs to make that process less complicated and the financial costs of that transition easier to bear.” Vilsack says other U-S-D-A initiatives will be expanded to support urban gardening as well as public schools that buy locally produced food.

Vilsack is using 400 million dollars to set up a new network of U-S-D-A centers that will help food producers and buyers connect on a regional basis and navigate their financial options. “Our transformed food system will expand capacity and competition and increase that competition in all sectors,” Vilsack says, “and, when it does, both producers and consumers will benefit.”

A new 100 million dollar fund will be for companies that come up with healthy, but less expensive menu items for school lunch programs. Vilsack says the goal is to spur innovation — but to also make school lunch options more attractive to the kids who eat the food. All of this new U-S-D-A spending was approved by congress in 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill passed late in the legislative session that places a two-year hold on new gambling licenses will impact the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission’s meeting Thursday in Emmetsburg. Racing and Gaming administrator, Brian Ohorilko says he anticipates the Commission will pause the licensing process. “At least at this point, it’ll be difficult to do much in terms of moving forward with an application process and until that moratorium is out — if indeed that bill goes into law,” Ohorilko.

Governor Kim Reynolds has not yet indicated if she will sign the casino moratorium bill into law. Organizers in Cedar Rapids wanted to Commission to consider an application for a casino there after the Linn County gambling referendum passed. “The Commission at the March meeting had indicated that they were prepared to accept applications and that occurred after the commission had been approached by stakeholders in that community that they were ready to file an application. Obviously, that was after the referenda had passed in November 2021,” he says. Ohorilko says the process was just getting started. “There really hasn’t been any due diligence or any considerable amount of time put in by the commission members with regard to the process,” Ohorilkoh says.

Many things could change in the Iowa casino landscape in two years if the bill goes into law. One of those is the start up of gambling in Nebraska. “Rules have been filed in that state, ground is broken in a number of locations, the different locations have different timelines. I think it’s possible that we’ll see some temporary facilities this fall or winter,” Ohorilko says. He says all of the Nebraska facilities will likely be up and running next year — which will have an impact on Iowa casinos. Ohorilko says it’s hard to know what other changes might happen if the moratorium happens. “Two years can go fast, but it’s also a lot of time in terms of economic conditions with respect to casinos,” he says. “If you were to look two years back from today’s date, no one would have expected the ups and downs that that industry would have gone through and so, so I can’t say for sure.”

Two other attempts to get a gambling license in Cedar Rapids were denied.