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Glenwood Police report, 3/1/22: 3 women arrested on drug charges

News

March 1st, 2022 by Ric Hanson

The Glenwood Police Department reports three women were arrested on drug charges early this (Tuesday) morning:

  • 43-year-old Heidi Divis, of Omaha, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. (Cash/surety bond, $300)
  • 56-year-old Stephanie Hightshoe, of Nebraska City, NE., was arrested for three counts of Introducing intoxicants or drugs into an institution, and Poss. of drug paraphernalia. (C/S bond, $15,300).
  • and, 32-year-old Elizabeth Evans, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for a Controlled Substance violation. (C/S bond, $10,000)

In other news, Glenwood Police say a 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage that was legally parked on Coolidge Street, sustained damage from an unknown vehicle, sometime between 12-p.m. Sunday and 2-a.m., Monday. The parked car was struck on the driver’s side. The damage amounted to an estimated $1,700.

Senate votes for more deregulation of the hair cutting industry

News

March 1st, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Senate has unanimously approved a bill designed to let licensed professionals cut hair in far more locations. The bill also would let cosmetologists have mobile salons-on-wheels. Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig, says it follows the 2020 law that legalized mobile barber shops. “Removing the last of our own restrictions. allowing the industry to operate under its own practices and having its own governing board,” Schultz says. “We can always come back if something happens, but I have a feeling that this is the final stroke in the modernization of the industry from the state perspective.”

State regulations currently require salons to be in fixed locations. The bill passed by the Senate says professional hair cutters in Iowa would no longer be restricted to cutting hair in a cosmetology school or a licensed barbershop or salon. Bill backers originally envisioned the change would let customers get their hair cut at their own homes. Last year, a law change let cosmetologists style hair in a wedding venue without getting a temporary license to do so.

Boil water Advisory issued for Bayard

News

March 1st, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Bayard, Iowa) – A water boil advisory was issued Monday, for the Guthrie County town of Bayard. According to officials with the Bayard Water Supply, crews began conducting maintenance on the water treatment plant, Monday. The City is recommending the use of bottled water or alternative sources for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth and food preparation. Bayard Water Supply will notify the public when the boil advisory ends.

Farmers’ Almanac: Don’t be fooled by early spring, late April blizzard possible

News, Weather

March 1st, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – As we start the month of March, many Iowans are looking ahead to spring. Despite this week’s unseasonably warm weather, a prediction from the Farmers’ Almanac indicates winter will be holding on a little longer. Managing editor Sandi Duncan says we shouldn’t expect to be sporting shorts and t-shirts anytime soon. “Spring officially arrives on the calendar on March 20th, but it looks like it’s going to take a little time for it to warm up,” Duncan says. “However, overall it doesn’t look too extreme. We’re seeing pretty much average temperatures and normal precipitation in your neck of the woods.”

But, Duncan says to keep those boots and snow shovels handy as there is the possibility of a blizzard late in April. “So just when everyone thinks winter is long gone, Mother Nature might throw us all a curve ball,” she says. The Farmers’ Almanac is predicting that once spring-like temperatures do settle in, we are likely to see slightly warmer-than-normal temperatures here in the Midwest.

“It’s going to be a little warmer in the northern half of the country — which includes your area — than it is in the South,” she says. “So some people might refer to this spring as a backward type of spring, but overall the Farmers’ Almanac is showing your area is going to have pretty much average temperatures. Starting off slightly cool, going back and forth and the possibility of a big storm at the end of April.”

Looking ahead, Duncan says much of the upper Midwest will experience a sizzling summer. The Almanac’s forecasts extend out from six to 16 months and they’re based on a formula established two centuries ago. “It was set on a bunch of rules that we’ve altered slightly but we still consider a lot of the rules that our founding editor in 1818, we still follow them,” Duncan says. “They are rules that talk about sunspot activity, tidal action, the Moon, the position of the planets. They apply them to different weather conditions and they’ve been doing a pretty good job for us.”

She says those who follow the publication’s long-range outlooks say they’re 80 to 85% accurate.

Truck/Motorcycle collision w/serious injuries in Council Bluffs

News

March 1st, 2022 by Ric Hanson

The Council Bluffs Police Department reports a collision between a truck and a motorcycle Monday afternoon resulted in life-threatening injuries to the motorcyclist. The accident happened at around 4:45-p.m., at the intersection of S. 24th Street and Veteran’s Memorial Highway (Vets).

A preliminary investigation revealed that the 2006 Harley Davidson operated by 51-year-old Richard Davenport, of Omaha, was eastbound on Vets Hwy when a 2016 Ford F-150 driven by 41-year old Jacob Eyberg, of Council Bluffs, made a left turn in front of the cycle.

Davenport was transported to an area trauma center in critical condition. Eyberg was not injured.  The crash was under investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit.

House votes to end requirement that new Iowa teachers pass a test

News

February 28th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has unanimously voted to get rid of the exit exam college graduates must pass in order to get a teaching license in Iowa. Representative Tom Moore, a Republican from Griswold, was a teacher for 33 years. He’s been trying to get rid of this test for new teachers since 2015.

“These exams they have been forced to take to gain a license have no bearing on their abilities, their knowledge or their ability to become a quality teacher,” Moore says. “In fact, it simply was a barrier for some and an added expense for all.” A decade ago, Governor Terry Branstad asked legislators to require both an ENTRANCE exam for college students entering Iowa teacher preparation programs and an EXIT exam before graduates could be licensed to teach in Iowa. The bill gets rid of both requirements.

“I think it’s important that we get this done for our students that we have right now in the teacher prep institutions and I think it’s important that we, here in the House…go to our senators and say: ‘We’ve got to have this,'” Moore said, pounding his desk as he spoke, “‘…so that we can combat this teacher shortage that we have.” In the past decade, lawmakers made entrance exams for college teaching courses optional and lowered the passing grade for the test required for a teaching license.

College graduates who fail that test also have been able to teach for up to a year, as they re-take the test to try for a passing score. Representative Sue Cahill, a Democrat, is a teacher in Marshalltown. At the start of this school year, Cahill unexpectedly was assigned to be substitute teacher in a second grade classroom for nine weeks after a rookie teacher learned she hadn’t passed her proficiency test.

“This young lady who had a year of successful teaching is waiting for us to pass this bill,” Cahill says. “She is back as a long-term sub in that classroom, but our superintendent even mentioned that if this bill passes, he’s going to have that contract ready for her to sign that very day.” Cahill says students aren’t judged on one piece of data and teachers shouldn’t be either. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

House votes to bar COVID vaccine mandates in public and private schools, child care centers

News

February 28th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that’s passed the Iowa House forbids educational institutions in the state from having COVID-19 vaccination mandates for students. The ban would last until July 1st, 2029. Republican Representative Henry Stone of Forest City was the only supporter to speak about the bill. “House File 2298 is a bill that does not allow licensed child care centers, elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools to require the COVID-19 vaccine for enrollment whether virtual or in person,” Stone said.

The ban would apply to both public and private schools, including private colleges like Grinnell College which required students be vaccinated against COVID before the fall semester. The bill passed on a 57-to-36 vote, with two Democrats joining all Republicans present to support it. Representative Sharon Steckman, a Democrat from Mason City, was the only lawmaker to speak against the bill.

“I thought we were to stay out of private business,” Steckman said. “This tells private day cares, private K-12, private colleges what they can do, what they can’t do, so for that reason, and for childrens’ safety, I am a no on this bill.” The bill was debated and passed by the House in just three minutes and sent to the Senate for a vote.

Property damage hit-and-run in Creston Monday morning

News

February 28th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

A hit-and-run incident in Creston, early Monday morning (Feb. 28) caused $700 damage to a parked 2019 Toyota Tundra Crewmax pickup truck and $2,000 damage to a garage. According to Creston Police, the owner said she heard a bang at around 4-a.m., but thought the wind knocked over her trash can.

An investigation determined an apparently red vehicle was traveling south on N. Birch Street in Creston, and pulled into the driveway at a high-rate of speed. The unknown vehicle hit the curb in the driveway before colliding with the rear end of the pickup. The force of the impact caused the pickup to be pushed into the garage.

The unknown vehicle then backed out of the drive, leaving car parts through the yard. The vehicle “Peeled out,” continuing southbound on Birch.

Graham Named New Montgomery County Extension Program Coordinator

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 28th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

Red Oak, Iowa – Officials with ISU Extension and Outreach in Montgomery County said Monday (Today), Sadie Graham has accepted the position of Program Coordinator with the County Extension Office. As Program Coordinator, Graham will provide leadership to the Montgomery County 4-H and Youth program, develop local programming based on county needs, and build community collaborations. Graham will begin her new duties on a part time basis in mid-March, and start full time on May 9.

Graham holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Science from Northwest Missouri State University and will be completing her Master’s in Business Administration from Northwest this Spring. She brings experience with business, agriculture and event coordination to Montgomery County Extension.

Sadie Graham

Of her new position, Graham said “I am inspired by the opportunity to work with a team that promotes agriculture to the youth in the community. ” Mike Thomas, Chairperson of the Montgomery County Agricultural Extension Council, said “In addition to her passion for agriculture, Sadie will bring communication and relationship building skills to the position. We congratulate and welcome her to Montgomery County Extension.”

ISU Extension and Outreach brings research-based programming from Iowa State University directly to local counties in four educational areas:

4-H & Youth Programming
Ag & Natural Resources
Human Sciences
Community & Economic Development

For more information about ISU Extension and Outreach in Montgomery County, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/montgomery.

(UPDATE) Names released in fatal Madison County crash

News

February 28th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Winterset, Iowa) –The Iowa State Patrol, Monday evening, released the names of the victims of Sunday morning’s crash in Madison County. The Patrol reports the driver of the 2003 GMC Sierra pickup, 16-year-old Jacob Ryan Short, of Indianola, was trapped in the vehicle and died at the scene.

The accident happened as the pickup, which was traveling at excessive speeds in the 2400 block of 195th Trail at around 2:30-a.m., Sunday, went out of control, entered a ditch and struck a tree. The driver, who was trapped, died at the scene.

Three passengers in the pickup were injured: 15-year-old Halley Renee Brown, and 17-year-old Blake Charles Feuring, both of Winterset, along with 18-year-old Cameron Ryan Johnson, of Lorimor. None of the victims were wearing their seat belts. The Patrol says Brown was transported by personal vehicle to the Madison County Hospital, in Winterset. Feuring and Johnson were not transported to the hospital.

Alcohol is a suspected contributing factor in the crash. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Madison County EMS assisted the Patrol at the scene.