(Radio Iowa) – Researchers have found the toxic substances known as “forever chemicals” in some of Iowa’s remote streams, suggesting the contaminants are spreading far beyond sites typically known to use them. The class of chemicals called PFAS have been used in household and industrial products for decades and are linked to a slate of health issues. Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Iowa detected PFAS in one-third of the Iowa streams they tested. The U-I’s Dave Cwiertny worked on the study. “I think it indicates that there are likely sources that we’re not probably thinking about correctly,” Cwiertny says. “That there are ways these things can reach parts of the environment that don’t necessarily, aren’t tied to the ones you read about in the news like an airport or a military base.”

Cwiertny says he’s especially worried about Iowans who rely on private wells, which are much more vulnerable to contamination. He says the findings also raise concerns for people who eat fish from the state’s streams. Dana Kolpin, with the U-S-G-S, says finding PFAS, even at low levels, is concerning because they bioaccumulate and don’t break down. “It may not mean something today, but if you keep ingesting it and keep building it up, it may mean something to you five years from now, 30 years from now. That’s the question mark, we don’t know,” Kolpin says. “So if a compound bioaccumulates, at least to me means we should be concerned enough at least to start looking at it.”

The highest levels the researchers found were downstream from a wastewater treatment plant, which they say is valuable data for state regulators.

(reporting by Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

(Anita) – CAM School District Business Manager Lindsay Jahde reminds patron of the District, that there will be a final, informational meeting held on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at the CAM South Elementary Gym in Massena at 6:30p.m., with regard to the November 2nd bond election.  All five of the CAM CSD Board of Education members may be in attendance.  This is an informational meeting only and no action will be taken.

The meeting will be held in a hybrid format – that is both in-person and virtually via Zoom (see the Zoom Meeting ID and Passcode at the end of this report). The Measure on the ballot will ask voters to approve a General Obligation Bond amounting to $30.5-million, for the construction, the furnishing and equipping of  additions, remodeling, repair, improvement and equipping of,the existing South Elementary/Middle School building and Senior High building. The proposal would also improve the sites, transition to a single elementary site in Massena, feature a single Junior/Senior High site in Anita, and enhance athletic complexes and areas.

The second Public Measure proposes an annual levy of a tax exceeding $2.75, but not to exceed $4.05, per thousand dollars of the assessed value of the taxable property within the CAM District to pay the principal of and interest on the bonded indebtedness of the school corporation

*ID 836 2470 4520, Passcode 555301

With Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report multiple arrests occurred over the past few days. Three people were arrested late Sunday night at 803 W. Adams Street: 34-year-old Anthony Michael Atkins, 51-year-old Misty Joan McKinney, and 29-year-old Casey Ray Welcher, all of Creston, were arrested for Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Atkins was being held in the Union County Jail on a $5,000 cash or surety Bond. McKinney was also charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Providing False Identification Information. She was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $5,600 c/s bond. And, Welcher faces an additional, Possession of Methamphetamine charge. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $7,000 c/s bond.

Authorities say three people were arrested at around 2:22-a.m. Sunday, following a traffic stop at the intersection of Maple/Mills Streets, in Creston: 32-year-old Seth Michael Thompson, of Omaha, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd offense, PCS/3rd offense – marijuana, Intent to manufacture/deliver, pcs/3rd offense: non-marijuana; Conspire/intent to manufacture/deliver meth (under 5 grams), and possession of a firearm or offensive weapon by a felon. His cash/surety bond was set at $37,000; 37-year-old Joshua Mark Magistretti, and 31-year-old Brooke Lee West, both of Omaha, were arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Each was cited and released on a Summons to Appear.

39-year-old Mitchell Tyler Killon, of Creston, was arrested at around 12:40-a.m., Sunday, in the 100 block of N. Elm Street, in Creston. Killon was charged with Public Intoxication. He was later released after pleading guilty, and for time served. Saturday evening, 32-year-old William Albert Bethke IV, of Creston, was arrested for Public Intoxication/1st offense, and Poss. of a controlled substance. He was released on a $600 cash bond.

Friday night 20-year-old Seamus Donohue Reese, of MN., was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center in Creston, for Poss. of a Controlled Substance/marijuana – 1st offense, pcs/drug paraphernalia, and conspiracy/intent to deliver. He was later released on a $2,000 bond. Late Friday morning, 27-year-old Patrick Riley Iiams, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County LEC, for PCS/Marijuana – 1st offense, and probation violation on an original charge of PCS. He remained in the jail today (Monday), on a $1,000 cash bond.

The broadcast & breaking News at 7:07-a.m., with Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.6MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Atlantic, Iowa) – UPDATE – One person has died and two others were injured, during a collision between a pickup and a car this morning, north of Atlantic. The crash occurred at around 5:31-a.m. on Cass County Road N-16 (North Olive Street), just south of Dallas Road. There was airbag deployment in at least one of the vehicles. Atlantic Rescue and Cass EMS responded to the scene. Two helicopters, LifeNet and LifeFlight were requested and reportedly transported the victims to Mercy Hospital. The roadway remains BLOCKED for the accident investigation. Take an alternate route if you normally travel on North Olive Street.

Additional information is currently not available.

(Radio Iowa) – If you try to dial a local number without the 5-1-5 or 3-1-9 area codes, the call will not go through today (Monday). Iowa Utilities Board spokesman, Don Tormey, says it’s part of a change by the F-C-C to avoid confusion with a new 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  “When the F-C-C issued that order it impacted area codes throughout the United States — and in Iowa, the 5-1-5 and 3-1-9 area codes are now required to dial all ten digits to complete a local call,” Tormey says.

He says you should check to be sure that all your devices have the area codes to prevent issues with local calls. “Home alarms and other security systems, speed dialers, mobile and other wireless phone contact lists, voice mail services, those kinds of things,” he says. Tormey says the change was made Sunday. He says you could have still made a local call without the area code until the change.

Tormey says there is more information about the change on the I-U-B website.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Federation of Labor A-F-L-C-I-O president Charlie Wishman says the pandemic has changed the way workers think about their jobs. Charlie Wishman says it was no surprise members of the United Auto Workers turned down John Deere’s contract offer. “You’re seeing what’s dubbed as ‘Striketober’ but that has started since before that,” Wishman says. Wishman says John Deere workers are drawing a line in the sand for themselves and future workers.

“These folks are out here striking on behalf of members they haven’t even met yet, who haven’t even been hired yet,” Wishman says, “because one of the issues if they want to remove the retirement system for anybody hired after November 1.” Paul Iversen is a labor educator at the University of Iowa Labor Center. He says the two-tiered system the union’s striking over doesn’t provide the same level of pay and benefits to every worker.

“There is a huge difference between a two-tiered system and a seniority system,” Iversen says. “In a seniority system, you get more pay as you go along, but at some point, everybody doing the same job is making the same amount. Equal pay for equal work.” Iversen says in a tight labor market, striking workers appear to have more leverage. “Ultimately, employers will have to change the way that they approach employees,” Iversen says, “or they’re not going to have anybody to do the work.” The Iowa Federation of Labor’s president says it’s not just union workers who are challenging the status quo.

“In the past two weeks in Sioux City, in non-union facilities, you’ve had walk-outs over pay and shift differential,” Wishman says. “…I believe we’re at the front end of a worker uprising in this country.” Wishman and Iverson made their comments this week on the “Iowa Press” program on Iowa P-B-S. Late Friday, John Deere announced it will continue providing health care benefits to union workers and employees will not lose bonuses they earned before the strike started October 14th.

The bonuses are paid for exceeding performance goals. The union would have had to start providing health care to striking workers, but the benefits would not have been the same as the plans Deere employees have now. A spokeswoman for the company said Deere and Company is taking these steps to demonstrate its commitment to doing what’s right by John Deere employees. Contract negotiations resumed last Monday.

(Sidney, Iowa) – Officials with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday evening, 41-year-old John Robert Washburn, of Hastings, IA, was arrested Sunday, following a report of a possible theft from a building at AgriVision Equipment, in Hamburg. At around 9-a.m. Sunday, employees were alerted by a witness that someone had backed a vehicle into one of the sheds and was still in the building. Employee’s arrived and questioned Washburn.

He told the employees he was working on his vehicle in the building, so he could stay out of the rain. The employees obtained information from Washburn including his name and vehicle license plate number. After Washburn left the building, the employees noticed that some items had been moved and that a pump was taken off of an industrial air compressor and was missing. A Fremont County Deputy along with a Mills County Deputy went to a rural Hastings location and located the stolen pump outside a building.

John Washburn (Fremont County S/O photo)

After an investigation at the scene Washburn was arrested for Burglary Second Degree and Theft Second and transported to the Fremont County Jail where he is being held on a ten-thousand-dollar bond.

(Afton, Iowa) – A collision in Afton Saturday evening resulted in two people being transported to the hospital, in Creston. According to the Union County Sheriff’s Department, a 2007 Chevy Impala driven by 18-year-old Raenna Price, of Afton, was traveling north on U-S Highway 169 at around 5:50-p.m.  A 1998 Volvo semi tractor-trailer driven by 40-year-old Chad Pontier, of Osceola, was stopped at the stop sign on Railroad Street. Officials say Pontier looked, but did not see the Chevy. When he proceeded to turn north onto Highway 169, he struck the Impala on the passenger side.

Pontier was not injured in the collision, but Price complained of pain afterward and was transported to the hospital by private vehicle, to be checked-out. A passenger in her car, 17-year-old Terence Sheley, of Lenox, was injured and transported by EMS Air to the Greater Regional Medical Center, in Creston. The car sustained $5,000 damage. Damage to the semi was estimated at $2,500. While no citations were issued at the scene, authorities noted Pontier failed to yield the right of way to Price, when he pulled away from the stop sign.

Both drivers and the passenger were wearing their seat belts.