A thin layer of snow has resulted in a few accidents in the area, this morning, but there have been no reports of any injuries. According to 511ia.org, roads mainly east of Highway 173, including Highway 71, a stretch of I-80, Highway 44 and 141, as well as parts of Highway 92, 34 and 2 (to name a few), are partially covered with snow. Slow down, and drive with caution.
Road report as of 6:40-a.m. 11/16/22 (Click to enlarge)
(Audubon, Iowa) – The City Council in Audubon will be mulling over ways to fill a vacancy on the Council created by the news during their meeting on Monday, that Councilman Nick Weihs is resigning. His resignation is due to the fact Weihs is moving out of the Audubon City limits. Weih’s term expires in Dec., 2025.
According to City Clerk Joe Foran, Weihs’ seat will likely be filled by appointment until the next election. The Council is tasked now with getting out and finding someone who may be interested in being appointed to the position.
In other business, Foran told the Council that in the next Legislative session of the State, representatives will be considering combining the Local Option Sales Tax with the State Retail Sales Tax and revenue share. Foran explained how that would eventually leave a huge hole in the City budget. The State has had a history of later eliminating revenue sharing income in the favor of keeping it all at the State level. Foran urged Council Members and the public to contact area legislative representatives to stop this legislation.
(Find additional Audubon City Council meeting minutes/notes, HERE)
(Radio Iowa) – An eastern Iowa hospital boasts it’s the only facility in the state to start using a new technology to screen for polyps during colonoscopies. It’s called the G-I Genius and it uses artificial intelligence to highlight suspicious polyps with a visual marker in real time. Dr. Bhavya Akhauri, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, says using the device is like having a second set of very sharp eyes. “It’s a little box which looks like a DVD player and sits on top of our endoscopy processor,” Akhauri says. “It has a software that has millions of images of various kinds of polyps saved on it, and it actively flags the polyps with these green squares.”
Akhauri, medical director of the Mercy Gastroenterology Clinic, says studies are finding that an A-I-assisted colonoscopy can increase polyp detection rates. “Our polyp detection rate is really high,” Akhauri says, “so we just got the technology, so we’ll be comparing and seeing six to 12 months down the line just to see what difference it made to our unit, but it’s supposed to help find more polyps, that’s the rationale behind getting it.” So at what age should you start getting a colonoscopy? “The consensus for all the GI societies, it’s 45 years. It used to be 50 but that also got changed,” Akhauri says. “We’re finding more and more cancers in younger populations, so currently, it’s at 45 and that’s what I recommend.”
A colonoscopy is considered the best way to detect polyps which could eventually lead to colorectal cancer, the third-most common form of cancer in the U.S., with almost 150,000 new cases every year.
OMAHA, Neb. — An official with the Omaha Airport Authority said Tuesday, Epply Airfield in Omaha, has welcomed its eighth airline. Dave Roth, Chief Executive Officer for the Airport Authority, said beginning in May, Sun Country will offer a direct flight between Omaha and Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.
The flights, which will operate on Mondays and Fridays, will go during the peak summer travel period between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa trapping season is underway, and a D-N-R expert says the prospects are good. Furbearer biologist, Vince Evelsizer, says there shouldn’t be any trouble finding furs. “Most of our species of furbearers and Iowa are doing well, the populations are either stable, or increasing slightly,” Evelsizer says. “Examples of that would be things like coons and beavers, even red fox, that sort of thing.” Evelsizer says the only two species that they’re concerned about are foxes and muskrats — which have seen declining populations. He says making a profit from trapping is a little less certain.
“It does look like there continues to be a relatively weak, wild fur market going into this fall and winter. However, some species like bobcats, and beavers, have increased a little bit in value,” he says. Evelsizer says the price of the furs is influenced by several things. “In general, it has to do with the garment industry, and where supply and demand issues are. Right now, for example, in the past six, eight years, especially China and Russia, were two countries that were the bigger for buyers,”Evelsizer says, “and relations with those two countries in the U-S has been tense past few years, and that can affect trade on things like wild furs.” He says there’s been around 14 to 15-thousand licensed fur harvesters the past few years.
“When the fur market is weak, it does tend to lead to a lower harvest or effort from our harvesters,” Evelsizer says. “But that being said, there’s still a lot of fur harvesters that go out and do it. You know, your regardless of the fair market value, they go and do it because they love trapping or they love predator hunting or they love running their coon dogs.” Evelsizer says some trappers aren’t concerned about the fur price.” Some folks are interested in the meat, you know, things like a beaver, for example, can be actually very good eating,” he says.
Trappers don’t have to sell their furs this year — Evelsizer says they can keep them for one year and see if prices go up before they have to sell. He says there is one more beginning trapper event for the year this Saturday in St. Charles. It’s for beginner trappers of all ages and you can sign up on the Iowa D-N-R ‘s website to register.
Today: Mostly cloudy w/light snow or flurries (Trace to a dusting). High 30. NW @ 15-25.
Tonight: P/Cldy to Cldy. Low 18. NW @ 5-10.
Tomorrow: P/Cldy to Cldy. High 32. W-NW @ 15-25.
Friday: P/Cldy. High 24.
Saturday: P/Cldy. High 26.
Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 32. Our Low this morning, 21. We received .1” of snow Tues. afternoon into early this morning. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 70 and the Low was 37. The Record High on this date was 73 in 2001. The Record Low was 1 in 1955.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says the Hawkeyes need to focus on the task at hand and not the help they need. The Hawkeyes take a three game winning streak to Minnesota and need two wins and an Illinois loss to claim a second straight division title.
Iowa stood 3-4 after getting clobbered at Ohio State and the season appeared to be unraveling. They have won three straight to climb back into the division race.
Ferentz says Minnesota has become a consistent winner under P.J. Fleck.
Iowa’s struggling offense has gone up against several highly ranked defenses and the Gophers are the next one.
Ferenz says they are prepared to face either Minnesota quarterback in redshirt freshman Athan Kaliakmanis or senior Tanner Morgan. Kaliakmanis went the distance in last week’s win over Northwestern.
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell says mistakes and inconsistencies have plagued the Cyclones this season. ISU is 4-6 after a loss at Oklahoma State and closes the home schedule Saturday night against Texas Tech.
Campbell says the effort has been there but the Cyclones have made too many mistakes.
The Cyclones are a minus-six in turnover margin this season.
Campbell says the goal this week it to celebrate senior day with a win over Texas Tech.
The seventh ranked Iowa State women face their first road test with a visit to Northern Iowa tonight (Wednesday night). It is the first of three in-state games for the Cyclones.
That’s ISU coach Bill Fennelly who says the in-state games are always emotional.
UNI coach Tanya Warren calls it an opportunity for her team.
Warren hopes Panthers fans will fill the McLeod Center.
A tough stretch of the schedule begins for the Iowa basketball team tonight (Wednesday night) with a visit to Seton Hall. Like the Hawkeyes, the Pirates are also 2-0.
That’s Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. The Gavitt Tipoff Games are a series of games matching teams from the Big Ten against teams from the Big East.
McCaffery says Seton Hall’s half court defense will challenge the Hawkeyes.
It begins a stretch that will see the Hawkeyes play Seton Hall, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Duke, Iowa State and Wisconsin over the next few weeks.
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
RSS