(Radio Iowa) – The weather experts say La Nina is gone. The weather pattern resulting from the cooling of the Pacific Ocean’s surface has an impact on the weather across North America, and it’s now completely faded away. Doug Kluck, regional climate service director for the National Weather Service, says even with this latest heat wave, temperatures normalized in Iowa and across the Midwest as La Nina disappeared.

“It is, for the most part gone,” Kluck says. “I think temperatures remain slightly cooler than normal but they’re trending toward what they are in our classification system — basically neutral — so, neither El Nino nor La Nina.” Historically, La Ninas have caused below-normal temperatures across much of the Northern Plains states. An El Nino can bring weather extremes, including severe drought or severe flooding. Kluck says La Nina may reappear later this year, but it will take a few months to sort that out.

“There are some indications from models that we could slip back into La Nina, which would not be unprecedented by any means,” Kluck says. “A couple years in a row of La Nina isn’t out of the question but it’s too early to call that now. In about two months, we should have a better handle on that.” Kluck says a swing toward El Nino, a warming of the surface temperatures, is not likely in the next year.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office (Thursday), reports the arrest in Carson, Wednesday evening, of 23-year-old Ethan Ray Rankin, for Driving While Revoked/Habitual Offender. Late Wednesday morning, 43-year-old David Harold Burgess, of Council Bluffs, an inmate at the Pott. County Jail, was served with a warrant for Violation of Probation. He was then returned to the custody of Corrections Staff.

At around 9:15-p.m. on May 31st, a Pott. County Deputy conducted a traffic stop in Council Bluffs on a vehicle with an expired registration plate. The driver, 45-year-old Jason Vaughn Young, was subsequently arrested for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender. On May 29th, at around 6:50-p.m., a traffic stop on an SUV in the Crescent area, resulted in the arrest of a passenger in the vehicle. 38-year-old Amanda Sue Franks was taken into custody on a warrant for Violation of Probation.

And, on May 28th, at around 9:35-p.m., 43-year-old Sheila Leigh Dunn was arrested following a traffic stop on the I-29 northbound ramp from Old Morman Bridge. She was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant from another county in Iowa.

One person died during a motorcycle accident Wednesday afternoon in western Iowa’s Monona County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2014 Jeep Cherokee driven by 78-year-old Barbra Rice, of Moorhead, was traveling, a 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by 68-year-old Stephen Hendricks, of Columbus, Nebraska, and a 2012 Peterbilt semi driven by 25-year-old Derek Henschen, of Ute, were all traveling north on Highway 183 a little after 2-p.m., when the semi began to pass the SUV in the southbound lane.

The motorcycle also began to pass the Jeep in the southbound lane. The Patrol says Hendricks didn’t realize the semi was passing, and struck the passenger side of the truck, causing the motorcycle to go out of control. He died at the scene. The other two drivers were not injuried.

AMES, Iowa – June 3, 2021 – The Iowa Department of Transportation is requesting public input on the right-of-way needs and proposed improvements to Interstate 80 from Grand Prairie Parkway to 60^th Street, in Waukee and West Des Moines, in Dallas County. The proposed project includes widening I-80 from 4-lanes to 6-lanes, from east of the Grand Prairie Parkway interchange to 60^th Street. Grand Prairie Parkway, Jordan Creek Parkway, and 60^th Street interchanges will be used as-is, with reconstruction limited to the I-80 ramp connections to accommodate pavement widening. Acceleration and deceleration lanes at these interchanges will also be included as part of the widening improvements.

As part of the project, the bridges over the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) west of Jordan Creek Parkway will be replaced. They will be reconstructed to a width of 8-lanes to accommodate future capacity expansion projects but will be striped for 6-lanes of traffic. The project is anticipated to take place in 2023.

An online public meeting is now available to view on the Iowa DOT’s Public Involvement webpage: www.iowadot.gov/pim. To view the meeting and related content, click on “Interstate 80 in Dallas County” from the list of public involvement events. The online meeting allows you to watch a pre-recorded presentation with information about the project at your own pace and at any time. The Iowa DOT is asking interested parties to take a few minutes to view the information and offer any feedback. If you do not have access to the internet, or need assistance viewing the materials, please contact the DOT representative listed below.

For general information regarding the proposed work or online public meeting materials, contact Scott Suhr, transportation planner, Iowa DOT District 4 Office, 2210 E. Seventh Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022, phone 712-249-4015 or 800-289-4368, email scott.suhr@iowadot.us.

(Radio Iowa) – Eastern Iowa had frost warnings with low temperatures in the 30s just last week, but summer-like weather is settling in now, as forecasters say highs will climb into the 80s and 90s over the next few days. Today (Thursday) is Heat Awareness Day and meteorologist Jim Lee, at the National Weather Service in Johnston, says it’s a reminder of the hazards of hot weather. “Anytime we see high levels of heat and humidity here in the summer, which is fairly common especially as we get toward the dog days of summer,” Lee says, “anytime anybody’s working outside, they need to be aware that time in the sun and time of physical exertion can lead to heat stress syndrome.”

Parents and anyone who cares for kids also need to be reminded about the dangers of these quickly escalating temperatures.  “We see multiple times per year, children who die left unattended in vehicles,” Lee says. “It is very important to never leave your child in a vehicle unattended for any length of time and also to be aware of who’s in the back seat and, as they say, look before you lock.” It’s a coincidence this Heat Awareness Day arrives precisely as the forecast calls for a heat wave. “We are looking at the warmest weather of the season so far coming over the next multiple days and through the weekend,” Lee says. “It’s more important now than ever to make sure you take your heat health seriously. If you’re outside this weekend, drink plenty of fluids and take some breaks in the shade.”

Summer officially arrives on June 20th. Find more information about Heat Awareness Day at www.weather.gov/dmx.

With Ric Hanson.

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DES MOINES- Auditor of State Rob Sand, Thursday, released a report on a special investigation of the “Step Up, Stop the Spread” public service announcement campaign that occurred in November 2020, the height of the Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), or COVID-19, Pandemic in Iowa (https://www.auditor.iowa.gov/reports – click on the “Special Interest Reports” option) . The campaign was designed to raise public awareness in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. In his report, the Auditor claims the Governor mishandled CARES Act dollars by using those funds for video advertisements containing the likeness, voice, or name of the Governor in violation of Iowa Code section 68A.405A. That statute reads, in part: “Except as provided in sections 29C.3 and 29C.6, a statewide elected official or member of the general assembly shall not permit the expenditure of public moneys under the control of the statewide elected official or member of the general assembly, including but not limited to…”

Governor Kim Reynolds said “I’m proud of the Step Up, Stop the Spread” public service announcement. I felt it was important for me and other leaders to address Iowans during the height of the pandemic. And the law clearly allows it.” She says the auditor’s report ignores the opening clause: “Except as provided in sections 29C.3 and 29C.6.” That is a significant error, as 29C.6 relates to the powers and authority of the Governor during a public health disaster emergency.

The Step Up, Stop the Spread campaign promoted social distancing and mask-wearing in November 2020, which was the peak of positive cases of COVID-19 in Iowa. Hospitals and health care facilities were filling with patients being treated for COVID-19. The Governor’s Public Health Proclamation of Disaster Emergency had mandated (in certain situations) mask-wearing and required social distancing.

Gov. Reynolds says promoting the requirements and recommendations of a disaster proclamation in a public awareness campaign is a clear example of the public-emergency exemption in Iowa’s image-and-likeness statute. And, she said in a press release, “In case of any confusion, Section 29C.6(10)–which, again, is specifically mentioned in section 68A.405A– provides for the use of “all available resources of the state government as reasonably necessary to cope with the disaster emergency and of each political subdivision of the state.”

The Governor’s Chief of Staff Sara Craig said “Auditor Sand didn’t once ask to meet with our team regarding his concern or his investigation. If he had, we would have pointed him to this essential part of the law that he clearly missed. A statement from the Governor’s office says “Any competent reading of the plain language of state code would have acknowledged the role of the Governor in promoting an emergency order. Neither the Governor’s Office nor the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board were consulted prior to the issuance of Auditor Sand’s report. If that had happened, anyone within those offices could have directed the Auditor to the plain language of Iowa’s image-and-likeness statute and pointed out that, during a disaster emergency, the Governor may address Iowans in a public service announcement.”

Sheriff’s officials in Union County are investigating a vehicle hit-and-run incident. Authorities say Kami Raney, of Thayer, was driving a 2012 Chevy Malibu when the vehicle developed a flat tire while traveling north on Willow Avenue. She left the car on the side of the road, about 100-yards south of 223rd Street, and had planned to have her husband come to change the tire. When he arrived at around 5:17-a.m., Wednesday, the man discovered the vehicle was in the east ditch, and appeared to have been side swiped, with damage to the right rear side of the vehicle.

The damage was estimated to be around $5,000.