(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Department of Transportation is making the transition into its winter operation phase. Winter operations director, Craig Bargfrede, says they will gradually refit equipment from construction maintenance work to be ready for winter.  “The garages have to balance having the ability to go out and treat should we get and early season storm — and to be able to continue do other maintenance activities that are appropriate for this time of year,” Bargfrede explains. “So there’s a certain percentage of the equipment in each one of the garages that they’ll have outfitted and ready to go.”

The D-O-T has 101 maintenance garages across the state that house 902 trucks, 42 motor graders, 27 tow plows, and 11 heavy-duty, self-propelled snowblowers. “A lot of the garages are doing the overall maintenance, checking equipment and making sure everything is functioning properly. Installing blades, doing all of the calibration on our sanders that we need to do to be ready once winter hits,” Bargfrede says. The department buys salt during the spring and summer when prices are lower to have it ready for winter use. “Garages have been receiving salt over the summertime and getting the sheds filled and ready to go. So, at this point in time we’ve got plenty of the supply on hand and on the ground and ready to go once those first storms hit,” he says.

While you might buy a one pound bag of salt for your driveway — the D-O-T buys truckloads.”Overall statewide we’re somewhere just over 222-thousand ton of salt,” Bargfrede says. They spread salt and sand and also use 28 million gallons of salt brine to treat the roads during the winter. The department has more than one-thousand full-time employees — and Bargfrede says they are also searching for some more people to work this winter. “We’re looking for just over 600 seasonal employees to be able bring on statewide to help augment our fulltime staff. It’s really a key part of our winter operations to be able to have that level of augmentation of our full-time staff in order to meet what our requirements are,” Bargfrede says.

He says many of the added winter workers come from other occupations that are seasonal. “Construction is a large area,” He says.”We do in the rural areas have a lot of farmers that once they are done with the harvest, then they come out and help us plow, drive truck and do the things we need to do from a maintenance standpoint as well.” Bargfrede encourages anyone who is interested to check out their winter work opportunities. He says the best thing to do is to go to the D-O-T webpage and look under the careers heading. “Otherwise you can stop into your local garage and contact your local garage supervisor and they would be able to give you information as well,” Bargfrede says.

Bargfrede says he gets asked all the time when he expects the first snow — and says he doesn’t have a crystal ball to predict that — he just wants his crews ready when it hits.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowans will soon be preparing their little ghosts and goblins for trick-or-treating and a registered nurse who’s the spokeswoman for the Iowa Poison Control Center has a few advance tips for avoiding trouble. Poison information specialist Tammy Noble says those colorful glowsticks can be helpful with visibility but it’s not recommended that they be left within reach of tiny hands. “The problem with glowsticks is, sometimes kids will put them in their mouth and they’ll bite into it,” Noble says. “That liquid that’s in the glowstick itself gets in the mouth and causes a burning, stinging sensation and usually the kids will start crying right away.”

She says calls about glowsticks were the number-one subject in October of last year to the Sioux City-based poison center. Another potential Halloween hazard is the use of dry ice in punchbowls at parties. It creates a spooky fog but Noble says dry ice can also create a risk. “Basically what that is is solid carbon dioxide and it’s very, very cold,” Noble says. “It’s actually 109-degrees below zero. If you’re using dry ice, definitely make sure you’re wearing gloves when you’re handling it. Otherwise, touching it to bare skin can cause frostbite injuries.”

Never place dry ice in a person’s glass as it could seriously hurt their mouth as they tip back the drink. Noble also suggests using dry ice only in a well-ventilated area. Window clings can pose a choking hazard, should wee ones get a hold of them and try to eat them. Noble also urges caution if you’ll be painting on a scary face. “Halloween makeups can be irritating to the skin if they’re left on for long periods of time,” Noble says. “It’s a good idea to test that on the child’s skin. Maybe not on the face but in an inconspicuous area like on the arm just to be sure they’re not going to react to it.”

Another hazard is the silver, button-sized batteries found in light-up costumes, toys and decorations. Those batteries can cause serious internal injuries if swallowed. The Iowa Poison Control Center is open around the clock at 800-222-1222.

AMES, Iowa – Oct. 18, 2019 – A long-range plan for public transit in Iowa is currently under development. This plan supports the State Transportation Plan, Iowa in Motion 2045, in helping efficiently plan and manage resources for an effective statewide public transit system within Iowa’s multi-modal transportation system. A key part of the plan update is collecting public input. Public feedback is being sought on potential strategies and action items, which will help form the overall system vision and the types of investments and strategies to consider. A survey has been developed to gather more specific public opinion on what the future of public transit should look like in the state. The survey will open from Friday, Oct. 18 through Friday, Nov. 1.

This survey will build on the results of input received from transit agencies and stakeholders, and initial internal analysis of the public transit system. Survey questions focus on how people want to live and travel in the future and what they think of particular transit strategies. The survey and information concerning the plan are available online at https://iowadot.gov/iowainmotion/Modal-Plans/Public-Transit-Plan. Please revisit this website regularly to stay informed throughout the planning process. Input from the survey will be used to help shape the investment strategies included in the plan.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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ATLANTA (AP) — Coca-Cola reported strong third quarter sales as it makes strides with new drinks like Coca-Cola Plus Coffee and no-sugar drinks. Revenue jumped 8% to $9.51 billion, edging out Wall Street expectations for $9.48 billion, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research. The Atlanta-based company continues to book double-digit volume growth with drinks like Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. Coke also experienced double-digit growth in 7.5-oz. mini cans.

The company announced that Coca-Cola Energy and Coca-Cola Energy Cherry – a flavor exclusive to the U.S. – and their zero-calorie counterparts will be available in 12-oz. cans nationwide starting in January 2020. Coke said that the launch is part of its ongoing effort to keep pace with the changing and diversifying tastes of consumers.

Coke today (Friday) reported net income of $2.59 billion, or 60 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 56 cents per share, which is in line with projections from industry analysts. Earlier this month rival PepsiCo Inc. reported third-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations. Shares of Coca-Cola Co. rose 1.5% before the opening bell.

(Update: One deputy has been discharged from Mercy One – two more with gunshot wounds remain in the hospital. They are in stable condition as of this morning)

Officials with the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI), early this (Friday) morning, provided details with regard to the shooting late Thursday night of two Guthrie County Sheriff’s Deputies, in Stuart. KCCI says Iowa DCI Special Agent Adam DeCamp reported that at around 10:40 p.m., three Guthrie County sheriff’s deputies and a Stuart police officer executed an arrest warrant at an apartment on 615 SW 7th St. in Stuart.

He said shots were fired around 10:43-p.m., Thursday. In all, four people were injured, including three Guthrie County sheriff’s deputies, and an occupant of the apartment. Authorities said all four people were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Of those injured, two deputies and the apartment occupant were shot. DeCamp said the scene was secured without further incident and that authorities were able to negotiate with a male inside the apartment, getting him to leave the apartment and surrender.

The names of those injured are not being released at this time. Contrary to earlier reports, authorities said a suspect has not been identified. Multiple law enforcement and EMS agencies responded to the scene Thursday night.

Police in Red Oak, late Thursday night, arrested 50-year old Brent Whitman Bass, of Essex, following a traffic stop at the intersection of 215th Street and Highway 48. Bass was taken into custody at around 11:15-p.m. for OWI/1st offense. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Marine Corps has corrected the identify of another of the men who were photographed raising the American flag at Iwo Jima during World War II. The Marines said Thursday that after questions were raised by private historians who studied photos and films, it determined that Cpl. Harold P. Keller was among the six men who raised the flag. The Marines say Pfc. Rene Gagnon had helped in the effort but for decades was mistakenly identified by the Marines as one of the flag-raisers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Court of Appeals has set a date for arguments in a lawsuit that challenges a law giving the governor more power over the selection of supreme court and appeals court judges. Chief Judge Thomas Bower says in an order signed last week that the court will hear arguments on Nov. 6.

MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) — A judge overseeing a trial to determine whether an eastern Iowa roadside zoo should be closed says she gagged on the ‘horrible stench” while touring the facility. The Telegraph Herald reports that Judge Monica Wittig shared her reaction with those in attendance on Wednesday, the first day of the state trial in Manchester regarding Cricket Hollow Animal Park. Four plaintiffs have sued to have the animals removed and the zoo closed.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge has ordered five home health care facilities in Iowa and South Dakota accused of filing fraudulent Medicare claims to pay more than $3.1 million. A complaint filed earlier this month in Cedar Rapid’s federal court accused Sergeant Bluff Healthcare and Elk Point Healthcare of filing Medicare claims for home health services billed by a third-party for services that did not qualify for Medicare coverage or were not justified or necessary.

Two Guthrie County Sheriff’s Deputies who were serving a search warrant at an apartment complex in Stuart, were shot Thursday night, but are expected to survive. A third was injured during the incident, that happened at around 10:45-p.m. All three were transported to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines and were reported to be in stable condition. According to reports, one suspect was injured and arrested at around 12:10-a.m. today (Friday), a second suspect was also arrested and the scene cleared.

(Radio Iowa) — An Ames man who was found guilty in 1976 of murdering his two-year-old son has died of what officials at the state prison in Clarinda believe were natural causes.
A Story County jury convicted Thomas Earl Seehan of first-degree murder after an eight-day trial. Seehan, who was going through a divorce and seeking custody of his son, smothered the boy to death in December of 1975. The next day, he went to his wife’s workplace and held her hostage for several hours before surrendering. His attorney argued Seehan was insane at the time.

The prosecutor in the case was Ruth Harkin, who was the first woman to be elected as a county attorney in Iowa. Seehan unsuccessfully appealed his conviction. The Iowa Supreme Court and a federal appeals court rejected the argument the jury was inappropriately influenced by Harkin’s visible pregnancy when she spoke of Seehan’s dead son in court.

Seehan was sentenced to life in prison on the first-degree murder charge. He died at the age of 69, after more than 43 years in prison. An autopsy will be performed to confirm the cause of his death.