(Radio Iowa) — A western Iowa wildlife area reopened this week after being forced to close due to flooding two months ago. DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge usually sees visitors year-round, but it closed in mid-March as Missouri River levels rose. Park Ranger Peter Rea says a maintenance team from DeSoto and other nearby refuges repaired two sections of paved road that the floodwaters washed out.

“A lot of fill had to be hauled in to fill that and right now, instead of being repaved, they’ve just been covered with gravel,” Rea says. “They’re kind of gravel patches as a temporary Band-Aid before we can get it completely fixed.” Rea says the flooding has brought some animals to parts of the refuge where they normally wouldn’t venture.

“There’s a lot of birds feeding in those flooded areas because it’s shallow water and there’s a lot of fish that are trapped,” Rae says, “so it’s kind of easy picking as far as feeding goes.” They even had a couple of unusual sightings, including a blue heron, which is typically found in the Southeastern U-S. Though the refuge is open to the public, the boat ramps are closed and some hiking trails are still partly flooded.

(Thanks to Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — “Lucky Larry” may have a shot to win millions more — this time from a jury. A judge has ordered a trial in a lawsuit filed by Iowa lottery winner Larry Dawson, who contends a $9 million jackpot that he won in 2011 should have been nearly three times as big.

Dawson filed his lawsuit in 2016 after an investigation revealed that lottery contractor Eddie Tipton rigged the previous $16.5 million jackpot, bought the winning ticket himself and unsuccessfully worked with associates to claim it.
Dawson’s lawsuit against the Multi-State Lottery Association and the Iowa Lottery contends the $16.5 million should have carried over to the jackpot that he won under Hot Lotto’s rules.

Judge Carla Schemmel ruled earlier this month that the association and the lottery are not immune from liability under state law. She says that a “full hearing of this matter” is required to sort out the complex case. The case is set for trial Dec. 2.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of rural bankers in parts of 10 Plains and Western states shows they’re rapidly losing confidence in the region’s farm economy. The Rural Mainstreet survey for May, released Thursday, shows the survey’s overall index dropping from 50 in April to 48.5 this month. Any score above 50 suggests a growing economy, while a score below 50 indicates a shrinking economy.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, blames trade tensions and tariffs, saying they’re contributing to losses suffered by grain farmers — although livestock producers are faring better. Still, Goss says, bankers believe “the negatives far outweighed the positives.”

The survey’s confidence index, which gauges bankers’ expectations for the economy six months out, plummeted from 50 to 38.2 — its lowest level in almost two years.
Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

One person was transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital following a collision today (Thursday), between an SUV and a car, in Red Oak. Authorities say 79-year old Norma Jean Mullenix, of Stanton, was transported to the hospital by Red Oak Rescue, after she complained of pain and possible injury following the crash that happened at around 7:55-a.m.

According to Red Oak Police, a 1994 Buick Century driven by Mullenix, was traveling west on E. Summit Street, and was stopped or stopping, to turn onto N. Highland Avenue. A 2013 Ford Escape driven by 28-year old Tiffany Jean Mendenwaldt, of Red Oak, was also traveling westbound on E. Summit, and had a “small impact” on the rear of the Buick. Damage to the vehicles amounted to just $55 altogether.

No citations were issued.

CHARLESTON, West Virginia (AP) — Five state attorneys general have announced new lawsuits against the maker of OxyContin as they seek to hold the drug industry responsible for an opioid crisis. Filings were announced Thursday by officials in Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, West Virginia and Wisconsin. With the suits, 45 states are now taking legal action against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, asserting that the company downplayed the addiction risks of its powerful prescription drug.

Several states are also other drugmakers or distributors. Pennsylvania’s attorney general also announced a suit this week against Purdue, saying the company was not working in good faith on a settlement agreement. Purdue disputes that. The company had a legal win this month when a North Dakota judge dismissed that state’s claim against the company.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a Powerball ticket worth $2 million was bought at a convenience store in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale. The ticket bought at a Kum & Go on 156th Street matched the first five numbers drawn Wednesday night but missed the Powerball number and a chance of winning the $250.3 million jackpot. The ticket buyer has yet to step forward.

Iowa Lottery says the buyer also purchased the Power Play option, which multiplied the normal $1 million prize to $2 million. No one won the jackpot, so it’s expected to climb to around $270 million for Saturday’s drawing. Wednesday’s winning numbers were 7, 17, 33, 61, 68 and Powerball 4.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say an 8-year-old boy died at a Des Moines hospital after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a street in Marshalltown. Police say officers and medics were dispatched to the accident site around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. The injured boy was taken to a Marshalltown hospital before being flown to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Police say he died there later.

Police say the boy was crossing West Main Street on his way home from Franklin Elementary School when he was hit by a vehicle that was turning onto West Main from South 13th Street. His name hasn’t been released. The vehicle driver has been identified as 71-year-old Marilyn Diggins, of Marshalltown.

(Radio Iowa) — Near-record heat is in today’s (Thursday) forecast, with 80s expected across northern Iowa and low 90s for Iowa’s southern half. With the hot, humid air comes the greater risk of severe weather. Meteorologist Brooke Hagenhoff, at the National Weather Service in metro Des Moines, says some areas may see summer-like temperatures 20-degrees hotter than usual. “While we’ve been cooler-than-normal for most of May so far, it’s a pretty big change here, especially today, the warmest day in our seven-day forecast,” Hagenhoff says. “It’s really due to the increased southerly flow which is allowing warmer air to come up across the Southern United States and into Iowa.”

With the dramatic change as we shift from cooler to much warmer weather, there’s always the risk of rough weather, including powerful thunderstorms. “For today, we’re looking at a risk over mainly central and northern Iowa and the main threat with that is going to be hail and possibly damaging winds,” Hagenhoff says. “That will be mostly confined to this evening and tonight.” Many Iowans are rarely very far from their smart phones, which can be set up to provide you with potentially-life-saving weather data. “We know that with the warmer weather, after the cool start to spring, a lot of people are antsy to get outside,” Hagenhoff says. “It’s important that whether you have outdoor plans or not that you have ways while you’re outside to receive severe weather warnings and information, just so you’re prepared.”

The weather should cool a bit Friday and Saturday, she says, with highs by Sunday only creeping into the 60s. On the subject of severe weather, Iowa saw 69 tornadoes touch down last year. So far this year, there hasn’t been a single twister reported statewide.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City man has been given 25 years in prison for beating to death his father. Johnson County District Court records say 31-year-old Flannery Kennedy-Meier was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to attempted murder. Prosecutors had reduced the charge from first-degree murder in exchange for Kennedy-Meier’s plea.

Kennedy-Meier was arrested Nov. 13, 2017, after police were called to an Iowa City residence and found the injured Meier. Officers say Kennedy-Meier had hit his father in the head with a weapon, causing a skull fracture and brain bleeding.

Meier died of his injuries on Dec. 4, 2017, and an autopsy blamed the November beating.

The Iowa Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting Tuesday, June 4th to discuss the proposed improvements to the I-80 bridges over the South Raccoon and North Raccoon Rivers and the Old Portland Road bridge in Dallas County. Traffic north of I-80 would be detoured during construction using 323rd Place and U.S. 169. Traffic south of I-80 would be detoured using 347th Street and U.S. 169.

All interested persons are invited to attend this meeting anytime between 4:30 and 6 p.m. at the De Soto Intermediate School, 317 Spruce Street, in De Soto. The meeting will be conducted utilizing an open forum format. Iowa DOT staff will be present to informally discuss the proposed improvements. No formal presentation will be made. The meeting space is accessible for persons with disabilities. However, if you require special accommodations at the meeting, please notify Scott Suhr, transportation planner, Iowa DOT District 4 Office in Atlantic, by calling 712-243-3355, 1-800-289-4368, (or by email scott.suhr@iowadot.us), by no later than May 31st.