(Radio Iowa) – There’s an apparent upside to all the fears about coronavirus, as it’s bringing a drop in gasoline prices in Iowa and across the U-S. With tens of millions of people quarantined in China, fuel consumption has dropped dramatically there, sending demand falling on world markets. Rose White, at Triple-A-Iowa, says crude oil prices have dropped nine-dollars a barrel in the past two weeks.

“With that, we’ve seen prices tumble across the nation and in Iowa,” White says. “In fact, just over the weekend, price dropped another five-cents a gallon with unleaded averaging $2.27 across the state.” China is one of the world’s top petroleum users, so with much of that nation grinding to a halt, global demand for gas has dropped significantly.

“U.S. stock levels are high right now, up about 1.4-million barrels above what we had seen just a year ago,” White says. “Typically at this time of year, we do see prices fluctuate a bit as refineries shut down operations for those mandatory inspections.” White says it’s entirely possible we’ll see prices continue to trend lower in Iowa.

“I think it’s going to last a long time because I don’t know if we’ve seen the full impact yet of the coronavirus,” White says. “Certainly, OPEC is very concerned about the situation to the point that they are debating whether or not they should curb production an additional one-million barrels per day.”

Crude oil futures this (Monday) morning were trading at just under $46 a barrel. Iowa’s current average of two-43 a gallon is 16-cents below the national average. Iowa’s cheapest gas is in the Quad Cities at two-21 a gallon while Iowa City has the most expensive gas at two-38.

(Radio Iowa) — State officials have commissioned a survey of Iowa manufacturers to evaluate industry trends. Iowa Economic Development Authority director Debi Durham says the results will likely help reconfigure state incentives as well as re-training programs.  “We always think of digitalization and modernization and , automation as losing jobs, but it’s quite the contrary,” Durham says, “because with every revolution that’s happened like this, you actually see more jobs, but they look different.”

Durham expects results from the survey to be released in October and she says the information will guide how her agency approaches businesses on a variety of key topics. “How do we encourage businesses to make the investments they need to make,” Durham says.

Issues about the supply chains Iowa manufacturers depend upon are likely to be highlighted in the study, too. There’s still time for Iowa companies to sign up to participate in the study. It will ultimately produce what Durham has dubbed the “Iowa Manufacturing 4.0 Plan.”

WATERLOO, Iowa (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier) — A former secretary for Iowa soil and water conservation districts has been charged with stealing from the organizations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Iowa’s Northern District says Leslie Carey was charged Monday with one count of wire fraud. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports her attorney filed a notice that she would plead guilty.

Carey was an administrative aide for the soil and water conservation districts in Black Hawk and Bremer counties from 2007 to 2017. She resigned after an overdrawn account led to a state audit.

There were six arrests over the past week, in Mills County. Sheriff’s Officials say at around 6:25-p.m Friday, 42-year old Sean Michael Gochenour, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Felony Eluding, Theft in the 1st Degree, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Burglary Tools, Interference with Official Acts, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving Under Suspension (DUS), Reckless Driving, Failure to Maintain Control, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability, and Speeding. His bond was set at $23,000.

Sean Michael Gochenour

His arrest stems from an attempted traffic stop on a 2006 Ford F-250 near 195th St./Allis Road, in Mills County. Authorities say the pickup failed to stop and attempted to elude law enforcement. After a brief chase that saw speeds reach in excess of 100-mph, stop-sticks were set-up. Gochenour tried to make a U-turn to avoid the sticks, and crash into a ditch. After a brief “Interaction” with law enforcement, the man was taken into custody. The pickup had been stolen out of Omaha. Glenwood Police and the Iowa State Patrol assisted with the incident.

Three people were arrested on separate charges Saturday, in Mills County, including:
19-year old Nathan Edward Lee Richardson, of Malvern, for OWI 2nd and Possession Alcohol Underage ($2,000 bond); 32-year old Jessica Lynn Audas, of Monroe, for Possession of Controlled Substance, Provide False Identification Information and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Bond $2,600); and, 48-year old Richard Shane Harsh, of Colfax, who was arrested for Violation of No Contact Order. (No Bond)

On Sunday, Mills County Deputies arrested: 21-year old Trey Thomas Denniston, of Nebraska City, NE., for OWI 1st offense (Bond $1,000) And, 22-year old Austin Cain Moore, of Essex, was arrested for DUS (Bond: $300)

Authorities said also, 91-year old George Rybar, of Bellevue, NE, suffered minor injuries following an accident at around 2-p.m. Sunday, on southbound Interstate 29, near mile marker 40. Authorities say his 2005 GMC was struck from behind by an unknown semi, causing The unknown semi drove fled the scene. Rybar drove to Bellevue, NE where he was later taken to a nearby hospital and treated for his injuries.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests from Feb. 25th thru March 2nd.

• Today (Monday, March 2nd), 29-year old Justin Dale Hardisty, of Cumberland, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Hardisty was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $7,500 bond.
• On Sunday (March 1st), 20-year old Kuachh Deng Kuach, of Sioux City, was arrested on charges of OWI 1st Offense, and Interference with Official Acts. Kuach was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.
• On Saturday, February 29thh, Cass County Deputies arrested 51-year old Richard James Linfor, of Red Oak, on charges of Possession of Methamphetamine 1st Offense  and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Linfor was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $1,000 bond. And, 55-year old Ronnie Robert Larkin, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation. Larkin was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.
• Last Friday, 41-year old Justin David Altstadt, of Missouri Valley, was arrested in Cass County on a Police Department warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. Altstadt was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $1,000 bond.
• On February 26th, 19-year old Jordan Terrance Frazier, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cas County Deputies, on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Frazier was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $1,000 bond.
• And, there were three arrests on Feb. 25th in Cass County:

22-year old Aisha Chanel Green, of Omaha, was arrested on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Probation Violation. Green was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day to Pottawattamie County authorities; 22-year old Carney La-Myah Hall, of Highland Park, MI, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Hall was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on her own recognizance; and, 28-year old Scott Hallie Joseph Downer, of Atlantic, was arrested on two Sheriff’s Office warrants for Driving While Barred. Downer was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $4,000 bond.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two accidents took place Feb. 23rd. The first happened at around 8:20-p.m., on Main Street in Anita. Officials say a 2004 GMC Envoy driven by 38-year old Samuel Lee Farley, of Anita, was eastbound on Main Street when it struck a legally parked 2013 Ford Taurus owned by Elizabeth Lillard, of Wiota. No injuries were reported. Damage to Lillard’s vehicle is estimated at $5,000; damage to Farley’s vehicle is estimated at $3,000. Upon investigation, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Farley on a charge of Driving While Barred. Farley was taken to the Cass County Jail and later transferred to Polk County on an active Polk County warrant.

And, at around 11:33-p.m. Feb. 23rd, Cass County Deputies responded to a report of a vehicle ramming another vehicle on 7th Street in Griswold. Authorities say a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 38-year old Max Amillion Schlund, of LaVista, NE, backed into and struck a 2016 Jeep Cherokee owned by Shawn Lee Elliff, and occupied by individuals.

No injuries were reported. Damage to Schlund’s vehicle is estimated at $1,500; damage to Elliff’s vehicle is estimated at $3,000. Upon investigation, Schlund was arrested on a charge of Assault Using a Dangerous Weapon. He was transported to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $2,000 bond.

A woman from central Iowa faces OWI & PCS charges following an accident investigation on westbound Interstate 80 in Adair County, Saturday. The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports 31-year old Miranda Lynn Torres, of Des Moines, was reportedly driving her SUV all over the road prior to ending up partially in the median next to a cable barrier, near Menlo.

EMS dispatched to the scene at around 5:10-a.m. reported the woman would not get out of her vehicle and that they had witnessed a gallon-size zip-style plastic baggie with a large quantity of marijuana on the front passenger seat. There was also a strong smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.

Torres said she was on her way to Florida, but became lost, so she decided to pull over and sleep. The woman admitted to a Deputy that she had smoked marijuana the night before. A marijuana blunt and marijuana were confirmed to be inside the SUV. Torres also blew over the legal limit on a breath test for alcohol consumption. She was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. Torres was released later that same day on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

And, on Feb. 26th, 37-year old Joseph Lee Reynolds, of Stuart, was arrested by an Adair County Deputy, on warrants for Violation of Probation, and Driving While Barred. He was being held in the Adair County Jail, on a $10,000 cash-only bond.