BURNSVILLE, Mn (June 26, 2017) – In recognition of the recently passed legislation in Iowa that makes texting a primary traffic violation, AAA – The Auto Club Group, has provided the Iowa State Patrol with1,000 CELLslips (www.cellslip.com) to use in enforcement and education efforts starting June 27th.   The CELLslips serve as a reminder to put your phone away and avoid distractions while you’re driving.

As fatalities have risen statewide and nationally over the last few years, it is no surprise that distracted driving has been identified as a significant contributing factor.  In a recent Traffic Safety Culture Index Survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, several statistics stand out:
Cell phone use while driving is widespread. More than 2 in 3 drivers report talking on their cell phone while driving in the past month, and nearly 1 in 3 say they do so fairly often or regularly.
Most drivers view texting or emailing while driving as a very serious threat to their own personal safety and consider it completely unacceptable. However, nearly 1 in 3 (31.4%) admit to typing or sending a text message or email while driving in the past month, and 2 in 5 (40.2%) report reading a text message or email while driving in the past month.

Sergeant Scott Bright, Public Resource Unit Coordinator for the Iowa State Patrol, says “The Iowa State Patrol is committed to doing everything possible to educate motorists of the dangers related to cell phone use in vehicles, as well as protecting those who travel on our roadways. Technology has become one of the biggest threats to the safety and welfare of the motoring public, and we are dedicated to both enforcement and continued education with the goal of reducing traffic crashes and fatalities in Iowa and across the nation.” Bright says “The Iowa State Patrol appreciates the continued support from AAA to help [us] achieve [those] goals and save lives!”

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Gleaming chrome, dazzling paint and thundering engines are part of an Independence Day weekend tradition in central Iowa that dates back 26 years. The Goodguys Speedway Motors Heartland Nationals will be underway Friday through Sunday at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Goodguys spokeswoman Betsy Bennett says it’s a showcase for historic, beautiful vehicles. “This event will have about 4,000, maybe up to 4,500 hot rods, customs, classics and muscle cars up through 1972,” Bennett says. “We include the muscle cars as ’73 is about when the gasoline crisis hit and so the ’72s, we bring those full-blown muscle cars into that spectrum.”

The vehicles are being driven and trucked to Iowa from all across the nation. Attendance for the three-day show may reach 70-thousand and for some, Bennett says it’s a history lesson on wheels while for others, a cruise down memory lane. “When people are at the event, we hear lots of conversations about what they used to drive when they were in high school,” Bennett says. “They may see a car that looks like what they had or it may be the exact car. There’s a lot of history and a lot of stories that go with all of these cars that come into this event.”

One of the big draws of the weekend is the Goodguys AutoCross, a closed performance race course where speed and skill meet in a fastest-car-wins contest.  “It gives them a chance to really test the performance of their car and their driving abilities,” Bennett says. “There’s a lot of really tight turns, there’s a few straightaways where they can get a little speed and then they have to hit the brakes pretty hard. It’s designed for performance and driving skill and you’re racing the clock.”

Some of the most famous names in American racing will be taking part in the AutoCross. “Last year, the two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Junior won this event so he will be back in town racing for Team Speedway, as well as Robby Unser who is his cousin, a 9-time Pikes Peak Hill Climb winner,” Bennett says. “Lots of great competition on that race course.”

The weekend events also include a dragster exhibition, a swap meet and cars-for-sale area, arts and crafts, kids’ activities, live music, and fireworks on Saturday night.
www.good-guys.com

(Radio Iowa)

Iowans who plan to celebrate the upcoming holiday with alcohol are being told to plan ahead. Patrick Hoye, chief of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, says Iowa roadways are already more congested over the busy holiday period, but adding intoxicated drivers to the mix ramps up the danger. Most fatal crashes in Iowa over the Fourth of July period, historically, have involved alcohol. “In Iowa, there were five fatalities in 2015, with three of those being alcohol related, and five fatalities in 2016 in which four were alcohol related,” Hoye said.

These days, according to Hoye, it’s easier than ever to avoid driving drunk. “There’s alternate transportation – whether it be designated drivers, calling a friend, cabs and taxis, Uber, Lyft…there are just so many way to prevent you from having to drink and drive,” Hoye said.

The legal limit in Iowa for driving drunk is a blood alcohol content (BAC) is point-oh-eight (.08). Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows nationally over the 2015 Fourth of July holiday period (6 p.m. July 2 – 6:00 a.m. July 6), 146 people were killed in crashes involving at least one motorist with a BAC of .08 or higher.

(Radio Iowa)

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a woman and three children have been injured in a collision with a train in north-central Iowa. The crash occurred a little before 3:30 p.m. Saturday, southeast of Fort Dodge. An Iowa state trooper says the southbound sport utility vehicle driver didn’t see the eastbound train at the crossing, which is marked by signs but doesn’t have electronic signals or crossing gates.

The car driver has been identified as 38-year-old Traci Guthrie, of Fort Dodge. She’s been release from a hospital. Ten-year-old Colin Guthrie was flown to a Des Moines hospital, as was 8-year-old Colton Guthrie. Seven-year-old Colton Buckley was treated for minor injuries.

The Creston Police Department reports 46-year old Michael Williams, of Creston, was arrested Saturday evening. Williams was taken into custody at around 5:30-p.m. in the 200 block of S. Peterson, for Public Intoxication/2nd offense, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Disorderly Conduct. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a Promise to Appear in court.

Creston Police also took to reports of theft over the past week. Saturday afternoon, a resident of the 500 block of W. Mills St. reported someone broke into his home and took an XBox One, two controllers, several games and an external hard drive. The loss was estimated at $500. And, On June 20th, a resident of the 100 block of W. Buckeye, in Creston, reported that sometime between March 1st and March 31st, someone took a wedding band from her home. The loss was estimated at $550.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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TAMA, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have recovered the body of a man from the Iowa River, just south of Tama. First responders were called to the site around 4:35 p.m. Sunday. They soon found a body that later was identified as that of Rodney Keraghan.
An autopsy has been ordered . Authorities suspect he drowned.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is co-sponsoring legislation with fellow Republican Senator Marco Rubio or Florida, which she says will help states make better use of federal programs for those trying to get out of poverty. Ernst, who is from Red Oak, says her travels around the state raised several questions about poverty issues. “How can we help Iowans overcome financial hardships and obstacles? Is the federal government hurting or helping? How can we as a nation do better?,” Ernst says.

She says she came to the conclusion that something needs to be done to improve the system. “The reality is — despite over 80 programs and BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars spent annually — the federal governor often fails to address the barriers to self-sufficiency to those living in poverty,” according to Ernst.

Ernst says she learned when she was still a state senator that the federal programs designed to help those in poverty can often end up being part of the problem. She cited a woman she met in Lenox who was getting assistance and had to make a tough decision about getting a promotion at her job at a care center. “This young women went home and calculated what her pay increase would be along with all the government assistance she would lose. What she figured out, is that taking the promotion would actually cost her 200 dollars a month,” Ernst says.

Ernst says the woman decided to go ahead and take the promotion and deal with the lost of funds to support her family. Ernst says her legislation gives state the flexibility to review and revise the programs to ensure those trying to improve themselves don’t fall off a cliff when their federal support levels go down. “The Empowers Act would allow states to apply for four-year temporary waivers to integrate and reform two or more federal programs that assist folks in need,” Ernst explains.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds joined Ernst for the announcement of the legislation. Reynolds says too often the federal money comes with a one-size-fits-all approach that makes it tough to mesh with state programs. “It’s nearly impossible for the two efforts to align despite having the same goal — and that goal is to empower Iowans and reduce poverty,” Reynolds says.

Reynolds says the system ends up with state organizations working in their own “silos.” If the bill becomes law — she would ask all her department heads to find opportunities to use it to help Iowans. “Have them look at the opportunities that we have in front of us and see if collectively the can figure out a way to really break down those silos and take the flexibility that we have and to coordinate that in a better manner,” Reynolds says. “To really work smarter, to find ways to work smarter and serve more Iowans.”

Ernst says the states that get waivers would get the same amount of money that other states get for the same programs and would be required to put any savings back into programs to help people in poverty.

(Radio Iowa)

Two teenage lifeguards at the La Porte City municipal swimming pool saved the life of a 4-year-old boy Friday. Jace Keegan, son of Ryan and Audra Keegan of rural La Porte City slipped underwater and lost consciousness in the children’s pool. Audra Keegan and Julie Grote, ambulance captain for the La Porte City Fire Rescue, said lifeguards Megan Hudson and Richie Artega administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Jace, who was not breathing and had no pulse when removed from the water.

Keegan began coughing and regained consciousness after one round of CPR, according to Grote. Jace Keegan was transported to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital in Waterloo, then taken to University Hospitals to be monitored. He is expected to fully recover.

(Radio Iowa)