(Guthrie Center)  – Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County say no injuries were reported following an accident January 1st that involved a deer. Authorities say 24-year-old Ashlyn Bush, of Stuart, was driving a 2016 Jeep Renegade Sport on Wagon Road, north of 230th Street, when a deer ran into the driver’s side of her SUV. The accident, which happened at around 5:50-p.m., caused an estimated $2,500 damage to the vehicle.

And, the Creston Police Department says no citations were issued, following a non-injury accident Sunday afternoon, at the intersection of Devoe and N. Division Streets. Authorities say a 2017 Mercedes Benz C300 driven by 56-year-old Delfina Aguirre-Hicks, of Creston, was traveling north on Division Street at around 4:30-p.m., when her vehicle struck a 2019 Chrysler Pacifica van, driven by 57-year-old Janie Warner, of Creston.

The accident happened when Warner admitted she rolled through a stop sign as she was traveling east on Devoe Street. She told Creston Police she didn’t realize the intersection was not a 4-way stop. The collision caused a police-estimated $2,000 damage altogether. Both vehicles were able to be driven from the scene.

(Radio Iowa) – Almost a year after a University of Iowa report linked alcohol consumption to a greater risk of cancer, the U-S Surgeon General is now recommending new warning labels on all cans and bottles of booze. Professor Paul Gilbert, in the U-I Department of Community and Behavioral Health, says an update of those warning labels is long overdue. “The alcohol warning labels really haven’t been updated for — gosh, I don’t know the exact number — four decades since they were first introduced,” Gilbert says, “and the information, the scientific research that’s gone on since then has really changed, notably about that alcohol and cancer connection.”

The current warning labels on alcohol cover two topics: don’t drink while pregnant, and don’t operate a motor vehicle or heavy machinery after drinking — things Gilbert says most of us have heard for years. “The connection between alcohol and cancer is something that people don’t realize. It’s not widespread, like those other two things,” he says. “That’s really the added value of updating the warning labels here, is that we’ve got good, high-quality evidence that at least some cancers are associated with alcohol or caused by alcohol, and that’s just information that we want to make sure that consumers have.”

Research finds that alcohol is a carcinogen, contributing to at least seven types of cancer, including cancers of the mouth, throat, liver, and all the way through the body, but Gilbert says there’s an unexpected link — to breast cancer.  “That’s a bit surprising, probably because we wouldn’t expect alcohol to have a direct sort of connection,” Gilbert says. “It doesn’t pass through breast tissue on its way through the body, but alcohol does have an effect in the way that it disrupts hormones and metabolism when you ingest alcohol that has an effect on breast tissue.”

The annual Cancer in Iowa report, last released in February of 2024, estimated 21,000 Iowans would be diagnosed with cancer during the year, and it found that only about 40% of people know that alcohol is a carcinogen and a risk factor for cancer. It ranked Iowa fourth in the U-S for the rate of alcohol-related cancers, and Iowa also ranked fourth in binge drinking. Not every cancer can be attributed to alcohol, Gilbert says, and not everyone who drinks alcohol will get cancer.

“But the thinking now, the emerging consensus, is that less is better. So if you are a current drinker, cutting back a bit, you don’t necessarily have to quit, although no consumption is probably the safest course,” Gilbert says. “If everybody who was a current drinker just dialed it back a little bit, we would see a tremendous effect across the whole state.” A statement from the surgeon general says: “Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. — yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk.”

For help, Gilbert recommends two websites: Your Life Iowa and Rethinking Drinking.
https://yourlifeiowa.org/
https://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/
Cancer in Iowa report: https://shri.public-health.uiowa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/cancer-in-iowa-2024.pdf

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Officials with the Glenwood Police Department say three incidents of Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree occurred over the weekend. The Glenwood Resource Center reported an incident took place Saturday.

On Sunday, Waldstein HVAC, LLC and a Glenwood resident both reported incidents of Criminal Mischief.

Additional details on those incidents were not provided by the Glenwood PD.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports the following arrests occurred during the month of December, 2o024:

12/30/2024 – Nicholas Quinn Sitorious, Age 43, IA. Sitorious was arrested following a call for service. Sitorious was transported to the Shelby County jail and charged with Theft 5th Degree.

12/29/2024 – Clay Alan Dille, Age 61, Woodland Park, CO. Dille was arrested following a traffic stop on 6th St. Dille was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Prohibited Acts, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Persons Ineligible to Carry Dangerous Weapons.

12/24/2024 – Alan Gabriel Spencer, Age 47, Bronson, IA. Spencer was arrested following a pursuit. Spencer was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Theft 1st degree, Eluding- 25 MPH over limit, Interference with Official Acts- Inflicts Bodily Injury, Driving while Suspended,135 MPH in a 55 MPH Zone, 80 MPH in 25 MPH Zone, Dark window or windshield, Failure to provide Proof of Financial Liability, Failure to Obey Stop Sign and Yield Right of Way x7.

12/22/2024 – Brent Michael Swisher, Age 41, Avoca, IA. Swisher was arrested following a call for service. Swisher was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Violation of No Contact Order.

12/18/2024 – Robert Douglas Fauteux, Age 31, Shelby, IA. Fauteux was arrested following a traffic stop on HWY 59. Fauteux was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while Barred.

12/16/2024 – Laura Ann Traufler, Age 47, Earling, IA. Traufler was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail on an active Shelby County Warrant.

12/14/2024 – Nicholas Ross Swanson, Age 44, Kimballton, IA. Swanson was arrested following a traffic stop. Swanson was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while Revoked.

12/13/2024 – Phillip Michael Houston, Age 38, Walnut, IA. Houston was arrested following a traffic stop on HWY 59. Houston was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while Barred.

12/11/2024 – Joshua Matthew Crayne, Age 29, Harlan, IA. Crayne was arrested following a traffic stop on 23rd ST. Crayne was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Violation of Probation.

12/05/2024 – Vance Scott Yates III, Age 28, Neola, IA. Yates was arrested after a traffic stop on HWY 59. Yates was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance; Kendra Kathleen Kyle, Age 31, Avoca, IA. Kyle was arrested after a call for service. Kyle was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance.

12/01/2024 – Brian Daniel Green, Age 31, Harlan, IA. Green was arrested after a traffic stop on Industrial Ave. Green was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while Revoked, Operating a Non- Registered Vehicle, and Open Container; Liberty Lynn Cole, Age 24, Woodbine, IA. Cole was arrested after a traffic stop. Cole was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while Barred and No Insurance.

Note: Criminal charges are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests took place over the past week. Authorities say 33-year-old Kaleigh Lane Pearcy, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 1-a.m. Jan. 2nd, on an Assault charge ($300 bond). At around 7:15-p.m. Thursday, 31-year-old Shawna Marie Watson, of Glenwood, was arrested for Public Intoxication ($300 bond).

On Friday, (Jan. 3rd) Mills County Deputies arrested 58-year-old Christopher Allen Vanderloo, of Council Bluffs, for Violation of Probation ($10,000 bond). And, on Dec. 31st, 42-year-old Lester Robert Harmon, of Omaha, was arrested in Glenwood for Failure To Appear (in court).

OMAHA, Neb. [KETV]— Omaha’s Eppley Airfield has begun the first phase of the Terminal Split in its OMA Terminal Modernization Program. In a press release, officials with Eppley said starting Jan. 6, the central portion of level 1 in the Terminal will be closed. Travelers can still walk between the North and South Terminals using the second level. Then, on Feb. 17^th, the entire central portion of the Terminal will close for construction. Eppley Airfield will have two separate terminals until the new Central Pavilion opens in 2027. Travelers who need to move between the terminals must use the Terminal Drive walkways and the lower level of the South Garage instead.

During this new phase of construction, Eppley officials encourage travelers to use the Find Your Way at OMA options below to navigate the airport:

• Passenger Assistance: Staff are available throughout the terminal to answer questions and guide travelers to their destination.

• Enhanced Wayfinding Signage: Clear, strategically placed signs and graphics will help travelers navigate the new terminal layout.

• Online Updates: BuildOMA.com and FlyOMA.com will provide the most up-to-date information on the airport, including construction updates.

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Corn farmers in Iowa, and across the country, will have “full and fair” access to markets in Mexico after a United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, panel found Mexico’s bans on genetically engineered corn were against USMCA commitments. The U.S. brought forward seven claims under the trade agreement in 2023 and on Dec. 20, 2024, the USMCA panel sided in favor of the U.S. claims, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Under a 2023 presidential corn decree, Mexico initiated a ban on GE corn in dough and tortillas and called for the gradual elimination of GE corn from other food sources and from animal feed.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig called the bans “baseless” and “rooted in politics” rather than science, according to a news release. “This dispute resolution case reinforces the value of securing free trade agreements with key partners around the globe,” Naig said in a statement.  “These agreements not only secure markets for Iowa-grown products, they also outline a fair, transparent and binding dispute resolution process.” According to USDA, Mexico is the largest corn export market for the U.S. and accounted for nearly $5 billion worth of exported corn from January through October in 2024.

Iowa Corn Growers Association President Stu Swanson called Mexico a “key trade market” for corn growers, in a press release from Iowa Corn that said farmers and leaders must work with the incoming administration to enforce the ruling. “Iowa’s farmers rely heavily on trade and corn exports to Mexico,” Swanson said in the statement. “That’s why we joined other state and (National Corn Growers Association) grower leaders in pushing USTR to challenge this ban.”

Corn growing in a western Iowa field in August 2023. (Photo by Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

USDA data on genetically engineered crops in the country show 95% of Iowa corn planted in 2024 was genetically engineered, which is consistent with rates in other corn production states across the country.  U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in a statement the USMCA panel decision affirms U.S. allegations that Mexico’s policies were “counter to decades’ worth of evidence.” “This decision ensures that U.S. producers and exporters will continue to have full and fair access to the Mexican market, and is a victory for fair, open, and science- and rules-based trade, which serves as the foundation of the USMCA as it was agreed to by all parties,” Vilsack said.

According to USDA, Mexico has 45 days from the final report (issued Dec. 20) to comply.  The panel, in its final report, acknowledged Mexico was “seeking to address genuine concerns in good faith” but it recommended the country do so instead with “measures based on scientific principles” and “in dialogue” with USMCA parties.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Officials with the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital (MCMH) in Red Oak have announced the expansion of the facilities’ services in Malvern, with the addition of Malvern Medical Clinic – Downtown. MCMH will take over operations of the former Methodist Clinic, which will house the new Malvern Medical Clinic – Downtown at 415 Main Street. Renovations are scheduled to begin early in the new year, and the clinic is expected to open its doors to patients in spring 2025.

MCMH currently operates the Malvern Medical Clinic, RHC, located at 908 Main Street in Malvern. Malvern Medical Clinic, RHC, houses three providers: Dr. Thomas Baer, Eva-Anne Kentner, DNP, FNP-C, and Don Scarborough, MS, PA-C, who recently rejoined MCMH. Once renovations are complete, Don Scarborough will transition to the downtown clinic location, while Dr. Thomas Baer and Eva-Anne Kentner will continue to serve patients at the 908 Main Street location, and assist at the downtown location when needed.

Officials say the decision to open a second clinic in Malvern reflects MCMH’s commitment to meeting the growing healthcare needs of the community. Ron Kloewer, MCMH CEO says “We have been working with Dr. Baer to serve the Malvern community for many years now and we are thrilled with the support the Malvern community has shown us. Malvern is growing and so are we! With the recent addition of Don Scarborough, MS, PA-C joining the Malvern Medical Clinic team, we need space to accommodate the patients who have given us the privilege of caring for their health. We are committed to Malvern and we are here to serve. We are excited to open Malvern Medical Clinic – Downtown.”

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Thomas Baer, Eva-Anne Kentner or Don Scarborough, call the Malvern Medical Clinic at 712-624-6010. Watch for more information about the downtown medical clinic location to be released soon.

(Radio Iowa) – The owner of truck stops in Iowa and Missouri has agreed to a fine to resolve alleged E-P-A violations. Information from the E-P-A says the Iowa 80 Group has agreed to pay nearly 391-thousand dollars after allegations Clean Water Act violations against the Iowa 80 truck stop near Walcott, Iowa, and the Joplin 44 in Joplin, Missouri. The E-P-A says a 2023 inspection discovered the two truck stops failed to develop a spill prevention and countermeasure plan required for businesses that store large amounts of oil in above-ground tanks. The Iowa 80 truckstop is billed as the “world’s largest truckstop” and its portion of the fine is 240-thousand dollars.

The E-P-A says the two truck stops have also devised spill management plans to comply with federal regulations.

(Radio Iowa) – The first piece of legislation third district Congressman Zach Nunn has introduced this year is a resolution that could ultimately force federal lawmakers to enact a balanced budget. Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, says attaching a balanced budget amendment to the U-S Constitution would rein in spending and prevent waste in the federal government.  “We want to come out of the gate full gallop,” Nunn says. “We’ve always been a war horse on fiscal issues, on responsibility issues, economic growth.” The national debt exceeds 36 TRILLION dollars and Nunn says that shows Washington’s spending habits are out of control.

“I think it’s high time that the federal government start learning lessons from great states like Iowa and families across America who don’t put everything on their credit card,” Nunn says. “…This was our first recommendation to the DOGE team on President Trump’s side and something they also feel is very important to move forward.”

A Minnesota congressman was the first member of the U-S House to propose a balanced budget amendment to the U-S Constitution — back in 1936 — and thousands of proposed balanced budget amendments have been introduced in congress since then. Amending the U-S constitution is not a quick process. It requires approval by two-thirds of the members of both the House AND Senate and ratification by three-fourths of state legislators.