Many thousands of Iowans will be on the road this week and their Thanksgiving holiday travels could be hampered by wintery weather. Forecasters say up to three inches of snow is likely this (Monday) afternoon into tonight for a wide section of eastern Iowa, while more snow is predicted for much of the state tomorrow (Tuesday) night into Wednesday. Rose White, at Triple-A-Iowa, says travelers will have plenty of company.

“Forty-six-point-three million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving weekend which is the highest volume for the holiday since 2007,” White says. “It shows a 4.2%increase over last year.” Gasoline prices in Iowa have dropped to the lowest levels in many months, falling more than 30-cents a gallon from last Thanksgiving, while the cost to fly has risen slightly.

“Airfare prices are only up about 1%, fuel prices are down substantially,” White says, “but we are expecting hotel prices to be up about 8% and if you’re renting a car, prices are up about 10% more.” Some people prefer to rent a car for long trips so they don’t put the miles on their personal vehicles, but White notes it’s getting pricey.

“Ten percent is significant so you just need to budget more for car rental expenses,” White says. “Keep in mind though, you’ll incur the savings when you fill up that vehicle.” Regular unleaded gasoline is averaging two-81 a gallon in Iowa, the same as the national average. The Iowa price is down 32 cents a gallon from a year ago. White says travelers are expected to spend an average of $573 over the course of their Thanksgiving holiday travels.

(Radio Iowa)

An investigation and the execution of search warrants at two homes in Audubon have resulted in a local man being arrested on drug charges. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department reports 39-year old Michael Larry Nielsen, of Audubon, was arrested at around 10-a.m. Sunday, on charges that include Possession of Methamphetamine, 2 counts of Possession of Meth with the Intent to Deliver, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Nielsen was being held in the Audubon County Jail on $10,000 bond.

He was arrested after authorities executed search warrants at 307 Tracy Street and 403 1st Avenue, in Audubon. The incident remains under investigation.

Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Monday), announced Union County, Mitchell County, Dubuque County and the City of Marion have met the criteria to become designated as Home Base Iowa communities. They also announced all three Regents Institutions—University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa— Hawkeye Community College and University of Dubuque have become designated as Home Base Iowa Certified Higher Academic Military Partners (CHAMPs).

Union County, Mitchell County, Dubuque County and the City of Marion join the four existing communities – Greene County, Howard County, Clarke County and Floyd County – in becoming certified Home Base Iowa Communities. To become a Home Base Iowa Community, an area must meet the following criteria: 10% of its businesses sign on as Home Base Iowa Businesses; local government supports the effort; signage indicates the community is a Home Base Iowa Community and the community creates local incentives that offer additional benefits for Veterans and that complement those in the statewide Home Base Iowa Act.

The Union County Home Base Iowa Taskforce created a “Veterans Support Fund” in which a qualifying veteran can receive up to $2,000 to reside in Union County and be employed by a Union County Home Base Iowa Business. Additionally, qualifying veterans may receive up to $5,000 through the Southern Iowa Council of Governments Housing Trust Fund Military Homeownership Program, leveraging the state-wide incentive package.

With Ric Hanson.

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About twenty vendors are expected to come together this evening for the first-ever indoor Harvest Market, in Atlantic. The event takes place from 4-to 8 pm at the Cass County Community Center, next to the fairgrounds. Project Manager of Cass County Farmers Markets, Chelsea Amundson said the Harvest Market will feature a wide variety of Winter produce, including squash, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, a wide variety of onions, garlic and dried herbs. There’s also baked bread, pies and cakes.

There will also be a great variety of local, hand-made crafts and gifts to select from. Tasting samples available at the event include goat and sheep milk cheese, and related non-edible products, such as lotions and soaps. There’s also kettle corn available for you to take home, along with chocolate chip cookies, and even beer sampling.

The family-oriented Harvest Market features lots of activities for the kids, as well, including a face painter, music and more. A recipe judging contest starts at 4-pm, with the winners, including the People’s Choice Award, being announced at 5:30.

Funding for the project, sponsored by the Cass County Local Food Policy Council and Farmers Markets of Cass County, is provided by a USDA Rural Enterprise Grant, and is supported by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce as well as Cass County/ISU Extension.

For more information about the Harvest Market contact Chelsea Amundson at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at 712-243-3017.

A Creston man was arrested Saturday on drug charges. According to the police department, Gerald Lynn Lawrence, Jr., was taken into custody and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Public Intoxication. He was being held in the Union County Jail on $2,000 bond.

And, at around 11:30-p.m., Saturday, 37-year old Toby Jason Simpson, of Creston, was arrested at Fremont and Oak Streets, on a Trespass charge. Simpson was later released on his own recognizance.

Creston Police said also, a man who resides on 12 Mile Lake Road, in Creston, reported his 2000 Dodge Neon was stolen from the intersection of Maple and Adams Streets, sometime between 11-p.m. on Friday and 12:30-a.m. on Saturday. The vehicle has since been recovered.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Police in Red Oak arrested 39-year old Jason Neal Beacham, Sunday night. The Red Oak man was pulled over in the 100 block of west Hammond Street at around 8:30-p.m. and charged with Driving While Revoked/OWI related. Beacham was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The admiral fired last year as Number 2 commander of the U.S. nuclear force amid a gambling investigation is denying that he made the counterfeit casino chips he was caught using at an Iowa casino poker table. Investigative records obtained by the Associated Press said the DNA of Rear Admiral Timothy Giardina was found on the underside of an adhesive sticker used on a genuine $1 chip to make it look like a $500 chip.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — After a bruising midterm election where they lost a competitive Senate race and emerged with just one of four congressional seats, Iowa Democrats are trying to regroup. State Senator Janet Peterson, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the party is in a “rebuilding mode.” Democrats did maintain control by a narrow margin in the Iowa Senate, while Republicans expanded their majority in the Iowa House.

FAYETTE, Iowa (AP) — A northeast Iowa police chief remains on leave after he was ticketed for passing a stopped school bus. Fayette Mayor Andrew Wenthe told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that Police Chief Brad Alan Gardner is on administrative leave. The Fayette City Council may discuss Gardner’s actions at a special meeting today.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities seized nearly nine pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop near Dubuque this weekend. The Dubuque County Sherriff’s office says the drugs were found after a vehicle with North Dakota plates was stopped on Highway 151 Saturday afternoon.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold a work session Monday evening at in the Media Center, at the high school. During the meeting, which begins at 7:30, the Board will act on approving a Head Boys Varsity Swimming Coach, discuss the Administrative Evaluation Process, and receive a Technology Update from District Technology Coordinator, Roger Warne. That’s expected to include an update on the 1-to-1 laptop computer initiative which went into effect earlier this year.

They’ll also discuss recent Iowa Association of School Board (IASB) Development Activity.