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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Harlan, Iowa) – Shelby County Auditor Mark Maxwell has released the final abstract of March 7th Special Election combined votes from Shelby, Audubon, Crawford and Carroll Counties, with regard to the issuance of bond for the IKM-Manning School District. The final tally canvassed on Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors confirms the measure passed, with 1,146 yes votes and 463 No votes. A total of 1,609 votes were cast. The $7.9-million in school infrastructure sales service and use tax revenue bonds will be used toward a series of construction and renovation projects at the Manning campus. District officials had said passage of the bond issue would have no impact on property tax or sales tax rates.
Maxwell broke-down the votes numbers as follows:
Shelby AND Audubon County: Yes – 173 votes; No – 209 votes
Crawford County: Yes – 197 votes; No – 209 votes
Carroll County: Yes – 776; No – 45
The public measure was adopted as presented.
(Exira, Iowa) – The Exira-EHK School Board, Tuesday evening, set Tuesday, April 18th at 5:30-p.m., as the date and time for a Public Hearing on the Budget. Superintendent Trevor Miller says they’re still working on the budget.
Mr. Miller said both he and Mallory Meyer will continued their 60-40 sharing agreement with IKM-Manning.
Non-certified staff raises for 2023-2024 were generally around four-percent because they are hourly. That equates to roughly one-dollar per hour, with raises for Associates, Secretaries and Nurse anywhere from 50-cents to $1.50 per hour. The total cost of Non-certified staff raises amounts to $73,488.59. Elementary School Principal Carrie Bauer and Secondary School Principal Erika Van Cleave received similar percentage raises, Miller said.
One of the resignations effective at the end of the current school year, was Preschool Teacher Kirstin Blake.
The others include: Sandra Nissen – ELL Teacher, and Amanda Warnaca – MS Special Education Teacher. There were also several personnel who were hired, including:
Mr. Miller says the Board acted on the District’s Snow Day make-up plan and Early Dismissals.
He said a Board Work Session followed the Exira-EHK regular meeting to discuss ideas for upgrades to district facilities. Additional information will follow future meetings.
(Ames, Iowa) – When it’s wet, snowy, or icy, it can be tricky to see the painted lines on Iowa roads, potentially making it tough for you to see where you are on the road. Because “Safety First” is one of our core values, our team is constantly working to find better, more durable paint systems that will help you more clearly see paint lines in adverse weather conditions, improving your safety on the road. The focus of the Iowa DOT is the interstate system, U.S. and state highways, so our paint program is geared toward those roads.
The basics of roadway paint
Most roadway paint is a fast-dry variety that is mixed with tiny glass beads to reflect light. When the paint lines are covered with snow, ice, or water, the beads don’t reflect light as well, making the lines more difficult to see. In addition, the beads can wear down as snowplows scrape the lines and traffic drives over them, making them less reflective even in good weather.
Because of this wear and tear, we typically repaint all lane lines and centerlines on U.S. and state highways every year, and the edge lines every other year on a rotating basis. Traditionally, all lines on the interstate were painted every year but we are transitioning to a new paint system that provides increased visibility in wet conditions and enhanced durability and will not need to be repainted every year.
Big changes for interstate paint
Some of the changes to the interstate system paint include:
John Hart, director of our Maintenance Bureau said, “All of these changes have been thoroughly researched and proven to improve visibility, making the roads safer for you. We’ve experimented with different options and are now using what is emerging as a common standard for lane line dashes. If you have driven on roads with these alternating black and white dashes, you’ll see how much they stand out, especially on light-colored pavements.”
New paint changes the way we work, at least on some roads
The chemical composition of the new paint we’re using on the interstate requires different equipment than is currently in the Iowa DOT fleet. Hart explained, “Our current paint trucks aren’t capable of spraying the new paint. Buying new paint trucks isn’t feasible since each truck can cost up to $500,000. So, to get the new paint system applied, we’ll be working with our industry partners instead of painting these lines ourselves. These changes are pretty significant and we’re not going to be able to update the interstate system paint all at once. We’ve been working on this transition for a couple of years and will continue to complete portions over time.”
Cost-to-benefit ratio is positive
Hart said, “Since the new paint is more durable, we will only need to repaint every four or five years, instead of every year. With the reduced paint frequency, the cost-to-benefit ratio of the new paint system is positive for the taxpayers of Iowa.”
Being able to repaint every four or five years instead of every year will be good for more than just the bottom line. Hart said, “Because they travel slowly, our paint trucks are hit by motorists at a pretty high rate. Any time we can provide the same or better service with fewer trucks on the road, that’s a safety benefit for both our operators and you as you’re traveling through Iowa.”
More subtle changes make big impacts on state and U.S. highways
While some of the changes, especially to the interstate system, are being implemented over time, there are other, more subtle updates in place to help you see paint lines better on state and U.S. highways.
Iowa DOT forces are now experimenting with a paint system that uses a better resin that is thicker and more resistant to wear. Hart said, “Even though this is a different paint, our existing trucks are able to apply it. We’re still gathering data, but we expect this new paint to be more reflective for a longer period. We are encouraged by the early results and expect the new paint to last at least two years and possibly three.”
Hart said they are not only monitoring the durability of the new paint systems being used on state and U.S. highways but also working with crews to gauge how easy the new paint is to use. Hart said, “So far our crews love the new paint. It seems to flow through the truck better, with fewer clogs. That makes the operation go much more smoothly and quickly. That ease of use also saves time and money and gets our crews off the road more quickly, improving safety.”
(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak cited a teen for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign and Yield the Right-of-Way, following an accident Tuesday afternoon. According to the Police report, the accident involving two Chevy Silverado pickup trucks took place a little before 4-p.m. at the intersection of 2nd and Corning Streets. An investigation determined one of the pickups driven by 16-year-old Hailey Jean Rydberg, of Essex, failed to stop at the posted intersection as it was headed northbound onto Corning Street. Her vehicle broadsided the front, driver’s side of a pickup traveling westbound, and driven by 55-year-old Rebecca Sands, of Red Oak.
Damage from the collision amounted to $14,000. No injuries were reported.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Personnel and Finance Committee will meet 2-p.m. today (Wednesday), in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On their agenda is a review of several matters which will be followed by a recommendation on each item, to the full City Council to consider during their next, or future meetings.
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Transportation and Triple-A Iowa are working together to highlight the need for drivers to improve their habits to cut traffic fatalities. The D-O-T’s Andrea Henry says part of the effort is their “What Drives You?” campaign. “What drives them to get home safely every night. So whether that be their loved ones waiting at home, their pets, hobbies, or anything else that they’re really anxious to get home to,” Henry says. She says the campaign focuses on some key habits.
“Buckling up, slowing down and making sure that you’re driving chill, which means that you’re not speeding or driving aggressively,” she says, “making sure that you’re sober when you get behind the wheel, and always paying attention and focusing on the task of driving.” Triple-A has focused on the “Slow Down, Move Over” laws in Iowa and across the country. Henry says that the law is also something the D-O-T wants to remind drivers about.
“Which means that if you see any vehicle, whether that’s an emergency vehicle, or just a motorist who is stranded on the side of the road with flashing lights, you should move over if you can, if it’s safe to do so,” Henry says. If you cannot move over, then you should slow down to a safe speed to allow you to get around those vehicles safely.” Triple-A says nearly 350 people are struck and killed nationwide outside a disabled vehicle each year, and roughly one quarter of motorists don’t know that Slow Down, Move Over laws exist in their state. Henry says the big drop in traffic on the roadways during the pandemic led to some bad driving habits that still remain.
“People did get into some bad habits during that pandemic when there might have been fewer people on the road and there was that perceived bubble of safety. We saw speeds increase quite a bit over the pandemic so now people are just getting used to what normal driving is like,” Henry says. She says if you have bad habits and get into an accident, then you may never get to your destination and see the people you want to see. Speeding is a good example of that.
“Studies have shown that honestly, even just a few miles an hour over (the speed limit) only gets you there maybe a couple of seconds up to a minute or two faster. But then the risk is infinitely more than that. And yeah, if you don’t make it to your destination it there’s no point really in speeding,” Henry says. The “What Drives You?” campaign is currently running on social media, T-V and radio.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is applauding President Joe Biden’s signing of legislation this week that orders federal intelligence officials to declassify information on the origins of COVID-19. “This is one step to make sure that there’s more accountability with what our government knows about it that people haven’t been told yet,” Grassley says, “at least we’ll be able to make that known to the American people.” Grassley, a Republican, hesitated to say if we’ll ever know the full story of how the pandemic began, but he says this is a big move forward in determining any possible links to China.
“Whether that will tell us whether it came from the Wuhan lab or someplace else, which, by the way, I believe it did come from the Wuhan lab, but whether it did or not, we may never find that out from the Chinese,” Grassley says, “but we’re going to at least know what the American government knows.” Grassley notes that this is so-called Sunshine Week, when we honor the principle of bringing secretive government actions out into the open.
“The public’s business ought to be public,” Grassley says, “and transparency and in our government brings accountability and accountability in this area is very, very important.” Grassley says he voted for the bill, which passed both chambers of Congress unanimously.
(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds is hoping to broker a compromise that would expand access to birth control, without frequent visits to the doctor for a prescription. Reynolds first proposed the idea during her 2018 campaign and included the proposal in priority legislation for 2023. Last week, the Senate passed a bill that would let pharmacists dispense birth control, like the pill, without a prescription. The House is considering a similar plan, but refills after two years would require a return visit to a doctor.
“My goal is to get it across the finish line and so we’re going to continue to sit down with lawmakers and find what that compromise looks like.” During a campaign debate in 2018, Reynolds expressed support for making contraceptives available through pharmacies, but without a prescription. Twenty states currently allow pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraception, which includes patches and implants as well as the pill.
(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says if a New York District Attorney announces an indictment against former President Trump, it will be a politically charged prosecution. “I think it’s ironic that D.A. is focused on charging a Republican former president of the United States when New York is facing unprecedented crime,” Reynolds says.
Reynolds notes New York and federal prosecutors who had previously investigated Trump’s 130-thousand dollar payment to a porn star declined to press charges. And the governor says Americans are concerned about more pressing issues like inflation, border security and emerging foreign adversaries.
“And yet you have an overactive D.A. who is hellbent on taking out a Republican former president of the United States,” Reynolds says, “and I think it’s ridiculous.” Reynolds says it will be a sad day if Trump is indicted. Trump posted on social media this weekend that he expected to be arrested yesterday (Tuesday) and he asked his supporters to protest.
Trump kicked off his 2024 Iowa Caucus campaign this month with an event in Davenport and Reynolds introduced Trump to the crowd. So far Reynolds has appeared with Trump and three other potential or declared G-O-P presidential candidates.
(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she intends to sign legislation to prohibit Iowa doctors from performing gender transition surgeries or prescribing puberty blockers to minors. “Protecting our children against uncertain science,” Reynolds says. “These are irreversible therapies and procedures.”
Reynolds says she won’t be surprised if there’s a lawsuit filed as soon as she signs the bill, but the governor says she has an obligation to hit pause until there’s more data about the long term effects of childhood gender transitions. Reynolds says age-based restrictions are nothing new in Iowa law.
“We say kids can’t drink until a certain age. We say kids can’t smoke until a certain age. We say you can’t have sex with minors,” Reynolds says .”…We say you can’t get married until a certain age.” The American Medical Association says it’s inappropriate and harmful for any state to limit the range of care for transgender children. The parents of some transgender kids have said they may have to move out of Iowa to maintain treatment plans for their children.
“My heart goes out to ’em,” Reynolds says. “I’m a parent. I’m a grandmother. I know how difficult this is. This is an extremely uncomfortable position for me to be in. I don’t like it, but I have to do what I believe right now is in the best interest of the kids until we can have some more research done or we can see what’s happening in some of these other countries that have been doing this since the ’70s to better understand the impact.”
Reynolds made her comments Tuesday during a news conference in Des Moines. Seven other states have policies in place that ban gender transition care for minors. On Monday, Missouri’s attorney general said he would issue an emergency order requiring an 18-month waiting period and treatment of any mental illnesses before Missouri doctors could provide transgender care to children.
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