The Governor’s Safety Traffic Bureau has identified five Iowa counties it wants to target to try and cut an increase in traffic accidents during the past year. Carroll, Marshall, Benton, Muscatine and Plymouth County are part of the project known as the “High Five Rural Traffic Safety Program.” Iowa State Patrol trooper, John Farley, says for Plymouth County making the list was based on the number of accidents — not just accidents resulting in a de “Plymouth County only had three fatality accidents last year — but there was 80 personal injury accidents or fatalities total. And that does represent kind of a large number for the population — so per capita,” Farley says. “Sixteen of those accidents did occur within the city limits of Le Mars, but the other 64 did happen outside of Le Mars, or in the county areas.”

Trooper Farley

Farley says for Plymouth County and the others on the “High Five” list, they will do some additional patrolling of the county’s roads and highways. He says they will work projects throughout the year and focusing on impaired drivers. Farley says it’s not just drunk driving. It will be drivers impaired by alcohol, narcotics and prescription drugs. The Iowa State Patrol trooper says in addition to a step up of enforcement activity, there will be several educational and informative ads. Farley says they will focus on driver’s ed programs and give educational talks to civic organizations.

Farley says in addition to watching for impaired drivers, the “High Five” program will look for distracted driving, primarily those drivers that are texting while driving, and drivers who are speeding. “We’ve said it before — speed kills. We’ve always heard that and it still is.The number one factor in accidents is speed releated,” Farley says.

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau says 72 percent of the fatal crashes in Iowa in 2015 occurred on secondary rural roads. Rural roads make up approximately 79 percent of the total roadways in the state.

(Radio Iowa)

Two dozen Iowans testified at a public hearing Monday, offering both praise and criticism for proposed rules to implement Iowa’s new voter certification law. Betty Andrews, president of the Iowa/Nebraska N-Double-A-C-P, says she’s worried the rules will make it harder for groups like hers to register new voters. “I have great concern about that,” Andrews said.

One proposed rule will remove people from voter registration rolls if they’ve been called to jury duty, but notified the court that they couldn’t serve because they are not a citizen. Connie Schmett of Clive, a long-time G-O-P activist, praised the move. “We simply can’t allow our laws and our elections to be tainted,” Schmett said.

Kim Hiscox of West Des Moines, an Election Day poll watcher, says she called county officials to report her suspicions that three non-citizens voted in 2016. “Please do stick with your guns and hold people accountable to prove that they really are citizens of the United States before they are allowed to vote,” Hiscox said.

Others argued becoming a citizen often takes years and a person who declines service on a jury one month may take the oath of citizenship the next. Joe Henry of the League of United Latin American Citizens says the number of registered Latino voters has doubled in the past decade. “Many of our members are lower income. They’re not going to be able to understand these rules,” Henry said. “…Clearly, this seems to be a ploy to restrict the vote within our community.”

Staff from Secretary of State Paul Pate’s office say at least two specific rules to implement the law are in a state of flux and will be redrafted by this Friday. Daniel Zeno is a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa.  “We believe the rules should be as clear as possible to make sure that we are protecting the voting rights of all Iowans,” Zeno said.

About 100 people gathered outside the small conference room where the hour-long hearing was held, chanting their opposition to the new election law. The law was passed this spring by the Republican-led legislature and approved in May by former Governor Terry Branstad.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The law firm that won a landmark gender discrimination case against the University of Iowa athletics department will challenge the school’s handling of sexual assault and harassment complaints next. Des Moines-based Newkirk Zwagerman filed two lawsuits seeking changes to how the school responds when female students report assault and harassment, arguing that a culture of “victim blaming, implicit gender bias and gender stereotypes” hinders how cases are investigated and resolved.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Rain has kept Iowa and Nebraska farmers out of corn and soybean fields in the past few weeks significantly delaying the harvest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says just 32 percent of the Iowa soybean crop has been harvested, the lowest percentage harvested by this date since 1985 and only 13 percent of the corn crop for grain is finished, the smallest percentage harvested by this date since 2009. Nebraska farmers are similarly behind the normal harvest schedule for both crops.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines chicken owners are objecting to a proposal to limit flock size and ban roosters in the city. Sgt. Jim Butler, the police department’s chief humane officer, has proposed a 15-chicken limit per home and the rooster ban, saying the changes are in response to complaints. The Des Moines Register reports chicken owners told City Council members Monday that the 15-chicken limit would be difficult because local hatcheries typically sell chicks in orders of 25. The council didn’t take action.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines Airport had to divert and delay some flights after heavy rain caused a runway problem. Airport Executive Director Kevin Foley says the runway was closed between 4 and 6:05 p.m. Saturday so a team could fix the problem. He says the team had found the runway had bubbled after rain seeped beneath the pavement.

Members of the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors, Monday evening, approved a request for $60, 673 in funds needed to order playground equipment for a playground to be established near the campground at the Schildberg Recreation Area. Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm said he received a substantial discount from the manufacturer for the equipment, shipping and handling. The total cost of those segments amounted to $49,304.

Staashelm recommends a company Supervisor/representative oversee the installation of the equipment by community members and others, to make sure all the safety pieces are in place. The supervisor will be on hand for two days, at a cost of $11,369.
The other portion of the project is engineered wood fiber which will act to cushion any falls or tumbles kids might take.

Conceptual image of the proposed Schildberg Rec Area playground equipment.

Pea gravel cannot be used as fall material because it can only absorb a fall from five-feet, and it has to have a depth of 11-inches, whereas wood fiber can absorb a relatively unlimited fall height (for the purposes of playground equipment), and has a depth of 11-inches or more.

The playground equipment, Staashelm says, is customizable. He says the Kiwanis have already donated $2,000 toward the project and will receive a bench in their honor. It’s hoped there will eventually be six donation-type benches in the area. A bathhouse is also on the drawing board.

The playground equipment will be ordered and received by December. It will be stored until next Spring, when volunteers from throughout the community will work on installation the playground. Details on that aspect will emerge later, as we move toward Spring. The Atlantic Parks & Rec Board, Monday, also approved the installation of electrical outlets at the ever popular Cedar Park Shelter. Berg Electric will install two plug-in boxes with four outlets, for just $694.

The Iowa Department of Transportation reports that this Wednesday, Oct. 18th, construction crews will close the westbound Interstate 80/northbound I-29 exit to South Expressway (exit 3) at 6 a.m. for two days to complete final construction activities in the area.

On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Oct. 18th and 19th, the on-ramp at South Expressway to westbound I-80/northbound I-29 will be closed at 9 p.m. and reopened prior to the morning commute. By Friday morning, Oct. 20th, motorists will be driving on the newly constructed westbound I-80 lanes and using the new I-80/I-29 interchange. The Madison Avenue on-ramp that was closed at the beginning of the month will reopen and ramps at South Expressway will also be open.

Drivers should note that northbound I-29 traffic destined for South Expressway (exit 3) will not be able to access the exit until the detour pavement is constructed. They should use the U.S. 275 detour until April 2018.

The new roadway design features a right-hand exit from westbound I-80 to southbound I-29 (exit 4) utilizing the new flyover bridge, changing the existing left-hand exit that drivers currently use. The South Expressway (exit 3) will also be shifted east of the current location.

The Iowa DOT encourages motorists to use caution while becoming accustomed to the traffic shift.