(Guthrie Center, Iowa) –  Three separate collisions between vehicles and deer last week in Guthrie County, caused a total of $12,500 damage, but none of the drivers were injured. According to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, the accidents happened at around 5:50-p.m. on Nov. 4th, and two of the collisions occurred about 40-minutes apart Friday evening, in two separate areas of the Guthrie County.

The collision on Nov. 4th happened on White Pole Road, and involved a 2018 Toyota RAV4 driven by 51-year-old Laurie Welsch, of Dexter. The impact with a deer caused damage to the right front side of the vehicle.

A 2020 Jeep driven by a 16-year-old female from Casey, struck a deer at around 6-p.m. on Nov. 7th, while the vehicle was traveling north on Highway 25. The front driver’s side of the SUV was damaged as a result of the impact.

And, a 2020 Buick SUV driven by 20-year-old Dannielle Peters, of Newell, hit a deer at around 6:40-p.m. on westbound Iowa Highway 44. Peters came upon multiple deer standing on the road and was unable to avoid striking one of the animals. The impact to the front of her vehicle caused it to become inoperable.

(Humboldt County, IA) – An SUV went out of control on a snow and ice covered road in northern Iowa Monday morning (Nov. 10th) was struck by a semi, resulting in fatal injuries to the SUV’s driver. The Iowa State Patrol reports the accident happened at around 7:45-a.m., when the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 60-year-old Debora Lei Ruberg, of Hardy (IA), crossed Highway 3 at State Avenue, in Humboldt, and was struck by a 2016 Freightliner semi, driven by 37-year-old AustinLee Van Klopme, of Maurice, IA.

The Jeep was traveling westbound when it went out of control. The semi was traveling eastbound on the highway. Debora Ruberg was wearing her seat belt, but was ejected from her vehicle during the collision. She was transported to the hospital in Humboldt, but died from her injuries.

(Radio Iowa) – Natural disasters in Iowa that cause millions and even billions of dollars damage are becoming more frequent, which some experts blame on our changing climate. The 15th annual Iowa Climate Statement was released today (Monday), endorsed by 177 Iowa science faculty at 24 colleges and universities statewide. Dave Courard-Hauri, a professor of environmental science and sustainability at Drake University, says the cost of disasters like droughts and floods don’t impact just those who file insurance claims.

2024 flooding in Spencer. (Iowa DOT photo)

“With climate change increasing risks from extreme events, that cost will increase for all of us,” Courard-Hauri says. “Given that homeowners insurance is required to obtain a mortgage, as insurance costs become prohibitive, or as companies choose not to insure in areas of high risk, the entire housing market can experience ripple effects.” While farmers are especially vulnerable to natural disasters and their associated costs, the report says the American dream of homeownership may become unattainable for some Iowa families as climate change accelerates the rise in insurance premiums.

Bill Gutowski, professor emeritus of meteorology at Iowa State University, says temperatures are rising globally due to an increase in greenhouse gases which is caused by the burning of fossil fuels. “These higher temperatures allow more moisture in the atmosphere, which yields a tendency for more precipitation when storms do occur, and that leads to more flooding,” Gutowski says. “When that water condenses, it adds energy in the form of heat to those storms, which can make them stronger, especially the severe weather storms we experience in late spring to early summer.”

When adjusted for inflation, the report says billion-dollar disasters in the region encompassing Iowa have more than doubled over the past 40 years. Peter Thorne, a professor of occupational and environmental health at the University of Iowa, says these Midwest events are part of an emerging global trend of shattered long-term climate records, with growing losses of life and property, resulting in higher insurance costs.

“Rising insurance premiums in Iowa are driven by increased costs of labor, building materials and reinsurance,” Thorne says, “and the reinsurance industry is that which ensures the insurers. They tie their rates to national and international risks that are being driven by climate change. So these costs all are amplified by climate change and are escalating.” Property owners in Iowa can make moves to try and reduce their own carbon footprints and to reduce their insurance costs.

Emma Stapleton, a research professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa, says for example, trees can be planted as natural wind buffers, and there are all sorts of “smart” building materials for construction. “There are some benefits to consumers for energy efficient upgrades, like better insulation, things like reducing the risk of fire with building materials,” Stapleton says. “Some policies do give you green update coverages where you can rebuild or replace the damaged parts of your house with environmentally friendly materials.”

The report says some insurance companies have pulled out of Iowa and elsewhere after recent disasters, like the 2020 derecho. Gutowski says every one of the Earth’s ten hottest years on record has occurred in the last decade, with 2024 breaking all previous records. He says those temperature changes lead to the types of extreme events and damages that we have seen more of in recent years.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court rules on a case involving charges being cleared from a person’s record. A man identified as John Doe was charged with domestic abuse assault and child endangerment in 2013. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct and the child endangerment charge was dropped. Doe filed to have the charges removed from his record in 2023, but the district court ruled only the information misdemeanor charge could be expunged.

The Iowa Supreme Court says keeping the dismissed charge open still allows the public to draw inappropriate inferences, and keeps the stigma that the law was intended to remove. It says the case can be removed from the record without depriving the public of valuable information.

The ruling also notes that Doe waited more then the required eight years to request that his record be expunged, and met all the prerequisites to required for the request.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Union County was arrested Nov. 2nd, in Greenfield. 39-year-old James Alan Davis, of Creston, was arrested for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order by electronic communication -Contempt of Court, on an original charge of Domestic Abuse Assault. Davis was being held without bond in the Adair County Jail.

On Nov. 4th, 40-year-old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of Fontanelle, was arrested in Greenfield for Driving While Barred, with nine withdrawals in effect. And, on Nov. 8th, 23-year-old Emily Rae Marie Dohrn, of Creston, was arrested following a traffic stop, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Pickrell and Dohrn were released from custody with citations. Pickrell was additionally issued a warning for vehicle equipment violations.

(Glenwood, IA) – The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest early today (Monday), of a woman on drug charges. 48-year-old Nichole Inez Jackson, of Glenwood, was arrested in Glenwood for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia, and for Contraband/weapon in a correctional facility. Jackson was taken into custody at around 12:20-a.m. and held in the Mills County Jail, where her bond was set at $10,000.

(Radio Iowa) – State Senator Zach Wahls, of Coralville — a Democratic candidate for the U-S Senate — is calling on Chuck Schumer to resign as Senate’s minority leader. Wahls says Schumer has failed to assure an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits established in 2022 for tens of thousands of Iowans. “What we saw last night was unacceptable,” Wahls said. “…Senator Chuck Schumer was unable to lead this party at the exact moment when it was time to fight and I think it is clear as day that it is time for him to step down and make way for a new generation of leaders.” Wahls did not suggest who he’d support as Schumer’s replacement. Schumer, who is 74, voted no last (Sunday) night on the compromise plan to end the federal government shutdown.

“I think it’s pretty clear that this deal would not have happened without his blessing privately,” Wahls said, “and so his decision to vote no on the bill I think reflects his own personal political situation and frankly I think it’s a good illustration of why so many people have lost trust in the leadership of the national Democratic Party.” Nathan Sage of Indianola and Josh Turek, of Council Bluffs — Democrats who’re also running for the U-S Senate — have both said the health care subsidies are worth fighting for, but have not called for Schumer to resign from his leadership position.

State Senator Zach Wahls (D-Coralville) is running for the U.S. Senate. (Wahls campaign photo)

Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who’s also running for the U-S Senate, says after 41 days of chaos, she’s glad several Senate Democrats finally worked with Republican Senators to begin the process of reopening the government. Republican Congressman Zach Nunn says while he’s grateful to the eight Senate Democrats who’re helping to reopen the government, it shouldn’t have taken over a month to get here.

Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks says eight Democrats finally told Schumer enough is enough, no more using the American people as leverage in the shutdown standoff. Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra has not yet commented on last (Sunday) night’s vote in the Senate. Feenstra, who’s running for governor, is hosting an event tonight (Monday) in Sioux Center to kick off his statewide campaign tour.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa G-O-P and a Republican who leads the Iowa Senate’s tax-writing committee say a property tax idea from Democrat Rob Sand, who’s running for governor, is unconstitutional. Sand says Iowa should be for Iowans and he’s suggested property tax rates for out of state people and businesses that own Iowa property should be higher than what Iowans and Iowa businesses pay. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says the idea has been examined before and thrown out every time because the U-S Constitution says states cannot discriminate against citizens of other states in commerce, property, or taxation.

He also cites a 1966 Iowa Supreme Court ruling residency cannot justify unequal tax treatment and accuses Sand of being either ignorant or dishonest. In a response to Radio Iowa, Sand’s campaign manager Emma O’Brien says did not directly address the charge that Sand’s idea is unconstitutional.

She said out of state interests are buying up Iowa farmland and housing while the proceeds flow out of state, and Sand believes it’s time to find ways to keep Iowa resources and the benefits that come from the work Iowans do in Iowa.