(Creston, IA) – Police in Creston say a motorist driving too fast for the road conditions was cited, following an accident Friday night. Authorities say 27-year-old Elijah Blue Hoyt, of Creston, was driving a 1997 GMC pickup westbound, down hill on Irving Street, at the same time a 2020 Ford Edge SUV driven by 43-year-old Joshua Eric Smith, of Creston, was traveling northbound, up hill on Elm Street. Hoyt was unable to stop at the posted intersection, due to weather conditions. His pickup struck the SUV on the rear door area. The accident happened a little after 10-p.m., Friday.

Following the impact, the SUV spun around and up onto a curb. The pickup continued and made contact with an Alliant Energy light pole, which sustained an estimated $100 damage. The pickup was not damaged in the mishap. The SUV however, sustained $7,000 damage, and was declared a total loss by police.

Hoyt was cited for Failure to provide proof of insurance – accident related, and Failure to Maintain a reasonable and proper speed.

(Council Bluffs, IA) – The Community Foundation for Western Iowa will be the heart of “Giving Tuesday 712” fun and excitement, this Tuesday, Dec. 2nd. All day long, community members and nonprofits are encouraged to come to the Community Foundation’s office at 536 E. Broadway in Council Bluffs for check presentations and to be part of the  excitement that giving creates throughout the day. Everyone from across the region is encouraged to join the Foundation Dec. 2 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Full Fledged Brewing Company in Council Bluffs to celebrate the success and generosity of Giving Tuesday.

Dec. 2nd marks Giving Tuesday, the largest global day of generosity. In this region, “Giving Tuesday 712” is exclusively presented by Katelman Steel. This special day reminds us that every act of generosity matters — whether it’s a donation, volunteering or simply helping a neighbor. Together, we can make Dec. 2 the biggest day of giving in our community.

Leading the charge for Giving Tuesday in western Iowa is SHARE Iowa, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa. SHARE Iowa is an innovative one-stop online platform for supporting the good work of nonprofits in nine counties throughout western Iowa by connecting residents to easy ways of doing good through financial giving, in-kind donations of items and volunteerism. Currently, there are more than 270 nonprofits that partner with SHARE Iowa.

And, again this year, the Community Foundation for Western Iowa will offer a 20% match on endowment gifts in honor of “Giving Tuesday 712” on Dec. 2nd. There will be $100,000 available on charitable gifts to endowment funds at the Community Foundation for Western Iowa through Dec. 12 or until the pool is depleted. Match money is available up to $10,000 per donor.

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DETAILS:

Tuesday, Dec. 2

ALL-DAY…At the Community Foundation for Western Iowa (536 E. Broadway).

FROM 4:30-until 7:30-p.m….At the Full Fledged Brewing Company (40 Arena Way, Suite 2).

(Radio Iowa) – Many Iowans are spending more time on ladders lately, cleaning leaves out their gutters and hanging holiday lights, so a health care professional is offering some safety tips so they don’t fall off those ladders. Registered nurse Kelly Hilsabeck, the trauma injury prevention coordinator at Emplify Health by Gundersen, says don’t use a step ladder when the job may call for an extension ladder to reach a high roof peak.

“To select an appropriate ladder for your job, inspect it for any damage before using it so you don’t run into any surprises while climbing,” Hilsabeck says. “And then setting it up safely, just making sure it’s on a firm, level surface and that it’s stable and secure before climbing.” Hilsabeck says if you’ve got a job that requires a ladder, don’t rush. “Go nice and slow,” Hilsabeck says. “One of the most important things to remember is that Three Points of Contact Rule, so that just means that you have two hands and one foot on the ladder, or two feet and one hand on the ladder, at all times. It’s really important to keep those hands free of any object so you can keep them on the ladder to help prevent slipping.”

When cleaning leaves out of the gutters, for example, the tendency is to reach as far as you can from atop the ladder to shovel out the debris. “If you’re finding that you’re needing to reach too far, you really need to come down the ladder and reposition it,” Hilsabeck says. “We really don’t want you over-reaching, so focus on centering that body weight between the two ladder side rails.” Some Iowans might want to start hiring out jobs that involve getting up on the roof.

“Do a self risk assessment and ask yourself if you can do the project safely,” she says. “If you’re someone who worries about your balance, we’d really want you to avoid using a ladder.” Also, wear good shoes for the job so you don’t risk slipping, and if it’s a wet and windy day, the job may need to be put off.

Emplify Health by Gundersen has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.

(Des Moines, IA) – A Delta Airlines passenger jet slid off the runway late Saturday evening in Des Moines, but no one was injured. KCCI reported airport officials said passengers were bused back to the terminal. Several flights were canceled or delayed at the airport, where nearly 10 inches of snow was reported during Saturday’s snowstorm.

Visit flydsm.com to check the status of your flight.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (KCCI) – A Fort Dodge woman has been awarded nearly $20 million in damages following a malpractice lawsuit against the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, KCCI reports. Linette Nelson sued the medical facility after complications from surgeries performed in 2018 to treat her ulcerative colitis. The initial treatment plan involved three operations to rebuild her lower digestive tract.

Nelson claimed her surgeon left 6 centimeters of diseased tissue during the reconstruction process. The surgical error required three additional corrective operations. Nelson now lives with chronic pain as a result of the complications.

During the trial, the Mayo Clinic admitted wrongdoing but contested the amount of damages awarded to Nelson.

DES MOINES, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – A former vice president with an Iowa-based convenience store chain is suing the company, alleging gender discrimination by a female executive accused by her colleagues of hating men. Stuart Taylor, a former Kum & Go vice president, is suing the company and Chief Marketing Officer Tracy Ging in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, claiming there was a “blatant disparity” in how the company treated men and women.

Court records indicate Taylor was hired in 2018 as Kum & Go’s vice president of business insights and analytics and later filled the interim roles of vice president of category management and vice president of food service, while retaining his original position. According to the lawsuit, he initially received favorable performance reviews and was designated a “shooting star” at the company, signifying the company’s recognition of his talent and potential to join the senior leadership team.

In 2020, the company hired Ging as its new chief marketing officer. The lawsuit alleges that within a few months, Ging fired the vice president of food service, Jeff Schamburger, which led to Taylor filling the position on an interim basis. According to the lawsuit, while Taylor’s work in that role was viewed as a success, Ging stripped him of his “shooting star” designation and hired a woman to fill the position of vice president of food service. She later criticized statements made by Taylor and, the lawsuit claims, “somehow managed to accuse him of gender discrimination based on his neutral suggestion” on a marketing issue. The lawsuit alleges Ging was “accusing Taylor of being chauvinistic simply for voicing an opinion that was different than her own.”

The lawsuit also alleges Taylor “asked Ging why she had accused him multiple times of being sexist. Ging’s response was to apologize, to say that she didn’t really know, but that sometimes people just ‘need a punch in the nose.’” In addition, the lawsuit claims Ging witnessed a female vice president berating a male colleague and did nothing to intervene, citing the alleged incident as one example of the “blatant disparity in treatment” of men and women at the company.

“Ging tolerates women disrespecting men, but even a perceived slight of a man against a woman was met with an iron fist,” the lawsuit alleges. “Taylor has also been told by another individual who worked with Ging that ‘Tracy is good at strategy, but the thing about her is she just hates men.’”

Taylor alleges Ging fired him April 2023 for pretextual reasons intended to disguise illegal gender discrimination. A trial date has yet to be scheduled in the case.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa is in the middle of its 100th pheasant season this year. Iowa D-N-R wildlife biologist Todd Bogenschutz  says the sport took off quickly and was very popular in the early decades.

Bogenschutz says the season used to open in November, and that led to some scheduling conflicts. It was set to open on Veteran’s Day one year and that raised a concern.

Football had become popular as well, and that created another scheduling concern during the era where coach Forest Evashevski had taken the Hawkeyes to two Rose Bowls.

He says that the school was worried some fans would be chasing birds in the cornfields instead of watching the battle for Floyd of Rosedale.

Iowa won that game 33 to nothing over Minnesota and the Floyd trophy. Hunter numbers dropped off in the 70’s and 80’s as farming changes led to drops in bird numbers. Numbers have been rebounding and Bogenschutz expects this 100th pheasant season will see a lot of success once it is complete in January.

(Red Oak, IA) – Police in Red Oak issued a citation, but no one was injured, following an accident early Friday afternoon. Authorities say officers were called at around 1-p.m. to the intersection of N. 4th and E. Joy Streets for a two-vehicle accident. After a brief investigation, officers learned a 16-year-old female was traveling west on E. Joy Street in a 2016 Ford Focus, and failed to yield at the posted yield sign at the intersection. Her lack of action caused the car to be struck by a 2005 Buick Park Avenue, driven by 20-year-old Logan James Conn, of Red Oak, who was traveling north on N. 4th Street.

Following the initial impact, the Ford spun around and continued bakc2wards until it struck a 2012 Subaru Legacy that was legally parked in the 300 block of E. Joy Street. The teenage driver of the Ford was cited for Failure to Obey a Yield Sign. Damage from the collisions amounted to $9,300 altogether. The Ford was towed from the scene, while the Buick was able to be driven away.

(Atlantic, IA) – The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Atlantic has been recognized as a Neighborhood Champion for the 12th year in a row by American Express. Atlantic will participate in the 15th Annual Small Business Saturday this Saturday to support local small businesses.

“We’re proud to work alongside our business community to bring special activities and incentives to Small Business Saturday,” said Kelsey Beschorner, Executive Director of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a day dedicated to celebrating the businesses that make Atlantic such a strong and unique place to shop.”

Founded by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday® is a day to celebrate the small businesses that help support communities nationwide. American Express created the Neighborhood Champion Program to rally local organizations and encourage participation in Shop Small® events across the country.

American Express recognizes communities that demonstrate strong engagement. Atlantic’s ongoing Shop Local Initiative, presented by First Whitney Bank & Trust, along with years of steady community support, has helped Atlantic consistently achieve this national recognition.

“This recognition highlights the incredible teamwork within our community,” Beschorner added. “Our businesses show up for Atlantic every day, and Small Business Saturday is a great reminder of how much impact we make when we show up for them in return.”

This year, the Chamber is also introducing the new Chestnut Street Tote Program. Beginning on Small Business Saturday, shoppers can purchase a limited-edition Chestnut Street tote bag exclusively at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. The bag features the Chestnut Street ornament and includes a tag listing participating businesses offering special promotions for tote users. Only 85 totes will be available, making this a limited holiday collectible that encourages shoppers to explore and support businesses across Atlantic.

November 29th marks Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to supporting the local businesses that create jobs, strengthen the economy, and help preserve neighborhoods. Shoppers are encouraged to stop by the Chamber from 10 AM to 1 PM to purchase a Chestnut Street tote, pick up AtlanticCash, browse holiday bundles, and learn about community-wide promotions.

Small business owners can learn more about participating in Small Business Saturday and download free marketing materials at www.shopsmall.com. Consumers can visit www.atlanticiowa.com to find deals, participating merchants, and more information about the Chestnut Street Tote Program.

Small Business Saturday is presented by First Whitney Bank & Trust.