Hot Temperatures And High Humidity Levels Can Be Stressful For Animals
(Le Mars) — Hot temperatures along with high humidity levels are two factors that make for stressful conditions for livestock and pets. Beth Doran is an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist for northwest Iowa. She says we need to watch our animals for heat stress, especially market beef cattle.
Doran says she has seen several feedlot operators needing sprinkle or water down their beef herds during these high temperature and high humidity days.
The I-S-U Beef specialist says these weather conditions are also stressful for our pets. She says it’s important that we keep an abundant quantity of fresh water available for our livestock and pets.
She also suggests you have plenty of ventilation to help with the evaporation of the water which further helps keep your animals cool and comfortable.
Doran says if your pet travels with you in your vehicle, you need to make certain the windows are open. She says it doesn’t take long for the inside of a vehicle to warm up to temperatures that could be fatal for our pets.
The last suggestion Doran offers is to not work your animals during the peak hot times of the day.
The beef specialist says during these hot summer days it is also important for cattle producers to have a good fly control program whether it be ear tags, oil rags, or dusters.
Sioux City Council To Decide On Providing Airline Service To Denver
(Sioux City) — The Sioux City Council will take the first step Monday in approving one daily round trip jet flight from Sioux Gateway Airport to Denver, Colorado.
There’s a consent agenda item authorizing Airport Director Mike
Collett to execute an agreement with SkyWest Airlines to provide air service through United Express to Denver International Airport beginning October 1st.
It’s not known yet what time of day or how many passengers would be on the westbound flight.
The agreement would also mean a second airline would be providing flights out of Sioux City.
A federal DOT grant will provide $600,000 towards the service with the city spending $360,000 and surrounding communities and other local support costing $240,000.
The city will also provide $70,000 of marketing value to promote the new service and agree to waive rent and landing fees for the term of the agreement, which would run through February 28th of 2022.
Trial For Mollie Tibbetts Murder Moving Away From Sioux City
(Sioux City) — The first degree murder trial of the man charged in the death of former University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts is no longer coming to Woodbury County. The trial of Cristhian Rivera will now take place January 21st in Davenport, Iowa at the Scott County Courthouse. The counsel and the
defendant agreed to the move and presiding judge Joel Yates issued an order on Friday granting the new change of venue in the case. Previously, the trial had been moved to Woodbury County from Powesiek County, where the alleged crime took place. Prosecutors say Tibbetts was stabbed to death
after she disappeared in 2018 while out for a run near Brooklyn, Iowa.
Investigators were led to her body by Rivera a month later.
Sioux Center To Offer Community Flower Tour
(Sioux Center) — A first-ever event in Sioux Center will guide people to stop and smell the roses. The Sioux Center Parks Department organized the flower tour to highlight the beauty flowers create in the city scape. Maps are available directing people to the more than 20 flower beds scattered throughout the city. The tour includes flower information and park staff will be available along the route
to answer questions. Jamie Dolieslager leads the planning, planting and maintenance of the flower beds. “Every summer’s different…When you get a hot summer like this, you’re going to spend the majority of time watering and weeding,” she says, “but to really keep them looking beautiful, you really
have to spend time ‘dead heading’ and making that plant grow into what you want it to be.” The tour’s scheduled Tuesday, July 14th from 6 to 8 p.m. You can be socially distant on the tour by driving the route in your car. You’re also allowed to walk or ride your bike along the route and at the end enjoy a sweet treat.
Sioux City Police And Local Minority Organizations Work Together On Community Relations
(Sioux City) — Sioux City police chief Rex Mueller (Myoo-ler) was part of a local group that participated in a discussion with people from across the state in Ames Thursday about community relations between police and minority groups. Mueller says the statewide group will address the concerns brought up since the death of a Minnesota man in police custody.
Local N-A-A-C-P President Ike Rayford and Monique Scarlet of Unity in the Community went with Mueller to the event.
He says not all communities have that kind of relationship. Unity in the Community and Sioux City Police have partnered for several years to promote understanding between minorities and local officers, and that paid off during the recent protests surrounding the death of Floyd.
The protests in Sioux City led to a renewed effort to equip Sioux City police officers with body cameras. The city council discussed the issue at their meeting this week.
Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission Reports 20-Percent Drop in Revenues
(Urbandale, IA) — The administrator of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission says revenues for the fiscal year that ended in June are down about 20 percent after the shutdowns forced by the coronavirus epidemic. The governor ordered casinos closed March 17th and weren’t allowed to open until May 31st. Brian Ohorilko said,”those months that were closed really did have
a significant impact. Up until the pandemic, the industry had been doing really well.” He thinks some of that could be attributed to the impact from sports wagering. Casinos started offering sports betting at the end of September – and most had their operations up and going as the new year started. He says 20 percent is a significant drop in revenue – and had it
not been for the good first and second quarters the loses could have been more. Ohorilko says things have not gotten back to the levels they were before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Missing Former Wartburg Music Instructor With Dementia Found Alive
(Waterloo, IA) — A family member confirms that a missing former Wartburg College music instructor who left a Waterloo care facility Monday has been found alive in Waterloo. Searchers had been looking for 46-year-old Michael Jensen since he left Ravenwood Specialty Care through a window Monday.
Jensen is reunited with his family and is listed in serious condition at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center. His family would like to thank the community for the outpouring of prayers and assistance in helping locate Michael. His wife Jen says her husband was diagnosed with brain cancer in
2012, and has had diminished capacity since 2016.
Alliant Energy Implodes Power Plant Along Mississippi River in Clinton
(Clinton, IA) — Mississippi River boat traffic and air traffic over the river were diverted as an Alliant Energy power plant was imploded in Clinton on Friday. The M-L Kapp Generation Station in Clinton started as a coal-fired plant more than 70 years ago. It was switched to natural gas in 2015 and Alliant announced it was closing the plant in 2018 — six years earlier than originally planned. The company said the move to wind power and
other renewables eliminated the need for the plant. Alliant says 99 percent of materials from the remaining structure will be reused on site or recycled.
The plant had employed about 20 people.
Cedar Rapids Police Investigating Counterfeit $50 Bill Passed This Week
(Cedar Rapids, IA) — The Cedar Rapids Police Department is investigating several reports of counterfeit 50-dollar bills being passed in businesses this week. Several fast food restaurants and convenience stores have received fake 50s. Officers remind retailers to closely look at bills to help combat this crime. They recommend looking for red and blue fibers embedded in the bill and watermarks that can be seen under light. Clerks should also use counterfeit currency pens to determine if the money is real.
Any business that receives phony bills should report it to police right away.
Iowa Reports Highest Daily Number Of Positive COVID-19 Cases
(Des Moines) — Iowa has registered its largest daily jump in coronavirus cases since May, leading health officials to warn people to take the threat more seriously, and to stop congregating in crowded places such as bars and night clubs. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped Friday by 744, which is the most since the state had 796 new cases on May 26th. The number of COVID-19 deaths rose by three to 742. Among the counties with the largest jumps was Scott County (Davenport), on Iowa’s eastern border. Edward Rivers, director of the Scott County Health Department, says the increase correlated with the state lifting its final restrictions on bars, restaurants, casinos, and mass gatherings in early June.
Sioux County Accident Sends Two To Hospital
(Orange City) — Two people were taken to the hospital in the aftermath of a two-vehicle collision west of Hull Thursday afternoon. According to a report filed by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred shortly after 3:30 Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Highway 75 and 320th Street, two miles west of Hull. Deputies say a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse, driven by 42-year old Bronwen Dean of Sioux Center was heading westbound on 320th Street, and stopped for the stop sign at Highway 75, then proceeded into the intersection, where it collided with a northbound 2019 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 63-year old Wenda Horstman also of Sioux Center. Hostman and a passenger were transported by the Hull Ambulance to Sioux Center for treatment of their injuries. Dean’s SUV sustained approximately $7,500 in damage, while damage to the Horstman’s pickup was estimated at $9,000. Dean was reportedly cited for failure to yield from a stop sign. The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Hull Ambulance and Hull Fire Department.
