Heavy Snow Predicted To Hit Le Mars On Friday
(Le Mars) — A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for Plymouth County and all of northwest Iowa for Friday, as weather officials are predicting heavy snowfall, possibly up to 5 to 7 inches are possible. Jeff Chapman with the National Weather Services at Sioux Falls explains what is to be expected with the season’s first major snow storm.
Iowa Farm Bureau Elects A New President
(Des Moines) — Iowa Farm Bureau Federation has a new president. Voting delegates at the state’s annual meeting and conference elected Calhoun County farmer Brent Johnson to help lead them. Johnson is a corn and soybean grower and feeds cattle. He also operates a precision farming company that does soil sampling, deploys drones and offers data management. Johnson replaces 64-year-old Craig Hill of Ackworth who is retiring after a decade as the organization’s president. Sam Funk is the staff economist for the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. He says the outlook for Iowa’s farm commodities may depend upon how much is traded to overseas markets like China.
Iowa Educators Could Be Charged With Felonies For Offering “Obscene” Books To Students
(Des Moines, IA) — A key senator says he’ll propose charging educators with a felony if they provide obscene materials to students. Republican Senator Brad Zaun (ZAHN) of Urbandale is chairman of the committee that would vote on the bill. Zaun says he’s concerned about two books in particular that central Iowa school boards have discussed banning. Zaun says passages in the books describe unhealthy sexual situations. Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls (WALLS) of Coralville says this debate makes Iowa less attractive to people who might move here for work. “Saying that we’re going to go after teachers and librarians is not going to make Iowa’s public education stronger,” Wahls says.
Des Moines Public Schools: More Fights Not Due To Removal Of SROs
(Des Moines, IA) — Officials with the Des Moines Public School District say the increase in the number of fights at schools this fall isn’t due to the removal of school resource officers. Police have been called to deal with 13 fights this fall. That compares to nine during the same time period in 2019. District staff members, current and former students, and community members are saying bringing those resource officers back would only return the problems that led to their removal – the criminalization of student behaviors and disproportionate contact between those officers and students of color. One official blames the rising number of fights to pandemic-related stress and staffing shortages.
I-Cubs Sold To California Company
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Cubs will no longer have Iowa ownership for the first time since they were created in 1969. California-based Endeavor has purchased the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Former newspaper editor, Michael Gartner, has owned the club for the last 22 years. The I-Cubs are one of several minor league franchises purchased by Endeavor, including the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. I-Cubs President Sam Bernabe(burn-uh-be), has worked for the club for 39 years and says he will continue to do so.
Reynolds Using $100 Million in Pandemic Relief For Water Quality Projects
(Des Moines, IA) — Governor Kim Reynolds is using 100-million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funding for water quality infinitives. Twenty-five million is going into a state fund that provides grants to farmers implementing conservation practices, as part of the voluntary Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Reynolds announced the remaining 75-million dollars will go into a Water Infrastructure Fund. Grants from the fund will help finance projects that do things like reduce agricultural run-off, reduce flood risks and reuse wastewater. The governor’s office says carbon sequestration projects would also be eligible, meaning some of the 75 million could finance construction of carbon pipelines through the state. Reynolds called the investments historic and said the money will “help protect, preserve and restore Iowa’s water resources.”
Police Fatally Shoot Alleged Stalker in Iowa Falls
(Iowa Falls, IA) — The Iowa D-C-I is investigating the fatal police shooting of an armed suspect this (Wednesday) morning in Iowa Falls. The D-C-I says officers from Iowa Falls, Hardin County sheriff’s deputies, and state troopers responded to a request for help from a woman who said a former boyfriend was stalking her in his vehicle. Officers reported seeing the man hit the woman’s vehicle with his, and they ordered him to get out. The D-C-I says the man refused and displayed a shotgun. He then tried to get away and was shot by officers. The unidentified man died at the scene. The woman wasn’t injured.
Casey’s Has Some Supply Chain Issues, All-Time Gross Proft in 2nd Quarter
(Ankeny, IA) — Ankeny-based Casey’s convenience stores report continued recovery from the pandemic slowdown despite some continuing challenges. Casey’s president Darren Rebelez said today (Wednesday) that total gross profit of 718-million dollars was an all-time high for the second quarter. Shares were down from the previous year, but Rebelez said they were still impressive in the wake of an extremely challenging retail environment. Supply chain issues were one of the biggest challenges and they were out of donuts, chicken and fountain beverage cups during parts of the quarter. He says Casey’s had increased guest counts and positive same-store fuel volumes. Some of the increases were offset by higher operating expenses, higher wage rates, and credit card fees, along with the addition of 161 additional stores.
Two Teens Killed in Marion County Rollover Crash
(Melcher-Dallas, IA) — The Iowa State Patrol says two teenagers are dead after a crash Tuesday night in Marion County. The accident report shows the car was at the top of a hill near Melcher-Dallas when it rolled into the ditch and came to rest upside down. State troopers say 16-year-olds Grace Deheer and Angelina Clark were thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. Neither victim was wearing a seat belt.
