INJURY ACCIDENT
Two people were seriously injured in a car-semi accident Monday afternoon at Hospers. The Sioux County Sheriff’s office said the accident occurred at the intersection of Highway 60 and 400th Street, on the east side of Hospers. Shawn Munns, 66, of Hawarden, IA was driving a semi-tractor pulling a tank trailer southbound on Highway 60. Beder Aguilon, age 17, of Worthington, MN, was driving a car eastbound on 400th Street when he failed to stop for the stop sign at Highway 60, and entered the intersection where the two struck. Aguilon was transported by the Hospers Ambulance to Orange City Area Health; He was later flown to Sanford Sioux Falls for further medical attention. A passenger in the car, Ernesto Martin, age 20, of Worthington, MN, was transported by the Sheldon Ambulance to Sanford Sheldon Medical center. He was also later flown to Sanford Sioux Falls for further medical treatment. Munns was not injured. Aguilon was cited for failing to obey a stop sign and yield right of way.
DOT 5-YEAR PLAN
The Iowa Transportation Commission was presented with a rough draft of the next 5-year Iowa Transportation Plan at their meeting in Ames Tuesday. This covers proposed aviation, public transit railroads, trails and highway projects. Total funding under this plan is 4.3 billion dollars in state and federal funding over the next five years. Construction costs have increased significantly over the past year, while funding levels remain about the same. If costs continue to rise, the plan allows for withholding some construction for a year. One of the biggest investments in Iowa transportation are bridge projects. Over the past 17 years, the number of poor condition bridges has dropped from 256 to 26. Some of the expansion of the transportation sector include a new !-29 interchange in Woodbury County and the addition of more than 100 truck parking spots. There are projects that address safety and improve the way roads function, including paving US 75 north of Sioux Center to US Highway 18, and replacement of the Gordon Drive viaduct in Sioux City. Approval of the program is to be considered at the next Transportation Commission meeting on June 12.
PIPELINE OPPONENTS PROTEST
Opponents of carbon pipelines are asking the state’s new utility regulators to take their objections to heart. The three-member Iowa Utilities Board convened Tuesday morning, the first meeting for new members Eric Helland and Sarah Martz. Julie Glade of Cedar Falls says her family’s farm in Wright County would be impacted by the Summit pipeline.
Beth Klahsen’s family farm near Arlington is along the Navigator route. Klahsen says she’s trusting regulators to do the right thing.
Denise Kleppe owns a century farm that’s on the Wolfe pipeline route.
Governor Kim Reynolds appointed two new members to the board last month. Their terms started last week.
SPORTS BETTING BY ATHLETES
The Administrator of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission says the agency didn’t start the investigation into gambling by athletes at the University of Iowa and Iowa State. Administrator Brian Ohorilko (Oh-reel-koh) says the agency was made aware of the investigation — but is not the entity that’s conducting it. Ohorilko also says the sports books they oversee do monitor for irregular sports betting patterns — but the agency has not been informed of any integrity issues involving the two state schools. The administrations of the two schools says 40 athletes in football, baseball, basketball and wrestling are under investigation for allegations of online sports betting. Ohorilko says the I-R-G-C could get involved if there was an underage gambling issue or integrity issue — but would not be part of investigating N-C-A-A rules violations..
DRAKE SCIENCE DEGREE
Starting this fall, students at Drake University will be able to study under a new zoo and conservation science degree. There’s been a similar curriculum concentration for Drake students to tack onto their majors since 2015 and the university recently approved expanding it to a full degree. Drake professor Michael Renner says the program will prepare students to take on entry-level jobs in zoos, especially when zoo directors claim most applicants for these roles are unqualified. Renner says students will be trained in a range of skills, including biological mechanisms, disease transmission, microbiology, physiology, ecology and scale biology. The program is partnering with Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines. Renner says students will spend time at the zoo through many of the degree’s classes. Renner says with the full degree, students will not only learn about animals, but also take a management course so they can grow their careers beyond entry level.
