Iowa's Radio News Network
Two of the four Republicans running for governor say it’s time to think about doing away with Iowa’s corporate income tax. State Representative Rod Roberts of Carroll says such a move could create an economic boom in the state.
“We need to do something that I believe is perhaps dramatic but also I think would send a strong signal to businesses that we’re serious about creating a very business-friendly environment here in Iowa,” Roberts says.
Five northwest Iowans are homeless after a fire destroyed their home early on Christmas morning.
The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office reports that shortly after 6 AM, a call came in of a house fire on Elm Street in Hull. The Hull Fire Department, Sioux Center Fire Department, Hull Ambulance and Sioux County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call. A deputy from the sheriff’s office was the first to arrive and he found the house to be engulfed in flames.
The five occupants of the home, 62-year-old Florencia Sandoval — the owner of the home; her daughter — 33-year-old Claudia Carabajal; and Carabajal’s three children 11-year-old Alex, 9-year-old Sergio and 4-year-old Jaime, all got out of the house uninjured.
The fire is believed to have started in the laundry room of the house. The family said they had been sleeping at the time but were awakened by smoke detectors, which helped them get out of the house in time.
The house received major damage and officials say it may be considered a total loss.
(Reporting by Scott Van Aartsen, KIWA, Sheldon)
A northwest Iowa man has died of exposure after leaving his pickup in the middle of a blizzard.
On Christmas morning at 9:15 a.m., the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a rural Rock Valley resident reporting that he found a pickup truck stuck on a gravel road, four miles northwest of Rock Valley. The caller said he knew the pickup to be that of his elderly neighbor who lives alone. The caller also reported that he had checked his neighbor’s home and did not find him there.
When the caller went back to the area of the pickup truck he located the man in the ditch near the fence line, apparently deceased. The Rock Valley ambulance and sheriff’s office were dispatched to the scene. Eighty-one-year-old William Rielly of rural Rock Valley was pronounced dead at the scene by the Sioux County Medical Examiner.
Upon further investigation by the sheriff’s office it appeared that Rielly left his residence on Christmas eve, and drove about a half mile east. His vehicle became stuck in a large snow bank. Rielly attempted to free the vehicle for some time, as evidenced by the left rear tire of the vehicle which was worn down to the rim. Rielly apparently left his vehicle after he couldn’t free it and walked west toward his home. He was located about a quarter mile east of his home.
The Sheriff’s Office confirms that Rielly died of apparent exposure. Sioux County snow plows had to open roads allowing the ambulance and sheriff’s deputies to reach the vehicle.
(Reporting by Scott Van Aartsen, KIWA, Sheldon)
Travel is not advised in a wide swath of western Iowa this morning.
The Iowa Department of Transportation has declared two highways in southwestern Iowa “impassable” as blowing and drifting snow makes clearing the roadways difficult. According to the National Weather Service, another dusting of light snow could fall tonight across the state.
There’s also a flood warning for a few portions of eastern Iowa. Recent rain and melting snow have caused sections of the Chariton River, the Iowa River, the English River and the La Moine River to swell to near flood stage.
Flashing a big smile is easy. Getting teeth to be bright and white can be a challenge. Many Iowans are experimenting with home remedies and store-bought whiteners in order to get pearly whites. Dr. Ed Schooley, dental director of Delta Dental of Iowa, says to steer clear of anything that’s not directly recommended by your own dentist.
“You have to watch out for anything you buy over the counter and take home that doesn’t come with professional advice,” Schooley says. “If the teeth become sensitive using these bleaching agents, I would certainly abandon their use right away.”
A variety of toothpastes now claim to have teeth-whitening properties but Schooley says that’s more of an advertising technique. “You might get an extra shade out of them,” Schooley says. “When you think about the toothpastes, they can only eliminate some of the extrinsic stains, the stains on the outside of the teeth that we get from drinking coffee or the cola drinks.”
He says it makes more sense to be wary of what you consume to avoid getting the stains on your teeth in the first place. “Certainly it’s going to be coffee, even tea, all of the cola drinks, chocolate actually because the cocoa really contributes to (staining),” Schooley says. “As long as we moderate our use of those and have good hygiene habits, we should be okay.”
He say optimum whitening depends on the use of a custom-made bleaching tray, which only a dentist can fit properly. Also, without supervision, the chemicals can aggravate sensitive teeth and gums or damage existing dental work, like fillings and crowns. For more information on oral health, visit: www.deltadentalia.com
The leader of the state’s emergency management division recently became president-elect of a national group of his fellow administrators. David Miller will take over as the president of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) in October of 2010.
Miller says the president right now is David Maxwell of Arkansas and says he looks forward to working with Maxwell and then taking over in the next year. Miller says the group shares ideas on how each state can do their job.
He says they will discuss a number of issues on how states work together, from how they work between states, and how they work with federal organizations such as FEMA. Miller says the group will also address broader ideas as they look at protecting the public.
Miller says the includes everything from the affects of global warming to discussions of critical infrastructure and key resources. He says they also talk about how they help each other and also try to influence congress as they look ahead to addressing key disaster issues. Miller has had plenty of experience in Iowa in recent years with the tornadoes, flooding and winter storms.
Find out more about the state emergency management division here.
Iowa’s governor is using three cryptic words to describe the core functions of state government. Governor Chet Culver says the state is primarily in the business to “incarcerate, educate and medicate.”
About 60 percent of the state budget is spent on education, with the state providing support to K-through-12 public schools and the three public universities in Ames, Cedar Falls and Iowa City.
O.KayHenderson.com