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More counties added to disaster list as flooding continues

June 29, 2010 By

Four more Iowa counties are being added to the list of those declared a disaster emergency by the governor due to severe weather and flooding. They are: Cherokee, Mahaska, Polk and Warren. They join ten other counties on the disaster list: Ringgold, Union, Taylor, Hancock, Wright, Franklin, Decatur, Marion, Monroe and Sioux.

Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge toured the storm and flood damage in Wright County on Monday afternoon. Judge says Clarion was deluged with rain last week, with a number of flooded homes, caved-in basements and other types of damage. She toured portions of Wright County prior to meeting with supporters in Mason City.

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Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Webster City mayor declares disaster over flooding

June 29, 2010 By

The mayor of a north-central Iowa community has issued a disaster declaration due to flooding that’s brought evacuations and damage to homes and public property. Webster City Mayor Janet Adams made the announcement Monday afternoon.

“We’re doing that so that in case there are FEMA funds available, we would be eligible for those,” Adams explained. The flooding Boone River has forced some residents to evacuate their homes and stay with friends or at local motels.

The Fuller Hall recreation area remains open to those residents who are in need of shelter. Webster City got nearly four-and-a-half inches of rain last weekend. The river’s levels are dropping and dry weather is in the forecast.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Volunteers wanted for compulsive shopping study

June 29, 2010 By

Iowans who have trouble stopping shopping are wanted for a study. Researchers at the University of Iowa are looking for volunteers who have a compulsive shopping problem. Dr. Donald Black, a psychiatry professor at the U-of-I, says they need subjects who are medically healthy but who can’t resist the impulse to buy.

“It’s a problem characterized by inability to control one’s shopping and spending behavior,” Dr. Black says. “It’s fairly common, about five-percent of the population. Most people with this condition tend to be women.” He says compulsive shoppers have many traits in common with compulsive gamblers, as they can’t keep their impulses in check.

Black says, “We’ve designed a study to evaluate a person’s ability to make decisions, think about the future, and our prediction is that people with compulsive shopping problems will have difficulty in those areas, similar to what we see in compulsive gamblers.” He says compulsive shoppers are constantly making purchases year-round, not just during the holidays or around a birthday.

“They go to the stores frequently,” Black says. “For some people, that’ll be daily or several times a day. They have trouble controlling their spending behavior so they’re buying things that they don’t need and may not even particularly want. They may not even use these items.”

While some compulsive gamblers are being treated with pharmaceuticals, Black believes compulsive shoppers could see a significant breakthrough with “talk therapy” alone. To learn more about the study, call (319) 353-3904.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine Tagged With:

Utilities Board holds first public comment meeting on Black Hills natural gas rate increase

June 29, 2010 By

The Iowa Utilities Board holds the first of three public comment meetings tonight in Newton on the proposed natural gas rate increase request of Black Hills Energy. Utilities Board spokesman, Rob Hillesland says Black Hills serves around 149-thousand customers in Iowa.

Hillesland says the company is seeking a permanent annual rate increase of 2.9% percent, which would generate around $4.7-million in annual revenue. Hillesland says the public comments are used by the board in determining whether they should approve the increase.

“We want people to know that their opinions, be it via written comments or verbal comments made at these comment meetings are very important to the board, and it is a very important part of the rate-making process,” Hillesland says. Black Hills was granted a temporary rate increase of 1.6% until the board reaches its decision.

Hillesland says the temporary rate is subject to refund with interest if the board approves a rate that’s less than the temporary increase, customers would get a refund with interest. The other two comment meetings are set for June 30th in Dubuque and July 1st in Council Bluffs. Hillesland says the final decision on the rate increase would likely come in April.

For more information on the rate request, or to find out how to submit written comments, visit the Iowa Utilities Board website at: www.state.ia.us/iub.

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:

King says there has to be some limit on BP oil spill liability

June 29, 2010 By

Republican Congressman Steve King says he’s concerned British Petroleum may be asked to pay damages to people who have no “legitimate” business connection to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Some will argue that this is a natural disaster because it fits their insurance or their legal parameters, and others will argue that, no, it’s man-made,” King says.  “But I think it’s clear that BP has stepped up and said they are going to pay all legitimate claims.” 

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Filed Under: Business, Crime & Courts, Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , ,

Gas prices are up, so is the forecast for July 4th travel

June 28, 2010 By

Gasoline prices are up slightly from a year ago, but travel forecasters are expecting a large boost in the number of vacationers who will be hitting the road for the Fourth of July weekend. Rose White, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says it’ll be the busiest Independence Day weekend in several years.

Triple-A projects the number of Americans traveling during the holiday weekend will rise more than 17% from 2009, with nearly 35-million travelers taking a trip at least 50 miles away from home. Last year, fewer than 30-million Americans traveled during that same holiday weekend. For the weekend ahead, Triple-A projects 90% of the travelers will be heading for their destinations in motor vehicles. White says the projections are up, despite a modest hike in prices at the pump.

Fuel prices are up about a nickel a gallon compared to last year and are averaging about $2.75 for self-service unleaded. White says as the economies in the state and nation have improved, so have people’s attitudes about spending money on luxuries like travel. Last summer, she reminds, the mood wasn’t so light.

“We have to look back to last year which, basically, during July was considered the middle part of the Great Recession,” White says. “High unemployment coupled with bank closures, collapsing home values and a plunging stock market, meant many people were taking ‘stay-cations’ and staying closer to home.” She says the travel forecast calls for this July 4th weekend to beat last year — and the year before.

White says, “If you look back to July of 2008, at that time we were paying record high fuel prices, averaging $4.10 a gallon across the Midwest.” The current average gas price in Iowa is $2.67 a gallon. The national average is $2.75.

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With:

Demolition derby driver injured at Worth County Fair

June 28, 2010 By

The name of the demolition derby car driver who was injured when his car blew up at a north-central Iowa county fair has been released. Matt Ertman of Blue Earth, Minnesota, man was severely burned after his car exploded at a demolition derby Sunday at the Worth County Fair in Northwood.

Ertman was removed from the car and later airlifted to University Hospitals in Iowa City with burns to his face, arms, and body. Authorities say the explosion happened when Ertman’s car struck another vehicle head on.

A hospital spokesperson says at last report that there was no information available about Ertman.

By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters
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