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Mystery man’s identity at Council Bluffs motel solved

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A mystery at a Council Bluffs hotel is solved. Police were called to the Super 8 Motel on Thursday on the report of a man with a mental disability who was unable to communicate his identity.

Council Bluffs Police posted the man’s photo online asking for help and it quickly spread on social media. Sergeant Ted Roberts says they finally heard from the family of the man, who’s 23-years-old and named Tyler. The family, from Texas, had stayed at the Super 8 and accidentally left Tyler behind as they traveled all day Thursday — in two vehicles — to Grand Forks, North Dakota.

“They ended up arriving in North Dakota about two hours apart from one another, one arrived at 8 p.m. and the other at 10 p.m., and that’s when they found out Tyler was not with them,” Roberts said. Council Bluffs Police are calling the situation an “unintentional oversight” and says no criminal charges will be filed.

“It was an error in communication with the family…each one of them thought that the other person was going to be transporting Tyler to where they were all headed and that isn’t what happened,” Roberts said.

 

Mason City says goodbye to last full service gas station

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Henry Pirhonen.

The last full-service gas station in Mason City closed on Thursday.

Wooz’s Car Wash has been a fixture since 1972, but owner Henry Pirhonen has accepted an offer to sell the property to Kwik Trip which plans to build a Kwik Star store there.

Pirhonen says the new store will do well in that location, but people will miss the full-service Wooz’s provided. “We pump the gas for the customers, talk to them,” Pirhonen says. “A lot of our customers are saying right now, ‘Who are we going to talk to anymore?’ That’s one of the advantages we have here is that we communicated with the customers on the island.”

It’s believed there are perhaps only two or three full-service gas stations remaining in Iowa, though they were common decades ago. “We’ve had customers that have come here for 30 or 40 years and they’ve never seen the inside of our office,” Pirhonen says. “If they wanted a pop, we brought it to them. If they wanted a lottery ticket, we brought it to them. We’d check their tires and oil and everything.”

The station’s car wash was always popular and has scrubbed perhaps a half a million cars since Pirhonen took over the facility. He says they’ve sold a wide array of products besides gasoline over the years, including Christmas trees.

“What happened was a semi driver came in here and I said, ‘Where you going?’ and he said, ‘Nowhere, I’m idle right now,’ so I said, ‘Let’s go up north and get some Christmas trees.’ We went up north to Minnesota, north of Minneapolis, and got about 600 or 800 Christmas trees and sold them that year.”

Prior to the digital age, the service station was also once home to a photo hut, where people could drive up, drop off their film, and return later for an envelope filled with their pictures.

Officials with Kwik Trip Incorporated say construction on the new store will start next spring.

(By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City)

 

Reynolds says congress should act ASAP on immigration

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Governor Kim Reynolds.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is joining Republican governors from Maryland and Massachusetts in saying she would not send Iowa National Guard troops to the southern border if the soldiers are called to separate children from parents crossing into the country illegally.

“There are other issues — human trafficking, drugs coming across, safety at the border, then if that would be a request, then I would consider that,” Reynolds says.

While President Trump tweeted today said Republicans in congress should wait until after the November election to enact new immigration policies, Reynolds says she’d like to see congress act as soon as possible.

A new state law that takes effect July 1st will cut off state funding to any city or county in the state that fails to cooperate with federal immigration agents. Reynolds says the law will not trigger any immediate action, as she is “not aware of” any so-called “sanctuary cities” in the state.

“Right now there isn’t, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable,” Reynolds says. “You know, one of my number one responsibilities is to make sure that we keep Iowans safe and I don’t think it’s unreasonable if somebody that’s here and they’ve broken the law and they’ve been apprehended that it’s unreasonable to send them back because it’s important that we maintain the safety of Iowans.”

Congressman Steve King has been an outspoken critic of any effort to provide what he calls “amnesty” to people who entered the country illegally. During an interview with Breitbart News, King said he did not want Somali refugees working in pork plants in his congressional district since Muslims do not eat pork. Reynolds says she disagrees with King’s on that, but she rejects the idea King’s string of headline-grabbing comments are making Iowa less attractive to businesses considering relocating or expanding here.

“I don’t think some of the comments he made are absolutely reflective of Iowans and who we are as a people,” Reynolds says. “He is one of over 4000 honorary chairs in my campaign…He is not involved in policy or issues that we’re working on and the fact of the matter is he does represent over a fourth of the state, so people that live in his district.”

Reynolds made her remarks during taping of the “Iowa Press” program which airs tonight at 7:30 on Iowa Public Television.

 

Le Mars gets first chance to smell new scratch and sniff stamps

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The new scratch and sniff stamps.

Residents of Le Mars were the first to see new stamps called “Frozen Treats.” U.S. Post Office district manager, Mary Alt, talks about the new stamp.

“There’s ten different versions, but they are ice cream frozen treats. So they are popsicles, different colors, different scents. It’s a scratch and sniff — so you’ll have a watermelon, a bubble gum, a chocolate, vanilla, a strawberry. But it’s one of our first scratch and sniff stamps,” Alt says. She says the concept for the scratch and sniff stamp started nearly two years ago, and it will be available at postal offices nationwide.

Special cancellation for stamps.

Alt says there’s a simple reason Le Mars was chosen for the unveiling of the new stamp. She says the marketing group in Iowa asked that the stamp be unveiled in Le Mars because it is known as the “Ice Cream Capital of the World.”  Le Mars is home to Blue Bunny ice cream.

The stamp was unveiled Thursday at the Le Mars Post Office along with a special postal cancellation mark  The cancellation says “Le Mars Ice Cream Capital of the World.” Alt says the special cancellation will be used through the month of August. The stamps are the “forever” stamps as issued by the United States Postal Service. Each of the ten stamp designs includes two different treats.

(Story and photos by Dennis Morrice, KLEM, Le Mars)

 

Iowa governor’s race ‘top tier’ in 2018, according to DGA chair

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Jay Inslee

The governor of Washington state is in Iowa, campaigning with and for Iowa Democrats. Jay Inslee, who is also the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, campaigned this morning with Fred Hubbell, the Democrat who’s challenging Republican Governor Kim Reynolds.

“The Cook Report just switched this to…a toss up race,” Inslee said, “so this is what you want in life, which is a competitive race.”

There are governors races in 36 states this year and Iowa is among 26 states with a GOP incumbent. Inslee said the governor’s race here is a “top tier” race for the Democratic Governors Association for a variety of reasons.

“We’re in a moment where people are very concerned about the divisiveness and the intolerance that have been fanned by the occupant of the White House and you have an incumbent who’s been an enabler of the White House, which is sort of sad,” Inslee said.

Washington is the lead state in a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s policy of separating children from parents crossing into the country illegally as well as President Trump’s executive action that signaled a new policy will be enforced until congress passes an immigration bill.

“Independents, many Republicans, Democrats really have had a belly full of the chaos coming out of Washington, D.C.,” Inslee said, “and they understand we need someone who can unite Americans and Iowans around practical solutions rather than divisive ideological battles.”

Inslee made his comments during taping of an “Iowa Press” program that will air on Iowa Public Television next week. He downplayed the idea he’s laying the groundwork for a presidential race, telling reporters he’s focused on helping Democrats win in 2018.

Tonight, Inslee will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Hall of Fame Dinner in Des Moines. The Republican Party in Washington state criticized Inslee for “promoting himself” more than 1700 miles away from Olympia, Washington. The Iowa Republican Party’s spokesman said Inslee is coming from the “liberal stronghold” of Washington state to try to “prop up” Hubbell’s campaign.

Oil from derailed train raises concern in Rock Valley

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Drone view of train derailment.

Those on the scene of a train derailment caused by floodwaters south of Doon along the Sioux and Lyon County lines are worried about the impact downstream.

Lyon County Sheriff, Stuart Vander Stoep says leaking material from the train could negatively effect Rock Valley downstream. “When the cars derrailed they went into the water and they are now leaking oil. We don’t know how much oils is leaking, but we can smell it, so we d0 know there is some,” the sheriff says. “We do to try and catch some of the oil.” He is not sure how successful they have been in capturing the oil.

The Little Rock River flows into the Rock River which is at flood stage in the city of Rock Valley. Vander Stoep says the DNR is on site and has staff arriving downstream to monitor the flow of the crude oil plume. In addition to their current attempts to contain the crude oil, Vander Stoep says the railroad is sending a crew in for clean up.

DNR Environmental Program Supervisor and Spencer Field Office Superintendent Kenneth Hessenius says they are monitoring the situation. “The biggest concern that we have are the shallow wells in the towns downstream that are pulling their water source from near the river. I believe Rock Valley has shut off their well fields while this incident is taking place. And we’re looking further downstream with additional water supplies along that watershed,” according to Hessenius.

He says the number of rail cars leaking may not be known for a long time as many of them are partially submerged in the flooded Little Rock River. He says he will know more as time goes by and more information becomes available.

(By Mark Buss, KSOU, Sioux Center)

 

Two given prison time for distributing synthetic marijuana in Pottawattamie County Jail

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Two people have been sentenced to time in federal prison for distributing drugs in the Pottawattamie County Jail.

A judge has sentenced 35-year-old Deandre Cooper to 100 months in federal prison, and 30-year-old Charles Beuterbaugh to eight months for possession of contraband by a federal prisoner.

Court information shows the two distributed the synthetic marijuana known as “K-2” while being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail in 2017. A drug dog found the synthetic marijuana hidden in another prisoner’s cell and the investigation found that Cooper and Beuterbaugh had distributed it to other inmates.

The two will serve these sentences after they serve time they already faced for other drug crimes.

 

Flooding Rock River pushes train off track in northwest Iowa

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Drone view of train derailment.

The flooding Rock River in northwest Iowa is blamed for the derailment of a Burlington Northern Sante Fe freight train near the town of Doon along the Lyon/Sioux county border.

A total of 35 tanker rail cars carrying oil have left the tracks. Reports of some of the derailed tankers are leaking. The town of Rock Valley has been forced to evacuate. Mayor Kevin Van Otterloo has declared a state of emergency for the city of Rock Valley. In a release, Van Otterloo said “despite the best efforts of the 400 plus volunteers on Thursday evening, we were not able to hold the water back.”

Iowa Department of Transportation officials have closed Highway 60 northbound near Le Mars due to flood waters from the Floyd River that has crossed the highway. Le Mars Fire Chief David Schipper says the Floyd is already at “bank full.”

“The city is taking preparations with our wastewater treatment plant that sits on the north end of town to make sure we’re in a ready state for flooding,” Schipper says. The Floyd was last reported at 19-feet at Le Mars and it’s expected to crest tonight around 21.5 feet.

“I think that’s going to happen a lot sooner and I don’t know if that 21.5 number is going to stay or not,” the chief says. “I think there’s a lot more water from up north than what everybody, including the weather service, has anticipated here. I’m sure it will be out of the banks before too long.” Upriver, communities like Ashton and Alton were inundated by heavy rain showers over several days in the past week.

“I know they got five or six inches of rain yesterday on top of the five or six they had the day before,” Schipper says. “That’s all gotta’ filter down through here.” He repeats the warnings for motorists not to try driving across water-covered roads.

(By Dennis Morrice, KLEM, Le Mars)

 

ISU researcher says classifying video game addiction as a disorder a good step

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Doug Gentile

An Iowa State University psychology professor is praising the World Health Organization’s recent classification of video game addiction as a mental health disorder.

Doug Gentile started studying video games, and their impact on players, in the late 1990s. Gentile admits he was initially skeptical of parents who claimed their children were “addicted” to video games.

“The more I studied it, the more I realized I was wrong,” Gentile said. “In fact, there are some kids who take serious damage to their lives because of the way in which they are gaming.” Research conducted by Gentile estimates just over 8-percent of youth gamers are addicted at a clinical level. According to Gentile, the World Health Organization’s action is a critical step toward getting gaming addicts the help they need.

“Until it’s recognized as a real problem by the medical community, you can’t really get help – no one is treating it, insurance won’t pay for it,” Gentile said. “So, now that it’s being recognized as a bonafide problem, hopefully treatments will become more available and we can start studying what types of treatments are most effective.”

Video game addiction can have long-term, damaging consequences, according to Gentile. One research study he led involved some 3,000 kids – who’s gaming habits were monitored over a two-year period.

“In fact, when kids became addicted to games, their depression increased, their anxiety increased, their social phobias increased, and their grades got worse,” Gentile said. “If they stopped being addicted over the years of this study, then we saw the opposite pattern – their depression lifted, their anxiety lifted, their social phobias lifted.”

 

 

Tickets for Iowa run of ‘Hamilton’ are selling fast

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The highly-popular Broadway musical “Hamilton” opens next week in Des Moines and the three-week run is nearly sold out.

Denise Smithson Green, director of ticketing for the Des Moines Civic Center, says devoted fans can take part in a digital ticket lottery for every show. The first of the daily lotteries starts Monday for opening night, which is next Wednesday.

“The lottery will open at 11 AM and then it’ll close at 9 AM the next day,” Smithson Green says. “The show will do their drawing, notify the winners, and they can purchase up to two tickets. Those tickets will be $10 each.” That’s an extremely discounted price, as the “Hamilton” tickets still for sale range from around 200 to $375 each, before fees. The ticket lottery, like the show, is expected to be a big hit.

“For most of our performances, the first week, the seats are a little bit scattered but they’re still fantastic seats,” Smithson Green says. “The second and third week, they are the second and third row. There’s 40 seats available and to get a ticket for $10 for one of the hottest shows on Broadway is pretty amazing.”

“Hamilton” won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2008. It’s the story of America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary. The civic center has hosted several major touring Broadway shows over the years, including “Wicked,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “The Lion King,” but Smithson Green stops short of saying “Hamilton” will be the venue’s biggest-ever draw.

“We only have a certain number of tickets, so if you sell out, you sell out. The excitement around this one is fantastic, but it’s a different show so to compare it to any other Broadway show isn’t really fair,” she says, laughing. “It is a really big deal to have Hamilton here on its first tour out.”

A sales event was held back in November that sold out all available tickets, tens of thousands of them, but more tickets were “released” recently for sale through Des Moines Performing Arts. The show runs June 27th through July 15th.