Storms that spread from southeast into eastern Nebraska and western Iowa Friday night, swept south/south east into southwest and southern Iowa, bringing intense lightning, loud thunder, damaging winds, and heavy rain to some areas. In Atlantic, we received 1.22-inches of rain. There were some tree limbs down and brief, scattered power outages, but no immediate reports of structural damage.

Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Coordinator Doug Reed said on social media, Saturday morning, “We’re out conducting initial damage assessments, and we’d like to know what damage you have from last night. Go to report your storm damages at https://pcema-ia.org.” People in Council Bluffs and throughout the county are asked to report that information as soon as possible.

In Adair, 24-hour rainfall amounted to three-inches. The National Weather Service says 2.9-inches of rain fell 5 miles north of New Market, in Taylor County, and 1 mile south of Anita. At around 10:20-p.m. Friday, 1.5″ diameter hail (Ping-pong ball size) fell in Mount Ayr.

KETV in Omaha reports Omaha Public Power District officials said Saturday the storms which raked across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa early Saturday were among the most severe in recent history. While progress was being made, OPPD warned it may take multiple days for some customers to see service restored.

Wind gusts over 90 m.p.h. felled trees and snapped power poles, interrupting services to as many as 188,000 customers at one point. The storms damaged the electrical infrastructure serving Omaha’s wastewater treatment plan, forcing the city to dump untreated wastewater into the Missouri River for several hours. The plant was back on-line by 9:30 a.m. MidAmerican Energy also reported outages in its service area. 6,200 customers were without service in Council Bluffs early Saturday.

Winds were an issue across the area. At around 11:13-p.m., Friday, thunderstorm wind damage was reported by law enforcement in Harlan, with multiple trees down. Winds in excess of 60 mph were reported at around 12:06-a.m. Saturday, 11 miles north of Elliott. Thunderstorm wind damage was reported at around 1:10-a.m. Saturday two-miles west/southwest of Council Bluffs, where a semi was on its side.

Other wind/damage reports early Saturday, include:

12:06-a.m., 61 mph gust reported 11 miles E/SE of Hancock.

12:33-a.m.  2-miles E/NE of Council Bluffs, 58-mph wind gust (at the MESONET, or automated station)

12:35-a.m. 62 mph gust at the MESONET station 4 miles E. of Council Bluffs.

1:02-a.m. 80 mph wind gust 8 miles W/SW of Sidney (MESONET)

1:40-a.m. Saturday, 70-mph winds were reported one mile NE of Bedford, in Taylor County.

ANAMOSA – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a correctional officer was assaulted by an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary at approximately 2:27 p.m. on Friday July 9, 2021.  While an officer was supervising inmates, one inmate began assaulting the officer with closed-fist strikes. The officer used pepper spray and defensive techniques. When additional staff arrived, the aggressive inmate complied with directives in being restrained.

The officer  was initially examined by facility medical staff and was sent to the local hospital as a precaution. The officer has been released and has returned to work. The inmate was found to have not suffered any injuries.

The incident remains under investigation.

(Atlantic) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Rec Department is planning to hold two recreational days this week, to go along with the National Parks and Recreation Month Calendar they have put out. Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen says “On Wednesday July 14th, we will be offering a pool day with a lower entrance fee and some games to be played while enjoying the Sunnyside Pool. The other day is Friday July 16th from 9am-11am, we will be opening up our recreation shed with over 30 items for people to choose from and try out.”

If you have any questions, call 712-243-3542.

WOODWARD, Iowa – (July 9, 2021) – A powerful storm that moved through Mitigwa Scout Reservation near Woodward Friday prompted camp staff to declare a weather emergency and, for the first time, Scouts and leaders took shelter in new storm shelters installed following last year’s derecho. As the storm approached, camp staff activated the emergency weather safety plan, directing all on the property to take immediate shelter in one of seven concrete-fortified storm shelters throughout Mitigwa. More than 200 people sought refuge in the emergency shelters. The shelters were completed last month just before Mitigwa began its 99th continuous summer camp program.

“This was a dangerous storm that produced damaging winds and large hail,” Matt Hill, Mid-Iowa Council CEO said. “We’re very thankful for these new shelters and that no one was hurt.” The camp staff are assessing buildings and trees for damage at the 460-acre Scout camp. The August 10, 2020, derecho, which struck eight days after the last group of boys and girls left for the season, caused millions in damage to camp facilities and destroyed countless trees. Since then, Mid-Iowa Council built the seven storm shelters, replaced damaged roofs on dozens of buildings, cleared tons of fallen trees and branches and replaced the camp’s shooting range, which was destroyed.

Mitigwa storm 7.9.2021

Mitigwa Hail, 7/9/21

While the council funded the repairs through its post-derecho “Mitigwa Strong” fundraising campaign, it is still $672,000 dollars short of its fundraising goal, which includes adding more storm shelters, renovating, or replacing many camp facilities and replanting lost trees. “We hoped we wouldn’t have to use these new shelters, much less so quickly,” Hill said. “We can’t thank people enough for supporting us in our efforts to protect Scouts, families and staff who are here to enjoy a summer camp experience. Most importantly, all campers at Mitigwa are safe and sound thanks to these shelters.”

For more information about rebuilding Mitigwa contact Grant Reigelman, Director of Support Service, 515-266-2135 or Grant.Reigelman@scouting.org.  To donate to the Mitigwa Strong fund visit CampIowa.org/MitigwaStrong

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About Mid-Iowa Council, BSA Mid-Iowa Council serves more than 10,000 youth and families in 27 Iowa counties. The council supports programs for youth and Scout units that build character, train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develop physical and mental fitness. ScoutingIowa.org

About Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America provides the nation’s foremost youth programs of character development and values-based leadership training, helping young people be “Prepared. For Life.” Scouting.org

(Radio Iowa) – The Republican who competed against Kim Reynolds at the G-O-P’s state convention to be the party’s nominee for lieutenant governor in 2010 says Reynolds could wind up on a national ticket in 2024. If Donald Trump secures the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nomination, Bob Vander Plaats — president and C-E-O of The Family Leader — suggests Reynolds will be in the mix as a potential running mate.

“As a matter of fact, I think she’d be a great presidential candidate right now,” Vander Plaats says. “She has a lot of stock across the country of how she’s led during Covid, how she’s led through the racial unrest and a lot of other things. Iowa, in many ways, has been a model.” Vander Plaats made his comments during taping of tonight’s (Friday’s) Iowa Press program on Iowa P-B-S.

Vander Plaats is hosting two potential 2024 candidates at The Family Leader’s 10th annual summit next Friday in Des Moines. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Vice President Mike Pence are scheduled to speak. Pence was called a traitor and booed by a crowd of conservatives in Florida last month. Vander Plaats says that won’t happen here next Friday.

“People like Mike Pence. He’s been a consistent conservative. He’s a man of faith,” Vander Plaat says. “He will deliver a message that our base will want to hear and I think he will be enthusiastically embraced at our Leadership Summit.” Vander Plaats suggests voters will ask Pence why — in his role as vice president on January 6th — he certified Joe Biden won the Electoral College and the presidency.

“Everybody’s going to have their own hill to climb,” Vander Plaats says. “That may be his, but that’s up to him to answer that, not up to me to answer that.” Vander Plaats has endorsed victors Mike Huckabee before the 2008 Caucuses, Rick Santorum before the 2012 Caucuss and Ted Cruz before the 2016 Caucuses. Vander Plaats says his early analysis of the 2024 race is Florida Governor Ron De Santis is an early leader.

“In politics, as you all well know, the spoils go to the risk taker,” Vander Plaats says. “…Would Governor De Santis stand down if Trump said: ‘I’m going to run again?’ I don’t know. I think De Santis knows this is his most opportune time to launch a bid for president.”

(Radio Iowa) – In-person visits will resume at the state’s prisons Saturday after being shut down for some 16 months following the COVID-19 outbreak. Department of Corrections director, Beth Skinner, says they are going to start out by allowing just half the normal capacity for visitors. “We know COVID is still around, there are variants around…so we want to start off slow and carefully watch the numbers,” Skinner says. She says they will still have online visitation available and may expand the in-person prison visitation if everything goes well.

“We’ll reevaluate that in a couple of months to see — making sure that the numbers stay stable — so we don’t have any spread of COVID in our prisons,” she says. Skinner spoke at the Board of Corrections meeting today (Friday) and says they now only have two COVID cases in the system. Skinner also announced a change she says the staff is excited about. “We are no longer requiring staff to wear masks, it is completely optional at this point,” according to Skinner. “There are exceptions in terms of when you are required to wears masks For example, in the infirmary.”

Skinner says the prison population has crept back up and is now 11-point-eight percent above capacity. She says it was 22-percent above capacity prior to COVID. Skinner says the population is expected to increase even more in the coming weeks. She says there are still around 350 people waiting in jails to be processed, and that number could increase as the court system gets back to full capacity. Skinner was asked about filling the open positions — and she says it has been a priority to find people to fill them.

“Our wardens have done a terrific job — we are actually working with DAS, the Department of Administrative Services as well — to figure out recruitment, some new strategies in terms of getting people in the door, new applicants,” Skinner says. The Iowa Board of Corrections voted today (Friday) to make interim warden Chris Tripp the permanent warden of the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. They also approved Shawn Howard as the Warden of the Newton prison and Marcy Stroud as warden at the Mount Pleasant prison.

COUNCIL BLUFFS – Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) regional director based in Council Bluffs will hold traveling office hours in seven counties around Western Iowa throughout July. Iowans seeking assistance regarding a personal issue with a federal agency or wishing to share views on matters of federal policy may stop by during the scheduled hours. The meetings will follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State of Iowa. Participants must adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines. Grassley is represented by his regional director, Donna Barry, and will not be in attendance.

Grassley’s state offices regularly help constituents contact federal agencies to resolve problems with Social Security payments, military service matters, immigration cases and other issues. Iowans can also seek assistance via Grassley’s website.

The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, July 20:

• Audubon County, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.; Audubon County Courthouse Supervisors Room (318 Leroy St.), Audubon.
• Carroll County, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Manning City Hall (717 3rd St.), Manning.

Wednesday, July 21:

• Page County, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.; Clarinda City Hall (101 N. 15th St.), Clarinda.

Tuesday, July 27:

• Pottawattamie County, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.; Crescent City Hall (102 W. Florence St.), Crescent.
• Harrison County, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Missouri Valley City Hall (223 E. Erie St.), Missouri Valley.

Friday, July 30

• Mills County, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.; Glenwood City Hall (107 S. Locust St.), Glenwood.
• Fremont County, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.; Fremont County Court House (Meeting Room, 506 Filmore St.), Sidney.

Atlantic City Clerk Barb Barrick, today (Friday), sent an e-mail to the company tasked with conducting the July 4th City-paid for fireworks show. The e-mail delivered to J-and-M Displays said the Mayor and City Council asked Barrick to reach out to J&M. Their request came during Wednesday’s meeting of the Atlantic City Council, during which some members expressed displeasure with the brevity of the fireworks display.

The e-mail says “We have received many complaints that the show was extremely short (reports of 11-15 minutes).  In addition, the Fire Chief noted that it didn’t look like the City received as much product as it had in the past.  I am requesting that you look into the matter to ensure that there was not discrepancy between what the City paid ($6,000) and what it was supposed to receive ($6,000 plus 8% for early payment).  If the City did receive all of its product, would you please explain why the show took such a short time?”

As of late Friday morning, a response had not been received from J&M. We’ll update this report if additional information comes in.

The ground was white for a brief period of time this (Friday) morning, after Quarter (1″ diameter) to Golf Ball-size hail (1.75″ diameter) fell about five-miles south/southeast of Fontanelle. The National Weather Service in Des Moines says the observation was reported by a trained Spotter, who also said there was no wind at around 8:15-a.m. when the storm hit…just a lot of hail.A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued at around 8:10-a.m. for Union, Eastern Adams County and southwestern Adair Counties, where a large cell had the potential to deliver ping-pong ball sized hail (1.5″ in diameter), according to radar estimates.

The National Weather Service in Valley/Omaha, NE, says quarter-size hail was reported at around 2:23-a.m., Friday (Today), five-miles west of Portsmouth, in Harrison County. There have been no reports of damage associated with either storm cell. Forecasters say additional thunderstorms are expected later today and through the overnight. Severe storms are possible, especially over southern Iowa. Locally heavy rainfall is also expected overnight into Saturday morning across southern Iowa and northern Missouri.