(Missouri Valley, IA) – The Harrison County Emergency Management Agency reports, that at around 4:50-p.m., Saturday, the agency was notified by Union Pacific Railroad, of a minor train derailment outside the California Junction area. Upon arrival, it was discovered eleven cars had derailed near the intersection of Fremont Ave and First St. of California Junction.

The train was made up of cars that contained dry good cargo containers. There are no hazards presented to the public by this train derailment and no injuries to report. Union Pacific Railroad is on site cleaning up the derailed cars and working to get the railroad tracks opened back up.

While crews work to get the railroad open, the railroad crossings at Grover Ave and Fremont Ave are expected to remain closed. Citizens are asked to avoid these areas so crews can restore normal operations to the railroad tracks.

(Clinton County, Iowa) –  The Iowa State Patrol, late Friday night, released the identities of four people who died and one who was injured, during a head-on crash Wednesday evening, in eastern Iowa. All of the victims were from Clinton. The Patrol says a 2014 Chevy Cruze driven by 90-year-old Donald June Bartels, was traveling westbound on Highway 136 at around 4:54-p.m., when the vehicle collided with an eastbound 2014 Honda Odyssey van, driven by 94-year-old Benjamin Early Ehrhart. Both drivers died.

Two passengers in the van, 91-year-old Donna Mae Ehrhart, and 81-year-old Phyllis Ann Krogman, also died. Another passenger in the van, 87-year-old Robert Grego Krogman, was seriously injured and transported by ambulance to the hospital, in Clinton. Three of the victims were not wearing seat belts (Donald & Donna Ehrhart, and Phyllis Krogman).

The crash remains under investigation.

ANKENY, Iowa – March 18, 2022 – The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Investigation & Identity Protection is warning the public to be aware of a fraudulent vehicle sales scam. Delta Motors Auto Sales and the website https://deltamotorsautosales.com/ has been attempting to impersonate Delta Motors, LLC of Waterloo, a licensed and legitimate car dealership in Iowa.

If you have had dealings with a company you believe to be either Delta Motor Auto Sales or Delta Motors, LLC please contact 319-235-5591 to verify the legitimacy of your interactions.

You may also contact the Iowa DOT’s Bureau of Investigation & Identity Protection at 515-237-3050 or invbureau@iowadot.us to confirm legitimacy or to report any interactions you believe are fraudulent.

DES MOINES – Cass County Emergency Management, Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD), National Weather Service (NWS), and Iowa Emergency Management Association (IEMA) have joined together to promote Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa.

Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 21-25, is an opportunity to highlight the importance of being aware of, and prepared for, severe weather. It is also an ideal time to review your family’s emergency plan, check the contents of your emergency kit, and sign up to receive alerts to stay weather aware.

Mike Kennon, Cass County EMA Coordinator says “Severe weather season arrived much earlier than is typical this year. The December 15th derecho that spawned a local tornado as well as the deadly March 5th tornado in Madison County remind us that we need to stay prepared for severe weather events.”

Each day during Severe Weather Awareness Week has a different focus:

Monday – Severe thunderstorms
Tuesday – Weather warnings
Wednesday – Tornadoes
Thursday – Family preparedness
Friday – Flash floods

The annual statewide tornado drill will take place on Wed., March 23, beginning at 10 a.m. In the event of severe weather, the drill will be postponed to March 24 at 10 a.m.

Additional information about the tornado drill can be found on local NWS-DM website. For more information on severe weather preparedness, visit www.beready.iowa.gov.

To find a link to sign up for local emergency alerts on the Cass County homepage, visit https://www.casscountyia.gov or https://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/alert-iowa

Follow HSEMD, IEMA, and NWS on social media using the hashtag #IAwx and #ReadyIowa.

(Anita, Iowa) – The driver of a semi tractor-trailer suffered minor lacerations to his arm this (Friday) afternoon, during a rollover accident on Interstate 80, in Cass County. The accident happened on I-80 westbound at mile marker 64 (near the Anita exit). The semi was pulling trailers registered to UPS. Anita Fire and Rescue arrived on the scene, but the driver refused transport to the hospital.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Cass County EMA Coordinator Mike Kennon were also on the scene.

Photos courtesy Cass County EMC Mike Kennon

(Radio Iowa) – The deadline is 5 p.m. today (Friday), but by mid-afternoon all the candidates who’ve announced campaigns for statewide office have already filing their nominating petitions in the Secretary of State’s office.

The Iowa Secretary of State’s office has a list of candidates for the June Primaries posted online. To qualify, candidates for governor and the U.S. Senate must submit petitions with the signatures of at least 35-hundred eligible Iowa voters. Republican incumbent Kim Reynolds and Democratic challenger Deidre DeJear of Des Moines have met that threshold and are the only two candidates listed for governor. In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Chuck Grassley and Jim Carlin of Sioux City are listed for the Republican Primary ballot. The list shows three candidates for the Democratic Party’s U.S. Senate Primary in June — Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids, Michael Franken of Sioux City and Glenn Hurst of Minden.

In other statewide races, Democratic Primary voters will decide whether Clinton County Auditor Eric Van Lancker or Linn County Auditor Joel Miller will face Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate in November. The other four statewide races for ag secretary, attorney general, state auditor and state treasurer appear set for the General Election ballot. Ag Secretary Mike Naig, a Republican, will face Democrat John Norwood of West Des Moines. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller will face Republican Brenna Byrd of Dexter.

State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat, will face Republican Mary Ann Hanusa of Council Bluffs. State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald, a Democrat, will face Republican Roby Smith of Davenport. In Iowa’s 2022 congressional races, no Democrat has filed to run against Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra, who is seeking a second term in the U.S. House. Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks has a G-O-P primary opponent — Kyle Kuehlof Bettendorf.

Go to www.radioiowa.com to find a link to the full list of majority party candidates for statewide office and for seats in he Iowa House and Senate. A small group of candidates from other parties has filed to be on the General Election ballot, including Rick Stewart of Cedar Rapids, who is running for governor as a Libertarian.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa could be poised to join 27 other states that have so-called “Safe Harbor” laws for victims of human trafficking. Karl Schilling of the Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance says while he’s worked with victims for more than 30 years, he’s still stunned by the depravity and brutality of human traffickers.

Advocates say the bill will help turn victims into survivors and give them immunity to testify against sex traffickers. Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale says the bill IS a priority, but the bill won’t pass the Senate in its current form.

Bill backers say it’s important to erase prostitution convictions on a victim’s criminal record so they can qualify for loans, get jobs and turn their lives around. Iowa Department of Public Safety commissioner Stephan Bayens says he’s not opposed to the concept, but the bill as written actually provides blanket immunity to victims of human trafficking.

Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines says she’s concerned about another provision in the bill. It calls for placing minors in foster care rather than criminal detention after they’ve been arrested for prostitution.

She says pimps might try to harass and threatened foster parents AND the minors involved. Senator Dan Dawson of Council Bluffs says arresting a minor accused of prostitution and holding them in jail or detention may be better than placing them in a foster care home.

Dawson says teens picked up for prostitution often return to a human trafficker because that person has been their only source of food and shelter. The bill is eligible for debate in the Iowa Senate. It passed the House on a 95 to one vote earlier this month.

(DES MOINES, Iowa), — A physician from Pottawattamie County has officially entered the 2022 race for the U-S Senate, in Iowa. Dr. Glenn Hurst, from Minden, filed papers Thursday with the Iowa Secretary of State’s office.

“I’m proud to have received so much support from my family, friends, and activists through this process. Primary day is right around the corner, and I hope Iowa Democrats will entrust me as their general election candidate this November.”

Dr. Hurst provides care and oversees clinics in his hometown of Minden, and the surrounding Pottawattamie County area. He is a leader in the Iowa Democratic Party as Chair of the Rural Caucus, a Councilman in Minden, and former Chair of the Third Congressional District Central Committee, where he worked tirelessly on the successful re-election of Congresswoman Cindy Axne.

Dr. Glen Hurst

DES MOINES, Iowa (March 18, 2022) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed a second positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Buena Vista County, Iowa. The virus was found in a flock of commercial layer chickens. This is the second confirmed case of HPAI in Buena Vista County, Iowa. The first case was in a commercial turkey flock on March 6.

Flock owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual deaths to state/federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available at iowaagriculture.gov/biosecurity. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases should also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States. It remains safe to eat poultry products. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F kills bacteria and viruses.

(Harlan, Iowa) – Recent snow and rain events have allowed the Burn Ban to be lifted in Shelby County, effective immediately. That’s according to Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Alex Londo. The ban was put in place Feb. 11th, following numerous field and grassland fires that began either accidentally or as part of a controlled burn that went out of control.

Burn bans are issued by the Iowa Fire Marshal, after consultations with local officials, including EMA and Fire Chiefs. Burn bans were also recently lifted in Harrison and Pottawattamie County. In southwest Iowa, only Mills County had an active burn ban in-place, as of 3-p.m., Friday (today).