195th & Waubonsie Ave.

(first-person commentary on the southwest Iowa floods by KJAN staffer Jason Schomburg, who lives in the affected area)

For people who live along the Missouri river floods come, and floods go.  This one is different in a couple very important ways.  The Army Corp of Engineers is predicting record levels along the “Mighty Mo”, also the waters are expected to stay in areas for a month, maybe longer.  This event could very easily become a disaster.

Levees protecting communities along the river are being put to the ultimate test.  Overtopping may not be the only concern.  At this point, it’s hard to adequately predict how the mounds of dirt are going to handle being swamped for an indefinite amount of time,  or have a current eroding them away while holding the forces of 150,000CFS of water.  There is already thousands of acres of some of the worlds finest farm ground under water.

The lost crops alone will total into well into millions of bushels.  Yet the national media has not really picked up on the story. In Hamburg, some businesses have moved everything out of their buildings.  Others are still in the process  of moving their goods.  A berm is being built around the Blue Moon restaurant and it’s next door neighbor,  the Hamburg city water plant.

Not all humor has been lost in this town that is about to be in a fight for it’s very existence.  On the top of the entrance markers leading into the subdivision of Fox Hills are perched small statues of foxes both of which are wearing bright orange life jackets.

A few miles to the west where Highway 2 and Interstate 29 meet, sits a small area of businesses catering to travelers on I-29  The only one that remains open is a Sapp Bothers Truck stop.  Like other,

Motel at Hwy 2 & I-29 near Hamburg

nearby businesses, dirt is piled around the building, but the front is open, for the moment.  Another truck stop in the area has even removed the pumps.

The  motel an America’s Best Nights Inn Has a berm built all the way around it with the marquee telling the story.  “Lake Front Property For Sale”   Less than two miles away Highway 2 has had one of its four lanes succumb to the flood waters.

North, in the town of Bartlett, Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad employees were removing the signals at the grade crossing.  At the Plattsmouth toll bridge, a gravel road  under the train bridge,  normally  500 feet away from the River, is now under several feet of water with a very steady flow

Near Pacific Junction, the only company that has currently done anything to protect their holdings is A&M Green Power. The John Deere Dealer has moved all of their farm equipment to Malvern, and built a dirt wall around the facilities, which were constructed in 2010.

Regardless of whether the Army Corp of Engineers is to blame for holding back too much water in the Spring, causing them to release record amounts of water into the Missouri, or whether it’s just an unfortunate turn of events.  The water is coming.  Residents can only hope the levees will hold, and all of the last ditch efforts to protect their communities,  are not needed.

A mobile fire over the weekend in Fontanelle has claimed a second life. 63-year old Susan Davis died Wednesday at the University of Iowa Hospital’s Burn Unit. Davis and 60-year old Howard Burgher had each suffered severe burns when their mobile home caught fire Saturday night. Burgher died Sunday morning at the U-of-I Hospital’s Burn Unit.

Firefighters responded to a blaze at the home located at 227 12th Street in Fontanelle, just after 9:30-p.m., Saturday. When they arrived, Davis and Burgher were found on the ground outside the mobile home.

Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office determined the accidental fire began with the careless discarding of smoking materials. The flames spread quickly because the excessive amount of combustible materials in the home.
Those same materials also restricted the couple’s escape routes. In addition, officials say there were no working smoke detectors in the home.

A heartless con artist is striking in an area of southwest Iowa that’s in eminent danger from the flooding Missouri River. Council Bluffs Fire Chief Alan Byers says someone is posing as a city official, knocking on doors and telling people they must evacuate right away — in an apparent attempt to lure residents away so the homes can be ransacked.

Chief Byers says, “We’ve had people, who have identified themselves as city employees, talked elderly people into vacating their houses immediately with the thought that they would be back in and a theft would occur.” Byers says the thief was even offering to help some of the elderly victims pack. Fortunately, no one has fallen for the scam by leaving their homes unattended.

“We had 11 people in the same neighborhood call 911 questioning the need to evacuate at the moment,” Byers says. “The police department responded. We couldn’t find the individual. We will prosecute to the fullest.” He says if this crook knocks on your door, call the police right away. He’s also asking neighbors to keep an eye on each other’s property — and each other.

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)

The Iowa House has passed a bill that would establish the toughest abortion restriction in the country. Five other states have passed laws that ban abortion after the 20th week of pregnancy. Earlier this year, the Republican-led Iowa House embraced a similar ban, but on Wednesday the House voted to establish an abortion ban that would begin two weeks earlier. Representative Dawn Pettengill, a Republican from Mount Auburn, was the point person for the G-O-P on this newly-worded bill, and she was surprised during a conversation with reporters after the bill passed to discover it tougher than the previous version. “I believe that life begins at conception, so to me, I say, ‘Great!'” Pettengill said. “I’m glad that is true.” This new bill passed on a day when House Republicans had estabished rules that wound up preventing debate of the measure before a vote was taken on it. House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines was incredulous.

“The fact that it was done, a major bill with serious health consequences for women, and we did it with no debate,” McCarthy said, his voice rising as he spoke with reporters. “It’s disgusting.” The bill faces a dim future in the Iowa Senate where Democrats have passed a proposal that sets up a new state permit process, written to prevent a Nebraska doctor from following through on his plans to open a late-term abortion clinic in the city of Council Bluffs. Pettengill says that’s not good enough.

“The people of Iowa, they told us they do not want a late-term abortion clinic in the state,” Pettengill says. “And not just in Council Bluffs, but completely across the state.” The only exception to the proposed ban would allow abortions after the 18th week of pregnancy if the mother’s life were at risk. Representative Beth Wessell-Kroeschell, a Democrat from Ames, says legislators shouldn’t be making these life-and-death decisions.

“Today as I looked around the House chambers I have to pause,” Wessell-Kroeschell said after the bill passed, but just before the House adjourned for the debate. “Do I want my daughter and prospective grandchildren, their lives in the hands of lawmakers with no knowledge of pregnancy, not even how long a pregnancy lasts?” Representative Dwayne Alons, a Republican from Hull, supports the newer, more restrictive ban.

“Let’s protect the future of our state, our country,” Alons said, “to see life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness extended a little earlier into the womb.” Doctors calculate the length of a pregnancy by starting with the day of the last menstrual cycle, but the law in Nebraska, for example, used the time of fertilization, which is about two weeks later.

(O.Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

As preparations and response to flooding in Western Iowa continue, IDPH reminds
residents that it is normal to feel stressed or overwhelmed. "Whether dealing
directly with flooding, helping others, or simply watching events unfold on
television, the images and events of the past few weeks have been stressful for
many," said Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Mariannette
Miller-Meeks. IDPH reminds Iowans that it is normal to feel emotional during such
times - responses include fear, grief and depression. There are many things you can
do to help cope with stressful events:

*         Understand and accept that your feelings are normal.

*         Try to keep to your usual routine as much as possible.

*         Take time to resolve day-to-day issues, so they do not add to your stress.

*         Find ways to relax and be kind to yourself.

*         Find time for leisure and recreational activities.

*         Recognize that you cannot control everything.

*         Turn to family, friends or clergy for support, and talk about your
experiences and feelings with them.

Children are especially vulnerable to stressful situations, especially if their
parents or caregivers are overwhelmed. You can help your child by:

*         Letting your child know that it is okay to feel upset when something bad
or scary happens.

*         Encourage your child to express feelings and thoughts, without making
judgments.

*         Return your child to daily routines.

Sometimes stress can affect your relationship with your family and friends, or
affect your job. If you or someone you care about is having a difficult time
handling stress, or if their response escalates to substance abuse, depression or
suicidal feelings or thoughts, they should seek professional help from a health care
provider, local mental health clinic, or substance abuse treatment program.

For more information on flood-related health issues, visit
www.idph.state.ia.us/EmergencyResponse/Flooding.aspx<http://www.idph.state.ia.us/EmergencyResponse/Flooding.aspx>.

DES MOINES, Iowa - June 8, 2011 - Due to flood preparations along the Missouri
River, MidAmerican Energy Company is moving its Council Bluffs Customer Office to a
temporary location at the Mall of the Bluffs in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

MidAmerican Energy's existing customer office, located at 3003 S. 11th St. in
Council Bluffs, will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 10. Crews will work this
weekend to relocate the office to its temporary location at the Mall of the Bluffs,
1751 Madison Ave., #516, Council Bluffs, Iowa, 51503.

The Mall of the Bluffs location will open to customers at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 13.

The phone numbers for the customer office will not change.

The customer office will remain at this location until future notification.

Fresh Artisan cheese, wines, lavender, and fine handcrafted creations are much closer than the hills of France! Just a short drive away, nestled against the rare and beautiful Loess Hills, nine unique destinations welcome your curiosity Saturday, June 18th. The Living Loess Family Tour is an affordable, memorable family outing on less than a tank of gas.

The Loess Hills along the western border of Iowa are comprised of silt deposited over 15,000 years ago when glaciers receded. Similar to the Yellow Hills in China, our Loess Hills cradle fossils, diverse plant life, extraordinary birds and butterflies, and a surprising array of craftsmen for you to experience.

The Living Loess Family Tour on Saturday, June 18th, runs from 9am to 3pm, and features special programs and discounts at nine unique destinations, all conveniently located along a 20 mile corridor:

Sawmill Hollow Family Farm, Aronia berry plants and products, premium wines on a 150 acre farm; Loess Hills Lavender Farm, where the mystical herb lavender is raised, lotions and bath products, too; Harrison County Historical Village and Welcome Center, reminiscent village, Lincoln Highway, trails; Hitchcock Nature Center, bird watching tower, nature preserve, hiking trails, educational programs; Loess Hills Woodworks, impressive handcrafted custom furniture from local hardwoods; Harvest Studio, one-of-a-kind botanical art and hands-on projects; Gallaher Designs, Silversmith demonstration and amazing wearable art; Honey Creek Creamery, historic Goat farm and fresh Artisan cheeses; Garden Grove Eatery, an 1896 Victorian farmhouse offers a gourmet menu and locally grown items.

Just outside Missouri Valley and Crescent, Iowa, each destination can be reached East of Interstate 29 on the Loess Hills Trail, the Old Lincoln Highway, or are just off the road nearby.

The Living Loess Family Tour will be available for you to enjoy each third Saturday of the month from June through October-June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17, and October 15. Be sure to pick up a “passport” from any of the destinations, visit all 9 Living Loess attractions and have your passport stamped, and enter a drawing for an end-of-season prize.

Valued at $500, the prize features desirable handmade items from the Living Loess group. For a map, occasional fees, a list of participating locations and addresses, and vivid descriptions of all you’ll enjoy, please log onto www.livingloess.com or call 712-642-2114.

(Press Release/Council Bluffs CVB)