National Weather Service Des Moines IA
340 AM CST Fri Jan 15 2021

…Blizzard to Near Blizzard Conditions Continue to Significantly Impact Travel Across the Western Half of Iowa…

.Strong and gusty northwest winds coupled with moderate to at times heavy snowfall will continue to produce blizzard to near blizzard conditions into the daylight hours today over the western half of Iowa. Significant travel impacts are occurring or expected, especially along Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 in western Iowa. Over the eastern half of Iowa, lighter winds and lower snowfall amounts are forecast, but hazardous travel is anticipated.

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING…

* WHAT…Blizzard conditions. Additional snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph.

* IMPACTS…Travel could be very difficult due to areas of blowing snow, which could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions will impact the morning and evening commutes today.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded,
stay with your vehicle. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

Here is a glimpse of the latest road conditions from 511ia.org, as of 5:15-a.m., 1/15/21

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The head of the Iowa National Guard says Iowa is sending 250 soldiers and airmen to the U.S. Capitol, after officials called for additional support for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next Wednesday. Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Ben Corell says initially Iowa had been scheduled to send 15 airmen to Washington, D.C., but because of the attack last week guard soldiers from all states and territories were asked to send support. He and Gov. Kim Reynolds agreed to send 250 additional Iowa National Guard members by this weekend. Corell says so far no Iowa National Guard support has been needed for security at the Iowa Capitol.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Eleven students from Brazil and Chile have filed a federal lawsuit accusing a northwest Iowa community college, a recruitment company, a pet food manufacturer and a packaging company of human trafficking and involuntary servitude. The lawsuit filed in the Northern District of Iowa says Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City and the companies conspired to lure the students to Iowa under a work- and study- based visa exchange program only to push them into unskilled labor positions, pay them significantly less than U.S. employees and take unlawful deductions from their paychecks. The college denies the allegations calling them malicious, untrue, and offensive.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — With the widest reach of any lotteries in the U.S., Powerball and Mega Millions are designed to produce eyepopping jackpots that generate huge sales. It’s safe to say it’s working, as their combined jackpots reached an estimated $1.39 billion on Thursday. The next Mega Millions drawing is Friday night, when an estimated $750 million prize will be up for grabs. The drawing for an estimated $640 million Powerball jackpot will be Saturday night. If you’re wondering whether to risk $2 on a ticket, do so only if you expect to lose. The odds are 1 in 292.2 million to win Powerball and 1 in 302.5 million to win Mega Millions.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two more suspects have been arrested in a fatal shooting at a New Year’s party in Sioux City. Carlos Morales and Anthony Bauer, both 18, were arrested Wednesday and are each being held on $500,000 bond. Morales’ brother, 19-year-old Christopher Morales, of Sioux City, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and four other counts after the shooting. Court documents say the three forced someone into the house where the party was being held and then fired at least 27 shots into the house. Eighteen-year-old Mia Kritis was killed and three others were injured. Police say detectives are not seeking any other suspects.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two more suspects have been arrested in a fatal shooting at a New Year’s party in Sioux City. Carlos Morales and Anthony Bauer, both 18, were arrested Wednesday and are each being held on $500,000 bond. Morales’ brother, 19-year-old Christopher Morales, of Sioux City, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and four other counts after the shooting.

Court documents say the three forced someone into the house where the party was being held and then fired at least 27 shots into the house. Eighteen-year-old Mia Kritis was killed and three others were injured. Police say detectives are not seeking any other suspects.

DES MOINES – The State of Iowa has announced it will close the Test Iowa drive-thru sites in Council Bluffs and Des Moines on Friday, Jan. 15, due to anticipated blizzard conditions across western and central Iowa. Individuals who have appointments scheduled for Friday at these sites will receive an email notification from Test Iowa, and will be able to reschedule their appointment online.

The five state-operated Test Iowa drive-thru sites and the State Hygienic Lab will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 18, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. All sites will reopen for testing as usual on Tuesday, Jan. 19, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Individuals who wish to be tested at any site must first complete an online assessment at testiowa.com, and schedule an appointment. Locations and hours of operation for all test sites can be found at testiowa.com or coronavirus.iowa.gov.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Officials have announced that University of Northern Iowa Provost Jim Wohlpart is resigning to become the newest president of a public university in Washington state. Wohlpart announced the move Thursday after being hired to lead Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. His new position is effective in June, when he will replace outgoing president James L. Gaudino.

Wohlpart has served as UNI provost and executive vice president for academic affairs for the past six years. He also served as the Cedar Falls school’s interim president from July 2016 to January 2017. Central Washington has an enrollment of near 16,000, compared with about 10,000 at UNI.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — With the widest reach of any lotteries in the U.S., Powerball and Mega Millions are designed to produce eyepopping jackpots that generate huge sales. It’s safe to say it’s working, as their combined jackpots reached an estimated $1.39 billion on Thursday. The next Mega Millions drawing is Friday night, when an estimated $750 million prize will be up for grabs.

FILE – In this Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, file photo, a customer shows off a Mega Millions lottery ticket after purchasing it, in Orlando, Fla. The nation’s two national lottery games are designed to produce immense jackpots that generate huge sales, and the recipe certainly is working now as prizes on Thursday reached a combined $1.39 billion. The next drawing for Mega Millions is Friday night, when a $750 million prize will be up for grabs. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

The drawing for an estimated $640 million Powerball jackpot will be Saturday night. If you’re wondering whether to risk $2 on a ticket, do so only if you expect to lose. The odds are 1 in 292.2 million to win Powerball and 1 in 302.5 million to win Mega Millions.

A total of four people were arrested recently on drug charges in Mills County. The Glenwood Police Department reports 50-year-old Lisa Partridge, of Fremont, NE., and 43-year old Ronald Phelps, of Bellevue, NE., were arrested Wednesday for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Their bonds were set at $1,000 each.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 53-year old Traci Dawn Stephens, of Fremont, NE., was arrested Thursday (today), for two counts Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was taken into custody at around 2:40-a.m., following a traffic stop on I-29. Bond was set at $2,300.

Late Monday morning, 47-year old David Daniel Good, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on I-29 in Mills County. He was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia., and Driving Under Suspension. Bond was set at $2,000.

Mills County Deputies, on Wednesday, arrested: 34-year old Caleb Stephen Coggins, of Richmond, MO., for being a Fugitive from Justice. He was being held without bond; 35-year old Matthew Paul Dennis, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Wed. afternoon, on a warrant for Driving While Revoked or Denied. He was taken into custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail, and held on $1,000 bond. And, 39-year-old Sunshine Dawn Dalton, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail, on two Mills County warrants for two counts of Theft in the 2nd Degree and Forgery. He bond was set at $12,000.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers, Thursday, said “With a potential winter storm approaching our area on Friday, the Clarinda Police Department would like to remind the citizens of Clarinda about the snow ordinance. The ordinance states that; no person shall park any motor vehicle or other apparatus upon any street of the city that will obstruct the removal of snow when there has been an accumulation of two (2) inches or more.”

“Any vehicle left parked on any street in violation of this ordinance may be impounded, and the registered owner of the vehicle will be subject to a $30.00 parking fine, and payment of all applicable towing and storage fee before the vehicle is released.

The parking ban remains in effect until the snow ceases to fall and the streets have been plowed from curb to curb.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Eleven students from Brazil and Chile have filed a federal lawsuit accusing a northwest Iowa community college, a recruitment company, a pet food manufacturer and a packaging company of human trafficking and involuntary servitude. The lawsuit filed in the Northern District of Iowa says Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City and the companies conspired to lure the students to Iowa under a work- and study- based visa exchange program only to push them into unskilled labor positions, pay them significantly less than U.S. employees and take unlawful deductions from their paychecks.

The college denies the allegations calling them malicious, untrue, and offensive.