(Radio Iowa) – A mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic was held at the Tyson Events Center in downtown Sioux City on Wednesday. Officials say around 15-hundred people received their first dose of the vaccine. Siouxland District Health Department spokesman Tyler Brock says vaccine demand is still high and a mass clinic can help meet that demand — a little. “We know it’s not enough,” Brock says. “We know there’s more people out there still that want vaccine and haven’t been able to get it, but we also are starting to see more and more people actually cancel their appointments because they’re getting vaccine somewhere else.”

The clinic was only for people in Woodbury County who are 65 and older, teachers and others who are eligible. Sixty-five-year-old Gloria Anderson got her vaccine and says she’s a little uneasy about possible side effects from it. “But I think that getting it is better than the risk of not getting it,” Anderson says.

When the event was announced last week, the phone bank got seven-thousand calls from people trying to make appointments for 15-hundred slots. This was the fourth mass clinic at the Tyson in Sioux City. The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics has also been holding large-scale vaccination events in Iowa City.

Casey Welcher

The Creston Police Department reports a traffic stop in the 600 block of Sheldon at around 10-p.m. Wednesday, resulted in a man being arrested on assault and other charges. Authorities say 28-year old Casey Welcher, of Afton, was arrested on charges that include Interference with Official Acts, Assault on a Police Officer without injury, Criminal Mischief 5th degree and Driving While Barred. Welcher was being held in the Union County Jail on a $3,600 bond.

And, at around 3-a.m. today (Thursday), 20-year old Joel William Blazek, of Creston, was arrested at Fremont and New York Streets. Blazek was charged with Driving While Suspended. He was taken to Union County Jail, and soon thereafter released on bond.

Red Oak Police, Wednesday night, executed a search warrant at 904 N. Boundary Street. During their investigation, Officers arrested 27-year old Ozzy Ray Hunter, of Red Oak, on charges that include:

• Unlawful Possession of Prescription drug(s)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana/3rd offense
• Possession of a Controlled Substance – 3rd or great offense
• Gathering for use of Marijuana
• and three counts of Child Endangerment.

Hunter was taken into custody at around 10:50-p.m. and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $2,000 bond. Authorities say additional charges are pending.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office posted on social media, Wednesday, a statement that read “Our local DOT Officer was very lucky to survive today as she was hit while directing traffic on Interstate 29 assisting DOT workers.”

According to the Iowa State Patrol, at around 2:45-p.m., a Volvo semi registered to a company out of Denver, CO., was traveling in the right-hand lane of I-29 southbound near the Exit 1 overpass. A 2015 Chevy Tahoe was also in the right-hand lane, traveling south, with its driver, 56-year old Theresa Ann Fox, of Ankeny, providing traffic control for a DOT Highway repair crew conducting pavement patching.

Photos via Fremont County Sheriff’s Office & Officer Fox.

The Tahoe was traveling slowly with its rear emergency lights activated and arrow stick directing traffic to merge left, upon approach. The semi, driven by 34-year old Makalim Rafkat, of Hollywood, FL, failed to merge left, and struck the rear of the Tahoe, causing the SUV to leave the road to right before it rolled over, coming to rest on its wheels.

DOT Officer Fox was transported by Hamburg Rescue to Grape Memorial Hospital, where she was treated and released. She said on social media, “I’m alright. Seat belts save lives.” The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office added, “ Please move over and slow down for stopped vehicles on the roadway.”