(Radio Iowa) — Contractors have closed 14 breaches on federal levees in southwest Iowa, breaches that were created by last year’s widespread flooding. They have one more to fix on a levee from Thurman to the Missouri border, before the spring flooding season starts. That 15th breach is expected to be closed by March 1st, according to Trish Lambert, with the U-S Army Corps of Engineers Systems Restoration Team out of Omaha. “The level of repairs are basically at an interim level,” Lambert says, “however, we’re confident that we’ve done our best to get them to a point where they can withstand high water events.”

Lambert says contractors are bringing the areas where breaches were closed up to the heights from before flooding hit last year. Contractors have armored the closed breach areas with clay on top, but she says they’re missing a top layer of grass that would protect and stabilize the levees. “Clay has the potential, if the water does sit against it,” she says. “It’s not as resilient as if it were to have that established grass.”

Without that grass protection, the clay could wash away if there’s rain, snow or high water. Lambert says contractors will work to add grass, seeding and do other final fixes after March 1st.

(Reporting by Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) — Thursdays have become the last day of the legislature’s work week in Des Moines and today (Thursday) is the deadline for many bills to get voted out of a House or Senate Committee. Some bills have already been tabled. That includes legislation that would have banned health care providers from offering treatment to try to change a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Nate Monson with a group called “Iowa Safe Schools” says the bill didn’t go far enough. “What we really want when we’re talking about banning conversion therapy is not just for licensed mental health professionals, but also calling it what it is,” Monson says. “It’s child abuse.”

The bill would have exempted religious groups, parents and grandparents, but some religious organizations say the bill still discriminates against particular viewpoints about sexual orientation. Today’s so-called “funnel” deadline does NOT apply to bills that deal with taxes or spending.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Katarina Sostaric)

MARSHALLTOWN– The Iowa Department of Corrections reports 26-year old Andrew Brasean Buchanan, a black male convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree in Polk County, failed to report back to the Marshalltown Residential Facility as required Wednesday night. Buchanan is 5-feet 9-inches tall and weighs 156 pounds. Buchanan was admitted to the work release facility on February 17, 2020.  Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact local police.

Andrew Buchanan (IA DOC photo)

The Creston Police Department reports 37-year old Nicki Jones, of Creston, was arrested Wednesday afternoon. Jones was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. She was later released from the Union County Jail, on a $300 bond. And, 43-year old April Gross, of Creston, was arrested Wednesday morning, on a Union County warrant for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order – Contempt of Court. Gross was also later released from the jail on a $300 bond.

SIGOURNEY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a deer sent flying when it was hit by a car in southeast Iowa crashed through the window of a second car, killing its driver. The accident occurred a little after 7 p.m. Wednesday on Iowa Highway 92, just west of Sigourney. The Iowa State Patrol says the deer went onto the roadway from the north ditch and was struck by a westbound car. The deer was knocked into the air and then went through the windshield of an eastbound car. The dead driver was identified as 45-year-old Donald Burdick, who lived in North English.

A grain processing plant in Red Oak sustained what was described as heavy damage during a fire Wednesday evening in the exterior processing stacks. The blaze at the Bungee plant was reported at around 5:40-p.m. Fire crews battled the flames for about two-hours. Officials say the fire occurred due to a malfunction in a computerized processing system. That resulted in the over-heating of processed grain. The fire was contained to the outside stacks.

No injuries were reported. Montgomery County Emergency Management provided assistance at the scene.