WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – Organizers of an emergency warming shelter in Waterloo say they will have to close because the space doesn’t meet fire code regulations. The Waterloo Warming Center opened Jan. 6 at Jubilee United Methodist Church’s Freedom resource center. But after an inspection, officials noted the space didn’t have a sprinkler system and ordered that the center close by Tuesday. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports organizers began searching for a new location and implored city officials not to force them out of the current site until a replacement can be found. Temperatures are supposed to remain below freezing until next week.

(Updated 12:40-p.m.) Nearly all the roads in western Iowa were completely covered with snow at mid-day today (Friday), with numerous accidents having taken place. An accident on I-80 eastbound at the 58 mile marker eastbound resulted in injuries at around Noon today. A separate accident on I-80 westbound at mile marker 72.5 (between the Anita and Adair exits) also resulted in injuries to the adult male driver of the vehicle.

The latest information from 511ia.org shows the left lane on Interstate 80 in both directions was blocked due to a crash between Exit 54: IA Hwy 173, and the Olive Street exit (Exit 57/County Road N16 (4 miles west of the Brayton area). Slow down and be prepared to stop when approaching the scene of an accident. Also remember to move over when law enforcement, rescue and road crews are assisting motorists at the scene of an accident.

ARISE (The Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise) will host O.J. Fargo this Sunday, January 19th at the American Legion Memorial Building (the Armory), for a program entitled “Just Before the Battle Mother- A Visit from a Civil War Soldier. “ The event starts at 2-p.m., and after an overview of Iowa’s involvement in the Civil War, you will be introduced to a returning Civil War soldier played by Mr. Fargo.

Mr. Fargo will dresses in full Union Army regalia for the presentation and focuses the presentation on an individual ordinary soldier’s experience. He will bring along a full roster of all men who served in and from Iowa in the Civil war to enable the participants to check for ancestors who served. He will also provide a display of civil War artifacts. Fargo has done more than 100 history presentations throughout the state including historical societies, libraries, schools, professional organizations and many other groups. He is the author of three books and editor of two CD-ROMs containing 320,000 pages of searchable text and 10,000 Civil War pictures.

The presentation is free and open to the public. The Building is handicapped accessible. Refreshments will be served. The program is sponsored by ARISE. Supporting funds are provided by Humanities Iowa and the Atlantic Community Promotion Commission.

EAGLE GROVE, Iowa (AP) – A northern Iowa community will hold a special election to fill a City Council seat after the man who was elected to the position refused to serve. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports the Eagle Grove City Council last week agreed to hold an election March 3 after Gary Lalor Jr. declined to take the position. Lalor filed to run for the seat but then missed a deadline to remove his name from the ballot after deciding he didn’t want to join the council. Eagle Grove is a city of 3,400, about 20 miles northeast of Fort Dodge.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports officers investigating reported suspicious activity Thursday night, arrested a man on a felony drug charge. Police were called to the area of the 1200 block of S. 16th Street at around 8:45-p.m. The suspect, 47-year old Timothy Clayton McCollum, of Coin, turned himself-in to the Clarinda Police Department without incident. He was arrested for felony possession of methamphetamine, and later released after posting a $5,000 bond.

Reports concerning the incident have been submitted to the office of Page County Attorney Carl M. Sonksen for review regarding the filing of formal charges.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 29-year old Johnathan Thomas Gendregske, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Thursday evening on drug charges. He was taken into custody at around 5:12-p.m. at 380th Street and Highway 34. Gendregske faces charges that include: Possession of a Controlled Substance; Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia; Operating a Non-registered vehicle; Failure to Provide proof of financial liability (insurance), and Open container. His bond at the Mills County Jail was set at $1,300.

The Mills County K9 Unit, Thursday, attempted to conduct a traffic stop near Highway 34 and Hilman Road, but the driver of the vehicle refused to yield. The SUV driven by 46-year old Todd Kristen Jensen, of Council Bluffs, took law enforcement on a high speed pursuit (90 miles per hour) through Glenwood.

Todd Jensen (Mills County booking photo)

During the chase, Jensen lost control of the vehicle, and crashed into a residential garage. He was taken into custody and transported to the Mills County Jail. Jensen faces three felony charge, include Eluding. He was also charged with: Possession of a Controlled Substance; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Interference with Official Acts; Driving Under Suspension; Reckless Driving; three counts each of speeding, and Failure to Obey a Stop Sign and Yield the right-of-Way; Failure to Maintain or Use Seat Belts; Improper Use of Lanes; Fraudulent Use of Registration; Operating a Non-registered vehicle, and on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Escape from Custody. His bond on the Escape charge was set at $5,000.

Mills County Sheriff’s Deputies were assisted during the incident, by Glenwood Police and the Iowa State Patrol.