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Detour in Council Bluffs this morning

News

May 13th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

If your morning commute takes you near the casinos in Council Bluffs, you may need to be prepared for a detour. The Iowa Department of Transportation reports a portion of Interstate 80 eastbound in Council Bluffs was closed Monday evening and is expected to remain closed until about 8-a.m. today,  while crews make repairs on a “void” under the median and shoulder of I-80 eastbound, between exits 1A and 1B, just before the 24th Street Bridge. The void is in an area where a contractor installed storm sewer pipe several weeks ago.
The void is about a half-mile from a 12-foot-wide hole construction workers encountered last October in the the eastbound lanes of I-80 near the 24th Street exit. The Interstate was shut down after a workers installing a drainage pipe discovered a void directly underneath the roadway. Crews were expected to have worked throughout the night to figure out what caused the void.

According to the Iowa Transportation Department, travelers on I-80 east are being detoured to I-29 north, then to I-680 east, and around Council Bluffs. Travelers on I-29 south approaching I-80 east are being detoured westbound, over the Missouri River Bridge, to Exit No. 454 at 13th Street. Drivers will then be able to access I-80 east, where they will be rerouted to I-29 north, then to I-680 east, and around Council Bluffs.

The construction project is part of the Council Bluffs Interstate System Improvement Program, which is a large-scale modernization and rehabilitation of the Interstate system in Council Bluffs.

Trial to proceed in Oakland murder case

News

May 13th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The case of an Oakland man charged in connection with the murder of a rural Cass County woman will proceed to a jury trial. According to the Omaha World-Herald, a trial for 63-year old Robert Arthur Reynolds, Jr., will take place July 1st in Pottawattamie County District Court. Reynolds plead not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder, Monday afternoon. He was charged in the shooting death of 64-year old Patricia Kinkade-Dorsey.

The shooting took place in Reynolds’ Oakland home during early morning hours of April 9th, during a disturbance that involved alcohol. If convicted on the charge, Reynolds faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Iowa early News Headlines: Tue., May 13th 2014

News

May 13th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa teenager has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stabbing another teenager at a Fort Dodge Senior High homecoming dance last year. Eighteen-year-old Max Bly was sentenced in connection to the Oct. 5 stabbing of 18-year-old Luca Fiala. Both teenagers were 17 at the time of the incident.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque mental health counselor’s license has been placed under probation following allegations of dependent adult abuse. A settlement agreement with the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science says 68-year-old Lowell R. Routley’s license is under probation for two years. Court documents say between November 2010 and October 2012, Routley withdrew funds for personal use from the special-needs trust fund of a patient for whom he was a trustee.

PANORA, Iowa (AP) — Preliminary data shows an EF-2 tornado touched down in central Iowa during severe weather that hit swaths of the state. The National Weather Service says a line of thunderstorms produced at least one tornado Sunday night that hit the community surrounding Lake Panorama in Panora. The tornado reached 115 mph and was first recorded south of Guthrie Center before it traveled more than 16 miles northeast. No injuries were reported.

LOGAN, Iowa (AP) — An anonymous donor has offered to help with renovation costs for a museum in western Iowa. The donor offered $30,000 to offset renovation costs at the Museum of Religious Arts in Logan. Facilities needing attention include a wooden deck and fish pond in the museum’s Biblical Garden.

Last week’s dry weather helped Iowa farmers

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 12th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Last week was a busy one for Iowa farmers, who took advantage of dry conditions to plant nearly half of the expected corn crop. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Monday that farmers planted about 7 million acres. About 20 percent of the soybean crop, or 2 million acres, also was planted.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says the heavy rain Sunday and Monday was good for those who have planted their crop but bad news for those who haven’t and now must wait for fields to dry out. As of last week, the USDA says 74 percent of topsoil was rated as adequate and 15 percent had surplus moisture.

Northwest Iowa was the driest region, with nearly one-third of topsoil reported as very short or short of moisture.

Anonymous donor gives $30,000 to Logan museum

News

May 12th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

LOGAN, Iowa (AP) — An anonymous donor has offered to help with renovation costs for a museum in western Iowa. The Daily Nonpareil reports an anonymous donor offered $30,000 to offset renovation costs at the Museum of Religious Arts in Logan. Facilities needing attention include a wooden deck and fish pond in the museum’s Biblical Garden. Museum director Rhonda McHugh says the fish pond needs repair before it can be filled, and the deck must be treated to better withstand severe weather.

McHugh says renovations will also include installing a gate at the museum’s entrance and providing lighting for a stone arrangement that spells out “believe.” The museum underwent a $28,000 renovation in 2013, which included cleaning figurines and fixing rails damaged by animals.

Officials: EF-2 tornado recorded in central Iowa

News, Weather

May 12th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

PANORA, Iowa (AP) — Preliminary data shows an EF-2 tornado touched down in central Iowa during severe weather that hit swaths of the state. The National Weather Service says a line of thunderstorms produced at least one tornado Sunday night that hit the community surrounding Lake Panorama in Panora. Officials are still surveying damage to determine if other tornadoes were recorded.

The tornado reached 115 mph and was first recorded south of Guthrie Center before it traveled more than 16 miles northeast. It went across Lake Panorama and dissipated near Yale. Officials in Lake Panorama say the tornado destroyed eight condominiums and damaged about a dozen other homes. No injuries were reported.

More severe weather was expected in Iowa later Monday, with thunderstorms and potential flash flooding.

Atlantic man arrested on a warrant; non-injury accident reported

News

May 12th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Police in Atlantic report the arrest on Saturday of 23-year old Uriah Joiner. The Atlantic man was taken into custody on a Cass County warrant for violation of his probation. Joiner was booked into the Cass County Jail.

The A-PD reports also, there were no injuries following an accident Friday evening at 7th and Olive Streets. Officials say vehicles driven by Margrette Groves, of Walnut, and Glynn Westphalen, of Atlantic, collided at around 5:40-p.m.

Officials say the vehicles driven by Westphalen and Groves were traveling east on 7th Street. After  Westphalen turned on his right turn signal, he pulled to the left in order to make the right turn into an alley. In the process, his vehicle was hit on the passenger’s side by the Groves vehicle, which had proceeded to travel eastbound.

Damage from the collision amounted to $3,100. There were no citations issued.

Weather officials expect more storms in Iowa

News, Weather

May 12th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Forecasters say much of central and eastern Iowa could be affected by another wave of severe weather moving across the state.  The National Weather Service says a system expected to cross central Iowa early Monday evening could cause large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.

Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg says the eastern third of the state is at greatest risk, especially parts of southeast Iowa. However, he says the storm shouldn’t be as powerful as the one that moved through Iowa on Sunday night. He says large hail is the primary concern.

Sunday’s storms damaged buildings near Panora.

Arrest made in Mills County burglary investigation

News

May 12th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report an arrest has been made in conjunction with a recent burglary. Officials say 24-year old Ryan Scott Wendt, of Pacific Junction, was arrested Saturday evening on charges that include Burglary in the 3rd degree, and Theft in the 5th degree. Wendt’s bond was set at $2,300.

State Revolving Fund Assists Cities with Moving Water Quality Projects Forward

News

May 12th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Twenty-nine Iowa cities will benefit from a combined total of more than $33.7 million in low-cost water quality loans through the State Revolving Fund.Among them is the City of Cumberland, which is receiving $396,000 for a drinking water construction project. And, the City of Elliott is receiving $250,000 for a Clean Water construction project

State Revolving Fund Construction Loans are a low-cost construction financing option available for Iowa cities and municipalities for water quality initiatives. Planning & Design Loans are zero percent loans that assist with the first-phase of project expenses. The Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources jointly administer the State Revolving Fund.

Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Dave Jamison said “More than 500 Iowa communities have recognized the State Revolving Fund as their best choice for low-cost financing of their water quality initiatives.” Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Chuck Gipp said “The State Revolving Fund is an important resource for Iowa communities as they face a wide-array of water quality improvement needs. Quality water costs money, and the State Revolving Fund helps make the investment in Iowa’s water more affordable for communities.”

The State Revolving Fund has awarded Iowa communities and municipalities more than $2.1 billion in Construction Loans and $130 million through Planning & Design Loans since program inception. The loans are made available as part of the State Revolving Fund. For more information on Planning & Design Loans, as well as other State Revolving Fund programs, visit IowaSRF.com.