GRIMES, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Grimes Construction Office says, if you drive on eastbound Interstate 35/I-80 or east-/northbound I-235 to reach northbound I-35, or westbound I-80 to reach northbound I-35 at the Northeast Mixmaster, you need to be aware of upcoming nighttime construction work that may impact your trip.

Beginning tonight (Nov. 19), weather permitting, crews will close the westbound I-80 ramp to northbound I-35, east-/northbound I-235 to northbound I-35, and eastbound I-35/I-80 to northbound I-35 ramp (exit 137B), so work can take place. Single lane closures will begin around 8 p.m. at the Northeast Mixmaster. Full closures are expected to start at 10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 and will end at approximately 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20, when the roadway is reopened. During the closures you will follow a marked detour route using I-35/I-80, U.S. 69/NE 14th Street (exit 136), Northeast 66th Avenue/Corporate Woods Drive, and I-35 (see map).

At 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20 until 5 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, crews will close eastbound I-35/I80 at U.S. 69/NE 14th Street (exit 136) and southbound I-35 to westbound I-235. When the lanes are closed and work is taking place, you will follow a marked detour route that uses U.S. 69/Northeast 14th Street and Northeast 66th Avenue/Corporate Woods Drive if you want to reach northbound I-35. If you wish to travel east on I-80 you will travel south on U.S. 69/Northeast 14th Street, east on U.S. 6/East Euclid Avenue, north on I-235, and then east on I-80 (see map).

At 10 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, westbound I-80 will be closed at the ramp to northbound I-35. When the roadway is closed you will follow a marked detour route by traveling north on I-35 from westbound I-80 to reach Northeast 66th Avenue/Corporate Woods Drive (exit 89), and then exit and travel south on I-35 to reach westbound I-80.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through Iowa’s 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or X (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

Iowa City, Iowa (KCRG-TV) — In an update to our previous report, authorities say 21-year-old man is facing several charges after police say he obstructed them from investigating a potential hazing incident at the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity on the University of Iowa campus. Iowa City Police say on Friday at about 12:43 a.m., officers responded to 703 North Dubuque Street for a fire alarm that had gone off. While investigating, officers found 56 fraternity pledges in the basement, blindfolded with food splattered on them.

Officers say Joseph Gaya of Riverdale, Iowa blocked the doorway of the basement even after being asked to move several times. Later, police say Gaya stood in front of two witnesses in a separate room as an officer tried to talk to them about the incident. The officer asked Gaya to step out of the way multiple times, but police say he told the witnesses to not talk to officers. At one point, Gaya used an expletive as he told officers to leave the house. Witnesses told Gaya they were fine and said he should leave. Police officers arrested Gaya on a charge of interference with official acts. He does not live at the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity house and the University of Iowa says he is not a student.

The UI’s Office of Student Accountability placed Alpha Delta Phi on interim suspension starting Friday during the investigation of the incident. OSA says it was “due to the gravity of the allegations.” The national chapter has also suspended the charter until further notice.

(Creston, Iowa)- Officials with the Creston Police Department report a woman was arrested Monday morning on drug and other charges. Authorities say 32-year-old Tiffany Marie Misel, of Lorimor, was arrested at around 9:30-a.m. on charges that include: Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine – 1st offense; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and, Driving While Suspended. Misel was transported to the Union County Jail and later released after posting a $1,600 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says the second administration of President Donald Trump will be different from the first. “What I see in the second Trump administration is the experience that was taken from the first four years and much more finessed moving into the second administration,” she says. Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak says she looks forward to having the President, Senate and U-S House all in the majority. “It’s going to be an exciting time, and this will be a change, a wave of change through federal government, which is, in my opinion, long, long overdue,” Ernst says.

Ernt says John Thune is a good choice to be the Senate Majority Leader. “He’s from South Dakota, so he understands our rural issues, our ag issues, and I think he is going to be a very effective leader. I think he’s he’s going to reach out and continue to reach out with the Trump administration. They will have an exceptional working relationship,” Ernst says. “So I’m excited about our potential in the new Congress, and look forward to John Thune’s leadership.”

Ernst missed out on bid for a Senate leadership position and will be chair of the Senate Small Business Committee.

(Radio Iowa) – A report from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office concludes a Sioux City police officer was justified in shooting and killing a man on October 20th. The report says Jamie Orozco refused repeated commands to stop when officers arrived and then pulled a silver handgun from his waistband, pointed it at the officers, and ran off. He fired at the officers as he fled, and officers eventually lost sight of him. A SWAT team entered the home where Orozco was believed to be hiding around 10 p-m. An officer found Orozco in a crawl space and told him to stop when he reached for a cloth bundle. The officer fired a single shot when Orozco ignored the warning, and Orozco died seven days later.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Two men from Montgomery County were arrested today (Monday), on separate warrants. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, 40-year-old Cory Ross Smith, of Elliott, was arrested at around 3-p.m. in Elliott. Smith was taken into custody on a warrant for failure to appear on an original charge of driving while barred. Smith was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

And, a man from Stanton was arrested at around 1:15-p.m. Monday (11/18), on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Authorities say 31-year-old Tylor Daniel Fine was arrested in Stanton. He was also being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Natural Resources Commission approved construction projects in Franklin, Cerro Gordo, and Poweshiek County at their recent meeting. Travis Baker of the D-N-R says one of the projects is replacing the lagoon wastewater treatment system at Beeds Lake State Park northwest of Hampton. “The lagoon can no longer meet discharge effluent limits, and so this project will convey wastewater to the City of Hampton by constructing a three-and-a-half mile long, four-inch P-V-C force main. In addition to that, work will include the construction of approximately 15-hundred feet of gravity sewer and a lift station,” he says.

The lagoon system services the park office, campground, and a 39-house subdivision located on the north side of the lake.  “The existing lagoons will be decommissioned. Involved in that decommissioning, the contract will be responsible for removing the sludge, treating that,” Baker says. The homes will be hooked into the system and eventually pay a rate for the sewer treatment. The project will cost around one-point-seven million dollars, and be completed in May of 2026.

The N-R-C approved improvements to the Clear Lake Campground in Cerro Gordo County. Baker says the campground was built in 1941 with 176 sites that were fairly close to each other. The upgrade will rebuild 61 sites. “And includes seven full hookup sites, with pull through 50 amp electric sites and 12 back in 50 amp electric sites. In addition, along with this project, we will have installed three new A-D-A accessible concrete sites,” he says. The work is expected to be completed in September of 2025.

Commissioners approved a clean up plan for Diamond Lake in Poweshiek County. “The  Lake was constructed in the 1950s and had the 20-thousand-672 acre watershed. The lake suffers from periodic algae blooms that lead to poor water clarity,” Baker says. “This project will clean out approximately 32-thousand cubic yards of deposited sediment to existing ponds. Well, it’s constructing new sediment pond.”

The D-N-R lake restoration fund will pay for 75 percent of the nearly 710-thousand dollar cost and the county will pay the rest. The work is expected to be completed in September of 2025.

(Radio Iowa) – Information from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office shows three recounts have been requested in three legislative races. Republican Mark Hanson requested a recount in his Senate District 14 race against Democrat incumbent Sarah Trone Garriott as he trails by 24 votes.

Democrat incumbent Senator Nate Boulton trails Republican Mike Pike by 44 votes in District 20 and wants a recount.

Republican Nathan Ramker asked for a recount in House District 98 where results show Democratic incumbent Monica Kurth winning by 45 votes.

County election workers are aiming to complete the recounts before December 2nd when state officials will meet to certify the results.

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a child was rescued by a Sheriff’s Deputy from a burning vehicle, following an incident that resulted in a fatal crash in Missouri, Sunday morning. Authorities say at around 6:12-a.m., Sunday, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a woman at Grape Community Hospital, in Hamburg, Iowa, who had experienced a domestic assault. The Iowa State Patrol was requested to assist with the call.

The woman reported that she and her 1-year-old child had been kidnapped in Nebraska by a male acquaintance. He fled Nebraska law enforcement into Iowa. The man dropped her off at the hospital but fled with the child in a 2023 Kia Sorento. She also reported the man was suicidal and homicidal.

Fremont County deputies were informed that the Iowa State Patrol was pursuing the vehicle near the intersection of Highway 2 and Interstate 29 (Exit 10). Deputies attempted to intercept the pursuit near Hamburg and began traveling northbound on Interstate 29 from Exit 1. They located the vehicle near the 5-mile marker, where it was being pursued by Iowa State Patrol troopers. The suspect vehicle was traveling southbound in the northbound left lane at a high rate of speed, while troopers followed in the southbound lanes.

The vehicle attempted to strike both Fremont County deputies. One deputy, a nine-year law enforcement veteran, pursued the suspect vehicle in the northbound lanes starting at mile marker 5, with emergency lights activated. Other law enforcement continued the pursuit in the southbound lanes. Missouri authorities were notified as the pursuit crossed into Missouri.

Upon reaching the 123-mile marker of Interstate 29 in Atchison County, Missouri, the Kia Sorento collided with a 2013 Ford Focus traveling northbound in the left lane, as the Ford was passing a 2024 Volvo semi-truck. The Volvo swerved to avoid the crash but struck a 2023 Chevy Tahoe patrol vehicle driven by a Fremont County deputy, who was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes.

The Kia came to a stop on the northbound Nishnabotna River Bridge, fully engulfed in flames. The Ford Focus came to rest in the median, as did both the patrol vehicle and the semi-truck. A Fremont County deputy, a 39-year law enforcement veteran, rescued the 1-year-old child from the burning vehicle. The child was airlifted to a hospital in Omaha with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Fremont County deputy struck by the semi was treated and released from a local hospital. The Missouri State Patrol is investigating the collision. Authorities in Missouri says the 18-year-old male driver of the Ford Focus and an 18-year-old female passenger in the car died in the crash. And second 18-year-old female in the car suffered serious injuries. All three are from Kearney, Mo. The 29-year-old driver of the KIA Sorento, from Bellevue, NE,  also died in the crash. And, the 32-year-old Fremont County Deputy from Tabor, who was in the Tahoe, suffered minor injuries. The driver of the semi – from Ontario, Canada – was not injured.

No names have been released. An investigation by the Missouri State Patrol is ongoing at this time.

(Rural Menlo, Iowa) – A Polk County man suffered suspected minor injuries, during a cement truck rollover accident northeast of Menlo, Thursday afternoon. According to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, 37-year-old Jamal Brenard Jones, of West Des Moines, was driving a fully-loaded 2014 Freightliner cement truck westbound on 315th Street, just west of Talon Avenue, when the vehicle got too close to the north ditch and the soft shoulder on the gravel road.

The truck was pulled into the north ditch and entered the ditch before it rolled over. The report said Jones was distracted because the rotating drum on the cement truck was not spinning, and he was trying to get to start spinning again. Jones was wearing his seat belt when the truck rolled-over. He had to break out the windshield in order to exit the vehicle. He was treated for minor injuries by Stuart EMS.

No citations were issued, but the Sheriff’s report said Failure to keep in the proper lane and loss of control were contributing factors in the crash. The truck was a total loss, as the damage estimated to be $50,000.