The Iowa Dept. of Transportation’s District 3 office in Sioux City report placement of overhead electrical lines will require nighttime closures in both directions on Interstate 29 north of the Floyd Boulevard interchange (exit 147) beginning at 10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, weather permitting.

Traffic will be stopped for 15-minute intervals. Motorists approaching this area should drive with caution and be prepared to stop for traffic backups beyond the limits of the work zone. The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey 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.

(Update 3:35-a.m.)

One person is dead, another was critically injured during a house fire Wednesday night, in Atlantic. Firefighters were called to 604 Olive Street (Denise’s Taxi Service)at around 10:08-p.m. Prior to arriving, they were informed there were people inside the home, as a deputy heard someone hollering for help.Neighbors told KJAN News they heard a loud “pop” or “bang” before they looked out and saw flames shooting from the building.

Ric Hanson (photo)

The first crews on the scene reported heavy smoke and flames coming from the structure. The smoke could be seen for a long distance in town on he clear, calm and very cold night. The body of an unconscious woman was removed from the home’s upstairs just before 10:30-pm. Firefighters were performing CPR on her before she was transported by Medivac ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic. The woman was later flown to another hospital.

It took firefighters about 30-minutes more to locate the body of a deceased male who was also in the house. His body remained in the home until early this (Thursday) morning, while investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office combed through the scene trying to determine a cause for the fire. Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News flames apparently spread from the basement to the first floor and into a second floor bedroom.The Chief said there were numerous combustible materials inside the home which made getting the flames knocked down and the victims found, difficult.

Firefighters left the scene at around 3:20-a.m. Atlantic Street Department crews were asked to salt and sand the street in front of the home, as the water used to fight the fire had created extremely icy conditions for pedestrians and motorists alike. The names of the victims have not yet been released.

The Walnut City Council will meet Thursday, beginning at 5-p.m. City Clerk Terri ABell said Walnut Community School District Superintendent Jesse Ulrich will be present to discuss a possible acquisition by the City, of a school building. Abell couldn’t provide additional details about the proposal in advance of the meeting.

She said also, Marye Bierbaum, an intern,  and Bob Hilligas will be present to discuss an expansion of tourism and marketing efforts, using technology and advertising. And, Rick Blum will discuss proposed improvements to Veteran’s Memorial Park.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Senate panel has approved a bill that would require breast density data in mammogram reports be given to patients and physicians, a move that supporters say could help women detect cancer earlier. The bill approved Wednesday by a human resources subcommittee would require that patients be told if they have a certain density of breast tissue. Advocates of the proposal say such breast density can obscure early detection of breast cancer in mammograms. They say this legislation will help patients be better informed.

Several medical groups say they’re against mandating standards of care under Iowa law. Some say the information could lead anxious patients to undergo unnecessary and costly additional testing. Similar legislation has failed to advance in previous sessions. The bill now goes to a full committee.

A traffic stop Tuesday in Crawford County resulted in two Sac County men being arrested on drug charges. And, a search warrant executed in Crawford County early this (Wednesday) morning resulted in drugs, paraphernalia and cash being seized, along with the arrest of a Denison man. The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office reports during the traffic stop Tuesday, a drug investigation was initiated, and a request was made for K9 “Bayou,” who when deployed, alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics coming from the vehicle. As the result of the search, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia was seized from the vehicle. Arrested was 19-year old Shawn Freier and 19-year old Shane Thelen both of Sac County for Possession of Methamphetamine a Serious Misdemeanor and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia a Simple Misdemeanor.

Police in Glenwood are asking for your help in identifying two suspects who allegedly stole alcohol from the Newman’s Thriftway store during the early morning hours of Jan. 30th.  Surveillance footage from the store shows two suspects that entered the store and took alcohol from the shelves.
Anyone that recognizes these suspects or anyone with any information regarding the incident is encouraged to call the Glenwood Police Department at 712-527-9920 or 712-527-4844 and ask for Officer Burtch or Sgt. Martin.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials have located nearly 200 missing ACT college entrance exams at an Iowa grocery store, just days after notifying students they wouldn’t receive their results. Johnston County Community School District spokeswoman Laura Sprague says Johnston High School’s principal picked up the test packets Wednesday morning at a Dahl’s store in Johnston. The ACT organization sent an email Monday night to 195 students who tested at the high school Dec. 13 notifying them their answer sheets never arrived at headquarters in Iowa City and therefore could not be scored.

Sprague says there was a mix-up with shipments after an ACT-hired testing coordinator dropped off the packets for mailing. She says the tests will be sent overnight. ACT spokeswoman Katie Walker says the exams are valid and scoring will be expedited.

Atlantic Police report the arrest on Tuesday, of 44-year old Craig Griffin. The Atlantic man was taken into custody on a charge of OWI/1st offense. Griffin was booked into the Cass County Jail.

Two Dallas County residents were cited for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia after they parked in a No Parking Zoning behind the Guthrie County Courthouse last week. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports Dustin Brobst and Tarrin Thomas, both of whom are from the Perry area, admitted to using methamphetamine before they arrived at the courthouse on Jan. 27th.

The citations were the result of an investigation that began at around 11:30-a.m. , when a pickup truck entered into the restricted area, behind the Guthrie County Courthouse and parked in no parking zone. The vehicle was approached due to the safety concerns, and after some investigation the Guthrie County K-9 was deployed, the K-9 hit on the vehicle and a search was done and Drug paraphernalia was found.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – U.S. Bank will pay $18 million to settle a civil lawsuit filed by regulators alleging that it mishandled customer funds of a collapsed Iowa brokerage. U.S. District Judge Linda Reade approved a consent decree Wednesday that orders the bank to return the money to customers of Peregrine Financial Group, Inc.

The order settles a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission alleging that U.S. Bank allowed Peregrine founder Russell Wasendorf Sr. to improperly withdraw millions of customer funds to use for other expenses. Wasendorf is serving a 50-year prison term after he was convicted of stealing $215 million from customers over two decades.

The consent decree says U.S. Bank has already taken “significant remedial action” in its handling of customer funds that are supposed to be held separately.