Gasoline prices have been falling in Iowa for weeks, but they’re still well above a year ago, so travel projections for the upcoming holiday weekend are down. Rose White, at Triple-A Iowa, says the motor club estimates 39-million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during the five-day Independence Day holiday. White says that’s a two-point-five percent decline from the Fourth Of July weekend last year. “Of those traveling, nearly 84% will plan to travel by automobile, another eight-percent will fly to their destination and the remaining eight-percent will travel by other modes including rail, bus and watercraft.”

Gas prices in Iowa were near four-dollars a gallon in May but have fallen to a current average around three-56 a gallon. That’s well above the statewide average price from a year ago of two-67. White says in addition to the regular road hazards, Iowa motorists will need to keep a closer eye on the highway. “Roadways near major waterways in the Midwest may be impacted by flooding,” White says. “Before you leave, pack a detailed road map in your vehicle in case you need to select an alternative route.” Also, she suggests you store phone numbers or web addresses to the state road departments on your cell phone or PDA.

If possible, White says to avoid driving at night since it’s hard to see flooded roadways in the dark. Do not drive across a flooded roadway, she says, but instead, dial 911 and report it. “Keep in mind that today’s automobiles are equipped with many electrical systems and computers that may be damaged if exposed to flood waters,” White says. “Always keep your fuel tank at least half full at all times, just in case an unexpected detour is required.”

While Iowa’s current statewide average for gas is three-56 a gallon, the national average is three-60. The state’s all-time high was set in July of 2008 with four-02 a gallon.

(Radio Iowa)

Storms that formed in Nebraska Sunday late Sunday afternoon barreled through western Iowa Sunday evening, producing heavy downpours of rain, reports of large hail and winds sometimes in excess of 60-miles per hour, along with some property damage.

The Winds started picking up in southwest Iowa, at around 4:40-p.m., where they gusted up to 55-miles per hour near the Creston Airport, causing small trees to bend almost parallel to the ground. About 10 minutes later hail the size of quarters was observed by law enforcement in the same area.

Heavy rains also washed over the area, with law enforcement reporting at 5:25-p.m., water was flowing over the road at several locations near the intersection of 140^th Street and Highway 25, in Union County. By 6-p.m., authorities in Cass County were receiving reports from the public of nickel-to quarter-sized hail falling about three-miles southwest of Bridgewater.

Additional flooded roads were reported by law enforcement about 10-miles north of Prescott, in Adair County, just after 7-p.m. Sunday. About 20-minutes later, one-foot of water was observed flowing over the intersection of Union and 150^th Streets, about six-miles northeast of Prescott, in Adams County. Authorities in Carroll and Crawford Counties reported several trees were down due to storms that rolled through the area between 8:30- and 8:45-p.m.

Meanwhile, at around 8:50-p.m. law enforcement in Audubon County observed one-inch diameter hail falling just south of Audubon, and at 9:40, a large tree fell one a vehicle in Stuart due to winds officials estimated were up to 60-miles per hour. At around 9:30-p.m., winds estimated at up to 55-miles per hour were reported to have occurred 10-miles north of Greenfield.

Winds of up to 70-miles per hour blew a semi tractor-trailer over on Highway 30, near Carroll, at around 9:45-p.m., and there were reports of quarter-sized hail reoccurring about 10-minutes later back in Union County with scattered reports of similarly-sized hail occurring elsewhere.

A Bedford man was arrested Saturday evening after a brief chase that resulted from an attempted traffic stop. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy attempted to pull 22-year old Wilbur Pace over for speeding on Highway 34 at around 6:20-p.m., when Pace sped-up.

Pace was finally stopped and placed under arrest on charges of eluding, speeding, and for allegedly having an open container in his vehicle.

And, a central Iowa man was arrested Saturday on two charges, after he failed to stop for a stop sign. Officials say 50-year old Jesse Alexander, of Urbandale, was charged with OWI and Failure to Stop, following the incident which occurred at around 12:10-a.m., Saturday.

Pace and Alexander were being held in the Adams County Jail pending an appearance before the magistrate.

Police in Council Bluffs are looking for a white or tan Chevy Cavalier with Nebraska plates. The vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run personal injury accident that took place Saturday evening in the 25-hundred block of Avenue D, in Council Bluffs.

Officials say at around 5:25-p.m., officers were dispatched to the area to investigate an accident where 4-year old Ethan Black, of Council Bluffs, was struck by a car was the child attempted to cross the street. The vehicle that hit the boy did not stop, and continues westbound.

Black was transported to the Creighton University Medical Center, where he was reported to be in stable condition late Saturday night. No further details are available concerning the car involved in the incident.

Anyone with information concerning the accident should call the Council Bluffs PD’s traffic unit at 712-328-4948.

FORT CALHOUN, Neb. (AP) – A berm holding back floodwater at the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station has collapsed. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it’s monitoring the Missouri River flooding at the plant, which has been shut down since early April for refueling.

The 2,000-foot berm collapsed about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, allowing the swollen river to surround two buildings at the plant. The NRC says those buildings are designed to handle flooding up to 1014 feet above sea level. The river is at 1006.3 feet and isn’t forecast to exceed 1008 feet.

The NRC says its inspectors were at the plant when the berm failed and have confirmed that the flooding has had no impact on the reactor shutdown cooling or the spent fuel pool cooling. NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko will visit the plant Monday.

The Iowa Department of Transportation reports U.S. Highway 30 between Missouri Valley, Iowa, and Blair, Neb., could close without further advance notice due to rising flood and ground water levels.

The threat level has been elevated because the Missouri River water levels have risen substantially today in this area. A breach also occurred this morning south of U.S. 30, approximately 1 mile south of mile marker 2. The combination of these factors increases the threat that the roadway could be overtopped.

The Iowa DOT is closely monitoring the situation. The road will remain open as long as it is safe for travel. If U.S. 30 is closed, the public will be notified and a detour designated.

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Key traveler information resources…

·Iowa DOT’s flood information call center 866-452-8510, open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, speak to an operator for travel assistance

·Road condition information 24 hours a day: visit http://www.511ia.org/, or call 511 (in Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (outside of the state) for a recorded message of road closures

·Iowa DOT on Twitter – http://twitter.com/#!/iowadot/

·View the flooded Iowa roads map for road closures, detours and areas at risk of flooding – http://tinyurl.com/3o2mtlp

w/ Afternoon Announcer Brett Johnson

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Authorities in Council Bluffs have suspended their investigation into a shooting incident which occurred early Wednesday morning, because the victim has refused to cooperate with detectives. 41-year old James Andrews, of Council Bluffs, suffered a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. Bluffs Police Investigator Ron Branigan said Friday investigators were able to identify a suspect after interviewing Andrews, but the man has since refused to cooperate.

Officers were called to Andrews’ home on the city’s west side at around 12:40-a.m. Wednesday. Andrews was found outside the home, near the rear of the residence. He was transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Department reports three people were arrested Friday on felony charges. Friday night, 41-year old James Castillo, of Prescott, was arrested on charges of aiding and abetting a fugitive with felony warrants. Castillo was being held in the Adams County Jail on $2,000 cash bond.

And, 24-year old Garret Templeton along with 20-year old Zach Gilbert, both of Corning, were arrested on warrants for an incident of vandalism to a vehicle which occurred on June 12^th. The men were being held in the Adams County Jail on $5,000 cash bond.

AMES, Iowa – June 24, 2011 – The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) will be
implementing flood mitigation measures along Iowa 175 to help keep the road open as
long as possible. This road is an important transportation connection between Onawa,
Iowa, and Decatur, Neb., as well as other communities along the Interstate 29
corridor.  

The success of these mitigation strategies remains dependent on the level of
continued rising river and ground water levels. They are being deployed at this time
due to the increased release of water by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is
projected to raise river water elevations from .5 to 1 foot. Those levels would
cause inundation of portions of the roadway.

Preliminary sandbagging will be performed this weekend along the shoulders of the
roadway in lower-lying areas. Starting Monday, additional measures will be taken to
address a rise in river water levels of up to 1 foot. 

If water levels exceed 1 foot, conditions will be created within the overall basin
area that will make it impossible to contain the water and keep the roadway open. In
that event, the roadway will be closed.   

An additional benefit of these mitigation strategies is the fact that it may allow
the roadway to be reopened sooner, if closed. 

Next week, contractor employees will be placing sandbags and concrete barrier wall
along the west side of Cashew Avenue. In addition, sandbags and barrier wall will be
placed along the north side of Iowa 175. The lowest-lying areas will be the target
of the sandbagging effort. 

The Iowa DOT has already strengthened the shoulders of the north side of Iowa 175 at
certain locations to help mitigate damage to the roadway surface.