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.

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad will join Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency
Management Director Gen. Derek Hill and Congressman Steve King on Monday, June 27,
2011 in traveling via Black Hawk helicopter for an aerial tour of the flood-affected
areas along the Missouri River.

The trio will visit with local officials and hold press conferences in Sioux City
and Council Bluffs regarding flood damage, and prevention efforts, along the
Missouri River. They will then conduct an aerial surveillance of the flood-affected
areas while traveling from Sioux City to Council Bluffs.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a California man was arrested today (Friday), for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. 27-year old Christopher Lawrence Gaul,  of Hemet , CA,  was brought to the Cass County Jail and is being held on $5,000 bond.
The Sheriff’s office reports also, 26-year old Sarah Shanelle Olsen, of Griswold, was arrested Thursday, on a charge of Public Intoxication. Olsen was brought to the Cass County Jail, pled guilty to the charge and was released the next day.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Three Iowa National Guard soldiers have been injured when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier says the incident happened Tuesday.

National Guard Maj. Mike Wunn tells the Courier in an e-mail from Afghanistan that the three soldiers suffered minor injuries and have returned to duty.

Wunn says names of injured soldiers aren’t released unless their injuries require evacuation and more extensive treatment.

The soldiers are members of the Waterloo-based 1st Battalion 133rd Infantry Regiment. They have been in Afghanistan since October and are expected to return home later this summer.

In a delayed report from the Iowa State Patrol, officials said a couple from Anita was injured during an accident on Interstate 80 in Cass County. The crash occurred just after 12-p.m. on June 11th.
Officials say the accident happened as 75-year old Richard Wayne Lewis and his 73-year old wife Mary Bernita Lewis, were traveling west on I-80 and passing another vehicle. A camper trailer being pulled by the Lewis’ pickup truck began to sway, causing Richard Lewis to lose control. His pickup hit both sides of a bridge near the Cass-Pottawattamie County line and came to rest blocking both westbound lanes of traffic.
Richard Lewis was transported by Trooper Todd Granner to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. Mary Lewis was taken to the hospital by Walnut Rescue. Both were had been wearing their seatbelts.