Police in Red Oak say only minor injuries were reported following two separate accidents, Wednesday. The first happened at around 3:40-p.m., in the 500 block of north 3rd Street. An officer was flagged down by a person who said he’d seen a blue vehicle traveling at high speeds around the downtown “Square” area, in Red Oak. A few moments later, another citizen informed the officer the suspect vehicle had been involved in an accident on the other side of the square.

The investigating officer found a blue, 2005 Chevy Cobalt that had gone out of control on the corner of east Reed and north 3rd Streets, and struck a legally parked 2008 Chevy Trailblazer. The car, which was driven by 16-year old Jared Alan Best, of Red Oak, left a 36-foot long skid-mark  on the road, indicating it had been traveling at a rate of speed in excess of the posted 20-mile per hour limit. A passenger in the car, 12-year old Jordan Holiday, of Red Oak, was checked out by rescue personnel before being transported by his family to the Montgomery County Hospital. His injuries were believed to be minor. Best was cited by police for careless driving. Damage from the accident amounted to $4,300.

The second accident happened at around 4:55-p.m., at the intersection of Broadway and Cherry Streets, in Red Oak. Officials say a 67-year old Margaret Hardy, of Red Oak, was reaching down to pick up a cellphone she dropped, when her 2013 Ford Escape hit a 1996 Ford Ranger pickup, driven by 42-year old David Butler, of Red Oak. Neither driver was injured. Damage from the mishap amounted to $4,000. Hardy was issued a warning for Following too Closely.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A bill that would allow non-essential workers to take unpaid time off to participate in Iowa’s presidential caucuses has received approval in the Senate. The Senate voted 26-24 yesterday along party lines. It now heads to the House, where it is unlikely to advance. The legislation would allow a person in Iowa to take up to four hours off to attend the caucuses.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Senate has passed a bill that would ban people in Iowa from buying powdered alcohol. The Senate voted 48-2 yesterday in support of the legislation. It now heads to the House.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An 18-year-old man who was pinned beneath a car is hospitalized in Des Moines. The Des Moines Register reports that Zachary Ray became trapped Tuesday afternoon in a driveway as he was trying to fix something under the car. He was trapped from his head down to his midsection. Police officers were unable to lift the car enough to free him, but he was rescued after firefighters arrived and deployed jacks.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police say they have arrested a man in connection with a string of cigarette thefts throughout Des Moines. The Register reports 47-year-old Randal Caswell of Des Moines was arrested early Wednesday morning. Caswell remained in Polk County Jail without bond on Wednesday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Republican-controlled Iowa House has approved a bill that would change the arbitration process for teachers and other school employees in the state. Under the proposal, which passed in a 56-41 vote Wednesday, an arbitrator would have more flexibility in determining final contract terms. Debate over the bill started Tuesday afternoon and concluded Wednesday morning, after an overnight break.

Currently, if a district cannot reach a labor agreement with teachers or school employees, an arbitrator must choose between two final offers on items like raises. The bill would allow the arbitrator to set a number in the middle.  Republicans say the change would help districts manage their budgets, while Democrats say it would worsen teacher compensation and educational attainment.

The bill is not expected to advance in the Democratic-majority Senate.

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) – The DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa will host events to commemorate a Civil War-era steamboat that sank in the Missouri River. The refuge group plans to host a weekend of events March 27-29 to highlight the history of the Bertrand that sank on April 1, 1865.  Visitors will be able to see thousands of artifacts that were rescued from the Bertrand after private salvagers discovered the wreckage in what is now the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge.

The Daily Nonpareil reports that the Bertrand was making its way to Montana territory with passengers and mining equipment on board when it struck a snag in the shallow river 25 miles north of Omaha. The steamboat’s passengers abandoned ship and waded to shore as the boat sank into the mud. All survived, but the cargo was lost.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports an Elliott man was arrested Tuesday on a sex abuse charge. 31-year old Josh James Fink, of Elliott, was taken into custody on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Felony Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree. Fink was booked at the Cass County Jail and later released on $25,000 bond.

The Des Moines Water Works filed suit in U-S District Court this week against the supervisors of Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac Counties claiming their drainage districts have cost the utility thousands of dollars to remove nitrates from the water that it draws from the Raccoon River. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey says he understands the challenges before the Des Moines Water Works, but says the lawsuit is the wrong way to bring about change. Northey has been working to get farmers and others involved in voluntary programs to improve water quality.

“At the end of the day if they are successful it would be that there should be regulation — it still doesn’t clean up the water,” Northey says. “It just impacts folks in the pocketbook, and a lot of legal fees, a lot of uncertainty. I think it even causes folks to wonder if they aught to participate in the voluntary programs or not.”

Northey says the work should be in the watershed, not the courtroom. “And all the money that’s spent on that legal process, I think it would be a lot better spent putting practices on the ground, working with our landowners, improving our technologies to be able to keep those nutrients on the land,” Northey says. He says the lawsuit could set a bad precedent that would allow more suits against other counties and many others.

Every other drainage district and any user along the way, obviously it would be such that they could sue somebody up river. Obviously, Ottumwa could sue Des Moines for any type of water qualities that they have,” according to Northey. Northey says the issue may come down to who owns the water, and should entities be able to dictate to upstream districts specific terms for water quality.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities in Page County are investigating a motorcycle accident that resulted in two people being sent to the hospital, Tuesday. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says his office was notified at around 5:17-p.m. about the accident, which took place about two-miles north of Clarinda, near the entrance to the Nodaway Valley Park. Palmer says 61-year old Jack Newman, of Omaha, was operating a 1982 Honda motorcycle northbound on Highway 71, when there was a problem with the rear tire.

Newman, and his passenger, 49-year old Ann Standeven, of LaVista, NE, were ejected from the cycle. They suffered unknown injuries, and were transported by Clarinda Ambulance to the Clarinda Regional Health Center.

An investigation into the accident continues. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Clarinda Police Department along with the Clarinda Fire Department and Clarinda Ambulance service.

The Glenwood Police Department report 21-year old Andrew Jeppesen, of Malvern, was arrested this (Wednesday) morning. Jeppesen was charged with Public Intoxication. His bond was set at $300.

In a report to the Atlantic Rotary Club at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Nishna Valley Trails (NVT) President Dave Chase announced that he had received word that the Atlantic City Council had recently approved NVT’s request for $50,000 for the construction of the Troublesome Creek Connector Trail Project. Chase received word from Atlantic City Administrator, John Lund, on Friday, by email. The grant is coming from the City’s Community Progress Fund. The money will be available July 1 as part of the City’s 2015-16 fiscal budget according to Lund.

Chase said “This is a big boost to our fundraising efforts which now stand at $310,000 in commitments to date from a number of sources.  This is well over half of our goal of $550,000.”
Chase went on to say that grant applications for an additional $120,000 have been submitted to a number of foundations and agencies, and other applications are in the works.

He also reported to the Club that the Atlantic Lions Club had recently voted to donate the net proceeds of its upcoming April 16 Pancake Feed to the Project. According to Chase, “These recent commitments are examples of the public/private support of enhancements to our area recreational opportunities which will pay dividends in the forms of healthy living and economic development for our community.”

With Ric Hanson.

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