(Hancock, Iowa) – A blaze that destroyed a two-story home in Hancock early this (Friday) morning, also claimed a life. According to Hancock Fire Chief Josh Billings, one person was found deceased inside the home located in the 300 block of Kimball Street. The blaze was reported at around 3:15-a.m. The structure was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived.

Hancock Fire received assistance at the scene from the Avoca and Oakland Fire Departments. The victim’s name has not been released, and the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Photo Credit: Alexa Brink

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop this (Friday) morning in Red Oak, resulted in an arrest. Red Oak Police say a little before 8-a.m., Red Oak Police conducted a traffic stop in the 1300 block of N. Broadway Street. Upon further investigation, the driver of the vehicle, 40-year-old Christopher Robert Fowler, of Red Oak, was arrested for Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Atlantic,Iowa) – Cass County Conservation Department Director Micah Lee, Tuesday morning, updated the County Board of Supervisors on projects and activities, as part of his Quarterly Report. Micah said at Cold Springs State Park near Lewis…

Additional work on the shelter at the park is planned for later this Spring and Summer to make it more user friendly, with roof work likely sometime in the next fiscal year. He said the shower house is currently open. At the Nodaway Wildlife Area near Massena, the Conservation Department continues to work on removing dead Ash Trees …

Work on draining and dredging the pond near the Outdoor Classroom outside of Massena, has resulted in additional depth, for an average gain of seven-to-five-feet, and the removal of invasive fish species, with the goal of restocking it as soon as there is enough water for the fish to survive.

They’re also taking care of some scrub brush in the area. Naturalist Lora Kanning, Lee said, presented 113 program over the past Quarter, with 1,941 people taking part in the programs.

Currently, crews are working on mowing and getting various campgrounds in the County open, and taken care of.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department, Friday (Today), said “In observation of National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 15th-19th)” they want to remind motorists about the “Move Over Law,” in Iowa.  Lt. Jill Knotek says the law found in the Code of Iowa, states “A driver shall change lanes when approaching a stationary vehicle with hazard or other lights flashing on the side of the roadway. If this is not possible, then the driver shall reduce the speed of their vehicle as they pass.” (the Iowa DOT’s full synopsis of the code can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/yx2jd84u.)

In 2022, there were 8921 people killed and over 37,000 injured within work zones nationally.

On April 17, 2024, Council Bluffs Police Department partnered with Carter Lake Police Department, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, and Arrow Towing, to focus on “Move Over violations,” and speeding on I-80 and I-29. The project took place from 8-a.m. until Noon. Authorities say during this four-hour period, there were a total of 151 citations and warnings issued, with 62 of those issued for failing to move over, and 39 for speeding.

The highest recorded speed was by the driver traveling nearly 30-miles per hour above the posted speed limit (91-mph in a 65-mph zone). Despite the project, officers are still observing high speeds on the I-80 Express lanes. Therefore, Police say they “Will continue to work with speed enforcement to bring those numbers down to a reasonable speed. We urge drivers to remember to Move Over when they see a vehicle on the shoulder.”

Officials with Triple A report as of today (April 19th), the price of regular unleaded gasoline had fallen 2 cents over the past week, to an average of $3.33/per gallon across Iowa. Gas prices are down 22 cents from a year ago. The national average is $3.68/gallon, up 5 cents from last week.

Retail diesel prices in Iowa are nearly steady, with a statewide average of $3.79/gallon. One year ago, diesel prices averaged $3.95 in Iowa.  The current Iowa diesel price is 26 cents lower than the national average of $4.05. The national price is 15-cents less than last year at this time.

Natural gas prices fell 21 cents.

DES MOINES – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, this week, announced two district associate judge appointments. Ashley Stewart was appointed as a district associate judge in Judicial Election District 5C.  Stewart, a resident of Des Moines, is an assistant appellate defender for the Iowa Public Defender’s Office.  She received an undergraduate degree from University of Houston and her law degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.  Ashley Stewart fills a vacancy created following the resignation of the Hon. Christopher Kemp. Judicial Election District 5C includes Polk County.

The Governor also appointed Jordan Brackey, of Des Moines, as a district associate judge in Judicial Election District 5C.  Brackey is an assistant Polk County attorney for the Juvenile Division.  He received an undergraduate degree from University of Iowa and his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.  Jordan Brackey fills a vacancy created following the retirement of the Hon. Romonda Belcher.  Judicial Election District 5C includes Polk County.

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI/NWS]— The National Weather Service determined at least five tornadoes touched down Tuesday afternoon (April 16,2024) in Calhoun and Pocahontas counties. All five twisters came from the same thunderstorm that traveled through that area of northwest Iowa. The strongest was an EF-1 that tracked just east of Rockwell City.

• The storm dropped its first tornado southeast of Rockwell City at 2:26 p.m.
• The second tornado touched down just south of Manson at 2:57 p.m. This tornado was rated EF-Unknown because it didn’t damage anything that could be used to estimate wind speed.
• The third tornado touched down east of Palmer in Pocahontas County at 3:11 p.m.
• The storm’s fourth tornado spun up northwest of Gilmore City at 3:34 p.m.
• Still moving across eastern Pocahontas County, the storm produced its fifth tornado on the edge of Rolfe at 3:42 p.m.

Those tornadoes are in addition to the EF-0 that spun up in Dallas County, two others in eastern Iowa, and at least four between Sioux City and Sioux Center, for a total of a dozen twisters.

More tornadoes from Tuesday could still be confirmed.

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — Penguin Random House Publishing is suing the state of Iowa over a law passed last year banning books that contain content about sexual depictions and gender identity or orientation in schools. Now, five more major book publishers are planning to join the lawsuit. The law was blocked from taking effect as the lawsuit moves through the courts.

The publishers set to join the lawsuit include Hatchette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster and Sourcebooks. They have not yet filed to join.

High-profile authors, Iowa educators and a high school student have already joined Penguin Random House in the lawsuit.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – An Archery Club formed in Atlantic a little more than 45-years ago, and at one point in time, there were about 40 members in the local group. The Atlantic Archery League practiced at the Atlantic National Guard Armory in January, 1983. That was in the past. Fast forward to the current day, with the Atlantic Trojan Archery group having made big news, with high rankings in area and state competitions. There are over 100 high school and middle school participants. An increasing number of schools are adding archery to their programs.

Archery is much more than just shooting an arrow. Learn why this Sunday, April 21st, when Atlantic Archery Coach Clint Roland will talk about the sport at the American Legion Memorial Building (201 Poplar Street, Atlantic, IA). The event begins at 2-p.m. Roland will discuss the equipment needed, skills required for an accomplished archer, along with the characteristics and rules for competitions.

Atlantic HS & MS Archers participate in a Dec. 2023 event in Orient (photo from the Atlantic Trojan Archery Facebook page)

The program is sponsored by Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise (ARISE). Everyone is welcome stop by and learn more about Archery. There is no fee to attend. The building is handicapped accessible.

(Hancock, Iowa) – Flames consumed a residence in Hancock early this (Friday) morning. Firefighters responded at around 3:15-a.m. to the scene of the blaze at a home on Kimball Street. The two-story structure was fully engulfed in flames when the first firefighting crews arrived. The home was a total loss.

Hancock, Avoca and Oakland Fire Departments responded to the scene. The blaze remains under investigation.

Additional information was not immediately available.