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Iowa early News Headlines: Fri., April 24th 2015

News

April 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad has asked several state agencies to monitor the outbreak of a deadly form of bird flu that’s reached Iowa and led to an emergency declaration in Minnesota. In Iowa, the flu is confirmed in Buena Vista and Osceola counties. Nearly 4 million chickens at one farm will be destroyed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Agriculture says a turkey farm in Sac County has become the third farm in Iowa to have confirmed cases of bird flu. The farm’s 34,000 turkeys will be killed to contain the virus. The farm is within a six-mile monitoring zone of the first turkey farm identified in Iowa to have the H5N2 virus.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some international trade partners are declining to buy egg and poultry products from states affected by a deadly strain of bird flu while others are excluding imports only from counties where the virus has surfaced. Agriculture officials say the food supply is safe. But Mexico, Japan and Canada are among 33 countries declining to accept poultry products from entire states, including Iowa.

GUTHRIE CENTER, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa teen was killed and his passenger escaped after their truck plowed through barricades blocking what had previously been a bridge and submerged in a creek. KCCI-TV reports 17-year-old Zachary Meacham, of Guthrie Center, died in the crash Wednesday at Brushy Creek in Guthrie County. The crash remains under investigation.

Red Oak man arrested twice in one week on same charges

News

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A man who was arrested Monday night for Violating a No Contact Order, was arrested again Thursday evening, on the same charge. Red Oak Police say 45-year old Mark Douglas Berggren, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 5:30-p.m. on an active warrant out of Mills County, for Violation of a No Contact Order. Berggren was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

Corning man arrested Thursday after 911 calls

News

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Adams County say three separate 911 calls about a possible drunk driver Thursday afternoon, resulted in a traffic stop and an arrest. 43-year old Ronald Chester Kingery, Jr., of Corning, was arrested at around 3:50-p.m. at Highway 148 and 6th Street, in Corning. Kingery, Jr. was charged with OWI/1st offense and brought to the Adams County Jail.

Wacha outdoes Scherzer as Cardinals beat Nationals 4-1

Sports

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michael Wacha got the best of Max Scherzer in a pitcher’s duel, Matt Adams singled in the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 4-1 Thursday for their fourth straight series win. Matt Carpenter had two hits and scored a run for the Cardinals, who have won seven of eight. St. Louis took two of three from the Nationals in a matchup of 2014 division champions and remained unbeaten in series play this year (4-0-1).

Wacha (3-0) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings while lowering his ERA to 1.33. The right-hander walked two and struck out six, including Jose Lobaton three times. Scherzer (1-2) also went seven innings, giving up two runs and six hits. It was the first time in his four starts with Washington that the 2013 Cy Young winner surrendered more than one earned run.

 

Bird flu cuts into egg, poultry exports in Iowa, Midwest

Ag/Outdoor

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some international trade partners are declining to buy egg and poultry products from states affected by a deadly strain of bird flu while others are excluding imports only from counties where the virus has surfaced. Agriculture officials say the food supply is safe. But Mexico, Japan and Canada are among 33 countries declining to accept poultry products from entire states, including Iowa, the nation’s leading egg producer, and Minnesota, the top turkey grower in the U.S.

Other countries, including Hong Kong, limit the ban to counties where the virus has been confirmed. Jim Sumner, president of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, says 110 countries trade with no restrictions. Also Thursday, the governor of Minnesota, the nation’s leading turkey producer, declared a state of emergency to fight the H5N2 virus.

State officials confirm Sac Co. farm is 3rd with bird flu

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Agriculture says a turkey farm in Sac County has become the third farm in Iowa to have confirmed cases of bird flu. The farm’s 34,000 turkeys will be killed to contain the virus. The farm is within a six-mile monitoring zone of the first turkey farm identified in Iowa to have the H5N2 virus.

Sac County is the adjacent county south of Buena Vista County where a farm with 27,000 turkeys was confirmed to have the virus on April 13. An egg-laying facility with 3.8 million chickens in Osceola County northwest of the turkey farms also has the virus. State agriculture officials say in the latest case announced Thursday, turkeys began dying and tests at Iowa State University confirmed the bird flu virus is present.

Mullin signs 3 transfers for St. John’s

Sports

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Mullin, the coach at St. John’s for less than a month, signed three transfers Thursday, two of whom will be eligible right away. Darien Williams, 6-foot-8 forward, played one season at Iowa Western Community College then sat out last season at City College of San Francisco while recovering from shoulder surgery. Ron Mvouika, a 6-6 native of France, is a graduate transfer from Missouri State who was limited to two games last season by injuries.

They will be both eligible immediately for the Red Storm, who lost five seniors from last season’s team that went 21-12 and played in the NCAA Tournament under coach Steve Lavin. He mutually parted ways with St. John’s in March after five seasons.

Tariq Owens, a 6-10 forward, left Tennessee after one season and, after sitting out next season under NCAA transfer rules, will three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Dallas County man injured in Guthrie County rollover accident

News

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A man from Dallas County was injured during a rollover accident this (Thursday) afternoon, in Guthrie County. The Iowa State Patrol says 18-year old Ricardo Samuel Alanis Cazares, of Dawson, who was wearing his seat belt, was transported by Panora Fire and Rescue to the Dallas County Hospital, following the crash that happened at around 12:30-p.m.

Officials say Cazares was traveling north on Guthrie County Road P-28. At the intersection with 270th Street, P-28 curves west, and then back north. The 2004 Dodge Caravan Cazares was driving went across the southbound lane and onto the southbound shoulder at the curve. Cazares overcorrected, causing the van to roll over and come to rest upright in the east ditch.

Western IA teen charged with 3 counts of arson

News

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A western Iowa teen faces numerous arson charges. Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety report 19-year old Coty William Cates, of Missouri Valley, was arrested April 16th on three counts of Arson in the 2nd Degree. The charges stem from an investigation into three separate fires set to a vacant residence located at 1003 Granite Street, Missouri Valley.Cates was being held in the Missouri Valley Jail.

Officials say the first fire occurred at approximately 1:12-a.m.on October 4, 2014. The second fire occurred at approximately 3:24-p.m., on October 9, 2014. The third fire occurred at approximately 9:57-p.m., on October 10, 2014. The combination of the three fires caused extensive damage to the home.

The Missouri Valley Police Department and State Fire Marshal’s Office continue to investigate several other possible arson fires that have occurred in the Missouri Valley area over the past two years. They include:

  • An explosion at a vacant house that occurred east of Missouri Valley at 2279 Hwy 30 on October 27, 2013.
  • Numerous large hay bales set on fire in several locations outside of Missouri Valley on October 31, 2014.
  • A vacant house fire located at 105 West Superior, Missouri Valley on March 7, 2015.

Anyone with information about those is asked to call the Missouri Valley Police Department at (712) 642-2736, DPS’ State Fire Marshal Division at (712) 308-3977, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office at (712) 644-2244, or the Arson Hotline at (800) 532-1459:

A reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction from the Iowa Arson Reward Fund.

Recent rainfall lessens drought conditions in Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the past two weeks have seen needed rainfall over much of the state, ending a very dry stretch of weather. The rains reflect improvements to the drought, streamflow and shallow groundwater conditions.

Areas in yellow are experiencing "Abnormally Dry" conditions. Areas in white are considered to have "Normal" soil conditions as of April 21st.

Areas in yellow are experiencing “Abnormally Dry” conditions. Areas in white are considered to have “Normal” soil conditions as of April 21st.

Rainfall totals varied from just over seven-tenths (0.70) inches at Muscatine to more than six-inches inches at Lake Mills.  In Atlantic, rainfall from April 7th through this past Tuesday, amounted to 2.39-inches, which matches the statewide average. Temperatures have averaged 4.5 degrees above normal, as well. Officials say the wet weather comes at a time when Iowa is entering its traditionally wet months, and is a positive sign for conditions through spring.

The area of the state classified as abnormally dry has dropped from 50 percent to 25 percent according to the National Drought Monitor, a significant improvement over one year ago when more than 75 percent of the state was abnormally dry. Slight drought conditions remain present in far northwest and eastern Iowa.

For a thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends, go to www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate. The report is prepared by the technical staff from the Iowa DNR, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering and the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with The Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.