(Radio Iowa) – The winning ticket for this weekend’s massive Mega Millions jackpot was sold in Illinois, but five tickets purchased in Iowa came within one number of the jackpot combination and are prize-winners, too. A ticket sold at the Big 10 Mart in Bettendorf for Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing is worth two million dollars. It’s one of six tickets sold across the country that matched all but the so-called “Mega Ball” and the person who bought the ticket in Bettendorf paid the extra dollar, doubling the payout to two million.

Four other tickets sold in Iowa for Friday night’s drawing are worth 10-thousand dollars each for picking the “Mega Ball” number and four of the five other numbers. Those four tickets with a 10-thousand dollar prize were sold in Manchester, Mount Pleasant, Newton and Storm Lake*.

The winning numbers in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing were 13-36-45-57-67 and Mega Ball 14.

(*The addresses for the sites where the four $10,000 tickets were sold are as follows: New Star at 702 First Avenue in Newton; Casey’s at 1305 W. Commercial St. in Manchester; Hy-Vee Gas at 1702 E. Washington Street in Mount Pleasant and Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh Express at 1260 Lake Avenue in Storm Lake.)

(Ute, Iowa) – The pilot of a crop dusting airplane died Saturday afternoon, when the aircraft struck electrical lines and crashed onto a road. The Monona County Sheriff’s Office reports their 9-1-1 Center was notified at around 1:09-p.m. about the accident which occurred near 230th and Teak Avenue, near Ute.

The pilot died at the scene. His name was being withheld, pending notification of family. The FAA and NTSB will conduct an investigation into the accident.

The Monona County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Ute Fire and Ambulance, Western Iowa Power, Monona County Secondary Roads, and St. Lukes Pathology.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Beautiful weather continues for the Cass County Fair in Atlantic. Today (July 31st), activities begins at 7:30-a.m. with the 4H and FFA Swine Show. The tractor ride takes off at 8:30-a.m., and the Poultry Show starts at 10:00-a.m.

The Decorators Showcase takes place from Noon until 4:00-p.m., the Pig Pals Show is at One O’clock, and the Pedal Tractor Pulls at 2:30. A County Fair Church Service begins at 4:30-p.m., and the Cow/Calf Show is 5:30, with the Feeder Calf Show at 6-p.m.

The Horse Fun Show follows, at 6:30 p.m., and the featured evening event: Golf Cart Races, start at 7. Today’s featured meal is the Windsor Chop. Commercial Booths are open from Noon until 9-p.m.  KJAN will be broadcasting live from the Fair in our booth between the Commercial Buildings, from 4-until 7-p.m. (The full schedule can be seen below. Click on the image to enlarge)

(Indianola, Iowa) – An incident during the National Balloon Classic in Indianola, Saturday, resulted in several people being injured. According to reports, a hot-air balloon involved in the event struck as power line. The incident happened at around 5-a.m. Officials with the Balloon Classic said the pilot and three others were in the basket at the time. They were each treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

In a lead-up to the Classic that took place last Monday, one balloon pilot made a landing in a Des Moines backyard. The balloon landed in the 1700 block of Jefferson Avenue. The pilot told KCCI the landing was “Tight but successful.” No one was injured. 22 balloons filled the air that day, others experienced off-course landings, including in a doctor’s office parking lot and a golf course.

The pilot who made a controlled landing in the backyard, blamed a shift in winds for his incident.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Department of Criminal Investigation was requested to assist the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Saturday, following an Officer-involved shooting incident. Officials say at approximately 3:52 a.m., Saturday, Cedar Rapids Police officers conducted a vehicle stop for erratic driving in the 2200 block of Glass Road NE.

The driver of the vehicle brandished a firearm and gunfire was exchanged between the driver and two Cedar Rapids police officers. The driver sustained gunshot injures and is currently being treated at the University of Iowa Hospital.  The police officers were not injured.

The name of the injured subject was not immediately released, pending notification of family.  The names of the police officers were also not immediately released.

(Red Oak, Iowa) –  Firefighters in Red Oak were called to a structure fire early this (Sunday) morning, in Red Oak.  Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency Director Brian Hamman reports crews were dispatched a little after 1:10-a.m. to the Bunge Corporation at 2049 Fernwood Ave., for a reported fire within the structure of the building.

Upon arrival of law enforcement and fire officials, it was determined that the fire was located within the northeast dryer stack on the exterior portion of the building. Crews on scene commenced aerial operations to extinguish the dryer stack fire and worked with onsite maintenance to ensure all fire was extinguished. (All photos show are courtesy of Brian Hamman)

Hamman says all fire and water damaged was confined to the outside dryer stack with no damage to the interior portion of the building. The fire was located in the same dryer stack as previous fires, most recently as March 22, 2022. No injuries to onsite staff or firefighters on scene. Crews were on scene for roughly two hours.

The Red Oak Fire Department was assisted by the Red Oak Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery County Communication.

(Tingley, Iowa) – Authorities in Ringgold County report a minor driver rolled the pickup truck he was driving Thursday evening, around Tingley, causing injuries to the driver and one of two passengers. The Sheriff’s Office said Saturday (Today), the young person was driving a 2003 Ford F-150 at around 7:42-p.m. in a reckless manner,  and without adult supervision. The pickup went out of control while the driver allegedly tried to “drift” a corner, on 240th Avenue (a gravel road), leaving Tingley.

The pickup ran off the road to the west in an uncontrolled skid before coming into contact with the ditch and flipped the vehicle onto its roof, and coming to rest on the edge of a cornfield. The vehicle was rolled over onto the driver’s side by the time law enforcement and EMS arrived. The unidentified driver and a passenger were rushed to the Ringgold County Hospital for treatment of their injuries. The driver faces charges that include Reckless Driving and Violation of an Instruction Permit.

The pickup was later rolled over and towed from the scene.

(Kensett, Iowa) – A collision late Friday night in northern Iowa’s Worth County, claimed two lives, including that of a child, and resulted in a third person being injured. The Iowa State Patrol this (Saturday) afternoon, reported that a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica driven by 24-year-old Maggie Harvey, of Northwood (IA), was northbound on Highway 65 at around 10:20-p.m., when the minivan crossed the center line of the road and struck a southbound 2002 Toyota Avalon, head-on.

After the vehicles collided, the Toyota came to rest in the west ditch. The van rolled over and came to rest on its top in the middle of the road. A 1999 International semi driven by 62-year-old Dennis Stoneking, of Northwood, then struck the van, causing it to spin on the roadway and come to rest in the west ditch.

The driver of the Toyota, 45-year-old John Hinderscheid, of Albert Lea, MN, died at the scene, along with a passenger in the mini-van, three-year-old Thielen Fausnaugh, of Northwood. The child was not buckled into a child safety seat. The Patrol said both drivers were wearing their seat belts. All three crash victims were transported by Mason City Ambulance to Mercy Hospital. The accident remains under investigation.

Assisting the Patrol at the scene, was the Worth County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DOT MVE, Kensett Fire Department, Northwood Fire/Rescue, & Mason City EMS.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Multiple area fire departments responded to a structure fire Friday night, in Glenwood. According to reports, a person walking in the area at around 9-p.m. saw the fire at a residence on S. Chestnut Street near Vine, and called 9-1-1. The flames quickly spread to the second floor of the home, but everyone was evacuated safely.

The fire was brought under control within about an hour. Glenwood Fire was on the scene for about three-hours, working the hot spots and mop-up activities. No injuries were reported. Additional information is currently not available.

(Altoona, Iowa) [Updated 8/4/22] – Recipients of the 2022 Iowa Character Counts Awards were announced and presented with their respective awards during an event held Friday, July 29, 2022, at Prairie Meadows Event Center in Altoona. The event was sponsored by the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University in Des Moines. Among the recipients, was Schuler Elementary School, in Atlantic, for “School of Character,” and the Southwest Iowa Planning Council, for “Business/Organization of Character.” LuAnn Kustra, of Carroll, won the “Adult Citizen of Character” award.

The Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) received the Business of Character Award. SWIPCO provides technical services and administers grants for local projects. The SWIPCO team takes pride in going above and beyond what’s expected to make their communities better places to work, learn, and raise families. When floods ripped through several towns, caused millions of dollars in property damage, and destroyed more than 100 homes, the SWIPCO team jumped to work. The staff worked tirelessly to help the affected communities find resources to rebuild. Hamburg city clerk, Sheryl Owen, said, “When we needed help with residential buyouts and new housing development after the [2019] flooding, SWIPCO was there for us every step of the way.” That’s just one example of the individuals, organizations, and cities who benefit from their diligence, passion, and hard work.

Schuler Elementary received the School of Character Award. Schuler Elementary is part of the Atlantic Community School District in southwest Iowa. Their school serves 4th and 5th-grade students. The students are fortunate to have nearly 30 teachers and staff to guide them on their educational journey. Schuler Elementary values the importance of a strong curriculum that engages students in learning in authentic ways to help them think beyond the classroom. Using CHARACTER COUNTS! to guide them, Schuler Elementary believes that modeling and practicing good character is valuable for staff, students, parents, and the entire community. It is their goal to provide students with the tools they will need to become caring and respectful citizens who are motivated to make a positive impact on the world.

The last two-years, the awards were presented on television, due to COVID. Up next for the winners, is the creation of a video that will air during a one-hour primetime television special this summer or fall on KDSM Fox 17, out of Des Moines. Afterward, the Ray Center team will schedule a hometown visit to honor each award recipient in their own community.

Photo of Schuler Elementary Staff on stage for their award (Principal James Northwick, center) – Photo courtesy of Pat Powers/KQWC Radio

The Ray Center annually recognizes Iowans who show the Six Pillars of CHARACTER COUNTS!: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship. Since 2005, more than 150 Iowans having been recognized for showing good character.