A Council Bluffs man who allegedly was involved in a botched attempt to steal cooper wiring from a power pole, may end up losing parts of both hands, after he suffered fourth-degree burns over the weekend. The Omaha World-Herald reports the unidentified man in his 40’s, who has not been charged, suffered severe enough wounds that a partial amputation of his hands may be necessary. His injuries occurred after an alleged, attempted theft Saturday afternoon.

Officials say at around 3:30 p.m., MidAmerican Energy crews responded to a downed power pole near 20001 225th St., northeast of Council Bluffs between the city and Underwood. Crews found the pole had been cut with a chain saw. MidAmerican contacted the sheriff’s office, which began an investigation that led to Jennie Edmundson Hospital. That’s where a man had recently been admitted with fourth-degree burns. Sheriff Jeff Danker told the paper the man’s burns were electrical and that the suspect entered the hospital around the time deputies were dispatched to 225th Street.

Danker says Police believe the suspect and another man cut down the power pole in an attempt to access the transformer and likely harvest copper. After the man burned himself, the accomplice drove to the hospital, dropped off his partner and fled. Danker estimated damage to the power equipment at $10,000. About 200 people lost power as a result. The sheriff said he’s confident an arrest will be made in the case as the investigation continues.

Medical personnel eventually transported the man from Jennie Edmundson to the burn unit at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, according to hospital staff, where he was in fair condition.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

LECLAIRE, Iowa (AP) — The Coast Guard says a towboat sank in the Mississippi River near the Quad Cities-area community of LeClaire, releasing oil into the water. The Stephen L. Colby struck a submerged object Monday, which caused the vessel to sink. The Coast Guard says nine members aboard made it to safety. About 100,000 gallons of petroleum products are reportedly on board the sunken towboat operated by Marquette Transportation Co. A representative declined comment Monday night.

ALBIA, Iowa (AP) — Attorneys for an Iowa man accused of killing his pregnant wife have argued for a reduced bond. The Des Moines Register reports attorneys met to discuss Seth Techel’s request to lower his bond from $750,000 to $75,000, and remove restrictions on travel and whom he can contact. Seth Techel is charged with first-degree murder in the May 2012 death of Lisa Techel. Both of his trials this year have ended in mistrial. Prosecutors say they will try him a third time.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials say there were more than one million visitors at the Iowa State Fair over an 11-day period this year. The final attendance tally was announced Monday. Visitors came to the fairgrounds in Des Moines from Aug. 8-18. Other numbers indicate there were more than 6,600 livestock exhibitors with more than 21,700 animals. New foods totaled 18, with items ranging from new flavors of funnel cakes to a shrimp corndog.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former University of Northern Iowa music instructor has lost a lengthy legal fight to obtain benefits for mental health injuries that she blames on mistreatment by colleagues. The Iowa Supreme Court says it will not review lower court decisions that denied workers’ compensation benefits to Linda Sharp. A state commissioner ruled in 2011 that Sharp’s work environment at the now-closed Malcolm Price Laboratory School at UNI was stressful, in part because one of her bosses had an authoritarian style that caused conflict. But he said Sharp failed to prove her injuries were directly caused by the environment.

The lingering question of where to locate the Cass County 9-1-1 Center is one step closer to being determined. During Monday evening’s meeting of the Cass County Public Safety Commission, Commissioner Gaylord Schelling, who also sits on the Board of Supervisors, made an announcement with regard to the Cambridge Law Firm building at 707 Poplar Street. Schelling said “We have a contract.” He said also if everything goes well, the building could be acquired before the end of the year. Commissioner Steve Livengood said “For tax purposes I think we ought to get it done before the end of the year.”

Cass Co. Public Safety Commissioners meeting 11/25/13. Ric Hanson photo

Last month the Public Safety Commission passed a motion requesting a quote from the Cambridge Law Firm, with regard to the purchase price of the building. Information was then presented before the Board of Supervisors who gave their blessing to proceed with negotiations. Schelling did not disclose what the purchase price would be during Monday night’s meeting, because there are still some matters being worked out.

Now that the County has agreed to purchase the building, it remains to be seen whether the lower level of the Cambridge building will be used for a new 9-1-1 Center, or the offices of the County Assessor and Engineer. Moving those offices to the building across the street from the courthouse, would likely open-up enough space for an expansion of the current Comm Center on the lower level of the courthouse.

Last month, E-911 Director Rob Koppert said it would cost more money to reconstruct the lower level of the courthouse – once the Assessor and Engineer’s offices are moved – than it would to make the Cambridge Building fit the needs of the 911 Center. Last night however, Koppert said while cost is still an issue, location wasn’t. He said “Quite frankly I don’t really care where the Comm Center is. If it’s cheaper to… keep over her [it in the courthouse], so be it. If it’s cheaper over there, so be it.”

Next week Al Povandra, with the Carlson, West and Povondra Architectural firm in Omaha, will be in Atlantic to re-assess the lower level courthouse space, with the idea the Assessor and Engineer’s offices would be moved out. He should then be able to come up with an estimate on how much it would cost to renovate those areas, and if it’s even wise to do so. In his report to the Board of Supervisors this past April, Al Povandra said any changes to the courthouse would cost “Big Bucks,” and it’s something that is not easily done. Discussions on how to handle the space needs of the Cass County 911 Center, along with new equipment necessary for Next Generation 911 (NG-911) services, has been ongoing for more than two-years.

The Iowa 911 Program Manager said at a recent meeting that all public safety answering points must have in-place a fully compliant NG-911 system by Dec. 31st, 2015. At Monday’s Public Safety Commission meeting, Rob Koppert said a location would have to be secured by July 1st, 2014 in order to properly build or equip a new communications center, which would take one-year to install and make operational NG-911 system equipment, which still needs to be ordered.

The Commission agreed to participate in a State of Iowa 911 grant program which requires a 50-percent match in order to obtain a maximum $50,000 grant to help with operational or project costs . If the grant application is approved, the funds will likely come from the wireless- or wireline-surcharges, and other areas.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region VII office announced Monday (today) the states of Nebraska and Iowa, along with Washington County in Nebraska and Pottawattamie and Harrison counties in Iowa, will participate with the Omaha Public Power District in a one-day exercise on Dec. 3rd, 2013, in support of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station, located near Fort Calhoun, Neb.

The routine exercise will test the abilities of the states of Nebraska and Iowa, the utility, and the participating counties to protect the health and safety of the public living and working in the vicinity of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station. The exercise is a biennial requirement to determine the adequacy of the state and local radiological emergency preparedness and response plans. It will require the activation of emergency facilities by the participating state and local officials.

The activities of the state, county and local units of government will be observed and evaluated by the FEMA Region VII Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program. Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station on-site performance will be observed and evaluated by officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

On Thursday, Dec. 5th a public meeting will be held to describe and explain the full-scale response exercise process. Since the process of evaluating the full-scale response exercise will take months, the preliminary findings are very limited in scope. Members of the public are invited to attend this meeting beginning at 11 a.m. in the City Council Chambers of Blair City Hall, located at 218 S. 16th St., Blair, Neb. Representatives from FEMA Region VII will chair the meeting and explain the exercise process. A representative from the NRC Region IV office, located in Arlington, Texas, will discuss activities conducted on-site at the power plant during the exercise.

An Atlantic man already serving time in the Cass County Jail on an assault charge, now faces a new charge. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, 30-year old Jesse Richard Swanson, of Atlantic, was charged Friday with Possession of Contraband in a Jail Facility. Swanson remains in the Cass County Jail.

Sheriff’s officials report also, on Sunday (Nov. 24th), 54-year old Ray Alan Hartsook, of Cumberland, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Hartsook was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $1000 bond.