Investigators looking into a personal injury accident in Montgomery County Monday evening, said no citations were issued following a collision between two semis that sent one person to the hospital. Officials blamed dusty conditions at the intersection of 230th and M Avenue as the reason for the crash between semis driven by Frank Blaha and Shawn Costales, both of whom are from Lincoln, NE.

The accident happened at around 5:23-p.m. Officials say Blaha was driving a 1999 International semi tractor pulling a 2013 Smithco side-dump trailer. He stopped at the intersection to allow another vehicle to enter. Costales, who was coming up behind Blaha in a 2001 International semi tractor which was also puling a side-dump trailer, did not see Blaha had stopped, due to the dusty conditions. He tried to avoid a rear-end collision by turning left, but ended-up hitting the left rear bumper and tire of the trailer being pulled by Blaha’s semi.

Costales’ semi then left the road and crashed through a fence. Costales was transported by Red Oak Rescue to the Montgomery County Hospital, to be checked for possible injuries. Blaha refused medical treatment. Both men submitted to DOT drug testing at the hospital.

Damage from the crash amounted to slightly more than $15,600, including damage to the fence owned by Max Peterson, of Stanton.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The registration for a Nov. 4 bullying prevention summit in Des Moines has been extended through Wednesday. Gov. Terry Branstad says additional demand for tickets is driving the extension. The original deadline for registration was Friday. The Governor’s Bullying Prevention Summit registration is online at: preventbullying.iowa.gov

This year’s theme is “Mission Possible: Stepping Up the Response,” and is a follow-up to last year’s summit which drew about 1,100 people. The summit’s keynote speaker is Emily Bazelon, author of the book “Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy.” The summit will include sessions on how students and adults can make a difference. Participants will explore good legal policy and support schools may need to better deal with bullying.

As Iowa recovers from the recession, a worker shortage is making it hard to compete with other states, according to north Iowa business consultant Roger Underwood. He’s part of a state panel that tracks economic trends and the likely effect on tax receipts. Underwood says in the last few weeks, he’s heard from several employers who are struggling to find employees, especially skilled workers. “I’ve been working with one business in north Iowa, trying to fill a position and it’s difficult,” Underwood says. “It’s all across the board, manufacturing, service, wholesalers, even some of the retailers are having trouble.”

Iowa’s unemployment rate rose slightly during August to four-point-nine percent, up just one-tenth of a point from July. The September jobless numbers should be out this week. Underwood says Iowa’s employers have been in this situation before, desperate for skilled laborers. Underwood says, “It was difficult 10 to 15 years ago to fill slots and then unemployment went up and there were a lot of people available all of the sudden and now we’re getting back to the unemployment rate that’s almost considered a full employment rate.”

Underwood, who’s from Clear Lake, represents the private sector on the state’s three-member Revenue Estimating Conference.

(Radio Iowa)

A new study finds breast milk sold online could contain potentially dangerous bacteria and, in some cases, salmonella. Brandi Jorgenson of Omaha is chief organizer for the Iowa and Nebraska chapters of “Eats on Feets” — a service that uses local Facebook pages to connect mothers who donate and receive free breast milk. The Iowa page had 263 “likes” on Monday. “The premise of safe milk sharing and the peer-to-peer sharing is that it’s free,” Jorgenson says. “When you put a price tag on anything, it becomes a commodity, as in people are less likely to be open and honest about…risk factors.”

Jorgenson says the most important thing with the “Eats on Feets” network is that women donate their milk for free and the family that receives the breast milk interviews the donor. “If the mother consumes caffeine or is a smoker or occasionally drinks, the receiving mother might decline that milk and find a different donor,” Jorgenson says. “Some donors prefer to have their milk to go to babise who are sick or who are otherwise struggling in some way.”

A study published in the journal “Pediatrics” found samples purchased through the milk-sharing website www.onlythebreast.com had high rates of bacteria. The Mother’s Milk Bank at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is the only organization in the state that is regulated by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. Its milk donations are pasteurized and distributed by prescription.

(Radio Iowa)

Law enforcement agencies in west central Iowa continue to investigate a fire in Woodbine, at the Everything Ellen Flower shop located at 413 Walker Street.  The fire, which occurred Sept. 26th, is believed to have been the result of arson. The scene investigation revealed the fire was likely set to the west wall of the flower shop abutting the alley that runs north to south behind the building.

Investigators have obtained surveillance video from the alley showing a male subject walk up to the back of the building from the south at approximately 3:21 PM. After a short amount of time the subject turns around and walks back down the alley (to the south). The subject of unknown age appears to be a white male, approximately 5’7” to 6’0” tall, wearing a dark colored t-shirt, light colored baggy shorts that extend past their knees (possibly white basketball style short) with a dark stripe down the side, and dark colored shoes. The fire was reported to Harrison County 911 at approximately 3:29 PM.

Investigators are seeking the public’s assistance to identify this person. Investigators are also seeking the public’s help in providing copies of any video or photographs taken of the downtown area within an hour prior to the fire or within the first 30 minutes of the fire call. As with any fire, a reward is offered through the arson reward fund of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for this or any other fire.

Anyone with information concerning the fire, or who has video or photos meeting the above requirements are asked to contact the Woodbine Police Department at 712/647-2345, the State Fire Marshal’s Office at 712/308-3977, or the Arson Hotline at 800/532-1459.  The Harrison County Sheriff is also assisting with this investigation.