(Radio Iowa) – Keokuk is getting a two-million dollar federal grant to clean up an abandoned industrial site, with plans in the works to redevelop the land. The former Elkem-Carbide plant has been vacant for more than 16 years and is contaminated with a variety of toxins. As the 80-acre site gets sanitized, Keokuk Mayor Kathie Mahoney says the city will look to attract businesses there. “It’s going to cleanup a brownfield area that we’ve needed to get cleaned up,” Mahoney says, “and it’s going to put some hope and promise in the city of Keokuk for a better, cleaner place.”

The site will be divided into six sections. Four will be developed for business and industry. The city will rent one parcel to Alliant Energy for a solar field. The sixth section, due to its topography, will be developed into a nature and recreation area.

(Radio Iowa) – Another lawsuit is being filed following the partial collapse of a downtown Davenport apartment building that killed three tenants. Lexus and Quanishia Berry were in their apartment on May 28th when their part of the six-story building dropped to the ground. Lexus was able to escape, but her wife was trapped for nearly eight hours, and only got out of the rubble after part of one leg was amputated. Lexus Berry spoke at a news conference on Wednesday. “All that we want is just accountability to be able to have closure and to know why this happened and to be able to move forward with our lives,” Berry says. “We definitely, most importantly, want you guys to know that we are not victims to the situation. We are survivors.”

Steven Hart is the attorney for the women and says he asked them what they wanted. “And what they said is, ‘We’ve been quiet too long. We’ve been pushed down too long. We’ve been taken advantage of too long. And it struck us as we fell four floors into a pile of rubble that it’s time for someone to be held accountable,'” Hart says.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday names building owner Andrew Wold, several L-L-Cs connected to him, as well as his property management company, engineering firm and contractors. It also names the City of Davenport and the building’s prior owner. The Berrys’ lawsuit is the second to be filed in connection with the incident.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Department reports the arrest on Wednesday, of 38-year-old Jacob Jones, from Glenwood. Jones was taken into custody for Driving While Barred. He posted a $2,000 bond, and was released.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Union County Sheriff’s Office report the operator of a motorcycle was transported to the hospital following a collision Wednesday evening on Highway 34. Authorities say 20-year-old Hunter L. Walter, of Creston, was operating a 2016 Kawasaki motorcycle eastbound on Highway 34, when the machine collided with the rear of a 2009 Chevy Cobalt, driven by 25-year-old Fulton S. Abraham, of Murray. Following the collision that happened at around 6:15-p.m., Wednesday, the cycle ended-up in the south ditch.

Hunter Walter was ejected from the motorcycle and slid on the road before coming to rest. He was transported by ambulance to the hospital in Creston. An accident investigation revealed the motorcycle left a long skid mark prior to hitting the car. No citations were issued.

Damage from the crash amounted to $2,000 for the car and $5,000 to the motorcycle.

(Radio Iowa) – The Ankeny-based Casey’s convenience store chain reports its gross profit rose in the just completed fourth quarter by nearly nine percent compared to the previous year. President and C-E-O, Darren Rebelez, says their in-store sales were up, while the fuel gallons remained flat. He says they are starting to see a few changes in what’s been a tough economy as some of the costs brought on by inflation have eased.

The company saw an increase in sales of its private brand products in stores, which Rebelez says is due in part to the impact of inflation and price increases for national brands. For the fiscal year, Casey’s reported net income increased 31-point-five percent to nearly 447 million dollars. The company added 81 new stores in the fiscal year, ending the year with two-thousand-521 stores.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department reports deputies Wednesday night, arrested a man wanted on an active Pottawattamie County warrant. Logan Hastings was arrested at around 10:15-p.m. in the 100 block of Coolbaugh Street, on the warrant for Violation of Probation. Hastings was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 cash-only bond.