Sheriff’s officials in Page County say rapidly deteriorating road conditions were to blame for two, separate non-injury accidents late Wednesday morning.  The first happened at around 10:55-a.m., east of Shenandoah on C Avenue, just south of Highway 2. Officials say a 2010 Ford pickup driven by 46-year old Donald Wayne Lindquist, of Red Oak, was traveling south on C Avenue, when the roadway became  slick very quickly. The pickup went out of control and into a ditch where it rolled over. Damage was estimated at $15,000.

The second accident happened at around 11:50-a.m., Wednesday, also on C Avenue, about one-half mile north of 250th Street. The Page County Sheriff’s Office says 62-year old Dasie Mae Richt, of Northboro, was traveling south on C Avenue, when her 2001 Mitsubishi went out of control and entered a ditch, where it rolled over and landed on a fence before coming to rest on its top. Damage was estimated at $7,000.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A wintry storm that heaped snow on the Rockies has pushed east into northern Nebraska and northwest Iowa. NWS meteorologist Todd Heitkamp said 4 to 6 inches of snow had fallen in northwest Iowa on Wednesday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Regents has approved plans to freeze tuition rates for undergraduates — and reduce them for law students. The regents voted yesterday to keep tuition steady for resident undergraduate students at Iowa’s three public universities for the second straight year. The freeze is contingent on the schools receiving a 4 percent general funding increase from lawmakers next year. Without it, the regents warn they may have to approve a hike later.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — The ambassador of Nigeria is coming to Dubuque. Ambassador Geoffrey Teneilabe will address an audience December 12th at the Dubuque Multicultural Family Center as it celebrates the history and culture of Africa. The reception and program, titled “All Africa” will include opening remarks by Dubuque Mayor Roy Buol.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a man suspected of shooting at passing vehicles in a Des Moines neighborhood is in custody and injured. Police Sergeant Jason Halifax says officers exchanged gunfire with the man yesterday afternoon on the city’s south side, following multiple reports of shots being fired in the area. He was injured and taken to a local hospital.

In an update to our earlier story, the Iowa State Patrol Wednesday evening released more information about an accident which occurred Wednesday afternoon that killed one person and injured two IA DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement officers. Officials say 52-year old Bruce Coenen, of Harlan, died in the crash. DOT officers Brian Rink, age 40, of Griswold, and Kent Liebe, age 58, of Carter Lake, were injured.

The Daily NonPareil, quoting Police dispatch reports, said Coenen had left a behavioral facility in Harlan, smelling of alcohol. The 2003 Pontiac Bonneville he was driving travelled south on Highway 59 for nine-miles at speeds of up to 100-miles per hours, with a Harlan Police officer in pursuit. The car slammed into the DOT enforcement officers’  2012 Chevy Tahoe, about one-mile north of Interstate 80, at around 12:25-p.m., after the SUV did a U-turn in an attempt to block the Bonneville using a rolling stop, according to authorities. The Bonneville caught fire, and state troopers who arrived on the scene put out the blaze.

Coenen died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt. His body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny, for autopsy. The Patrol says Brian Rink was also not wearing a seat belt. He was transported by private vehicle to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. Kent Liebe was wearing a seat belt. He was transported by Avoca Rescue to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha. A report on both officers’ conditions, was not available.

Highway 59 was closed for more than two hours as the crash was investigated. It reopened at about 2:30 p.m. Assisting at the scene, was Avoca Fire and Rescue, Harlan Fire and Walnut Fire and Rescue.