One person suffered minor injuries during a collision this (Thursday) morning between a straight truck and a flatbed truck/trailer, about four-miles west of Grant, in Montgomery County. Sheriff’s officials say at a 1975 GMC straight truck driven by 69-year old Merlin Rasmussen, of Red Oak, was traveling north on Q Avenue at around 8:40-a.m., when he failed to stop at the stop sign at 110th Street. A 1998 International flatbed truck pulling a 2010 Titan flatbed trailer, and driven by 21-year old James Swanson, of Marne, was unable to stop in-time, and struck the GMC on the right front side.

Accident scene. Photo courtesy Brian Hamman, Montgomery Co. EMA

Following the collision, the straight truck came to rest in the northwest ditch, while the flatbed continued down the north shoulder. The gooseneck of the trailer it was pulling became detached, and wound up in the north ditch. The flatbed truck then came to rest in the eastbound lane of traffic, facing southwest.

The straight truck, registered to Ronald Adams, of Elliott, was totalled. The loss was estimated at $2,500. The flatbed truck, regiestered to Wright Trucking, L-C, in Atlantic, was also totalled, with the loss  estimated at $10,000. The trailer it was pulling sustained $1,200 damage. Swanson suffered a bump on the head, but did not seek medical treatment.

Officials say Rasmussen was cited for Failure to Stop at a stop sign.

The Atlantic Police Department reports a man from Pottawattamie County was arrested today (Thursday), on alcohol and drug charges. 27-year old Benjamin Grulke, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for Possession of Controlled Substances, and for Public Intoxication. Grulke was booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Iowa State Patrol has released the name of a woman who was injured during a single vehicle crash early this (Thursday) morning, on Interstate 80 in Cass County. 19-year old Rachael Annette Johnson, of Omaha, NE, was transported by LifeNet helicopter to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, after she was extricated from her 1997 Chrysler LHS.

The accident happened at around 4-a.m. on I-80 eastbound, just east of the Anita exit. The Patrol says Johnson fell asleep at the wheel, causing the vehicle to leave the road to the left and enter the median. The car then crashed through tension cables rolled into the south ditch before coming to rest on its wheels facing northbound in the ditch. The accident wasn’t discovered until about 6:35-a.m.

Anita Fire and Rescue worked to extricate the woman from her car. Medivac Ambulance assisted Anita Fire at the scene.

An Atlantic business says it will donate 100-percent of the proceeds from the sale of watch batteries toward Oklahoma tornado relief efforts. Rich and Nedra Perry, owners of Geis-Perry Jewelry, say proceeds from the sales of watch batteries that take place between now and July 4th, will be made available to the United Church of Christ in Atlantic, and are destined for relief efforts underway following the May 20th tornado that hit Moore, OK.

Church member April Thielen is in Oklahoma helping with disaster relief, along with most of her family. She is coordinating the donations and distributing them to persons in need. April’s husband Nathan took a second shipment of relief supplies to the area last Sunday, in his semi. Sales of the watch batteries and related relief efforts began May 20th.

Citizens of Woodbine, in Harrison County, came out in full force Wednesday evening, to learn more about a proposed Wellness Center. About 75 residents attending the meeting held in the Woodbine High School gymnasium, heard from JEO Engineering, with regard to determining the next steps needed for the proposed $8.2 million project. 

Plans for the Woodbine Wellness Center began two years ago with listening sessions from volunteers and supporters followed by a feasibility study, site tours and gathering data. Deb Sprecker, program director for Woodbine Main Street, said the next steps for the project involve gaining community awareness, along with applying for grants, and fundraising. JEO Engineering consultant Lucas Billesbach said the firm took a look at several wellness centers in the area, including Red Oak and Ida Grove, to get an idea of what the community the size of Woodbine would need. He estimated the square footage needed for the center would be 40,000. 

The feasibility study estimated the Woodbine Wellness Center could grab members from the city of Woodbine and within a seven-mile radius of the city limits. The conceptual design shown at the meeting Wednesday night included a gymnasium, community center, lockers, and indoor pool, along with a workout center on the 2^nd floor. Billesbach said in the first year the wellness center would see close to 330 members. He said the expected revenue from yearly memberships would be approximately $210,000. Other revenue streams would bring in another $155,000, with a total expected revenue of approximately $364,000. 

Along with the fundraising of $8.4 million for the actual building, Billesbach said the community would need another $4 million for the endowment fund. He said the fund “Is not a game changer, but it is a critical avenue,” that would allow for the maintenance of the building so taxpayers don’t have that added burden. The Woodbine Wellness Center Community has already had $1.2 million donated for the project, along with the land for the facility, from a private donor.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)