An Anita woman is lucky to alive after a fire occurred at her home this (Monday) morning. Firefighters from Anita and Wiota responded to the call about smoke and flames coming from the home at 306 Elm Street just before 8:30-a.m.

Fire at 306 Elm St. in Anita (Ric Hanson photo)

Anita Fire Chief Duane Murphy says when they arrived there was a large amount of smoke venting from the windows on the north side of the building and up in the attic. Murphy says firefighters were able to get control of the situation “pretty quick.” He said while the cause remains under investigation, there was a report of a “boom” or a “bang” ahead of their arrival. He says they suspect the air conditioner may have burned through and vented into the home, but natural gas was not immediately thought to have been to blame. The initial investigation leads them to believe that it started on the inside of the home in the attic area, which is where most of the damage occurred. The Chief said there was extensive damage to the home.

306 Elm St. Fire (Ric Hanson photo)

A woman believed to be in her 50’s was in the home, along with her dog. Murphy said the woman had some injuries, but is “very lucky.” She showed indications she had taken in a lot of smoke and soot. She was transported by Anita Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic for treatment, before being flown by helicopter to a burn unti in Nebraska for additional treatment. Chief Murphy said her refusal leave the home to try and find the dog, could have cost her her life. He says it’s hard to get across to people that their health is more important than their pets. He says they spent 25-minutes trying to convince her to go to the hospital. He says if a human’s health is in jeopardy, the health of the animal isn’t going to matter if there’s no one around to take care if it. Firefighters and neighbors were still searching for the animal late this morning.

The Clarinda Police Department says only minor injuries were reported following an accident late Saturday morning near the intersection of Lincoln and 16th Streets. Officials say a 2004 Chevy Impala driven by 60-year old Carol Jean Shipley, of Clarinda, was traveling east on Lincoln approaching 16th Street at around 11:35-a.m., when she failed to stop at the posted stop sign. Shipley’s car hit a northbound 2000 Dodge driven by 19-year old Kaytlynne Jo Gregory, of Clarinda. The collision caused the Gregory vehicle to spin around.  Shipley’s car continued northeast at the intersection and came into contact again with the Gregory vehicle before it jumped a curb and came to rest in a yard. Gregory was transported to the Clarinda Hospital by Clarinda EMS. A passenger in her car, and Shipley, both refused medical treatment. Damage from the crash amounted to $8,000. Officials say Shipley was cited for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign.

Clarinda Police report also an  arrest Saturday night following a domestic disturbance. Officers were called to the Meadow Run Apartments at around 11:15 p.m. Following an investigation, they arrested 29-year old Edward Dawayne Mays, of Clarinda, for violation of a domestic violence protection order that was issued pursuant to a domestic altercation earlier in the month. Mays was being held in the Page County Jail without bond, pending an appearance before a Page County Magistrate.

Transit systems in Atlantic and Burlington have been honored by the Iowa Department of Transportation for their accomplishments during the 2011 fiscal year. In Atlantic, the Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA), also known as Region 13, provides demand-response and subscription services in Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby counties. SWITA, based in Atlantic, received the award for “Most Improved Regional Transit System of the Year.” 

Steve Andersen - SWITA Transportation Director (Photo from swipco.org)

 SWITA, headed by Transit Director Steve Anderson, posted a 14.26 percent gain in ridership. This helped reduce the cost per ride by 5.63 percent during fiscal year 2011. Anderson explained that ridership increased due to expanded transit usage in sheltered workshop programs, service to and from Cass County Memorial Hospital during a remodeling project, and service to and from the Glenwood Resource Center. This is the third time SWITA has received the award. The last time was in 2009. 

In Burlington, the Burlington Urban Service (B.U.S.), owned and operated by the city of Burlington, received the award for “Most Improved Urban Transit System of the Year.” It was the third time Burlington has received the award, the first time being in 2009. 

The awards were presented in Waterloo during the annual awards banquet, cosponsored by the Iowa Public Transit Association and Iowa DOT.Each year at the Iowa Public Transit Association Conference and Annual Meeting, the Iowa DOT recognizes one regional transit system and one urban transit system for the highest percentage increase in ridership, coupled with a decrease in cost per ride.

The Iowa Department of Transportation says beginning July 1st, motorists in Iowa who are ticketed and convicted of a violation of Iowa’s “move over” law will face increased penalties. House File 2228, signed into law by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad April 12th, 2012, takes effect Sunday, July 1st. It includes a provision requiring mandatory suspension of a person’s driver’s license/operating privileges if convicted of a violation of the move over law that results in property damage, injury or death.  Iowa’s move over law, originally enacted in 2009, prescribes the rules of the road when it comes to driving on an Iowa roadway where there is a stationary, authorized emergency, tow or maintenance vehicle displaying flashing yellow, amber, white, red, or red and blue lights.

The DOT say by following a couple of simple rules, you can help save lives, avoid receiving a traffic ticket and prevent the potential loss of your driver’s license. Iowa law requires motorists to:

1. Change lanes or slow down when approaching a stationary emergency, tow or maintenance vehicle that has its flashing lights activated.
2. Yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights or giving an audible signal by moving over to the right, stopping and waiting until the vehicle has passed before proceeding.

The scheduled fine for a conviction for violating thos Iowa Codes is $100, plus any surcharge and court costs. Upon receiving a record of a person’s conviction for a violation of the move over law that resulted in a crash causing damage to the property of another person or bodily injury to or death of another person, the Iowa Department of Transportation will suspend the person’s driver’s license/operating privileges, upon 30 days’ notice and without preliminary hearing, as follows.

• For a violation causing damage to the property of another person, but not resulting in bodily injury or death of to another person, the Iowa DOT shall suspend the violator’s driver’s license or operating privileges for 90 days.
• For a violation causing bodily injury to another person, the Iowa DOT shall suspend the violator’s driver’s license or operating privileges for 180 days.
• For a violation causing death, the Iowa DOT shall suspend the violator’s driver’s license or operating privileges for one year.

A person convicted of a violation that resulted in a crash causing bodily injury to or the death of another person may be subject to an additional fine, beyond the scheduled fine for a violation of the move over law and any other penalties allowed by law. The additional fine is $500 for a violation causing bodily injury to another person and $1,000 for a violation causing death.   

The laws are designed to protect motorists, persons being transported in emergency vehicles and personnel at high risk while performing their duties on Iowa’s roadways. A good rule of the road is to change lanes or slow down anytime you are approaching a vehicle that is slow moving, stopped or stranded on the shoulder, if you can safely do so. For more information, log on to:http://www.iowadot.gov/rules/rulesoftheroad.htm

Iowa Republican Governor Terry Branstad will make a couple of stops in the southwest part of the State this week. Branstad is scheduled to be in Lenox at 4-p.m. Tuesday, for a tour of Michael’s Foods, Inc., and on Wednesday, he’s scheduled to attend the Governor’s Volunteer Awards Ceremony at the Western Historic Trails Center (3434 Richard Downing Ave.) in Council Bluffs, beginning at 3-p.m.

Details about the Council Bluffs events are available at www.volunteeriowa.org/awards.