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Three injured in Harrison County Accident

News

June 13th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Three people were injured Saturday afternoon during a rollover accident in Harrison County. The Iowa State Patrol says the crash happened at around 12:10-p.m., about three-miles north of the Mondamin exit, as one vehicle was passing another.

Officials say a non-contact vehicle was passing a 2001 Ford Excursion on the left as both were headed northbound on I-29. The driver of the SUV, 18-year old Donald Bennett, of Arlington, TN, became nervous and moved to the right. Once Bennett realized he was too close to the concrete barrier, he moved back over to the left, causing the SUV to swerve.

Bennett overcorrected, causing the Excursion to go out of control and enter a spin. It then left the roadway and rolled several times into the east ditch. Bennett remained trapped in the vehicle for time before he was flown by Mercy Air Care to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs.

Two passengers in the SUV, 16-year old Amanda Bennett and 56-year old Mary Bennett, were transported by Mondamin Rescue to the Onawa Hospital. All of the vehicles’ occupants were wearing their seatbelts.

The Patrol says Donald Bennett was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. The SUV he was driving sustained $15,000 damage.

8AM Sportscast 06-13-2011

Podcasts, Sports

June 13th, 2011 by admin

w/ Sports Director Jim Field

Play

Pottawattamie County Animal Shelter seeks safety

News

June 13th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Fearing flooding from the swollen Missouri River, the Pottawattamie County Animal Shelter has moved from Council Bluffs to a new spot in Underwood.

Some volunteers are providing temporary housing for some of the dogs up for adoption.

The shelter says the animals available for adoption may be seen online at www.pottcountypets.petfinder.com.

People who want to adopt any of the animals must schedule an appointment by calling 712-366-0152.

7AM Newscast 6-13-2011

News, Podcasts

June 13th, 2011 by admin

w/ News Director Ric Hanson

Play

Saturday High School Softball Results

Sports

June 13th, 2011 by Jim Field

Creston Tournament

  • Ogden 4, Nodaway Valley 3
  • Ogden 7, Clarinda 1
  • Nodaway Valley 11, Clarinda 10
  • Red Oak 6, Griswold 2
  • Red Oak 5, Mount Ayr 3 (8 inn)
  • Bishop Heelan 13, Mount Ayr 1
  • Mount Ayr 10, Atlantic 3
  • Griswold 7, Bishop Heelan 3
  • Creston 1, Albia 0
  • Dallas Center-Grimes 5, Atlantic 0
  • Dallas Center-Grimes 1, Creston 0

Underwood Invitational

  • Underwood 6, Walnut 2
  • Thomas Jefferson 6, Charter Oak-Ute 5
  • Shenandoah 9, Woodbine 6
  • Riverside 19, Sidney 8
  • Underwood 5, Thomas Jefferson 4
  • Shenandoah 11, Riverside 4
  • Charter Oak-Ute 8, Walnut 3
  • Woodbine 13, Sidney 10
  • Charter Oak-Ute 5, Woodbine 4
  • Underwood 12, Shenandoah 0 (3 inn) – Championship
  • Riverside 5, Thomas Jefferson 2 – Third Place Game

OA-BCIG Tournament

  • Denison/Schleswig 9, OA-BCIG 1
  • Harlan 15, Carroll 5
  • MVAO 12, IKM-Manning 1
  • North Polk 8, Carroll Kuemper 7
  • 7th place – IKM/Manning 15, Carroll-Kuemper 7
  • 5th place – North Polk 12, MVAO 3
  • 3rd place – Carroll 10, OA-BCIG 0
  • Championship: Harlan 8, Denison-Schleswig 0

Also:

  • Red Oak 6, Griswold 2
  • Red Oak 5, Mt. Ayr 4
  • Glenwood 16, St. Albert 1
  • St. Albert 8, West Central Valley 7
  • Earlham 10, Walnut 0

News

June 13th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

No 10-a.m. Arthritis Water class today at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA in Atlantic.

IA railroad finds switch near Menlo had been tampered with (updated 11-a.m.)

News

June 13th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Investigators say someone tampered with a train switch in west-central Iowa which could’ve caused a serious accident. Mick Burkart, Iowa Interstate Railroad’s Chief Operating Officer, says the switch box was broken into just west of Menlo. It was discovered around 4 a.m. Sunday.

 

“A passing crew noticed the switch target did not look right. They notified out train dispatcher who stopped all trains in the area,” Burkart said. “We got some maintenance personnel out there to check and they found the switch had been tampered with.” If the crew had not made the discovery, Burkart says at some point, a train would’ve derailed.

“We could’ve had fatalities, we could’ve had a release of hazardous materials, we could’ve had quite a bit of damage…very bone-chilling to think about what could have happened,” Burkart said. Authorities have been taking fingerprints in the area of the switch box.

 

The FBI is assisting with the investigation. The Iowa State Patrol and Guthrie County Sheriff’s office are also involved. Burkart says there are locks on switch boxes, so they are not easy to break into.

“People, if they’re very determined, can do just about anything. So, it just depends on how determined they are,” Burkart said. All trains were shut down in the area from 4 a.m. until noon.

(Radio Iowa)

With disaster overload, Red Cross volunteer pool runs thin

News

June 13th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The chapter of the American Red Cross that covers southwestern Iowa and eastern Nebraska is launching a series of disaster orientation classes in hopes of bringing in new volunteers to assist others in recovering from floods, tornadoes and other catastrophes. Andrea Noon, spokeswoman for the Heartland Chapter, says they’re running short on help.

“We really do need the volunteers,” Noon says. “We’ve had over 30 disaster operations going since late March. With the situations that are happening, we’re going to need more local volunteers as well, so that’s why we’ve added more training classes to get those volunteers prepared for the classes and the things they are going to need to do.”

Among the requirements, Noon says volunteers need to be at least 18 years old.
“Anybody who wants to volunteer has to take our Disaster Orientation class,” she says. “That’s the basic overview about the Red Cross, about how we work with our volunteers and then what you would experience on a disaster relief operation. That is a requirement before anybody can be deployed or take some of these more specialized courses.”

Noon says if you want to be sent on a disaster mission, make sure you can get the time off from work or school. “What we’re looking at right now is a two-to-three-week deployment period,” Noon says. “That’s something that people have to consider. We also have specialized deployments for medical personnel as well.”

Noon says they had more than 100 people attend an orientation meeting several days ago and she hopes that trend continues. Specialty classes include basic food safety, shelter operations, disaster assessments and bulk distribution. The chapter is based in Omaha/Council Bluffs. Learn more at “RedCrossOmaha.org” or call (402) 343-7700.

(Radio Iowa)

Smaller towns along may face biggest flood risk

News

June 13th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Smaller communities along the Missouri River may face the greatest flood risk this summer as the water rises. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says this summer’s Missouri River flooding could rival the record years of 1952 and 1993 in places.

Officials will increase releases to 150,000 cubic feet per second of water from five of the river’s dams on Tuesday. As a result, the river will rise 5 to 7 feet above flood stage in most of Nebraska and Iowa before continuing into Missouri where it may rise 10 feet above flood stage in several places.

The places in most danger of flooding include the small towns of Hamburg, Blencoe and Pacific Junction in Iowa; South Sioux  City, Rulo and Plattsmouth in Nebraska; and St. Joseph, Mo.

DONALD RIVERS (svcs. set for Sat. June 18)

Obituaries

June 13th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

DONALD RIVERS, 75, of Fontanelle, died Sun., June 12th, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services for DONALD RIVERS will be held 11-a.m. Sat., June 18th, at the United Methodist Church in Fontanelle. Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle has the arrangements.

Visitation is open at the funeral home from 2-8pm Fri., June 17th, with the family present from 6-8pm.

Burial, with full military graveside rite performed by the Fontanelle Am. Legion Carlson Post No. 247, will be in the Fontanelle Cemetery.

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

Memorials may be directed to the Donald Rivers memorial fund to be established by the family.

DONALD RIVERS is survived by:

His twin sisters – Della Luman and Doris (Ralph) Stevens, of Michigan

Two daughters – Keri (Mike) Sickles, of Fontanelle, and Kris Rhoads of Greenfield.

4 grandchildren

8 great grandchildren

his sister-in-law, other relatives, and friends.