DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded $14.8 million in grants to help Iowa communities and agencies make repairs. A release from U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s office says six Public Assistance Grants were awarded. They range in amount from just over $1 million to $4.5 million.

The grants were given to the communities of Des Moines and Lake View, as well as the Corn Belt Power Cooperative, the Nishnabotna Valley Rural Rural Electric Cooperative, the Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative and the Western Iowa Power Cooperative.

Under the terms of the grants, FEMA contributes 75 percent of the repair costs. The rest must come from state or local entities.

(updated 1-p.m.)

An official with Mid-American Energy says more than 3,300 homes and businesses in Council Bluffs were without power Saturday morning. Company spokesperson Ann Thelen said the outage was reported at 7:40 a.m., and the power was restored by around 9:30-a.m.

The outage, she said, was caused by a storm that passed through the area, and affected customers in the south part of Council Bluffs.

There are at least five local government and/or school board meetings set to take place Monday, in the immediate KJAN listening area. At 7:30-a.m., the City of Atlantic’s Board of Adjustment will meet in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall, to hold a public hearings on requests for a Conditional Use Permit and Height Variance for a cell phone tower, and, to receive public comment on an updating of the Zoning Ordinance.

During the Public Hearing, the board will discuss a request from Paul Wrablica, of Prairie Village, Kansas, for a Conditional Use Permit on behalf of I-Wireless, to allow for the construction of a wireless telecommunication facility in an R-2 (low density single family) zone. The proposed location for the cell phone tower is at the Atlantic Community High School. Wrablica has also requested a Height Variance for the 150-foot monopole tower, which, does not currently conform to the zoning ordinance.

The Board is also requesting any and all constructive input on updating the City’s Zoning Ordinance, which has not had a comprehensive review since 1995. The Planning and Zoning Commission tried to address the issue in 2005 and 2006, but no progress was made. The Board hopes public input will allow them to revise the ordinance, so it reflects the needs of Atlantic in 2011 and beyond.

At 5:15-p.m., the City of Atlantic’s Park and Recreation Board will meet at City Hall, to take action on matters pertaining to: the repair of water hydrants at the softball field and Cedar Park; and, the repair of a fishing dock at the Schildberg Quarry. They’ll also discuss Day Care Provider Pass and Pool Fees for next year, along with Schildberg Quarry maintenance planning, & cooperative utilization of equipment with the City.

Also meeting on Monday, at 7:15-p.m., is the CAM Community School District’s Interim Board of Education. During the special session, the board will act on approving an Apple Computer lease, and contract. The meeting takes place in Anita, at the CAM High School Media Center. At 7:30-p.m., the Anita School Board is set to meet, and act on approving some administrative matters, also in the CAM High School Media Center.

And, at 7-p.m., the Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board will meet in the Family and Consumer Science Room at the High School in Elk Horn. They are expected to approve resignations, including those of the football coach, Junior High Boy’s Basketball Coach, and two para-educators. They’ll also act on approving contracts for: High School English Instructor Theresa Christensen; Special Ed teacher Kevin Pitzen; and, a shared contract with Exira for Scott Yates, Cross-Country Coach. Other discussion and/or action items include: Bus routes for the coming school year, and the purchase of a scoreboard for the softball field.

The EHK Board will move into a closed session at the end of new business, to conduct negotiations on Principal’s salaries, followed by approval of the related contracts.

No injuries were reported after a vehicle driven by an allegedly intoxicated driver slammed into a home Friday night, in Bedford. According to Taylor County Sheriff Joshua Weed, a 1970 Chevy El Camino driven by 26-year-old Anthony James Coverdale, of Bedford, crashed into the living room of a home at 405 Randolph Street, at around 11:15-p.m., Friday.

The home was occupied, but no one was injured. Coverdale faces charges that include OWI, Reckless Driving, having no proof of insurance, and criminal mischief. Bedford Police and Fire assisted sheriff’s officials in the investigation.

A similar incident happened early this (Saturday) morning, in Clearfield. Sheriff Weed reports a 1998 Suzuki Sidekick driven by 24-year-old Christopher Cameron, of Clearfield, ran into a garage located at 200 Monroe Street. Cameron took-off on foot following the crash, but was found later, by a Taylor County deputy.

The man reportedly resisted arrest, but was eventually taken into custody. He was charged with public intoxication, interference with official acts, OWI, reckless driving and criminal mischief. No injuries were reported as a result of the accident. Deputies with the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office assisted Taylor County in handling the investigation.

Both men were brought to the Taylor County jail.

Two people were shot early Friday morning in Pottawattamie County. Sheriff Jeff Danker 48-year old Patricia Harker, of rural Minden, suffered serious or critical injuries, after she was allegedly shot by her recent, former boyfriend. Danker says Harker and 27-year old Benjamin Shimmin, of Omaha, arrived at Harker’s home at around 2-a.m. Friday, after leaving a bar. 

50-year old Craig Finney, of Macedonia, who recently had a romantic relationship with Harker, arrived at her home and knocked on the door, at around 2:20-a.m. Danker says Harker told Shimmin to lock himself in the bathroom and call 911. Finney broke into the home and “a lot of yelling” ensued, including Finney demanding that Shimmin leave the bathroom. He allegedly fired a shotgun into the bathroom, but missed Shimmin.

Shimmin told authorities he then heard two other gunshots. One struck Harker in the shoulder. A third and final shot by Finney, apparently to his shoulder, was self-inflicted. Finney’s 25-year old son, Cody, told Pottawattamie County sheriff’s investigators that he saw his father after the incident and witnessed “a lot of blood.” Sheriff Danker says Finney fled from the scene after the shooting occurred.

The 2005 silver, Mercury Mountaineer he left in is owned by Evans & Evans, a soybean farming business in Oakland. Danker was unsure if Finney had a connection to the business.

Harker was critically injured and taken to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, before being transferred to the Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, where she remained late Friday night. A report on her condition is not available.

Iowa court records indicate that a restraining order had been issued in July 2004 against Finney at the request of  Harker.  The order was rescinded four months later, and Finney received a deferred judgment on domestic abuse-aggravated assault charges in December 2004.

Finney may be armed. His whereabouts are currently unknown. If you see the SUV he was driving, with Iowa license plate 784-CJL, or come across a man with a severe shoulder wound, do not approach him. Instead, you should call 9-1-1. Finney is described as being a 5-foot 9-inch tall, 250-pound white male.

Republicans in the U.S. House have approved a proposal from Congressman Steve King that would ban using any of about 15-million dollars worth of federal “telemedicine” grants for prescribing the so-called “abortion pill” known as R-U-486. “I am very concerned about the robo-distribution of abortion pills in Iowa or anywhere else,” King says. According to King, Planned Parenthood is using “telemedicine” to dispense the drug.

“A doctor sits remotely on the other side of the Skype screen, so to speak, and interviews the potential mother who, once she answers the questions that the doctor asks and they record it on their film that they’ve protected themselves, perhaps, from liability, he clicks the mouse on the one end and it opens the drawer under the screen on the other end,” King says, “and out rolls the abortion pill RU486.”

King, a Republican from Kiron, offered an amendment this past week to the agriculture appropriations bill which would prohibit U-S-D-A money from being used for telemedicine services that wind up dispensing R-U-four-86.

“This is a dangerous drug and to distribute it through robo-Skype abortions — I’m opposed to it philosophically for a lot reasons,” King says. “But practical minds who might disagree on the abortion issue should understand that this government should not be paying for it.”

A House colleague told King there was no provision in the original ag appropriations bill which called for spending U-S-D-A money on the abortion pill. King’s amendment passed, however. King wound up voting against the entire bill, though, for other reasons.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The first of two trials for a Minnesota teenager charged in the slayings of two Iowa convenience store clerks is scheduled to begin Monday in Carroll County. Michael Swanson, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in the Nov. 15, 2010, shooting deaths of clerks in Algona and Humboldt. If convicted in either of the slayings, the 18-year-old from St. Louis Park, Minn., would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

The first trial is on charges in the death of Sheila Myers, who was working at a Humboldt Kum & Go store when she was killed. The trial was moved from Humboldt County to Carroll County because of pre-trial publicity.

Swanson’s trial in the Algona slaying is scheduled for July 27 in Lyon County.

One person was injured during a single-vehicle accident this (Friday) evening, near Massena. Dispatch reports from the Cass County Communications Center indicated a 23-year old female suffered head injuries during the crash, which occurred at around 7:42-p.m., about two-miles west of 72737 Quincy Road.

Massena Rescue was called to the scene. No other details were available late Friday night.

A second accident, involving a motorcycle, was reported in Pottawattamie County, at around 8:35-p.m. That crash happened at the intersection of County Road L-34 and Mahogany Road. Underwood Rescue responded to the scene.

No other details were available late Friday evening.

AMES, Iowa – June 17, 2011 – 7:15 p.m. – The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) is providing the following update on road conditions in western Iowa. The department is continuing to monitor at-risk areas as flood water levels change. 

 
Current road closures/restrictions…
· I-29 Hamilton Boulevard interchange in Woodbury County: The southbound I-29 interchange ramps at Hamilton Boulevard in Sioux City are closed. The northbound on- and off-ramps remain open. An alternative ramp has been constructed from southbound I-29 to Wesley Parkway/U.S. 77.
· UPDATE: I-29 in Pottawattamie County: The south- and northbound lanes of I-29 between milepost 55 (North 25th Street in Council Bluffs) and the I-29/680 interchange at milepost 71 (near Loveland) are closed. This is expected to be a longer-term closure.
· I-29 in Fremont County, Iowa, and Atchison County, Mo: I-29 is closed in both directions from Iowa 2 (exit 10 in Iowa) to the U.S. 136 interchange in Missouri (near Rock Port).
· NEW: I-29 exit ramp in Fremont County: The I-29 southbound exit ramp (exit 20) to Fremont County Road J-24 near Thurman is closed.
· I-680 in Omaha area: I-680 is closed from the I-29/680 interchange (exit 61 near Crescent) in Iowa to North 30th Street in Omaha, Nebr. (exit 13). This closure includes the Mormon Bridge across the Missouri River. This is expected to be a longer-term closure.
· UPDATE: Iowa 2 in Fremont County: This Missouri River crossing extends between I-29 in Iowa and Nebraska City, Neb. Travel is restricted in both west- and eastbound directions. Surface water is covering the travel lanes at some locations. Traffic cones are in place to designate the safe travel path. The speed limit is reduced and pilot vehicles are assisting motorists through the area. For the safety of all travelers, please do not use this road for sightseeing.
· Iowa 333 in Hamburg: Iowa 333 is closed from I-29 into Hamburg. Access to Hamburg is currently available via U.S. 275 in Iowa.
 
Highway segments at higher risk of being closed due to flooding…
· I-29 near Blencoe: Two segments of I-29 remain at risk of being impacted by flood waters in this area: (1) near milepost 103.5 south of Blencoe; and (2) near milepost 107 north of Blencoe.
· UPDATE: I-29 and U.S. 30 near Missouri Valley: Locally sponsored agricultural levees provide some measure of protection for this area. Flooding is contingent on the integrity of the levee system, rising ground water and the impact of tributary water flow from a local creek. Three highway segments are at most risk in this area: (1) U.S. 30 west of I-29 between mileposts 7 and 8; (2) U.S. 30 east of I-29 between mileposts 9 and 10; and (3) I-29 between mileposts 77 and 78.
· NEW: U.S. 34: U.S. 34 between I-29 in Iowa and Plattsmouth, Neb.
· Iowa 175 near Onawa: The highway segments most at risk of flooding are west of I-29. This route serves as the river crossing between Onawa, Iowa, and Decatur, Neb.
 
Being monitored …
· I-29 northbound off-ramp to Dace Avenue in Sioux City (exit 147B or commonly known as the Downtown/Tyson Events Center): Flood mitigation efforts will be deployed to try to keep this ramp open.
· I-29 northbound and southbound lanes in Sioux City at the U.S. 77/Wesley Parkway underpass (between exits 148 and 149): Flood mitigation efforts will be deployed to try to prevent this low area from being flooded.
· I-29, from south of Bellevue (milepost 39) to Hamburg (milepost 1): This area is at a lesser risk, but would be inundated if the levee is breached or overtopped.
· Iowa 127 near Mondamin: The Iowa DOT is monitoring areas east and west of Mondamin, near mileposts 0.8 and 1.5, but the risk of flooding has been reduced.
· Iowa 376 (U.S. 75 Business): The roadway from Gordon Drive to Third Street in Sioux City may be closed if current pumping efforts are not sustainable.
 
Missouri River crossings…
The Iowa DOT is expecting the Missouri River crossings at the following locations to remain open during the flooding:
· Sioux City: U.S. 77/U.S.20 to South Sioux City, Neb.; U.S. 75/U.S. 20/I-129 to Nebraska; and I-29 over the Big Sioux River into South Dakota
· Council Bluffs/Omaha: I-80 to Omaha; I-480 to downtown Omaha; and U.S. 275 to south Omaha
· NEW: Bellevue: Iowa 370 (weight restriction in place)