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1 dead, 4 hurt in a Saturday night crash in Des Moines

News

July 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

One person is dead and four are injured after a crash Saturday night in Des Moines. The accident happened a little after 8-p.m., at the intersection of 2nd and Holcomb Avenues on the city’s north side.

Des Moines Police say woman was pronounced dead on the scene and four others — two adults and two minors — were taken to local hospitals with serious injuries. No names were immediately released.

The crash remains under investigation.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Sunday, July 21, 2024

Weather

July 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10am. Areas of fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 78. Light east northeast wind.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Light and variable wind. Areas of fog with visibilities around or under a mile and localized patchy dense fog with visibilities under 1/4 mile at times this morning.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Light west wind. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Calm wind.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 83.

Saturday’s High in Atlantic was 75. Our Low this morning, 57. We received .01″ rain yesterday after 7-a.m.  Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 82, & the Low was 55. The All-time Record High here, on July 21st, was 107 in 1934, & the Record Low was 44, in 1894. Sunrise: 6:03. Sunset: 8:48.

Work release escape of Aaron Darnell Triplett

News

July 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Davenport, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections, late Saturday night,  said a man convicted of 2nd Degree Robbery in Clinton County, failed to report back as required, to the Davenport Residential Correctional Facility, Friday.

36-year-old Aaron Darnell Triplett is a black male, 5-feet 8-inches tall. He was admitted to the Davenport work release facility April 1st, 2024

Persons with information on Triplett’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Tripplett (I-DOC photo)

Fatal motorcycle-truck collision in Council Bluffs Saturday afternoon

News

July 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department say a man on a motorcycle died Saturday, after their motorcycle collided with the passenger side of  a truck a little after 3-p.m. at the intersection of S. 17th and 2nd Avenue, in Council Bluffs.

Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue along with Council Bluffs Police arrived on location. The operator of the motorcycle was to transported to UNMC where he died from the injuries he sustained from the accident.

This collision remained under investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit. As of the latest police report, it was unknown if drugs or alcohol were a factor to this incident.The name of the motorcyclist was not immediately released.

Missing woman found in rural Clarinda bean field

News

July 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports authorities took a call at around 8:20-p.m. Friday, with regard to a missing person. Deputies from the Page County Sheriff’s Office responded to 2074 Juniper in rural Clarinda, where they took a report of a missing 73-year old woman with health issues. Just before 1-a.m. today (Saturday), the woman was located in a bean field east of the reporting address. Her name was not released.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office wants to thank the following agencies for their assistance:

  • The Braddyville, Clarinda and Coin Fire Departments
  • Page County Communications
  • Clarinda and Shenandoah Police Departments
  • The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office
  • Montgomery and Page County Emergency Management Agencies
  • Clarinda Regional Health Center EMS

And area Residents.

Herky on Parade 20th Anniversary Bobblehead Series Unveiled

Sports

July 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Milwaukee, WI) – The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, Friday, in conjunction with the University of Iowa and Think Iowa City, unveiled 25 officially licensed, limited-edition bobbleheads commemorating the 20th anniversary of Herky on Parade. The bobbleheads are replicas of the statues that are currently on display throughout the Iowa City area featuring University of Iowa’s beloved mascot Herky the Hawk, who celebrated his 75th birthday on September 1st, 2023. The special edition bobbleheads are being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of the University of Iowa.

The series includes 25 bobbleheads that are replicas of the Herky on Parade statues as well as a Paint Your Own Herky Bobblehead that gives people the opportunity to create their own unique Herky on Parade Bobblehead. The bobbleheads included in the series are: 25 Years of Captain Kirk, Alumni Band Herky, Can’t Believe it’s Butter Herky, Cartoon Herky, Color Me Herky, Construction Herky, Dr. Grant Herky, Farm Strong Herky, From the Logo Herky, Game Day Herky, Golden Herky, Handcrafted Herky, Hayden Herky, Herk’s Anatomy, Herky in the Wildflowers, Herky’s Salute to Service, Iowa Prairie Proud, Just Herky, Lunch Lady Herky, Old Gold Herky, Paint Your Own Herky, Perspectives, Scout Herky, We Can Do It Iowa, Wrestler Herky, and Yoda.

Standing on a rectangular, gray, stone-like base, the Herky the Hawk bobblehead has his right fist up high “ready to charge.” Each bobblehead is individually numbered to only 2,024 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in November, are $40 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order. A set of all 26 is available for $1,000. A portion of the proceeds benefit the University of Iowa and Think Iowa City. Twenty years after the original parade, the third edition of Herky on Parade returned in May 2024. The wildly popular cooperative effort between the University of Iowa Department of Athletics, the Cities of Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, Solon, and Tiffin, Think Iowa City, and Iowa City Area Sports Commission debuted in 2004 and was re-introduced in 2014. In honor of his 75th birthday, Herky made his appearance across Johnson County with 100 new 6-foot-tall statues for all to enjoy. The number of statues was boosted from the originally planned 75 due to an influx of designs and a demand for statues from sponsors.

In the largest public art project Iowa has ever produced, the Herky statues were painted by local and regional artists. They hit the streets for public display on Wednesday, May 1st. The statues will be taken down during the last week of August before FRYfest. Anyone can buy a Herky for $5,000 – although over 50 percent have already been spoken for. Statues not sold will go to auction with proceeds going to the Iowa City and Clear Creek Amana community school districts, in support of art education programs and camp costs for low-income students.

“It’s hard to believe that it has been 20 years since we first ‘took to the streets’ with Herky on Parade in 2004,” Think Iowa City president Josh Schamberger said in a statement. “In 2014, Herky the mascot got a new makeover which we celebrated with the rollout of Herky on Parade 2.0. I recall several of us joking about how we’d be too old to do this again on a 20th anniversary. Well, here it is 10 years later, and we’re energized and excited to do it all over again. It coincides perfectly with Herky’s 75th birthday celebration.”

Created by journalism instructor Dick Spencer and first drawn as a cartoon in 1948, Herky made his mascot debut at an Iowa football game in 1959. An immediate hit, Herky acquired his name in a statewide contest. John Franklin came up with the winning suggestion as a reference to Hercules. Since his first appearance, Herky has become a familiar figure at University of Iowa athletic events – home and away. He can also be seen at events throughout the Hawkeye State during the year, including the Iowa State Fair, parades, grand openings, charity events, and weddings. Herky has become a regular representative of Iowa athletics in national mascot competitions, advancing to the national finals in 2006 and 2008.

“We are excited to release these very special Herky on Parade bobbleheads that are replicas of the awesome statues that can be found throughout the Iowa City area,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Herky has been a staple at University of Iowa for generations and is loved by Hawkeye fans young and old. We know these bobbleheads will become collectibles that are passed down to future generations of Hawkeyes fans through the state of Iowa and beyond.”

Red Oak man arrested for OWI

News

July 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report 34-year-old Kristopher Carl Friesenhahn, of Red Oak, was arrested late Friday night, for OWI/1st offense. Friesenhahn was taken into custody in the 1200 block of N. 2nd Street at around 11:58-p.m.

He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the area: Saturday, July 20, 2024

Weather

July 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: Cloudy w/a 60% chance of [non-severe] showers & possible thunderstorms. High near 71. S/SE winds 5-10 8 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy w/a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Low around 61.
Sunday: Partly sunny w/a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 75. Winds east at around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Monday: Mostly sunny w/a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. High near 79.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny w/just a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. High near 82.

Friday’s High in Atlantic was 78. Our Low was 61. We received .13″ rain last night in Atlantic (at KJAN). Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 82 and the Low was 54. The All-Time Record High in Atlantic on July 20th, was 109 in 1934. The Record Low was 44 in 1953. Sunrise: 6:02; Sunset: 8:49.

NTSB releases findings on biplane crash at Council Bluffs airport

News

July 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (WOWT-TV) – The NTSB has determined the cause of a small biplane crash at the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport in April. The National Transportation Safety Board, which did not travel to the scene, released its report this week on the crash, which occurred at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10.

The board determined the probable cause of the accident was the pilot’s failure to maintain control of the plane during takeoff with a “direct gusting crosswind.” According to the report, winds were measured at 12 knots with gusts of up to 20 knots. The aircraft veered left off the left side of the runway during takeoff and over a beam, according to an earlier report from the Federal Aviation Administration. The pilot tried to correct the plane, but the left wing struck the ground, and it ended upside down.

The pilot, who was not injured, said they hadn’t noticed any mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the crash. The De Haviland Tiger Moth plane, at two-seater owned by a Bellevue man, sustained “substantial” damage in the crash.

Don Bosco Catholic School System teacher dies in a lawnmower accident

News

July 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

GILBERTVILLE, Iowa (KCRG) – A man who died after being pinned under a lawnmower, Thursday, was identified as a teacher with Bosco Catholic School System. The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office said 43-year-old Jake Knepper, of Jesup, was trying to load a commercial grade lawnmower onto a trailer in the 100 block of 160th Street when the mower tipped off the side of the trailer and rolled upside down, pinning him underneath it.

First responders were able to remove the mower and tried to administer life-saving measures, but Knepper died at the scene. In a Facebook post on Thursday, leaders with Bosco Catholic School System said there is now a hole in the community. School staff held a Mass, followed by a prayer vigil, on Friday morning.