A RED FLAG WARNING is in effect from Noon today (Monday) until late this evening all but extreme northeast Iowa, and far western Nebraska, for Extreme Fire Weather Conditions. In addition, a WIND ADVISORY remains in effect from Noon today until late this evening. A combination of warming temperatures, strong southerly wind, low relative humidity, and relatively dry prairie grasses and other fuels will create extreme fire weather conditions. Any fires that start this afternoon may spread rapidly and become uncontrollable.

Red Flag Warning for counties shaded in pink

* Relative Humidity…Minimum relative humidity between 20 and 30 percent during the afternoon.

* WIND…Strong south to southwest winds with sustained speeds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts over 50 mph possible.

* FUEL…Prairie grasses and any lingering crop debris will dry out quickly in these conditions and may be able to burn easily and lead to extremely fast fire growth.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:00 a.m. CDT

ANITA (KJAN) – Interstate 80 westbound in Cass County was completely blocked this morning at mile marker 71, due to a semi tractor-trailer rollover accident with minor injuries. The crash happened at around 2:35-a.m. Traffic was being diverted to Adair. Additional details were not immediately available.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — One Iowa State University student died and another was missing after members of the school’s crew club had an accident on a lake north of Ames. The university says the students were practicing Sunday morning at Little Wall Lake in Hamilton County when their boat capsized. Three were rescued and a dive team recovered the body of one student later in the day. The search for the fifth student was called off Sunday night and will resume Monday morning. The three students who were rescued were treated at an Ames hospital and released. The names of the students were not released Sunday. The students were part of the Iowa State Crew Club, a recognized student organization. Little Wall Lake is about 15 miles north of Ames.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Only days after a mass shooting at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, prompted renewed discussions about the nation’s gun laws, Gov. Kim Reynolds is considering a bill that would make handgun carry permits and background checks on unlicensed sales optional in Iowa. The bill was approved in the Senate with only Republican support after clearing the House with the backing of only one Democrat. Reynolds, a Republican, has made statements in the past in support of the state’s current background checks and permits to carry handguns. However she has rarely vetoed measures supported by her GOP colleagues. When asked last week if she had changed her mind on such gun rules, she suggested an openness to the bill.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa residents in the 515 and 319 area codes will soon have to get used to dialing all 10 digits of a phone number when making calls. The Federal Communications Commission is requiring Iowa callers to start dialing both the area code and phone number when making a call starting Oct. 24. The reason for the change is that officials are preparing to add a new three-digit number, 988, for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. The Iowa area codes that include Des Moines and Cedar Rapids must make the change because some of their local phone numbers use 988 as the prefix for some seven-digit phone numbers.

(UPDATE: Interstate re-opened around 3:35-a.m.) Interstate 80 westbound in Cass County was completely blocked for about an hour east of Anita this (Monday) morning due to a semi tractor-trailer rollover accident with minor injuries.

Photo submitted to KJAN News

The driver was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Anita Rescue, to be checked out. The crash happened at around 2:35-a.m. near mile marker 71. Traffic was diverted to Adair until the rig could be removed from the lanes of traffic.

Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Mike Kennon with Cass County EMA were on the scene. Additional information will be released later from the Iowa State Patrol.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Only days after a mass shooting at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, prompted renewed discussions about the nation’s gun laws, Gov. Kim Reynolds is considering a bill that would make handgun carry permits and background checks on unlicensed sales optional in Iowa. The bill was approved in the Senate with only Republican support after clearing the House with the backing of only one Democrat.

Reynolds, a Republican, has made statements in the past in support of the state’s current background checks and permits to carry handguns. However she has rarely vetoed measures supported by her GOP colleagues. When asked last week if she had changed her mind on such gun rules, she suggested an openness to the bill.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa residents in the 515 and 319 area codes will soon have to get used to dialing all 10 digits of a phone number when making calls. The Federal Communications Commission is requiring Iowa callers to start dialing both the area code and phone number when making a call starting Oct. 24. The reason for the change is that officials are preparing to add a new three-digit number, 988, for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

The Iowa area codes that include Des Moines and Cedar Rapids must make the change because some of their local phone numbers use 988 as the prefix for some seven-digit phone numbers.

Red Oak Police, Sunday morning, arrested a woman from northwest Iowa’s Plymouth County. 18-year old Aayla Ann Jo Larson, of Hinton, was taken into custody at around 12:25-a.m., for OWI/1st offense, and Interference with Official Acts. She was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:05 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Court records show an Iowa gun store refused to sell a semi-automatic rifle to a heavily armed and agitated Colorado man who said he was surprised his friends didn’t suspect he was the Boulder mass shooter. Federal agents say Adam Vannoy made the remark Tuesday when he was trying to purchase an AR-style rifle from Sportsman’s Warehouse in Ankeny, Iowa. The store denied the sale and notified federal authorities. Vannoy allegedly said he had 500 rounds of ammunition in his truck. He has been arrested on a federal weapons charge stemming from a March 14 traffic stop in Nebraska, when authorities say he had several firearms, an illegal silencer and marijuana.

ANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff on Monday to remember the prison nurse and correctional officer killed in a failed escape attempt. She said Saturday in a news release that that the state “grieves the loss” of 50-year-old nurse Lorena Schulte, of Cedar Rapids, and 46-year-old Officer Robert McFarland, of Ely. They were killed Tuesday at the Anamosa State Penitentiary in eastern Iowa. The release said Monday is when both will be laid to rest. Inmates Michael Dutcher, 28, and Thomas Woodard, 39, are charged with two counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder and second-degree kidnapping.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa coronavirus data continued to suggest Friday that virus activity is increasing in the state with infections and deaths continuing to rise. Similar trends were noted Friday by the White House COVID-19 Response Team members who expressed concerns about rising cases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says cases and hospital admissions are rising nationally and people should take this moment seriously and continue to wear a mask to avoid another surge. Iowa reported 979 new cases on Friday and 19 additional deaths increasing the state death total to 5,708. The seven-day positivity rate increased to 4.8%.

(Radio Iowa) Governor Kim Reynolds visited the NaturalShrimp facilities in Blairsburg and Webster City, Friday. The Dallas, Texas-based company this week began the process of stocking the shrimp at the two Hamilton County locations. “For them to come in bring the technology that really eliminates the wastewater that the previous facility was dealing with, it is exciting,” Reynolds says.

Gov. Reynolds tours shrimp farm

NaturalShrimp purchased the former Vero Blue Farms building in Webster City last January. Reynolds says one site services as the incubator for the shrimp and the other will grow them to a size where they can be sold to restaurants.