(Radio Iowa) — No one was hurt this (Wednesday) morning when a school bus was struck by a train at a rural crossing in northwest Iowa’s Woodbury County. Major Todd Wieck, of the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Department, says the accident happened just after 7:30 a-m.  “The driver told our personnel that the bus had stalled on the tracks and he couldn’t get it started to get it off the tracks and they saw the train coming,” Wieck says. “The driver and another occupant that were on the bus obviously got off the bus because they knew it was going to get hit by the train.” The bus was from the Westwood Community School District. It was struck near the rear end and was spun around almost 180-degrees. The Iowa State Patrol is conducting the crash investigation.

Persons with an interest in tourism in Cass County are invited to attend the annual meeting of the Cass County Tourism Committee. The meeting takes place 9-a.m. Monday, Feb, 18th, in the meeting room of the recently renovated Whitney building. The Cass County Tourism Council’s purpose is to promote area attractions, and to continually develop and market the culture, history and economic well-being of Cass County, Iowa.

According to the 2017 Economic Impact Assessment of Travel in Iowa, domestic travelers spent a total of $8.50 billion in Iowa during 2017, a 3.3% increase from 2016. Cass County’s percent change over 2016 in expenditures was an increase of 5.85%. Total payroll increased by 2.9% to nearly $1.4-illion. On average, every dollar spent by domestic travelers produced 16.3 cents in payroll income for Iowa residents. Cass County’s percent change in payroll income was an increase of 5.42%. Domestic travel supports payroll directly of food service, entertainment and recreation and lodging sector.

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County executed two arrest warrants Tuesday at a residence in the 400 block of Lincoln Street, in Coin. Taken into custody on warrants for failure to appear on original charges of Possession of drug paraphernalia, was 33-year old Laura Christine Hartman, and 36-year old Justin Allen Gearhart, both from Coin. Hartman and Gearhart were transported to the Page County Jail where they were each booked in on $300 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Work should begin soon to build a park at the site of a much-loved but long closed Des Moines amusement park. The City Council on Monday approved a plan to create a new version of Riverview Park, which for decades was home to an amusement park that closed in 1978. KCCI-TV reports a nonprofit foundation has spent nearly 10 years raising $600,000 to help pay for the new park. Construction of the park is expected to begin this spring with plan to open in summer 2020.

The park will include a 6,000-seat outdoor concert venue, playground and concession stand. Cost will be shared by the nonprofit Parks Area Foundation, city of Des Moines, Polk County and Prairie Meadows Casino.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has been appointed to a national advisory board on worker training led by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Ivanka Trump. The American Workforce Policy Advisory Board is a 25-member panel designed to develop strategies for worker training and education “that will equip them to compete and win in the global economy.” Members of the board were announced Wednesday (today).

Other board members include Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Apple CEO Tim Cook and chief executives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Home Depot and IBM. Board members are appointed to serve until July 2020. The board was created by an executive order President Donald Trump signed last July that created the National Council for the American Worker. The advisory board is to provide information and recommendations to the council.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County report 31-year old Kevin James Jungers, of Lenox, was arrested early this (Wednesday) morning. Jungers was taken into custody at around 12:10-a.m. at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for Theft in the 3rd Degree. He was being held in the jail on a $2,000 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say the bodies of two adults have been discovered inside the charred remains of a home on the north side of Des Moines. A Polk County Sheriff’s Office news release said Wednesday the identity and sex of both adult bodies are unknown. Firetrucks were dispatched after a 911 call was received around 4:20 a.m. Wednesday. Crews were still on the scene late this (Wednesday) morning.

Only minor injuries were reported following an accident that involved four vehicles, Tuesday afternoon, in Sidney. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened on the Square in Sidney, at around 2:50-p.m.. Authorities say a 2011 Ford Escape driven by Patricia Mintle was backing out of a parking stall on the west side of the square, when her foot, which was slippery from the road conditions, slipped off of the brake and hit the gas pedal. Her SUV backed from the parking stall and struck right rear corner of a 2014 Buick Encore, driven by Twilia Larson, of Sidney.

Photo courtesy Fremont County Sheriff’s Office

Mintle’s SUV then hit the passenger side of a 2013 Chrysler 200 that was parked on the east side of the street, and owned by Donna Nenneman, of Hamburg. The Mintle vehicle then proceeded to strike a parked 2019 Toyota Camry on the passenger side. The Camry was registered to Patricia Freer, of Shenandoah. Mintle refused treatment at the scene and no one else was injured during the incident. Mintle was cited for unsafe backing.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by Sidney Rescue.

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling nearly 1.5 million pickup trucks in North America because the transmissions can suddenly downshift into first gear. The recall covers F-150 trucks from the 2011 through 2013 model years with six-speed automatic transmissions. The company says a glitch in sending a signal from the transmission speed sensor is the cause. Ford has five reports of accidents including one that caused a whiplash injury from a sudden downshift. Owners will be notified by letter starting March 4. Dealers will update the powertrain control software to fix the problem.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Loras College in Dubuque has announced receiving its largest one-time cash gift ever: $5 million. Officials at the Roman Catholic liberal arts college say the gift from Bill Miller, of Camarillo, California, will help the school complete campus upgrades. “Today is a transformational day for Loras,” said college Vice President for Advancement/Treasurer Mike Doyle in a news release.

Loras will rename its Academic Resource Center as the Bill and JoAnne Miller Academic Resource Center in recognition of the gift. Miller was a 1952 graduate of Loras Academy, which then was an all-boys Roman Catholic high school.