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Flash flooding from this week’s storms

News, Weather

May 22nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Reynolds has declared 15 counties state disaster areas and many of those counties had significant flash flooding from storms that moved through on Monday and Tuesday. Algona got five inches of rain, flooding roads and basements. Flash flooding in the Newton area stranded vehicles and closed roads, including a portion of Highway 5. Applington-Parkersburg and Dike-New Hartford schools are closed today (Wednesday) due to flooding. In Clay County, there was rain and hail on Monday night, then more rain on Tuesday. Clay County Emergency Management director says the small community of Webb and surrounding areas were hard hit.

“They received a substantial amount of rain down on some rural areas in southeastern Clay County, so there’s some roads closed down there,” he says. “It’s just a high water table right now and we need to be aware of it.” Strong winds last (Tuesday) night broke the Queen Two cruise boat loose on West Lake Okoboji. Jon Pausley, manager of the Arnolds Park Amusement Park, says there’s no visible damage above the water line.

“We had the Queen tied up to the dock there,” Pausley says. “The rope that was holding the backside broke and then the wind just started turning it sideways and even though we had a bunch of us from the boardwalk and bunch of our staff come down trying to pull it back in or get close enough to hop somebody on board to turn the engines on and push it back, the wind just kept beating up against it and turned it sideways against the dock, took out a little of the dock.” It appears the keel of the boat is sitting on the beach. A barge service is going to try to pull the boat back to the dock today (Wednesday).

“Then assess what, if any, damage is there,” Pausley says. “We certainly know we lost some paint. That can be fixed, so we’re hopeful nothing else underneath is going to be an issue.” The Queen Two underwent a million dollar renovation this winter and its first excursion of the season is scheduled this Saturday.

From R2-D2 to Wonder Woman, central Iowa hosts pop culture fest

News

May 22nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – It may look like Halloween arrived five months early when Des Moines Con opens on May 31st, as the event will bring some of the region’s top cosplayers to central Iowa, along with a long list of celebrity guests. Convention founder Ben Penrod says the three-day gathering always attracts some of the most sophisticated costume creators, whether they’re disguised as a muscle-bound superhero, a robotic Transformer or a fuzzy space alien.

“The level of craftsmanship that we see in Des Moines is second to none,” Penrod says. “It’s amazing and the people who really show up, who are very serious about their cosplay, it’s amazing and it’s something that doesn’t ever fail to inspire me to do better.” While many such gatherings are labeled as a “comicon” with its origin in comic books, Penrod says the Des Moines event is more of a pop culture festival.

“We celebrate all of pop culture and it starts with comics and radiates out from there,” Penrod says. “It’s about people who are big fans of things in pop culture, whether it’s comic books or TV, or anime, or maybe they’re just collectors and they like collecting toys or non-sports cards as a hobby.” Along with costume contests and Q-and-A sessions with special guests, there will be tournaments for tabletop and video gaming, along with a dizzying array of merch.

“We’ve got 200-and-some vendors and artists who each bring their own thing to Des Moines Con,” Penrod says. “We’ve got probably two dozen celebrities. I think we’ve got probably close to 50 hours of programming, panels and workshops, a lot of stuff that’s submitted by fans.” When pressed, Penrod guesses the longest lines for autographs and photos will be for “Blue’s Clues” host Steve Burns, who’s being joined by co-hosts Donovan Patton and Josh Dela Cruz, but he says there are many other actors, voice actors, cosplayers, authors and artists on the list. The long roster includes Grace Van Dien of “Stranger Things,” Alex Brightman from “Hazbin Hotel,” and Shantel VanSanten of “For All Mankind.”

“We’ve got four people who were in the Power Rangers TV series and the Power Rangers movie: Karan Ashley, Steve Cardenas, Jason Narvy, Paul Schrier, who are always popular,” Penrod says. “Power Rangers is something that’s been popular for almost 30 years.” Des Moines Con will run May 31st through June 2nd at the Iowa Events Center.

desmoinescon.com

Iowa State Adds Transfer Evan Bockman

Sports

May 22nd, 2024 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser announced the addition of three-time NCAA Qualifier Evan Bockman to the program Wednesday.

“Evan brings a lot of experience and will be another veteran guy on our team,” Dresser said. “We feel he can enhance our room and we think he has the ability to score a lot of points throughout his final season. He is just arriving in town and I can tell he is ready to get to work.”

Bockman, who joins the Cyclones from Utah Valley, posted a 54-29 record at 197 pounds in three seasons with the Wolverines. Most recently, Bockman tallied a 19-9 record in 2023-24, including an 8-1 dual mark, and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships where he upset No. 13 seed Levi Hopkins (Campbell) in the first round.

The Anchorage, Alaska native led Utah Valley in wins each of the last two seasons and is a two-time placewinner at the Big 12 Championship, finishing fifth in 2023 and seventh in 2022.

Prior to Utah Valley, Bockman spent three seasons at California Baptist. He redshirted his initial college season in 2018-19 and did not compete in 2019-20 before posting a 4-3 record during the shortened 2020-21 COVID-19 season.

Bockman was a three-time state champion with Grace Christian School as an Alaskan prep wrestler, finishing with a 43-0 mark in his senior season. He is a 2018 Folkstyle national finalist and Fargo Greco All-American (sixth place).

Bockman will have one season of eligibility with the Cyclones.

Glenwood Police report, 5/22/24

News

May 22nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports a Pottawattamie County man was arrested Tuesday. 30-year-old Colton Fricke, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for driving while barred, He posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond, and was released.

NWS sending out 3 teams to survey Tuesday storm damage

News, Weather

May 22nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) –  The National Weather Service said this (Wednesday) morning, they have three teams currently on the road, to survey Tuesday’s storm damage. The Weather Service says if you encounter a team (or any first responders or recovery and cleanup efforts), please give them space and let the teams do their work.

Damage assessments, tornado ratings and paths take time. The NWS says teams will provide initial in the field assessments, and in some cases additional feedback is sought by damage and structural experts. Then additional information is gathered and digested (photos, videos, satellite data) to help ensure accurate and reliable results.

Officials will post additional information as they are able to so.

At least six tornadoes strike Iowa on Tuesday multiple deaths reported

News, Weather

May 22nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Patrol says there are multiple deaths and at least a dozen injuries in Greenfield, after Tuesday’s direct hit from a powerful tornado. There’s widespread destruction in the Adair County town, with homes leveled, cars tossed and trees stripped bare. Metro Des Moines National Weather Service Meteorologist Brad Small said today (Wednesday), it’s still unclear just how many tornadoes hit the state Tuesday afternoon.

Those weather service teams will focus on three primary areas of the state where the tornadoes did their worst.

That tornado damaged Johnston High School, which is closed at least for today. Back in southwest Iowa, it appears Greenfield was hit by a large tornado, but Small says they don’t know yet how big it may have been.

More storms are in the immediate forecast, but Small says they don’t appear to be threatening.

This latest round of severe weather follows several bouts with tornadoes during April, which saw 43 tornadoes during the month, the fourth-highest number ever recorded in a single month in Iowa.

Greenfield Tornado damage: The photo’s tell a story of devastation & faith

News, Weather

May 22nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

The following photo’s of Tuesday’s tornado affecting the City of Greenfield (IA), are made available to KJAN courtesy of Melissa Ehrman Johnson.

Charlie Brown arrested on DOC warrant, Tuesday in Creston

News

May 22nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report a man from Creston who was being held in the Union County Jail, was charged Tuesday on a Department of Corrections (DOC) warrant for Violation of Parole. 39-year-old Charlie Walter Brown remains held without bond in the  Union County Jail.

Storm-related fatality in Adams County

News

May 22nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports emergency responders were dispatched at around 3:30-p.m., Tuesday, to a single-vehicle accident, where a vehicle had been blown-off Highway 148 and Joshua Tree Avenue. At the scene, Deputies located the body of a deceased female from the accident. The victim’s name was being withheld by authorities, out of respect to the family.

Adams County would like to thank all of the nearby counties who responded to the incident.

Greenfield storm relief: Items being gathered at St. John’s Catholic Church in Greenfield; Meal offered at Cornerstone Fellowship Church

News

May 22nd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Officials with St. John’s Catholic Church in Greenfield are accepting items for storm relief. They do not need donations of water, however, as they have received plenty of it and can’t accept anymore. Please donate items on this list if you can:
  • Ziploc bags
  • Sharpies
  • Large plastic totes
  • Packing tape
  • Scissors
  • Clorox wipes (or similar clean-up wipes)
  • Ponchos
  • Large trash bags
  • Work gloves
  • First aid kits
  • Batteries of all sizes
  • Toilet paper
  • Paper towels
  • Shovels and rakes.
They are also requesting and accepting baby items: diapers (all sizes), baby wipes, baby formula, nonperishable baby food. Another necessity following the storm, is spare chargers for all phones and laptops. Please feel free to come to the church and charge your devices. St. John’s is open today (Wednesday) until 9 PM. In addition the Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Greenfield is serving a meal this evening, beginning at 5:30.  If you need more information, see the Cornerstone Fellowship Church, Greenfield, IA Facebook page.