The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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AMES, Iowa — The research farms Iowa State University operates in southwest Iowa have a new leader. ISU says Dallas Maxwell has been named superintendent of the Armstrong and Neely-Kinyon research and demonstration farms located near Lewis and Greenfield, respectively. The farms are owned by the Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development, a multi-county association of farmers and agricultural businesses, which leases the farms to Iowa State.

Dallas Maxwell

Maxwell has served as interim superintendent since October when Bernie Havlovic, the original superintendent, retired. He also has worked with the beef cattle activities at the farms since 1998. Maxwell is an Iowa State alumnus, earning a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 1977.

The Neely-Kinyon farm is managed as a satellite of the Armstrong farm, which is the location of the Wallace Learning Center. Research at the farms focuses on corn/soybeans, beef cattle, soil management and a variety of other agricultural topics. The farm’s staff includes Randy Breach, Dan Schaben and Jim Rogers who, along with Maxwell, support 75 research projects including on-farm trials and hosts more than 2,000 visitors a year.

(Update 5:55-a.m. – all lanes are open north & southbound, according to IDOT)

A truck driver from Sioux City was injured after he fell asleep at the wheel of the semi he was driving late Thursday evening and struck a guardrail off Interstate 29 and rolled over, in Harrison County. The Iowa State Patrol says 47-year old Danny Loggins was transported by Missouri Valley Rescue to the hospital in Missouri Valley, following the crash that took place at around 9:05-p.m. on I-29 southbound, about a mile north of the Missouri Valley exit.

Authorities say after the semi hit the guardrail, it struck cement bridge support pillars. The semi’s tractor and trailer, which was loaded with about 5,000 gallons of a diesel additive, rolled onto its drivers’ side. The interstate was closed in both directions for two hours while a HAZMAT Team responded to assess the situation and clean-up the mess. Officials eventually opened one lane in both directions for a few hours. The latest report from the Iowa Department of Transportation indicated all north and southbound lanes had been cleared and traffic was flowing in both directions.

Missouri Valley Fire and Rescue and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office also assisted the Iowa State Patrol at the accident scene.

Sales tax changes took effect in several Iowa communities last Friday, July 1st. A  seven percent hotel/motel tax officially took effect in the Carroll County community of Manning. A new Boulders Inn and Suites Hotel is scheduled to open in Manning this October. A one percent sales tax went into effect in the tiny southwest Iowa community of Blockton on July 1st. The community plans to use the new sales tax revenue for street repairs.

A one percent local option sales tax is now being collected in 11 cities in Warren County. Indianola plans to use its share of the new tax money to pay for a new wastewater treatment plant. Warren County officials plan to use a quarter of the county’s portion for property tax relief and the rest to finance construction of a new county courthouse and jail. Other Warren County communities have plans to use the money for streets, sidewalks and other city expenses. Warren County voters approved the new tax earlier this year. Victoria Daniels, the public information officer for the Iowa Department of Revenue, says voters knew how the money would be used.

“On the ballot they have to have a revenue purpose statement and say: ‘Here’s what this money will be used for,’ and that’s what the voters are voting on,” Daniels says, “not only that a.) they agree with having this tax, but b.) they agree with the purpose.”

And, the local option sales tax that has been collected in the communities of Storm Lake, Alta, Rembrandt and Lakeside in Buena Vista County is now permanent. It had been set to expire.

(Radio Iowa)

Thanks to a generous donation by the Red Oak Kiwanis Club, and the help of several volunteers, Montgomery County 4-H youth will enjoy a new activity at the 2016 Montgomery County Fair. A Gaga Ball Pit was permanently installed on Friday, July 1st at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds on the south side of the 4-H Exhibit Building. A Gaga Pit is wood octagon, made up of eight sides with a 20 foot diameter court for play.

The object of the game is to use a lightweight ball to hit another player below the knees to eliminate them from the “pit”. The last person in the pit is declared the winner. “We are excited to offer a game that youth have enjoyed playing at 4-H camp for several years and now it’s right here at the Montgomery County Fair,” stated Chelsea Cousins, County Youth Coordinator at ISU Extension and Outreach Montgomery County.

“Kids of all ages, sizes and athletic ability can take part in this activity – it is an easy to catch on, face-paced game with many opportunities to be the last one standing.” The Montgomery County 4-H Youth Council plans to host a 4-H Club Tournament on Saturday, July 16 at 4:00 PM. The public is welcome attend. Pickup games will also be played throughout the week of Fair.

This project would not have been completed without the collaboration of several community players. The Red Oak Kiwanis Club fully funded the project. Thanks to Brian Carlson at the Do It Center for cutting the materials and prepping the construction site at no cost.

Thank you to 4-H parents Bob Peterson, Roger Vial and Beth Vial for coordinating and constructing the project. Thank you 4-H youth Kate Carlson, Hayden VanMeter, Colin Bruce, Alec Selberg and others for helping complete the construction of this project.

(Press Release/Montgomery County Extension)

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says it’s assisting the Iowa Lottery in reviewing a possible fraudulent claim of a $250,000 winning lottery ticket. Iowa Lottery spokeswoman Mary Neubauer says an individual attempted to cash the ticket in Storm Lake on June 17. But the back of the ticket was covered with ink scribbles, making it difficult to read the signature and raising suspicions. The prize hasn’t been paid.

The instant-scratch ticket is part of the “$250,000 Riches” game the lottery began selling in March. Players scratch off a film covering a column of numbers on the front of the ticket. If a number matches a separate scratched-off section, players can win up to $250,000. Iowa Lottery officials require every winning ticket to be signed, legally purchased, possessed and presented.

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) — A Sioux City, Iowa, man has pleaded not guilty to assaulting two men with his sport utility vehicle in Nebraska, causing one man to lose part of his left leg. The Sioux City Journal reports 47-year-old Ruben Vela entered the plea Thursday at his arraignment in Dakota County District Court. He’s been charged with first- and second-degree assault, failure to stop at the scene of an injury accident and two counts of criminal mischief.

Prosecutors say Vela argued with other men on June 6 at a South Sioux City hotel. Authorities say he then drove his SUV into a parked car, forcing it against a hotel wall and pinning two men standing behind the car. One of the men had to have his lower left leg amputated.

The Iowa State Patrol has released details of an early morning collision between two semi-tractor trailers that shut down a portion of Interstate 80 for about 4 hours Thursday. At 5:16am a 2015 Volvo Tractor-Trailer driven by 31-year-old Amit Chahal of Bakersfield, CA was traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 at approximately the 86 mile-marker when his trailer began to sway and he lost control due to the rain.  The tractor-trailer jack-knifed and rolled onto the passenger side blocking all lanes of traffic as it came to rest facing north.

Due to the trailer being on it’s side an approaching 1999 Freightliner driven by 54-year-old Jeffrey Figgens of Omaha was unable to see any lights or reflectors and struck the undercarriage of the trailer.  The Freightliner came to rest on the shoulder after the collision.

Figgins was transported to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines with unknown injuries by Stuart EMS.

No further details have been released at this time.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Massena resident after a traffic stop on Thursday.  At 10:30am deputies arrested 54-year-old Kelly Erickson of Massena after a traffic stop for a passenger with no seat belt.  Erickson was the driver and was charged with having no valid drivers license, no interlock device, and failure to file SR-22 insurance.  Bond was set at $2,050.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Mega Millions jackpot has increased to $540 million, as brisk ticket sales fuel the estimated jackpot for Friday’s drawing. Paula Otto is executive director of the Virginia Lottery and lead director for Mega Million. She says sales leading up to Friday’s drawing have exceeded expectations resulting in the jackpot adjustment.

Friday’s drawing will be the 35th since Mega Millions had a winner – the longest rollover stretch in the game’s history. Otto says that since the last winner in March, Mega Million tickets sales have exceeded $1 billion. Sales prior to the last drawing on Tuesday night also were higher than expected, at around $107 million. Sales were anticipated to hit $80 million.

Tickets are sold in 45 jurisdictions including 43 states plus the District of Columbia and the U. S. Virgin Islands.