Thunderstorms that slowly and loudly rumbled across southwest and western Iowa Thursday afternoon and evening, left many streets in Atlantic closed for several hours because of high water due to heavy, heavy rain and flash flooding. At the KJAN studios on the northern limits of Atlantic, we measured 3.51-inches of rainfall (from 7-a.m. Thursday through 7-a.m. today). The skies dumped even more rain in town, with Bull Creek flooding leading to water rushing into intersections stretching from 11th and Roosevelt northwest to the vicinity of 11th and Linn near the Washington/Schuler Elementary School, where Police blocked traffic for a time due to high water.

Lawns and streets along the path of the creek, from Oak to Elm, and 11th to 7th Street, were filled with water that had nowhere to go because the storm sewer system couldn’t keep up. Further north, intersections with rapidly flowing, deep water were barricaded or manned by emergency workers, including police, volunteer firefighters and others, but there were some stalled vehicles seen, including in the area of 4th and Elm, and following the initial deluge of rain, at 7th and Walnut, which was one of the intersections to be blocked-off, twice during the evening.

By late Thursday evening, the flood threat had subsided, as rains trickled-off to sprinkles. As of this morning, the Cass County Communications Center said they had no reports of any road closures in Atlantic, but motorists should be watchful for debris on the road from flooding, and tree limbs that may have fallen from the gusty winds that accompanied Thursday’s storms.

Flash Flooding was also reported Thursday in Fremont County, 5-miles south of Thurman, near Percival, and in Tabor. A storm spotter in Panora late Thursday night measured 3.55-inches of rain in their gauge, from storms that fell late Thursday afternoon and evening.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say a traffic stop north of Villisca Thursday night resulted in two arrests. Deputies pulled over a vehicle at 10:55-p.m. on Highway 71, and upon further investigation arrested 37-year old Justin Allen Williams, of Clarinda, for Driving While Suspended, and failure to carry SR-22 insurance. A passenger in the vehicle, 33-year old Krystal Lynn Harbin, of Yorktown, was arrested for unlawful possession of prescription pills, and a drug tax stamp violation.

Williams and Harbin were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 and $5,000 bond, respectively.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Democrats vying to challenge Republican Sen. Charles Grassley in his upcoming re-election race have used a televised debate in Iowa to criticize the longtime senator’s involvement in a Supreme Court nomination fight. The four candidates used the hour-long debate Thursday night in Johnston to highlight Grassley’s decision not to hold hearings for President Barack Obama’s U.S. Supreme Court pick. The debate comes shortly before Iowa’s June 7 primary.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Attorneys who lost a malpractice case against University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics are seeking access to a letter containing allegations of jury tampering in another case won by the hospital. Investigators are looking into allegations that the hospital benefited from jury tampering in a high-stakes February trial involving a girl who was born with brain damage and severe disabilities. Jurors found the hospital was negligent but didn’t award damages.

DYERSVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has announced this year’s National Baseball Hall of Fame tour stops during a trip to the “Fields of Dreams” movie site in eastern Iowa. Manfred was joined by 2015 Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz in Dyersville to announce that Davenport, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; Milwaukee; St. Louis; Minneapolis; and Las Vegas will be host cities for this year’s “We Are Baseball” tour stops.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for killing two of his next-door neighbors, the sisters of an Iowa state lawmaker. Jurors told the Allegheny County judge Thursday that they were deadlocked on whether to impose the death penalty against 45-year-old Allen Wade. In Pennsylvania, a jury must unanimously recommend a death penalty or a life sentence is automatically imposed.

These pictures are from Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon…(Click on the images to once and then when the separate file opens, to enlarge)

As of 7:45 pm, we have received 3.37″ at the KJAN studio.  We also recorded 1.84″ during the early morning thunderstorm, for nearly 5.25″ in the last 24 hours..  On 10th Street, between Cherry and Plum, we had a report of 4.5″ just this evening!

Pictures from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson…

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says a Nebraska man was arrested Monday on a two felony charges. 30-year old Ivan Antonio Cervantes, of Omaha, was taken into custody for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, felony Possession of Methamphetamine 3rd or Subsequent, and a simple misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. Cervantes was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on $5000 bond.

On Tuesday, deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 41-year old Danyel Rae Foreman, of Massena, on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Violation of a Protective Order. Foreman was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released later that day on $300 bond.

And on Wednesday, deputies arrested 31-year old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of Fontanelle, on a charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Pickrell was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance. Also arrested Wednesday, was 46-year old Corey Allen Peterson, of Atlantic, on a Polk County warrant. Peterson was taken to the Cass County Jail and transferred to Polk County Jail today (Thursday).

Authorities in Shelby County say a garage fire that occurred Monday evening in Harlan, was intentionally set. The fire at 1711 6th Street was reported at around 5:25-p.m. An investigation determined the garage contained bags of garbage and a couple of bed mattresses, and that a juvenile who lived at the address allegedly started the fire intentionally.Their case was referred to the Juvenile Fire Setters Program and Department of Human Services.

The Harlan Fire Department was assisted during their investigation by the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s office and the Harlan Police Department.

Photo’s from our sister station KNOD, in Harlan.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) – Winds gusting to 87 mph have knocked over train cars and toppled trees in parts of Iowa. Authorities say no injuries were reported from the storms that ran through the state early Thursday morning. Crawford County emergency management coordinator Greg Miller says trees and branches are down in several communities and that power also had been briefly lost.

The National Weather Service says the 87 mph gust was reported at the Denison Municipal Airport. Union Pacific spokeswoman Calli Hite says 22 cars on an eastbound UP train derailed near Westside around 2:30 a.m., but there were no injuries and no release of contaminants.

A resident of Audubon County who lives about 7-to 8-miles east of Exira off 280^th Street, told KJAN News a solid wood corn crib that’s stood the test of time for over 50-years, was blown over sometime between 2:25-and 2:45-a.m. today. In Central Iowa’s Story County, a hoop building was destroyed near McCallsburg, a large tree limb snapped and fell on a house, and a shed was damaged.

On the eastern side of the state, gusts knocked over an unoccupied semitrailer at the Isle of Capri Waterloo casino, and another semi overturned near Hudson.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has signed legislation designed to address worker shortages in Iowa. The new state law will guide changes in career and technical programs for Iowa students in the seventh through 12th grades. The goal is to make those programs align better with community college courses and, ultimately, ensure students are gaining skills that will help them get a job. Representative Mary Ann Hanusa, of Council Bluffs says regional partnerships will be formed, involving educators and other adults in the community.

“To bring together school districts and community colleges and the business and agricultural community so that they can help develop a sort of a holistic career opportunities and career pathway for our students,” Hanusa says, “to expose them to new careers and new opportunities with which they may not now be familiar.” The new law requires each public and private school in Iowa to develop a unique “career and academic plan” for each eighth grader. Senator Brian Schoenjahn, of Arlington, says the goal is to make “high quality” technical education available at the high school level.

“We have the Regional Academy for Math and Science at Oelwein. We have the Career and Technical Education (Academy) at Maquoketa — tremendously successful partnerships between businesses, community colleges and high schools that are guiding our students,” Schoenjahn says. “Unfortunately, these great opportunities don’t exist all over our state.” Representative Patti Ruff of McGregor says the law will help students gain the skills for jobs that may not require a four-year or even a two-year college degree.

“But through apprenticeships and other job shadowing and internship options, they will be able to find that path to a successful career and, thus, a successful life,” Ruff says. The bill passed the House and Senate unanimously earlier this spring. Governor Branstad signed the bill into law this morning (Thursday) during a ceremony at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo.

(Radio Iowa)

One person was arrested this (Thursday) morning in Atlantic, after authorities received word a man had displayed and fired a weapon in the vicinity of 16th and Oak Streets. Authorities say a short time later, police located a man matching the description of the suspect, as he was walking along East 14th Street, near the Heritage House. The suspect, identified as 25-year old Joshua Olwell, of Atlantic, was unarmed when police stopped to talk with him

An investigation lead officers to locate the weapon in on private property near the road, in the area of 15th and Hazel Streets. Olwell was taken into custody and charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon without a permit, Reckless use of a firearm, and Harassment in the 2nd degree. Authorities say additional charges are possible.

Olwell was booked into the Cass County Jail and held pending an appearance before the magistrate.