An effort called “Operation Dry Water” begins today (Friday) as federal, state and local law officers look to prevent drunken boating. The Iowa D-N-R’s boating law administrator, Susan Stocker, says officers make their presence known on the state’s lakes and rivers in the operation that runs through Sunday. “Last year we were able to check approximately 11-hundred boaters and we contacted more than 354 vessels that were out there,” Stocker says.

Stocker says boating drunk can have severe consequences for you and your passengers. “More than 71 percent of our boating fatalities in 2014 involved alcohol. So we are stepping up the effort….in order to curb the intoxicated boater who wants to operate a boat,” Stocker says. Twelve people were arrested on the Mississippi River for operating a boat while under the influence, and Stocker says it once again a focus for Operation Dry Water.

“We will continually find that area with a lot of D-W-I arrests,” Stocker says, “and so we need to realize and put it into perspective, it runs the whole length of the state. So, we are talking all they way north-east from Allamakee County all the way to the south-east. So, that’s why we have a lot of D-W-I arrests on the Mississippi River.” The one dozen arrests for drunken boating on the Mississippi last year were part of 41 overall arrests. Eight people were arrested at Coralville Lake last year, five at Clear Lake, four on the Des Moines River and three at Saylorville Lake.

There is a simple step you should take to keep things safe. “Make sure that you do have a designated driver — just like if you were driving a car you would have a designated driver — to operate a boat. And or, wait until you are done for the afternoon to enjoy a beverage on the shore,” Stocker says. The blood alcohol level for boating while intoxicated was reduced in 2001 from point-one (.10) percent to point-zero-eight (.08) percent to make it the same level as driving a car while intoxicated.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

PRESTON, Iowa (AP) — One man has died in an apparent explosion of a house in rural Jackson County in eastern Iowa. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports 73-year-old Stephen W. Brandenburg was found early Thursday in the basement of a house near U.S. Highway 64 between Miles and Preston. Emergency responders were called to the home about 4:40 a.m. yesterday after reports of an explosion.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Crews made quick work of a steel water tower that had stood over the west side of Clear Lake for decades. The Globe Gazette reports workers cut apart and tore down the 56-year-old tower Thursday. Officials say the 105-foot-tall, multi-legged tower had outlived its usefulness and was expensive to maintain. Earlier this year, crew completed work on a 1 million gallon tower, which has four-times the capacity of the old tower.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A 75-year-old Dubuque man has scratched off two winning tickets in one day. One was worth $100,000, the other $930. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that Ken Broadwell bought both of his Tuesday winners at the same convenience store in Dubuque.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Wizards selected Iowa power forward Aaron White with the 49th overall pick in the NBA draft Thursday night. White is 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds and averaged 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds as a senior for the Hawkeyes.

Deputies in Montgomery County, Thursday afternoon, arrested a Red Oak man on a warrant for Harassment in the 1st Degree. Authorities say 22-year old Caleb Lee Walter was taken into custody at around 3:30-p.m., and was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond.

Deputies in Montgomery County arrested a Page County man Thursday morning, on a Montgomery County warrant. Authorities say 53-year old Jack Ray Steinspring, of Clarinda, was arrested at around 8:50-a.m., on a felony Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registry warrant. It was the fourth offense for the same offense in past 24-months for Steinspring, and the seventh time since 2007, when his requirement to register, began.  Steinspring was being held in the Montgomery County jail on $5,000 bond.

An investigation into the unauthorized entrance of a residence in Red Oak Thursday afternoon, led to the arrest of 40-year old Troy Alan Myer, of Red Oak, on a felony charge of Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Red Oak Police say the man allegedly removed a box from the residence. He was taken into custody at around 2-p.m. and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where Myers’ bond was set at $5,000 bond.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency, Thursday afternoon issued a statement in response to questions the public may have had with regard to Wednesday night’s storms. Operations Officer Jason Wickizer said “Staff were monitoring weather prior to Tornado Watch being issued. As soon as the Tornado Watch was issued at 6:20-p.m., the Emergency Management Coordinator and Operations Officer were out meeting the storm as it rapidly built just Northwest of Harlan.”

Storm photo from the Shelby County EMA Facebook page

He went on to say “Area Fire Departments were advised by pager of the Tornado Watch by 6:23-p.m. Sheriff’s Deputies were also assisting with monitoring the same Storm Cell. Due to the rapid growth Harlan Police Department assisted local residents by opening shelters, and monitoring the weather. At 6:28-p.m., a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was received.”

Wickizer said also “Spotters from all area Fire Departments were also placed in the field at pre-determined locations to observe the storm as it tracked through the county this was completed by 6:34-p.m. Once observations of the storm cell were made National Weather Service personnel were in touch with Shelby County EMA/911 Dispatchers relaying real time radar interpretations of what they were seeing on radar.”

He added that the “National Weather Service confirmed what field observers were seeing and that was ‘wide area rotation.’ As the Storm Cell continued South – South East it developed a prominent lowering or “Wall Cloud” that was rotating. This was reported to Shelby County EMA/911 Dispatchers at 6:50-p.m. by EMA Operations Officer, with the EMA Coordinator calling for the Sirens to be activated in Harlan.

As the storm continued to track SSE a Deputy reported a brief touchdown of a tornado on Redbud Road at 7:02-p.m. Due to funnel development and history of [the] storm, [the] EMA Coordinator had Shelby County EMA/911 Dispatchers activate the Sirens in Elk Horn. By 7:49-p.m., the storm exited the county [and] personnel returned to normal duties.”

Wickizer said “The Storm Cell in question had more than 4 trained Public Safety Spotters following it across the county keeping it in visual contact at all times. Public Safety Spotters, and Fire Departments were monitoring and relaying information through communications to keep the public warned as early as possible.”

In response to questions from some residents who said they could not hear the sirens in their homes, Wickizer said “Sirens are an outdoor warning signal, not designed to be heard in your home. Inside warnings should come in the form of a NOAA weather radio, Code Red Emergency Communications Network (cell/telephone warning), Radio, and Television Media.”  Another question people have asked is “Why did this storm surprise us, it seems to have developed quickly?”

Wickizer said “The Tornado Watch actually means when weather conditions are favorable for the rapid development of severe thunderstorms that are capable of producing tornadoes. A tornado watch therefore implies that it is also a severe thunderstorm watch. A tornado watch must not be confused with a tornado warning. In most cases, the potential exists for large hail and/or damaging winds in addition to tornadoes. A watch does not mean that the severe weather is actually occurring, only that atmospheric conditions have created a significant risk for it.”

“As we are all aware the weather rapidly changed once the watch developed. We encourage all citizens of Shelby County to sign up for Code Red, and remember that coming soon we will be switching from Code Red to the “Alert Iowa” system which is a statewide notification system.”

Wicker mentioned that they will be advertising when signups for “Alert Iowa” are ready to begin, but until that time Code Red, will remain in the Shelby County Emergency Communications Network.

He also mentioned how severe weather has become a “large industry” for “Spotters”, “Chasers”, “Tour Guides” and “Researchers.” Wickizer said they “Are seeing an abundance of people on the roadways during storms that are parking in the roadway, and placing weather monitoring devices in the travel portions of the roadway. We ask the public to be aware of this during storms.”

As an example, he said Wednesday night, while spotting along county road F-58, an Emergency Management employee had to drive around a spotter that parked his car in the middle of the roadway with no lights on filming the storm cell as it crossed the road. An adjacent County Emergency Manager came upon another spotter that deployed an instrument in the travel portion of a roadway.

Wickizer said “Several of these individuals will drive fast, and are not watching the road so please remain cautious if you happen to be driving during a storm.” And, as a final note, he said “Storm spotters in Shelby County are Public Safety Officials – if you are approached by someone claiming to be a “Storm Spotter” they should be in an Official Vehicle, or have Department Identification. If you are approached by someone that does not meet these criteria they are more likely than not a non-affiliated recreational spotter.”

Several videos and additional bits of information about the storm that hit Shelby County are available on the EMA’s Facebook page. (www.facebook.com/pages/Shelby-County-Emergency-Management/118172524867212?fref=ts)

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department say a woman from Omaha was injured when she jumped from the Veterans Memorial Bridge in what was an apparent attempt at suicide, this (Thursday) afternoon. Council Bluffs Police and Fire were dispatched to the 4100 block of Veterans Memorial Bridge just before 1-p.m. reference an injured party possibly being on the bridge ledge.

Upon officers arrival it was determined that a 32 year old female had exited a vehicle on the bridge and jumped off the bridge railing. The woman fell about 10‐to 12-feet to the catwalk on the south side of the bridge.

Omaha Fire and Rescue along with Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue were able to retrieve the woman from the catwalk and tend to her injuries, which included a compound fracture to her right ankle. She was transported to a local hospital
for treatment. Her name is not being released.

WINDSOR HEIGHTS – Reports of wastewater discharges from cities in central Iowa are pouring into the DNR’s south central regional field office following heavy overnight rainfalls. Large parts of the state are experiencing similar discharges following storms dumping upwards of seven inches of rain in some areas over the last 48 hours, according to the National Weather Service.

The following cities reported discharges in the 18-county area served by DNR field
office 5 as of noon Thursday: Chariton, Des Moines, Grinnell, Indianola, Melbourne,
Redfield, Ogden, Waukee and West Des Moines. The field office expects more reports
yet today.

Aside from the dangers of high volume, swiftly moving waters, the DNR recommends
keeping children and pets out of flooded waters for at least 48 hours after a storm.

The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors has awarded nearly $8 million in grants and initiatives for the first cycle of 2015. Grants will assist 24 nonprofit organizations and governmental entities with funding for projects and programs that directly impact southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska.

This is the first grants and initiatives funding announcement of the year after the Foundation restructured its grant cycles in late 2014 to be three times per year rather than four. The Letter of Inquiry period for the third cycle is open Oct. 1. Interested organizations should visit the Foundation’s website to learn more about the application process.

Funding for the Foundation’s grants comes from investment earnings and the Iowa West Racing Association (IWRA), which receives contracted license fees from casino operators, Ameristar and Harrah’s. IWRA distributes funds to the Iowa West Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 organization under the IRS Code. The Foundation makes grants throughout southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska.

2015 Cycle 1 Grants and Initiatives include, but are not limited to:

• Audubon County Early Childhood Organization: Programmatic support for the Children’s Nest Daycare Center, $40,000
• City of Griswold: Improvements to the Griswold Community Building, $10,000
• Eckels Memorial Library 2015 collection development in library located in Oakland (IA) $2,000
• Harlan Friends of Downtown LED lighting and updated sound system in historic downtown Harlan, $7,500.
• Riverside Community School District, Support for Pottawattamie Promise program delivery, $76,344
• Stanton Historical Society, Repair and repainting of the Swedish coffeepot water tower, $5,000
• West Pottawattamie County Agricultural Extension District, Support for the West Pottawattamie County 4-H youth programming administration, $57,700.

An accident in Creston this (Thursday) morning occurred when the driver of a vehicle dropped his cell phone and reached down to pick it up. The Union County Sheriff’s Office says 25-year old Joshua Winebrenner, of Afton,  was driving east on Howard Street in Creston, when his 1998 Chevy Cavalier hit the rear of a parked 2001 Ford Escape. The accident happened at around 7:10-a.m.

Winebrenner was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,500.