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Aviation museum honors former Bluffs Airport head

News

September 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

A man who once was the head of the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport was honored recently as the latest member of the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame, in Greenfield. The Omaha World-Herald reports Dan Smith was among 27 selected as Iowa’s “second generation” of aviation promoters. The term “second generation” was used because many of the selected individuals are sons or daughters of earlier recipients of that award.

Smith, chosen by his peers, was honored for his years of service at the Council Bluffs airport, as well as efforts to save the Iowa Western Community College airplane mechanics program. The school had considered closing the program in early 1999 when Smith led the charge to stop its closure. He brought in numerous airplane industry officials to urge the school to keep its program going. At Smith’s suggestion, the program was moved to the airport.

Officially known as the Aviation Maintenance Technology Powerplant Certificate Program, it’s designed to place graduates into the workforce after just one year. It’s Federal Aviation Administration certified and unique to the region, focusing solely on the power-plant aspect of aviation. Half of students’ class time is spent in a state-of-the-art lab working on aircraft in the hangar of Iowa Western’s Aviation building at the Council Bluffs airport.

Water leak forces Red Oak Middle School closure

News

September 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

A valve on a water line came open over the weekend at the Red Oak Middle School, flooding the second floor of the building and forcing the school to be closed today (Tuesday), while crews clean-up the mess. The Omaha World-Herald reports the water damaged the  sheetrock ceilings and the school’s security system.

School officials say there’s no evidence of vandalism. Superintendent Terry Schmidt attributed the incident to the age of the structure and its systems. The middle school is a three-story renovated high school building that’s more than 100 years old. About 300 students in grades six through eight attend the school.

After working Sunday and Monday, crews had the school about 80 percent dried out, but workers need to make sure everything is dry to guard against mold buildup. Computers in the building and the school’s electrical system were not damaged.

 

Red Oak man arrested Tue. morning for supplying alcohol to a minor

News

September 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak report 51-year old Fred Carl Flick, of Red Oak, was arrested early this (Tuesday) morning, for allegedly Supplying Alcohol to a Minor. Flick was taken into custody at around 12:30-a.m. His bond was set at $1,000.  And an 18-year old from Red Oak was cited late Monday night for being a Minor in Possession of Alcohol. Jazmyne Labri George was cited at around 11:30-p.m. and released on a $330 citation.

Red Oak Police report also the arrest Monday night of 18-year old Zachary Aaron Thomas, of Red Oak. He was taken into custody in the 1900 block of east Summit Street at around 11:40-p.m., for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Thomas was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 cash bond.

And a little after 9-p.m., Monday, Red Oak Police arrested 25-year old Patrick James Covey, of Red Oak, on a charge of OWI/1st offense. Covey was also cited for Careless Driving. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 cash bond.

Slauson to appear in court this afternoon

News

September 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

An Atlantic woman charged late last month with two counts of Child Endangerment causing Bodily Injury and 10 counts of Unlawful Possession of a Prescription Drug, is scheduled to appear in court this afternoon for her preliminary hearing. 30-year old Leatha Slausen admitted to injecting her five-year-old daughter Riley with a drug that can cause pain in the body, and treating her with cannabis oil as part of a scheme to raise money for the girl’s cancer treatments. An investigation revealed the girl had no known cancer or other form of terminal illness.

Leatha Slauson’s hearing is set to take place at 2-p.m. in Cass County District Court. She remains in the Cass County Jail on $35,000 cash only bond.

Iowa early News Headlines: Tue., Sept. 2nd 2014

News

September 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) — Residents of a neighborhood in Missouri Valley have been evacuated after water from the overflowing Boyer River broke through a levee. Rresidents in the southeast corner of the city were asked to leave their homes after the levee breach occurred at around 7 a.m. Monday about two miles east of Missouri Valley near U.S. Highway 30.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities say a pilot is uninjured after his plane flipped over during an emergency landing in a soybean field. The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office tells KCCI-TV  that 31-year-old Jason Stone was traveling from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to the Marshalltown Municipal Airport on Monday. Authorities say Stone’s single-engine plane experienced engine problems and he was forced to land. They say the plane got stuck in the mud during the landing and flipped over. Stone was the only occupant of the plane and wasn’t injured. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to investigate.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — A Muscatine man has been hospitalized with a leg injury after he fell from a boat in the Mississippi River. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says 33-year-old Matt Peterson was struck in the leg by a boat motor propeller after falling from the boat into the river west of Fairport at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A storm spotter remains hospitalized in Sioux City after lightning struck him as storms moved across several Midwest states Sunday night leaving power outages, trees down and campers overturned. Hardest hit in Iowa was the Denison area where Crawford County Emergency Management Director Gregory Miller says five travel trailers were overturned at Yellow Smoke Park. No injuries were reported.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City man found not guilty by reason of insanity in the stabbing death of his father is being sent to the state’s Cherokee Mental Health Institute. On Friday Judge Gregg Rosenbladt ruled that 43-year-old Thomas Barlas Jr. should be sent to the institute, which provides inpatient treatment and care. Rosenbladt had ruled Aug. 6 that Barlas’ psychotic episode in his father’s home rendered him incapable of comprehending right from wrong.

Southwest Iowa women charged with dependent adult abuse

News

September 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

HAMBURG, Iowa (AP) – Two women responsible for the care of a woman with a seizure disorder who was immobile and unable to speak have been charged with dependent adult abuse. The Omaha World-Herald reports 51-year old Lisa Kay Moody died on Nov. 16th from pneumonia. Fremont County Attorney James Burger says Moody had serious bedsores that reflected inadequate care.

Burger says he has charged 72-year old JoAnn Clark, a home care provider, and 54-year-old Tamara O’Neil, a nurse advising Clark on Moody’s care. Clark’s trial is scheduled for late this month and O’Neil’s is in October. Both say they’re not guilty.

Clark’s attorney, Corey Becker of Sidney, says his client cared very much for Moody after caring for her for years and she will be exonerated. O’Neil’s attorney declined to comment.

1 killed, 1 injured in Greene County crash, Monday

News

September 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

A man from Boone died and two Oskaloosa residents were injured during a collision Monday morning in central Iowa’s Greene County. The Iowa State Patrol says 27-year old Daniel Reetz, of Boone, died at the scene of the crash on Highway 30, about a mile east of Grand Junction near 220th Street. The accident happened at around 9:30-a.m., Monday. Reetz was not wearing a seat belt.

Officials say Reetz’ 2001 Chevy Impala was traveling west on Highway 30 in a reckless manner, when his car crossed the center line of the road and hit an eastbound 2007 Cadillac Escalade driven by 25-year old Lombardo Ramos, of Oskaloosa.

Ramos and his unidentified female passenger, who were wearing their seat belts, were transported to the hospital in Jefferson. Their injuries were not believed to be life threatening.

Accident in Red Oak possibly the result of mechanical failure

News

September 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

An accident Monday afternoon in Red Oak resulted in a total of about $4,600 damage, but no one was injured. According to a police report, 17-year old Cara Belle Hale, of Red Oak, was traveling south on north 4th Street at around 12:20-p.m, when the steering wheel on the 2001 Ford Taurus she was driving began to shake and the brakes failed.

As the teen was trying to turn onto the High School Road, the vehicle crossed the center line, went off the road just south of High School Road, and went through a ditch filled with water. The vehicle continued and struck a berm on the north side of a bike trail. The impact caused the right side of the car to leave the ground for about 10-feet. The vehicle finally came to rest on the south berm, next to the bike trail.

Officials say no citations were issued, pending an investigation into the car’s mechanical issues. Red Oak Police were assisted at the scene by deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Missouri Valley neighborhood evacuated

News

September 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 4-p.m.)

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) – Residents of a neighborhood in Missouri Valley have been evacuated after water from the overflowing Boyer River broke through a levee. About 70 residents in the southeast corner of the city were asked to leave their homes after the levee breach occurred at around 7 a.m. Monday two miles east of Missouri Valley near U.S. Highway 30.

Residents on four streets have been evacuated as of noon. Mayor Clint Sargent says a shelter was set up in the city of 2,700 but no one has made use of it with most people staying with relatives or friends.

Sargent says it’s unclear how long the evacuation will be needed but the river was receding.

Storms roll through Midwest with strong winds

News, Weather

September 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A storm spotter remains hospitalized in Sioux City after lightning struck him as storms moved across several Midwest states Sunday night leaving power outages, trees down and campers overturned. Hardest hit in Iowa was the Denison area where Crawford County Emergency Management Director Gregory Miller says five travel trailers were overturned at Yellow Smoke Park. No injuries were reported.

Miller says winds of at least 70 miles an hour knocked down trees and blew down outbuildings on two farms. Denison and areas to the south saw flash flooding from heavy rain.

In Nebraska, Omaha officials rescued eight people from the fast-moving Elkhorn River and some buildings were damaged by strong winds. In Kansas City, the Indians-Royals game was suspended due to rain.