Authorities in Audubon County say a passenger in an SUV was injured during a crash Saturday morning near Hamlin. The Sheriff’s Department reports a 2010 GMC Yukon driven by 38-year old Steve Frank Klocke, of Carroll, and a 1999 Dodge driven by 19-year old Cody Drake Uren, of Grimes, collided at the intersection of Highways 71 & 44 at around 7:30-a.m.

Officials say the accident happened when Uren, who was traveling west on Highway 44, slowed when he came to the intersection, but rolled through. He stopped near the middle of the intersection and was hit when Klocke, who was traveling south on Highway 71. Klocke was unable to stop in-time due to slush on the roadway. Following the collision, Uren’s Dodge became engulfed in flames and was a total loss.

Carter Drake, a passenger in the Klocke vehicle, was injured and transported by Audubon Fire and Rescue to the Audubon County Hospital. No other injuries were reported. Klocke’s SUV sustained $5,000 damage in the crash. Deputies cited Uren for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign.

(Updated 1-p.m.)

An attempt by a rural Cass County resident to keep their pipes from freezing resulted in the loss of a two-story home this (Monday) morning, northeast of Atlantic. Atlantic Fire Department 1^st Assistant Chief Russell Peck told KJAN News a resident of the home t 54924 650^th Street was using a space heater in his basement when the fire started just before 8-a.m. and quickly spread to the rest of the structure.

Looking south from Troublesome Creek Road (Ric Hanson/photo)

Looking north from Fayette Road. (Ric Hanson/photo)

Peck said the space heater was used in the corner of a crawl space near where the pipes were located. Once the fire started, it quickly spread up the walls and into the attic. The homeowner tried to put the fire out, but was not successful. Firefighters had to pull out from the home because the floor above the crawl space was about to collapse.

Both residents and their dog escaped without injury.  Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon told KJAN the house was almost fully engulfed in fire when the first crews arrived, and they “Never could get a handle” on it. The temperature at the time of the blaze was nearly 15 degrees below zero, with a wind chill of around 30 below. Kennon said the conditions “Were brutal. It’s terribly cold. We’re on top of a hill and catching a lot of wind, so the wind chill factor is just incredible.” He said the conditions make it hard for firefighters to catch their breath, and exposed skin “just burns” because of the freezing conditions.”

Firefighters’ gloves became coated with ice and were rendered unusable after a short while, prompting calls for replacement gloves and other equipment. Peck said there was just no way to keep warm on the scene. Fortunately, a local seed dealer offered the opportunity for shelter and refreshments for the firefighters…a place they could rotate in and out-of with other fire fighting personnel. He said a dozen or so firefighters at a time were transported to Wickman Chemical just up the road, where they could get warmed-up and drink some coffee.

The Atlantic Hy-Vee provided hot coffee, donuts and sandwiches for the firefighters. Crews from Atlantic and Marne, with assistance from Anita and Wiota battled the blaze most of the morning. Smoke could be seen for miles. No injuries were reported. Peck told KJAN the house had completely collapsed as of Noon.

Firefighters from six area departments responded to a log cabin fire about 6-miles northwest of Menlo, Sunday. Stuart Rescue EMS Director of Operations and Paramedic Jeff Howard told KJAN News firefighters from Menlo, Casey, Stuart, Adair, Guthrie Center and Panora were called to the scene of the blaze at 3067 Oleander Trail in rural Casey, at around 7:16-p.m. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa State Patrol also assisted at the scene.

Howard said the weather and location of the 3,800-square foot home made it difficult to get to and fight the fire. The home he said was located about 200-feet off the road. He said the home was fully involved when crews arrived.

The residents were home but had gotten out safely. One fire fighter was treated at the scene for a medical condition but there were no injuries. Firefighters dealt with sub-freezing temperatures as the fought the blaze, and wind chill temperatures dipping to around -25 degrees. Howard said those types of conditions take their toll on personnel and equipment.

He said when they arrived on scene it was 6 degrees below zero. When they left, it was 14 below. That causes the lines freeze up, gloves to become caked with ice, and the firefighters get cold and need rehab breaks. He said “It’s just awful.” The Red Cross was activated to provide the family with necessities. Howard said they were staying with other family members in the area.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two arrests on Saturday. 29-year old Adam Morris,  and 31-year old Brea Roark, both of Atlantic, were arrested on charges of Domestic Abuse Assault. Both were brought to the Cass County Jail and booked-in.

And, no injuries were reported following an accident Sunday morning at 22nd and Olive Streets, in Atlantic. Officials say a vehicle driven by Haley Pottebaum, of Griswold, was traveling west in the 600 block of East 22nd Street when her vehicle hit the left rear bumper of a legally parked vehicle registered to Jason Redler, of Atlantic. Damage from the accident amounted to $4,000. Pottebaum was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. The accident happened at around 3:20-a.m.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports three separate arrests last week. On Friday, 39-year old Kara Marcine Lorimor, of Sidney, was arrested for Harassment in the 3rd degree, and Contempt of Court, and, 22-year old Alexandra Brooke Odell, of Hamburg, was arrested for Carrying a Weapon, Harassment in the 3rd degree, and Trespassing.

And on Wednesday, 23-year old Christopher Allen Richter, of Sidney, was arrested on three counts of burglary.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is asking traffic to avoid the area about two-miles north of the Latter Day Saints Church at intersection of Highways 6 and 71, northeast of Atlantic. Numerous pieces of emergency equipment are in that location as crews work to battle a two-story house fire on 650^th Street.

Looking south from Troublesome Creek Road (Ric Hanson/photo)

Looking north from Fayette Road. (Ric Hanson/photo)

Atlantic Fire was dispatched to a reported fire in the basement of a home at 54924 650th Street just before 8-a.m. The fire was reportedly started by a space heater. Everyone evacuated the home safely. Anita and Wiota Fire were asked to bring their tanker trucks to the scene. Firefighters from Marne were also called to offer mutual-aid. Smoke from the blaze could be seen for miles.

No other details are available.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Jury selection is expected to begin Monday in the lawsuit against the maker of an infant formula that’s being blamed for brain damage suffered by an Iowa girl.  The Sioux City Journal says  5-year-old Jeanine Kunkel, of Sioux City, is unable to speak. She takes six medications a day and is given nourishment through a tube.

The lawsuit filed in February 2011 alleges that powdered Similac powder prepared by the girl’s mother led to Jeanine contracting bacterial meningitis that caused severe brain damage just days after Jeanine was born in April 2008.

Spokeswoman Tami Jones for Similac manufacturer Abbott Laboratories says all of Abbott’s powdered infant formula products are extensively tested before release to ensure they meet nutritional needs and to ensure the their safety.

As some of the coldest weather in years continues to hold the state in its icy grip, a word of caution that the bitter temps can bring real dangers. Kurt Kotenberg with the National Weather Service says while some may shrug it off as “winter happens,” this goes well beyond that.“Basically, this is the coldest air that Iowa has seen in the past 20 years, and so kind of the ‘Oh, it’s Iowa. It gets cold in January. It happens all the time?’ No, it doesn’t. This is a pretty rare event.”

The forecast for today calls for highs statewide below freezing and a wind chill warning is in effect. Dozens of schools have canceled classes today because of the extreme cold. Emergency room doctor Jeffrey Sather says when it gets this cold, frostbite becomes a real possibility and with prolonged exposure, the risk moves to hypothermia, which can lead to confusion, unconsciousness and even death. Sather says that’s why it’s vital to have a winter-survival kit in your car, with a complete change of clothes, nonperishable food and a heat source.

“Some matches, lighter, a Sterno-type fuel source (should) provide just enough heat to have someone survive overnight if they would be stranded. And you should always be prepared, especially if you live in a rural area, because you never know when that could happen. And if you’re on a rural road, even a mile is too far to have to walk if the temperatures are dropping down to very cold temperatures.”

According to the C-D-C, there are about 1,300 deaths in the U-S each year associated with exposure to excessive cold, and two-thirds of the victims are men.

(Iowa News Service)

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting this morning beginning at 9, at the courthouse in Greenfield. During their session, the Board will receive funding/budget requests from: Steve Bolie, with the Southern IA Trolley; County Veteran’s Affairs Director Rick Schaecher; Building and Grounds Foreman Rich Wallace; Midwest Partnership; the R-C & D, and County Auditor Mindy Schaefer.

The board will then hold a budget workshop, beginning at 10:45.