Poor road conditions are being blamed for a fatal accident that occurred Thursday afternoon in Pottawattamie County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 64-year old Ronald Wahl, of Edgerton, WI., died in the crash that happened at around Noon on westbound Interstate 80, just south of the -680 split.

Officials say after Wahl lost control of the 1999 Chevy Silverado pickup he was driving, the pickup entered the ditch and rolled several times. Wahl, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.

Light to moderate rain is falling in western Iowa, causing slick conditions on some of Iowa’s roadways. A few crashes have started popping up on Interstate 29, I-80 and other major roads in the area. Iowa Department of Transportation officials are urging motorists to evaluate the necessity of each trip during poor winter driving conditions, and monitor weather forecasts and road condition reports before heading out on the roads. Log on to http://511ia.org/ for the latest road conditions.

If you are driving:

•Focus your attention on the driving task and slow down.

•Do not use cruise control.

•Put your mobile phone away so you are not tempted to talk or text while driving.

•Keep a safe distance from vehicles in adjacent lanes as strong wind gusts could

push a vehicle outside its lane of travel.

•Put a safe distance between your vehicle, and the vehicle ahead in case sudden

driving maneuvers are necessary.

•Take extra care if driving a high-profile vehicle such as a truck, van, or sports

utility vehicle, or when towing a trailer, as these vehicles are more prone to be

pushed or even flipped by wind gusts.

•Your vehicle’s headlights are a valuable asset when driving in winter weather. Turn

them on to see and be seen.

•If conditions are severe enough to prevent safe driving, postpone your trip; or if

en route, identify the nearest safe place to pull off the roadway, such as a rest

area, truck stop, motel, or other traveler service until the wind subsides and road

conditions improve.

•Keep your windshield clear of ice.

•Allow extra travel time.

When the roads are icy

•If your vehicle begins to slide, take your foot off the gas pedal and shift into

neutral, or if you have a manual transmission, depress the clutch. While it may be a

natural instinct to slam on your brakes, this may cause your vehicle to slide

further and result in loss of vehicle control. Tap the brake pedal lightly.

•If you have an idea that there may be ice ahead (if you see vehicles ahead of you

sliding, for example), downshift to a lower gear before you come onto the ice. The

lower gear will force you to drive more slowly and give you better control of your

vehicle.

•If your vehicle does begin to skid on the ice, turn the wheel in the direction of

the skid. This should help to steer your vehicle back on the right track.

•Stay well behind the vehicle in front of you – this is definitely not the time to

tailgate. Even if you feel confident that you know how to drive safely on ice, that

does not mean the driver in front of you does. Be prepared in case other vehicles

start to slide.

•Do not think you are invincible just because you drive a four-wheel drive truck or

sports utility vehicle. Four-wheel drive vehicles have no advantage over other

vehicles when it comes to driving on ice.

•Make sure you and your passengers are wearing their seat belts or other safety

restraints.

Winter driving is always unpredictable, so be prepared for the unexpected.

Authorities in Cass County are recommending against unnecessary travel this afternoon. Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon said the roads are 100% ice covered and numerous accidents, some with injuries, have been reported. The are Winter Weather Advisories in effect for the KJAN listening area until Midnight, tonight.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green is warning motorists to slow down and take extra care on the roads this afternoon. During the noon hour, there was a report of an accident east of Atlantic on the Highway 6 bridge involving a pickup and trailer, and a multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 80 at the 60-mile marker westbound. Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Medivac are responding to the scene of the I-80 accident. No injuries were reported in connection with the Hwy 6 accident.

Another accident was reported on Highway 83 at 12:30-p.m. A vehicle rolled into the ditch at a location two-miles west of Marne. There is a subject reported to be trapped in the vehicle.

Roads in the area are becoming very slick.

COUNTIES: CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS- CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR
1203 PM CST THU NOV 21 2013

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND LIGHT SNOW…WHICH
IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT.

* SHORT TERM TRENDS…LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND LIGHT DRIZZLE IS
DEVELOPING OVER WESTERN AND SOUTHWEST IOWA NOW. THIS WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST INTO CENTRAL IOWA BY EARLY AFTERNOON.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS…A LIGHT ACCUMULATION OF ICE
RESULTING IN A LIGHT GLAZING OF ICE ON ROADS IS LIKELY. LIGHT
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL FOLLOW THE LIGHT FREEZING PRECIPITATION
AND WILL RANGE FROM LESS THAN AN INCH EAST TO UP TO 2 INCHES
WEST.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…NORTH WINDS WILL CONTINUE AT 15 TO 25 MPH.
VISIBILITY WILL FALL TO 1 TO 2 MILES IN SNOW. SOME LIGHT BLOWING
SNOW IS POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS…ROADS WILL BECOME SLICK WEST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND
ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. THE LOCAL COMMUTE
HOME FROM WORK AND SCHOOL MAY BE IMPACTED BY SLICK ROADS AND
SLOW TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO EXERCISE
CAUTION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

COUNTIES: SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE–
1154 AM CST THU NOV 21 2013

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FREEZING RAIN…SLEET…AND SNOW…WHICH IS
IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT.

* TIMING…FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WILL CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE
AFTERNOON…CHANGING TO SLEET AND SNOW LATER THIS
AFTERNOON…AND THEN TO ALL SNOW THIS EVENING.

* MAIN IMPACT…LIGHT FREEZING RAIN MAY CAUSE ICING ON ELEVATED
SURFACES SUCH AS BRIDGES…DECKS…AND WALKWAYS. UNTREATED ROADS
COULD BECOME SLICK AS PRECIPITATION CHANGES TO SLEET AND SNOW AS
WELL.

* OTHER IMPACTS…GUSTY NORTH WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH…WITH GUSTS
UP TO 30 MPH…WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING.

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports one-person was arrested Tuesday evening after he tried to flag down traffic as he walked along County road J-20, about 7-miles northwest of Clarinda. A deputy noticed 31-year old Jonathan Lynn Gray, of Shenandoah was walking on the traveled portion of the road at around 8:30-p.m.  While questioning Gray, the deputy suspected the man was intoxicated. Testing resulted in Gray being taken into custody on a charge of Public Intoxication.

Gray was brought to the Page County Jail and was unable to post a $300 bond. On Wednesday, he pled guilty to the charge and was sentenced by the magistrate to two days in jail.

COUNTIES: AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD….
1117 AM CST THU NOV 21 2013

AREAS OF LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE OR FREEZING RAIN ARE POSSIBLE AT
TIMES ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON
HOURS. A BAND OF LIGHT RAIN WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD IN SOUTHWEST
IOWA THROUGH 4 PM CST. COLDER TEMPERATURES WILL FILTER INTO THE
STATE CAUSING SURFACE TEMPERATURES TO DROP BELOW FREEZING. THIS
MAY LEAD TO SOME AREAS RECEIVING A LIGHT GLAZING…ESPECIALLY ON
ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS OVERPASSES AND BRIDGES. USE EXTRA
CAUTIONS WHILE DRIVING THIS AFTERNOON AS ROAD CONDITIONS MAY
CHANGE ABRUPTLY AT TIMES.

Sheriff’s Officials in Mills County say a Glenwood woman was arrested Wednesday on a warrant for Violation of a Protection Order and harassment charges. 21-year old Mackenzie Mae Steinman was taken into custody at a location on Sharp Street in Glenwood at around 10:45-p.m. Her bond was set at $500.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, rejected an offer from a local couple to purchase an abandoned house at 203 Locust Street. The City had earlier been awarded title to the property, and was prepared to sell it to Rob and Marlo Stamp, until some last minute offers were received. A public hearing was held, during which City Attorney Dave Wiederstein said he had received word another party was interested in the property. That being the case, the Council decided to request sealed bids for the property, but no deadline was set for the receipt of bids. A condition of the bids is that the prospective buyer must agree to demolish the current structure in a timely manner.

In other business, the Council received a report from Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm, with regard to the Street Maintenance Study. The Study, which was commissioned in 2010, indicated street repairs are the highest priority of the community’s citizens. Sturm said there are just under 50-miles of streets in Atlantic, of which 12.5-miles are comprised of concrete, 26.5 are asphalt, seven are seal coated and 2.5-miles are gravel. Sturm went on to describe the types of problems each road-style can expect to have over the course of its lifespan.

The streets are rated on a score from zero to 100, with 100 being the score needed for an entirely new street. The options given for any given condition include reconstruction, rehabilitation, deferred action, preventative maintenance and routine maintenance. Sturm said the study shows the City has made substantial progress over the past eight-years, having completed the repair or replacement of half of its streets.

He said it should continue with efforts to catch-up with backlogged projects….but it won’t come cheap. He says the City needs to spend anywhere from 750-thousand to One-million dollars per year in order to continue playing catch-up to get to the rest of the streets.

Sturm said once the City is caught-up on its street projects, it could expect to spend 400-to 500-thousand dollars per year just to maintain a high level of service on them. A copy of the report is available for viewing in the City Clerk’s office.