Three people were transported to the Audubon County hospital following a two-vehicle crash late Saturday morning, about three-miles northwest of Audubon. Sheriff’s officials say vehicles driven by 18-year old Darek Louis Muhlbauer, and 52-year old Sarah Gervase Christensen, both of Audubon, collided at around 11:15-a.m. near the intersection of 170th Street and Goldfinch Avenue.

As the vehicles approached the intersection, Christensen failed to stop. Her eastbound 2002 Ford Taurus struck the side of Muhlbauer’s 2004 Chevy Avalanche, causing the SUV pickup to slide into the northeast ditch. The vehicle hit a stop sign and power pole before coming to rest.

Christensen was transported to the hospital by Audubon Fire and Rescue. Muhlbauer, and a passenger in his vehicle, 18-year old Waylen Manning Lemke, of Fontanelle, were transported to the same facility by private vehicle. Damage from the crash amounted to $16,000. Officials say Christensen was cited for Failure to obey a stop sign.

A 12-year old boy from Treynor suffered what were described as “non life-threatening” injuries when the bicycle he was riding was struck by a car Sunday morning, in Treynor. Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker told KJAN News the accident happened at around 10:30-a.m. at the intersection of Horn Avenue and north Eyberg. Danker says David Burhenne was crossing north Eyberg and didn’t see a northbound Chrysler Sebring driven by Dana Putnam, of rural McClelland.

Burhenne suffered a broken ankle and minor facial lacerations during the collision. Danker says Putnam stopped to render aid to the boy prior to his being transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, by Treynor Rescue. No citations were issued.

Helping young athletes make smart nutrition practices is the focus of a program from Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach for coaches, teachers, and athletic directors. Holly VanHeel, Nutrition and Health Program Specialist, says “Parents depend on teachers and coaches to give their players accurate information about training diets, supplements, and fluids. These sessions are designed to help coaches and others know what kind of advice they can offer.”

The program includes information on training diets, supplements, fluids, prevention of athletic injuries, eating disorders, and current research presented by faculty in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at ISU. The program, delivered as a webinar, is hosted by local extension offices. Throughout the program, activities will be facilitated by ISU Extension Nutrition and Health program specialists at each location. The program scheduled for June 12 and 13, 2013 will be hosted at the following locations:

ShelbyCounty – at Harlan and UnionCounty- at Creston

Participants can register for coaching reauthorization, teaching license recertification or graduate credit. Registration is online on the AEA11 web site at  https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4dcgi/AC000199171401INV
Information also is available from local ISU Extension offices.

w/ Ric Hanson

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COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A 5-year-old Council Bluffs boy injured in a weekend carnival ride accident has been released from the hospital.  The Daily Nonpareil in Council Bluffs reports Trace Harman was on a monster truck ride Friday night as part of the Celebrate Council Bluffs carnival when the truck flipped over and struck the truck in front of it. Police say the truck came loose from its hoist. The ride was shut down and inspected by the Iowa Department of Elevator and Amusement Park Rides on Saturday.

Harman was belted into the truck with his brother and a friend. He suffered a laceration to the forehead and was treated at Nebraska Medical Center. A hospital spokeswoman says he was released Saturday. The other children had minor injuries and were released Friday night.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A state-run care facility in Glenwood has been fined by federal inspectors more than any other facility in the state in the past 10 months.  The Des Moines Register reports) the Glenwood Resource Center has been fined eight times and assessed penalties of more than $27,000 since last July.  Most of the fines are tied to shortcomings in staff training and a failure to notify inspectors of incidents at the home.

Superintendent Zvia McCormick says in a written statement that Glenwood staff is quick to make amends when issues needing attention surface. She says employees are well trained and residents safe.   McCormick says Glenwood is the largest facility of its type in Iowa and a greater number of violations isn’t a surprise.

The facility has 260 residents, mostly adults.

The U-S Army Corps of Engineers is operating the Missouri River reservoir system in drought conservation mode and doesn’t expect much to change for at least a few months. Despite plentiful rainfall this spring, Corps engineer Kevin Stom says runoff in the region continues to be very low. “Although precipitation in April was well above normal in much of the upper Missouri River basin, observed April runoff was 78% of normal,” Stom says. “This is due to the large soil moisture deficits in the upper basin from the 2012 drought.”

Jody Farhat, head of the water control division for the Omaha Corps office, says water-saving efforts are underway. “We’re implementing measures to conserve water in the main stem reservoir system this year, including reduced service to navigation,” Farhat says. “Flow support for the second half of the navigation season and the season length will be determined by the volume of water in the reservoir system on July first.”

Farhat says the Corps may have to take further steps if the dry conditions persist. She says, “Other potential conservation measures that may be implemented this summer include not supporting navigation targets in the regions without commercial navigation, use of the Kansas basin reservoirs for navigation support and cycling Gavins Point releases during endangered species nesting season.”

The Corps reports the runoff forecast in the region north of Sioux City is well below where it should be. It’s gauged at 20-million acre feet, which is 79-percent of normal.

(Radio Iowa)

An Iowa farmer and a country music artist have teamed up to raise money for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines. Dick Barkema and Tom Wurth’s fundraiser involves a tractor ride across the state. They’re calling next month’s event “Playing for Change” as Barkema says they’ll accept donations along the way with Wurth performing each night of the week-long trip. “We’re giving all of our proceeds back to Blank Children’s Hospital,” Barkema says.

The pair came up with the tractor ride idea after touring the hospital last summer. The ride will start on Saturday, June 17 in Onawa, and end June 22 in Dubuque. The nightly stops for Wurth’s concerts will be in Ida Grove, Fort Dodge, Iowa Falls, Waterloo, and Manchester. Wurth will also perform in Dubuque.

The tractor route will follow the old Highway 20. Barkema says the cost to ride is $50, with donations of any amount accepted. Dozens of people have already committed to ride the entire week, but Barkema says they won’t turn anyone away.”If a farmer was out in the field and he decided he wanted to unhook his piece of equipment and come join us for a day, that’s fine,” Barkema said. “We think it’s awesome if people come out and join us and show their support towards Blank.”

Barkema farms near Klemme in north-central Iowa. Wurth is a native of Marcus, Iowa, but moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1994. The video for his latest single, “To Love Somebody,” features images from Blank Children’s Hospital.

(Radio Iowa)

Representatives with the New Century Art Guild (NCAG) say a groundbreaking for Kimballton’s new Living Liberty memorial will take place following the memorial service at the Kimballton Cemetery on Monday, Memorial Day.

Artist’s conceptual drawing of the Living Liberty Memorial

The actual groundbreaking is scheduled for Noon, rain or shine. The memorial site is located west of the cemetery. The public is invited to celebrate the coming of the one-of-a-kind monument which, when completed, will feature life-size bronze figures and several murals that will take visitors deep into battle scenes from America’s past conflicts and will honor all branches of U.S. Armed Services. 

NCAG will be serving grilled hamburgers and hotdogs at the site. James O’Keefe, Commander U.S. Navy (Ret.) will preside over the event. Sketches of this unique work of art will be available to view.  You can also meet the lead sculptor, Troy Muller, art director of NCAG.  A video of other NCAG projects will be shown at their gallery on Kimballton’s Main Street after the event. 

The event will also be an opportunity for you to become a member of NCAG, in order to keep up with the progress of the projects throughout the coming years.