A sleepy driver found herself and her vehicle in a farm field this (Monday) afternoon, in Page County. According to the Sheriff’s Dept., 65-year old Gloria Kline, of Clarinda, was traveling west on Highway 2 at around 1:30-p.m., when she fell asleep at the wheel of her 1996 Toyota Camry. The car traveled onto the north shoulder of the road before crossing both lanes of traffic in a southwest direction, and entering the south ditch.

As the vehicle left the ditch, it went airborne and entered a field, where it came to rest. Both front airbags in the car deployed during the accident. Kline, who wore her seat belt,  was checked for possible injuries by medical personnel, but refused treatment. The car was declared a total loss. No citations were issued.

Iowa Congressman Steve King announced Monday (Dec. 10th) that he will be closing offices in Creston, Council Bluffs and Storm Lake because of redistricting. In addition, King will be using the limited resources to open offices in Ames, Fort Dodge and Mason City. Staff additions will include Jeremy Davis in Ames, Jim Oberhelman in Fort Dodge and State Senator Merlin Bartz in Mason City. Details on exact locations will be announced at a later date. The three new offices will be in addition to existing offices in Sioux City and Spencer.

The Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources says two men have been charged following an incident that occurred Saturday afternoon in Harrison County, when a shotgun slug was fired into an occupied home while deer hunting. 64-year old Stephen Kenkel, of Grinnell was charged with one count of shooting over a roadway and one count of shooting within 200 yards of an inhabited building. 52-year old Gail C. Lamberson, of Logan was charged with one count of shooting within 200 yards of an inhabited building.

The incident occurred when deer were crossing the roadway between Kenkel and the house and Kenkel shot at the deer. The shot went through a wall eventually lodged in a ceiling inside the house. The house was occupied at the time, but no one was injured.

The Atlantic Police Department says no injuries were reported following a collision Saturday afternoon, at 6th and Walnut Streets. Officials says vehicles driven by Lisa Stockley, of Lincoln, NE.,  and Angela Dobney, of Walnut, collided at around 1:50-p.m., when Dobney’s vehicle hit Stockley’s car as Dobney was turning left onto Walnut, from eastbound 6th Street. Damage from the accident amounted to $3,000. Angela Dobney was cited for Failure to Yield Upon Entering a thru highway.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports the arrest Sunday night of a Shenandoah man on an assault charge. 20-year old Steven Thomas Shane was arrested for Simple Assault in connection with an incident involving a 17-year old male. Officials say while deputies were enroute to a residence in Coin after being notified of the alleged assault, they received word Shane had left the scene.  He was stopped a short time later and taken into custody, about half-way between Coin and Shenandoah.

Steven Shane was transported to the Page County Jail and later posted bond before being released. The Iowa State Patrol assisted in handling the incident.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture wants another infusion of cash to close down more ag drainage wells which officials say present a danger to Iowa’S groundwater. Some 250 wells have been plugged since the program started in the late 1980s. Ag Secretary, Bill Northey, wants one-point-five million dollars to treat another dozen wells: “Those right now drain directly into aquifers, that are drinking water aquifers, and that could be a concern,” Northey says. “We’ve been fortunate, we have not had problems with that through this time but it does make sense to close them to the extent that we can.”

Iowa’s 1987 Groundwater Protection Act called for closing the wells, which farmers installed years ago to make Iowa’s wet soils workable. Northey says the toughest ones are still left, where the soils are harder to drain. “That’s why it may make sense on some of those, if it’s an 80 acre or a 40 acres that’s drained, it may be less expensive to take part of that out of production than to find a drain a long ways away and pay a large cost,” Northey says.

After the latest round of closings, Northey says the remaining projects will cost as much as 10-million-dollars. Northey made his comments at a budget hearing where Governor Terry Branstad said it may be more cost-effective for the state to buy up the land instead and turn it into wetlands.

(Radio Iowa)