A woman from Walnut was injured early Thursday afternoon when she was hit by a car that crashed into a bank in Avoca. Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Sgt. Dwayne Riche told KJAN News the incident happened at around 1:15-p.m., in front of the U-S Bank, in Avoca. He said the driver of a 1997 Buick LeSabre, 85-year old Dennis Allgood, of Omaha, was pulling into a parking stall in front of the bank, when his foot slipped-off the brake and onto the gas pedal.The car jumped the curb and struck a pedestrian.

Sarah Nelson, age 32, of Walnut, was hit and knocked over by the car, which continued across the sidewalk and hit the front of the bank, causing an estimated $100 damage. Nelson was transported by Avoca Rescue to Myrtue Memoral Hospital in Harlan, for treatment of back pain, left arm and right leg injuries. Sgt. Riche said the woman’s injuries were not believed to be life threatening.

Allgood was cited by authorities for Failure to Maintain Control. His vehicle sustained an estimated $5,000 damage.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Sioux City city council has approved the expansion of Sabre Industries into a new business park. Economic Development director Marty Dougherty says Sabre is anxious to get started on the new facility. “Sabre is doing a major expansion they are actually going to build a whole campus,” Dougherty says. He says the campus will have seven buildings and be the first business in the new Southbridge Industrial Park. The company makes cellphone and other types of towers. “They have about 200 jobs currently in Sioux City that will move over to the site when it is completed, and they will be adding an additional 200 jobs in phase one,” Doughterty says. He says they are skilled, well-paying jobs.

Sabre’s Darwin Gamm says the company hopes to have the first production plant ready by mid-November. “This facility will be utility pole structures that will complement our Sabre facility in Alvarado, Texas,” according to Gamm. Gamm says the company is experiencing a growth period with orders increasing. “And especially in the utility segment, the energy grid is so far behind, that there is a lot of business to update transmission lines. Especially when the renewable energy continues to be an issue, then you have to move that electricity to the open markets,” Gamm says. A second phase of the project could bring in another 100 jobs.

(Dar Danielson/Radio Iowa)

The executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, Mark Wyatt, is renewing his call for a new state law that would require motorists maintain a distance of three feet between their vehicle and a bicycle they’re passing on the road.”We had two fatal crashes over this past week where a bicyclist was hit from behind while the motor vehicle was passing,” Wyatt said. “I think that provides an opportunity to reinforce that we really need this education out there and to let people know that at least three feet is a safe passing distance.” Initial report indicate the two bicyclists who were killed last weekend were both operating lawfully. A 37-year old man was struck from behind on a rural Clayton County road and a 67-year old man was killed in a hit-and-run crash in rural Dallas County. The Iowa Bicycle Coalition has pushed for the three-foot passing distance law over the past four years.

Critics of the proposal have said the safe passing of a bicyclist should be common sense and it shouldn’t have to be written as a law. Wyatt agrees it should be common sense, but he believes reminding motorists with a three-foot passing law could help save lives. “This is a number that can be taught in driver’s education. This is something that can be on the driver’s ed exam and included in the driver’s ed manual,” Wyatt said. “I think there’s an education component, along with that common sense component, that we should be giving bicyclists some space.”

Other states have enacted the three-foot passing law and Wyatt said it’s time for Iowa to follow suit. “Approximately half of the states have passed something, including our neighboring states of Nebraska and Minnesota,” Wyatt said. “Wisconsin has had it on the books since 1973.” The League of American Bicyclists recently issued their annual ranking of states according to “bicycle friendliness” and Iowa dropped from 6th to 16th on the list. Wyatt said Iowa’s failure to approve a three-foot passing law contributed to the state’s fall in the rankings.

(Pat Curtis/Radio Iowa)

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IDA GROVE, Iowa (AP) – A western Iowa hospital says it’s getting out of the baby business. Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove says it will close its obstetrical unit on June 1st. Patients expecting to deliver after that date are being given a list of nearby facilities. The hospital board of trustees says the number of births at the hospital has been declining. Only one doctor at the hospital has been delivering babies.

Ida Grove is a city of about 2,100 residents in western Iowa’s Ida County, which has around 7,100 residents.

Two Harlan men were arrested this week on disorderly conduct charges. According to Harlan Police, 21-year old Justin McDowell was taken into custody Monday, after police investigated a report of a man laying in the middle of the 600 block of Court Street. McDowell was arrested after he alledgedly became verbally abusive and refused to follow officers’ commands.

And, 23-year old Theodore Behrens, of Harlan, was arrested Tuesday, following a reported disturbance in the 900 block of Durant Street, in Harlan. Behrens was charged with two-counts of domestic abuse, aggravated public intoxication, and violation of a domestic abuse protection order.

In other Harlan Police Department News: 44-year old Ramona Springman, of Manilla, was arrested May 19th on a charge of 5th Degree theft, for allegedly taking a wallet from a purse. On May 20th, 36-year old Amanda Hanover, of Portsmouth, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct, following a disturbance in the 100 block of 5th Street, in Harlan. And, on May 17th, 37-year old Maelyn Beemer and 30-year old Chad Beemer, both of Harlan, were arrested for Violation of a Protective Order, after they were found to have been in contact with one another.

When officers approached Chad Beemer, they say he allegedly assaulted one of the officers. In addition to the Violation of No Contact Order charge, Chad Beemer also faces a charge of assault on a peace officer. He plead not guilty to the Violation charge. Beemer posted a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear for his preliminary hearing on the assault charge, June 7th.

The Harlan Police Department reported Thursday afternoon, a Harlan man was arrested last week on assault, drug and other charges. 47-year old Randall Hess was arrested May 18th on an assault charge, after authorities received word a person had allegedly assaulted a young man. The following day, officers in Harlan were called to a possible hit-and-run incident at the corner of 7th and Dye Streets.

At the scene, they met with Harlan resident Curtis Scheffler, who claimed to have been the victim of a hit-and-run. Following an investigation, which included a report of someone ransacking Scheffler’s house, officers arrested Hess and 43-year old Mark Boardman, of Portsmouth. The men were brought to the Shelby County Jail, where Boardman was charged with Burglary in the 3rd degree, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree.

Hess was charged with OWI, Driving While Revoked, and Leaving the scene of a personal injury accident. While being held in the Shelby County Jail, Hess was also charged with two-counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, and Prohibited Acts. Those charges were the results of a month-long investigation into Hess’ allegedly selling a controlled substance.

The Mongtomery County Sheriff’s Office says 2 people were arrested early this (Friday) morning, in Villisca. 20-year old Jadon Duane Ayres, of Villisca, was arrested shortly after midnight, for possession of alcohol under the legal age, and 21-year old Joshua Allen Beedle, also of Villisca, was arrested for Breach of Peace. Their arrests followed an incident which occurred in the 400 block of South 3rd Avenue in Villisca. Both men were brought to the Montgomery County Jail, and later released on $300 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press