An accident involving a skid loader resulted in the death of a man Tuesday afternoon, in Fremont County. The Sheriff’s Office reports deputies were notified at around 2:30-p.m., about a single-vehicle accident involving a skid loader near the intersection of 370th Ave and 200th Street, which is near Farragut.

Deputies determined 56-year old Timothy Henry Shirley, of Thurman, was operating a John Deere 333D Compact Track Loader, removing trees from a ditch located southwest of the intersection, off 370th Ave.  The skid loader overturned coming to rest with its cab facing down, near the bottom of the ditch.

Upon arrival of rescue personnel, they found Shirley deceased inside the enclosed cab of the loader. An exact cause of death is unknown at this time.  Deputies are awaiting results of an autopsy.  The skid loader was not damaged.  Farragut Fire and Rescue, Shenandoah Fire and Rescue and the Fremont County Medical Examiner’s Office assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with the call.

Officials say those Moscow Mules could have a sickening kick if you’ve been repeatedly drinking the cocktail in a completely copper mug. The Moscow Mule contains non-alcoholic ginger beer along with a shot of vodka and a very generous splash of lime juice. Dave Werning is with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.

“The problem with the copper mugs is that copper is a heavy metal and as such it can become toxic, if not fatal, over a period of time, so it’s not an immediate danger,” Werning says. “If we find the use of copper mugs in an establishment we inspect, it’s cited as a violation of the food code and then the establishment is given time to correct it.”

The bar or restaurant has the option of taking any drink served in a copper mug off the menu — or getting new copper mugs, which have a nickel or stainless steel lining inside and a “food-safe” lacquer finish on the outside. Werning says he can’t recall an Iowa bar or restaurant being cited for the use of SOLID copper mugs.

Federal guidelines state the food or drinks with a pH balance below six are not to come into contact with copper — as that can cause food-borne illnesses. “When the pH of the, in this case, beverage is lower than 6.0, the copper leaches into the beverage and then it’s consumed by the person,” Werning says, “and then, over time, it can become fatal.”

Werning says there’s a major reason why most if not all bars and restaurants in the state use the appropriate copper mugs with a lacquered exterior and a stainless steel or nickel lining. A SOLID copper mug is far more expensive.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of business leaders suggested a drop in business conditions but still indicated the economy will pick up over the next few months in nine Midwest and Plains states. A report released Tuesday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index dropped to 56.1 last month from 62.3 in June. The May figure was 55.5.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says it “points to solid growth for both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing for the second half of 2017.” The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department report several arrests dating back to July 21st. On July 31st, 24-year old Edward James Taylor, of Avoca, was arrested in the 500 block of Main Street, in Harlan.  He was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with driving while revoked and violation of financial liability coverage. And, 22-year old Matthew Allen Strong, of Harlan was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Last Saturday, 43-year old Lyle James Kline, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for a domestic situation in the 1000 block of Baldwin.  Kline was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with domestic abuse assault.

On July 27th, 55-year old Curt Grant Whiteley, of Harlan, was arrested after a call for a possible intoxicated subject in the 900 block of Farnam.  Whiteley was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with public intoxication.

July 22nd, 22-year old Brandon Lee Anderson, of Harlan, was arrested on a Shelby County warrant.  He was transported to the jail.

Only July 21st, 42-year old Dawn M. Nellor, of Audubon, was arrested following at stop in the 600 block of Court Street, in Harlan.   She was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with public intoxication and interference with official acts.

And, on July 20th, 54-year old Brian E Tice, of Carter Lake, was cited for driving while suspended following a traffic stop in the 1200 block of Chatburn, in Harlan.

A collision between a van and a semi in Harrison County this (Tuesday) morning, resulted in the death of a Nebraska man. The Iowa State Patrol reports 37-year old Kevin Bright, of Omaha, died from injuries he suffered when the 2013 Ford van he was driving, struck the rear of a 2010 Peterbilt semi, driven by 51-year old Bradley Davis, of Red Cloud, NE.

The accident happened at around 8-a.m. in a construction zone on Highway 30 at 180th Street. Officials say Davis was eastbound and had stopped at the stop sign in the construction zone, waiting for the pilot car. For reasons unknown, the van, which was also eastbound, hit the rear of the truck. Kevin Bright, who was wearing a seat belt, was transported by Woodbine Rescue to the hospital in Missouri Valley, where he was pronounced dead.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 31-year-old Sara Sue Batten of Red Oak on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Failure to Appear and Resisting a Court Order. Batten was arrested at 11:19am in the 800 block of East Washington Avenue. She was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $100 cash bond.