United Group Insurance

Ten people escape burning home in Sioux City

News

June 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A fire caused heavy damage to a home in Sioux City this (Monday) morning. Fire Marshal Mark Aesoph says they were called out just before 9 a-m. “The first unit did go on scene and had heavy fire visible at the front of the structure,” Aesoph says. “There were 10 occupants in the home at the time of the fire, as well as several pets. He says the people in the home included the couple who rented it, some friends and six kids ranging in age from one to 12. All got out without any serious injuries.

He says a couple of people were looked at and did not appear to have any issues. Aesoph says the home did have working smoke alarms. Aesoph says the fire traveled quickly through the home and that’s why having smoke alarms is important. “Without that smoke alarm and the early warning to get moving, it could have been a very different situation,” Aesoph says. Investigators are still looking for the cause of the fire.

(Radio Iowa)

Health insurer Medica: preliminary plans are to stay in Iowa

News

June 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A spokesman for health care insurer Medica says it plans to sell insurance in Iowa next year and expects to make an announcement soon. Medica spokesman Larry Bussey confirmed Monday the company has preliminary plans to remain in Iowa but the company seeks clarity on how the Affordable Care Act exchange market in Iowa is going to function.

Iowa last week applied for a federal waiver to allow federal subsidies designed to lower costs for low-income and older participants to be used to entice younger people to buy insurance in hopes of keeping Medica and perhaps attracting others back to Iowa.

Medica is the only statewide insurer left in Iowa. State insurance officials feared the Minnesota-based company might also leave, causing 72,000 people to have no choice next year.

CodeRED service ending in Montgomery County June 30th

News

June 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Montgomery County Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Hamman, Monday, said the CodeRED system will be ending county-wide, later this month. Hamman said “For the past several years, Montgomery County has exclusively used CodeRED as our primary emergency mass notification system. In 2015, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management launched Alert Iowa available to all 99 counties free of charge. With our service contract ending on June 30, 2017 with CodeRED, Montgomery County will switch all emergency mass notification messages along with severe weather alerts to the Montgomery County Alert Iowa system.”

Hammon said also, “To date, approximately 556 users have signed up for the Montgomery County Alert Iowa system and over 1,000 phone calls, text messages and emails receive these notifications. All current CodeRED users must opt in to the new system to continue receiving emergency and weather alerts.”

You can sign up with Montgomery County Alert Iowa by visiting www.montgomerycountyiowa.com/alertiowa or by calling the Montgomery Co EMA office at 712-623-3749.

Glenwood man arrested on sexual abuse warrant

News

June 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County said Monday (Today), 26-year old Laron D’Pree Hampton, of Glenwood, was arrested Friday morning at the Mills County Jail, on a warrant for Sexual Abuse in the 2nd degree/3rd offense. No other information was provided. His bond was set at $75,000.

Also arrested Friday morning, was 25-year old Justin Lewis Marsden, of Red Oak. He was already at the Montgomery County Jail when he was arrested on a warrant for Revoked Pre-trial Release. Bond was set at $12,000. And, 27-year old Million Jonathan Lee, of Emerson, was arrested Friday night for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond.

Saturday morning, Mills County Deputies arrested 43-year old Kimberly Michelle Streit, of Glenwood, for OWI/1stoffense. Her bond was set at $1,000. She was taken into custody following a traffic stop on Highway 34 at around 4-a.m., Saturday.

Sunday morning, 26-year old Lucas Craig Farmer, of Red Oak, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant for Arson in the 2nd degree. And, Sunday night, 40-year old Joseph Lee Hastie, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension.

IHSBBCA Baseball rankings 6/18/2017

Sports

June 19th, 2017 by admin

The Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association released their latest Baseball rankings late Sunday. Here is a look a the full top ten in each class with local teams highlighted:

Class 1A

1. Newman Catholic 17-1
2. North Linn 22-1
3. Martensdale-St. Marys 23-2
4. Akron-Westfield 16-1
5. Don Bosco 16-2
6. Exira/EHK 13-0
7. Lisbon 15-3
8. Saint Ansgar 14-4
9. CAM 14-2
10. West Sioux 12-4

Class 2A

1. New Hampton 19-1
2. Wilton 15-3
3. Cascade 16-2
4. Treynor 16-2
5. Beckman Catholic 15-6
6. Dike-New Hartford 15-3
7. Woodward-Granger 18-0
8. Estherville-Lincoln Central 14-4
9. Van Meter 16-1
10. Iowa City Regina 14-6

Class 3A

1. Harlan 16-0
2. Davenport Assumption 21-2
3. Vinton-Shellsburg 17-2
4. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 16-4
5. Marion 15-4
6. Carlisle 13-5
7. Saydel 17-3
8. Waverly-Shell Rock 13-3
9. Gilbert 16-3
10. Dubuque Wahlert 13-8

Class 4A

1. Johnston 16-1
2. Dowling Catholic 19-3
3. Waukee 15-4
4. Iowa City West 16-5
5. Iowa City High 17-5
6. Ankeny Centennial 14-6
7. Indianola 17-4
8. Cedar Rapids Prairie 14-7
9. Southeast Polk 13-8
10. Western Dubuque 16-3

Adair County Sheriff’s report 6/19/2017

News

June 19th, 2017 by admin

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater released details Monday on a few recent arrests.

On Sunday, June 11th Deputies arrested 32-year-old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of Fontanelle on a charge of Driving While Revoked. Pickrell was arrested at 1st and Maple Streets in Fontanelle and later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Also on Sunday, June 11th at 5:47pm Deputies arrested 37-year-old Michael Lynn Huddleson, of Fontanelle, on multiple charges. Huddleson was arrested at 12th and Main Streets in Fontanelle just before 3-a.m., for OWI 2nd Offense, Carrying Weapons, and Theft 3rd Degree.The weapons charge stems from a Glock 19, .9mm handgun Huddleson had on his lap when the Deputy Wedemeyer approached Huddleson’s pickup truck, which he had pulled over for a broken taillight.

Seeing that the Glock was pointed in the Deputy’s direction, Wedemeyer drew his duty weapon and ordered Huddleson out of the vehicle. One the man was placed in handcuffs, the Deputy secured the weapon, which was fully loaded, with one round in the chamber. The gun was determined to have been stolen out of Clarke County. Huddleson was taken to the Adair County Jail and released later that released on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

On Thursday, June 15th Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 38-year-old Laura Kay Welsch, of Greenfield, for Simple Assault. Welsch was taken into custody and held on $300 cash or surety bond.

Exercise held to help continue Iowa’s Animal Health Emergency planning efforts

Ag/Outdoor

June 19th, 2017 by admin

DES MOINES – Last week over 60 federal, state and local agency, academic and industry professionals met to participate in a mock animal disease emergency response exercise. The exercise was hosted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship with the support of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

“Unfortunately, Iowa saw firsthand how devastating an animal health emergency can be with the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak that severely impacted our poultry industry in 2015.  The Department has made it a priority to take the lessons learned from that disaster and help us be better prepared should we have to deal with another event in the future.  This exercise was another step in that process and I greatly appreciate all the stakeholders from across the state that participated,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said.

The tabletop exercise was designed to help test response capabilities and review the Department’s updated Foot-and-Mouth Disease Response Plan that was completed this spring.  Foot and Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral disease of livestock that affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. This disease is not transmissible to humans and there are not food safety concerns with the disease.

This all-day exercise allowed leaders in industry, academia and government to talk through the plan and process of preventing, detecting, and responding to various scenarios involving an outbreak response.

“We greatly appreciate the leadership by the Department to develop this plan and continue the process by holding this exercise so we can continue to learn and improve,” said Pat McGonegle, CEO of the Iowa Pork Producers Association who participated in the exercise.

A Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak has the potential to be devastating to the Iowa and national economy. Iowa is the number one pork producing state in the nation and 4th in beef production.  Iowa 3rd in milk goat inventory and 9th in all sheep and lamb inventory. Our state also has over 200,000 dairy cows and is in the top 15 nationally for milk production.  Livestock feed is the top customer of both corn and soybeans, so grain farmers would also be significantly impacted if the disease is found.

The Center for Food Safety and Public Health at Iowa State coordinated the development of the updated response plan.  The exercise was organized/conducted by SES, Inc. out of Merriam, Kansas, who provided facilitators and evaluators to document discussion, resolve questions, and advise on plans, policies, and procedures.

Page County Sheriff’s vehicle damaged during storm response Friday

News

June 19th, 2017 by admin

A Page County Sheriff’s vehicle was damaged and a Deputy escaped injury during a rollover accident on Friday night while responding to storm damage calls. At about 10:20pm Page County Deputy Lindsey Stephens was south bound on K Avenue in the 2500 block.  Deputy Stephens had been responding to calls of structures being destroyed in that area and power lines across the roads during the severe storm.  This is approximately 3 miles northeast of Coin.  Deputy Stephens was operating a 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 patrol vehicle owned by Page County.

The T-intersection sign at 255th& K had been blown down during the storm.  Deputy Stephens took evasive action to stop and avoid the large power pole in the ditch.  The patrol vehicle slid sideways and the passenger’s side tires dropped off the shoulder of the gravel road.  The vehicle rolled on its passenger side due to the steep angle of the ditch and then slowly rolled onto its top.  Deputy Stephens was unable to get out of the vehicle once freeing himself from the seat-belt as neither door would open.

Once the doors were opened by another member of the Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Stephens got out of the patrol vehicle.  Deputy Stephens was uninjured during the accident.  Damage to the patrol truck is estimated at over $10,000.00

Motorcycle accident reported on Saturday evening near Essex

News

June 19th, 2017 by admin

On Saturday, June 17th at about 5:54pm The Page County Sheriff’s Office responded to a single motorcycle accident with injuries on Highway 48 just north of Essex on the curve.

The accident involved 64-year-old Micheal Glenn Morelock of Shenandoah. Morelock was operating a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle with no passengers westbound on Highway 48 when he failed to negotiate the left curve for unknown reasons and went into the west ditch. Morelock was thrown from the motorcycle and landed in the west ditch.  Morelock was flown to Bergan Mercy Hospital by LifeNet Helicopter service with disabling injuries.  His current condition is unknown at this time.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Essex Fire & Rescue and the Shenandoah Police Department.

MONDAY, JUNE 19th

Trading Post

June 19th, 2017 by admin

FOR SALE: Professional style 3-burner gas grill with infrared rotisserie, side burner, and built-in cooler. Has three drawers on one side as well, stainless steel, and has lots of new parts. $200. Call 712-254-6110.  SOLD!!