Top brass in the U-S Army Corps of Engineers have wrapped up a spring inspection tour of the six dams along the main stem of the Missouri River. All of the dams had to release record amounts of water last spring and summer as the Corps dealt with record levels and historic flooding. Brigadier General John McMahon, commander of the Corps’ Northwest Division, says the recovery and repair process is well underway. “We’re making good progress in the assessments,” General McMahon says. “We have money flowing at one dam. We have construction crews going out that we actually saw at other dams, there was evidence of construction so, the process is working. That’s always good to see. We’ve got a lot to do and we don’t know all that we have to do because we haven’t concluded all of the assessments that we need to do.”

 McMahon says there are critical issues at some of the dams. “There are, but they’re being addressed, as you would expect them to be,” he says. “We have a good scheme of what needs to be done first and those things are being done but no surprises in that regard.” There were several levee breaks downstream of Gavins Point Dam in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. McMahon says most of those compromised levees have had at least temporary repairs. “There are other places in northwestern Missouri where we’ve got a lot of work to do but that’s being held up by different aspects of the process,” he says. “We’ve got to get easements, we’ve got to get land and those are responsibilities of the local folks but all of that’s unfolding as we speak.” McMahon says another issue for the Corps will be regaining the trust of the people who live along and near the river.

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

For MONONA & HARRISON Counties….

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE issued 325 AM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING

…DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY…

A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON TUESDAY, BRINGING LITTLE CHANGE TO TEMPERATURES BUT MUCH DRIER AIR. BEHIND THE FRONT. WESTERLY WINDS WILL REACH AROUND 15 TO 20 MPH, WITH GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 MPH POSSIBLE. THE COMBINATION OF VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE EXTREMELY HIGH FIRE DANGER.

RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL DROP TO 15 TO 20 PERCENT BY NOON TUESDAY ACROSS THE AREA, AND WILL REMAIN LOW UNTIL SUNSET. ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

The Audubon City Council will hold its regular meeting Monday night. On their agenda is: Maintenance bids for the water/wastewater treatment plants, along with a resolution awarding the contract; The 1st and possibly final, consideration of an ordinance allowing low speed vehicle operation on City streets by unlicensed adults; The consideration of an ordinance banning parking in yards; A resolution establishing City employee compensation practices; and, discussion with regard to the solid waste transfer station.  The meeting at the Audubon City Hall begins 7-p.m., Monday, March 26th.

The Exira and Elk Horn-Kimballton Boards of Education will hold a joint meeting Monday evening, March 26th, in Exira. During the 7-p.m. session in the New Media Center, the Boards will receive an update on Whole Grade Sharing, hear any questions for the Boards pertaining to reorganization, and receive an update on a shared Business Manager’s position.

MANNING, Iowa (AP/KCCI) – A Manning man has been arrested, accused of holding police at bay for nearly 12 hours and firing more than a dozen rounds from his house.  The standoff began around 8 p.m. Friday when officers were asked to check on the 58-year-old David Wurr’s welfare.When officers arrived, Wurr came to the door armed with a pistol and refused to leave.

By 2 a.m., at least 20 law enforcement officials had surrounded the house, blocked off streets and evacuated several nearby houses. Police say Wurr fired 14 shots by the time they fired tear gas into the house to drive the man out. Wurr, who had no prior criminal history, was arrested just after 7 a.m. Saturday.  He was transported to the Saint Anthony Hospital in Carroll for minor treatment. No serious injuries were reported.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department says a Nodaway woman suffered minor injuries during a single-vehicle accident Saturday afternoon southeast of Villisca. Officials say 31-year old Krista Colleen Sabo was traveling west on Montgomery/Page Street about one-quarter of a mile east of Vine Avenue at around 2:20-p.m., when the 2005 Dodge Durango she was driving hit a couple of pot holes in the road.

The jarring effect caused Sabo to lose control of the SUV. When she over-corrected, the vehicle left the road and entered the north ditch, when it came to rest against an embankment. Sabo was transported by Villisca EMA to the Montgomery County Hospital. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Page County Sheriff’s Office, and Villisca Fire and EMS.

w/ Brett Johnson

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“Occupy Des Moines” protestors gathered in front of the State Capital in Des Moines Friday night, to voice their concerns over numerous education-related issues being debated in state, including state funding for online education provided by private companies. The Des Moines Register reports in its Saturday edition, that the biggest concern raised by speakers and the audience was the funneling of state money toward online academies rather than public schools. A provision in the education reform bill allows up to 900 Iowa students to be enrolled in for-profit online academies administered by local districts. The bill also addresses teacher preparation and teacher and student evaluation.

Last week, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said online schools are allowed under state law. Miller’s opinion was in response to a request by a state senator after two districts, CAM and Clayton Ridge, said they plan to launch online-only programs run by for-profit companies next school year. Miller says online courses are permitted, as long as the curriculum is taught by a licensed teacher and that students enrolled in the course are supervised.

Critics have argued the schools are illegal under a clause in the Iowa Code that says school districts are only allowed to do what is expressly stated in law. Miller disputes that claim, but says education officials should monitor the emergence of online-only programs in Iowa. Those in attendance at Friday night’s event at the State Capital also addressed concerns over reductions in state funding for public universities and UNI program cuts.