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Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Fremont County

Weather

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

226 PM CDT WED APR 27 2016

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA…UNTIL 315 PM CDT

* AT 225 PM CDT…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HAMBURG…OR 12 MILES NORTHWEST OF TARKIO…MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM COULD DEVELOP ROTATION QUICKLY.

HAZARD…QUARTER SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT…DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…

HAMBURG…SIDNEY…FARRAGUT…RIVERTON AND WAUBONSIE STATE PARK.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 29 NEAR MILE MARKER 1.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING.

Weather concerns cloud Drake Relays

Sports

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The biggest unknown for the annual Drake Relays has always been the weather. Conditions could be a big factor this year — especially with every athlete’s training geared toward making and then peaking at the Rio Olympics.

Drake has lined up stars like LaShawn Merritt, Kirani James, Jenny Simpson and Brittney Reese to compete in this year’s meet, which starts in earnest Thursday and runs through Saturday. But the forecast calls for rain on Saturday, which could lead to athletes deciding to pull out rather than risk an injury that would keep them out of a trip to Rio.

Attempt to keep alive Iowa fireworks bill gets shot down

News

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An attempt to keep alive a bill that would allow the sale of fireworks in Iowa has fizzled out and is considered dead this session. The Senate Ways and Means Committee agreed Wednesday to hold off any further discussion on legislation that would have allowed the retail sale and use of consumer fireworks such as firecrackers and roman candles. Current law allows sales of novelties like sparklers.

The move comes as lawmakers try to adjourn the legislative session. Sen. Bill Dotzler, a Waterloo Democrat, says there wasn’t enough committee support to advance the bill for a floor vote and the measure is dead.

The proposal is separate from another fireworks bill that failed this year. The latest bill would have added restrictions on when the fireworks could be used.

Special Weather Statement for Fremont-Mills-Pott. Counties

Weather

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

214 PM CDT WED APR 27 2016

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN POTTAWATTAMIE, WESTERN MILLS, and FREMONT COUNTIES IN IA UNTIL 245 PM CDT.

AT 213 PM CDT…DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR CEDAR CREEK, NE TO NEAR RESERVE, NE…AND MOVING NORTH AT 40 MPH.

DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. THERE IS ALSO SOME POTENTIAL FOR BRIEF SPINUPS ALONG THIS LINE…WHICH COULD PRODUCE BRIEF TORNADOES.

SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…OMAHA…COUNCIL BLUFFS…GLENWOOD…HAMBURG…SIDNEY…PACIFIC JUNCTION.

Glenwood P-D & Mills County Sheriff’s reports, 4/27/16

News

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest on Monday, of 39-year old Earl Edds, of Glenwood. Edds was arrested for OWI 3rd  Offense, and Failure to post SR22. His bond was set at $5000.

And, the Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the following arrests: 22-year old Ozzy Ray Hunter, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Criminal Trespass; 39-year old Earl Fletcher Edds, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant for Violation of Probation; 63-year old Teresa Ann Dillard, of Pacific Junction, was arrested on a warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance, and a Possession of Contraband, charge; and, 28-year old Rodney Paul Kephart, Jr., of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Interference with Official Acts.

Hunter’s bond was set at $300. Edds’ bond was set at $5,000. Dillard’s bond was set at $6,000, and Kephart, Jr.’s bond was set at $300.

(Update) Missing southwest Iowa and Missouri teens located

News

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office says a missing 15-year old girl from Bedford and a 17-year old male from Missouri have been found. An Iowa Motor Vehicle Enforcement Officer made contact with Emma Lee Lucas, of Bedford and Matthew Petersen of Sheridan, Missouri, on Interstate 80, near Avoca.

The teens were are listed as missing earlier today (Wednesday), and were thought to have been in a white 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup.  The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office thanks the public for its help.

Lucas and Petersen

CATHERINE ANN FRANKS, 81, of Persia (Svcs. 4/29/16)

Obituaries

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

CATHERINE ANN FRANKS, 81, of Persia, died Tue., April 26th, at Immanuel Medical Center. A Mass of Christian Burial for CATHERINE FRANKS will be held 2-p.m. Fri., April 29th, at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Church, in Portsmouth. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Church in Portsmouth, from 4-until 8-pm Thursday, with the family greeting friends from 6-until 8-pm.

Burial will be in the Valley View Cemetery at Persia.

CATHERINE ANN FRANKS is survived by:

Her sons  – Butch (Bev) Kosmacek, and Tim (Kathleen) Kosmacek, all of Persia; Don (Kim) Kosmacek, and Gary (Lisa) Kosmacek, all of Omaha; and George (Jennifer) Kosmacek, of Stanton, NE.

Her daughters – Laura (Ed) Anderson, of New Berlin, WI; Gayle (Bob) Nelson, and Kristina (Craig) Brich, all of Persia; Mary Kimsey, of Blair, NE.; and Joyce Kosmacek, of Omaha.

Her sister – Margaret Simet, of Omaha.

Her brothers – Thomas (Virginia) Simet, of Des Moines, and Leo (Monica) Simet, of Omaha.

24 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren.

Ex-Sioux City band director pleads guilty in sex case

News

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A former Sioux City band teacher has pleaded guilty in a student sex case and likely will serve 30 days in jail under a plea agreement with prosecutors. The Sioux City Journal reports 34-year-old Lucas Sursely pleaded guilty Tuesday to an aggravated misdemeanor charge of sexual exploitation by a school employee. The charge was reduced from a felony.

The plea and sentencing needs a judge’s approval. The agreement says Sursely must also serve two years of probation and register as a sex offender. He was arrested in December after authorities say he texted a 15-year-old student about having sex with her and sent the girl a picture of himself in his underwear.

Sursely has resigned from his position as Sioux City North High School band director.

ISP Releases New Information in Crash Involving DMPD

News

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Iowa State Patrol (ISP) has completed an extensive investigation surrounding the circumstances into the four person vehicle fatality crash that occurred on I-80 near the Waukee exit in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 26, 2016. The driver of the Ford Taurus, Benjamin E. Beary, 25, Knoxville was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-80 when his vehicle collided head-on with a Des Moines Police Department transport SUV at approximately 12:32 a.m.

Based on the investigation of the scene and an examination of the vehicles, the investigators made the following findings about the crash.

– The Ford Taurus, driven by Mr. Beary was traveling at a speed of approximately 102 mph at the time of impact.

– The Des Moines Police unit was traveling at a speed of approximately 79 mph at the time of impact.

– Speed zone for this particular area of the interstate is 70 mph.

– Iowa State Patrol Technical Investigators determined that at the time of the crash, there was no braking by either vehicle.  The crash occurred just beyond the crest of a small incline and is the investigators’ conclusion that the Des Moines officers could not see the Ford Taurus until just before impact.

– The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner concluded that the 3 occupants in the Des Moines Police unit died from multiple blunt force injuries. Des Moines officers Susan Farrell and Carlos Puente-Morales, who had been on the job less than six months, were killed in the crash, along with 32-year-old Tosha Nicole Hyatt of Des Moines.  The cause of death for Mr. Beary was determined to be from multiple blunt force injuries, thermal injuries, and smoke inhalation.

– Toxicology reports indicated that Mr. Beary’s blood alcohol concentration at the time of the crash was 0.223% (nearly 3x the legal limit).    This report also showed recent use of marijuana by Mr. Beary.

– Toxicology reports for the Des Moines officers were negative for alcohol and common illicit or prescription drugs.

– Based upon the investigation, the Iowa State Patrol’s Technical Investigator(s) concluded that Mr. Beary merged onto I-80 at the Grand Prairie Parkway interchange driving westbound into the eastbound lanes of travel.  This interchange is marked appropriately with signage and markings. The investigators concluded that Mr. Beary’s high level of impairment resulted in him driving the wrong way on the interstate.

Update: 1 lane of I-35 SB near Ames is now open

News

April 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The left lane of southbound Interstate 35 between U.S. 30 and Iowa 210 in Story County is now open to traffic, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 1 office. The right lane of southbound I-35 will remain closed for repairs.

Traffic was being detoured for a time, because the roadbed had been undermined and washed away in a construction zone about two miles south of U.S. Highway 30.