Storms across the Midwest last night, brought heavy rain and large hail to portions of South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. The National Weather Service says a storm near Omaha produced softball-size hail and winds of more than 65 miles per hour.

Winds gusting up to 65-miles per hour were reported one-mile west of Harlan at around 4-p.m. Emergency management officials said a farm was damaged five-miles northwest of Harlan at around that same time, where grain bins and outbuildings were destroyed, and a 1,000-gallon propane tank was moved 10-feet.

Winds of more than 70 miles per hour were reported north of Villisca just after 6-pm, Thursday, along with quarter-sized hail. In Griswold, winds gusted up to 55 miles per hour and heavy rain was reported at 5:15-p.m. A KJAN listener who lives near Interstate 80 and the Olive Street exit in Cass County, said hail estimated to be about the size of ping-pong balls fell for about 5-minutes, just after 7-p.m., Thursday. KJAN News Director Ric Hanson observed pea to nickel-sized hail falling just before 7:30-p.m., in the same area.

Baseball-sized hail was reported to have fallen four-miles south of Stanton, other reports of golfball-sized hail came from Council Bluffs, and areas near Tennant, Nodaway, Farragut, Gravity, and Randolph. Charles Ambrose, Emergency Management Director in the Taylor County town of Gravity, told the media at least one downtown building had its windows broke, and hail completely covered the ground.

Quarter-sized hail was reported at many other locations, including Hancock, Underwood, Glenwood, and Clarinda. Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in all three states

late Thursday afternoon, with a tornado warning in north central Nebraska.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Pottawattamie County authorities are investigating the death of a 5-month-old boy who was found unresponsive after taking a nap at a daycare provider in Council Bluffs.

The sheriff’s office say the child, who was identified as Lane Thomas, was found unresponsive late Wednesday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The sheriff’s office says the daycare provider told investigators she had put Thomas down for a nap at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. He was found unresponsive at 4 p.m. and was taken to a hospital by a rescue squad.

An autopsy was planned for Thursday. The investigation is continuing.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Storms are erupting across the Midwest, bringing heavy rain, large hail and the threat of tornadoes to portions of South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in all three states late Thursday afternoon, with a tornado warning in north central Nebraska.

The National Weather Service says a storm near Omaha, Neb, produced softball-size hail and winds of more than 65 mph. In Dixon County in northeast Nebraska, strong winds and hail broke out some windows in buildings in Waterbury.

Winds of more than 55 mph and heavy rain were reported in western Iowa in Griswold.

Forecasters say widespread thunderstorms are expected into Thursday night in southeast South Dakota, eastern Nebraska and western Iowa as a cold front moves across the region.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds are expected to resume their “Jobs for Iowa” tour next week. The 12-City tour will take them several counties, including Shelby, Crawford, and Sac.

The tour begins Tuesday, August 23^rd, with a stop at the Petersen Family Wellness Center in Harlan, at 10-a.m.. At 11:45, the pair will be at the Denison Public Library, before moving on to Odebolt, Ida Grove, and Kingsley.

On August 24^th, Branstad and Reynolds will hold “Jobs for Iowa” meetings in Rock Rapids, Sibley, and Primghar. Thursday’s trip brings them to Cherokee, Storm Lake, Pocahontas, and finally, Rockwell City.

Each of the events are free, and open to the public. Branstad and Reynolds will discuss at each location, the progress that’s been made in the last legislative session, and the — quote “Plans we have to continue moving Iowa forward toward economic prosperity.”

Three people were injured during a crash late Wednesday morning, on Highway 34, in Union County. The Iowa State Patrol says 44-year old Brian Truax and 67-year old Carol Truax, both of Colliers, West Virginia, and, 67-year old JoAnne Kohn, of Glenwood, were injured during the crash, which happened just west of Creston.

Brian Truax and JoAnne Kohn were transported by ambulance to the hospital in Creston, while Carol Truax was flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines.

The Patrol says a 2008 Chevy H-H-R, driven by Brian Truax, was traveling west on the highway, when the vehicle crossed the center line of the road and hit a Chrysler 300 driven by JoAnne Kohn, head-on. The accident happened at around 11:53-a.m.

Charges are currently pending.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports a Carroll County man was arrested Wednesday evening. 27-year old Bryan Gene Snell, of Coon Rapids, was arrested following a traffic stop on 190^th Street. Snell was charged with Driving While Suspended. He was released from custody after making an appearance before the magistrate.

And, 26-year old Amanda Lee Buck, of Manning, turned herself in to the Audubon County Sheriff’s Department this (Thursday) morning. Buck was wanted on an outstanding warrant for 5^th Degree Theft. The charge was the result of a bad check written to an Audubon business, on June 17^th. Buck appeared before the magistrate, and was released from custody.

w/Ric Hanson

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The office of Senator Charles Grassley has announced Iowa’s senior Republican will hold town hall meetings in western and southwest Iowa, near the end of this month, and in early September. Three of the meetings will focus on agriculture, in advance of the upcoming session in Congress, over the farm bill.

Grassley has scheduled stops August 29^th in Carroll, from 3-to 4-pm in the activity center/gymnasium at the New Hope Village, and from 5-to 6-pm in Denison, at the Denison Municipal Utilities’ Community Room. On August 30^th, the Senator will be at the Public Library in Harlan, from 8-to-9am, at the Oakland Community Building from 10-to 11:30-a.m., from 1-to 2:30-p.m. at the Montgomery County YMCA in Red Oak, and he’ll be in Atlantic, at the Cass County Community Center, from 3:30-to 5-p.m.

His other stops include: August 31^st – at the Onawa Community Center, from 7:30-to 8:30-a.m., the United Western Coop in Missouri Valley, from 10-to 11-a.m., at the Glenwood Senior Center, from 1-to 2-pm, the Sidney Senior Center, from 3-to 4pm, and in Shenandoah, at the Shenandoah Medical Center’s Rapp meeting room, from 4:45-to 5:45-p.m.

Senator Grassley wraps up his town hall meetings on September 1^st, in Taylor County, at the Farm Bureau meeting room in Bedford, from 8am-9am, at the Corning Community Building, from 10:15-11:15-a.m., and in Audubon, at the Economic Development community room, from 1:30-to 2:30-p.m.

Amber Russell, ICAPP director of Prevent Child Abuse Iowa said in a news release, “As a recipient of ICAPP funds, The Cass County Child Abuse Council, is among leading organizations in the state that are taking on the national issue of child abuse,” and they are proud to partner with Cass County. Russell said child abuse is preventable, but it will take individuals and organizations coming together to tackle the issue from a statewide, community, and individual level.

Kristen Templeton, group facilitator, said the ICAPP funds will ensure the Cass County Child Abuse Council can expand community awareness.The local council meets quarterly, and is currently seeking new members. In addition to the Parents as Teachers program, the council conducts community awareness. In April, the council and Washington Elementary School in Atlantic partnered up to promote Pinwheels for Prevention. Students participated in a coloring contest and the pictures were displayed in downtown Atlantic business windows to raise awareness in Cass County. Prizes were awarded to the winners of the contest. Pinwheels were also displayed on the Cass County Courthouse lawn.

ICAPP funding derives from federal and state appropriations, and birth certificate fees. Every year, Iowans also have the opportunity to support ICAPP by donating a portion of their state income tax return through the Check Off Child Abuse campaign. All funds raised directly support child abuse prevention programs in local communities.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have sent a letter to the County Board of Health, in support of the Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) at the Cass County Memorial Hospital. The BHU employees 21-people.

The facility, which serves the mental health needs of patients in Cass and other counties, is in danger of closing, because, according to officials, since CCMH became a critical access care facility, in-patient behavioral services have become a financial burden. Unlike other services the hospital provides, the costs to care for mental health clients, especially those who come from outside of Cass County, are not reimbursed on a cost-basis. Last year, the unit lost $500,000 in un-reimbursed costs.

During Wednesday’s meeting in Atlantic, Cass County Supervisor Chuck Rieken read a portion of the letter that‘s been mailed to the Board of Health. Rieken said “It is the Cass County Board of Supervisors position and belief that the behavioral unit is an indispensable part of this community but by providing necessary mental health services to those residents in Cass County as well as others who reside or who are placed here in various residential care facilities.”

Rieken and the other Supervisors have said many people are very much in favor of the facility staying in Cass County. He said the current BHU is highly efficient. The average stay for a mental health client at the facility is approximately seven days, or about four-days less than at other, similar facilities.

Supervisor Mark Wedemeyer, said he’s been asked why the BHU should be kept in Cass County. He says because in the long-run, it will save the County money. If it were to close, the county would have to send it’s clients to one of a handful of other such facilities in the State.

The Board of Health is scheduled to make a decision on the matter at a future meeting.