Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker is asking persons who normally travel Old Lincoln Highway for recreational purposes, to refrain from doing so for the time being, due to increased traffic being diverted from Interstate 29. Danker’s request followed a community meeting Thursday afternoon in Crescent.

Old Lincoln Highway has long been a popular route for bicyclists, pedestrians and recreational vehicles, because of the way it winds through the Loess Hills. Unfortunately, he says, it also has a 50-mph speed limit, and curvy roads, which limits the number of areas where vehicles can safely pass.

Pott County Emergency Manager Jeff Theulen also attended Thursday’s meeting. He said many citizens in the Crescent area voiced their concerns about some close calls that have taken place since I-29 was closed and traffic significantly increased on to Old Lincoln Highway.

Both men said the flood impacts everyone, and they asked citizens to voluntarily avoid using the road until the closures are discontinued. Danker says when highways begin to open, they will welcome back all recreational users to the scenic Loess Hills route. The Sheriff thanks everyone in advance, for your understanding of the situation, and your cooperation.

A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered to anyone who can provide information leading to an arrest associated with last Sunday’s railroad switch box tampering incident, near Menlo. That word came Thursday afternoon from officials with the Iowa Interstate Railroad (IRR).

Early Sunday morning, a train crew passing through the area discovered a switch box had been broken into about a quarter mile west of Menlo. A second train on its way to the area was ordered to stop short of Menlo until the incident could be investigated, and all traffic on the rail was shut down for about eight-hours.

IRR officials say if the first alert train crew hadn’t made the discovery as quickly as it did, a train coming through would have derailed, resulted in a fire, the death of the train‘s crew, and a potential hazard to the nearby community.

The FBI is assisting the Iowa State Patrol and the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation, but authorities say they do not believe the tampering to be a terrorist threat. Neighbors believe more than one person was responsible for breaking into the switch box.

If you have information about the incident that may help authorities, call (319)-298-5405 or e-mail to MenloReward@IASRR.com.

Special crisis counseling teams from the Iowa Department of Human Services are now working the flood zone areas of western Iowa. Mental Health specialist Karen Hyatt says their initial appearance created some mini crises of their own.  Hyatt says the teams are wearing red shirts that say: “Disaster Behavioral Health Response Team.” She says police and other officials were getting calls to ask if the team members were legitimate. Hyatt says they are in the area to help people deal with the stress of the situation.

She says the teams are going door-to-door and letting people in high-risk areas know the three levels of threat are so the people know when to evacuate, what to bring with them, where the buses will be, and other important information. Hyatt says the emotional toll of the flooding can be as trying as the physical aspect of moving items out of the way or building levees. And the response team works with people to help them deal with that emotional issues.

Wyatt ways they’re finding people who have been through numerous flood events before and are anxious about that. The crisis team can provide on site counseling to them if they need it, or refer them to community services. Wyatt says the physiological impact of flooding often doesn’t get enough attention.  “It’s one of the areas I think that goes unlooked at,” Wyatt says, “but what we’re hearing all up and down the western side of the state is that people are experiencing a lot of stress .” She says people are either in pre-flood staging, they’re getting ready for it and are asking “is it going to happen is it not, should I leave, shouldn’t I” and she says you add in concerns about the economy and there are all kinds of concern.

Crisis counseling teams have been active in Blencoe and Council Bluffs. They’ve also been invited to Hamburg, where many residents are expressing anxiety about the rising water.

(Dar Danielson/Radio Iowa)

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Airport officials in Lincoln, NE are working on a contingency plan just in case the airport in Omaha is flooded by the Missouri River. Lincoln Airport Executive Director John Wood said Thursday, that the airport is working on a worst-case scenario in case Eppley Airfield in Omaha has to close. Wood says if that happens, flights will likely be diverted to Lincoln and Des Moines. Omaha Airport Authority Director Steve Coufal says the airport is not considering closing.

Eppley is surrounded on three sides by the Missouri River and is protected by levees tall enough to withstand a flood stage of up to 42 feet. The river is expected to crest in Omaha at 36 feet and stay above flood stage for months.

Three non-injury accidents were investigated in Harlan over the past couple of weeks. Police in Harlan report the most recent accident happened June 10^th, at 6^th and Laurel Streets. Officials say Megan Behrendt was cited for failure to yield, after her vehicle struck a vehicle driven by Marcus Burmeister. Both drivers are from Harlan. The accident caused a total of $6,700 damage.

On June 5^th, Derek Monson, of Harlan, was cited for striking an unattended vehicle in the 500 block of Durant Street. The damage to Monson’s car, and a vehicle registered to Mark Greve, of Harlan, was estimated at $3,700 altogether.

And, on June 2^nd, Malerie Scheffler, of Harlan, was cited for failure to maintain control, after police investigated an accident at 4^th and Main Streets, where a bridge railing was destroyed.

A Red Oak woman was arrested Thursday evening following a traffic stop at 2^nd and Oak Streets, in Red Oak. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s office says 32-year old Becky Jo Hegarty faces charges of Littering, Driving While Barred, and Possession of Marijuana.

Hegarty was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.

The Harlan Police Department reports a Kirkman man was arrested on a drug charge earlier this month. In their activities report issued Thursday, the H-PD says 19-year old Kolten Kobold, of Kirkman, was charged on June 3^rd, with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was cited and then released from custody.

The next day, 27-year old Carl Parkhurst and 55-year old Ricky Hansen, both of Harlan, were arrested on public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges, after officers were called to a possible fight in the 500 block of Market Street. And, 20-year old Laramey Arkland, of Harlan, was arrested on a 3^rd degree theft charge, after Arkland allegedly took two 12-inch speakers, an amplifier and a CD visor sleeve full of CD’s, from a vehicle belonging to Brandon Allen.

On June 8^th, officers arrested 25-year old Terra Smagacz, of Harlan, on a charges of OWI and failure to have a valid driver’s license. Her arrest took place following a traffic stop. That same day, 70-year old Gary Ross, of Harlan, was arrested for disorderly conduct, following an alleged altercation between Ross and Harlan resident Kevin Clark.

The next day, 46-year old Dennis Armstrong, of Harlan, was arrested after police investigated a report of persons drinking alcohol in public. Armstrong was charged with public intoxication and interference with official acts.

On June 10^th, 14-year olds Curtis Scheffler and Andrew Nippert, both of Harlan, were cited on trespassing charges, after they were allegedly found to be operating ATV’s at the fairgrounds. Officials say since it was not their first offense, the teens’ ATV’s were impounded.

Also on June 10^th, 56-year old Ronald Henriksen, of Harlan was arrested following a traffic stop on charges of OWI 2^nd offense, failure to have a valid driver’s license, and a moving violation related to the operation of his headlights.

The Harlan Police Department reports eight people were cited over the past week for Minor in Possession of Alcohol. Officials say an investigation into a noise complaint on June 9^th at 1803 Lincoln Avenue, resulted in the arrest of four male juveniles. 17-year olds Brian Schechinger, Brock Travis, John Prichard and Joshua Carlisle, all from Harlan, were brought to the Harlan Police Department, cited for Minor in Possession, and released to the custody of their parents.

And, on Sunday (June 12^th), 18-year olds Bailey McGrath and Jandy Johnston, and 19-year old Jill Haupts, all from Harlan, along with 19-year old Trisha Nowatzke, from Earling, were cited for Possession of Alcohol under the legal age, after a Harlan Police officer observed the teens allegedly in possession of booze when he pulled up next to their vehicle, in the parking lot of a business. All four were cited for the offense and released.

That same day, 21-year old Zachary Culp, from Harlan, was cited for selling alcohol to persons under the legal age, after officers observed him allegedly committing the act at the Harlan Kum and Go Store.

The flooding Missouri River is forcing the railroads to reroute their traffic and make the trains longer than normal. In Atlantic, City Administrator Doug Harris says that means Union Pacific rail traffic through the City will be on the increase, and could affect the length of time you spend waiting at railroad crossings.

Harris told the City Council during their meeting Wednesday night, he’s received word from the Union Pacific Railroad, that they will be routing 8-more trains than normal daily, through Atlantic, because of the Midwestern floods. The U-P says the trains will be more frequent, and longer than those that normally go through the City. 

Railroad officials are asking motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists to use extra caution, when approaching and crossing the tracks.

Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management officials have released their latest update on flood information pertaining to the Missouri River:

• Officials say technical assistance has been requested from the Army Corps of Engineers for all counties along the Missouri River from Woodbury County south. Staging areas for water, sandbags and pumps have been established in Avoca, Onawa, and Denison.
• A boil was reported Wednesday afternoon on a new levee near the Desoto Bend Wildlife Refuge. The Corps is providing Direct Assistance to address the issue. Should a breach occur, the highest impact would be to US Highway 30. The lowest section of Highway 30 is mile marker 2.1. The DOT will survey to confirm.
• Northbound I-29 is open between Rock Port, Missouri, and Iowa exit 10 (Iowa 2). However, the Iowa and Missouri departments of transportation are working closely to monitor this very volatile situation. Northbound I-29 will be kept open as long as possible for local and emergency traffic. Other traffic is urged to find an alternate route around the flooding in southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri.
• The Dept. of Human Services is working with care facilities to make contingency plans, should they have to evacuate.
• The DNR is providing technical assistance to waste water facilities, water supplies, industry, fuel stations, etc. Conservation officers in Hamburg and Missouri Valley are in place for rescue missions, if needed.
• The Iowa Department of Corrections has crews in Hamburg, Council Bluffs, and Onawa for helping out with sandbagging efforts.
• And, at their request, the Iowa Dept. of Public Health is working closely with Monona County Emergency Management and Burgess Medical Center for a potential patient evacuation plan.