The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) proposes to raise the bridge on 140th Street over Interstate 29 in Monona County. The proposed improvement will have an impact on Badger Lake Wildlife Management Area.

The Iowa DOT invites the public to review and comment on the anticipated de minimis effect of the I-29 project on protected activities, features and attributes of Badger Lake Wildlife Management Area.

De minimis impacts on publicly owned parks, recreation areas, and wildlife and waterfowl refuges are defined as those that do not “adversely affect the activities, features and attributes” of protected properties pursuant to 49 United States Code section 303 or commonly referred to as section 4(f).

For additional information on the anticipated de minimis effect, please contact: Jorge Zamora, Iowa DOT Office of Location and Environment, 800 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA  50010, telephone 515-239-1251

Visit the Iowa DOT’s project-related news release website athttp://www.iowadot.gov/ole/otherprojectinfo.html   for opportunities to offer input to the Iowa DOT during the development of certain projects.

(IA-DOT Press Release)

A domestic dispute over child custody Wednesday night in Pottawattamie County led to the arrest of a Council Bluffs man on numerous charges. Pott County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Dwayne Riche says the incident began at around 8:15-p.m. at the American Inn in Council Bluffs.

Riche says 29-year old Scott Penny, of Council Bluffs, was charged with domestic assault with intent, OWI 1^st Offense, Aggravated Assault and two counts of child endangerment, after he allegedly tried to run two vehicles, including one driven by 21-year old Brandy Redden-Stechenfinger, of Council Bluffs, off the road, near Oakland.

Riche says the incident started with a verbal dispute at the American Inn, where Redden works. After Penny got into an argument with Redden-Stechenfinger and Cora Beery, of Council Bluffs, Redden took her children, one-year old Adrianna Penny and 3-year old Alexis Redden-Stechenfinger, away from the scene in her vehicle.

Scott Penny began to follow the women and two children in his 2005 Chevy Monte Carlo. He says as they were traveling west on Highway Six coming back into Council Bluffs, she saw Scott Penny follow her vehicle and approaching from the rear at a high rate of speed. As their vehicles approached and passed another westbound vehicle, Penny allegedly tried to run the other motorist off the road, at speeds in excess of 110-miles per hour. Penny then tapped, or hit Redden’s vehicle.

Sheriff’s Deputies received word of the incident at 8:22-p.m. and were dispatched to the intersection of Highway 6 and Interstate 80, where Penny’s vehicle was stopped. Sgt. Riche says Penny gave the deputies a “one-fingered gesture,” but was taken into custody without further incident.

Council Bluffs Police Officers arrived on the scene and transported Penny to Jail on an initial charge of OWI 1^st offense, but once Sheriff’s deputies completed their investigation, the additional charges were assessed.

No injuries were reported. Scott Penny was being held in the Pott County Jail pending an appearance before the magistrate. There was no word on the amount of his bond.

w/ News Director Ric Hanson

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A Harlan man critically injured during a motorcycle accident Friday night, in Harlan, has died. 46-year old Richard “Rick” Jones died Wednesday, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha. Jones was found unresponsive but breathing when authorities arrived following the crash, which occurred at around 9:10-p.m., Friday. Harlan Police said his motorcycle hit a curb on the side of the road, as it was traveling on Hawkeye Avenue.

Jones was taken by Medivac Ambulance to Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, before he was flown to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha by LifeNet helicopter.

Funeral services for Rick Jones are currently pending at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.

w/ News Director Ric Hanson

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The City of Atlantic’s Community Promotion Commission is set to meet at noon today.

During their session in the Council Chambers at City Hall, the CPC will discuss and/or act on: a $5,200 contribution to the Downtown Beautification Group; A request from the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce for $2,400 to cover the cost of advertising for the “Third Thursday” Summer Concert series; and, a Chamber request for $4,180, to cover the cost of “Coca-Cola Days” advertising.

Other discussion will focus on community projects and marketing. The CPC will also receive a finance report, during their Budget Update portion of their agenda.

Two people suffered what were  described as apparent, minor injuries this (Thursday) morning, during an accident on Interstate 80 in Cass County. According to dispatch reports, a vehicle traveling westbound collided with barriers at the beginning of the construction zone at the 72-mile marker, or about two-miles east of the Anita exit. The accident happened at around 2:50-a.m.

Anita and Wiota Rescue, along with a Cass County Sheriff’s deputy and the Iowa State Patrol responded to the scene. Two people, including a 25-year old male complaining of abdominal pain, were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, where a report on their conditions is not available. Their names have also not yet been released.

The vehicle sustained damage to the left front side. It was impounded to be searched for possible evidence of illegal substances. Additional details are currently not available.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Four cities in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri will share over $1.8 million to clean up old industrial sites. The Environmental Protection Agency says the money is to be used on sites known as brownfields. It’s part of $76 million in EPA funds to clean up and redevelop properties across the county. The agency on Wednesday says the sites are located in Arlington and Council Bluffs, in Iowa; Omaha, Neb., and Springfield, Mo.

Funds include $200,000 each to clean up hazardous materials at the former Arlington School and a foundry in Council Bluffs. The EPA says $600,000 will go to Springfield to clean up sites at the Jordan Valley West Meadows, while $835,000 will be used to address hazardous substances and petroleum in Omaha.

Another victim of a western Iowa fire has died. Officials with the St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, NE, say 74-year-old Donna Thomas died Wednesday night after being critically burned in a fire at her mobile home in Carter Lake early Tuesday morning. Thomas was found by two Carter Lake Police officers who were on patrol at around 2:30-a.m., Tuesday.
When officers Ryan Gonsior and Ron Hansen arrived at 3510 N. Ninth Street, smoke was billowing from unit 213.

Police Chief Shawn Kannedy said the woman’s cry for help alerted the officers, who forced their way in to the structure.  Thomas was found on the floor behind a door. The officers, who could see only her arm, grabbed the woman and pulled her out of the mobile home.

Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s office say the fire was caused by an electrical short in an appliance near Thomas’ bed. The blaze severely damaged the home and some nearby sheds. Officials say there were no working smoke detectors in the home.

Thomas was the second woman to die from injuries suffered in a mobile home fire on the same day.63-year old Susan Davis, of Fontanelle died Wednesday, at the University of Iowa Hospital’s Burn Unit. She and 60-year old Howard Burgher were found outside their home Saturday night. Burgher died Sunday morning. Careless discarding of smoking materials was blamed for the fire that took their lives.  There were no working smoke detectors in the couples’ residence.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Six likely Republican presidential candidates are participating in a bus tour of Iowa that kicks off Monday.

The three-week event is sponsored by the Iowa Tea Party and includes appearances by Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, former CEO Herman Cain, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

The tour begins in Council Bluffs and will include education sessions for Iowa’s leadoff presidential caucuses and the August straw poll. The event’s sponsors also include conservative issue advocacy groups.

Candidates will join the tour and make appearances along the way before it wraps up in Des Moines on July 2. Stops include Sioux City, Spencer, Mason City, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Davenport, Burlington, Marshalltown, Ames, Fort Dodge, Carroll, Indianola, Lamoni, Ottumwa and Oskaloosa.