DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, and Pottawattamie Counties in response to the impending flooding in Western Iowa.  The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the effects of severe weather and temporarily suspends provisions or allows for the following during the duration of the proclamation:

• Temporarily suspends the regulatory provisions of Iowa Admin. Code 11-53.11(3) prohibiting pay to those State of Iowa employees for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per workweek while present in the State’s Emergency Operations Center or otherwise engaged in assigned disaster response missions or other activities.
• Temporarily suspends the regulatory provisions of Iowa Code Chapter 8A, Iowa Code § 313.10, Iowa Admin. Code chapters 11-117, 11-118 requiring the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Iowa Department of Transportation, the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and other state agencies involved in the response to this disaster emergency to procure goods and services through a competitive selection process.
• Temporarily suspends the regulatory provisions of Iowa Code § 321.449 pertaining to hours of service for disaster repair crews and drivers delivering goods and services while responding to disaster sites during the duration of this disaster, subject to conditions listed in Iowa Code § 321.449.
• Temporarily suspends regulatory provisions of the Iowa Code that pertain to procurement of goods and services, hours of service for disaster repair crews, and various requirements for the transportation of loads related to disaster repairs.
• Allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas), and manure (dry and liquid) to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit for the duration of this proclamation.  This proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (6) (a) and (b), by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says two people were arrested on OWI charges over the weekend, and one person was arrested on a warrant. 47-year-old James Lee Wendt, of Omaha, was arrested at around 12:15-p.m. Saturday, on a warrant for Failure To Appear on Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd offense, charge. His bond was set at $5,000.

At around 11-p.m., Saturday, Mills County Deputies arrested 42-year-old Gabrial Ramirez, of Omaha, for OWI/1st offense. Bond was set at $1,000. And, at around 12:25-a.m. Sunday, 25-year-old Jyden Paul Beaverson, of Malvern, was arrested in Mills County for OWI/2nd offense. His bond was set at $2,000.

(Greenfield, Iowa) The Adair County Sheriff’s Department reports two people were arrested and one person was cited over the past week. Last Wednesday, just before noon, 38-year-old Trel Curtis Peterson, of Des Moines, was arrested at the Adair Kum and Go convenience store. Peterson was taken into custody on an Adair County felony warrant fro Eluding/2^nd or subsequent offense. He was being held without bond in the Adair County Jail until seen by a magistrate.

Last Tuesday evening, 43-year-old Donna Marie Ott, of Des Moines, was cited following a traffic stop in Greenfield. Ott was issued a citation for Driving While Barred. She was also issued a written warning for Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability.

And, on June 17^th at around 2:18-a.m., Police in Stuart arrested a Missouri man following a traffic stop on westbound Interstate 80. The traffic stop was initiated after a woman called the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office to report a GMC Sierra was “all over the road,” and not maintaining its speed. The same vehicle drove past the Stuart Police Officer near the 93 mile marker.

Officer Shane Martinson observed the vehicle swerving from lane-to-lane and cross the fog line multiple times. The pickups’ speeds varied from 53-to 74-miles per hour. After the Officer stopped the vehicle, he questioned the driver, 39-year-old Oscar Orlando Villanueva-Tabora, of Kansas City, MO. The man told him he was just tired, but Martinson saw the man’s eyes were blood-shot and watery, his speed was slurred, and that there was an odor of alcohol in the vehicle. Two open and empty bottles of Fireball liquor were found on the passenger side floorboard of the vehicle, and a white grocery bag near the console contained an open and partially empty bottle of Jack Daniels alcohol.

Tabora failed the Field Sobriety Tests and a Breath Alcohol Content test, which registered .198% (twice the legal limit for intoxication, in Iowa). He was placed under arrest for OWI/1^st offense, Open Container, No Valid license, and failure to provide proof of insurance.

Villanueva-Tabora was released later that same day on a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Forecasters say some areas of northwest Iowa that are already seeing record flooding may get more rain late today and tonight (Monday). Making a bad situation even worse, National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Lee says the summer heat will be oppressive for the next few days as a Heat Advisory is posted for much of Iowa’s western half from 1 o’clock this afternoon until 8 tonight. “The high temperatures will probably only be in about the lower 90s or so,” Lee says, “but when you factor in the humidity, the heat index will be approaching 100 degrees at times, both today and Tuesday.” Some areas will feel much hotter, he says, as the forecast heat index for Council Bluffs late today is 111-degrees.

A few weeks ago, Iowa emerged from a drought that had lasted nearly four years, though now it’s almost like the rain showers are trying to make up for lost time. “Unfortunately, who’d of thought a few months ago we’d be wanting the rain to stop when we were in drought, but we just can’t quite seem to get out of this active pattern,” Lee says. “We do have more thunderstorm chances forecast, higher chances will be from this evening through tonight and then again on Tuesday afternoon and evening and we may have some severe weather with those.” Parts of the flooded region got more than ten inches of rain in the past week, which is some eight times more than normal, but Lee is hoping the approaching storms won’t make the flooding worse.

“At this time, the threat of that is more limited. The heavy rains that we had a couple of days ago are from storms that were moving repeatedly over the same areas,” Lee says. “Most of the time from now through Tuesday when we’re expecting one or more rounds of thunderstorms, the storms look like they’ll be moving a little more quickly, so the rain could still come down heavily, but hopefully we can avoid any kind of totals like we saw a few days ago.”

Lee says cooler weather is forecast to arrive on Wednesday, though the chances for rain also reappear on Thursday and Friday.

(Radio Iowa) – Residents in Sioux City’s Riverside neighborhood have been advised to prepare to evacuate due to major flooding. The Tyson Events Center is open for those who need a place to shelter. The Missouri River crested this (Monday) morning in Sioux City. John Benson, the director of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, says a lot of water is headed downstream. “This flood is not over,” Benson says. “…If you go look at the river gauges in the Missouri (River), they are going up and they are going to go up quickly. You will see those gauges peaking beginning the back part of this week.”

Most of the docks at the Missouri River Boat Club in Sioux City have been destroyed. The Big Sioux River meets the Missouri River in the area and Fleet Captain Dennis Butler says a massive amount of debris has been swept down the Big Sioux, including entire trees. Butler estimates it will take at least a couple of weeks to repair the docks. “Even with (the river) going down, we’ve got a lot of dock repairs to do, salvage what we can here and just hope to God it didn’t take everything away,” Butler says. “Got to get a little break to let us try and rebuild.”

On the South Dakota side of the Sioux City metro, a railroad bridge over the Big Sioux River collapsed at 11 o’clock Sunday night. The bridge was primarily used by trains hauling grain and crushed rock from Sioux City to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

A railroad bridge over the Big Sioux River collapsed Sunday night. (Photo by KSCJ’s Woody Gottburg)

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports numerous arrests took place from Friday through early today (Monday).  Three people were arrested Friday, in Creston:

• 50-year-old Jill Delores Lozano, of Colorado, was arrested at the Creston Walmart Store at around 1:35-p.m., Friday. Lozano taken into custody on a Wapello County Warrant for Forgery and Unauthorized Use of Credit Card under $1500. She was taken to the Union County Jail then transported to Clarke County Jail to await extradition to Wapello County. Her bond was set at $5,000 cash.
• At around 2:20-p.m., Friday, Creston Police arrested 53-year-oldJose Antonio Garza, of Ottumwa, at the Creston Walmart. Garza was cited and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Driving while Revoked. Garza was also charged on a Wapello County Warrant for Unauthorized Use of Credit Card under $1500. Garza was taken to the Union County Jail then transported to the Clarke County Jail to await extradition to Wapello County. His bond was set at $2000;
• And, at around 6:10-p.m., Friday, 23-year-old Jeremiah Lee Whitney, of Creston, was arrested at his residence. Whitney was charged with Driving while Barred. He was cited and released from the scene on Promise to Appear in court.

At around 2:50-a.m., Saturday, Creston Police arrested 39-year-old Nicole Adrienne Siders, of Creston. She was arrested at the Creston/Union County LEC and charged with OWI 1st Offense. Siders was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on $1,000 cash or surety bond. Late Saturday evening, 45-year-old Brady Gale Richert, of Creston, for Consuming an Alcoholic Beverage in a Public Place/1st Offense. Richert was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on $300 cash or surety bond.

Early Sunday morning, Police in Creston arrested 31-year-old Kelsey Nicole Moore, of Orient, for OWI/1st Offense. Moore was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on $1000 cash or surety bond. 25-year-old Keifird Kewaun Griffith, of Mississippi, was also arrested early Sunday morning. Griffith was charged with Consuming an Alcoholic Beverage in Public Place-1st Offense, Harassment 2nd Degree-Threaten Bodily Injury, Disorderly Conduct-Fighting/Violent Behavior, and Assault with Intent to Cause Pain/Injury. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,900 bond.

Griffith was arrested again Sunday afternoon at the 24 hour Casey’s Store in Creston. He was charged with Disorderly Conduct-Loud Raucous Noise. Griffith was taken to the Union County jail and later released on $300 cash or surety bond.

Early this (Monday) morning, 33-year-old Robert Curtiss Murphy, of Creston, was arrested for Driving while Suspended. Murphy was cited and released from the scene. And, 18-year-old Jack Alan Butler, of Creston, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance Marijuana 1st Offense and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Butler was taken to the Union County Jail and held on a $1,300 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says foreign adversaries have a proven track record of using apps and websites to secretly collect data from Americans, and he’s introducing legislation that aims to thwart such efforts. Grassley, a Republican, is sponsoring the measure with Nevada Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto. “Our bipartisan bill gives Americans further control over their own data,” Grassley says. “Our legislation would shine light on malicious foreign actors that store, expose and transfer Americans’ personal data.” Those illegal actions threaten national security and violate privacy rights, Grassley says. His bill is called the Internet Application Integrity and Disclosure Act.

“It would require websites and apps owned by China, North Korea, Russia and Iran to disclose their ownership to potential users,” Grassley says. “This helps consumers make informed decisions on when and with whom they share their private information.” He says the goal is to keep Americans’ private information private, and away from the eyes of foreign enemies.  “Americans have a right to keep their data protected from malicious actors, and especially if that’s our nation’s greatest adversaries, from a national security standpoint.”

Cortez Masto introduced an earlier version of the bill last year that required websites and apps to disclose ties with the Chinese Communist Party.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a man on drug charges at around 2:30 this (Monday) morning. Michael Scott Gardner (whose city of residence was not listed) was taken into custody in the 100 block of W. Coolbaugh Street, for Possession of a Controlled substance/3rd offense – a Class D Felony, Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple Misdemeanor), and Keeping a vehicle for controlled substance use (Aggravated Misdemeanor). Gardner was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

Sunday evening, Red Oak Police arrested 29-year-old Tylor Daniel Fine, of Red Oak, for Driving While Suspended (Simple Misdemeanor). His bond was set at $491.25.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court is likely to issue a ruling on Friday that will determine whether most abortions will be outlawed in Iowa. Last July, Governor Reynolds signed a law to ban abortions most around the sixth week of a pregnancy, when fetal activity can be detected, but the law was quickly put on hold due to a legal challenge. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird says the 2022 U-S Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v Wade has paved the way for state action.

“That makes a law like our ‘Heartbeat Law’ here in Iowa a legal possibility and we’ll hope that after the decision comes out, a legal certainty, right? That we can uphold that law,” Bird said. Bird spoke Saturday at the “March for Life” at the Iowa Capitol. Her office defended the six week abortion ban in court.  “We know nothing is more precious than life and we know who the Creator with a capital C of life is,” Bird said, to applause. “And especially as a mom I’m thankful I get to protect everybody, both the born and unborn.”

Opponents of Iowa’s six week abortion ban are set to hold events this week. The law includes exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother. Critics say the rules prepared to enforce the law aren’t clear enough and women will be denied abortions in medical emergencies.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says flood related losses in northwest Iowa are staggering and she is asking for a presidential disaster declaration to trigger federal aid for flood victims. Governor Reynolds says the preliminary estimate is at least 19-hundred properties in 22 counties have been swamped by flood waters and hundreds of homes have been destroyed.

“I can tell you the devastation is severe and it’s widespread,” Reynolds says. “In almost every community impacted the rivers crested several feet above record levels from the floods of 1993.” Over a thousand Iowans stayed in emergency shelters Saturday night. By Sunday, at least 10 communities had no drinking water. “The seven day forecast calls for more rain,” Reynolds said, “which means flooding may continue to be an issue and may impact other parts of the state as well.”

Sixteen river gauges in northwest Iowa have already recorded historic flood levels. On Sunday night, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management director John Benson met with local officials about making preparations in the other places where those flood waters are headed. “This is a very serious flood that we’re in right now and it is not going to cease,” Benson says. “It is going to blossom across the state.” Benson says the key is protecting critical infrastructure, like drinking water plants.

Governor Kim Reynolds and top aides took a helicopter tour of flooded areas of northwest Iowa on Saturday. (Photo from Office of Governor Kim Reynolds.)

“Where it does become a challenge is if you have, like we had up in northwest Iowa…a completely excessive, unforecastable rainfall,” Benson said, “…but if we get normal stuff, they’re on top of it…We’re already having those conversations about what we can do to get better prepared for what we’re going to see here in the future.” Last week over 10 inches of rain fell in northwest Iowa and the nearby river basins in Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota that drain into northwest Iowa. Donna Dubberke, the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service in Johnston, says that’s eight times the average amount.

“That water is now working its way down through the system,” she says, “so the concern with the forecast is we remain in an active weather pattern, which means periodic rain chances throughout the next week to 10 days.” The governor is urging Iowans who get evacuation orders to heed those warnings. Helicopters were deployed to rescue residents after a levee was breached in Rock Valley and Iowa Department of Natural Resouces staff performed 250 water rescues throughout northwest Iowa on Saturday. Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephen Bayens says state troopers witnessed two drivers who ignored a “road closed” sign.

“Kind of barrelled headlong into floodwaters, ended up getting swept away,” Bayens said. “We had one individual that was on the cusp of losing his life had the Iowa State Patrol Air Wing not spotted his heat signature in the water and was able to dispatch boats in a timely way to rescue him.” Iowa Department of Transportation director Scott Marler says his agency has moved 23 pumps into northwest Iowa to try to clear water from roadways. On Sunday, the Iowa D-O-T moved five-thousand Hesco barriers to build temporary levies in key locations.

“If you see those barricades that say, ‘Road Closed,’ please turn around and don’t try to go around those barricades and proceed past them,” Marler says. Reynolds is asking President Biden to activate federal assistance for individuals as well as low interest Small Business Administration loans for businesses in nine counties. She’s also seeking federal help for local governments in 22 counties that are dealing with damage to public infrastructure and the cost of removing debris. Governor Reynolds says Rock Valley may be unable to quickly revive its drinking water plant and the Iowa National Guard may step in with a temporary system that produces drinking water for the community.

(As previously mentioned), Reynolds is asking President Biden to activate federal assistance for individuals as well as low interest Small Business Administration loans for businesses in nine counties. Those nine counties are Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Plymouth and Sioux. The governor’s also seeking federal help for local governments in 22 counties that are dealing with damage to public infrastructure and the cost of removing debris. Those counties are Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sioux, Webster, Winnebago, Woodbury, Worth and Wright.