The Iowa Department of Natural Resources say officials with the City of Malvern, Tuesday, reported a sewer main break to the DNR Field Office. The break was discharging untreated wastewater into Little Creek, a tributary of Silver Creek, south of Malvern. The City has a contractor scheduled to install a new section of sewer main and stop the discharge.

It is unknown at this time how much wastewater was discharged into the creek. The incident is under investigation by the DNR. Authorities recommend that pets, livestock and humans avoid contact with the creek downstream until repairs have been made.

DES MOINES — For the first time since September, abnormally dry conditions have returned to the state following a dry November, according to the latest Water Summary Update from the Iowa DNR.  Iowa received only 0.43 inches of precipitation in November, much below the normal of 2.05 inches. However, streamflow levels are running at close to normal across much of Iowa. Groundwater conditions remain good in most locations, with the exception of southeastern Iowa, where levels are rated in slight drought conditions.

Tim Hall, the DNR’s Hydrology Resources Coordinator, says “This ranks as the 15th lowest November total for precipitation among 145 years of records and the lowest calendar month total for any month since November 2007.” For a thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends, go to www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.

The report is prepared by technical staff from Iowa DNR, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, and the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.

Red Oak Police responded this (Thursday) morning to the Red Oak Middle School for a report of a juvenile female causing damage. Officers found the girl had allegedly caused about $900 damage. She was arrested and transported to the Juvenile Detention Center, in Council Bluffs. The girl will be charged with Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted in handling the situation.

MAYSVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Investigators say speed appears to have been a factor in a fatal crash that sent a Ferrari plowing into a Maysville home and sparked an explosion and fire that destroyed the home. Scott County Sheriff Time Lane tells the Quad-City Times that the late Tuesday night crash killed the sports car’s driver, 58-year-old Kelly Phillip Dewulf, of Wheatland. One person was in the home at the time of the crash, but was able to escape unharmed.

Investigators say skid marks leading from Maysville Road through a ditch and into the home mark the path of the runaway car. Parts of the vehicle littered the front and back yards, including tires and the rear hood. When firefighters arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames.

A deadly school bus fire Tuesday morning in western Iowa may’ve involved a bus that was subject to a recall. Pete Kotowski, with the National Transportation Safety Board, spoke at a news conference this morning in Council Bluffs. “At the present time, we are aware of a safety recall issued by NHTSA for school buses similar to the one involved in this incident,” Kotowski said. NHTSA (pronounced ‘NIT-suh’) is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“That recall involved an issue with the electrical circuitry,” Kotowski said. “Whether that has any involvement in (the fire), that’s an area we are going to continue to examine and make sure that recall actually involves this particular vehicle.” The accident near Oakland claimed the lives of the only two people on board — the bus driver, 74-year-old Donnie Hendricks, and 16-year-old Megan Klindt. The bus, from the Riverside Community School District, was backing out of the driveway of the Klindt family’s farm, went into a ditch and caught on fire.

(Radio Iowa)

A Cass County man walked into the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday morning, and turned himself-in. The Sheriff’s Office said 41-year old Jason Aaron Watson, of Atlantic, was wanted on a Pott. County warrant for Trespass. After the warrant was confirmed, Watson was taken into custody and transported to the Pott. County Jail. He posted a $300 cash bond that same day and was released.

KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — The trial has begun for a former boarding school director who is accused of sexually and physically abusing several children who attended the now-defunct school in southeast Iowa. The Hawk Eye reports that testimonies began Wednesday at South Lee County District Court in the trial of Benjamin Trane, who owned and operated Midwest Academy in Keokuk. Trane has pleaded not guilty to sexual abuse, sexual exploitation and child endangerment charges.

A state prosecutor told the jury that while Trane didn’t directly abuse all the children, he set policies in which students were given prolonged detention in small isolation chambers, denied healthy food and forced to sleep on the floor. Trane’s attorney will begin presenting the defense’s case Tuesday. Trane faces a sentence of 17 years if convicted of all charges.

Walnut, the Antique City, is planning to preserve part of the past by converting the former school building located at 415 Antique City Dr. into a new community center. Mayor Gene Larson says they had some options on what to do with the 77-thousand square-foot building once it no longer served as a school. The consensus was to make it useful. After an Ad Hoc Committee was formed, they made a deal with the School Board in Avoca  to have them spend some money on the building before the City would accept it.

With the addition to the old school building having been removed, a new HVAC system is being installed in the middle part of the school. Larsen says that part of the project is nearly complete. The idea is those newly air conditioned areas could be used for many purposes.The High School will also, eventually be air conditioned and improvements made, with the hopes of offering the space to businesses looking toward locating in Walnut. To assist with fundraising efforts and sustain the community center well into the future, the City of Walnut recently established an endowment fund with the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation (PCCF).

Funds from the endowment, named the Walnut Community Center Fund, will be used to preserve, renovate, improve and operate the new Walnut Community Center. All donations will be met with a 10-percent contribution from PCCF . Donating is easy:

1. Visit www.ourpccf.org
2. Select “Donate to a Charitable Fund”

3. Print and complete the Walnut Community Center Fund donation form

4. Mail the form along with payment to the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation

Officials say Walnut has the opportunity to show its children that even when a door closes, another one opens.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A residential counselor at a Davenport juvenile group home faces charges after being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old resident and giving the boy drugs and money. The Quad-City Times reports that police say 25-year-old Danielle Puls, of Rock Island, Illinois, gave the boy marijuana, as well as money to buy a handgun. Police say she had inappropriate contact with the teen and had a sexual relationship with another resident at Family Resources’ Annie Wittenmyer juvenile facility.

She is charged with drug distribution to a person under 18, possession of a firearm, sexual misconduct with an offender and lascivious conduct with a minor. Puls was arrested Wednesday and remained in the Scott County Jail on $33,000 bond.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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