A single-vehicle rollover  accident late Saturday morning in rural Cass County claimed the life of  a Griswold teen. The crash was reported at 11:52-a.m. near 70828 570th Street, or about two-miles south of Highway 92, southeast of Griswold. Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Corey Larsen told KJAN News 18-year-old Austin Oldenkamp, of rural Griswold was traveling northbound in a 2006 Chevy Monte Carol, when for reasons unknown, he lost control of the car. The vehicle entered the west ditch and rolled twice before coming to rest upright. Oldenkamp was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the crash site by Griswold Fire and Rescue, Medivac ambulance, and Iowa DNR Officer and the Iowa State Patrol.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A landmark building in downtown Des Moines caught fire and partially collapsed early this (Saturday) morning. KCCI-TV reports large numbers of firefighters and equipment responded to the three-alarm blaze at the former Younkers Department Store near 7^th and Walnut Streets. The blaze was reported at 12:50-a.m., and within minutes it was upgraded to a three-alarm fire.

Witnesses reported huge flames leaping from the upper floors of the building.  Video captured by one witness shows a huge part of one wall collapsing into the street. The upper floors of the structure were fully engulfed in flames when the first firefighting crews arrived. The flames spread quickly according to fire officials, because the building was under construction and many interior rooms were open.

As of 7-a.m., firefighters remained on the scene pouring water on what remains of the building. The inside of the building has collapsed. Buildings to the east and south of Younkers were damaged by falling debris and smoke, and nearby the Hub Tower was evacuated. It sustained significant damage due to the fire, including shattered windows and heat damage.

There is no word yet on what started the fire.

Police in Red Oak arrested a 35-year old man on an assault charge this (Saturday) morning. Officials say Tyler Geoffrey Jennings, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 5-a.m. on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault. Jennings was being held without bond, in the Montgomery County Jail.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Friday, released their latest precipitation information and drought report. Officials say the past two weeks have been unusually dry across most of Iowa. The statewide average precipitation was 0.19 inches, while normal for the period is 1.01 inches. Salem in Henry County in southeast Iowa was one exception, receiving over an inch during this period. Precipitation in Cass and surrounding Counties is 10-percent below normal for the period covering March 12th through the 26th.

About seven percent of the state remains in severe drought, while about half of the state is rated in moderate drought, including most of western and southern Iowa, with the exception of Adair, Guthrie and Dallas Counties, which are “Abnormally Dry.” This is reflected in the drop of average stream flow in Iowa. Recent rains are reflected in the stream flow index upturn for the past few days.

South of Interstate 80, ice is almost completely gone from rivers. Iowa DNR fisheries biologists continue to monitor oxygen levels in many waters and have seen some slight improvements in some places. Considerable areas of ice remain in northern Iowa.

For a more thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends March 12th through March 26th, go to http://www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston Construction Office reports replacement of a bridge carrying traffic on U.S. Highway 34 over the Platte River in southwest Iowa, will require closing U.S. 34 west of the Adams/Union County line (1.3 miles west of Iowa 25). The road will be closed beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, April 7th, weather permitting. During the project, traffic will be detoured around the construction.

Eastbound traffic detoured south on Adams/Taylor County Road N-64, east on Taylor County Road J-13, north on Iowa 25 to U.S. 34.  Westbound traffic detoured south on Iowa 25, west on Taylor County Road J-13 (110th Street), north on Taylor/Adams County Road N-64 to U.S. 34.

The $2 million bridge replacement project also includes grading and paving of approximately 1500 foot of approach pavement. Cunningham-Reis Co., of Van Meter, was the successful bidder for the project.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

Cass County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle reports the County Democrats  hosted ten candidates or their surrogates at the Party’s “Spring Fling” on March 27^th More than 60 voters from several counties also attended the event.

Back Row: Jon Neiderbach, Tom Miller, Brad Anderson
Front Row: Michael Fitzgerald, Sherrie Taha, Tim Ennis, Steven Roe (Photo submitted)

Candidates present for the event included incumbents Attorney General Tom Miller and Iowa Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald. Jon Neiderbach, candidate for Auditor; Sherrie Taha, for Secretary of Agriculture; and Brad Anderson, Secretary of State. Campaign surrogates spoke for Staci Appel, US House of Representatives, Bruce Braley, US Senate, and Jack Hatch, Governor. Steven Roe and Tim Ennis, candidates for the Iowa House, Districts 20 and 21 respectively, were also present and spoke to the crowd.

Plans are in the works for all candidates to appear in Cass County as the campaigns advance.

Authorities in  western Iowa have released a man suspected of stabbing to death an Omaha meatpacking-plant worker in 2003, but they are continuing the case against another man charged in the slaying. The Omaha World-Herald reports 47-year old Thomas Sanchez, was released Thursday from the Pottawattamie County Jail on his own recognizance. Sanchez was arrested in January in connection to the cold case killing. He remains charged with first-degree murder in the death of 33-year old Nelson Alvarez-Hernandez, of Omaha.

The other identified suspect in the case, 36-year old James Cain Harris, of Council Bluffs, was also charged with first-degree murder. Harris was being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on $1 million bail. Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber said Friday that the charges against Sanchez have not been dismissed. He said after Harris’ case is tried, a decision will be made on how to proceed with the case against Sanchez.

Alvarez-Hernandez, who worked at a South Omaha plant, dressed as a woman and went by the name Selena. He was stabbed in the early-morning hours of July 31st, 2003, outside a home near 13th Street and 16th Avenue in Council Bluffs. According to court documents, a sibling of Harris’ told Bluffs police that Harris stabbed Alvarez-Hernandez, saying Harris was angry because the victim had touched him. A $5 bill was found at the scene next to Alvarez-Hernandez’s body. A DNA profile developed from blood on the bill was tied to Sanchez several years later.

Sanchez told investigators that he did not know Alvarez-Hernandez and had never been to the scene of the crime. He said he had no idea why his DNA might have been there. Wilber said Sanchez agreed to waive his right to a speedy trial in return for being released. He said not having to try Sanchez right away will allow prosecutors to focus their efforts on Harris.

Harris is scheduled to go on trial May 28th.

A new report ranks the overall health of all 99 Iowa counties. The study used some 30 factors to compile the rankings, things like childhood poverty, smoking, college attendance, physical activity and access to physicians. Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, says Sioux County, in far northwest Iowa, ranked as the state’s healthiest county. “They have a very low rate of premature death in that county,” Van Dijk says. “People are living longer lives, they’re living well into their 70s and 80s, for the most part.”

She says Sioux County also ranked high in categories that surveyed social and economic factors, clinical care and the physical environment. “The other thing that influences good health in Sioux County is people are living good lives,” Van Dijk says. “There’s a smaller percentage of people who report they’re in poor or fair health, you’re having healthy babies in that community, a fairly low rate of low birth weight babies, so that’s really encouraging.”

The study found Appanoose County, in southeast Iowa on the Missouri border, was the least healthy Iowa county. “They have more people dying earlier, they have more people reporting they’re in poor health, they have more babies who are being born earlier and of a lower birth weight,” Van Dijk says. “Appanoose County also ranks 98th out of 99 counties in those health factors and so has real opportunities to improve in things like smoking and healthy eating and active living.”

While Sioux County ranks as Iowa’s healthiest county, the rest of the top five are: Winneshiek, Chickasaw, Lyon and Mitchell at number-five. On the other end, the bottom five are: Montgomery, Wayne, Mills, Adams and Appanoose at 99th. “The county health rankings are not meant to shame a county that’s ranking at the lower end of the scale but to serve as a call to action,” Van Dijk says, “to say, what can we do to move these health factors forward and improve on these areas so residents of our community can live longer, healthier lives?”

The rankings come from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest health-focused philanthropy. This is the fifth year of the rankings, published online at: www.countyhealthrankings.org