Fire has struck a cruel blow to the southwest Iowa man who was trying to make Christmas merrier. Firefighters from Villisca Monday responded to a fire at a two-story Nodaway residence serving as a storage facility and workshop for Vince Else, who has collected, restored and provided toys for distribution to children for decades.

Corning Fire Chief Donnie Willet served as investigating officer for the fire, which was located next to Else’s residence. Willet says the structure was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived at 12:30 a.m. Eventually, fire officials decided it was not safe to continue battling the fire and allowed it to burn itself out. Willet says the house is a total loss. Fortunately, Willet says not all of the toys Else collected were destroyed.

Many of the toys to be distributed this Christmas were taken to the Nodaway Community Center before the fire. However, Willet says the fire has struck a severe blow to Else’s efforts in the future.

(Mike Peterson/Radio Iowa – Shenandoah)

Snow plow drivers will be busy over the next couple days with the first major winter storm of the season bearing down on Iowa. Annette Dunn is Winter Operations Manager with the Iowa Department of Transportation. “We have about 900 trucks available and although I don’t think we’ll need them for this winter storm, we do also have snow blowers,” Dunn said. “All of our salt sheds are full at this point statewide and we are ready to go.”

The forecast calls for heavy snow at times and near-blizzard condition across much of the state today into tomorrow. Dunn is advising motorists not to “crowd the plow” and simply slow down when they see any of the DOT’s bright orange vehicles. “Especially with this storm that we have coming, there’s probably going to be some visibility issues and there’s not a snow plow in the world that can help us with visibility issues,” Dunn said. “And you may approach a snow plow very quickly since they’ll be going only about 25 to 40 miles an hour.”

Snow plow operators didn’t log many hours last year thanks to one of the mildest winters in the state’s history. Dunn says DOT workers have still been busy. “We’re are actually out there dealing with frost and trying to prevent frost, so we are using material and staff time,” Dunn said. “The nice weather has allowed us to shift our resources over to some of the maintenance we need to do on roadway system.”

Dunn is reminding motorists, if they must travel in foul weather, to keep the gas tank nearly full, pack an emergency survival kit and carry a fully charged cell phone. Items in the winter survival kit in your vehicle should include booster cables, candles and matches, a flashlight with fresh batteries, extra blankets and warm clothes, nonperishable food items, a can for melting water, and a snow shovel. Motorists can check winter road conditions in Iowa at www.511ia.org or by calling 5-1-1.

(Radio Iowa)

CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS- ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR & RINGGOLD COUNTIES….358 AM CST WED DEC 19 2012
…BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST THURSDAY……WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST THURSDAY. THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

PRECIPITATION WILL OVERSPREAD WESTERN IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON. SNOW IS EXPECTED ALONG AND NORTH OF AN ATLANTIC THROUGH JEFFERSON LINE. RAIN IS EXPECTED IN SOUTHERN IOWA SOUTH OF A BEDFORD TO OSCEOLA LINE. IN BETWEEN…A RAIN AND SNOW MIX IS EXPECTED. THIS PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW THIS EVENING BEFORE ENDING THURSDAY MORNING.

6 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW ARE FORECAST BY THURSDAY MORNING. THE HEAVIEST SNOW AXIS WILL BE ALONG A LINE FROM ATLANTIC TO ADEL. THE LOWEST AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED NEAR THE MISSOURI BORDER. SNOW DRIFTS SEVERAL FEET DEEP WILL BE POSSIBLE GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS.

WINDS WILL BECOME VERY STRONG LATE TONIGHT FROM THE NORTH NORTHWEST. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH GUSTS OVER 45 MPH POSSIBLE. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED A FROM MIDNIGHT THROUGH NOON THURSDAY. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT TIMES WITH VISIBILITY REDUCED BELOW ONE QUARTER OF A MILE.
VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. BE PREPARED FOR VERY DANGEROUS TRAVEL AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. IN RURAL AREAS ESPECIALLY…ONLY TRAVEL IF YOU MUST…OTHERWISE STAY SAFE AND STAY HOME.

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT & PAGE COUNTIES...339 AM CST WED DEC 19 2012
…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS  AFTERNOON TO 6 AM CST THURSDAY...

LIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO THE AREA BY MID AFTERNOON…THEN BECOME MODERATE TO HEAVY BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SNOW WILL BE DECREASING LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT BUT STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY MORNING. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 9 INCHES ARE LIKELY. LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE.
NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. NORTH WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH AND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. WINDS WILL SLOWLY DECREASE LATER THURSDAY MORNING.

THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THIS WILL CAUSE LOW VISIBILITIES FROM LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN SOME LOCATIONS.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The National Weather Service, Tuesday, upgraded the Winter Storm Watch for much of Iowa to a Winter Storm Warning. Meteorologist Jeff Johnson says it may be the biggest single snow storm to hit the state since December 2009. The snow is expected to arrive in western Iowa tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon, with heavy snow falling across Iowa by the evening hours. “And then, as the event unfolds and we get into Thursday morning, the winds will pick up out of the north. On Thursday morning, around sunrise, we should have sustained winds of 30 miles per hour with gusts into the lower 40s along with some continuing falling snow,” Johnson says. “That will cause near-blizzard conditions, especially in the open areas.”

If there are stronger winds, Johnson says a Blizzard Warning could be issued. A small section of northwest Iowa could miss out on the storm, while north-central Iowa may only receive a few inches of snow. But, the high winds could still cause problems. The snow is expected to exit the state, along with the strong winds, sometime Thursday afternoon. Snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches or higher are possible through southwest, central and northeast Iowa. Cold conditions will accompany the storm with highs in the 20s Thursday and Friday and low temperatures Friday morning in the single digits and teens.

(Radio Iowa)  National Weather Service http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dmx/

THE ENTIRE KJAN LISTENING AREA IS UNDER A WINTER STORM WARNING WEDNESDAY AND PARTS OF THURSDAY. THE WARNING WILL BE IN EFFECT IN THE FAR WEST AND SOUTHWEST COUNTIES (INCLUDING MONONA, HARRISON, SHELBY, POTTAWATTAMIE, MILLS, MONTGOMERY, FREMONT AND PAGE) FROM 3-PM WED. TO 6-AM THURSDAY. THIS REPLACES THE WINTER STORM WATCH WHICH HAD BEEN IN EFFECT. THE WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM 4-PM WEDNESDAY UNTIL NOON THURSDAY, FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA.

LIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS WEDNESDAY, THEN TURN HEAVY BY LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH MIDNIGHT BEFORE BEFORE DECREASING.

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…5 TO 8 INCHES ARE LIKELY.

WINDS…NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH BY LATE AFTERNOON WITH NORTH WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH AND GUSTS TO 40 MPH EXPECTED INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.

IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITIES FROM LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY MORNING. WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN SOME LOCATIONS.

SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE- DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON–ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD–

324 PM CST TUE DEC 18 2012 .

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM WEDNESDAY TO NOON CST THURSDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE COUNTIES MENTIONED ABOVE. A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES IN FAR WEST AND SOUTHWEST IOWA FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE WED. NIGHT.

TIMING…PRECIPITATION WILL OVERSPREAD CENTRAL IOWA LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. SNOW IS EXPECTED ALONG AND NORTH OF AN ATLANTIC THROUGH JEFFERSON LINE. RAIN IS EXPECTED IN SOUTHERN IOWA SOUTH OF A BEDFORD TO OSCEOLA LINE. IN BETWEEN…A RAIN AND SNOW MIX IS EXPECTED. THIS PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW LATE WEDNESDAY EVENING BEFORE ENDING ON THURSDAY MORNING.

STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION…6 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED BY THURSDAY MORNING. THE HEAVIEST SNOW AXIS WILL BE ALONG A LINE FROM ATLANTIC TO ADEL. THE LOWEST AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED NEAR THE MISSOURI BORDER. SNOW DRIFTS SEVERAL FEET DEEP WILL BE POSSIBLE GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS.

WINDS/VISIBILITY…WINDS WILL BECOME VERY STRONG WEDNESDAY NIGHT FROM THE NORTH NORTHWEST. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH GUSTS OVER 45 MPH POSSIBLE. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED A FEW HOURS PRIOR TO DAYBREAK THROUGH NOON THURSDAY. NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR WITH VISIBILITIES REDUCED BELOW ONE QUARTER OF A MILE FROM TIME TO TIME.

IMPACTS...VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. BE PREPARED FOR VERY DIFFICULT TRAVEL AND NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. THIS WARNING MAY NEED TO BE UPGRADED TO A BLIZZARD WARNING SHOULD FORECAST CONDITIONS WARRANT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL…KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT… FOOD…AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Area residents are being invited to join the Cass County Conservation Department’s staff at the Schildberg Quarry in Atlantic, for the annual “Soiree with the Swans.” The event takes place Saturday, January 5^th 2013.  CCCS staff will be giving ten-minute presentations regarding the Trumpeter Swans every half-hour beginning at 11:00 a.m. with the last one being presented at 2:00 p.m. There will also be time to view the swans through spotting scopes and witness random swan feeding sessions. Hot chocolate, cookies, grilled hotdogs, and other snacks will be provided free of charge with donations being accepted (for swan care).

The Schildberg Quarry is located on the northwest edge of Atlantic, on the north side of Highway 83. Officials say if the weather is bad that day, or, if the swans are not at the quarry, the program will be held at the Atlantic Public Library from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m., with a light lunch available.

This event is being sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Atlantic Public Library.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The generosity of an Iowa native will mean swimming lessons for more than 2,000 Omaha-area kids. Omaha television station KETV reports that Charles Lakin of southwest Iowa helped organize and pay for the Charles E. Lakin Learn to Swim program.  Lakin says he made the donation after learning of the near-drowning of a child at a summer program in Omaha earlier this year.

All of the lessons are free. Lakin also provides a swimsuit and towel for those children in need. Omaha parent LaTia Miller says she would not be able to afford swimming lessons for her children and appreciates Lakin’s generosity.

The federal Centers for Disease Control reports an average of 10 U.S. deaths a day from drowning.