The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports Consent Agreements have been reached with two western Iowa entities associated with environmental violations which occurred in 2011. Officials said Thursday that Agriland FS, Incorporated, in Casey, has agreed to pay fish restitution and investigation costs of $6,258, along with a $10,000 penalty, for discharge of pollutants into water. And, the City of Council Bluffs has agreed to develop a written plan to respond to emergencies associated with fueling stations, and pay a $1,000 fine for underground storage tank violations. A consent order is issued in settlement of an administrative order or as an alternative to issuing an administrative order. A consent order indicates that the DNR has voluntarily entered into a legally enforceable agreement with the other party.

(A link to the Consent Orders can be found here:  http://www.iowadnr.gov/InsideDNR/AboutDNR/EnforcementActions.aspx)

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Red Oak City Council, Thursday, approved the hiring of a Virginia man to succeed former Fire Chief Rick Askey, who has retired from the position. During a special meeting Thursday afternoon, the Council agreed to hire James Blount III, who has served with the Wythe, Virginia Fire and Rescue Department, since 1994. Blount is tentatively scheduled to take over the position of Red Oak Fire Chief on July 30^th. 

His starting salary will be $50,000 per year. Blount will bring his family with him when he transfers to Red Oak. They include his wife and four sons.

Authorities in Montgomery County are investigating a residential burglary in Stanton. Officials say 50-year old John Wayne Jewell, of 403 Elliott Street in Stanton, reported the break-in Thursday night. The incident is believed to have occurred sometime between July 3rd and the 5th. 

Officials say a person or persons unknown forced their way into the home and stole numerous personal documents, cash, and electronic items. The loss was estimated at $1,700.

Anyone with information about the break-in, is asked to contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 712-623-5107, or Crimestoppers at 1-800-432-1001.

A Red Oak teen claims another driver caused her to crash her vehicle Thursday night, east of Stanton. 18-year old Cassy J. Blystone was traveling west on Highway 34 about a mile-west of Viking Lake State Park, when a dark-colored, late-model truck passed her. Blystone told authorities the other vehicle cut her-off as it came back into the westbound lane. The action caused Blystone to veer to the north and lose control of the 1998 Chevy Cavalier she was driving.

The car traveled south across the eastbound lane of traffic before it left the road and went airborne for a short distance and hit the ground. Blystone said she may have hit the accelerator instead of the brake went the car came down. The vehicle continued southwest through a road ditch and became stuck on elevated terrain in the ditch. The accident happened at around 9:20-p.m., just west of the intersection of Highway 34 and Q Avenue.

Blystone complained of a headache, but neither she nor her passenger were seriously hurt. The car, which lost its right rear wheel during the crash, sustained $4,500 damage.

Much of Iowa is in the midst of the state’s worst drought in 24 years. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says Iowa’s rainfall totals over the last two months were less than half of normal amounts for May and June. “Probably the worst off area over that relatively short term would be in east-central and parts of northeastern Iowa,” Hillaker says. “Around Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities and Dubuque…those areas, in many cases, have maybe received 25-percent of normal rainfall over the past couple of months.”

In addition to the lack of rain, temperatures have been well above normal this spring and summer. The situation is similar to 1988 – the year of Iowa’s last major drought. “1988 is certainly the year that we’ve probably been comparing 2012 with the most often,” Hillaker says. “That particular summer was both unusually hot and unusually dry.” But, Iowa’s received nearly twice as much rain over the first half of this year compared to 1988. A report from the USDA this week found 73 percent of Iowa’s farm acres were either “short or very short” on subsoil moisture — that compares to just two-percent at this time last year. Hillaker says the recent heat wave is stressing crops even more.

“When temperatures are at 100 degrees or so, it basically results in evaporation rates roughly 25 to 30 percent higher than what would be the case if we had more normal temperatures, which at this time of year would be in the mid 80s,” Hillaker said. “It does make quite a bit of difference and dries things out much more rapidly than if we had moderate temperatures.” Monday’s USDA report rated 62-percent of Iowa’s corn as “good to excellent.” That compares to an 82-percent rating in Iowa at this time last year. Scattered showers and storms are in the weekend forecast and more normal temperatures, with highs in the 80s and overnight lows in the 60s, are expected Sunday and Monday.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

331 AM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012

AREA COUNTIES: CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD….

…EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT SATURDAY…

AFTERNOON HIGHS TODAY WILL ONCE AGAIN REACH THE UPPER 90S TO LOWER 100S…A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN THURSDAY IN MANY LOCATIONS. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL REACH THE 105 TO 110 DEGREE RANGE BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY.

AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES IS OCCURRING. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY OUT OF THE SUN…AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS AND PETS.

TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK…THE OCCUPATIONAL AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY – CALL 911.

COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT- PAGE…

329 AM CDT FRI JUL 6 2012

…EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING…

HEAT INDICES WILL CLIMB TO AROUND 105 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON AS HIGH TEMPERATURES TOP OUT AROUND 100 DEGREES. THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL BRING AN INCREASED RISK OF HEAT EXHAUSTION OR HEAT STROKE TO THOSE WORKING OR PLAYING OUTDOORS AND FOR THE VERY YOUNG AND ELDERLY.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) say contrary to published reports, I-DOT has not established an online driver’s license renewal system. Reports that a system took effect July 1st are inaccurate. Senate File 2338, an Act relating to government operations and efficiency and other related matters, contained a provision authorizing the Iowa DOT to begin online driver’s license renewal effective July 1st,  however, that bill was vetoed May 25th.

Because online driver’s license renewal is more cost effective to administer and convenient for the public, the Iowa DOT says it remains committed to establishing such a system in the future, however, no firm date has been set. The Iowa DOT says it is presently exploring options that may permit establishment of such a system without necessitating revisions to the Iowa Code. When a system is made available, the Iowa DOT will notify the public.

Meanwhile, the Iowa DOT is making an increasing number of driver services available online. If you want to look at your driving record or receive an electronic reminder when it is time to renew your driver’s license, sign up today at: https://mymvd.iowadot.gov/.

A Page County man was arrested Tuesday evening on a federal warrant for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers says 34-year old Rodney Dean Adams, Jr., of Clarinda, was taken into custody without incident at his residence, at around 6:50-p.m.  He is currently being held in the Page County Jail without bond, awaiting extradition by federal authorities.  The federal arrest warrant for Adams, Jr., stems from an earlier incident that occurred on April 27th, 2012, in the 100 block of West Washington Street. Brothers says the Page County Attorney’s Office, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Clarinda Police Department jointly investigated the incident which resulted in the man’s arrest.