(Red Oak, Iowa) – Red Oak Police/Montgomery County First Responders and their friends & colleagues in southwest Iowa will  joining forces from 6-until 8-p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1st, at Fountain Square Park in Red Oak, along with 38 million others from across the country, in celebrating National Night Out. This is the 40th year of the National event (the 7th year in Red Oak), and there will be more than 10 other Iowa cities officially registered for the event.

The theme of the evening is “Public Safety-Safety of the Public.” First Responders that are confirmed to be on hand for the event include: Red Oak Police and Fire; The Montgomery Sheriff’s Office, Communications/Corrections; Mont. Co EMA; Stanton Fire, Villisca Fire & Rescue, Elliott Fire & First Responders, and Grant Fire; The Iowa State Patrol; Iowa DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement; U-S Secret Service; IA National Guard; BNSF Police; Iowa DNR; and Mont Co Conservation.

Surrounding counties/cities have been contacted and first responder invites have been extended. The Safety of the Public aspect will focus on Fire Safety (Local FD), Farm Safety (AgriVision, IA Corn Growers, POET Corning), Health related (MCMH, MOCO Public Health, Zion, MOCO Child Abuse Council, Blank Children’s Hosp, Kiwanis, Red Oak Comm Schools, and others.

Throughout the Park and around the square will be FREE food (Elks, Rainbow, Eagles, Walnut Creek Acres, HyVee, Fareway, United Group, Rotary, Grand Theater,Val’s and others), info booths and handouts, displays, games, SuperHeroes, vintage police and fire vehicles, (tribute vehicles and displays, and monster trucks. As of the latest report, over 90 total partners are helping with food/displays/ vehicles/ exhibits/events/and other participating factors and many more expected to sign-on by Tuesday.

There is NO Charge to attend the event. Authorities say you should note that the Fountain Square Park area and one-block in each direction, will be shut down at 4:00-p.m., Tuesday, to allow for set up and all of the partners to get prepared for the night.

As a sign of support please turn your porchlight on for the evening. The National theme is to “take back the night, take back our neighborhoods and communities.” Questions, comments or concerns may be directed to ROPD Chief Justin Rhamy at 712-623-6500.

(Wapello County, Iowa) – A fiery, multi-vehicle crash late Friday evening about five-miles south of Ottumwa, resulted in two deaths and two people injured. The Iowa State Patrol late Saturday night said the crash on northbound Highway 63, north of 25th Street, occurred at around 8-p.m., Friday.

Officials say a 2021 Jeep Renegade driven by 49-year-old Lora L. Sprouse, of Bloomfield, was stopped at a red light being used as a temporary traffic control device for one-lane bridge work. A 2021 GMC pickup driven by 36-year-old Dennis L. Hagedorn, of Kirksville, MO., was stopped behind the Jeep.

A 2018 Chevy Equinox driven by 68-year-old Steven R. Hinebaugh, of Ottumwa, was slowing to a stop behind the pickup, when a 2019 International semi tractor-trailer driven by 22-year-old Reid J. Hilpipre, of Pocahontas (IA), failed to stop. The semi struck the rear of the Chevy, causing a chain-reaction collision.

The pickup, Chevy and semi ended up in the east ditch, and became fully engulfed in flames. The Patrol reports Steven Hinebaugh and his passenger, 65-year-old Brenda K. Hinebaugh, of Ottumwa, died in the crash. Hagedorn, Hilpipre and Sprouse were injured. They were transported by ambulance to the Ottumwa Regional Health Center.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office and Fire.

(Montgomery County, Iowa) – A traffic stop on a pickup truck traveling at a high rate of speed in Montgomery County, resulted in the arrest Friday evening of a man from Stanton. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies conducted the traffic stop on a Ford F-250 pickup on Highway 48 near Kirkwood Avenue, at around 6:50-p.m.  The driver, 19-year-old Carston Johnson, of Stanton, was arrested for Reckless Driving (A Simple Misdemeanor).

Carston was transported to the Montgomery County Jail later posted a $300 bond, before being released.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The next to last full day of activities at the 2023 Cass County Fair take place Sunday July 30th, here in Atlantic. Activities kick-off as early as 7:30-a.m., with the Swine Show. Antique Tractor Rides are being offered, beginning at 8:30-a.m. Those machines will be on display from Noon until 3-p.m., Sunday. The schedule of events also includes a Poultry Show at 10-a.m., and Decorator’s Showcase in the Community Center, from Noon- until 4-p.m.

The Decorator’s Showcase allows youth to decorate a room with their own individual style. Participants select coordinating textures and colors, the level of formality, or semi-formal looks and then put their selections into a display. Samples from books are used, they cut out pieces they like and designate that samples to be their wall, color, curtains, dresser table, or chair fabric. The samples are labeled and placed in a pop flat arranged completely by the youth.

Each member is allowed one hour for the contest, to complete their display. Senior members will be given a special decorating challenge. The challenge changes every year and is kept secret till the start of the contest, so they are granted an extra 30 minutes put together their exhibit. Intermediate members may select any room and must use a minimum of six samples of designs laid out for them to use during their hour. Junior members are tasked with decorating a bedroom and using a minimum of four different samples.

Local businesses have donated and loaned samples for 4-Hers to use, including wallpaper, paint chips, paneling, carpeting, upholstery fabrics, drapery, and curtain pieces. Awards for the contest will be handed out on Monday, July 31st at 4:00-pm in the Community Center. Be sure to stop by the Community Center to admire the creative handiwork of these young decorators!

The featured meal at the Food Stand on Sunday is a Windsor Chop!.

Here’s the rest of Sunday’s schedule:

1:00 P.M. ……………………………………..Pig Pals Show

2:30 P.M. ……………………………………..Pedal Tractor Pull

3:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M………………….……….Feeder Calf Weigh-in

4:30 P.M………………………………………County Fair Church Service

5:30 P.M………………………………………Cow/Calf Show

6:00 P.M………………………………………Feeder Calf Show

6:30 P.M…………………….…………………Horse Fun Show

7:00 PM……………………………………….Golf Cart Races

A reminder: Carnival Rides are available from Noon until 10-p.m. each day of the fair (through Monday). The Commercial Buildings are open from Noon until 8-p.m. Each day of the Fair, with Bingo on Sunday from 2-until 5-p.m.

The Cass County Fair is FREE. There is no charge for admission, parking, exhibits or Grandstand entertainment! For more information, find a full fair schedule HERE.

(Cedar Rapids, Iowa) – Severe storms rolled through eastern and parts of northeastern Iowa Friday night, bringing large hail and damaging winds. The National Weather Service in Des Moines said there were also reports of funnel clouds in Franklin and Bremer Counties, with one weak twister touching down four-miles north of Iowa Falls in Franklin County, at around 5:45-p.m., Friday. Another tornado was seen 4 miles northeast of Popejoy, in Franklin County. Spotters reported debris was lofted into the air during the event.

KCRG reports the storms initially leaving thousands without power. City officials in Marion said downed power lines and large tree debris were reported. They were advising people to stay away from downed power lines, and assume they’re charged and dangerous.

Hail ranged in size from Marbles and Quarters to ping-pong balls, with some locations near Eddyville and Iowa Falls being hit by Half-dollar (1.25″ diameter) to golf-ball size (1.75″ diameter) hail. The largest hail was baseball size (2.75″ diameter), reported north of Denver, in Bremer County. Winds during the storms gusted to as high as 93 miles per hour near Albion, in Marshall County.

Crews were expected to conduct a damage assessment today (Saturday). The National Weather Service in Omaha says many locations in the eastern part of the State were hit by hail the size of Quarters to as large as Tennis balls and tea cups. The largest stones (2.5-3″ diameter) fell near Elk Horn, NE., at around 6-p.m., and Fremont, NE, at around 5:20-p.m., Friday.

(Rural Moravia, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in southern Iowa’s Appanoose County report a 36-year-old man from Arkansas died following a boating accident, Friday afternoon. The incident happened at around 4-p.m. at Lake Rathbun.  Authorities say the victim – whose name was not immediately released – was on a boat. He got into the water and was hit by the same boat.

Emergency crews searched the area nearly for five hours before finding the man’s body under 14 feet of water. The cause of death is under investigation.

(Monroe, Iowa) – A single-vehicle accident at around 3-a.m. today (Saturday), in Jasper County, claimed the life of a Polk County man. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2006 Buick Rainier SUV driven by 24-year-old John Lucas Dingeman, of Des Moines, was traveling west on Highway 163 northwest of Monroe, when the vehicle left the road and rolled over. Dingman, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the SUV. He died at the scene. His body was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office, in Ankeny.

The crash remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office.

(Rural Taylor County, Iowa) – A UTV accident early this (Saturday) morning in Taylor County, claimed the life of a man from Bedford. The Iowa State Patrol reports a passenger in the vehicle, 24-year-old Clelland David Beason, of Bedford, died at the Clarinda hospital, after he was ejected from a 2015 Polaris Razor that went out of control and rolled on top of him. The accident happened at around 12:36-a.m., on northbound Forest Avenue, between 190th Street and 185th Lane.

The Patrol says the UTV, driven by 24-year-old Jesse Lee Young, of Lenox, skidded off the roadway into the west ditch. Young corrected back onto the roadway, causing the UTV to skid again, this time toward the east ditch. Young over-corrected, causing the vehicle to roll over on the road. Clelland Beason was not wearing a seat belt. He was ejected through the side window area before the UTV rolled on top of him.

The Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and Clarinda Medic 4.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – A reminder if you’re looking for things to do, Sunday, a Vietnam-era helicopter, Yankee-Lima 37 (YL-37), will be at the Iowa Aviation Museum/Greenfield Municipal Airport, Sunday afternoon. The chopper is expected to land between Noon and 1-p.m., and remain throughout the afternoon.  YL-37, a Sikorsky UH-34D helicopter, was flown in the Republic of Vietnam from 1965-1968 by Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron Three Six Two (HMM-362) known as the “Ugly Angels.”  With fifty-four patches over bullet holes and shrapnel damage from a rocket attack, YL-37 is the only Marine UH-34D Sikorsky with documented combat history that survived the battle to return home.

On many missions, YL-37 was fired on and was once disabled and carried from the crash zone by another helicopter. On her side is a bronze plaque with the names of thirty-three members of the Ugly Angels who gave their lives in Vietnam. YL-37 is supported by the YL-37 Group Foundation of Inola, OK, and has become a flying tribute to Vietnam veterans and all of America’s Armed Forces.

Vietnam War-era Sikorsky UH-34D, YL-37

There is no charge for the event, however, contributions to help maintain and keep YL-37 flying will be accepted and appreciated. The museum will be open from 1-to 5-p.m., with regular admission.

Plans are subject to weather conditions and other issues beyond organizers’ control. If you have questions, call the Iowa Aviation Museum at 641-343-7184. Updates will be posted on the Iowa Aviation Museum Facebook page.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Veteran’s Affairs Administrator Mitch Holmes, Wednesday, provided the Board of Supervisors with his Quarterly Report. Holmes said there were six claims for emergency assistance during the past quarter, totaling more than $1,942, including one indigent burial ($1,500), which accounts for most of the cost.

The auto repairs ($141) were with regard to a veteran’s camper which broke down in the Hy-Vee parking lot. The amount paid also included a place for the veteran to stay while his vehicle was being repaired. Since those types of situations don’t fit the department’s policies, they sought- out and received donations to help with the costs of repairs.

With regard to Federal VA Benefits, Mitch Holmes said…

“So for the quarter,” he said, “We helped 126 individual veterans. Had 129 office visits and 11 home visits.” Home contacts and written correspondence were included as part of the Cass County VA Office services, as well. Year-to-date data, he said, show there were three indigent burials ($4,500 total)…the highest they’ve had in the past couple of years, Holmes said. They made two rent payments ($1,250 total), covered grocery costs for two other clients ($198 total) and made eight trips to the VA hospital ($312 value).

So far over the past year, Holmes said they’ve helped 374 individual veterans, made 396 office visits and 39 home visits, 673 telephone calls, and had 810 pieces of correspondence, including faxes and e-mails. The VA Office brings-in $440,000 per month in Federal benefits for Veterans in the County to receive.