A long-time central Iowa Sports Broadcaster died Saturday night, after being swept away in floodwaters after his van stalled in a flooded Des Moines street. According to WHO-TV in Des Moines, the body of 65-year old Larry Cotlar, of Des Moines, was found nearly four-hours after he was swept away by the raging flood waters. His body was discovered early Sunday morning, several blocks away.

Witnesses told police that as the van occupants got out of the vehicle, one was swept away in the floodwater. His body was found nearly four hours later, at around 12:40-a.m., several blocks away. Cotlar was the Media Relations Manager for the Iowa Barnstormers, and a radio play-by-play announcer for the Drake Men’s Basketball team. He also worked at a sports radio station in Des Moines.

The rain that caused Cotlar’s van to stall out, also prompted the evacuation of homes and businesses along Walnut Creek in the suburb of Clive. Many streets throughout the area were closed Saturday night, and some remained blocked Sunday morning.

A woman from Union County was arrested Saturday on drug charges, in Taylor County. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports 27-year old Samantha Gile-Smith, of Creston, was arrested in the 300 block of West Van Buren Street, in Lenox.

Gile-Smith was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Deliver (Methamphetamine) – a Class C Felony, Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Deliver (Marijuana) – a Class D Felony, and Possession of an Open Container as a Driver.

She was being held at the Taylor County Jail without bond until seen by a Magistrate.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds signed more than 170 bills during and after the legislative session. Most of those laws took effect Sunday, the start of Iowa’s new budget year. Among the changes is an extension to Iowa’s safe haven law, which allows newborn infants to be voluntarily surrendered for foster care placement. The law now applies to children as old as 30 days, instead of two weeks.

Another new law requires drivers approaching a stopped vehicle on the side of the road with flashing lights to always move over a lane. If that’s not possible, drivers must slow down and be ready to stop. Additionally, a law change means adults no longer need a permit to carry stun guns. They’re still considered dangerous weapons. Stun guns that launch projectiles are prohibited.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man was swept away and died after his van stalled in a flooded Des Moines street amid heavy rain that forced the evacuation of some homes and businesses. Police say the van stalled Saturday night in a north Des Moines street as rain pounded the city and its suburbs. Witnesses told police that as the van occupants got out of the vehicle, one was swept away in the floodwater. His body was found nearly four hours later, several blocks away. He was identified as a 65-year-old Des Moines resident.

The rain also prompted the evacuation of homes and businesses along Walnut Creek in the suburb of Clive. Many streets throughout the area were closed Saturday night, and some remained blocked Sunday morning.

A collision Saturday night in Fremont County resulted in one fatality and two people injured. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened at around 10:40-p.m. at the intersection of Highway 59 and 130th Street, northwest of Essex. Authorities say a 2016 Mack truck driven by 42-year old John Frederick Brandt, of Council Bluffs, was traveling west on 130th Street, when Brandt failed to stop at the intersection with Highway 59. His truck struck a 2010 Chevy Malibu driven by 59-year old Patti Sue Rolf, of Northboro (IA), as she was traveling south on Highway 59.

After the collision, both vehicles came to rest in the west ditch. A passenger in the car, 62-year old Terrance Gerheart Rolf, of Northboro, who was wearing his seat belt, was transported by Essex EMS to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak, where he died from his injuries. Both drivers were injured in the crash. Patti Rolf was transported by Shenandoah EMS to the Shenandoah Medical Center. John Brandt was transported by a Page County Sheriff’s Deputy to the same facility. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts.

The Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Fremont and Page County Sheriff’s Offices, Shenandoah Police, an Iowa DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement Officer, as well as Essex and Shenandoah EMS.

The Atlantic City Council will hold a special meeting Monday beginning at 6:30-p.m. in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On their brief agenda, is approving a Cigarette Permit for the “Fog Zone” in Atlantic, and an update from the Beautification Committee.

Strong thunderstorms packed heavy rain and wind Saturday evening and overnight. Here in Atlantic, we had received 1.88-inches of rain as of 9:50-p.m., Saturday. The gully washers came in two waves, the first of which began at around 6-p.m. The second produced some street flooding, the worst of which appeared to have been at Mulberry and East 3rd Street Place, where water was flowing down the street like a river for a time, and was easily two-feet deep.

Two-miles south of Creston, one-inch diameter hail was reported at around 7:30-p.m. Several tree branches, two- to four-inches in diameter were broken by the winds in Menlo, at around 8:30-p.m. In Winterset, a roof was blown off of a home and large trees fell around town at around 9-p.m. At about the same time, winds were gusting to near 60 mph in Panora.

In Central Iowa there were numerous reports of heavy rain and street flooding. KCCI reports a 65-year-old Des Moines man was swept away by floodwaters late Saturday near 50th Street and Twana Avenue. First responders found his body at around 12:40 a.m. today (Sunday).

As much as 10-inches of rain fell on the north side of Ankeny (as of 10:15-p.m.), 7.5-inches was reported in the Saylorville area, 7.2-inches was reported in the Urbandale area, 7.1-inches in Johnston, and 6.9-inches had fallen later Saturday night in the Alleman area.

Numerous reports of water rescues were underway across Ankeny, Johnston, Des Moines and Urbandale, where water was chest deep in some locations. The Iowa Department of Transportation reports some roads were partially closed due to flooding, including I-35 northbound between Ankeny and Alleman, where there were delays due to flooding across the Interstate. A portion of Highway 44 in Dallas County was also experiencing flooding, causing traffic delays.

And, the city of Ankeny was placed under a boil order after a water main broke Saturday night.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will more than double the amount of water released into the Missouri River from the river’s lower-most dam over the coming weeks. Releases from Gavins Point Dam, between Nebraska and South Dakota, will be stepped up over the next several days, reaching approximately 50,000 cubic feet per second by early to mid-July. That’s up from the 24,000 cubic feet per second set in mid-June.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Council Bluffs man who shot his own mother while showing her his shotgun has been charged with a felony in the case. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 20-year-old Seth Rennie has been charged with reckless use of a firearm resulting in serious injury. Rennie told police he thought the gun was unloaded when it fired May 20, hitting his mother in the torso. She was taken to an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital with injuries, including a damaged liver.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa father says he was inspired to organize a rally in support of immigrant families after seeing news on Father’s Day of children separated from their parents who had recently crossed the U.S. border. About 125 people turned out Saturday for the rally in Marshalltown organized by Steve Adelmund. Adelmund says the country should be able to come together on the idea that “kids shouldn’t be taken from their parents.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has announced the appointment of former Indian Hills Community College president Jim Lindenmayer to fill a vacant seat on the Iowa Board of Regents. Lindenmayer will serve in an interim role to finish out the final year of a six-year term for Subhash Sahai, who resigned last month. Lindenmayer was one of more than 150 appointments to Iowa’s boards and commissions Reynolds announced Friday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will more than double the amount of water released into the Missouri River from the river’s lower-most dam over the coming weeks.

Releases from Gavins Point Dam, between Nebraska and South Dakota, were reduced to 24,000 cubic feet per second in mid-June due to high flows downstream of the Missouri River reservoir system.

The Corps said in a news release Friday that Gavins Point releases will be stepped up over the next several days, reaching approximately 50,000 cubic feet per second by early to mid-July, as downstream flows drop off. The Corps says releases from all Missouri River reservoir system dams will be maintained at higher-than-average rates over the next several months.

The announcement came as the river at Omaha crested at nearly 29 feet due to recent heavy rains, causing minor flooding of low-lying areas, mostly on the Iowa side.
Levels downriver, including in Kansas and Missouri, will also be affected.

One person is in custody while another person was being sought by police in Council Bluffs, following an incident Saturday afternoon. A Council Bluffs Police Officer tried to stop a 2008 Ford Fusion at around 1:23-p.m, in the area of 13th and 2nd Avenue, when a passenger got out of the vehicle and fled on foot. As the officer was dealing with the passenger, the car took off. After the car crashed into a tree in the 1200 block of 5th Ave., the driver fled on foot.

Jordan Moore

Officers were searching the area when they located one of the male parties (another suspected passenger) who fled from them on foot. The male was apprehended in the area of the 1200 block of 5th Ave. He was identified as 29-year old Jordan Moore, of Council Bluffs, who was arrested on a Fugitive from Justice warrant out of California for Parole Violation and Robbery. Moore was also charged with eluding a police officer and possession of a controlled substance, after a small amount of drugs were also located.

During the foot pursuit and apprehension one of the officers involved sustained a knee injury. He was treated at the hospital and released. As of late Saturday afternoon, the driver of the car had not been located. Anyone with information in reference to this case is urged to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department at (712) 328-4716 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP (7867).