JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Jefferson City News Tribune) — A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper who was driving a boat when an Iowa man fell out and drowned has dismissed three lawsuits he filed over losing his law enforcement license. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office says Anthony Piercy voluntarily dismissed lawsuits against the patrol, the state Department of Public Safety and the department’s director. He will receive more than $200,000 in back pay and for agreeing not to be reinstated to the patrol or to protest his peace officer’s license being revoked.

Brandon Ellingson, of Clive, Iowa, died in May 2014 at the Lake of the Ozarks after he fell out of a boat while handcuffed after Piercy arrested him.

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds says state officials have been working with local emergency management coordinators to prepare for another round of flooding along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers this spring. “We want to make sure the line of communication is clear so that if we have, especially, an evac order — we didn’t have a lot of time with this last go-round — and so we want to make sure that all of the procedures are in place.”

National Weather Service forecasts describe the flood threat along the western Iowa border south of Sioux City as “grim” and, in eastern Iowa, there’s a 95 percent probability of flooding along the Mississippi. Last week, Governor Reynolds approved 21 million dollars in state funding for a variety of flood-related projects around the state. Most of the federally-owned MISSOURI River levees that were damaged last spring have been repaired, according to Reynolds. “I think they’re up to about a 25 or 50 years flood, so not near where they need to be,” Reynolds says, “but we’re trying to do everything we can to be in the best possible position to be ready for this spring.”

Reynolds says the Army Corps of Engineers has begun increasing the amount of water that’s being released in the Missouri River from reservoirs upstream — to hold SOME of the melting snow that’s expected in the river basin. “And on the Mississippi we’re already five feet above where we should be, so we’re just continuing to put procedures in place to be ready,” Reynolds says.

National Weather Service hydrologists say snow pack in Minnesota and Wisconsin is heavier than a year ago — adding to the flood risk downstream. Last month, there was a flash flood in a Minneapolis suburb was caused by ice pack breaking up on the Mississippi River. This weekend, the National Weather Service in OMAHA issued a flood warning along the Platte River south of Fremont. The Platte drains into the Missouri River just south of Omaha.

(Radio Iowa) — As spring approaches, forecasters say Iowa’s in for some rollercoaster temperatures. While many of us enjoyed high temps in the mid 40s over the weekend, it’s back to winter today (Monday) with ice, sleet and snow. Meteorologist Kenny Podrazik, at the National Weather Service in metro Des Moines, says the northern few tiers of counties will see rain change over to snow this morning and this afternoon. “Anywhere from Algona, Estherville, Mason City, even as far east as Decorah, that whole area is going to see a decent amount of snow,” Podrazik says, “and there’s certainly the potential for a light glaze of ice as well.”

Parts of the region could get up to a half-foot of new flakes. “Estherville and Algona could see one-to-two inches of snow,” Podrazik says. “The further east you go, you could see higher amounts, like two-to-four in Mason City, and northeast portions of Iowa could see three-to-six or four-to-six inches of snowfall by later today.” Twenty-five counties across Iowa’s northern third are under a Winter Weather Advisory and where ice is accumulating, driving will quickly become hazardous. The forecast calls for a big dip into colder weather this week and another significant warm-up by the weekend.

“We could see some subzero temperatures Wednesday night into Thursday morning,” Podrazik says. “Then, by Saturday and Sunday, we’ll be back into the mid- or upper-40s and certainly couldn’t rule out a couple of spots topping 50 degrees on one of those days.” Spring will arrive in a little over a month on March 19th.

(Update 9:32-a.m.) An apartment building in Clarinda was struck by an SUV Friday night. The Clarinda Police Department reports 39-year old Matthew Cain Hollingsworth, of Clarinda, was driving a 2001 Toyota Sequoia southbound on 20th Street, when the vehicle left the road at the apex of a curve and continued south through the grounds of the Clarhaven Foster Manor at 402 Willow Street. The vehicle then traveled about 60 feet before crashing through the apartment building into apartment #39. The SUV came to rest with all four tires inside the bedroom.The crash happened at around 8:50-p.m.

Photos courtesy the Clarinda PD

Officers found Hollingsworth was sitting on the west side of apartment #39, suffering from minor injuries. He was transported to Clarinda Regional Health Center. Damage to the building was estimated at $50,000. The SUV sustained about $10,000 damage.

REMBRANDT, Iowa (AP) — The body of an employee killed in a barn collapse has been recovered from the wreckage in northwest Iowa. A structural failure early Friday morning at the Rembrandt Foods facility just east of Rembrandt caused a catastrophic collapse of equipment inside the building. Buena Vista County authorities say a search for the employee was suspended at 6 p.m. because of safety concerns for the people trying to find the worker. The search resumed Saturday, and the worker’s body was recovered around 2 p.m. The worker’s name and other details about the accident haven’t been released.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to meet 9-a.m. Tuesday in their Boardroom at the Courthouse, in Atlantic. During their session, the Board will set the date for a Public Hearing on the Maximum Property Tax Asking (per Iowa Code 331.433A). They are also expected to approve the appointment of a non-resident member to the Lewis Public Library Board of Trustees. Auditor Dale Sunderman says trustees are appointed by the Mayor with approval of the city council or County Board of Supervisors. And, the Board will act on the appointment of additional members to the Cass County Local Foods Policy Council.

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors, Tuesday morning, will act to approve a Class-C Liquor License application for the Griswold Golf & Country Club, and authorizing a supervisors to sign a new 28-E (cost sharing) agreement to be part of the Southwest Iowa Mental Health and Disability Services Region. They’ll also receive regularly scheduled reports (as available), from the County Engineer, Mental Health/General Relief Coordinator and County Attorney.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer, today (Monday), said there were four arrests the first week of the month. On Feb. 7th, 38-year old Karen Ann Hulbert, of Audubon, was arrested for Violation of Parole.  On Feb. 5th, 23-year old Andrew Allen Malloy was arrested in Audubon on two-counts of Driving Under Suspension, and two-counts of Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance. Malloy was arrested again Sunday (Feb. 16th), on a warrant for Failure to Serve Mittimus.

On Feb. 4th, 24-year old Rae Beth Horton, of Audubon, was arrested for Domestic Abuse with a Dangerous Weapon.  That same day, 32-year old Jennifer Meese-Cherry, of Audubon, was cited by Audubon Police, for Allowing Dog at Large.  She was released at scene.  During the same incident, 34-year old Robert Taylor Glidden, of Audubon, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct.  Glidden was cited and also released on scene.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — A woman who headed the accounting division of a private fertilizer company in Urbandale has been accused of embezzling more than $116,000. Polk County court records say 41-year-old Heidi Cook is charged with nine counts of theft, one of fraudulent practices and one of unauthorized use of a credit card. She remained in jail Monday. The court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for Cook. Prosecutors say that, from at least Dec. 10, 2018, she took 33 checks totaling more than $116,000 from Spraytec and deposited them into her own bank account.