(Wellsburg, Iowa) – The Iowa State Patrol has released the names of the four people (1 adult and three children) who died and nine others (Most of whom are from Dehli, Iowa) who were injured during a rollover accident involving a van, Friday morning in northern Iowa. Authorities had said previously, the 15 passenger van, a 2002 Chevy Express, went out of control on the 100% snow/ice covered roads at around 6:49-a.m, and crashed near Wellsburg.

The incident happened as the van was heading westbound on US Highway 20.  The driver of the van, 33-year-old Sara E. Werner, of Hopkinton (IA), lost control of the vehicle, which entered the median and rolled. Four people were ejected from the van, which came to rest in the eastbound lanes of Highway 20. None of the vehicle’s occupants were wearing a seat belt, and the children were not in a child restraint seat.

The Patrol identified those who died as: 22-year-old Ervin J. Borntreger, 1-year old Marlin Borntreger, 4-year-old Emma Borntreger, and 2-year-old Rebecca Borntreger, all of Dehli (IA).

Those injured were identified as:

• 21-year Edna Borntreger, 1-year-old Jacob Borntreger, 29-year-old Mary Herschberger, 26-year-old Jacob “Jake” Herschberger; 27-year-old Mahlon Borntreger, 25-year-old Fannie Borntreger, 3-year-old Ervin Borntreger, 1-year-old Joseph Borntreger, all of Dehli.
• 30-year-old Almer Yoder, of Hopkinton.

The crash is still under investigation.

(Storm Lake, Iowa) – A collision Friday evening between an SUV and a pickup truck in Storm Lake, resulted in one person being flown to a hospital. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2022 GMC Terrain SUV driven by 40-year-old Ann M. Krummen, of Storm Lake, was eastbound on 600th Street at around 6:20-p.m., and approaching a stop sign at the intersection with Highway 71 on the city’s southeastern side.

A 2021 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 37-year-old Michael L. Sly, of Dallas Center, was traveling south on Highway 71. When Krummen failed to yield the right-of-way from the stop sign, her vehicle collided with the pickup in the middle of the intersection. The Patrol says alcohol is a suspected factor in the crash.

Krummen – who was wearing her seat belt -was flown by air ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Sioux City. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office and Storm Lake Police.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 39-year-old Johna Christine Dolph of Red Oak on Friday evening. Dolph was arrested at 7:42 p.m. in the 400 block of East Valley Street on a valid warrant for Violation of Parole. Dolph was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on no bond.

(rural Griswold, Iowa) – Rescue crews were dispatched to a rollover accident with injuries this (Friday) afternoon. The crash on Richland Road just east of 550th Street (Highway 48) north of Griswold, was reported at around 4:30-p.m. Two persons were trapped. One had a head injury.

A helicopter was requested, and was enroute to the scene as of 4:51-p.m. (UPDATE: Helicopter cancelled – injuries not as severe as first thought, according to officials on the scene.)

2 people were transported by ambulance to Cass Health (CCMH) in Atlantic. No other details are currently available.

(Radio Iowa) – Two Iowa casinos were fined Thursday for violations involving self-ban regulations. Racing and Gaming administrator Brian Ohorilko, says the Diamond Jo Dubuque Casino was late in uploading the new list of those who banned themselves from gambling. “The facility uploaded that information to the state system — but they did so after eight days. The grace period is seven — and so this one came in one day late,” he says.

Ohorilko says casinos can be fined up to 20-thousand dollars for these violations. “Diamond Joe has had a really good track record of compliance and no prior incidents. And so the fine was issued at that minimum level at five-thousand dollars,” Ohorilko says. He says the Wild Rose Casino in Emmetsburg had a similar self-exclusion violation. “This particular situation, Wild Rose had uploaded that information 11 days after receiving it, so it was four days after the grace period,” he says. He says the commissioners also took into account the history of the facility.

“Wild Rose has a very good track record in terms of compliance with these self-exclusion rules and regulations and it was the first incident they’ve had in the last 365 days,” Ohorilko says. The commissioners agreed on the minimum fine of five-thousand dollars for Wild Rose.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Fire Department have identified a man found inside a home that caught fire, Wednesday night (January 25th). The victim located at 114 Blackhawk Street was 70-year-old Gary Edison. At this time, officials say, the investigation remains ongoing.

Firefighters were called to the scene near Black Hawk Street and Huron Circle, at around 8:50-p.m. As they were responding, crews were notified that there was possibly a person trapped inside the home. Fire crews arrived finding smoke and fire coming from the house. Fire crews quickly made entry into the house to conduct search and rescue and extinguished the fire.

Edison was located during the search of the house and found to be deceased. A black, wiener dog named “Thumper,” also died.

(Radio Iowa) – The institution is fictional but the enthusiasm is genuine as the University of Okoboji Winter Games are underway this weekend in northwest Iowa. Kiley Zankowski, with the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, says thousands of people are expected through Sunday who will be competing in everything from ping-pong and pickleball to axe throwing and a human foosball tournament.

“We kick off the day Saturday with all sorts of different sporting events, like the broomball tournament, the softball tournament and so much more,” Zankowski says. “We look forward to those other signature events, like the Polar Plunge. It’ll be especially polar this year but it’s always a really fun one to watch.” In the plunge, about 150 people make donations to charity in order to jump into the frigid West Lake Okoboji, where heavy machinery has removed a section of ice. Other events include a chili cookoff, chocolate tasting, a cribbage tournament and a dog show. There’s also a kite festival.

“We’re really excited about all of the kite fliers that are coming from all across the nation and even a couple international,” Zankowski says. “We’re hoping for around 120 kites in the sky at a time, which will be bigger than ever before, and then really excited about the addition of a Night Kite show on Saturday.” The forecast indicates the possibility for moderate-to-heavy snowfall in the region this weekend, which she says adds to the fun.

Human Foosball (2022 University of Okoboji games photo)

“We’ve kind of got a record of snow this year already, just a ton of snow for snowmobilers, ATVs, UTVs and people to enjoy. It really adds to the Winter Games element and the different activities that we have going on,” Zankowski says. “We wish the temperatures were a little warmer but there’s so much to do inside and outside all weekend long, so we’re just excited for the games to be here.” The Winter Games are expected to have an economic impact of three-million dollars for the region.

See the full schedule of events at: uofowintergames.com.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Democratic Party’s governing board is scheduled to elect a new party chair tomorrow. The new leader will inherit a party reeling from 2022 election losses and dwindling finances. Former Congressman Dave Nagle of Cedar Falls served as party chairman 40 years ago. Nagle says the party’s next leader will also have to decide whether to fight to keep the Iowa Caucuses first in the nation. “Or we’re going to allow Washington, D.C. to tell us what we should do, when we can do it and how we can do it,” Nagle says.

National party leaders have said Iowa delegates may not participate in the 2024 Democratic National Convention if the Iowa Caucuses are held before presidential primaries in other states. Nagle says that’s not much of a threat. “It’s 50 Iowans that don’t have to go be stage props in August wherever they’re going to have the national convention,” Nagle said. “That’s a small price to pay.”

Dave Nagel. (RI photo)

The more than 60 members of the Iowa Democratic Party state central committee are scheduled to convene Saturday morning to conduct the election for a new party chair. The group will consider a proposal to create another smaller executive committee that would include the Democratic leaders in the legislature. Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls says it’s common for large boards to select a smaller group to address pressing issues. “I think that this will be a productive proposal that will help improve the governance of the party and leadership of the party,” Wahls says, “and I certainly strongly endorse it and hope that it passes.”

House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst says the proposed change in party structure would involve people like her and Wahls who are raising money and recruiting candidates for the legislature. “It’s a very reasonable and common sense approach as we try to modernize,” she says.

The Iowa Republican Party’s state central committee has 20 members. It met on January 14 and reelected Jeff Kaufmann as party chairman.