In carnivals, a carny might tempt take your money and offer a prize for guessing your weight correctly. In the Audubon County town of Ross, you may rewarded for guessing the weight, of the last wooden grain elevator, and help to save it. Bob and Janet Nelson, owners of the 130 year old elevator have been raising money to help restore what appears to be the oldest wooden elevator still standing, in Iowa.

Photo from www.saverosselevator.com.

Bob Nelson says the elevator in Ross was built in the early 1880’s by Civil War veteran, Capt. Charles Stuart, who also founded Stuart, Iowa. Nelson says a family who has owned the elevator since the 1930’s, offered him the chance to buy the structure with hopes that it would be restored to the best possible condition. The elevator came about when the railroads were built, shortening the length of time it took to get crops to market, and making a spot where people could gather to socialize.

Wooden elevators typically were built to last 40-years, but more often than not, they were destroyed by fires created by sparks from passing railroad steam engines. They usually lasted no more than 10-years. A fundraising effort has allowed enough money begin the process. The effort began, according to Nelson, after they received a $25,000 grant from the Iowa Barn Foundation. The grant required matching funds, which Nelson has been able to accomplish.

He says they won’t be enough to completely cover the cost of restoration, so a contest is being held to guess the weight of the structure as it’s lifted off the limestone foundation, which has collapsed on three-sides. The foundation is the first thing set to be restored. The weight of the elevator roughly 25-by-30-to 60-feet high elevator will be measured by specially calibrated heavy-duty equipment.
Guess3 :16 Q:”…May 18th.”
(Nelson says people that want to guess the weight of the elevator can do so by donating when they log-on to www.saverosselevator.com. The structure is scheduled to be lifted-off the foundation next week, weather permitting.  The person with the closest guess will have a plaque with their name displayed inside the elevator, once restoration work is completed.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports a bridge over Mosquito Creek in the 1900 block of Ironwood Road, is now open. The bridge is located just south of 1944 Ironwood Road, between Union Township Sections 33-and 34. It had been closed since mid-April for construction.

Officials said also, that a bridge over an unnamed tributary of the Mosquito Creek along Gingko Road, will be closed effective this Wednesday, May 13th, for repairs. The bridge is located just south of 1434 Gingko Road, between Washington Township section 25 and Westphalia Township 30.

Residents and emergency responders who may normally use this road should plan to take alternate routes. Since the area has many dirt or Level-B roads, some considerable planning will be required for emergency responders, especially. If you have any questions, call the Shelby County Engineer’s Office at 712-755-5954.

Police in Glenwood report one person was taken into custody, over the weekend. 26-year old Esperanza Cadena, of Glenwood, was arrested Saturday, for
Disorderly conduct and interference with official acts. Her bond was set at $600.

More area news, from Ric Hanson.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Nebraska and Iowa rank high on a list of states with what are described as some of the worst puppy mills. A report from the Humane Society of the United States says Nebraska ranks third on “The Horrible Hundred 2015” list, with 14 of the breeders. Iowa ranks fourth with 11 breeders on the list. The list was led by Missouri, with 23, and Kansas, with 16.

The society says its list doesn’t include all of the worst breeders. The Des Moines Register reports that a puppy mill is described by the Humane Society as “an inhumane, commercial dog-breeding facility in which the health of the dogs is disregarded in order to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits.”

Three people were arrested recently, in Creston. The Creston Police Dept. reports 50-year old Robby Carter, of Creston, was arrested at around 10:45-p.m. Sunday, for OWI/1st Offense. Carter was later released from the Union County Jail, on $1,000 bond. Also arrested Sunday, in Creston, was 46-year old Christopher Selvy, of Creston, who was charged with Public Intoxication and Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault. Selvy was later released from custody on $300 bond.

And, last Friday, Creston Police arrested 41-year old Luke Johnson, of Creston, on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation. Johnson was later released from the jail on a $2,000 bond.

The 7:05-a.m. report from Ric Hanson.

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An accident in Harrison County Sunday night resulted in one person being sent to the hospital. The Iowa State Patrol reports 53-year old Marilee Louise Collier, of Missouri Valley, was transported by LifeNet helicopter to Creighton Hospital in Omaha, after the 1998 Ford Taurus she was driving crossed the center-line of Highway 30 and hit the driver’s side of a semi before continuing and striking the dual wheels of the semi’s trailer. Collier was ejected from her car and came to rest on the south shoulder, while her car came to rest in the south ditch.

The semi, a 2009 Freightliner, stopped on the south shoulder of the road. The driver of the rig, 57-year old Merlin Jay Howley, of Sioux City, was not hurt.

The accident happened at around 10:20-p.m., as the car was traveling westbound on Highway 30, and the semi was traveling eastbound, at about the one mile-marker. The crash remains under investigation.

Officials with the National Weather Service in Johnston say a storm survey team will fan out across three northwest Iowa Counties today (Monday) to assess damage from a tornado or tornadoes, that moved across the area, Sunday.

The damage assessment team will cover Northern Carroll, Calhoun, southeastern Pocahontas, and possibly northern Audubon County, where damage caused by high winds may have been due to a tornado.  They’ll also be in Lake City, where the roof of a high school was torn off while as many as 100 people attending a ceremony, took shelter in a basement.Trees two-to three-feet in diameter were also uprooted in the community at around 7:40-p.m., and multiple roofs were blown off houses. A multiple-vortex tornado one-quarter of a mile wide was reported in the area south of Lake City, at around 7:30-p.m.

A possible tornado was spinning-up debris four-miles northwest of Lidderdale, in Carroll County, at around 7:15-p.m.  No injuries have been reported. A tornado was also reported in Pocahontas County, at around 8:20-p.m., four-miles northwest of Manson. The twister was seen on the ground and bouncing before going back into the clouds. A second twister, or possibly the same one, was observed at around 8:15-p..m. 1 mile southwest of Manson, in Calhoun County.

Three-miles southeast of Jolley, in Calhoun County, a tornado was reported on the ground heading toward the Twin Lakes Wildlife Refuge, just after 8-p.m. Another reported tornado was observed three-miles west of Lohrville, in Calhoun County, at around 7:35-p.m.

Other damage reports from around Iowa include downed power lines and power poles south of Van Meter, in Dallas County. In Audubon County, a machine shed was destroyed on a farm about 6-miles south/southeast of Gray, at around 7:45-p.m., Sunday. Here in Atlantic, two waves of heavy wind and rained downed at least one power-line and a large tree. Pea-sized hail fell as well, at around 1:30-p.m.

The results and conclusions of the survey (which typically includes the level and type of damage, determining a possible tornado’s path and width, along with length of time on the ground), will be completed and transmitted through a public information statement disseminated by the media, and on the Weather Services’ website (www.weather.gov/dmx) later today (Monday).

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Severe storms have prompted reports of tornadoes in central Iowa. Meterologist Frank Boksa with the Des Moines office of the National Weather Service says an apparent tornado hit Lake City, in Calhoun County, on Sunday night and authorities have reported structural damage and uprooted trees.

Boksa says a school was damaged and multiple roofs were blown off houses. There were no immediate reports of fatalities or injuries. A tornado was also reported in Pocahontas County.

In Nebraska, a frost advisory is in effect for much of the western part of the state, which also saw snow on Sunday. More than 18 inches were reported near Chadron.