A woman from New York was injured when the car she was driving went out of control and collided with a semi, in Audubon County. Sheriff’s officials say 25-year old Erin Elizabeth Lower, of Rochester, NY, was transported to the Audubon County Hospital by Exira Rescue, following the crash north of Exira at around 9-a.m., Monday.

Authorities say 31-year old Justin Kyle Wells, of Woodward, OK, was traveling north on Highway 71 in a 2005 Peterbilt semi,  as 2007 Toyota Camry driven by Lower, was traveling south. When the right front tire of Lower’s car slipped off onto the shoulder, Lower over-corrected, sending the vehicle across the centerline of the road, where it collided with the semi.

Following the collision, both vehicles came to rest in the south ditch. Wells wasn’t injured in the crash, but his semi sustained $10,000 damage. Damage to the Toyota was estimated at $12,000. Officials say Lower was charged with Failure to Maintain Control.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has released details about an accident that occurred Sunday night. Officials say at around 8:18-p.m., the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a one-vehicle accident on Highway 92 west of Highway 71. A White Ford F350 pickup driven by 27-year old Tanner Paul Preston, of Atlantic, was eastbound on Highway 92 when Preston lost control of the truck, which rolled approximately six times, coming to rest in the north ditch.

The man was ejected from the vehicle and transported by Griswold Rescue to Cass County Memorial Hospital before being flown by helicopter to University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha. The vehicle is considered a total loss. The accident remains under investigation.

Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County have released details about an accident causing injuries, which occurred Sunday morning, just west of Menlo. Authorities say a 2008 Toyota driven by 18-year old Carly Dycus, of Des Moines, was traveling north on Redwood Road at a high rate of speed, when Dycus failed to obey a stop sign at the intersection with White Pole Road (Highway 6). The vehicle ramped over the intersection and continued north onto Ranch Trail before going out of control, spinning around and entering the east ditch.

The left rear of the vehicle impacted the ditch embankment, causing the car to roll over one and a half-times before coming to rest on its passenger side on the northbound lane of the road. The accident happened just before 2-a.m., Sunday.

Dycus and a passenger in the car, 16-year old Zana Jarett, of Earlham, were transported by Stuart Rescue to Mercy hospital in Des Moines. Three other teens in the car refused treatment. They were identified as 16-year old Taylor Coffman and 15-year old Olivia Canelos, both of Earlham, and 14-year old Devin Hensley, of Dexter.

Dycus was charged with First Offense OWI, Failure to Obey a Stop Sign, and Failure to Maintain Control. The car, registered to Ronald Dycus, of Des Moines, sustained $8,000 damage.

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Officials with Atlantic Municipal Utilities have approved resolutions adopting increased electric and water rate fees. The action came during the AMU Board of Trustee’s meeting Monday night. AMU General Manager Steve Tjepkes said during their meeting on Nov. 18^th, the AMU Board tentatively approved the increases, and a public hearing was needed prior to final action being taken on putting the new rates into effect. Notices were published in the local paper explaining the rate change and reasons for it.

It’s the second consecutive year for rate increases from AMU.  Last year, electric rates went up 12-percent, and the water rate was increased 4-percent. The Board Monday approved a 5-percent across the board increase (residential and commercial) in electric rates. Tjepkes said the electric rate increase is due to EPA regulations for the coal-fired power plant in Council Bluffs, from which AMU receives additional energy. AMU’s cost related to the Council Bluffs plant improvements and EPA compliance will amount to $500-thousand next year, and about $1.2-million in 2015.

Tjepkes said there will also be a 5-percent across the board increase in water rates. The increase in Atlantic’s water rates he said, is driven by changes that require parts of the system to be lead-free, which entails the removal of some parts and replacement of those items with non-lead parts. Those costs are estimated at 30-to 35-thousand dollars.

There were no written or public comments during the meeting with regard to the increases.The Board’s action means the average household in Atlantic would see a One-dollar increase in their water bill each month, while the electric bill would increase two-to three-dollars per month. In other business, the AMU Board approved a resolution adopting their Calendar Year 2014 Budget.

One person was injured Monday afternoon, when a pickup rear-ended a semi tractor/trailer, near Red Oak. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports an Old Dominion Freight Line Company semi driven by 47-year old Brian S. Antisdel, of Omaha, was sitting in the westbound lane of Highway 34 at the railroad tracks, with its flashers on. A 2013 Dodge 1500 pickup traveling west on Highway 34 and driven by 67-year old Clinton Wade Rubey, of Red Oak, slammed into the rear to the trailer.  The crash happened at around 3:25-p.m., about one-quarter of a mile west of the intersection with Highway 48.

Officials say Rubey was transported to the Montgomery County Hospital by Red Oak Rescue, for treatment of minor injuries.  Damage from the collision amounted to $60,000. Authorities say Rubey will be cited for Failure to Stop in a Safe and Assured Distance.

Red Oak Police and Red Oak Fire and Rescue Assisted at the scene.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a Red Oak man was arrested Monday evening for Driving While Barred. 24-year old Randy Michael Mitchell was taken into custody just before 5-p.m. and booked into Montgomery County Corrections, where he was being held on a $2,000 cash bond.

MINNEAPOLIS – With Black Friday and Cyber Monday now in the books, people around Minnesota and the country are being asked to think of others on this “Giving Tuesday.” According to co-founder Henry Timms, that can include donating money or time to a favorite charitable group, while a new spin this year is having people post what he calls “unselfies” on social media.

“Share a picture of you doing something useful for others. Share a picture of a cause that matters deeply to you. Do something unselfish around Giving Tuesday,” Timms urged. Among the nonprofits taking part locally is the Iowa 4-H Foundation, whose administrative specialist Brooke Young said their focus is on making a difference for Iowa youth. “And our mission is to provide funds for many opportunities for Iowa 4-H’ers, including recognition, 4-H trips, scholarships and other special programs throughout the year.”

Young said the opportunities provided by the Iowa 4-H Foundation help young people develop skills in areas such as communication, critical thinking and leadership. “It’s providing them skills that they will use, not only in 4-H but then in life after 4-H.”

Since its first annual event last year, Giving Tuesday has grown to include more than 8000 partners in all 50 states. More information on the Iowa 4-H Foundation can be found online at bit.ly/186s5wH.
More on Giving Tuesday is at bit.ly/19d9KsP.

(Iowa News Service)