SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man was hospitalized after an explosion rocked a plant in northwest Iowa, setting off a fire. Firetrucks were dispatched to the Polaris Industries plant in Spirit Lake around 9:30 p.m. Monday. Officials say the employees had been evacuated by the time firefighters arrived. The man taken to a hospital hasn’t been identified.

Spirit Lake Fire Chief Pat Daly says a blast in the plant’s paint room caused the fire. The damage was contained there. It’s unclear what caused the explosion. Polaris employs about 500 people at the plant, producing motorcycles under the Indian Motorcycles brand.

No injuries were reported following a single-vehicle accident Sunday morning, in Page County. The Page County Sheriff’s Office says 56-year old Roger Lee McQueen, of Shenandoah, was traveling east on Highway 2 near I Avenue at around 8-a.m., when the front end of his 2003 Chevy van began to shake. McQueen started to pull the vehicle to the shoulder, when the steering wheel locked. McQueen applied the brakes but the vehicle continued into the south ditch, where it became mired in the mud and the embankment. The van sustained about $3,500 damage. No citations were issued.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday) issued a report on an accident that took place a little before at around 12-a.m Sunday, on the east side of Clarinda. The accident wasn’t discovered until hours later. The single-vehicle accident happened near the intersection of Highways 2 and 71, when a 2018 Ford Escape driven by 29-year old Paige Jamie Ruthe Stewart, of New Market, turned south from Highway 2 just east of the intersection into a field drive, and continued south through the standing corn field for unknown reasons. Stewart did not stop in the cornfield, but instead continued south through the cornfield. The vehicle went into a deep ditch and struck a tree. Air bags deployed and Stewart suffered minor injuries. According to Stewart, she spent the night in the vehicle and walked back to the road where she made contact with someone who found her and then called for assistance at around 8-a.m., Sunday. Stewart was taken to the Clarinda Regional Hospital for treatment of unknown injuries.

Her SUV sustained an estimated $31,000 damage, and was considered a total loss. Damage to the Cornfield was estimated at $5,000. No charges have been filed at this time.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State auditors say a man employed full time by an eastern Iowa city and a nearby water and sanitary district likely didn’t put in his 40 hours at both jobs and spent hundreds of working hours at casinos. An audit report issued Tuesday cited more than $290,000 in unsupported or improper spending by the city of Long Grove and nearly $287,000 in unsupported or improper spending by the Park View Water and Sanitary District. The two had asked for the special audit, concerned about the financial activities of Joel McCubbin. Long Grove hired him in 1987 and the district made him its full-time operations manager in 1994.

The auditors estimated the district overpaid McCubbin thousands of dollars because he probably only worked 24 a week. The auditors also said a comparison of city time sheets against McCubbin’s players club cards showed he was at casinos during his reported work hours on nearly 220 days. Scott County court records don’t show that he’s been charged with any crime.

(Radio Iowa) — Administrators of an eastern Iowa school district are considering new safety measures after a recent shooting attempt. Police say a 12-year-old student at North Scott Junior High in Eldridge pulled a gun on a teacher and tried to fire but the safety was on, disabling the gun. Superintendent Joe Stutting says he’s rethinking the district’s safety policies since the incident August 31st. “And at the same time, you don’t want to make those kind of decisions in the emotions of a situation,” Stutting says. “You want to take the time to research it out, whether that’s changing a policy or adding personnel or what it might be. We’ll analyze that out and everything’s on the table.”

Community members have suggested installing metal detectors or hiring more security guards, but Stutting says resources are limited. “Iowa doesn’t fund education to support hiring security guards, whether they’re SRO officers connected to a police force or a private one,” he says. “There’s no ongoing source for that and I think that’s something our legislators will look at when we get into the next session, I’m sure.”

Stutting says declining enrollment in the district is also limiting resources. The student, whose name wasn’t released, is charged with attempted murder.

(with Thanks to Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) — A woman from northern Iowa’s Butler County died in a wrong-way collision on the Avenue of the Saints south of Mason City, Monday. The Iowa State Patrol says 78-year-old Darlene Keifer, of Greene, was killed in the accident which happened shortly after 11:30-AM at the 190 mile marker on US Highway 18.

The patrol says the car driven by Keifer was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of the divided highway and collided with a van driven by 54-year-old Blaine Freeman of Elk Run Heights, Iowa. Keifer was pronounced dead at the scene while Freeman was taken to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa with what were described as minor injuries.

Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and Republican 4th District Congressman Steve King attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony this (Tuesday) morning, at the new, Waspy’s Truck Stop off Highway 71, just south of Audubon. The $18-million dollar project includes the Feed Mill Restaurant and Blue Grass Inn and Suites. Governor Reynolds spoke about the facility as being the Lawrence Handlos family’s dedication to their community and their continued efforts to make a difference through their success story. She said “They’re farmers with an entrepreneurial spirit, small business owners who are driven to excel, and family members who are bonded through a common vision.” Lawrence Handlos said his concept for the property turned out to be bigger than he envisioned. He said all he really wanted was a truck wash. But then he thought people might want food and a place to stay. The truck wash hasn’t opened yet, but is expected to be available this Fall.

Reynolds said Waspy’s is more than just a 16-acre truck stop, restaurant and Inn, it’s a job creator and an economic engine and tourism destination. She says that’s a big deal, because tourism generates about $8.2-billion to the State’s economy. 17-percent of spending in Iowa is travel-related, and 20-percent is spent on food. “Waspy’s is filling an important niche for local residents and busy travelers to our great State.” She said families like the Handlos’ are the backbone of rural Iowa.

Congressman Steve King also echoed the theme of family in the “miraculous way” the project came together on what used to be “Just a hill.” Now, he said, it’s a destination location. He said “I think about the Sunday dinners that people are going to drive from maybe an hour away, here. Then they’ll come back again and again and again.” They’ll drive out of their way use the car wash or restaurant.” King, whose family has an earth-moving/under ground utilities business, spoke of the massive undertaking it took to build the facility. He said 200-thousand cubic yards of dirt were moved, multiple loads of concrete, 250-tons or 10 semi-loads of rebar were used in the construction, and 16-thousand cubic yards of concrete, or about 1,800 cement trucks.”

King Construction also handled 6,850-feet of underground piping. He said it takes a family to pull such a large project together. He said also, “This is a wonderful and beautiful model of the American Dream.” King said a new tax bill coming out in the next couple of months could eliminate the so-called “Death Tax” (estate tax), because it “Is a direct tax on the American Dream.”

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a man who allegedly ran a stop sign in Oakland at around 2:20 this (Tuesday) morning, was arrested on an OWI charge.  34-year old Emerson Lee Strayhorn, of Des Moines, was driving an SUV at Parker Street and Palmer Avenue when he was pulled over. Authorities say Strayhorn pulled into a residence at the intersection of Parker and Palmer and acted as if he was going to try and run from law enforcement. He was instructed to get back in his vehicle, and complied. Strayhorn reportedly showed signs of being impaired on both alcohol and drugs and was placed under arrest for OWI 3rd offense.

And, a woman being held on a Federal Detainer at the Pott. County Jail, was served with a Class-D felony warrant for Burglary in the 3rd degree/Breaking and Entering. 44-year old Julie Rae DeWaele, of Council Bluffs, (AKA Julie Rae Martinez), was returned to her cell and held on a $5,000 bond on the Burglary charge.