DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — Some Iowans will not see their local temperature and dew point weather reports because several weather tracking sensors across Iowa are disabled. In western Iowa, that includes the Denison and Carroll Airports.  The Federal Aviation Administration released new guidelines on July 2 that require malfunctioning Automated Weather Observing Systems, or AWOS, located at airports to be disabled.

There are 61 AWOSs at airports in Iowa. Seventeen are managed by the FAA, while 44 are operated by the Iowa Department of Transportation. These sites’ primary function is to track meteorological data such as wind speed, air pressure, temperature, and dew points to guide pilots; however, weather data is shared with the public and often used for local weather reports.

Currently, 12 weather tracking sites are not reporting temperature or dew point for the area. A full map of the weather tracking sites can be found here. Iowa DOT Aviation Director Tim McClung told KCCI, that prior to July 2, the DOT was only required to report if a site was producing inaccurate data. Now, if they must disable the sensor entirely along with issuing a report to pilots.

There is no danger to aircraft from the disabled sensors.  McClung said for aviation, they can map out general weather conditions, despite some sensors being down, that are sufficient for guiding aircraft. However, he said it is inconvenient for people who are looking at the sensors for weather reports. McClung said the technicians at the DOT are working hard to get the site back up as soon as possible but expects it will be a rolling cycle of sensors coming on and off over the next several months.

They are currently directing their focus on the offline sensors in Boone, Webster City, and Carroll because those locations are close together and all malfunctioning. The disabled sensors are expected to continue for several months as the DOT adapts to the policy change. McClung said the sensors they need to replace are currently backlogged, which has led to more delays.

He said the cooler weather in the fall and winter, combined with more time to get new sensors, should bring most of the sites back online. Below is a list of the sensors not currently reporting temperature or dew point:

• Denison
• Carroll
• Perry
• Webster City
• Fort Dodge
• Clarion
• Boone
• Fort Madison
• Keokuk
• Muscatine
• Vinton
• Grinnell

DES MOINES— Gov. Kim Reynolds, Friday, announced the approval of Monona County for Individual Assistance, and Harrison, Monona, Pocahontas, Winneshiek, and Wright Counties for Public Assistance for emergency protective measures and permanent work under the previously approved Major Disaster Declaration, FEMA DR-4796-IA, for Iowa counties where significant damage was sustained from severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred June 16, 2024, and continuing.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program is already activated for the following counties related to this incident: Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Humboldt, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pottawattamie, Sioux, and Woodbury Counties.

The following counties were previously activated for emergency protective measures under Public Assistance and have been approved for the addition of permanent work: Lyon, and Osceola. Monona County residents are now eligible for the Disaster Recovery Temporary Housing Program, along with Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Humboldt, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Sioux, and Woodbury counties.

This program is available to survivors whose homes were majorly damaged, destroyed, or deemed not habitable in counties currently under a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for both FEMA Individual and Public Assistance.

For more information on disaster-related programs and resources available to Iowans, visit DisasterRecovery.iowa.gov.

Officials with MidAmerican Energy, on Friday, said crews were able to restore service within 24 hours to 99.9% of the 90,000 customers impacted by this week’s string of severe thunderstorms. The severe weather produced storms with wind gusts of more than 60 miles per hour and significant lightning causing large pockets of substantial tree damage, downed wires and broken poles.

MidAmerican and contractor line crews, along with tree crews, began restoration immediately, making safe and efficient progress as each round of weather passed. Early in the week, when the forecast for potential weather impacts became clear, additional contractor crews were secured from Wisconsin, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. MidAmerican crews from nonimpacted areas also traveled to support the restoration efforts in the Sioux City, Council Bluffs and Des Moines areas.

“Despite an extremely active storm season this year, MidAmerican crews and contractors have worked tirelessly to quickly and safely restore power to our customers,” Nick Nation, senior vice president of delivery at MidAmerican, said. “We understand how much our customers count on us to get the job done, and we are prepared to do just that, even when there is a new storm every night.”

“While we were able to restore nearly every customer’s power in less than 24 hours, multiple storms throughout the week hitting the same areas takes its toll, and we are so grateful to our customers for their patience and support of our crews,” he continued.

According to National Weather Service data, this year Iowa has had the second-most tornadoes and severe thunderstorms recorded to date.

(CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa) – A Monona County, Iowa man was sentenced Friday (August 2, 2024), to 16 years in federal prison. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa says 35-year-old Allen Jones, of Ute, received the prison term after a March 19, 2024, guilty plea to kidnapping.

Evidence in the case revealed on July 7, 2023, Jones called his employer and stated his car would not start and that he needed a ride to work. Jones supervisor instructed a co-worker to pick up Jones at his residence. When the co-worker pulled into the driveway, Jones lured the co-worker into the garage, pointed a loaded shotgun at him, and said we are “going for a ride.” Jones held his victim at gunpoint, forced him into his (Jones’s) car, and ordered him to drive to a near-by casino. Jones told his victim that he planned “to shoot up the casino” and use the victim as a human shield.

On the way to the casino, Jones instructed the victim to change course, because he wanted to confront a former girlfriend before he committed the mass-shooting. Near Mapleton, Iowa, Jones further directed his victim to stop at a gas station, go into the store, and buy him food and beer. Jones warned his victim not to try to escape. The victim entered the store, selected some items, held them up to the window for Jones to see, but then set the items down and fled out of the back of the store. The victim ran alongside a storage unit, across a field, struggled across the Maple River, crossed another field, and ran onto an airfield where the victim found help.

When law enforcement arrived, they learned Jones had left the gas station on foot. Jones was located and arrested. On his person Monona County Sherriff’s Deputies located methamphetamine and in the truck they located the loaded shotgun. A subsequent search of Jones’ home revealed additional firearms, ammunition, various prescription pills, methamphetamine, and other items of contraband.

Jones has a lengthy criminal history including a 2013 federal conviction for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon and a history of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine use.

Jones was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Jones was sentenced to 192 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Jones is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Iowa State Patrol, Monona County Sherriff’s Office, and the United States Department of Justice-Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

The State of Iowa has recently created some new housing assistance options for residents that have been affected by natural disasters. Major damage from floods and tornadoes in the state prompted the need for more immediate assistance. Among the options available are the Disaster Recovery Temporary Housing Program (DRTHP), State Disaster Recovery New Housing Grant Program, and the Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance Program.

The DRTHP has a goal to provide temporary sheltering options for eligible disaster survivors as they pursue long term housing solutions. For this program housing options may include recreational vehicles and travel trailers, for up to six  months at no cost for Iowans whose homes were majorly damaged, destroyed, or deemed not habitable in counties un the federal disaster declaration. This includes the SWIPCO region counties of Harrison, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, and Shelby.

Individuals looking for this assistance will need to start by registering for the FEMA Individual Assistance at disasterassistance.gov. The State Disaster Recovery New Housing Grant Program is meant to provide financial assistance for the development of for sale and rental housing in cities impacted by disasters. Counties in the region include Mills, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, and Shelby. The grant will provide up to $50,000 per unit with a maximum project award of $1,000,000.

The State Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance Program will provide financial assistance to eligible homeowners affected by recent natural disasters, ultimately helping them to expedite repairs to their homes. Eligible homes must be located in a county approved for FEMA Individual Assistance following presidential natural disaster dedclarations this spring and summer.

SWIPCO region counties include Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, and Shelby. This program could potentially award an affected resident $50,000 for repair/rehab of their affected homes. Other nearby counties that are eligible for all programs are Adair, Adams, Ringgold, and Union.

A full list of eligible counties in the state and more information on all the types of housing assistance can be found at https://www.iowa.gov/resources-0/housing-information . Both State program applications are open at iowagrants.gov. Cities, counties, non-profits, and foundations interested in obtaining pre-constructed housing through the Homes for Iowa Program can contact SWIPCO for information or start by visiting https://www.swipco.org/housing-swihtf/homes-for-iowa/