United Group Insurance

Severe storms Tuesday night pound parts of IA & NE with large hail & damaging winds

Weather

June 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, IA & Omaha, NE) – The National Weather Service offices in Des Moines and Omaha have compiled reports on the storms that whipped through Nebraska and Iowa late Tuesday. The reports ranged from cold air-type funnel clouds that never reached the ground, to tornadoes on the ground, and hail ranging in size from ping-pong balls to tennis balls. Winds in excess of 65 miles per hour caused damage to trees, power lines and structures.

Here are some of the reports from the Des Moines NWS Office:

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0354 PM     Funnel Cloud     1 SW Granger            41.75N 93.84W
06/25/2024                   Dallas             IA   Public

0409 PM     Funnel Cloud     2 E Perry               41.83N 94.06W
06/25/2024                   Dallas             IA   Public

0631 PM     Tornado          3 W Cumming             41.48N 93.81W
06/25/2024                   Madison            IA   Emergency Mngr
            Location estimated.

0641 PM     Funnel Cloud     3 WNW Cumming           41.50N 93.84W
06/25/2024                   Madison            IA   Public

0643 PM     Tornado          4 ESE Van Meter         41.50N 93.88W
06/25/2024                   Madison            IA   Law Enforcement
            Brief tornado, dropping up and down near
            105th Ave and Timberview.

0644 PM     Funnel Cloud     5 WSW Cumming           41.45N 93.84W
06/25/2024                   Madison            IA   Trained Spotter

0646 PM     Funnel Cloud     6 N Patterson           41.44N 93.87W
06/25/2024                   Madison            IA   Public
            Funnel cloud reported by General Public.

0650 PM     Tornado          2 N Patterson           41.38N 93.88W
06/25/2024                   Madison            IA   Trained Spotter
            Spotter reported brief touchdown north of Patterson.

0710 PM     Funnel Cloud     2 NW Winterset          41.36N 94.05W
06/25/2024                   Madison            IA   Trained Spotter
            Spotter reported funnel cloud about 25% down from the cloud base.

0728 PM     Hail             4 NE Winterset          41.39N 93.96W
06/25/2024  E0.75 Inch       Madison            IA   Public
            Submitted photo of penny sized hail northeast of Winterset along Cumming Road.

0730 PM     Funnel Cloud     4 NNE Lorimor           41.19N 94.04W
06/25/2024                   Madison            IA   Trained Spotter
            Funnel cloud along outflow boundary. Location estimated by radar.

0754 PM     Hail             Winterset               41.34N 94.02W
06/25/2024  M2.75 Inch       Madison            IA   Broadcast Media

0755 PM     Funnel Cloud     5 W Winterset           41.35N 94.11W
06/25/2024                   Madison            IA   Trained Spotter

0756 PM     Hail             5 S Earlham             41.42N 94.13W
06/25/2024  M2.50 Inch       Madison            IA   Trained Spotter

0757 PM     Hail             Winterset               41.34N 94.02W
06/25/2024  M1.50 Inch       Madison            IA   Emergency Mngr
            Ping pong hail in winterset.

0758 PM     Hail             1 NE Winterset          41.34N 94.01W
06/25/2024  E1.75 Inch       Madison            IA   Public
            Public reported golf ball sized hail on the northern edge of Winterset. 

0800 PM     Hail             Winterset               41.34N 94.02W
06/25/2024  M1.50 Inch       Madison            IA   Broadcast Media

0849 PM     Funnel Cloud     Charter Oak             42.07N 95.59W
06/25/2024                   Crawford           IA   Emergency Mngr
            Funnel cloud near town.

0850 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 NNW Audubon           41.73N 94.94W
06/25/2024  M65 MPH          Audubon            IA   Mesonet
            Measured by personal weather station.

0903 PM     Hail             Audubon                 41.72N 94.93W
06/25/2024  M1.00 Inch       Audubon            IA   Emergency Mngr

1000 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Stuart                  41.50N 94.32W
06/25/2024                   Adair              IA   Emergency Mngr
            Storm siren pole knocked down and tree limb damage.

1017 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 NE Adel               41.62N 94.02W
06/25/2024                   Dallas             IA   Public
            Report from mPING: 1-inch tree limbs broken; Shingles blown off.

1020 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     Lorimor                 41.13N 94.05W
06/25/2024  M62 MPH          Union              IA   Trained Spotter
            62 mph recorded wind gust on handheld anemometer. Blinding rain sheets.

1044 PM     Hail             Kellerton               40.71N 94.05W
06/25/2024  E2.00 Inch       Ringgold           IA   Trained Spotter
            Quarter to 2.25 inch diameter hail. Six minutes of hail. Small twigs broken off.

From the Omaha NWS Office:

1005 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Oakland                 41.31N 95.40W
06/25/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Public
3 very large tree limbs blown down.Numerous other trees blown down.

1054 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Clarinda                40.73N 95.03W
06/25/2024                   Page               IA   Public
            Report from mPING: 3-inch tree limbs broken; Power poles broken.
1004 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 WNW Macedonia         41.21N 95.48W
06/25/2024  M63 MPH          Pottawattamie      IA   Public
            From a personal weather station.

1002 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 S Council Bluffs      41.20N 95.86W
06/25/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Public
            Report from mPING: 3-inch tree limbs broken; Power poles broken.
0959 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     7 WNW Oakland           41.35N 95.53W
06/25/2024  M64 MPH          Pottawattamie      IA   Public
0940 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     5 E Council Bluffs      41.24N 95.76W
06/25/2024  E62 MPH          Pottawattamie      IA   Public
            From a personal weather station.
0946 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     Mcclelland              41.33N 95.68W
06/25/2024  M59 MPH          Pottawattamie      IA   Public
            From a personal weather station.
0805 PM     Hail             Harlan                  41.65N 95.33W
06/25/2024  M1.75 Inch       Shelby             IA   Public
0718 PM     Hail             Neola                   41.45N 95.61W
06/25/2024  E2.50 Inch       Pottawattamie      IA   Emergency Mngr
            Time estimated from radar.
0800 PM     Hail             Missouri Valley         41.56N 95.89W
06/25/2024  E1.50 Inch       Harrison           IA   Law Enforcement

0814 PM     Hail             Harlan                  41.65N 95.33W
06/25/2024  E1.50 Inch       Shelby             IA   Public
            Report from mPING: Ping Pong Ball (1.50 in.).
0806 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 E Harlan              41.65N 95.28W
06/25/2024  M72 MPH          Shelby             IA   Public
            A 72 mph wind gust was measured on a
            personal weather station 2 miles east of
            Harlan.
0803 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 NW Harlan             41.66N 95.34W
06/25/2024  M62 MPH          Shelby             IA   Public
            A 62 mph wind gust was recorded on a
            personal weather station on the northwest
            side of Harlan.

Posted in Weather |

Creston woman injured in a collision between a UTV and a car

News

June 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision between a UTV and a car Tuesday evening in Union County resulted in one person being transported to the Creston hospital. The Union County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened at around 6:42-p.m. on the High and Dry Road, south of Creston.

According to the Sheriff’s report, a 2012 VW Passat driven by 17-year-old Rebecca Janae Hoffman, of Diagonal, was traveling south on the High and Dry Road, and had attempted to pass a 2024 Polaris UTV operated by 24-year-old Alexis Elizabeth Baker, of Creston. Hoffman didn’t realize Baker was slowing down to turn left into a driveway, because the UTV had no functioning turn  signals.

Hoffman swerved to avoid colliding with the UTV, but her car clipped the left front tire of the UTV. Following the collision, the car entered the east ditch and came to rest. Baker was thrown from the UTV and suffered head injuries. She was transported by Medic 1 to the Greater Regional Hospital in Creston. Damage from the collision amounted to an estimated $3,400.

No citations were issued, but the Sheriff’s report noted Alexis Baker failed to signal her intentions as  a contributing factor in the accident.

Posted in News |

Speaker Grassley, 31 GOP lawmakers react to IUB decision on carbon pipeline

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The top Republican in the Iowa House says the legislature must update the state’s eminent domain laws in response to the Iowa Utilities Board decision to approve the route for the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. The board’s decision gives the company authority to force unwilling property owners to let the pipeline on their land. House Speaker Pat Grassley says landowner rights are one of the highest priorities for House Republicans and that’s why they passed two different bills on the topic — bills that died in the Republican-led Iowa Senate.

Grassley says House Republicans will seek feedback from Iowans on changes in the use of eminent domain in projects like the carbon pipeline. Two dozen other House Republicans — and seven Republicans who are state senators — have signed a joint statement, calling the Iowa Utilities Board decision a dark day for anyone who owns property in Iowa. The group says the board has crossed a line and the state’s proud tradition of clean government is being sullied.

Supporters of the pipeline say it will help Iowa-produced ethanol compete in low carbon fuel markets around the globe. In a written statement, Monte Shaw of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association said despite the overheated rhetoric of a few, the overwhelming majority of impacted landowners support this project. According to Summit’s C-E-O, 75 percent of Iowa landowners along the pipeline route have signed contracts to let the pipeline pass through their property.

_______________

Here is the list of lawmakers who signed on to the statement: Senator Kevin Alons, Senator Jeff Taylor, Senator Dennis Guth, Senator David Rowley, Senator Sandy Salmon, Senator Cherielynn Westrich, Senator Lynn Evans, Representative Steven Bradley, Representative Ken Carlson, Representative Mark Cisneros, Representative Zach Dieken, Representative Dean Fisher, Representative Thomas Gerhold, Representative Cindy Golding, Representative Helena Hayes, Representative Steven Holt, Representative Thomas Jeneary, Representative Bradley Sherman, Representative Jeff Shipley, Representative Luana Stoltenberg, Representative Mark Thompson, Representative Anne Osmundson, Representative Brooke Boden, Representative Henry Stone, Representative Heather Hora, Representative Skyler Wheeler, Representative Eddie Andrews, Representative Dan Gehlbach, Representative Bob Henderson, Representative Bobby Kaufman, and Representative Charles Thomson.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Wed., June 26, 2024

Weather

June 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: Partly sunny-to-sunny. High near 84. North northeast winds 10–to-20 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.

Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy w/a 40% chance of showers & thunderstorms. High near 78. E/SE winds at 10-20 becoming S/SE.

Tom. Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 64.

Friday: Showers & thunderstorms ending by around 7am. Becoming partly sunny & breezy. High near 88.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 94. Our Low this morning was 66. We received .06″ rain last night at KJAN. This day last year in Atlantic the high was 80 and the low 52. The Record High in Atlantic on June 26th, was 103 in 1934 & 1936. The Record Low was 43, in 1902. Sunrise this morning: 5:47 am. Sunset: 8:58 pm.

Posted in Weather |

Landowner coalition blasts IUB decision on Summit pipeline

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Landowners who have refused to grant property easements for the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline say they’re outraged state regulators have given the project a green light — and considering their legal options. The Iowa Utilities Board announced today (Tuesday) that the project would get a construction permit if regulators in the Dakotas approve the pipeline route in their states. Jess Mazour of the Sierra Club’s Iowa chapter has been working with a coalition of landowners for the past three years.

“The Iowa Utilities Board voted 3-0 against Iowans and impacted landowners in favor of a dangerous and unpopular project that violates private property rights and the fact that IUB related this decision when a large portion of Summit’s route is underwater is shameful and callous,” Mazour said. “Iowa landowners are currently losing their homes and now get word they may be losing their farms.”

Sherri Webb and her siblings inherited Shelby County land from their grandmother. During the Iowa Utilities Board hearings last fall, she testified against the use of eminent domain to seize her family’s land for the project.  “I hope that the Iowa landowners now understand that absolutely none of their land is safe from being taken,” Webb said. “Will we give up? No. We will appeal and we will never give up.” Attorney Brian Jorde says the first step is a formal request that asks the Utilities Board to reconsider its decision, then a lawsuit could be filed in Iowa district court after that.

“They were handpicked, the three members of the IUB, to do this job,” Jorde says. “…Obviously disappointing, but I invite people to be more disappointed in Iowa’s politicians than Summit.” Jorde says Iowa politicians rolled out the red carpet for the pipeline developer. Governor Reynolds appointed two of the three members of the Iowa Utilities Board after it began reviewing Summit’s construction permit.

Wally Taylor, an attorney for the Sierra Club Iowa chapter, says regulators ignored evidence showing the project had no direct benefit to the public, but is designed to profit Summit and the ethanol plants it chooses to link to the pipeline.  “It isn’t like a train or an airplane where any passenger that buys a ticket can get on,” Taylor says.

The Iowa Utilibites Board decision stipulates that Summit must get approval from North Dakota for its pipeline route and underground storage location AND from South Dakota regulators for the route in that state. The approval process in South Dakota could stretch into 2026.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

GORDON R. FRIZZELL, 93, of Council Bluffs (formerly of Oakland) – Svcs. 7/2/24

Obituaries

June 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

GORDON R. FRIZZELL, 93, of Council Bluffs (& formerly of Oakland) died Monday, June 24, 2024, at Midlands Living Center in Council Bluffs. Funeral services for GORDON FRIZZELL will be held 2-p.m. Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024, at the Oakland United Methodist Church. Rieken-Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland is assisting the family.

Visitation with the family is on Tuesday, from 1-until 2-p.m. at the Oakland United Methodist Church.

GORDON R. FRIZZELL is survived by:

His daughters – Kathi (Dean) Sharp, and Debbie (David) Simonin.

His son – Jamie (Rebecca) Frizzell.

6 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries |

NANCY MARIE JONES, 75, of Audubon (Visitation 7/1/24; Private interment)

Obituaries

June 25th, 2024 by Jim Field

NANCY MARIE JONES, 75, of Audubon died Monday, June 24, 2024 at Bergen Mercy in Omaha, NE.  Services for NANCY MARIE JONES are currently pending with Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Audubon.

————————————————————————

Open visitation with the family will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, July 1, 2024, at Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Audubon, IA.

Private family interment will take place at Murray Cemetery in Murray, IA.

Memorials may be directed to the Jones Family to be designated to many of her favorite organizations and charities. They may be mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home P.O. 201, Audubon, IA 50025.

NANCY JONES is survived by:

Her sons – Bob (Monica) Jones, of Audubon [& their children Maria & Riley], and Jason (Anne) Jones, of Fredericksburg, VA.

Her step-daughters (& their children): Cris (Jason) Uhlenhopp, of Allison, IA, and Shelly (Chad) Oelke, of Omaha, NE.

Her sister – Vicki Merrill, of Indianola.

Posted in Obituaries |

4 Hawkeyes Garner Athlon Preseason All-America Honors

Sports

June 25th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Four University of Iowa football players have garnered Athlon preseason All-America honors for the 2024 season, it was announced Tuesday by the publication.

Fifth-year linebacker Jay Higgins was named to the first team, sixth-year linebacker Nick Jackson was a second team selection, center Logan Jones was a third-team honoree and defensive back Sebastian Castro was a fourth-team selection.

The Hawkeyes also had 14 players earn preseason All-Big Ten recognition by Athlon. Higgins, Jackson and Jones were first-team selections, senior Luke Lachey (tight end), senior Connor Colby (guard), senior Yahya Black (defensive tackle), graduate Quinn Schulte (defensive back) and Castro were second-team honorees, senior Deontae Craig (defensive end) and junior Xavier Nwankpa (defensive back) were tabbed as third-teamers and senior Leshon Williams (running back), senior Mason Richman (offensive tackle), graduate Jermari Harris (defensive back) and junior Drew Stevens (placekicker) were fourth-team selections.

Higgins, who was also named a preseason first-team All-American and the preseason National Defensive Player of the Year by Phil Steele, tied a program record with 171 tackles in 2023 to lead the Big Ten and rank third nationally.

Jackson earned his second All-America nod (fourth team by Phil Steele) after making 110 tackles in his first season as a Hawkeye. The Atlanta native has 464 tackles in his collegiate career, sitting just 113 stops from tying the all-time NCAA record.

Jones received his second third-team All-America nod after starting 13 games at center in 2023. He was a third-team All-Big Ten selection a season ago.

Castro earned his first preseason All-America honor after making 67 tackles, recording three interceptions and having eight pass breakups in Iowa’s CASH position a season ago. The Illinois native earned Pro Football Focus first-team All-America and Associated Press third-team honors in 2023.

Lachey missed all but three games in 2023 because of injury. He made 10 catches for 131 yards before sustaining a season-ending injury in Week 3. Colby started 13 games at right guard en route to third-team All-Big Ten honors, Black accumulated 51 tackles and had five tackles for loss in 2023, while Schulte started 14 games, recording 65 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one interception. Schulte is a Lott IMPACT Trophy candidate.

Craig earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as a junior after making 54 tackles, including five tackles for loss, three sacks and seven quarterback hurries. Nwankpa started 12 games at strong safety as a sophomore, where he made 42 tackles, including two tackles for loss, one sack and one interception.

Williams earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2023 after leading the team with 821 rushing yards and one touchdown. The Illinois native had three 100-yard games. Richman started all 14 games and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2023, while Harris started 12 times, making 42 tackles, one tackle for loss, eight pass break-ups and one interception. He was Iowa’s Comeback Player of the Year Award recipient. Stevens was a third-team All-Big Ten honoree (coaches) and a Lou Groza Award semifinalist in 2023 after leading the team with 73 points on 18 field goals and 19 PATs.

The Hawkeyes open the 2024 season Aug. 31, hosting Illinois State at 11 a.m. (CT) inside Kinnick Stadium.

 

Athlon Preseason All-America Teams

Jay Higgins, first team

Nick Jackson, second team

Logan Jones, third team

Sebastian Castro, fourth team

 

Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Teams

First Team: Jay Higgins (LB), Nick Jackson (LB), Logan Jones (center)

Second Team: Luke Lachey (TE), Connor Colby (OG), Yahya Black (DT), Sebastian Castro (DB), Quinn Schulte (DB)

Third Team: Deontae Craig (DE), Xavier Nwankpa (DB)

Fourth Team: Leshon Williams (RB), Mason Richman (OT), Jermari Harris (DB), Drew Stevens (PK)

Posted in Sports |

Domino toppling brothers from NW Iowa to appear on national TV tonight

News

June 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Twin brothers from northwest Iowa will appear on tonight’s (Tuesday) episode of “America’s Got Talent,” displaying their abilities in the building of intricate patterns with dominos — and then letting them tumble. Alex Koops of Sioux Center says he and his brother Derek grew up watching the show, so it’s a thrill to be featured guests. Koops says they’ve gained some celebrity status after winning the FOX Network’s “Domino Masters” in 2022.

“There are a lot of kids that loved watching us, come up and tell us about how much they loved our domino topples,” Koops says. “That also led into library programs so that was really cool. We could set up a demonstration. A lot of people came and watched those, a lot of kids, so it was cool showing off.” The twins have just shy of 200-thousand followers on YouTube with 45-million views, and close to 60-thousand followers on TikTok.

For tonight’s show, Koops says they flew to L-A in April and spent a week there. They had one full day to set up their topple for the recording of the episode. Because their setup was extensive, theirs was the first act to go, but it won’t necessarily be the first act that is broadcast tonight. Koops says the setup was a unique experience for them.  “The cool thing about it was, I think the last hour we spent building was when the audience started coming back, so we had probably like two- or 3,000 people just watching us build,” he says.

“Just that was for sure a different experience and then during the topple, I think it was the most we’ve ever performed in front of two- or 3,000 people.” The only interaction they had with the celebrity judges was during the interview before and after the topple. Off stage, the twins enjoyed mingling with other contestants and really enjoyed interacting with the host, Terry Crews.  “We didn’t have quite as much time as we were given on ‘Domino Masters’ for this audition and it’s just the two of us, so it’s not quite as spectacular as maybe those fields, but I’m still really proud of what we came up with,” Koops says, “so I think everyone will enjoy it.”

The brothers could not disclose whether they get to move on in the competition. “America’s Got Talent” airs at 7 p-m on N-B-C.

Posted in News |

Company awarded state incentives to expand in Boone County

News

June 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A central Iowa company is receiving state incentives to expand its business. Iowa Economic Development Authority spokesperson, Kanan Kappelman says the company acquired 80 acres of land for the project in Boone County. “M-G Biologics is a biopharmaceutical company. They manufacture and distribute animal treatments, which include plasma, antibody products, and anti-venom. So they’re they’re planning on making a five million dollar capital investment,” she says.

The project involves two buildings, including a 20-thousand-square-foot multi-level facility for research, manufacturing and office space.. The other building will be used to treat animals. “The company is going to construct a six-thousand square foot animal care facility,” she says. Kappelman says there will be a small addition to the company’s workforce. “This project involves eight new jobs and the Iowa Economic Development Board awarded the company 231-thousand dollars in tax benefits,” Kappelman says.

The jobs will pay more than 31 dollars an hour.

Posted in News |