A Harlan man critically injured during a motorcycle accident Friday night, in Harlan, has died. 46-year old Richard “Rick” Jones died Wednesday, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha. Jones was found unresponsive but breathing when authorities arrived following the crash, which occurred at around 9:10-p.m., Friday. Harlan Police said his motorcycle hit a curb on the side of the road, as it was traveling on Hawkeye Avenue.

Jones was taken by Medivac Ambulance to Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, before he was flown to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha by LifeNet helicopter.

Funeral services for Rick Jones are currently pending at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.

The City of Atlantic’s Community Promotion Commission is set to meet at noon today.

During their session in the Council Chambers at City Hall, the CPC will discuss and/or act on: a $5,200 contribution to the Downtown Beautification Group; A request from the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce for $2,400 to cover the cost of advertising for the “Third Thursday” Summer Concert series; and, a Chamber request for $4,180, to cover the cost of “Coca-Cola Days” advertising.

Other discussion will focus on community projects and marketing. The CPC will also receive a finance report, during their Budget Update portion of their agenda.

Two people suffered what were  described as apparent, minor injuries this (Thursday) morning, during an accident on Interstate 80 in Cass County. According to dispatch reports, a vehicle traveling westbound collided with barriers at the beginning of the construction zone at the 72-mile marker, or about two-miles east of the Anita exit. The accident happened at around 2:50-a.m.

Anita and Wiota Rescue, along with a Cass County Sheriff’s deputy and the Iowa State Patrol responded to the scene. Two people, including a 25-year old male complaining of abdominal pain, were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, where a report on their conditions is not available. Their names have also not yet been released.

The vehicle sustained damage to the left front side. It was impounded to be searched for possible evidence of illegal substances. Additional details are currently not available.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Four cities in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri will share over $1.8 million to clean up old industrial sites. The Environmental Protection Agency says the money is to be used on sites known as brownfields. It’s part of $76 million in EPA funds to clean up and redevelop properties across the county. The agency on Wednesday says the sites are located in Arlington and Council Bluffs, in Iowa; Omaha, Neb., and Springfield, Mo.

Funds include $200,000 each to clean up hazardous materials at the former Arlington School and a foundry in Council Bluffs. The EPA says $600,000 will go to Springfield to clean up sites at the Jordan Valley West Meadows, while $835,000 will be used to address hazardous substances and petroleum in Omaha.

195th & Waubonsie Ave.

(first-person commentary on the southwest Iowa floods by KJAN staffer Jason Schomburg, who lives in the affected area)

For people who live along the Missouri river floods come, and floods go.  This one is different in a couple very important ways.  The Army Corp of Engineers is predicting record levels along the “Mighty Mo”, also the waters are expected to stay in areas for a month, maybe longer.  This event could very easily become a disaster.

Levees protecting communities along the river are being put to the ultimate test.  Overtopping may not be the only concern.  At this point, it’s hard to adequately predict how the mounds of dirt are going to handle being swamped for an indefinite amount of time,  or have a current eroding them away while holding the forces of 150,000CFS of water.  There is already thousands of acres of some of the worlds finest farm ground under water.

The lost crops alone will total into well into millions of bushels.  Yet the national media has not really picked up on the story. In Hamburg, some businesses have moved everything out of their buildings.  Others are still in the process  of moving their goods.  A berm is being built around the Blue Moon restaurant and it’s next door neighbor,  the Hamburg city water plant.

Not all humor has been lost in this town that is about to be in a fight for it’s very existence.  On the top of the entrance markers leading into the subdivision of Fox Hills are perched small statues of foxes both of which are wearing bright orange life jackets.

A few miles to the west where Highway 2 and Interstate 29 meet, sits a small area of businesses catering to travelers on I-29  The only one that remains open is a Sapp Bothers Truck stop.  Like other,

Motel at Hwy 2 & I-29 near Hamburg

nearby businesses, dirt is piled around the building, but the front is open, for the moment.  Another truck stop in the area has even removed the pumps.

The  motel an America’s Best Nights Inn Has a berm built all the way around it with the marquee telling the story.  “Lake Front Property For Sale”   Less than two miles away Highway 2 has had one of its four lanes succumb to the flood waters.

North, in the town of Bartlett, Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad employees were removing the signals at the grade crossing.  At the Plattsmouth toll bridge, a gravel road  under the train bridge,  normally  500 feet away from the River, is now under several feet of water with a very steady flow

Near Pacific Junction, the only company that has currently done anything to protect their holdings is A&M Green Power. The John Deere Dealer has moved all of their farm equipment to Malvern, and built a dirt wall around the facilities, which were constructed in 2010.

Regardless of whether the Army Corp of Engineers is to blame for holding back too much water in the Spring, causing them to release record amounts of water into the Missouri, or whether it’s just an unfortunate turn of events.  The water is coming.  Residents can only hope the levees will hold, and all of the last ditch efforts to protect their communities,  are not needed.