Two people were hurt during separate accidents over the weekend. The Iowa State Patrol reports 42-year old Scott Hipp, of Rutherfordton, NC, was injured when the semi he was a passenger in swerved to avoid a vehicle parked in the right lane of Interstate 29 northbound Sunday morning, in Fremont County. The crash occurred at around 2:50-a.m.  Officials say the intoxicated driver of the parked vehicle left the vehicle unattended, with no lights on, on the traveled portion of the roadway at the 22.35-mile marker. The driver of the other vehicle was not identified.

The semi, driven by 41-year old Rodney Bristol, of Shelby, NC, hit the parked vehicle and then overturned. Hipp, who was in the sleeper portion of the cab, was transported by Tabor Rescue to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs.

The other accident happened Saturday morning. The Patrol says 45-year old William Kohnekamp, of Defiance, was transported to the Crawford County Hospital by Crawford County Ambulance, after the 2008 Ford F-150 pickup he was driving went out of control on southbound Highway 59, south of Denison, at around 11:25-a.m.

The pickup entered the east ditch and rolled over. Kohnekamp, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle, which came to rest on the northound lane of Highway 59. The Patrol says alcohol likely played a role in the crash.

The manager of the Iowa Gambling Treatment and Prevention Program says only a small percentage of Iowans who have a gambling disorder are getting the help they need. Eric Preuss  provided a report to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission on the program’s progress in 2013. “About 678 Iowans received services for problem gambling and we had a little over 4,000 calls for assistance through our 1-800-BETS-OFF Helpline,” Preuss said.

The program’s 1-800-BETS-OFF website was launched three years ago and receives around 14,000 visits annually. Preuss said relatively few people, around 18,000 Iowans, are described as problem gamblers. “Although point-six percent (0.6%) of Iowans have a gambling disorder, approximately 13.1 percent of Iowans are at risk of developing a gambling disorder,” Preuss said.

In addition, a problem gambler’s activities can impact a lot of family members and friends. “Although the percentage of Iowans with a gambling disorder is low, our behaviors and attitudes studies have indicated that more than one in five adult Iowans say they’ve been negatively affected by gambling behavior by someone that they know,” Preuss said.

This week is designated as National Problem Gambling Awareness Week. An American Gaming Association report estimates two-point-one billion dollars ($2.1 billion) is spent on illegal gambling in the U.S. in the month of March, when many people are betting on the outcome of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — After a warm and sunny Saturday, Iowans received another reminder than winter isn’t over yet on Sunday. The Des Moines area received about one inch of snow, but roads remained clear because ground temperatures were warm enough to melt it. The Iowa Department of Roads did not report any road closures due to weather.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Five-term Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will face a challenger in the June 3rd Republican primary, and one Democrat has been disqualified from his party’s race. The Des Moines Register reports that 53-year-old Tom Hoefling of Lohrville collected enough signatures to appear on the Republican primary ballot. He will face Branstad, who is seeking re-election.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A resident at a Des Moines group home is accused of strangling and punching one of his caretakers. The Des Moines Register reports that 27-year-old Joseph Vanzant Bonner is charged with willful injury and a probation violation. Des Moines police say Bonner was arrested after officers were called to Optimae Life Serivces on Friday evening. Bonner was still listed as an inmate in the Polk County Jail yesterday and could not be reached.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa law enforcement is stepping up its patrols through Monday for St. Patrick’s Day festivities. The Des Moines Register reports that local and state officers will be out in greater numbers to keep watch for drunken drivers.