A large portion of Atlantic and nearby rural areas were without power for about an hour this (Monday) morning, after a tree limb fell on a power line. Officials with Atlantic Municipal Utilities report the incident, which occurred between 21st and 22nd Streets, on Olive, happened at 3:27-a.m. 

Power was restored to the affected customers by 4:28-a.m.  AMU could not provide a figure early this morning, on the number of customers who lost power.

Only minor injuries were reported following a car versus motorcycle accident Sunday afternoon, in Montgomery County. Sheriff’s officials say 49-year old Larry Brown, of Griswold, was checked by Red Oak Rescue for minor injuries at the scene of the crash, at Highway 48 and 130^th Street, but refused medical transport to the hospital.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, a 1999 Ford Mustang, owned and operated by 16-year old Abigail Cook, of rural Emerson, was making a left turn from 130^th Street onto Highway 48, when she pulled into the path of a 1987 Yamaha motorcycle, owned and operated by Larry Brown. Brown laid his cycle down onto its side just before it hit the Mustang. The accident happened at around 2:20-p.m., Sunday.

The collision caused at total of $4,500 damage. Cook was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway, and failure to have insurance. Brown was also cited for failure to have insurance.

On a separate note, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says 46-year old Randall J. Conry, of rural Elliott, was arrested Sunday on a 60-day mittimus, or, order by a court or magistrate, to appear and serve a jail sentence.

AMES, Iowa – June 19, 2011: 5 p.m. – The location where Interstate 29 is closed in
Council Bluffs has been changed. The road is now closed starting at the North 35th
Street interchange (milepost 54B). 

Both north- and southbound lanes of I-29 are now closed from milepost 54B in Council
Bluffs to milepost 71 near Loveland.

Northbound I-29 travelers must exit at North 35th Street. 

All ramps at the I-29/North 25th Street interchange (milepost 55) have been closed. 

Key traveler information resources
·  Iowa DOT’s flood information call center 866-452-8510, open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
daily, speak to an operator for travel assistance
·  Road condition information 24 hours a day: visit www.511ia.org, or call 511 (in
Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (outside of the state) for a recorded message of road closures

·  Iowa DOT on Twitter- http://twitter.com/#!/iowadot/ 
·  View the flooded Iowa roads map for road closures, detours and areas at risk of
flooding - http://tinyurl.com/3o2mtlp

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The Cooper Nuclear Station in southeast Nebraska is operating as normal despite flooding along the Missouri River. Nebraska Public Power District spokesman Mark Becker says workers continue to monitor flood barricades and the protections are holding up well.

The Columbus-based utility on Sunday issued a “notification of unusual event” for the plant. Such a declaration is required when the Missouri River rises to 42.5 feet, or 899 feet above sea level. Cooper is at 903 feet elevation, and the river would have to climb to 902 feet before officials would shutter the plant.

Becker says the river is forecast to crest there at a little over 900 feet. At such a level, officials would need to barricade internal doorways at the plant to protect equipment.

A domestic disturbance at a residence in Elliott, Saturday, resulted in the arrest of an Elliott man on an assault charge. 41-year old Jeffrey M. Brockman was charged with Domestic Assault/Simple Misdemeanor.

His arrest followed an incident which allegedly occurred at around 4:45-a.m., Saturday. Brockman was taken into custody without incident and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was held on $300 bond until making an appearance before the magistrate.

(DES MOINES) -  Today, Gov. Terry E. Branstad signed a letter to be delivered to
President Obama requesting a Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance for
six Iowa counties.  The six counties in the request are Fremont, Harrison, Mills,
Monona, Pottawattamie, and Woodbury.

The Governor is making the request in response to the ongoing flooding along the
Missouri River in Iowa.  Local and state agencies have been actively preparing for
and responding to flooding conditions along the Missouri River since May 25, 2011.

“Iowans need to remain vigilant as this flood is unlike any other that Iowa has
experienced," said Branstad. "This is a very serious situation. The flooding is
going to continue for several months. This is why I have requested the President to
sign a Major Disaster Declaration for Iowa.”

A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance puts into motion
long-term federal recovery programs, some of which are matched by state programs,
and designed to help  public entities and select non-profits. Public Assistance
funds may be used for emergency work and the repair or replacement of
disaster-damaged facilities and may include debris removal, emergency protective
measures, repair of damaged public property, loans needed by communities for
essential government functions and grants for public schools.

Gov. Branstad is also asking for Direct Federal Assistance, to include, sheltering,
temporary housing and swift-water rescue teams if the need arises.

For more information, please visit www.Governor.Iowa.gov.

AMES, Iowa – June 18, 2011; 4:35 p.m. – The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) will be closing Iowa 2 from Interstate 29 in Iowa to Nebraska City, Neb., this (Saturday) evening due to rising flood and ground water. All east- and westbound lanes will be closed. This is expected to be a long-term closure.

The Iowa DOT is attempting to keep the road open as long as possible today, but it will be closed tonight. No further advance warning will be possible.  The public will be notified when the road is closed.

Suggested alternative route…
· Starting at the I-29/Iowa 2 interchange in Fremont County, Iowa (exit 10)
· Take Iowa 2 east to U.S. 59
· Take U.S. 59 north to Iowa 92
· Take Iowa 92 west to U.S. 275 at Council Bluffs
· Continue west on U.S. 275 to Nebraska Highway 50
· Go south on Nebraska Highway 50 to Nebraska Highway 2
· Go east on Nebraska Highway 2 to Nebraska City, Neb.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is urging motorists not to travel on Highway Two in southwest Iowa, between Iowa and Nebraska. The DOT said Saturday, that traffic is limited to one lane in each direction on the bridge over the Missouri River.

Earlier, only one lane was open. Drivers had been waiting for more than an hour for the bridge to clear so that traffic from their side of the river could cross.

Highway 2 is just north of Hamburg, which has built a second levee to contain floodwaters. Officials say Interstate 29 near Hamburg, remains closed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded $14.8 million in grants to help Iowa communities and agencies make repairs. A release from U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s office says six Public Assistance Grants were awarded. They range in amount from just over $1 million to $4.5 million.

The grants were given to the communities of Des Moines and Lake View, as well as the Corn Belt Power Cooperative, the Nishnabotna Valley Rural Rural Electric Cooperative, the Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative and the Western Iowa Power Cooperative.

Under the terms of the grants, FEMA contributes 75 percent of the repair costs. The rest must come from state or local entities.