(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports one person appeared to have been injured following one of three separate accidents that took place Saturday. The first occurred at around 5:30-a.m. on Wagon Road, when a car driven by 31-year-old Heather Norell, of Stuart, rounded a curve and struck a deer. The 2016 Chrysler 300 she was driving sustained an estimated $15,000 damage.

The second accident happened at around 4:10-p.m. on Poplar Avenue in Guthrie Center, when 17-year-old Ashton Zekucia, of Guthrie Center, looked down at his phone, and ended-up over-correcting when the 2019 Hyundai Sante Fe SUV began to enter the east ditch. Zekucia tried to regain control when the vehicle hit a culvert, causing the driver’s side airbag to deploy. The vehicle sustained extensive damage to its undercarriage that was estimated at $10,000. The teen was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

The third accident in Guthrie County happened at around 4:30-p.m., Saturday, on Highway 25 northbound. Authorities say a 2020 GMC pickup driven by 43-year-old Thomas Lee Semke, of Jefferson, stopped quickly to avoid hitting a dog that was running left across the highway near the intersection with Division Street. A 2013 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by 26-year-old Seth Ashby, of Guthrie Center, was unable to stop in time. When the motorcycle ran into the rear of the pickup, Ashby was partially ejected from the motorcycle seat into the rear of the pickup. He complained of pain/possible injuries, and was transported to an unknown destination.

Both vehicles sustained an estimated $5,000 damage. Deputies cited Semke for having no valid driver’s license.

(Radio Iowa) – Thousands of Iowa college students graduated or wrapped up their coursework for the school year in the past week or so, and as they’re now moving out of their college apartments, they need to be sure they’re getting back as much of their security deposit as possible. Consumer protection expert Michelle Reinen suggests you do a checkout and take pictures of the apartment so you can get back your entire deposit.

“A landlord needs to provide you with an itemized deduction list,” she says, “telling you how much they are withholding and why they are withholding that amount.” Reinen says landlords and property managers can’t charge you for routine cleaning and maintenance after you leave.

“Waste, damage and neglect are the words that we tend to use quite a bit,” she says. “Normal wear and tear is not something that they can charge for.” You can reach the Consumer Protection Division of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office by emailing consumer@ag.iowa.gov or by calling 515-281-5926.

(Radio Iowa) – There will be a change in the way road use tax funds are distributed to counties after the governor signed a bill into law cutting the number of state boards and commissions. The D-O-T’s Stuart Anderson says the funding for counties had been determined by the Secondary Road Fund Distribution Committee.

“It had supervisor members and county engineer members, and they were tasked with a very detailed rule-making process the authority for determining how secondary road fund and farm to market road funds are distributed amongst the 99 counties,” he says. Anderson said during the Transportation Commission’s recent meeting that the committee helped deal with annual fluctuations in county road funding. He says the new law cut that committee and shifted the responsibility.

“Transferred that authority to determine how secondary road fund and Farm to Market Road funds are distributed to you the commission and you are required to define that process through rule-making,” he says. Anderson says the Transportation Commission can still seek input from the supervisor and county engineers.

“Although that committee formally does not exist anymore in Iowa code it’s likely something I think we as department staff would recommend to the commission you continue to utilize as as an ad-hoc group,” he says. Anderson says the Transportation Commission will be working on the rule-making process for distributing the county funds in the next couple of months.

(Radio Iowa) – An eight year old child was among six people rescued Saturday afternoon on the West Fork of the Des Moines River, north of Estherville. Travis Sheridan, Estherville’s Fire Chief, said a 911 call indicated a kayak flipped over and a woman and child were in the water.

“Once fire fighters got on the scene, the child was still OK, with just basically her face sitting above the water. Her life jacket was caught in the log jam,” Sheridan said. “They’d tried taking it off, but that just sucked the child further into the log jam.”

Firefighters were able to cut the girl’s life jacket off and rescue her from the river. Sheridan credits the girl’s aunt for keeping the eight year old’s head above water.

“She held onto that child for over 30 minutes,” Sheridan said. “She saved that child’s life until our rescue personnel could get on scene.”

Firefighters used the department’s rescue boat to bring the aunt, her niece and four others to shore. Two others who’d be in the river were able to get out of the water on their own. Sheridan said the Emmet County dispatcher was on the phone for 40 minutes, relaying information from the stranded people on the river to rescuers. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources deployed a back-up rescue boat to the scene and the Iowa State Patrol had three drones flying overhead to monitor the situation.

“It was just a collaborative effort by all,” Sheridan said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.”

The names of the people who were rescued have not been released.

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – Members of the Exira-Elk Horn/Kimballton School Board will meet in a regular monthly session beginning at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, May 22nd, in the Elk Horn High School Conference Room. Here’s the agenda for their meeting:

(Atlantic, Iowa) – City officials, SplashPad Fundraising Committee members, construction representatives and a local contractor were on-hand this (Monday) afternoon near the Sunnyside Pool in Atlantic, for a groundbreaking ceremony that was held for the SplashPad Project.  Splashpad Fundraising Co-Chair Jeremy Butler reminded those in attendance, about the genesis of the project.

Butler said the Splashpad would not have been possible without the support of the community and generous donors, the City, the Committee and many others.

Even the kids got involved in the fundraising effort.

Fundraising Co-Chair Ali Pieken, he said was instrumental in making the project a reality, as well. She was also thankful for the support the project has received.

The Atlantic SplashPad will feature over 4,500-square feet of water feature fun, including interactive fountains, spray pads, dump buckets, water cannons, and more. Tyler Henley, with the Henley Group, was on-hand for the groundbreaking ceremony. His company was awarded the contract to build the SplashPad.

Rob Stamp with Stamp Construction was on-hand with his skid-steer loader/bucket to take the first bite of dirt, after the dignitaries used spades to turn over the first shovels of dirt.
The project is expected to be completed by Labor Day.

BAYARD, Iowa — A boil advisory has been issued for the City of Bayard in Guthrie  County due to depressurization of the entire water system. More than 200 connections are affected. Operators were unable to isolate a leaking valve while conducting repairs to the system, and had to take the water tower offline, resulting in pressure loss. Once repairs are completed the affected area will be disinfected and flushed. City officials are notifying residents via boil advisory public notices around town.

Officials say there is no reason to believe water quality has been compromised, but as a precaution, customers are encouraged to boil water that will be consumed or used for food preparation. Water should be boiled for two minutes and allowed to cool before use. Water is safe to use for showering, laundry, general washing and outdoor use without boiling.

Two sets of bacteria samples will be collected for testing. The boil advisory will be lifted once two consecutive sets of bacterial samples have tested negative for bacteria.