Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports the arrest at around 4:40-a.m. Sunday (July 4th), of a man on a public intoxication charge. John Harvey Dine III was taken into custody in the 1700 block of 240th Street, northwest of Coin. His bond was set at $300.
Independence Day Celebrations are set to take place today (Sunday) in many communities across the Nishna Valley and around the Country.
ALTOONA, Iowa — Officials with Adventureland in Altoona said Saturday, four people were injured, three critically, and one person suffered minor injuries, during an accident involving a boat on the “Raging River” ride. In a statement, Adventureland said “At approximately 7:35pm on 7/3/21 a boat on the Raging River ride overturned with 6 riders on it. 4 guests were transported to a local hospital with injuries, 3 critical and one minor.
Altoona Fire and Police were on property and responded immediately. We want to thank them as well as Des Moines, Ankeny, Bondurant, Pleasant Hill and Delaware Township Emergency Services for their fast response. The ride had been inspected on 7/2/21 and was found to be in sound working order. It will remain closed for a thorough inspection.
The ride is located at a remote distance from park entrances, which fire officials said made getting to the incident difficult. The Raging River had just reopened for the first time this season. The ride has been closed since last year. It first opened in 1983. Saturday’s accident was not the first for the popular ride.
In June of 2016, Adventureland employee Steve Booher was killed while working on the Raging River. He slipped and fell onto the conveyer belt in the loading station. He was taken to the hospital and died from his injuries a few days later.
A collision involving three motorcycles in northwest Iowa’s Buena Vista County, Friday night, left two dead and one person injured. All of the victims are from Storm Lake. According to the Iowa State Patrol a 2020 Honda CBR600RA operated by 39-year-old Luis Angel Garcia Contreras, a 2013 Honda CBR1000RR operated by 28-year-old Phya Soe Aung, and a 2005 Yamaha YZFR6L operated by 30-year-old Martin De Jesus Cruz, were all westbound on Buena Vista County road C-65 at around 9:40-p.m,., when Garcia Contreras made a U-turn into the path of Aung’s motorcycle.
Aung’s Honda struck the left side of the other Honda. Cruz could not avoid the situation and struck the Honda operated by Aung. Aung and Cruz died at the scene. Garcia Contreras was injured and transported by Storm Lake Ambulance to the local hospital.
(Today/Sunday) Independence Day: Sunny, with a high near 88. South/southwest winds 10-20 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. South/southwest winds 10-20 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 90. South/southwest winds 10-20 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny w/a slight chance of showers & thunderstorms in the afternoon. High near 90. S/SW @ 5-10.
Tuesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Low around 64.
Wednesday: Showers & thunderstorms ending in the morning; Becoming Partly sunny, with a high near 79.
Saturday’s High in Atlantic was 88. Our Low this morning, 62. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 88 and the Low was 65. The Record High on this date was 111 in 1936. The Record Low was 41 in 1967.
(Updated 6:30-a.m., 7/5/21) – Three people were injured during a single-vehicle accident at around 4:42-a.m. Sunday (today), in Cass County. According to dispatch reports, the crash happened on Interstate 80 westbound, near mile marker 62. Anita Rescue and Wiota Fire were paged to the scene. Wiota was later advised they could “disregard” the call. Initial reports indicated the vehicle was a Buick Park Avenue. The injured included a pregnant female, a male with a possible broken leg and a third victim with injuries that were not described. A Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy was the first on scene.
There were at least three other accidents in the area, Sunday:
A woman died and three persons, including a child, were injured during an accident in Story County, Saturday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2007 Hyundai Sonata driven by 75-year-old Karen Wheeler, of Cambridge, was parked facing south on Main Street in Slater at around 11-a.m., with pedestrians in the roadway following a City parade. When Wheeler backed out of the parked position, her vehicle struck multiple pedestrians.
67-year-old Linda Nordstrom, of Huxley, was run over and left on the road. Nordstrom was transported by Mary Greeley EMS to Des Moines Methodist Hospital. 30-year-old Rikkie Powell, of Huxley, was struck and knocked from the path of the car. 59-year-old Mary S. Nienow, of Albert Lea, MN and six-year-old Reagan Powell, of Huxley, were struck and dragged under the car. Nienow died from her injuries at Mary Greeley Hospital, in Ames. The child was flown by Mercy Air to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Rikkie Powell was transported to Mercy by private vehicle.
KCCI reports witnesses as saying the vehicle reversed from a parking spot on someone’s lawn and lurched up a small gully and into a street still filled with people beginning to leave the parade. Firsthand accounts describe an elderly driver who was very distraught and said she confused the gas for the brake pedal. Dozens of people raced in to offer help in any way they could, from those trying to lift the car to off-duty medical workers trying to render aid.
The accident remains under investigation. The Iowa State Patrol was assisted by Story County Sheriff’s Deputies and other local officials, at the scene.
MARLENE M. CHRISTENSEN, 83, of Elk Horn (& formerly of Harlan), died Thursday, July 1st, at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn. Funeral services for MARLENE CHRISTENSEN will be held 10:30-a.m. Wed., July 7th, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Audubon. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.
Friends may call at the funeral home, where the family visitation is from 5-until 8-p.m. Tuesday, July 6th.
Burial is in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Kimballton.
MARLENE M. CHRISTENSEN is survived by:
Her daughters – Lynne (James) Heckman, of Boone; Doreen (Kristopher) Andersen, of Audubon; Tracy Christensen, of Kimballton, and Tammi (John) Schulz, of Elk Horn.
Her brother – Alan (JoAnn) Schaben, of Harlan.
Her sisters – Mary (Richard) Muell, of Missouri Valley, and Alice McCullough, of Carroll.
10 grandchildren, her sisters-in-law: Shirley Christensen, of Marne, & Lois Jean Christensen, of Elk Horn, other relatives and friends.
(Des Moines) – Keep Iowa Beautiful is announcing the 12th Annual Keep Iowa Beautiful Photography Contest. Iowans have the next six months to grab their cameras, or phones, and enter one or all of the five categories. “This is a great way for Iowans to share what they like about Iowa,” said Kevin Techau, Keep Iowa Beautiful Executive Director. “There are five categories to enter your favorite photo of what makes you proud to be an Iowan and captures the beauty and spirit of Iowa,” added Techau. “Again, this year our contest will feature over $2,000 in cash awards.”
The two-phase contest begins now with entry deadline on December 18, 2021. Each of the five categories will be awarded 1st place: $100, 2nd place: $75, and 3rd place: $50.
January 17-31, 2022, the five first-place winners will be featured on Keep Iowa Beautiful social media for voting and selecting the Public Favorite Photo. The winner will receive an additional $100. The Robert D. Ray Best of Show Awards, determined by a distinguished panel, will also be announced at that time. The Robert D. Ray Best of Show award amounts are as follows; 1st place: $500, 2nd place: $250 and 3rd place: $100.
Randi Ray, Robert and Billie Ray’s eldest daughter, has agreed to serve on a panel of judges. “Photography was one of my Dad’s favorite pastimes,” said Randi. “During his 14 years as governor, he and my Mother traveled to many places around the world and he always had a camera around his neck.” Randi added, “Dad was so proud of Iowans and their efforts to make Iowa a great place to live.”
The five categories are:
Iowa Landscape – Capture Iowa’s beauty through depictions of Iowa’s landscape, including but not limited to: farm fields, rolling hills, and wooded forests.
Iowa Water- Feature Iowa’s beautiful water systems with depictions of Iowa rivers, streams, ponds and lakes.
Iowa Cities – Iowa’s urban centers are hubs of history, culture, and beauty. This category features depictions of Iowa’s cities, street scenes, and urban landmarks.
Iowans in Action – This category aims to capture the spirit of Iowa through depictions of the people that live, work, and play in Iowa. All means of action that can be captured: biking, running, fishing, hunting and hiking are but a few.
Iowa Wildlife – Iowa is home to a variety of beautiful critters. This category aims to showcase Iowa’s beauty through depictions of Iowa’s wildlife animals: mammals, fish, birds, bugs and more!
A $5 fee is required for each photo entered. Contest rules and entry guidelines are on KIB’s website: https://keepiowabeautiful.org/photography-contest/