Severe storms that entered western Iowa Wednesday morning brought hail and wind damage to parts of Shelby County. The National Weather Service in Omaha says thunderstorm wind damage was reported in Portsmouth just before 10-a.m. Wednesday. An estimated 10-to 20-trees were blown onto buildings, roads and cars, in Portsmouth. The Fire Hall in Portsmouth was damaged, three grain bins and a machine shed were destroyed. Winds at the time were estimated at 70-mph. At around the same time, crops were laid flat 2 miles west/southwest of Tennant, along Shelby County road F-58. And, at around 10:15-a.m., 1-inch diameter (quarter-size) hail was observed 5-miles south of Harlan.

In Guthrie County, a thunderstorm wind gust of 50-mph was reported at around 10:50-a.m., along with heavy rain and pea-size hail. There were no immediate reports of damage there, however.

Storm damage in and near Portsmouth (Photos submitted to our sister station KNOD in Harlan)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A woman accused of stealing more than $6,100 in a credit card scheme has pleaded not guilty. Woodbury County court records say 36-year-old Amy Inniss-Reyes entered the plea Tuesday to a charge of theft. Her trial is scheduled to start Sept. 17.

A criminal complaint says Inniss-Reyes was managing two Exact Eye Care branches in Sioux City between April 19 and May 30 when she used three of her credit cards to obtain fraudulent refunds. The complaint says she also told investigators that she made copies of 20 patients’ personal records, intending to use them to obtain loans. The copies were recovered from her home.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A 13-year-old eastern Iowa student has been found guilty on three charges after he pointed a gun at a teacher and pulled the trigger, but the jury declined to convict him of attempted murder. The Quad-City Times reports jurors convicted the boy Wednesday of carrying weapons on school grounds, assault while using or displaying a dangerous weapon, and assault with intent to commit serious injury.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Police say the bodies of two people have been found in a Burlington apartment. The Hawk Eye newspaper reports neighbors called police Wednesday morning after not seeing a man who lived in the apartment for several days. The officers who responded found the two bodies. Police Lt. Adam Schaefer says the bodies had been in the apartment, “for some time.” Schaefer says the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and state crime lab would assist in the investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Sen. Charles Grassley is declining to answer whether he thinks President Donald Trump’s comments toward four minority women in the U.S. House were racist. Asked by reporters Wednesday about Trump’s comments, Grassley would only call for civility among elected officials. He says officials should avoid name calling and shouldn’t question others’ patriotism. Trump tweeted that four Democratic women of color should “go back” to their home countries. All are U.S. citizens. Three are U.S. born.

Red Oak Police say a woman was arrested on an assault charge at around 11:35-p.m., Wednesday. 39-year old Rose Amber Eppenbaugh, of Red Oak, was taken into custody in the 1800 block of E. Summit Street, and charged with Domestic Assault. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond, pending a court appearance.

A traffic stop late Wednesday night near Sidney, in Fremont County, resulted in the arrest of 61-year old Terry Shere, of Sidney, on a Class D Felony charge of OWI/3rd offense. Shere was being held at the Fremont County Jail on $5000 bond.

Terry Shere