United Group Insurance

Rain erases nearly all signs of drought in Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The recent wet weather has converted last year’s drought in Iowa to flooding across much of the state. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report released Thursday says only about 2 percent of Iowa was experiencing moderate drought this week and 17 percent of the state was abnormally dry. But the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln uses data from Tuesday morning for its weekly updates.

Several rounds of storms have dumped rain on Iowa since then, so the remaining dryness in northwest Iowa may have already been eliminated. The restored soil moisture should help Iowa farmers if their crops haven’t been affected by this week’s flooding.

Flash Flood Watch Cancelled for western/Central Iowa

Weather

May 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

AREA COUNTIES: AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR- MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR- 

1:08 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
 
 …FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED…
 
 THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA…NORTH
 CENTRAL IOWA…SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA…SOUTHWEST IOWA AND WEST
 CENTRAL IOWA HAS BEEN CANCELLED. ADDITIONAL LIGHT SHOWERS OR
 THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSBILE ACROSS THE AREA…HOWEVER THE THREAT OF
 HEAVY RAINFALL LEADING TO FLASH FLOODING HAS ENDED.

Flash Flood Watch Cancelled for parts of eastern NE & SW IA

Weather

May 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

IOWA COUNTIES: SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE- 

1:02- PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
 
 …FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED…
 
 THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA AND
 SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA HAS BEEN CANCELLED. HEAVY RAIN IS NO LONGER
 EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHWEST IOWA AND MUCH OF SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA
 THIS AFTERNOON.

Hazardous Weather Statement West Central/Central IA

Weather

May 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY
 EVENING. IN ADDITION TO HEAVY RAINFALL…LARGE HAIL…DAMAGING
 WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. THE TORNADO THREAT WILL
 BE MAINLY OVER SOUTHEASTERN IOWA ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE
 80 AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 35.
 
 A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA THROUGH TODAY

Thursday May 30th Local Sports Cancellations

Sports

May 30th, 2013 by Jim Field

  • Atlantic @ Clarinda JV/Varsity baseball tonight (5/30) is postponed to July 9th.
  • Corning @ Lenox Baseball & Softball tonight (5/30) are postponed.
  • Atlantic Little League games tonight are canceled. (5/30)
  • Crestwood Hills Golf Course – no men’s league tonight (5/30)

Hazardous Weather Outlook for SW IA – Thu., May 30th 2013

Weather

May 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE-CASS-OTOE-GAGE-
 JOHNSON-NEMAHA-PAWNEE-RICHARDSON-
 1154 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
 
 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA
 AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA.
 
 .DAY ONE…THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
 
  A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES INTO THIS EVENING FOR SOUTHEAST
 NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA.
 
 WITH INCREASING SUNSHINE THIS AFTERNOON…INSTABILITY WILL
 CONTINUE TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA. A PIECE OF UPPER LEVEL
 ENERGY WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON
 AND PROVIDE THE DYNAMICS NEEDED TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS…A FEW
 OF WHICH COULD BE SEVERE.

Flash Flood Watch remains in effect until 7-p.m. Thursday

Weather

May 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

 …FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING…

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH ADDITIONAL RAIN FALLING ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUND WILL RESULT IN POTENTIAL FLASH FLOODING.  

* SEVERAL RIVERS AND STREAMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA ARE ALREADY ABOVE OR NEAR FLOOD STAGE AND ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL COMPOUND FLOODING PROBLEMS. 
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
 
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

New app lets crime victims monitor offenders

News

May 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa crime victims can keep tabs on jail and prison inmates using a new mobile app.  The state Attorney General’s office says Thursday the free VINEMobile app will allow crime victims and the public to anonymously monitor inmates in Iowa correctional facilities and most county jails. They can also sign up for notifications when inmates’ custody status changes due to transfer or release.
 
Attorney General Tom Miller says in a statement that this tool will help crime victims because they can more easily get information about criminals.  The app was developed by Appriss Inc. and is available for Android and Apple devices. It is a mobile version of IowaVINE, a victim notification service.

RUTH E. STEFFENS, 86, of Atlantic (Svcs. 6/1/13)

Obituaries

May 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

RUTH E. STEFFENS, 86, of Atlantic , died Thu., May 30th, at the Atlantic Nursing & Rehab Center. Funeral services for RUTH STEFFENS will be held 2:30-p.m. Sat., June 1st, at the Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic.

Visitation at the funeral home is from 5-to 7-pm Friday (May 31st). Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

Burial will be in the 1st Lutheran Cemetery, south of Wiota.

RUTH STEFFENS is survived by:

Her daughter – Joyce Anderson, of Omaha.

Her sons – Gary Steffens, of Wiota; Bruce Steffens, of Griswold, & Jimmie Steffens, of Mallard.

Her brother – Jimmie Snyder, of Council Bluffs.

10 grandchildren & 14 great-grandchildren.

Flood Warnings cancelled for East/West Nishnabotna Rivers

Weather

May 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

FLOOD STATEMENT
 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
 1101 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
 
 …THE FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVER…
 
   WEST NISHNABOTNA RIVER AT RANDOLPH AFFECTING FREMONT COUNTY.
 
   EAST NISHNABOTNA RIVER AT RED OAK AFFECTING MONTGOMERY COUNTY.