SEMI TRUCK AND LIVESTOCK TRAILER OVERTURN ON HIGHWAY 3 KILLING 50+ HOGS
(Le Mars) — A semi truck and livestock trailer loaded with nearly 150 head of market size hogs overturned last night (Friday) near the intersection of Highway 3 and Iris Avenue, about six miles west of Le Mars. The accident happened at 6:25 p.m. and resulted in about a third of the hogs having been killed or severely injured.
The driver of the truck was uninjured during the incident. The truck had Missouri license plates. Apparently, the truck was heading eastbound on Highway 3 when the driver was reaching for an object within his cab, when his truck hit a guard railing on the north side of the highway that crosses a small creek. The truck driver tried to correct the truck when he lost control of the rig. The truck then entered the south ditch, and went through a barb wire fence and overturning on its side in a farmer’s pasture, near the small creek.
The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department along with the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office responded to the accident scene. A second livestock trailer was brought to the scene, along with a farmer’s tractor and pig carrier. Firefighters and nearby farmers helped move the live hogs from the overturned truck to the second livestock truck parked on Highway 3. Firefighters had to use industrial saws to cut through the roof of the livestock trailer in order to rescue the live hogs.
Crews were on the scene for approximately five and a half hours before the accident scene was cleared. Highway 3 was limited to one lane of travel for most of the evening, and it was shut down for more than an hour as crews worked to retrieve the overturned truck and livestock trailer out of the pasture and ditch.
Assisting at the scene were Stockman’s Towing, the Iowa Department of Transportation, The Iowa Motor Vehicle Enforcement, and North West REC.
The semi truck and the livestock trailer were both totaled during the accident.
ACCIDENT INVOLVING TRUCK AND RAILROAD CROSSING STANDARD UNDER INVESTIGATION
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department is investigating an accident involving a Schuster Truck that hit a railroad crossing standard. The accident happened at about 8:40 p.m. Friday evening. The truck was heading northbound on Highway 75 and was making a right-hand turn on to 12th Street southwest, when the driver cut the corner too short, causing the trailer to strike the railroad crossing standard and hitting one of the warning lights from the railroad crossing. The incident left a hole in the semi trailer about 18 inches in diameter.
ROAD CLOSINGS IN LE MARS
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Secondary Road Department has closed 200th Street between Fir Avenue and Granite Avenue in order to repair a bridge. Officials believe the closure will remain until October 13th.
THE FLOYD VALLEY HEALTH OFFICIAL EXPLAINS SLEEP APNEA
(Le Mars) — Getting a good night’s sleep sometimes can be a difficult goal to obtain. Long work hours, caffeine, stress, restless muscles, interrupted snoring, and even dietary issues can all be factors that prevent us from sleeping as soundly as we would hope. These are also some of the symptoms to sleep apnea, a common, but potentially dangerous ailment for many people.
Karla Anthony serves as Floyd Valley Healthcare’s Cardio-Pulmonary manager and says snoring is a classic sign of sleep apthnea.
Anthony says when people have a long pause during their snoring routine, that too, can be a concern.
The Floyd Valley Health official explains the risks involved from having sleep apthnea.
Anthony says sleep apnea is often times a heredity trait. She says people with larger size necks are also prone to sleep apnea. Floyd Valley Healthcare is equipped with two sleep labs which allows people to be tested while they sleep. Anthony discusses some of the other signs and symptoms of sleep apnea.
Anthony says if you suspect you suffer from sleep apthnea, you should consult a physician and be tested.
FIRE DAMAGES WALTHILL PRE-SCHOOL BUILDING
FIRE HAS DESTROYED A BUILDING USED AS A PRE-SCHOOL IN WALTHILL, NEBRASKA.
FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE SHED LIKE STRUCTURE WHEN FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
PART OF THE ROOF AND THE STRUCTURE COLLAPSED DURING THE FIRE.
AUTHORITIES SAY THE BUILDING WAS EMPTY AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
THE STRUCTURE WAS HOME TO THE BLU-JAY PRE-SCHOOL AND LOCAL HEADSTART PROGRAM.
THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
JOHNSON COUNTY IN DISCUSSION OF COUNTY NAME CHANGE
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An eastern Iowa county supervisor says he’d like to see a public discussion about whether his county should have a different namesake.
Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan tells the Iowa City Press-Citizen he’s not necessary advocating for a change, but he’d like to see what the public thinks about naming the county after a different Johnson.
Johnson County was named in 1837 for Richard Mentor Johnson, a U.S. House member, senator and vice president under President Martin Van Buren. Johnson also was a slave owner and colonel during the War of 1812, credited with killing the leader of the Native American resistance.
Sullivan suggests in his weekly email newsletter the county could instead be named after President Lyndon B. Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson or civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson.
ESCAPED PRISONER CAPTURED IN IOWA TO RETURN TO NEBRASKA
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – An armed Nebraska inmate who escaped and was captured in western Iowa will not fight extradition back to Nebraska.
Eric Scott agreed during a court hearing Friday in Council Bluffs to be sent back to Nebraska to face charges related to the escape.
Officials say the 37-year-old Scott was being transported by a Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputy in an unmarked government car on Wednesday when he slipped his handcuffs and used his leg-iron chain to choke the deputy, who was driving. Scott then gained control of the car, shoving the deputy out. Scott was arrested
Thursday after he was found walking near the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office. Officials found the Dodge County deputy’s service weapon on Scott when he was arrested.
