South Sioux City Grain Elevator Explodes
(So. Sioux City) — One person was injured following a grain elevator explosion in South Sioux City, Nebraska, Tuesday afternoon. South Sioux City Police Chief, Ed Mahon says the explosion happened at 12:55 p.m. at the Anderson Farms Grain Elevator located at 2415 4th Avenue.
A gaping hole was blown into the top and side of the structure and homes located to the east of the building were evacuated because of the threat of collapse and a possible second explosion while the gas line was still active. Chief Mahon says none of the employees working there had sustained serious injuries.
The name of the injured employee has not been released. Mahon says responders were concerned about part of the building potentially collapsing.
Firefighters from South Sioux City, Dakota City, Homer and Winnebago responded to the scene along with several law enforcement agencies to help barricade and monitor nearby streets.
Child Abuse Cases In Iowa On The Increase
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials say publicity around high-profile child abuse cases in Iowa has caused a surge in such reports.
The Des Moines Register reports that confirmed child abuse cases in Iowa increased 26 percent, from almost 8,900 in 2016 to more than 11,200 last year. Child protection workers found more cases of sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect and drug-affected children.
Lawmakers say they believe media coverage of the starvation deaths of Natalie Finn in 2016 and Sabrina Ray in 2017 increased public awareness of the issue. The state’s child abuse hotline received more calls following media coverage of the deaths.
Republican Rep. Bobby Kaufmann says the higher abuse numbers released this month indicate a need for more resources.
Gov. Kim Reynolds cut $4.3 million in March from the Department of Human Services, which oversees child protection.
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Schipper says the Holzman fireworks sale site falls under the county jurisdiction and is not within the Le Mars city limits. Schipper says the Le Mars zoning code ordinance does not allow for temporary structures to market fireworks.
Over 30 different Iowa communities have issued ordinances, banning the discharge of fireworks. One community to ban fireworks is Spencer, which perhaps is not a surprise given the fact that in 1931 Spencer lost its entire downtown business district due to use of fireworks. Schipper says Le Mars
will follow the Iowa law.
Schipper says he is hopeful everyone will follow the law.
The Le Mars Fire Chief believes the state legislature may have underestimated the backlash from the public regarding the use of fireworks in Iowa.
Schipper says you need to be over the age of 18 to purchase fireworks, and to be over 18, or have adult supervision to discharge fireworks. Schipper says the state’s firefighters associations, among others, were against the sale
and discharge of fireworks in Iowa. He says one criteria the firefighters association would have preferred would be to have a smaller window of time for the sale and discharge of fireworks.
Reported Child Abuse Cases In Iowa Have Risen
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials say publicity around high-profile child abuse cases in Iowa has caused a surge in such reports.
The Des Moines Register reports that confirmed child abuse cases in Iowa increased 26 percent, from almost 8,900 in 2016 to more than 11,200 last year. Child protection workers found more cases of sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect and drug-affected children.
Lawmakers say they believe media coverage of the starvation deaths of Natalie Finn in 2016 and Sabrina Ray in 2017 increased public awareness of the issue. The state’s child abuse hotline received more calls following media coverage of the deaths.
Republican Rep. Bobby Kaufmann says the higher abuse numbers released this month indicate a need for more resources.
Gov. Kim Reynolds cut $4.3 million in March from the Department of Human Services, which oversees child protection.
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