Lightning Strike Causes Barn Fire
(Le Mars) — A lightning strike was the cause of a barn to catch on fire early Sunday morning. The Hinton, Merrill, and the Le Mars Fire Departments all responded to the barn fire that happened at about 4:30 Sunday morning.
The fire was reported at 33372 250th Street. Fire officials say when they were approaching the scene, they witnessed a large fire ball glow on the horizon. The wooden historic barn was a total loss, along with approximately 800 bales of hay that were stored inside. Also lost were various tools, and farm equipment, including a tractor. Fire officials were at the scene for
nearly three hours.
photos contributed.
Roll-over Accident Happens On Highway 60
(Le Mars) — Rescue units responded to a roll-over accident that happened Sunday afternoon at about 12:30 p.m. The accident was reported involving a vehicle heading northbound on Highway 60 about five miles northeast of Le Mars. Three women were inside the vehicle, but suffered only minor injuries
as a result of the roll-over accident. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue
Department along with the Le Mars Ambulance, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Le Mars Police Department responded to the accident.
Weekend Flooding In Central Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Flooding in Des Moines was fueled by 3 to 8 inches (7.5 to 20 centimeters) of rain that fell across the area Saturday night.
Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek says, “The speed and how long that rain fell caught us by surprise.”
In the suburb of Urbandale, residents of a duplex escaped shortly before an explosion from a ruptured gas line leveled their home after the basement flooded.
Shane Rhoades told The Des Moines Register that it “flushed” him and his wife to the point where they thought they “were gone.” He said they “managed to get to the ceiling and get air.”
They found a window and swam out, and got their three children out.
The National Weather Service predicts Thursday will be the next
chance for rain. But rivers and reservoirs are full and may continue rising.
Des Moines Radio Sports Announcer Dies In Flood
(Des Moines) — A longtime Iowa sportscaster has died in flash flooding in Des Moines amid heavy rain that forced the evacuation of some homes and businesses.
Police say 66-year-old Larry Cotlar died Saturday when he was swept away in floodwater after his van stalled on a flooded north Des Moines street.
Cotlar had worked as the voice of Drake University’s teams since 2005.
Drake athletics director Brian Hardin says he respected Cotlar’s work and the “quality person and colleague he was.”
Witnesses told police Cotlar was swept away as he got out of his stalled van. His body was found nearly four hours later, several blocks away.
The rain also prompted the evacuation of homes and businesses along Walnut Creek in the suburb of Clive. Some streets remained blocked Sunday morning.
Several People Displaced As Result Of Des Moines Flood
(Des Moines) — Officials in central Iowa say it’s too soon to estimate damage from this weekend’s flash flooding or say for sure how many homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed.
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[RIkayflashflood4] :09 :see right now.”
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That’s A.J. Mumm, director of Polk County Emergency Management. He says “hundreds” have been displaced.
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[RIkayflashflood1] :05 :sheer rainfall.”
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The National Weather Service issued a rare “Emergency Flash Flood” alert to cell phones in Polk County Saturday. Kelsey Angle is the warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Johnston. He says the “catastrophic flooding” was caused by between three and eight inches of rain
falling in central and northern Polk County in a short amount of time.
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[RIkayflashflood3] :15 :is expected.”
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A few temporary shelters were set up Saturday evening. Polk County Supervisor Angela Connolly says they aim to have a “one-stop-shop” established by early this (Monday) afternoon to help flood victims with housing assistance as well as any physical and mental health needs.
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[RIkayflashflood5] :08 :at fairgrounds.”
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Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie (rhymes with “brownie”) says flood prevention and preparation measures that were undertaken after previous floods in 1993, 2008 and 2010 have helped, but this was record flooding.
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[RIkayflashflood6] :11 :in one downpour.”
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Police and fire department officials say it’s difficult to say how many people had to be rescued from rising flood waters in their homes and vehicles. A well-known radio personality died after his van stalled in flash flooding. Sixty-six-year-old Larry Cotlar (CAHT-lar, like “caught lar”) was the voice of the Drake men’s basketball team.
Army Corps Of Engineers To Release More Water From Gavins Point Dam
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will more than double the amount of water released into the Missouri River from the river’s lower-most dam over the coming weeks.
Releases from Gavins Point Dam, between Nebraska and South Dakota, were reduced to 24,000 cubic feet per second in mid-June due to high flows downstream of the Missouri River reservoir system.
The Corps said in a news release Friday that Gavins Point releases will be stepped up over the next several days, reaching approximately 50,000 cubic feet per second by early to mid-July, as downstream flows drop off.
The Corps says releases from all Missouri River reservoir system dams will be maintained at higher-than-average rates over the next several months.
The announcement came as the river at Omaha crested at nearly 29 feet due to recent heavy rains, causing minor flooding of low-lying areas, mostly on the Iowa side.
Levels downriver, including in Kansas and Missouri, will also be
affected.
New Laws Now Take Effect
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Kim Reynolds signed more than 170 bills during and after the legislative session. Most of those laws took effect Sunday, the start of Iowa’s new budget year.
Among the changes is an extension to Iowa’s safe haven law, which allows newborn infants to be voluntarily surrendered for foster care placement. The law now applies to children as old as 30 days, instead of two weeks.
Another new law requires drivers approaching a stopped vehicle on the side of the road with flashing lights to always move over a lane. If that’s not possible, drivers must slow down and be ready to stop.
Additionally, a law change means adults no longer need a permit to carry stun guns. They’re still considered dangerous weapons. Stun guns that launch projectiles are prohibited.
Reynolds Appoints Indian Hills Community College President To Board of Regents
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Kim Reynolds has announced the appointment of former Indian Hills Community College president Jim Lindenmayer to fill a vacant seat on the Iowa Board of Regents.
Lindenmayer will serve in an interim role to finish out the final
year of a six-year term for Subhash Sahai, who resigned last month.
Lindenmayer became IHCC’s president in 2001, serving in that role for 12 years. Prior to that role, Lindenmayer served as the college’s vice president of administration and human resources after serving as its continuing education coordinator, starting in 1980.
Lindenmayer was one of more than 150 appointments to Iowa’s boards and commissions Reynolds announced Friday. All of those appointments are unpaid, and only handful a handful are subject to Senate confirmation.
Immigration Protest Rally
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – A central Iowa father says he was inspired to organize a rally in support of immigrant families after seeing news on Father’s Day of children separated from their parents who had recently crossed the U.S. border.
About 125 people turned out Saturday for the rally in Marshalltown organized by Steve Adelmund. Adelmund recalled turning on the news June 17 after spending the day with his two young children as seeing news of immigrant children being separated from parents and held in cage-like structures at the border. He says the images “hit me in the heart. I cried.”
Adelmund, who says he identifies as a Democrat but sometimes votes Republican, says the country should be able to come together on the idea that “kids shouldn’t be taken from their parents.”
The rally was among hundreds across the U.S. urging the Trump
administration to reunite families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Man Shoots His Mother
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A Council Bluffs man who shot his own mother while showing her his shotgun has been charged with a felony in the case.
The Daily Nonpareil reports that 20-year-old Seth Rennie has been charged with reckless use of a firearm resulting in serious injury. He posted $10,000 bond Friday and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Police say Rennie’s mother was visiting him on May 20 when he showed her his .410 shotgun and how to use it. Rennie told police he thought it was unloaded when he fired a shot, hitting his mother in the torso. She was taken to an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital with injuries, including a damaged liver. She told police the shooting was an accident.
Rennie’s next court hearing is July 18.
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