Home News Thursday Afternoon News, July 9th

Thursday Afternoon News, July 9th

Akron Fire Department Called To House Fire

(Akron) — Akron firefighters were called to a house fire at about 9:55 a.m. Thursday morning. Two people were injured from the fire. The fire was located at 540 Cheyenne Blvd. Along with the fire department, the Akron Ambulance and Hawarden Ambulance were called to the scene. Bruce Small serves as the Assistant Fire Chief for the Akron Fire Department. Small says the ranch style home was showing smoke when firefighters had arrived on the scene. He says the fire originated in the basement, and firefighters were able to extinguish the flames within a few minutes, however they remained on scene for nearly two and a half hours. Small believes the fire may have started as a result of a wiring issue. It has been ruled to be accidental.
Small says the entire house had some extreme heat, and was filled with soot.
Small wasn’t certain as the extent of damage to the home, but he believes the house can be salvageable. Small says of the two injuries one person suffered burns and was transported to Mercy One hospital in Sioux City and the second victim suffered from smoke inhalation and initially was transported by the
Hawarden Ambulance to the Hawarden hospital, but later was sent to Mercy One in Sioux City.

(photos contributed.)

 

 

State’s COVID-19 Numbers Continue To Climb

(Des Moines) — The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting 669 more COVID-19 cases in Iowa and seven more deaths COVID-19 related deaths over the last 24 hours. As of Thursday morning at 10:15 a.m., the state is reporting a total of 33,012 cases and 739 deaths in Iowa since the pandemic began. A total of 26, 232 Iowans have been reported to have recovered from the virus.
That’s an increase of 364 from the same time on Wednesday. According to the state’s data, 7,632 tests were processed over the last 24 hours. As of Thursday morning, the state has processed a total of 352,106 tests. There are currently 168 patients hospitalized in the state, with 32 having been
admitted in the last 24 hours. 49 of those are in the Intensive Care Unit and 22 are on ventilators.

 

 

$100K Reward Offered For Arrest in Noose Found at Altoona Facebook Center

(Altoona, IA) — A reward of up to 100-thousand dollars is offered for tips that lead to the suspect who put a noose at a work site at the Facebook Data Center in Altoona. The noose was found hanging on a lock box and it is believed it was placed there on June 19th, the day recognized as the end of slavery in the U-S. Central Iowa Building Trades president Earl Agan said,
“we believe in America, and no one should experience fear, workplace intimidation, or be subjected to hateful symbols of racism.” Anyone with information about the noose should call North America’s Building Trades Unions at 202-227-2964 or by emailing to reward@nabtu-dot-org. The reward offer runs through September 1st. The Altoona Police Department is
investigating the incident.

 

 

Iowa Workforce Development Reports Uptick in Unemployment Claims

(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa Workforce Development is reporting a 28-percent increase first-time unemployment claims. Ten-thousand-698 workers filed new claims between June 28th and July 4th – compared to 83-hundred the previous week. More than half of the laid-off employees filing for unemployment were
self-employed, independent contractors or in manufacturing. The number of Iowans getting benefits fell by five percent from 143-thousand-488 two weeks ago to 135-thousand-177 last week. The state paid out nearly 32-million dollars in unemployment benefits.

 

 

 

Search Continues in Waterloo For Missing Man With Dementia

(Waterloo, IA) — The search for a former Wartburg College music instructor who walked away from a long-term care facility in Waterloo late Monday night is entering its third day. Police say 46-year-old Michael Jensen escaped Ravenwood Specialty Care through a window and walked away. According to family and friends, Jensen has a brain tumor that causes confusion, slurred
speech and dementia. Nearly 70 volunteers joined authorities in a search of the neighborhood around the care facility on Tuesday. The search was moved north to the Janesville area Wednesday after authorities received two reports of a possible sighting of Jensen near the community. Jensen is five-foot-ten
inches tall and weighs around 180 pounds.

 

 

Dirt Bike Rider Killed in Webster County Crash

(Lehigh, IA) — The driver of dirt bike is dead after a crash Wednesday night in Webster County. The Iowa State Patrol says the motorcycle failed to navigate a curve on a county road near Lehigh and the driver was thrown as the bike rolled into the ditch. Trooper say the operator died at the scene.
The driver wasn’t wearing a helmet. The victim’s name hasn’t been released.