(UNDATED)—Storm damage in Sioux County led to searches of damaged buildings overnight.
Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief David Schipper reports the heavy rescue truck with a crew of six firefighters and the Le Mars Ambulance crew responded to a request for help from Sioux County.
They searched farms around the Maurice area to assist with victim rescue and debris removal for about two hours–until around 3:15 this morning.
Schipper reports no trapped victims were found. However, he says several areas had structure, crop and tree damage.
In Le Mars, rainfall through 7:30 a-m was 3.9 inches.
Buena Vista COunty Emergency Management is reporting power poles snapped off 10 feet above ground and in fields due to thunderstorm wind damage three miles south-southwest of Peterson. Trees are also reported down.
Flash flooding reported in Siouxland
(UNDATED)–A Flash Flood warning was in effect in Siouxland until 6:30 this (Thursday) morning.
National Weather Service radar indicated flash flooding was occurring from around Yankton to near Vermillion to Hawarden, Akron, Sioux Center and Le Mars.
Between two and four inches of rain fell in two to three hours beginning at around 12:30 this morning.
The Flash Flood Warning was for Plymouth and Sioux Counties as well as the nearby South Dakota Counties of Clay, Union, Yankton, southeastern Turner, southern Lincoln, and in Nebraska , northern Dixon County.
Body found west of Larchwood
LARCHWOOD, Iowa (AP) Police from several jurisdictions are investigating the discovery of a body in a rural area of Lyon County.
Authorities say the body was found Wednesday morning by a West Lyon high school freshman while he was four-wheeling on his family’s farm.
The farm is west of Larchwood, near the Big Sioux River.
Local and county law enforcement were called in, as well as the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
The Lyon County Sheriff’s office could not comment on the case Wednesday afternoon because more than one jurisdiction is involved. A press conference is expected today (Thursday).
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Concrete worker is injured by electrical shock
(SIOUX CITY)–A construction worker is hospitalized after an accident at a building site in Sioux City just before noon Wednesday.
The Woodbury County Sheriff’s office reports 30-year-old James Carroll was working with a cement pumping boom truck. The boom came into contact with overhead electrical wires.
Carroll, an employee of Siouxland Concrete Pumping of Sioux City, received a life threatening electrical shock and was unconscious. He was given C-P-R by bystanders and deputies from the sheriff’s office used an automatic external defibrillator. Two off-duty Woodbury County Disaster and Emergency Services employees also provided assistance.
Carroll was taken to Mercy Medical Center by Siouxland Paramedics. He is hospitalized in critical condition.
Divers train with weather cleanup at the Lakes
(ORANGE CITY)–A weather event is a training opportunity that returned missing property to West Lake Okoboji homeowners and their guests.
The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team Tuesday combined their training session with recovery from strong thunderstorms on West Lake Okoboji July 17th.
Working in the Terrace Park area on the south side of West Lake Okoboji, divers brought up trolling motors, tackle boxes, sunglasses and many other personal items.
Divers reported finding a large amount of debris from docks and boat lifts on the bottom of the lake. They were tied off and brought to the surface during the three hours of training and recovery of items Tuesday.
Woodbury Central grad’s remains returned to Iowa
(UNDATED)–The body of an Iowa Air Force Captain who died in the Middle East arrived back in Iowa Wednesday. Captain David Wisniewski was piloting a helicopter that was shot down in southern Afghanistan on June 9. He died from his injuries on July 2nd. Four other U.S. airmen were killed in the crash. Wisniewski, 31, grew up in Moville near Sioux City. The Defense Department said during his eight-year career, David Wisniewski had logged more than 1,500 flight hours and saved numerous lives, including several during his most recent deployment to Afghanistan. A funeral service is scheduled for Saturday at St. Patrick’s Church in Iowa City. Wisniewski will be buried at Arlington National Cemetary on August 23. Wisniewski is the son of Iowa City Regina Activities Director Chet Wisniewski. (News report by Radio Iowa)
Sioux City welcomes RAGBRAI XXXVIII
(SIOUX CITY—WITH OVER 20-THOUSAND OVERNIGHT VISITORS EXPECTED IN SIOUX CITY THIS WEEKEND FOR RAGBRAI, FINAL PREPARATIONS ARE BEING MADE IN THE CITY.
THE SIOUX CITY RAGBRAI HOST COMMITTEE WILL BE SPRAYING FOR MOSQUITOES THURSDAY AT LARSEN PARK, COOK PARK AND NEAR THE HOME DEPOT.
PARKS AND RECREATION MANAGER TERRY HOFFMAN SAYS THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO ENSURE VISITORS ENJOY THEIR STAY IN SIOUX CITY.
RAGBRAI WILL BEGIN IN SIOUX CITY SATURDAY, WITH A KICK-OFF PARTY ON FOURTH STREET, WHICH MEANS MANY AREA ROADS WILL BE CLOSED TO THROUGH TRAFFIC.
ERIKA NEWTON SAYS ADMISSION INTO THE FESTIVAL AREA WILL REQUIRE A WRISTBAND OR A SMASH MOUTH CONCERT TICKET.
FIREWORKS WILL LIGHT UP THE SKY AFTER THE CONCERT AND RIDERS WILL LEAVE SIOUX CITY SUNDAY MORNING AND MAKE THEIR WAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF IOWA.
FOR MORE RAGBRAI INFORMATION LOG ONTO SIOUX CITY RAGBRAI 2010.COM (Josie Cooper, KSCJ/Powell Broadcasting, Sioux City)
Workers find possible bomb in Waterloo
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) Waterloo police have asked the military for advice in disposing of a suspected bomb found in a former munitions plant.
Workers with Active Thermal Concepts, which is involved in the demolition of the former Chamberlain Manufacturing compound, found the suspected bomb Wednesday afternoon.
The device was found out in the open on what appeared to be a water heater in the northern section of the plant. Authorities say the workers moved it an area by a door so they could see it better.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Iowa airports receiving $3.1 million
WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin says the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded more than $3.1 million to improve airports across Iowa.
The Iowa Democrat announced the federal funding Wednesday.
The largest single grant for $950,000 goes to Dubuque Regional Airport for runway safety area improvements. Schenck Field in Clarinda will receive more than $460,000 for hangar construction, and Oelwin Municipal Airport is getting more than $371,000 for the construction of a a snow removal equipment building.
Smaller grants, ranging from $262,000 to $24,000, will go to airports in Creston, Clarion, Waverly, Fort Dodge, Fairfield, Osceola, Estherville, Pella, and Mason City.
Flooding could allow Asian carp into Lake Rathbun
RATHBUN, Iowa (AP) The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the current flooding could allow invasive Asian carp to get into Lake Rathbun.
The department said Wednesday the big head and silver carp are in the Chariton River, and have been found below the spillway of the dam that forms the lake. Since carp seek out flowing water and swim into the current, if the water rises high enough, the fish could get into the lake through some of the smaller feeder streams or even the spillway itself.
Repeated heavy rains in and around Lake Rathbun have doubled its size to 22,000 acres.
DNR fisheries chief Joe Larscheid says carp are definitely not wanted in Lake Rathbun, which is already suffering from a zebra mussel infestation.
18 arrested in bank fraud case
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) Waterloo police say they have arrested 18 people in connection with a check-writing scheme that allegedly defrauded banks of about $125,000.
According to authorities, the suspects face various charges, including unlawful activity, theft and money laundering.
Authorities say members of the group opened accounts at various banks to get starter checks and debit cards. They allegedly swapped checks and used the “float” delay in bank transactions to make fake deposits that artificially inflated the value of the accounts.
The accused allegedly used the debit cards and checks to get cash, which was laundered through U.S. Postal money orders, and make purchases.
Authorities say they learned of the scheme when officials at Regions Bank became suspicious. According to court records, other banks affected by the scheme include Wells Fargo, Veridian Credit Union and Iowa Community Credit Union.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Nash Finch cited for Econofoods closing
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) The Nash Finch Co. has been cited by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy for failing to give timely notice of last year’s closing of a Econofoods pharmacy.
About 70 people lost their jobs when Nash Finch closed its Econofoods store in Dubuque on Dec. 31.
The Board of Pharmacy says when the store was closed, Nash Finch failed to give notice to the state board or its patients.
In a decision issued Wednesday, the board ordered Minneapolis-based Nash Finch to pay a $25,000 fine within 30 days. Board of Pharmacy executive director Lloyd Jessen said the fine was the maximum the board could impose.
Telephone calls to Nash Finch for comment on the board’s decision were not immediately returned.
Convention bureau sued by former director
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) The executive director of the Cedar Rapids Area Convention Visitors Bureau has filed a lawsuit against her former employer.
Marilee Fowler has sued the Evansville (Ind.) Convention and Visitors Bureau for alleged fraud, breach of contract and rights violations.
The lawsuit, filed July 9 in Vanderburgh County Superior Court and transferred Tuesday to federal court, alleges Fowler was placed on administrative leave in February after she disclosed the location of a proposed sports complex.
Fowler claims she was later told if she resigned by March 29, she would receive severance as spelled out in an agreement that was to be approved by the visitors bureau board. She says the board later refused to approve a severance agreement.
Visitors bureau president Joe Vezzozo says he has no comment while the case is in the courts.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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