(MAURICE)–The sounds of chain saws and rakes will be heard in Maurice today (Friday) as the pace of severe storm cleanup ramps up.
The National Weather Service Storm Survey showed a squall line with winds between 80 and 100 miles an hour damaged homes, business and city buildings about 12:30 Thursday morning.
Emergency responders wanted power restored before volunteers assisted Maurice residents.
Today, the city of Maurice is organizing a cleanup day. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Maurice Fire Station at 8:30 this morning. Volunteers are asked to bring a rake. If someone cannot begin by 8:30, they’re able to help later in the day.
Sioux County Emergency Management Coordinator and Sheriff’s office Sergeant Nate Huizenga finds the limited injuries from the storm’s destruction remarkable.
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Huizenga says the person who was injured was in a bedroom where a window shattered. He had minor injuries.
4-H Market Beef numbers are up for 2010 Plymouth County Fair
(LE MARS)–Some 4-H livestock numbers will be up for the 2010 Plymouth County Fair.
Plymouth County Extension Educator Coordinator Carol Schneider is the Livestock Superintendent.
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Poultry is up slightly and cat exhibitors will be up slightly as well.
As Schneider explains, the number of older 4-H members is a factor in the 2010 livestock entries.
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4-H members enter their Fair exhibits next Wednesday starting at 8 a-m and concluding by noon. Schneider says without volunteers in the months leading up to the fair and during the Five Best Days of Summer-the Plymouth County Fair, it would not be possible to have the fair success.
Aurelia family wins $1 million Iowa Lottery prize
(DES MOINES)–Life just got a little easier for a family from northwest Iowa. On Thursday, Robert Stewart of Aurelia became the Iowa Lottery’s seventh one-million dollar winner this year. Stewart stopped by lottery headquarters in Des Moines a few hours later to claim his prize and described his reaction when he noticed he struck it rich.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe I won this,” Stewart told reporters. Stewart, 41, dropped off his wife Deb at work at an auto parts store in Storm Lake Thursday morning before driving across the street to a convenience store (One Stop Shop at 1101 N. Lake Ave.) to fuel up. He purchased the last twenty-dollar ($20) “Lifetime Riches” instant scratch game the store had.
“I don’t normally buy the $20 tickets…I scratched off the top numbers and the first one I scratched off was 40-thousand dollars a year,” Stewart said. Stewart verified the ticket was a winner at the store before rushing back to his wife to relay the good news. He joked that she wasn’t all that thrilled.
“She was going to hit me for (buying) a $20 ticket,” Stewart said with a laugh. The Stewarts chose to take home a lump sum payment of 650-thousand dollars ($650,000) rather than collect 40-thousand dollars ($40,000) a year for the next 25 years. After taxes, the Stewarts net winnings amount to 455-thousand dollars ($455,000). Stewart said he plans to buy a new car to replace a ’96 Oldsmobile, but doesn’t expect to make many other big purchases.
“Not until we get the student loans and mortgage paid off,” Stewart said. “Then we’ll talk with a financial advisor and get most of it invested.” The Stewarts have two children. Their 16-year-old son, Rory, attends Storm Lake High School. Their 18-year-old daughter will begin basic training to join the Marines in August. Robert Stewart says he plans to keep working as a manger of Game Stop, a video game shop in Storm Lake.
“These days, even a million dollars isn’t really enough to retire on unless you don’t want to eat very much,” Stewart said. “I couldn’t leave work immediately. We’ve to decide what we’re going to do. It’ll take us a couple months to make that decision.” This isn’t the first time Stewart’s won big money playing an Iowa Lottery game.
He won $480 in December 2006. A year later, he won $1,000 playing “Holiday Riches.” Stewart cashed in another $1,000 prize a few months ago playing “Easy Grand.” Stewart estimates he spend $20 to $30 every couple weeks buying Iowa Lottery games.
Listen to the full press conference with Stewart and check out a photo at www.RadioIowa.com (News report by Radio Iowa)
Dordt College student’s body found
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) Rescue workers have found the body of a missing climber from Iowa who fell over a cliff during a thunderstorm while climbing a mountain at Grand Teton National Park.
Park spokeswoman Bobbie Visnovske says searchers on a helicopter found the body of 21-year-old Brandon Oldenkamp on Thursday morning.
Visnovkse says Oldenkamp is from Sanborn. Rescue workers are still trying to reach the area he fell and recover his body.
Rescue workers had been searching for Oldenkamp after he fell on Grand Teton mountain during a thunderstorm with severe lightning.
Teams on Wednesday used helicopters to rescue 16 injured climbers in three separate groups from elevations above 13,000 feet on the mountain.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Feds: No Bail for ‘Bandit’
SEATTLE (AP) Federal prosecutors are asking that the young man accused of being the “Barefoot Bandit” be jailed until his trial, saying there’s an “extreme risk” he will flee.
In court documents they also say 19-year-old Colton Harris-Moore, who eluded police for more than two years and is suspected in a cross-country crime spree, poses a significant danger to the community. He’s a suspect in crimes in the Yankton area.
Harris-Moore is to appear Thursday afternoon before a federal magistrate judge in Seattle for a procedural hearing on a charge stemming from the theft last fall of an airplane in Idaho.
The documents say Harris-Moore is the primary subject of at least 80 crimes. He escaped from a group home in 2008 and was arrested July 10 after allegedly crash-landing a stolen plane in the Bahamas.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Flood possession relief sought
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) About 1,200 victims of the 2008 Iowa flood have applied for Cedar Rapids grants of up to $10,000 to cover the cost of lost personal possessions.
City officials say follow-up contacts with applicants began this week, with the processing of applications expected to accelerate next week.
That is good news for Sandra Etter, who says her house had a foot of water on the first floor. She says she filled out an application for a grant on the first day the program began, and haven’t heard anything since.
Drew Westberg of the city manager’s office says he expects applicants to be contacted in the next couple of weeks to verify information.
Officials estimate the city could spend up to $10.5 million on the program, which covers “unmet needs” not addressed by other flood-recovery payments.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Authorities: Intoxication and axes don’t mix
SPRINGVILLE, Iowa (AP) Linn County Sheriff’s deputies say they are investigating an apparent case of wielding an ax while under the influence.
Deputies say they arrested two teenagers who were apparently trying to chop down trees near Springville High School early Thursday.
Col. John Stuelke of the sheriff’s office says 19-year-old James Devore of Springville and 18-year-old Eric Frederick of rural Springville now face charges of third-degree criminal mischief and public intoxication.
Stuelke says the two were apparently drunk when they damaged five trees near the school with an ax. They did not fell any trees before authorities intervened.
Harkin announces funds for well-being of families
WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin says the state of Iowa will be receiving more than $889,000 to support visiting programs focused on improving the well-being of families with young children.
The Iowa Democrat announced the grant to the voluntary Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program on Thursday.
Under the program, nurses, social workers or other professionals meet with at-risk families in their homes, evaluate the families’ circumstances and connect them to various available services. It focuses on such areas as health care, developmental services for children, early education, parenting skills, child abuse prevention and nutrition education or assistance.
Harkin says the funding was administered by the Department of Health and Human Services and was provided for under the recently passed health reform bill, The Affordable Care Act.
Police allege abuse of family members
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Police say they have charged an Iowa City man with sexually abusing two minor male relatives.
According to criminal complaints released Thursday, 34-year-old Christopher Michael Wilson has been charged with two counts of third-degree sexual abuse. Wilson was being held at the Johnson County Jail pending an initial court appearance Friday. Authorities did not say Thursday if he had an attorney.
According to the complaints, one of the victims in the case reported to police that Wilson abused him repeatedly from 2009 to 2010.
While investigating those allegations, police discovered another alleged victim. Police said that victim said Wilson abused him from 1996-97 while he was a teenager. A witness allegedly caught Wilson abusing the boy, but did not report the encounter to police.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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