Home News KLEM NEWS PM Update July 22, 2010

KLEM NEWS PM Update July 22, 2010

(Sioux Falls)–The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls reports 80 to 100 mile an hour winds caused damage in Maurice and Cherokee and early today (Thursday).

A National Weather Storm Survey determined the wind speeds. A squall line with damaging winds went through northwest Iowa between 12:30 and 1:30 this (Thursday) morning.

The wind damage began about one mile west of Maurice and moved through the town before the winds continued for another six miles east of Maurice. Trees were knocked down damaging several homes.

The weather service also reports winds of 50 to 70 miles an hour affected portions of southern SIoux County. There was a measured wind gust of 59 miles an hour in Orange City about 12:38 this (Thursday) morning.

Storm damage in Cherokee includes buildings and trees. No one was injured. The damaging winds continued northeast snapping power poles and downing trees around Peterson.

Storm downs trees, power lines and damages homes in Maurice

(MAURICE)–A storm damaged homes and business buildings in a northwest Iowa town early today .

Sioux County Emergency Management coordinator Nate Huizenga says the damage in Maurice occurred about 12:30 this (Thursday) morning.

(as said) “We’re not sure if it was just a severe straight-line wind or if it was a tornado but approximately 15 to 20 houses have been damaged to some extent; two or three houses have been damaged severely and one has been destroyed,” Huizenga says.

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One person had  minor injuries.

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Some areas in the town of 261 have heavy damage.

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All the entrances to Maurice are blocked by Sheriff’s Office Patrol Deputies.

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The National Weather Service has a staff member in Maurice investigating whether the storm damage was from a tornado.

Huizenga says the cleanup effort will really start when crews from MidAmerican Energy have restored power.

 The storm also damaged crops in the area.

Courthouse office area has water from roof

(LE MARS)–Water entered the third floor addition at the Plymouth County courthouse again.

More than four inches of rain was recorded at KLEM early this (Thursday) morning.

The roof leak was in the state Clerk of Court’s office which is on the south side of the courthouse. Insurance and roofing representatives and some members of the Board of Supervisors have inspected the downed ceiling tiles and wet areas today (Thursday).

The clerk of court’s office remained open for business while cleanup was underway.

Since the problem occurred about a month ago, county officials have been exploring the amount of water that drains from the original Courthouse building roof onto the addition roof

Red Cross responds to flooding in George

(GEORGE)–Heavy rains flooded homes in the Lyon County town of George overnight.

According to the Siouxland Chapter of the American Red Cross, about 500 homes have been flooded in the George area.

Local volunteers went to George today (Thursday) with the Siouxland Chapter’s Emergency Response Vehicle to assist with food, clean-up kits, and Disaster Assessment

Arson may be tied to Lyon County death

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Authorities say a man found dead near Larchwood on Tuesday may have a connection to an arson in Sioux Falls.

Sioux Falls Police Capt. Greg VandeKamp says authorities in Lyon County believe the man is from Sioux Falls. His name and details about his death have not been released.

VandeKamp says authorities say the death may be linked to an arson case that happened on Monday in Sioux Falls.

VandeKamp says no one was home at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.

(COPYRIGHT 2010 BY ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Tubing accident victim found

SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) Police in northwest Iowa say they’ve found the body of a man who died on the Raccoon River.

Sac City police say the body of 23-year-old James Greenlee, of Carroll, was discovered Wednesday.

A man who had been tubing with Greenlee told authorities Tuesday night that Greenlee had gone missing.

Justin Baker told police Greenlee had been injured while the two were tubing. Baker left the water so he could retrieve his vehicle and pick Greenlee up, but Greenlee wasn’t in that spot when Baker came back.

Authorities began searching for Greenlee Tuesday night but didn’t locate his body until the next day.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Victims rights group asks for cancellation

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A victims right group is asking Iowa school choir directors to cancel a performance directed by a man accused of sexually abusing a high school student nearly 20 years ago.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests says it’s asked the Iowa Choir Directors Association to cancel a show by Cedar Rapids-based Chorale Midwest planned for their annual convention. It’s set to be directed by Bradley Barrett.

Thirty-one-year-old Adam Walker of Springfield, Mo., claimed last year that Barrett repeatedly abused him from 1992 through 1995. Criminal charges were never filed.

Barrett was an assistant music professor at the University of Northern Iowa before being placed on paid leave and later fired last December.

David Dutton, a Waterloo lawyer representing Barrett, called the victims rights group’s actions “scary and disgusting.”

Police seek man who twice eluded officers

OELWEIN, Iowa (AP) Authorities are searching for a northeast Iowa man they say assaulted a police officer and has led several law enforcement agencies on a manhunt.

Officers in Oelwein responded to a report Tuesday of a disturbance and found Jeffrey Gries.

Police say Gries hit an officer in the head, resisted arrest and took off on foot. Authorities caught up with Gries again, but after struggling with officers he was able to escape.

Oelwein police say they got a tip on Gries was Wednesday but couldn’t find him.

The unidentified officer injured in the scuffle has been treated and released from a local hospital. He will go on medical leave.

Police are asking anyone with information about Gries whereabouts to contact them.

Bomb found during demolition

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) Workers demolishing a former munitions plant in Waterloo found a bomb left on a water heater.

Workers discovered the device Wednesday afternoon. Waterloo police say it’s unclear if the bomb is live.

Authorities are standing guard until a military crew can reach Iowa to inspect the bomb, and they’ve contacted military officials to dismantle it.

The plant closed 16 years ago and is currently is being torn down.

Workers found an old rifle popular during the Korean War while removing asbestos in 2008.

Police find body of ISU student

AMES, Iowa (AP) An Iowa State student set to stand trial on child pornography charges has been found dead.

The body of 22-year-old Lucas Farlinger was found by police Tuesday night inside his locked, on-campus apartment.

Farlinger was scheduled to stand trial Monday in federal court. An indictment says he allegedly received child pornography between July of 2008 and January of last year.

A cause of death had not been determined. Police do not suspect foul play.

Farlinger was a senior from St. Ansgar. He is the fifth Iowa State student to die this year.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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