Three Injured In Buena Vista County Roll Over Accident
(Storm Lake) — The Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office is reporting a one-vehicle accident that occurred on Saturday evening at about 10:35 p.m. on 160th Avenue north of Highway 10. The vehicle had been northbound when it lost control and entered the east ditch causing the vehicle to roll several times coming to rest in a field. During the accident, the driver and rear seat passenger were ejected from the vehicle. Neither had been wearing seat belts at the time. The passenger in the front seat was wearing a seat belt and remained in the car. The occupants of the vehicle were all transported to the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake for treatment. The driver of the vehicle, 23 year old Martin Miguel Angel Rivera of Storm Lake was transferred to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City by life flight helicopter and his condition is listed as critical. The other two occupants in the car were also from Storm Lake, although authorities have not identified them as of yet. One of the passengers was transferred to Mercy Medical Center by ambulance, and the third passenger was treated at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center. The accident remains under investigation by the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s office. Responding to the scene of that accident were the Sioux Rapids Ambulance, Sioux Rapids Fire and Rescue Department, Sioux Rapids Police, Buena Vista County Regional Medical Center paramedics, and Buena Vista County Sheriff’s office.
Sioux City Officials Hope To Use New Tax Incentive Plan To Finance Ag Expo Center
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Northwest Iowa leaders hope to use a new tax incentive program to cover much of the $10 million cost of a proposed Sioux City development featuring a proposed 160,000-square-foot agricultural expo center.
The complex would also likely include a hotel, restaurant and some retail.
City officials hope to qualify for Iowa’s new Reinvestment District program that lets cities establish zones to divert future motel and sales tax revenue to projects that increase tourism and improve quality of life.
The project would center on the proposed Bomgaars Ag and Expo Center that the founders of the Bomgaars retain chain pledged $500,000 for. That structure would include 50 to 60 hotel rooms and be able to host horse shows, trade shows and cattle auctions.
Argosy Casino Wants Judge To Block Order For Closing
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Operators of Sioux City’s embattled Argosy riverboat casino have asked a judge to temporarily block an order for it to shut down by July 1.
Lawyers for Argosy parent company Penn National Gaming Co. on Thursday filed a motion for an emergency stay of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission’s order. Penn National argued the casino should be allowed to remain open until other pending legal action taken against the commission can be resolved.
The Argosy’s pending closure stems from the commission’s decision to allow a land-based casino in downtown Sioux City to replace the Argosy. Penn National lost its bid to operate the land-based casino to Sioux City Entertainment, which is building and will operate a Hard Rock Casino.
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Racing And Gaming Commission To Decide Whether Any New Casinos Should Be Built
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa gambling regulators plan to consider whether it’s time to stop building more casinos in Iowa at a meeting next month after narrowly voting to approve one for Jefferson.
The five-member Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approved Thursday on a 3-2 vote the $40 million casino in Jefferson.
It will be the 19th state-licensed casino. Iowa also has three American Indian casinos.
With 3.1 million people, Iowa has 18,000 slot machines and about 470 tables for poker and other games at the 18 state-run casinos.
Two consulting firms hired by the commission say Iowa’s modest population growth and increasing gambling competition from adjacent states limits future growth potential.
They recommended no more casinos, and commission chairman Jeff Lamberti says that will be discussed at the July 31 meeting in Johnston.
Fire Damages Iowa State University Dining Hall
AMES, Iowa (AP) – A fire forced closure of a dining center on the west side of the Iowa State University campus in Ames.
The fire at the Union Drive Marketplace dining room was reported early Sunday morning. The flames were isolated to the grill area. An automated fire suppression system helped put out the blaze.
No injuries have been reported. University spokeswoman Annette Hacker says the damage doesn’t seem severe. The fire cause is being investigated.
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Newton Man Killed In Weekend Motorcycle Crash
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines police say an Iowa man killed in a weekend motorcycle crash was not wearing a helmet.
Police say 29-year-old Shawn Sabin, of Newton, was killed Saturday when he ran into a sport utility vehicle that turned in front of him to enter a parking lot.
The accident happened shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday near a Hy-Vee grocery store.
Police Sgt. Jason Halifax says Sabin was unresponsive after the accident and died later at a Des Moines hospital.
No one in the SUV was injured.
Police will continue investigating the crash.
Iowa City Man Drowns
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities are investigating the drowning death of a 36-year-old Iowa City man.
The Johnson County sheriff’s office says rescuers were called to Scales Point just before 5 p.m. Saturday.
After searching for nearly four hours, authorities recovered the body of Somphaeng Syvixay of Iowa City.
A group of family and friends had been swimming near the diving rock when two people began to struggle. Friends in a pontoon boat were able to pull one person from the water but could not find Syvixay.
An autopsy will be performed.
Des Moines Teen Sentenced To 50 Years For Car Jacking
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Des Moines teenager involved in a violent carjacking has been sentenced to 50 years in prison.
17-year-old Terrance Cheeks, who was tried as an adult and found guilty of two counts of first-degree robbery, was sentenced Friday in Polk County District Court.
Cheeks and two other teenagers are accused of accosting several drivers in Des Moines in an attempt to steal a car in February 2013. The last victim suffered permanent brain damage.
Cheeks’ defense attorney had argued that his client only played a minor role in the carjacking, but prosecutors said Cheeks was just as complicit in the plot as the others.
The other two, 17-year-old Kenneth Barry and 16-year-old Leshaun Murray, were also tried as adults and await sentencing.
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Two Chinese Students Charged With Smuggling
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Federal authorities have arrested two Chinese nationals – one of them a former Iowa State student – accused of smuggling and other federal crimes.
Federal documents Friday show that the former student, 29-year-old Wentong Cai, and an associate, 28-year-old Bo Cai, were arrested in February.
Arrest warrants say Wentong Cai had contact with an undercover federal agent posing as an international distributor of trade-protected technology. Court documents say Wentong told the agent he wanted to smuggle nearly two dozen ARS-14 sensors into China. The sensors helps gauge precise motion control in aerial and ground-based vehicles. The have civilian uses, but are mainly used by the military.
Court documents don’t indicate what the men planned to do with the sensors.
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Salvation Army Provides Summer Food Program
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – The Salvation Army in Cedar Rapids is again participating in the Summer Food Service Program, offering free meals to children.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided Monday through Friday at The Salvation Army in Cedar Rapids from Monday through Aug. 22. Breakfast will be served from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., and lunch will be served from noon to 1 p.m.
For safety reasons, The Salvation Army is asking that children not affiliated with a supervised program be accompanied by an adult to the meal site.
However, there are no eligibility requirements to receive the free meals at The Salvation Army. The site is open to anyone in need, no questions asked.
