Sioux Center Grain Fire
(Sioux Center) — Fire broke out Monday evening at a grain warehouse storage facility located at the Farmer’s Co-op Society of Sioux Center. Three fire departments, Sioux Center, Orange City and Hull responded to the blaze. Dump trucks and payloader tractors were also called to help with the removal of the burning grain. One official estimated it may be seven days before the grain inside could be completely emptied. The official did not know how much grain the warehouse facility held, but indicated the grain storage warehouse is larger than a football field. Fire officials remained on the scene throughout the evening. Photos can be seen on the KLEM website.
Le Mars Fire Department Issues Monthly Report
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department has issued its August monthly report. The local fire brigade responded to a total of 28 calls. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department had ten fire calls, six rescue calls, ten inspections, and twice they were called upon for requests for services. As reported earlier, the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department was notified of being awarded the 2013 Life Safety Achievement Award as presented by the National State Fire Marshal’s Association and Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company.
Boyer River Levee Breaches Causing Missouri Valley Residents To Evacuate
MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) – Residents of a neighborhood in Missouri Valley have been evacuated after water from the overflowing Boyer River broke through a levee.
Residents in the southeast corner of the city were asked to leave their homes after the levee breach occurred at around 7 a.m. Monday about two miles east of Missouri Valley near U.S. Highway 30.
Residents on four streets have been evacuated as of noon.
Mayor Clint Sargent says the area is not heavily populated and officials are monitoring the situation.
Missouri Valley has a population of about 2,700. It’s located about 24 miles north of Council Bluffs.
People Still Cleaning Up After Sunday Storm
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A storm spotter remains hospitalized in Sioux City after lightning struck him as storms moved across several Midwest states Sunday night leaving power outages, trees down and campers overturned.
Hardest hit in Iowa was the Denison area where Crawford County Emergency Management Director Gregory Miller says five travel trailers were overturned at Yellow Smoke Park. No injuries were reported.
Miller says winds of at least 70 miles an hour knocked down trees and blew down outbuildings on two farms.
Denison and areas to the south saw flash flooding from heavy rain.
In Nebraska, Omaha officials rescued eight people from the fast-moving Elkhorn River and some buildings were damaged by strong winds.
Morningside College Sets Record Enrollment
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Morningside College has reported the largest enrollment in the school’s 120-year history.
The Sioux City Journal reports the college has enrolled 2,824 full- and part-time students for the fall 2014 semester.
That total includes 1,280 full-time undergraduate students. The college enrolled 429 new full-time students for the fall 2014 semester.
Officials say this fall’s total enrollment surpasses the previous record of 2,542 full- and part-time students last fall.
Grand Junction Accident Causes Fatality
GRAND JUNCTION, Iowa (AP) – Iowa authorities say a man has died and two others have been injured after a head-on crash near Grand Junction. Trooper Kevin Leffler says Daniel Reetz was killed yesterday. Leffler says Reetz’s Chevy Impala crossed the center line on a bridge and struck a Cadillac Escalade head-on. He was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Pilot Uninjured After Crash Landing In Soybean Field
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – Iowa authorities say a pilot is uninjured after his plane flipped over during an emergency landing in a soybean field. Jason Stone was traveling from South Dakota to the Marshalltown Municipal Airport yesterday. Authorities say Stone’s single-engine plane experienced engine problems and he was forced to land.
Jury Selection To Begin For Accused Cop Killer
CLARION, Iowa (AP) – Jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday for a 33-year-old man charged with killing a Rockwell City police officer.
Corey Trott is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying on Sept. 13 of Jamie Buenting. Prosecutors say Trott shot Buenting during a standoff at Trott’s house. Officers were trying to arrest Trott after an assault on his mother.
The trial was moved to Wright County at the request of defense attorneys.
In June Rockwell City dedicated a park to Buenting.
IDOT Doesn’t Receive Data From “Connected Cars”
(Ames) — Nearly 12 percent of new vehicles sold last year were “connected” — meaning they were equipped with devices that collect data and transmit it to the dealer or some other private company. Some even pinpoint slick spots on roads, but Iowa Department of Transportation director Paul Trombino says government agencies like his don’t have access to that information.
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[capCarData1] :happens to the data.”
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Privacy advocates say government shouldn’t have access to that kind of data. Nearly all new vehicles have the equivalent of a “black box” to record speed and braking at the time of an accident and U.S. courts are starting to decide vehicle crash cases in which that “black box” evidence is being used. Automakers are even marketing cars that use computerized equipment to avoid accidents. The Iowa D-O-T’s director says if governments ultimately have access to vehicle data, he’s most interested in getting that information to other drivers, so they can avoid crash sites, traffic back-ups and bad road conditions.
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[capCarData2] :10 :debated right now.”
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Iowa and other states are already using a service called INRIX (INN-ricks) right now to process data from traffic management centers which collects information from roadway sensors, traffic cameras and accident reports.
Iowa City Man Upset Over Music, Threatens Neighbor
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa City man has been charged with assault after police say he threatened to kill his neighbor over music.
63-year-old Terrill Wiges was arrested Monday. Iowa City police charged him with assault while using a weapon and going armed with intent.
Witnesses say Wiges threatened to kill the neighbor because of music he was playing. They say Wiges held a knife to the victim’s throat and asked him if he was ready to die.
It’s unclear what type of music was playing or how loud it was.
Wiges is being held at the Johnson County jail. Online jail records didn’t indicate bond or an attorney.
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