Roll Over Accident (Update)
(Le Mars) — Slick, icy roads are responsible for a one-vehicle roll over accident that happened this morning at about 7:20 a.m. The accident happened on Key Avenue in front of ICON Ag and Turf farm equipment dealership. The Jeep Patriot SUV was driven by 52 year old Cindy Gerrits of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and was heading southbound when apparently the vehicle hit a patch of ice and lost control, and then headed into the west ditch and rolled over. Gerrits was transported to the Floyd Valley Healthcare by the Le Mars Ambulance, with what is believed to be minor injuries. The vehicle is listed as a total loss. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Le Mars Ambulance, Le Mars Police and the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the accident scene. The Le Mars Police is investigating the accident.
Monona County Snowmobile Accident Claims Life Of Louisiana Man
WHITING, Iowa (AP) – Authorities in western Iowa say a Louisiana man has been killed in a snowmobile accident.
The accident was reported a little before 10:30 p.m. Saturday in a field about five miles northwest of Whiting. Authorities say David Daigle, of Baton Rouge, struck an irrigation pivot as he tried to cut across a farm field.
Daigle was pronounced dead later at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City.
The Monona County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the accident.
Vermillion Fire Destroys Apartment Building
VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) – No one was hurt but four families were displaced in an apartment building fire in Vermillion.
The American Red Cross reports that one of the apartments in the four-unit building was destroyed and two others suffered major damage in the early morning fire on Sunday.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the blaze.
The Red Cross is providing food, clothing and shelter to the families.
Gun Permits On The Rise
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Law enforcement and gun dealers say that they are seeing a rise in gun sales and applications for carry permits in Iowa.
The National Instant Criminal Background Check System says Iowa had 25,941 firearm background checks conducted in December 2015, more than in any other month last year.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Department says it saw about 1,000 more gun carry permit applications than usual last month. Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew says he believes that influx is the result of rising safety concerns following high-profile gun crimes.
Tom Hudson, manager of CrossRoads Shooting Sports in Johnston, says the number of new customers at his shop quadrupled last month, and he’s surprised that gun sales have not dropped off since the usual holiday increase.
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Iowa Poultry Farms Trying To Restock Birds After Bird Flu
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa egg farms are bouncing back from last year’s bird flu outbreak but rebuilding flocks with millions of new egg layers is taking time as the industry predicted.
The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Friday shows Iowa’s population of egg-laying hens at 37.9 million in December, up 6 percent from November but still 37 percent below the year-ago figure.
Iowa farms produced 812 million eggs, up 11 percent from the previous month but down 44 percent from December 2014.
The bird flu last summer killed 48 million birds nationwide including 24 million Iowa laying hens.
Farmers have replenished flocks but expect it to take most of this year to reach full production again.
U.S. egg production in December was 8 billion, down 8 percent from a year ago.
