Home News Wednesday News, July 7th

Wednesday News, July 7th

County To Close A Portion Of County Road L-14

(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Secondary Roads will be closing a portion of county road L-14 today from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. The closure is to allow a crane used to install wind turbines to cross the road. Traffic will be detoured.

 

 

 

Hemmingsen Addresses City Council About Cross-walks Near Courthouse

(Le Mars) — Le Mars city council members heard from a group of residents that live near the Plymouth County Courthouse requesting there be sidewalks installed. A petition signed by nearly 75 people was turned into city hall. During their meeting held on Tuesday, Iris Hemmingsen addressed the city council about the residents request.

Hemmingsen informed the city council that the way the cross-walk is currently it restricts pedestrian access to the courthouse and annex.

Hemmingsen also talked about other intersections within the area. The city council informed Hemmingsen that the issue would be turned over to the Public Safety Committee, of which two council members are a part of that committee, then depending on the committee’s decision, it would then be brought to the attention of the city council.

 

 

 

Crops Specialist Offer Crop Conditions For Eastern Iowa

(Des Moines) — Crop officials like to look at the 4th of July as a day to determine the development of the crop. At about this time, corn development goes from growing the stalk to pollination and the development of the ear and the grain. Here in northwest Iowa, dry conditions have persisted through out the growing season. Rain did fall on the area a little more than a week ago, which certainly helped the corn and soybean crops. However, farmers are still needing additional rain during the critical pollination stage. We know what the crop looks like in our own area, but what about on the other side of the state? In northeast Iowa, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Crops Specialist Josh Michel (Mickel) says crop conditions are similar to what we have in northwest Iowa.

Crops Specialist Rebecca Vittetoe serves east-central and southeast Iowa covering the area that includes Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Grinnell, Pella, Oskaloosa, and Sigourney. Vittetoe says in her region farmers have had some wet conditions.

Along the Mississippi River, conditions have been mixed according to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Crops Specialist, Virgil Schmitt. Schmitt’s area extends from Clinton to Davenport, to Fort Madison and Burlington.

The U-S Department of Agriculture and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship issued the latest crop condition report Tuesday afternoon.

 

 

 

Iowa Man Arrested In Chicago When Rifle Is Found In His Hotel Room

(Chicago, IL) –– An Iowa man has been arrested in Chicago after a rifle was found in his hotel room. A member of the hotel cleaning staff reported the rifle, a handgun, and some ammunition inside the room that had a window overlooking a Lake Michigan beach and a major tourist attraction. Thirty-two-year-old Keegan Casteel of Ankeny was taken into custody after the weapons were found on a 12th-floor window sill Sunday. Casteel is being held in the Cook County Jail.

 

 

 

State Inspectors Order Adventureland To Keep Raging River Ride Shut Down

(Altoona, IA) — Iowa state inspectors have ordered Adventureland to keep its Raging River ride shut down. No guests had been riding it since 11-year-old Michael Jaramillo suffered fatal injuries Saturday. The boy and five others were on a raft that flipped over. His older brother is reportedly still hospitalized in a medically-induced coma. That ride had passed its last five annual inspections and had been inspected the day before the accident.

 

 

 

Body Found In Rural Adair County Identified As Missing Man

(Greenfield, IA) — Authorities in Adair County say the body of a man found last week in a rural area has been identified as a man reported missing from Creston. Fifty-eight-year-old Timothy Fechter’s body was found alongside a rural road in the county’s southeast corner. Fechter had been reported missing June 20th. Adair County deputies found his remains July 1st. The Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office is working to determine an official cause of death. Investigators say Fechter’s death is suspicious.

 

 

 

Judge Allows Construction Of Des Moines Stadium To Continue

(Des Moines, IA) — A Polk County Circuit Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to at least pause the plans for a 19-million-dollar stadium in Des Moines. The project is a partnership between Des Moines Public Schools and Drake University. The Save Our Stadiums group had challenged plans for the stadium because the school district didn’t hold a special election vote. The new stadium will be the home football field for four of the city’s five high schools and will host high school and Drake soccer games.

 

 

 

Fort Dodge Police Investigating Body Found in Freezer of Vacant Building

(Fort Dodge, IA) — Police in Fort Dodge are investigating the discovery of a body in the freezer of a vacant restaurant over the weekend. Officers say the man was found dead in a cooler at the Old Lomita’s building on Saturday afternoon. The body has been identified as 56-year-old Terry Brogan. Investigators say there were no signs of foul play in Brogan’s death. Anyone with information is asked to call the Fort Dodge Police Department.

 

 

 

UTV Driver Killed in Allamakee County Crash

(Lansing, IA) — Authorities in northeast Iowa say a Lansing man is dead after a Fourth of July utility terrain vehicle (UTV) crash. The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office says Drew Gaunitz was driving in the woods Sunday night, trying to get over an incline when the U-T-V rolled over. Deputies say Gaunitz died at the scene and his passenger – 24-year-old Jacob Manning- suffered minor injuries. No other information about the crash has been released.

 

 

 

Davenport Man Draws 12-Year Prison Sentence For Witness Tampering

(Cedar Rapids, IA) — A Davenport man will spend 12 years in federal prison for witness tampering. The U-S Attorney’s Office says 35-year-old Stephan Toliver pleaded guilty to hitting a woman with a gun and knocking her unconscious. Toliver also admitted to making false accusations against her family members. Prosecutor say he sent a threatening letter to the victim falsely telling her that if she or family testified against him, the Department of Human Services would use that information against her family. Toliver was sentenced to three years of supervised when he gets out of prison.