FATAL SIOUX COUNTY ACCIDENT – UPDATE
A Chicago woman died in a two-car crash west of SIoux Center Wednesday. Five others, including the two drivers, were injured. The Sioux County Sheriffs Office says Maikol Segobia, 28 of Chicago, died in the crash. She was a passenger in a car driving north on county road K42. The driver of trhe vehicle, Renzo Parra, 27, of Chicago, failed to stop at a stop sign at county road B40. An eastbound vehicle driven by 28 year old Elizabeth Hutton of Hawarden colided with the Parra vehicle in the intersection. The two drivers and three other passengers were sent to Sioux Center Health for treatment. Two of them were later flown to hospitals in Sioux City and Sioux Falls for further medical treatment.
FREEZING RAIN FORECAST
Cold air swept into northwest Iowa throughout today. Temperatures struggled into the low teens this afternoon. Lows tonight fall into the single digits as well. Tomorrow’s forecast includes a wintry mix of snow and sleet. Saturday brings a chance of rain and freezing rain, then a slight chance of rain.
A mix of precipitation is expected late Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon. Light ice accumulations are anticipated, with moderate to high probability (40-90%) for a glaze of ice along and southeast of a line from Yankton to Sioux Falls to Marshall. There’s a low to moderate (less than 45%) chances of 0.1 inches of ice in northwest Iowa.
PLYMOUTH COUNTY ACCIDENTS
A fourth accident reported to the Plymouth County Sheriffs Office Tuesday resulted in minor injury to one of the drivers. The accident occurred on Iowa 60 and C16. The driver of an SUV attempted to pass a pickup on Iowa 60. Due to icy conditions, the SUV lost control and struck the pickup. The pickup driver, Donald Engeltjes, age 83 of Orange City, was transported to Floyd Valley Hospital with minor injuries.
Last weekend, two serious injury accidents occured in Plymouth County. Saturday afternoon, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office responded to an accident at K64 and 280th Street in Plymouth County. Teah Wood, age 24 of Correctionville, Iowa was operating an SUV when she left the roadway and entered the ditch and traveled at least 200 yards at which point the vehicle then came back up onto the roadway and started to overturn. The vehicle then overturned multiple times and eventually came to a rest on the vehicle’s top. The vehicle sustained approximately $35,000 in damages. Wood was transported to Mercy Hospital in Sioux City for injuries sustained in the accident.
Also Saturday afternoon, Plymouth County Dispatch received a call about a motorcycle accident at Echo Road and K18 in rural Plymouth County. Deputies arrived on scene and came upon a vehicle versus motorcycle accident. A car registered to a Matthew John Knapp, age 49 of Westfield was driven by a juvenile female also from Westfield. The motorcycle was driven by 58 year old Paddy John Conlon of North Sioux City. Conlon was transported by Avera McKennen Hospital in Sioux Falls with life threatening injuries. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Akron Ambulance.
BIRD FLU IN SAC COUNTY
There’s been another case of bird flu detected in northwest Iowa.
A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected in a commercial turkey flock in Sac County. This is Iowa’s seventh bird flu case in 2024 and Sac is the third county with a confirmed infected bird flock in less than a month. The others are Sioux and Palo Alto. The disease can travel in wild birds without the birds appearing sick, but is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys. The viral strain can also impact dairy cattle. 13 cases were detected in Iowa dairy herds in June, Governor Kim Reynolds authorize d a disaster proclamation for Sac county effective now through January 10.
IOWA FARM BUREAU 106TH ANNUAL MEETING
Members of Iowa’s largest general farm organization gathered in Des Moines this week.
Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) president, addressed members of Iowa Farm Bureau’s Young Farm Program. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds addressed members virtually during the closing session and proclaimed Dec. 9-13, ‘Iowa Farm Bureau Week.’
Matt Schuiteman of Sioux County was re-elected to the IFBF board of directors, representing District 3, comprised of 12 counties in northwest Iowa.
Dani Rehder of O’Brien County finished fourth in the IFBF’s Young Farmer Discussion Meet.
Bill Northey, Larry Sailer and Sam Cogdill were recognized as Iowa Farm Bureau’s Distinguished Service to Agriculture (DSA) Award recipients. Northey, recognized posthumously, was a larger-than-life leader in Iowa agriculture, He was a life-long Iowa Farm Bureau member who became Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, and later, worked in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
HEROIC TEEN AMONG RECIPIENTS OF GOVERNOR’S LIFESAVING AWARDS
A 19 year old from northwest Iowa has received the Governor’s Lifesaving with Valor Award. In February of last year, Joseph Salmon of Spirit Lake was ice fishing with his mom when they saw a Jeep plunge thru the ice. Salmon, who was 17 at the time, pulled the 83 year old driver from the partially submerged vehicle. Eight months after the rescue, Salmon was critically wounded in a hunting accident. Corey McConnell, a man Salmon now calls dad, says the young man is a hero in more ways than one.
McConnell was on the shore the day the high schooler pulled the elderly man from the water and McConnell was emotional as he watched Salmon rise from a chair and walk toward the governor today (Wednesday) at the state Capitol. Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephen Bayens (STEEV-un BAINS) wasn’t sure he could read the citation honoring Salmon.
Salmon’s mother, Jen, says the word perseverance best describer her son and Joseph tries to deflect the attention he’s getting.
during a brief interview in the Capitol. Salmon said THANK YOU to his schoolmates for their support — and mentioned the name of Charlie Sires. Salmon’s mother and McConnell also praised Sires, the Okoboji sixth grader who drew a picture of Salmon that’s featured on t-shirts being sold to raise money to cover Salmon’s medical expenses.
Six other Iowans were recognized Wednesday for heroic actions that saved lives. Evan Scheck of Spirit Lake was honored for rescuing two boys who’d been swept into the Little Sioux River in early May of this year.
FORMER IOWA CONGRESSMAN JIM LEACH HAS DIED
Jim Leach, who represented Iowa in congress for 30 years, has died. Leach was born and raised in Davenport. He served in the U.S. House from 1977 to 2007 and rose to be the chairman of the powerful House Banking Committee. Leach, a Republican, endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 and Obama appointed Leach to be chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
