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Bagley man found dead near Yale Post Office

December 10, 2009 By

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s office says a 68-year old Bagley man died Wednesday from hypothermia and underlying medical conditions. Authorities report Bagley and Panora ambulance crews were dispatched at around 7:15 a.m. Wednesday to the Yale Post Office after receiving word a male subject was discovered outside of his truck in an alley near the building.

The postmaster discovered the unidentified man laying on the ground, with his truck door open. It’s estimated he’d been there for at least two hours. Officials say while the man likely died from hypothermia, he appears to have had other medical issues that contributed to his death. The man was taken to the Dallas County hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Contributed by Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

DOT urges motorists to continue to use caution on snowy roads

December 10, 2009 By

A spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Transportation says some challenges remain today as people get out and on the roadways following the storm. Dena Gray-Fisher says the massive snow drifts are the biggest problem now and motorists should remain cautious.

“The state highway system is going to be in pretty good shape that you’ll have some mobility to get around. It may not be as wide of lanes as you’re used to and we’ll have to get some of the shoulder still cleaned up but there’s still some concern about the rural roads,” Gray-Fisher says.

The D.O.T. had Highway Assistance Teams with National Guard troops on hand during the storm, but she says the teams have now been sent home. She says they’ll go back to normal operations, things that will happen, you call 9-1-1 and state patrol or your local law enforcement would assist.

Gray-Fisher says the D.O.T.’s big blowers are arriving today which will be used to clear out the big snow drifts. For updated road conditions dial 5-1-1 or visit 511ia.com.

Filed Under: Weather Tagged With:

Mason City man dies while clearing snow

December 10, 2009 By

A Mason City man has died while removing snow with a snowblower during yesterday’s blizzard. Emergency teams were called to the north side of Mason City about 10:40 Wednesday morning.

Seventy-year-old Gordon Kennison was found dead by someone passing by the residence. Cerro Gordo County deputy medical examiner Doctor Steven Betz says that Kennison died of a heart attack shortly before being found.

By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Harkin says Nebraska Senator is all over map on abortion

December 10, 2009 By

The U.S. Senate has rejected a proposed amendment to the health care reform bill that would outlaw federal funding for abortions. Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, a Democrat, says he’ll vote against the final health care bill because of the abortion issue. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, also a Democrat and a strong supporter of the health care bill, says his colleague is inconsistent.

“We have had a consistent policy of no federal funding for abortions, we’ve all lived with that for many years,” Harkin says. “I think we have a basic understanding in this country of where we are on that issue. To the extent that Senator Nelson wants to change that, he’s out of the mainstream.”

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Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,

Bitter cold replaces blowing snow

December 10, 2009 By

Iowans are digging out their vehicles and homes after the past few days of heavy snow and deep drifts. Today’s big challenge is the extreme cold as the entire state is under a Wind Chill Advisory. National Weather Service meteorologist Miles Schumacher says temperatures in many parts of the state are below zero.

He says the winds have lightened up a little bit overnight so the wind chills aren’t as bad as they could be, but they’re still running about 20-below zero, so people should bundle up. Some areas are seeing wind chills run as low as 30-below.

Schumacher says the advisories run through 9 and 10 o’clock across much of the state.

He says the winds should lessen up the closer we get to the noon hour as temperatures rebound slightly, bringing wind chills between zero and ten-below. High temps today statewide are expected to range from the single-digits to the teens, with some 20s in southeast Iowa. Schumacher says no significant snowfall is in the immediate forecast.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Weather

Workplace deaths in Iowa increased 4 in 2008

December 10, 2009 By

A report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the number of Iowans who died while on the job increased last year. Bureau spokesman Paul LaPorte says the number of people who died on the job went up by four in 2008. He says there were 89 workplace fatalities in 2007 and that edged up to 93 in 2008.

LaPorte says the most Iowa deaths — 29 — happened in crashes while workers were driving vehicles. People being struck by an object, non-highway transportation incidents and falls were the other top categories for worker deaths. LaPorte says the ag industry was on top when narrowing down the deaths by industry.

LaPorte says 27 of the deaths in Iowa workplaces happened in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector, which was the largest number for an industry. That was followed by 19 deaths in the construction industry. Overall, men accounted for 97-percent of the work-related fatalities in the state. LaPorte says Rhode Island and Vermont has the lowest number of workplace fatalities in 2008, while Texas had the most.

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters Tagged With:

Mail delivery may be delayed until streets are cleared of snow

December 10, 2009 By
Snow covered mailbox.

Snow covered mailbox.

Wednesday’s blizzard blocked mail carriers from delivering letters and packages to thousands of Iowa households and businesses.

Postal Service spokesman Richard Watkins says plows were unable to reach side streets in many cities and highway and interstate closures delayed mail delivery to the primary sorting centers in Sioux City, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Human Interest
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