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Minnesota man, Nebraska woman die in separate incidents

January 25, 2010 By

The body of a rural Elmore Minnesota man was found in a ditch in northern Iowa over the weekend. Kossuth County Sheriff Steve Kollasch reports that the victim is identified as 86-year-old Kenneth Eldon Reed. Reed was apparently driving to his farm late Saturday when he became stuck in a snowdrift, he tried to scoop the vehicle out but then started walking to get help, about three-quarters of a mile from his farm, he collapsed into a ditch and died.

Sheriff Kollasch says an autopsy is being conducted to determine the cause of death, no foul play is suspected at this time. The body was seen by a passing motorist at 8:25 AM Sunday on 480th Street in Hebron Township east of U-S Highway 169, some three miles south of Elmore which is on the Iowa/Minnesota border.

A Nebraska teenager was killed in a car crash in central Iowa on Sunday night. Police in the Des Moines suburb of Windsor Heights identify the victim as 19-year-old Lindsay Swanson of Kearney, Nebraska. Investigators say Swanson was driving the car that lost control about 11 P.M.  on Interstate 235.

The car reportedly vaulted off a bridge rail and landed on its top underneath the freeway. It had been snowing. Police say speed and the road conditions may have played a role in the crash, though the cause is still under investigation.

 Chuck Shockley, KLGA, Algona also contributed to this story.

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Names of Clinton fire victims released

January 25, 2010 By

Authorities in the eastern Iowa town of Clinton are releasing the names of the victims of a weekend housefire. The four victims in the Friday night fire are identified as six-year-old Tyler Wade and three-year-old Patrick Molitor and their mother, Tonya Molitor, and Francine Molitor.

They died in the Friday night fire in Clinton. One person, Deb Molitor, escaped from the home. The boys were students at one of the elementary schools and special preparations are being made the school to provide assistance to the staff and students. The investigation into the fire is continuing although investigators say it looks accidental in nature.

They also said there were no working smoke detectors in the home. The state medical examiners office will be conducting autopsies on the victims.

By Dave Vickers, KROS, Clinton

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

More winter weather hitting Iowa today

January 25, 2010 By

Iowans are starting the work week with a batch of foul weather advisories. Forecasters say one to four more inches of snow will fall today over a wide section of Iowa, primarily the western two-thirds of the state. Some areas of the state still have more than two feet of snow on the ground. Craig Cogil, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, says a Wind Advisory is now posted.

Cogil says strong winds of 25 to 30 miles an hour will be felt today, with gusts up to 45 miles an hour. The wind will be blowing that new snow around and reducing visibility for motorists to less than a mile, which is why Cogil says a Winter Weather Advisory is also posted. Cogil says the week ahead promises to bring more cold air into the state.

He says it won’t warm up much from this point out, with highs only expected in the teens and 20s all week. Also this morning, 14 counties in east, central and southeast Iowa are under a Flood Warning — for cities including: Clinton, Davenport, Iowa City, Burlington and Keokuk. For details, visit the National Weather Service website.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Weather

Iowa breaks road loss streak with win over Indiana

January 25, 2010 By

The Iowa Hawkeyes led nearly the entire game a pulled away midway through the second half in a 58-43 win at Indiana in Big Ten play. Iowa dominated the boards by outrebounding the Hoosiers 39-23 but Iowa coach Todd Lickliter says it was defense that set the tone. Lickliter says it’s easy to come up with a game plan, but a lot hard to defend it.

The victory snapped an 11 game road losing streak and the Hawks had lost their last 15 overall away from home. Lickliter says they were “joyous” as it is hard enough to win at home, and is particularly hard to win on the road.

Aaron Fuller led Iowa with 13 points Jaryd Cole added 11 points and 10 rebounds. Fuller says they have been focused on shots and have been hitting them lately and they came in and executed what they did in practice.

Cole says it is a big win for the Hawks. He says it is great to get a Big 10 road win and they want to carry the momentum over and get another victory. Iowa is now 2-5 in the Big Ten and 8-12 overall.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

Exira woman dies in accident

January 25, 2010 By

An Audubon County woman died Sunday when the pickup she was driving crashed into a ditch off Interstate 80 in Pottawattamie County. The accident happened at around 5:15P.M.

The Patrol says a 2005 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 61-year old Linda Baylis, of Exira, was traveling east on I-80 near the Neola exit, when it went off the road and rolled several times before coming to rest on its top, in the east ditch.

The road was 100% ice-and-snow covered at the time. Authorities say Baylis, who died at the scene, was not wearing a seatbelt.

By Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Summit focuses on renewable fuels

January 25, 2010 By

Supporters of the renewable fuels industry are gathering in Des Moines today for an annual summit. The day-long event comes at a time when biodiesel production in the state has grinded to a near halt. Monte Shaw with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association  blames Congress for failing to reauthorize the biodiesel excise tax credit that expired on December 31.

“There’s no real opposition to it, they just quite frankly didn’t get it done. It has caused plants to shut down and it has forced layoffs,” Shaw said. At the end of 2009, eight of Iowa’s 15 biodiesel plants were operating at some capacity. Shaw says since the lapse of the tax credit, only two plants are operating at what he calls a “trickle rate.”

When they are operating at full capacity, each biodiesel plant employs 20 to 30 people. Shaw believes policy changes at the state level could help place the biodiesel industry on the road to recovery. Those changes might include a B-5 diesel standard – requiring all diesel fuel sold in Iowa to contain 5% biodiesel.

“At that level, it’s still diesel fuel. There’s no operability issues, so it’s pretty straight forward,” Shaw said. “Yet, that base line level of demand that it would create for local producers would help them cash flow through some of these tough times.” Minnesota is one state that has the B-5 standard in place. Shaw says Iowa remains the top producer of both ethanol and biodiesel, but is on the brink of losing the biodiesel status.

Iowa ethanol production hit a record 3.1 billion gallons in 2009. Shaw says all 39 of Iowa’s ethanol plants are up and running. A study released today by Shaw’s organization claims Iowa’s renewable fuels industry accounted for nearly 8% of the state’s Gross Domestic Product last year and boosted state tax revenue by $532 million.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, Environment & Conservation

DNR looks for help in tracking bald eagles

January 25, 2010 By

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is looking for some help in keeping track of the resurgent bald eagle population. There was only one known eagle nest in the state in 1977, but efforts to bring them back have worked. D.N.R. wildlife biologist Stephanie Sheppard says those efforts have made it tougher to keep track of the birds.

Sheppard says in the 1990′s there were 50 to 75 nests and the D.N.R. could keep track of them, but now that number is around 254 and the D.N.R. doesn’t have the staff to keep track of them. She says they’re asking for people to adopt one of 54 eagle nests and monitor them.

Sheppard says that will give them data they can rely on year-to-year. She says they are particularly interested in if the nest is active, and if there are young birds. Eagles only nest once a year, so it is important to see how the nests are doing. Sheppard says they want to see the bird continue to flourish. She says eagles are doing great, but they want to be sure they stay that way and keep an eye on them. Sheppard encourages anyone who is interested to check out it out.

You can call Sheppard at 515-432-2823, or you can go to the D.N.R. website and see where the nests are located. Go to iowadnr.gov and use the non-game link. The D.N.R. has scheduled three training workshops in Jasper, Woodbury and Page counties for those who’re interested.

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation Tagged With:
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