BLACK HAWK COUNTY WAS ON THE PERIPHERY OF MONDAY’S WIND STORM WHICH CAUSED WIDESPREAD PROPERTY AND CROP DAMAGE. ALTHOUGH THE WORST OF THE STORM WENT SOUTH, BLACK HAWK COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR LORI GLOVER SAYS THE EFFECTS STRETCHED MUCH FARTHER DURING THE FIRST PART OF THIS WEEK. WEDNESDAY IN WATERLOO, MANY BUSINESSES RETURNED TO ROUTINE OPERATIONS AFTER INTERNET AND PHONE SERVICE WAS RESTORED. AS OF THIS MORNING, MORE THAN 200 THOUSAND ALLIANT OR MID-AMERICAN ENERGY CUSTOMERS WERE STILL WITHOUT POWER IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.
WATERLOO LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES ARE OFFICIALLY CONNECTING A VEHICLE THEFT, A POLICE, CHASE, AND A MOTEL ROBBERY. ALL OF THAT HAPPENED EARLIER THIS MONTH. JOSHUA OSTDAHL IS FACING CHARGES AND WAS ALREADY IN CUSTODY FOR THE ROBBERY AT WATERLOO’S MOTEL 6 LOCATION NEAR HIGHWAY 63. BEFORE THAT INCIDENT, POLICE ALLEGE THAT OSTDAHL HAD STOLEN A PICKUP TRUCK AND ELUDED A POLICE PURSUIT FROM RURAL BLACK HAWK COUNTY INTO WATERLOO. HE THREATENED A MOTEL EMPLOYEE WITH A KNIFE AND STOLE PROPERTY FROM THE MOTEL OFFICE BEFORE BEING ARRESTED LATER ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 3RD.
IOWA STATE HAS FINALIZED ITS ADJUSTED FOOTBALL SCHEDULE. IN ADDITION TO NINE GAMES AGAINST BIG 12 OPPONENTS, THE CYCLONES WILL HOST LOUISIANA ON SEPTEMBER 12TH. THAT SEASON OPENER AGAINST THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS IS NOW IOWA STATE’S ONLY NON-CONFERENCE MATCH UP.
CORNFIELDS IN THE PATH OF MONDAY’S DERECHO ARE IN A VULNERABLE RECOVERY STAGE. DUSTIN HOFFMAN OF THE IOWA AGRIBUSINESS RADIO NETWORK PROVIDED THIS ASSESSMENT DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. BEFORE THE STORM, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAD FORECAST A RECORD NATIONAL CORN CROP THIS YEAR. EARLIER THIS WEEK, IOWA AG OFFICIALS ESTIMATED THAT AS MUCH AS A THIRD OF THE STATE’S CROPLAND WAS AFFECTED BY THE STORM, WHICH INCLUDED 100 MILE PER HOUR WINDS IN SOME PLACES.
ENHANCEMENTS TO THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY 911 SYSTEM PROVIDED A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO REPORT EMERGENCIES EARLIER THIS WEEK, EVEN WHILE LANDLINE AND CELL PHONE SERVICE EXPERIENCED STORM-RELATED DISRUPTIONS. LORI GLOVER IS THE COUNTY’S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR. GLOVER SAYS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE WORST OF MONDAY’S STORM MISSED THE CEDAR VALLEY, IT IS A REMINDER TO TAKE BASIC PREPAREDNESS STEPS FOR ANY CIRCUMSTANCE WHEN COMMUNICATION SERVICES ARE LIMITED. HEAR MORE AT KXEL.COM.
ALCOHOL MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO SEVERAL FAKE EMERGENCY CALLS THIS WEEK. POLICE ALLEGE THAT A 23-YEAR-OLD WATERLOO MAN DIALED 911 AND CLAIMED HE WAS THE TARGET OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS THREE TIMES FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. JOSEPH BURRIS WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY FOR THE PURPORTEDLY PHONY REPORTS AND IS ALSO CHARGED WITH PUBLIC INTOXICATION.
SENATOR JONI ERNST WAS A GUEST THIS MORNING DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH THE STATE AHEAD OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, ERNST SAID SHE WANTS TO HEAR FROM IOWANS FIRSTHAND. ERNST SAYS THAT EVEN WHILE SHE IS ON THE ROAD, SHE HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN CONFERENCE CALLS WITH SENATE LEADERS ABOUT THE CONTINUING IMPASSE OVER THE MOST RECENT COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE. HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEW AT KXEL.COM.
THE REMNANTS OF TREES TORN DOWN BY MONDAY’S WIND STORM REMAIN SCATTERED ACROSS YARDS AND PROPERTY THROUGHOUT CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA. LINN COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE REMINDING CEDAR RAPIDS, MARION, AND HIAWATHA RESIDENTS THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO BURN THOSE DOWNED BRANCHES WITHIN CITY LIMITS. INSTEAD TREE LIMBS SHOULD BE CUT TO TEN FEET OR LESS AND STACKED NEAR THE CURB FOR PICKUP. OTHER STORM DEBRIS SHOULD BE STACKED SEPARATELY. IN RURAL LINN COUNTY, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS WAIVING MANY OPEN BURNING RULES THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
MERCYONE MEDICAL FACILITIES IN WATERLOO ARE RECEIVING ASSISTANCE PAYING FOR THE INFLATED COSTS OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTHEAST IOWA IS SENDING $5,000 TO THE MEDICAL GROUP FOR SURGICAL MASKS. IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19, MERCY ONE SAYS MASKS COST 18 TIMES MORE THAN THEY DID BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
