LOCAL OFFICIALS PREPARE FOR H1N1 VIRUS

SIOUX CITY—EMERGENCY WORKERS IN SIOUX CITY AND WOODBURY COUNTY ARE TRYING TO PREPARE FOR THE NEW H-ONE N-ONE INFLUENZA A VIRUS, FORMERLY KNOWN AS SWINE FLU.
FRAN SADDEN, WITH THE SIOUXLAND DISTRICT HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SAYS THERE ARE TWO PROBABLE CASES OF THIS VIRUS IN IOWA.
SHE SAYS THE EMERGENCY OPERATING CENTER WILL BE MOBILIZED IF THE SWINE [...]

CUTS AT COUNTY EXTENSIONS

SIOUX CITY—ALL IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION DIRECTOR POSITIONS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED AFTER THE UNIVERSITY RECEIVED A 4.1-MILLION CUT FROM THE LEGISLATURE.
JACK PAYNE VICE PRESIDENT AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY FOR ENTENSION AND OUTREACH SAYS THE JOBS OF 97 COUNTY EXTENSION DIRECTORS WILL NOW BE DONE BY 20 REGIONAL EXTENSION DIRECTORS.
PAYNE SAYS THE 20 DIRECTORS WILL PERFORM [...]

SIOUX CITY TEEN ARRESTED FOR TERRORISM

SIOUX CITY—A SIOUX CITY TEEN HAS BEEN ARRESTED AFTER A BOMB THREAT FORCED STUDENTS TO EVACUATE SCHOOL THURSDAY MORNING.
SIOUX CITY POLICE SERGEANT DAN FRALEY SAYS THE THREAT WAS CALLED INTO EAST HIGH SCHOOL AROUND 7:30.
THE SCHOOL WAS EVACUATED AND SEARCHED.
AFTER THE BUILDING WAS CLEARED, STUDENTS AND FACULTY WERE ALLOWED BACK INTO THE BUILDING.
AN INVESTIGATION LED [...]

MIDAMERICAN #1 IN WIND ENERGY

SIOUXLAND—SIOUX CITY’S POWER SOURCE HAS BEEN NAMED THE NATIONAL LEADER IN WIND DEVELOPMENT.
THE AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION SAYS MIDAMERICAN ENERGY IS NUMBER ONE SINCE THEY OWN AND OPERATE NEARLY 13-HUNDRED MEGAWATTS OF WIND GENERATION AT EIGHT PROJECTS IN IOWA.
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER MARK REINDERS SAYS WIND ENERGY IS GOOD FOR THE ENVIROMENT AND GOOD FOR CUSTOMERS.
HE SAYS [...]

NO SWINE FLU IN SOUTH DAKOTA

SIOUX FALLS—The South Dakota Health Department says 21 influenza specimens tested negative for swine flu on Tuesday as health officials keep watch for any sign of the virus.
The department says it expects another 100 specimens for testing on Wednesday. Two suspected cases tested negative on Monday, and Lon Kightlinger, the state epidemiologist, says he hopes [...]

AYALA TO SPEND EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON

SIOUX CITY—A FORT DODGE FELON INVOLVED WITH STOLEN FIREARMS WAS SENTENCED IN SIOUX CITY MONDAY TO OVER EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON.
30 YEAR OLD RICKY AYALA RECEIVED THE TERM AFTER ADMITTING HE RECEIVED AND POSSESSED AT LEAST ONE OF FOUR RIFLES STOLEN FROM A GUN DEALER IN FORT DODGE.
HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THE THEFT OF [...]

POSSIBLE SWINE FLU IN SOUTH DAKOTA

PIERRE—South Dakota Health Department officials say they are investigating two suspected cases of swine flu, but they urged people to use common sense and seek medical care only if seriously ill. Both people with suspected cases of swine flu are adults and recently traveled to Mexico, where 1,600 infections have been reported. The state is [...]

SAME-SEX MARRIAGES IN SIOUX CITY

SIOUX CITY—ELEVEN COUPLES APPLIED FOR A MARRIAGE LICENSE MONDAY AT THE WOODBURY COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND SEVEN OF THOSE COUPLES WERE OF THE SAME SEX.
WOODBURY COUNTY AUDITOR/RECORDER PAT GILL SAYS THE COUPLES SEEMED THRILLED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MARRY THEIR PARTNER.
LISTEN HERE
GILL SAYS HE RECEIVED SEVEN DIFFERENT SETS OF PETITIONS DELIVERED TO HIS OFFICE, ASKING [...]

NUMBER OF SWINE FLU CASES ON THE RISE

SIOUX CITY—BACK IN THE 1970′S, PUBLIC CLINICS WERE HELD FOR SWINE FLU SHOTS AND NOW A DIFFERENT STRAIN OF THE VIRUS HAS HIT NORTH AMERICA.
SIOUXLAND DISTRICT HEALTH SPOKESMAN CHUCK CIPPERLY SAYS ROUGHLY 40 CASES OF THE SWINE FLU HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED IN THE UNITED STATES.
HE SAYS NONE OF THE CASES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN IOWA.
LISTEN [...]

SIOUX FALLS MAN DIES IN IRAQ

SIOUX FALLS—The U.S. Defense Department says an Army soldier from Sioux Falls died Saturday after being shot near Kirkuk, Iraq. The Defense Department says 28-year-old Sgt. Leroy O. Webster was shot while on a dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division out [...]