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Head-On Crash Sends Teen To Hospital

Rock Valley, Iowa — A Rock Valley teen was taken to the hospital after an accident near Rock Valley on Monday, January 19th.
Ambulance Front Generic
The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office reports that about 5:40 PM, 15-year-old Joel Baartman of Rock Valley was driving a 2003 Buick Century eastbound on Highway 18, two miles east of Rock Valley. Fifty-four-year-old Kelly Miller of Urbandale was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Impala westbound on Highway 18.

The report says Baartman crossed the centerline and struck the Miller Chevy. Both vehicles then entered the north ditch where Baartman’s vehicle rolled.

The Rock Valley Ambulance transported Baartman to Hegg Memorial Hospital in Rock Valley.

The Buick and Chevy sustained approximately $8,000 in damages, each.

Baartman was charged with driving on the wrong side of highway.

The Rock Valley Fire Department and the Rock Valley Ambulance crew assisted the Sheriff’s Office.

Slick Roads Cause Rollover Injuring Three

Sheldon, Iowa — Three people from Worthington were taken to hospitals after an accident near Sheldon.
SCAT Front & Right Side
The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office reports that about 6:30 AM on Monday, January 19, 2015, 33 -year-old Abraham Ramos was driving a 2007 Chrysler southbound on Highway 60, about a mile north of Sheldon.

According to the report, Ramos said that the roads got very slick. He says that he was following a semi tractor, which slowed down. Ramos says he attempted to slow down also, but lost control on the ice. The minivan entered the median and rolled. A rear passenger was thrown from the vehicle. The vehicle came to rest on the northbound lanes of Highway 60.

The Sheldon Community Ambulance Team took two passengers – 37-year-old Savina Ramos, and 23-year-old Alex Ramirez-Sandoval — to Sanford Sheldon. SCAT transported another passenger, 59-year-old Pedro Magana to Mercy Hospital in Sioux City. They report his injuries were quite serious.

Ramos’ Chrysler sustained $4500 in damages.

He was charged with driving without a license and no proof of insurance.

The Sheldon Fire Company, SCAT, and Sheldon EMA assisted at the scene.

Sibley Gains Manufacturer

Sibley, Iowa — A Minnesota company that makes gun accessories and ammunition is relocating to northwest Iowa. Capital Armament Company is moving from Mendota Heights, a suburb on the southern side of the Twin Cities, to Sibley. Mike Earll, the director of the Osceola County Economic Development Commission, says the company started moving its operations into a rented facility in Sibley on January 5th.
Sibley Water Tower

(as said) “They’re taking some time to get things set up and ready to go and then their hope is to actually be back in production the first part of February or even, if things go well, then end of January here yet,” Earll says.

This fall, the company will move from the temporary space and into a new, eight-thousand-square-foot facility in the Osceola County Industrial Park. Capital Armament makes “specialized ammunition” with “smokeless gunpowder,” according to Earll.


(as said) “What they do is they provide this high-quality ammunition for professional shooting contests as well as for law enforcement personnel and that type of thing,” Earll says.

Six people, including the company’s three owners, will work at the rental facility when it gets up and running within the next few weeks. Within three years, the firm’s owners hope to employ about three dozen people at the facility in Sibley.

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Thirty-One People Charged With Alcohol Violations Near Hospers

Hospers, Iowa — Thirty one people were cited when the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office broke up a party on Saturday, January 17.
Sioux Sheriff Car 84-
The Sheriff’s Office reports that in the 11 PM hour, they investigated a Text-a-Tip report of underage drinking going on at a home in the 4400 mile of 395th Street, a half mile west of Hospers.

Upon further investigation the sheriff’s office found a large gathering at that location. The officers charged 31 people with unlawful possession of alcohol.

One of the people charged was transported to Sanford Sheldon Hospital by the Hospers Ambulance for treatment of injuries sustained in a fall.

The Iowa State Patrol, Orange City Police Department and the Hospers Ambulance crew assisted deputies on the scene.

Fire In Greenville Causes Extensive Damage To Home

Greenville, Iowa — A fire in Greenville on Monday, January 19th caused extensive damage to a home there.
FD fire lightbar
The Royal Fire Department reports that they were called to a fire and responded along with The Webb and Dickens Fire Departments, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Spencer Hospital Ambulance, just before 2 PM.

When fire fighters got there, they reported heavy fire on the house.

Fire Crews were on scene until after 11:00 PM Monday night watching for hot spots and knocking down any remaining fire. Over 22,000 gals of water was shuttled by fire department tanker trucks into the scene to fight the fire.

The house suffered extensive damage due to the fire. An excavator was called in to remove any remaining steel roof.

The Red Cross has been contacted to help the family.

Employees Able To Keep Damage To A Minimum In Vogel Paint Fire

Orange City, Iowa – Fire crews were called to a fire at the Vogel Paint factory in Orange City on Tuesday, January 20th, but employees were able to keep the damage to a minimum.
Orange City Fire OCFD Engine 60
According to Orange City Fire Chief Denny Vander Wel, about 11:30 AM, the Orange City Fire Department was called to the report of fire in the aerosol department at Vogel Paint.

The chief says some fire fighters who are also employees reported lots of smoke. He says the fire was actually outside of the building – in the pump that pumps propellant into the paint cans.

Vander Wel says employees had used extinguishers to fight the fire, and it was basically out by the time the fire department arrived. Vander Wel says fire crews helped with overhaul.

He reports that one employee sustained minor burns in the fire.

The Alton Fire Department responds to all structure fires in Orange City, and vice versa, so they responded as well. Vander Well says he also asked for the Sioux Center and Le Mars Fire Departments to be put on standby just in case.

He says the cause of the fire is being investigated.

He says crews were on scene for 45 minutes, and no damage estimate is available.