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Gas leak causes evacuation at FD hotel

A Fort Dodge hotel was evacuated Friday afternoon when a broken pipe allowed a high concentration of natural gas to flow into the building. The gas leak happened at the Cobblestone Inn & Suites at 523 Kirkberg Blvd. on the east side of the city. Fire Department Capt. Jeff Hill said a gas meter outside the building was hit by a lawn mower, which caused a gas pipe inside the building to break. That released gas into the building. The hotel staff evacuated the building. MidAmerican Energy and the Fire Department were called. Hill said firefighters using air monitoring devices found ...

Dolliver park road is closed

LEHIGH — The road through Dolliver Memorial State Park is closed for a major road repaving project, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. The closure includes the campgrounds, cabins, lodges, shelters, and picnic areas. Additionally, boaters on the Des Moines River will not be able to access the boat ramp in the park as the road into the park is closed for repaving. The project is expected to last several weeks, depending on weather.

Insulation smolders at Dayton Elementary

DAYTON — A plumbing job at the Dayton Elementary School started some insulation smoldering Monday afternoon. The incident was reported at 1:34 p.m. and the building was evacuated. Dayton Fire Chief Luke Hainzinger said a worker was soldering a pipe inside a concrete wall and some insulation began smoldering. He said firefighters “put a little bit of water in the cavity of the concrete wall just to be on the safe side.” “There was no real fire damage,” he said. Hainzinger said he expected the building to be open as usual today.

Part of South 12th Street is closed

A two-block stretch of South 12th Street has been closed temporarily. South 12th Street between Second and Fourth avenues south are closed for a storm sewer project. Detours have been posted.

Trees, Pesky Bugs, Lawn and Disease Program is Thursday

Webster County Extension will hold a Trees, Pesky Bugs, Lawn and Disease Program on 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at Webster County Extension, 822 Central Ave., Suite 102. Preregistration is preferred. To preregister go to https://go.iastate.edu/ENAS6L. Please send questions ahead of time by contacting ISU Extension and Outreach, Webster County at 515-576-2119 or email Linda Cline at lcline@iastate.edu. Join us to address whatever you are seeing in your yard, garden, trees, or pests invading your home that our experts in extension will be able to help guide how to best respond to those ...

Part of South 12th Street to be closed

A two-block stretch of South 12th Street will be closed beginning today. South 12th Street between Second and Fourth avenues south will be closed for a storm sewer project. Detours have been posted.