CEDAR FALLS Iowa (KCRG) – Cedar Falls Fire Department Fire Captain Brad Sherwood passed away at his home Friday at the age of 56. Sherwood joined the department in 1997 as a volunteer. He was hired as a firefighter in 2001 and achieved the rank of captain in 2009. He was awarded the Fire Department’s Fire Officer of the Year for 2015. Those who worked with Sherwood acknowledged his leadership and love for his job in a press release: “Captain Sherwood was an outstanding leader and even better person. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like Brad. He was a pleasure to work with and he always created a family atmosphere on his shift. His skillset will be missed – and be hard to replace” Fire Chief John Zolondek. “Captain Sherwood was a caring and passionate leader. He always brought out the best in his team. He loved his job, always had a smile on his face, and will be missed by many in our community” Director of Public Safety Craig Berte. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (KWQC/KCRG) – Multiple fire crews battled a large fire at the Rock Island Livestock Auction Saturday. Rock Island Fire Marshal Greg Marty said firefighters responded at 5:37 p.m. to 534 34th Ave., and found the fire spread throughout the buildings and barns, encompassing about 200 yards of land. Fire crews were initially overwhelmed, requesting additional resources from several other local fire departments, he said. Marty said there is no determined cause of the fire at this time. He said crews have been in contact with the building owner and believe everyone is accounted for with no injuries. Twenty-three animals have been accounted for, but one died and another was at large, Marty said Saturday night. Over the next several days, fire crews will be closely monitoring the hay that is currently burning. Officials are asking the public to avoid the area near 31st Avenue and 9th Street, along with any side roads leading into the area. Crews are blocking off roads in order to allow fire personnel access to the scene. Surrounding agencies assisted with putting out the fire, including Colona, Buffalo, Coal Valley, among others. MidAmerican Energy officials said after consulting with the fire department, they switched off the circuit that provided service to around 1,100 customers in the area. MidAmerican officials also said they are down to about 800 as crews continue rerouting circuits, however, the fire department has asked MidAmerican to expand the area to keep de-energized for safety reasons.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office announced the Mississippi River Bridge in Lansing will be closed until further notice due to structural concerns on Sunday, February 25. The bridge, also known as the Black Hawk Bridge, connects Lansing, Iowa to Wisconsin. Officials say they decided to close the bridge after noticing ‘some slight movement’. Officials say they will inspect the bridge to determine if it is structurally sound starting on Monday, February, 26. In the meantime, officials urge motorists to use alternate routes such as crossing through Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin or La Crescent, Minnesota until the bridge is deemed safe.
WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG) – We’ve had unseasonably warm temperatures all month long and now people in Waterloo have more chances to enjoy some time outdoors. On Saturday, the city opened all three of its golf courses for the season. City officials say they opened the courses more than a month earlier than they did last year. The three courses are Gates Park, Irv Warren Memorial, and South Hills.
