A MEMBER OF SIOUX CITY'S 185TH AIR REFUELING WING HAS DIED IN AN OFF DUTY ACCIDENT IN PUERTO RICO.

AUTHORITES SAY 49 YEAR OLD CORY MILDENSTEIN OF SIOUX CITY DROWNED WEDNESDAY WHILE SWIMMING IN THE OCEAN WITH OTHER GUARD MEMBERS.
  

MILDENSTEIN WAS DEPLOYED TO PUERTO RICO ON A MISSION WITH A CIVIL ENGINEERS UNIT. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY SERVED A SIX MONTH TOUR IN AFGHANISTAN. THE GUARD MEMBERS WERE SCHEDULED TO RETURN HOME THIS SATURDAY.

SIOUX CITY'S CRITTENTON CENTER HAS RECEIVED A FINANCIAL BOOST FROM THE ARGOSY RIVERBOAT CASINO.

GENERAL MANAGER LANCE GEORGE PRESENTED THE CENTER WITH A 20-THOUSAND DOLLAR CHECK TO HELP FUND CRITTENTON PROGRAMS:

   
CRITTENTON CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARIAN BURNETT SAYS THE MONEY WILL HELP FUND SEVERAL PROGRAMS:

THE CENTER ALSO PROVIDES AN EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR CHILDREN WHO NEED A PLACE TO STAY AND OFFERS SERVICES TO HELP SIOUXLAND HOMELESS.

A SIOUX CITY ICON HAS PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 84.  GERRY GOULETTE DIED MONDAY AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL.

HE WAS BETTER KNOWN TO SIOUX CITY AS "AL JOLSON" AND ENTERTAINED PEOPLE AROUND BARS IN TOWN FOR DECADES.

MIKE SAVIOLA, OWNER OF "BUFFALO ALICE",  WAS ONE OF AL'S CLOSE FRIENDS WHO FIRST MET HIM WHEN HE WALKED INTO B.A'S ONE NIGHT AROUND 35 YEARS AGO:

AL WOULD LITERALLY WALK FROM BAR TO BAR ACROSS THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, INTO THE STOCKYARDS TO PERFORM, AND WAS WELCOMED BY EVERY ESTABLISHMENT:

AL WAS ALSO A FIXTURE IN THE ANNUAL RIVER CADE PARADE, WHERE HE WOULD WEAR AN "UNCLE SAM" SUIT AND SING AND STRUM HIS UKELELE AS HE WALKED THE PARADE ROUTE. HE AND SAVIOLA ALSO ENTERTAINED SIOUXLANDERS IN LOCAL MARDI GRAS PARADES.

SAVIOLA  SAYS AL JOLSON WAS ONE OF A KIND, AND WE'LL NEVER SEE ANYONE LIKE HIM  AGAIN IN SIOUX CITY.  

A DISCARDED CIGARETTE IS LIKELY TO BLAME FOR A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON HOUSE FIRE IN LEMARS.

SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE HOME ON 2ND AVENUE SOUTHEAST WHEN FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED AROUND 1PM.

FIRE CHIEF DAVE SCHIPPER SAYS THE FIRE APPARENTLY STARTED UNDER THE FRONT PORCH, AFTER A CIGARETTE BUTT FELL THROUGH A CRACK IN THE FLOOR.

DRY LEAVES AND OTHER MATERIAL UNDER THE PORCH STARTED BURNING. SCHIPPER SAYS DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL AND THE RESIDENTS ESCAPED SAFELY.