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(Podcast) KJAN News at 8:07-a.m., 12/17/21

News, Podcasts

December 17th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

More area and State News from Ric Hanson.

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(Podcast) KJAN News, 12/17/21

News, Podcasts

December 17th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The 7:06-a.m. broadcast of the latest area News from Ric Hanson.

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Wednesday’s storm now labeled a derecho

News, Weather

December 17th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The storm that roared across Iowa Wednesday has been categorized as a derecho. National Weather Service Meteorologist, Brook Hagenhoff, says it’s not exactly the same as the 2020 version. “Technically it would be a serial derecho — which is different than what we saw last year with the August 10th derecho — which is more of what we would call a progressive derecho,” she says. “Kind of the main difference is kind of how it formed.” She says the derecho this week had winds in the upper 80s — but was more spread out across the state. “The derecho that we had last summer in August really had kind of that narrow area that had that very strong 100, 100 plus, 120s even as you got out toward Cedar Rapids. So, that’s kind of the main difference between the two — is that really narrow and very intense band last year — compared to this one which was widespread high-end winds,” according to Hagenhoff.

There were several tornadoes with Wednesday’s storm — and Hagenhoff says the 2020 version also had them. “The one that occurred last August actually did have tornadoes towards the end of the duration of it in the Illinois area. So most of the tornados did not occur in the state of Iowa — they were later on in its lifetime. But, that is something we tend to see in derechos,” she says. Hagenhoff says timing is what makes a storm a derecho when compared to the common thunderstorm. “There’s a requirement for a wind threshold and it has to go for a certain number of miles across the area. Whereas, with a typical thunderstorm that you might have, there’s no requirement for it to last a certain amount of time,” Hagenhoff says.

She says you usually don’t see something like this in December. “This is an extremely rare event — especially for Iowa to have an event of this scale in December,” Hagenhoff says. “We certainly set records as far as temperatures and those temperatures were certainly part of the fuel for the thunderstorms that we had through the evening hours. So, we’re in rare territory with a system like this for sure. The Storm Prediction Center before the event had issued a moderate risk for Iowa — which is a level four out of five. And that was the first time in their history that Iowa had been at a moderate risk.”

NWS issues preliminary tornado assessment for Pottawattamie County Dec. 15 event

News, Weather

December 17th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Omaha/Valley, NE.) – Officials with the National Weather Service in Nebraska, late Thursday night, issued a report on their preliminary assessment of damage in Pottawattamie County from Wednesday’s tornado event.

A “narrow but strong tornado” that began at around 4:24-p.m. seven-miles southwest of Underwood, was rated an EF-2. It packed peak winds of 120 mph, was 50 yards wide, and traveled for 2.3 miles before ending five-miles southwest of Underwood.  The twister tracked along L-34 through Sherwood Country Estates before ending near Juniper Road. The maximum damage was sustained to a home in the Sherwood Estates, where a “Narrow tornado removed the majority of homes roof and damaged other nearby homes as well,” according to the Weather Service.

The second tornado was also an EF-2 that began two-miles east of Underwood and last for about five-minutes before ending two-miles north-northeast of Neola. It packed peak winds of 125 mph, was about 75-yards wide, and tracked for 6.7-miles.The narrow twister began producing damage near Mahogany Road and 290th Street at around 4:31-p.m., Wednesday, and tracked north-northeast into the southeast edge of Neola and caused intermittent damage near Railroad Highway, north of Neola.

The most significant damage was to a home along 290th Street, where the roof was removed and walls were blown out. A nearby garage was moved off its foundation, and approximately 10 mature trees and all uprooted behind the home, with substantial damage to hardwood trees in the front yard.

The narrow nature of the tornado, according to the NWS, was evident in the damage in the path, as nearby barns on the east of the track had low end damage, possibly owing to the significant forward speed of the twister. The tornado was seen briefly by the resident before they sought shelter. A business on the southeast side of Neola also had substantial damage to large metal buildings, at least two of which were destroyed.

Cedar Rapids hospitals cite rising Covid patient count, postpone elective surgeries

News

December 17th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The two hospitals in Cedar Rapids have postponed all elective surgeries that had scheduled through Christmas due to a rising number of Covid-19 patients. St. Luke’s and Mercy Hospitals in Cedar Rapids issued a joint statement, saying throughout the last few weeks there’s been a marked increase in patients with Covid who require inpatient care.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Covid patient count in all Iowa hospitals exceeded 800 this week, a record high for the year. The two Cedar Rapids hospitals say their staff are physically and emotionally exhausted as this fourth wave of Covid infections hits. The hospitals’ joint statement ended by urging people to get vaccinated, wear a mask in public and avoid large gatherings.

NE man arrested on drug charges in Glenwood

News

December 17th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Glenwood, Iowa) – A traffic stop at around 7:20-p.m. Thursday, in Glenwood, resulted in the arrest of a man on drug charges. 65-year-old Damon Lee Carmen, of Omaha, was arrested for three counts possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, and on two counts of failure to affix a drug tax stamp.

Damon Carmen (Mills County S/O photo)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports during the traffic stop, the Glenwood Police Department K9 “Zeke” was deployed around the vehicle for a narcotics sniff. Located in the vehicle was methamphetamine, marijuana, Xanax and drug paraphernalia.

Carmen was transported to the Mills County Jail and held on a $42,000 bond.

UPDATE: Truck driver killed in storm-related accident was from Council Bluffs

News

December 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Cedar Rapids) – In an update to our earlier report, the Iowa State Patrol late Thursday identified the driver of a semi who died in an eastern Iowa weather-related accident, as being from Pottawattamie County. 58-year-old Brian Jensen, from Council Bluffs, was driving a 2020 Freightliner semi was traveling south on Highway 151 in Benton County at around 8:30-p.m., Wednesday, when the truck/trailer was struck by a strong gust of wind and went out of control.

The vehicle rolled onto its side and came to rest in the east ditch. Jensen – who was not wearing a seat belt – died from his injuries. The accident remains under investigation. The State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Norway and Fairfax Fire Departments.

NWS: Atlantic tornado rated EF-2, traveled 26.1 miles

News, Weather

December 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the National Weather Service Thursday evening issued a preliminary assessment of the damage caused by a tornado the struck near Atlantic Wednesday evening. The report says an EF-2 tornado (“Atlantic tornado”) traveled approximately 26.1 miles, beginning from southwest of Atlantic at around 4:50-p.m. and continuing to  Exira before dissipating near Hamlin 5:08-p.m.

Atlantic Tornado data

The twister, which was captured on at least three video recordings, had estimated peak wind gusts of between 115-and 120 miles per hour. No injuries or deaths were attributed to the event. The Weather Service says also, they are investigating five tornadoes in Iowa: 4 were EF-2; 1 was an EF-unknown;2 twisters had paths 26-miles long. Additional tornadoes are likely to be confirmed as the data is analyzed.

Most speakers at governor’s budget hearing focus on tax policy

News

December 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Various interest groups lobbied for their preferred approach to tax changes during the hour-long virtual budget hearing Governor Kim Reynolds hosted this afternoon. Reynolds did not reveal her own plans, but made it clear she will propose tax cuts of some kind. “We’re not competitive. We’re not where we need to be,” Reynolds said. “I’m looking forward to working with the legislature and passing generational tax relief…and we absolutely should be moving in that direction.”

Chris Hagenow of Iowans for Tax Relief got the first speaking slot and called for “permanent reductions” in personal income tax rates. “Secondly, we think there’s an opportunity to make some progress on property taxes, specifically through a truth-in-taxation, direct notification system,” Hagenow said, “to give Iowans the tools to understand when their property taxes are going to be increased.”

A new Utah law requires citizens be notified when a city, county or school district intends to raise property taxes and be invited to a public hearing to voice concerns.

Some representatives of business groups urged the governor to cut corporate income taxes. Jessica Hyland of the Iowa Biotechnology Association urged Reynolds to maintain tax breaks for investors in start-up companies and the research and development tax credit for corporations. “We just hope you’ll kind of keep those in mind and keep those strong as you’re looking at overall tax reform,” Hyland said.

Others spoke in general terms, using phrases like” tax equity” for businesses. “AGC encourages tax policy that allows businesses to compete vigorously in worldwide market,” said Scott Newhard of the Associated General Contractors of Iowa

Sharon Presnall of the Iowa Bankers Association brought up the long-running dispute over the different ways banks and credit unions are taxed. “In the financial services sector, for example, we have vast difference in what financial service providers pay in income taxes,” she said, “and that inequity skews the competitive marketplace and it makes the task of delivering tax reform for all Iowans more difficult.”

Banks pay a state tax on their profits. Credit unions pay a state tax on their reserves. The Republican-led Senate voted to change that in 2018, but Republicans in the House — led by one of their own GOP members — rejected the idea.

Guard unit makes care packages for families

News

December 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Members of Sioux City’s 185th Iowa Air Guard refueling wing put together holiday care packages to send to the family members who have a member of the unit on deployment. Master Sergeant Stephanie Bowen says the 185th Family Readiness Office led the effort as a way to recognize the contributions made by family members during the holiday season.

“It isn’t just a member who is leaving — it also the family who is left behind and also taking on new roles,” she says. Bowen says every deployed member has already received care packages from other organizations and 185th wanted to use some of the many donated items to do something for the unit family members.

Putting together Care pkgs

“We have anything from your drink mixes to candy bars to toys. Carmel corn came from the Boy Scouts — which was amazing. We had toiletry items that were donated as well, so we were able to put those in those packages for the members’ families,” she says, “just to let them know that we are thinking about them at this time while their members are deployed.” They put together 50 packages that will be delivered to the families this week.