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Iowa DOT offices will be closed on Memorial Day

News

May 17th, 2021 by admin

AMES, Iowa – May 17, 2021 – All Iowa Department of Transportation business locations will be closed Monday, May 31, in honor of Memorial Day.

Iowa DOT driver’s license service centers
All Iowa DOT driver’s license service centers will be closed Saturday, May 29, and Monday, May 31 (offices are normally closed on Mondays). The service centers will resume operations Tuesday, June 1, at 8:30 a.m.

Many people may be able to complete driver’s license business online at www.iowadot.gov or at one of the conveniently located self-service kiosks. Kiosk users should check the host location’s holiday schedule to determine hours and availability.

For service at one of our locations, an appointment is required and can be set up through our website.

Special note to motor carriers
If commercial vehicle operators need services from the Iowa DOT immediately following the Memorial Day weekend, the Iowa DOT highly recommends that commercial vehicle operators plan several days in advance. For commercial vehicle operators needing oversize/overweight permits for travel in Iowa on Tuesday, June 1, they should submit the permit request and attain approval prior to 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 28.

No movements of oversize/overweight loads will be permitted in Iowa from noon Friday, May 28 until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on Tuesday, June 1.

Because the permit center typically experiences a heavy workload on the day following the holiday, customers are urged to submit applications for oversize/overweight permits, especially those more than 156,000 pounds, several days before needing the permit.

John Deere program helps Nigerian farmers succeed during ‘hunger season’

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 17th, 2021 by admin

Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer is being recognized for the success of its farming education program in Nigeria. Quad Cities-based John Deere partnered with a non-profit and local farmers on the Rayuwa (RAY-oh-wuh) project last year, which aims to teach Nigerian farmers better agricultural techniques. Out of more than four-thousand applicants, Fast Company magazine has named Deere the winner of its 2021 award for World Changing Ideas, which stunned Nate Clark, president of the John Deere Foundation.

“We’re still pinching ourselves about it,” Clark says. “It’s powerful confirmation that when people look at opportunities or activities that can change the world, that they realize that farmers play an important part in making the world a better place.” Rayuwa means “life” or “livelihood” in the Hausa (HOUSE-ah) language and according to data from its inaugural year, the project is living up to its name. Nigeria experienced a 10-percent decrease in food scarcity during the summer of 2020 — a time of the year known as “hunger season.” Lekan Tobe (LAY-con TOE-bay) oversees the Rayuwa project and says the program weathered the pandemic because he hired team members from the 11 target villages.

“Most of the guys are actually in the village, some right in the community, some 5-10 minutes from the village,” Tobe says. Three months before harvest season, farmers in the region run low on food, and a lack of steady income depletes their savings. But despite a global pandemic and growing poverty in Nigeria, these farmers produced more and earned more — about one-point-three million dollars more. While the program started with 2,500 veteran farmers and 4,000 newcomers, Tobe says the total number of participating farmers in the region now tops 8,000. This year, the Rayuwa project hopes to expand from 11 villages to 21.

State DHS having little success prodding more employees to get COVID vax

News

May 17th, 2021 by admin

Iowa Department of Human Services officials are trying a variety of approaches to encourage more employees at its six facilities to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Reports show 36-percent of employees at D-H-S offices declined the shot as of May 7th. That’s the same percent that declined it five weeks before. Director Kelly Garcia says they’ve hosted town halls with medical experts and union representatives to address vaccine concerns.

Garcia says, “What we’re hoping to do is that different people need different types of messaging, and a reason to kind of come on board.” Garcia says she did her best to address employee concerns directly at a recent town hall at Woodward Resource Center.

“What are they worried about — fertility came up,” Garcia says. “They were worried about why it makes you ill if you get the second. So why do some people have a really strong reaction to the shot? They had some really great questions.” Recent polls have shown between 20 and 25 percent of Americans say they will not get the shot. The state health department’s coronavirus website shows more than one-point-two million Iowans are fully vaccinated.

Creston Police report three weekend arrests

News

May 17th, 2021 by admin

The Creston Police Department released details Monday on three weekend arrests.

On Friday, May 14th at 12:30 p.m. Creston Police served a warrant on current Union County Jail inmate 28-year-old Kegan Kirscher of Lorimor. The Clarke County Warrant was for the charge of Violation of a No Contact Order. Bond on the new charge was set at $300.

Also on Friday at 7:17 p.m. Officers arrested 43-year-old Toby Simpson of Creston on a Union County Warrant for Violation of Probation on the original charge of OWI 1st Offense. He was later released from the Union Count Jail on $1,000 bond.

On Saturday, May 15th at 2:38 a.m. Officers arrested 36-year-old Amanda A Hensley of Bedford in the 100 block of West Taylor Street. She was arrested on a Nodaway County, Missouri Warrant for Failure to Appear on the original charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance. She was held in the Adams County Jail awaiting extradition to Missouri.

Public Hearing set for City of Atlantic Budget

News

May 17th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

A public hearing will take place during Wednesday evening’s meeting of the City Council, in Atlantic. The hearing at 5:30-p.m. in the Atlantic City Hall Council Chambers, is with regard to an annual budget amendment. City Administrator John Lund says “If the City overspends on any of the nine state-defined budget activities (i.e: Public Safety; Public Works; Health & Social Services; Culture & Recreation; Community and Economic Development; General Government; Debt service; Capital Projects and Business Type/Enterprise) during the fiscal year,” it is “Required to pass a budget amendment,” which the City, he says, chooses to do in a single amendment towards the end of the fiscal year, to reconcile the budget with final expenditures. Lund calls it “A routine matter.” The amended budget includes $541,700 in revenue, and $364,700 in expenditures.

In other business, the Council will act on approving a Resolution awarding a contract for the West 22nd Street sidewalk project, for which Snyder and Associates have solicited bids. The bids will be opened prior to the start of the Council’s meeting, and the recommended project award recipient along with final amount for construction will be explained during the Council’s meeting. The project came about after a petition signed by 94 citizens was presented to the City Council, requesting the construction of a walking path on the south side of W. 22nd Street.

The Council will also act on setting (2021) wages for pool personnel, with regard to the Sunnyside Pool. The YMCA’s Aquatic Program Director & Sunnyside Pool Manager, Chelsie Huddleson, recently announced her acceptance of a new job. The City is working with her and the YMCA on how to manage the pool this season.  The Council’s final order of business, is a closed session to discuss a real estate issue/dangerous building, as allowed under the Code of Iowa.

KJAN FM frequency offline Monday

News

May 17th, 2021 by admin

A heads up to KJAN listeners that our FM frequency 101.1 is offline on Monday due to technical issues. You can still listen on AM 1220 or online at kjan.com. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to get the FM signal back on-air as soon as possible.

3 area school board meetings take place on Monday

News

May 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Audubon, Exira-EHK and Griswold School Boards will hold their regular, separate meetings, Monday. In Audubon, the Board will hold a work session at 6:30-p.m., followed by their regular meeting at 7-p.m., in the High School Board Room. The latter starts with a Public Hearing on proposed budget amendments due to COVID-19 expenditures. Action items include approval of: budget amendments; late open enrollment requests, Iowa School Finance Information Services (IFIS) membership; and, surplus properties.

The Exira-EHK School Board will meet in the Conference Room at the Elk Horn Building, beginning at 6-p.m., Monday. Their Discussion/Action items include approval of:

  • 2021-22 Fees
  • the appointment of Mallory Meyer as Treasurer
  • approval of a School Based Interventionist, Auditor, Chromebook bid, Daycare proposal, 800 Series policies, and
  • Approval of Personnel Hires, Transfers and Resignations, to include: Ann Belen Munoz Martin – Spanish Teacher; Vandy Mosier – HS Social Studies; Taylor West – First Grade; Amelia Teegerstrom – Prom Sponsor, and Ryan Gaumer – Fourth Grade.

The Exira-EHK Board is then expected to move into a closed session to conduct the annual Superintendent Evaluation. And, in Griswold, the School Board meeting gets underway at 5:30-p.m. in the Conference Room. The meeting begins with a Public Budget Hearing, followed by the regular meeting, during which they will act on Personnel matters.

The Griswold School Board will also receive information with regard to updates on COVID-19, and consider approval of, and act on the following:

  • A Budget Amendment
  • Open enrollment requests
  • Approval of a fundraiser
  • Establishing Nutition Prices, Registration and Activity Pass fees, for 2021-22
  • The possible approval of a bus purchase
  • Approval of a City Agreement
  • Approval of the 2021-22 Parent/Student Handbook,
  • and the first readings of three 408-Series Board Policies.

Atlantic Parks & Rec Board to meet Monday (5/17/21)

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors is set to meet 5:15-p.m. Monday, at City Hall. Discussion/Action items and/or New Business on their agenda include:

  • Sunnyside Bathrooms
  • Summer Programs
  • Street Dept. take over of the campground
  • Summer Help
  • Sunnyside Pool
  • Plastic Bags to Benches
  • and, Walkability Maps.

Parks Director Bryant Rasmussen will update the Board on the following:

  • Nesting Boxes
  • Groundskeeper applications
  • Trees/Flowers planted
  • and public parking areas mulched.

The Board’s next regular meeting will be at 5:15-p.m. June 21st, at Cedar Park.

Oakland man arrested in Montgomery County

News

May 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop at around 1:50-p.m. Sunday, in Montgomery County, resulted in the arrest of a man from Oakland. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 35-year-old Corey Andrew Stephens was taken into custody at Highway 148 & 130th Street, for Driving While Barred. His bond was set at $2,000.

Corey Andrew Stephens

2nd explosion reported at a Jefferson grain elevator

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Police in Jefferson, Saturday, have confirmed there was a second explosion at the Landus grain elevator Saturday night, in Jefferson. The first explosion occurred Friday morning at the Landus Cooperative, in Jefferson. Landus officials said smoldering grain in a self-contained bin located next to the grain elevator led to the second, smaller dust explosion, which happened at around 7:15-p.m., Saturday. Authorities said there were no injuries in either explosion.