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Audubon School Board mtg. recap

News

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Audubon School Board, Monday night, started the process of Collective Bargaining with the Audubon Education Association representing the district’s teachers. Both sides presented their opening proposals. The second meeting takes place 6-p.m. Monday, Feb. 22nd. The Board set March 15th at 7-p.m., as the date and time for a public hearing on the school calendar. And, they approved the resignation at the end of the current school year, of Social Studies Teacher Aaron Miller. Superintendent Eric Trager said also, the Board also received an updated on their facilities project.

During their meeting last month, the Board agreed to go “Back to the drawing board” where the District’s building project is concerned, because bids came back 53% higher than the original estimate. Trager told KJAN last month there were only six bidders for four prime contracts, which indicates there was not a lot of interest in the project and that’s likely because of the timelines that the projects were under.

He said a lot of contractors felt the district had too large a scope of work for the amount of time they would be given to complete the projects. The result is a delay in getting the work started,with some construction needing to take place during the school year.

Iowa Covid-19 24-hour update for 10-a.m., 2/16/21: 26 additional deaths, 508 new cases

News

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Public Health, Tuesday, said there were 508 new positive cases of COVID-19 test results returned from the labs over the past 24-hours, for a pandemic total of 329,812 positive cases.  There were also 26 additional deaths, for a pandemic total to-date of 5,263, including one each in Madison and Pottawattamie Counties. Statewide, 4,726 COVID deaths are attributed to Underlying causes. COVID was a contributing factor to 517 deaths. Deaths at Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities account for 2,117 of the total number of deaths.

Long-Term Care facility outbreaks are down from 35 to 28. Officials say 769 LTC patients have tested positive for the virus, and 514 have recovered.

The State data show: 255 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, compared to 242 on Monday; 57 COVID patients are in an ICU; 40 were admitted over the previous 24-hours, compared to 35 on Monday, and 25 patients were on a ventilator. In RMCC Region 4 (Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa), 20 are hospitalized with COVID symptoms, seven people are in an ICU, four people were admitted over the past 24-hours, and one remains on a ventilator.

Iowa’s statewide positivity rate continues to decline, from 7.9% Monday to 7.5% Tuesday. The 7-day average was also down, from 6.1% to 5.6%.

A total of 303,713 Iowans have recovered from the virus.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

  • Cass, 1,232 cases; {+1}; 47 deaths
  • Adair, 775; {+5}; 25
  • Adams, 317 {+0}; 3
  • Audubon, 456 {+3}; 9
  • Guthrie, 1,071 {+0}; 28
  • Harrison County, 1,648; {+2}; 68
  • Madison County, 1,369; {+7}; 17
  • Mills County, 1,457; {+0}; 20
  • Montgomery, 954; {+0}; 36
  • Pottawattamie County, 9,613; {+16}; 140
  • Shelby County, 1,130; {+6}; 32
  • Union County,  1,169; {+1}; 31

Lawmakers ponder how to prevent kids’ access to online porn

News

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A small group of legislators is discussing how state law might be updated to ensure minors cannot legally access internet sites with pornographic content. Republican Representative Sandy Salmon of Janesville wants to make it a crime for a porn site to allow access to anyone under the age of 18.”Instead of talking about telephones, like our current law does, this brings it into the 21st century – talking about communication devices,” Salmon says.

Salmon has sponsored a bill on the topic and it cleared a House subcommittee this (Tuesday) morning. However, the other legislators on the panel say the bill as currently constructed needs changes. For example, it could apply to streaming services that offer R-rated content. The bill also directs a website to collect a scan of a driver’s license, passport, birth certificate or Social Security card to verify the person is an adult. Republican Representative Brian Lohse of Bondurant says that raises a security concern about identity theft.  “I think it’s a workable bill,” Lohse says, “with some work to be done on it.”

Limiting underage access to pornography websites has been an international discussion. Great Britain passed a law in 2017 requiring commercial pornography websites to use age-verification tools to prevent access by minors. The law was abandoned two years later due to technical and privacy concerns.

Cass County Master Gardeners Scholarship Application Due April 1

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County, Iowa Master Gardeners (CCMG) are once again offering a $1,000 scholarship to local students, with applications due April 1, 2021.  This scholarship is available to students who are graduating seniors or graduates of any of the following Iowa school districts, in which currently reside members of CCMG:  Atlantic, Clarinda, CAM, Exira-EHK, Griswold, or Red Oak.

The goal of the Master Gardener program is to support horticulture education and community service.  CCMG members provide many hours of volunteer service and gardening education within their local communities.  Accordingly, this scholarship is intended to provide post-secondary funds to individuals who are studying, or intend to pursue a career in, a horticulture-related field.  The scholarship winner will be selected based upon academic success, history of community service, and career goals related to horticulture. Demonstration of past interest and experience in horticulture will be very helpful.

The scholarship is for those pursuing post-secondary education during the 2021-2022 school year. The recipient will be notified of their award on or before May 20, 2021 for planning purposes. A scholarship check will be issued in January 2022, in the student’s name directly to the academic institution, upon receipt of an official grade transcript for the completed Fall 2021 semester. A previous scholarship recipient may re-apply, but an individual may only receive a total of two scholarships from this program.

The application form is available through the high school guidance departments, or on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/.  Applications should be submitted to the Cass County Extension Office, 805 W 10th St, Atlantic, Iowa 50022, or emailed to keolson@iastate.edu on or before the April 1 deadline for consideration. Questions can be directed to the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132.

Adair County Sheriff’s report, 2/16/21

News

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests from the past week. Saturday afternoon, 41-year old David William Patrick Clayton, of Greenfield, was arrested on charges that include Harassment in the 1st Degree, (felony) Willful Injury-Bodily Injury, and (felony) Going Armed with Intent. The charges stem from an incident in Greenfield, pertaining to a male victim and his son, whereby Clayton allegedly said he wanted to, and would, kill the man’s son. Clayton allegedly attacked one of the victims with a knife, cutting his cheek. The report said he was angry because the man had accused Clayton of stealing a firearm. Clayton was released from the Adair County Jail the following day, on a $10,000 cash-only bond.

Thursday afternoon, 29-year old Shane Sim Blackford, of Chariton, was arrested at the Monroe County Jail on an Adair County felony warrant for Violation of Probation. He was released that same day on a $5,000 cash or surety bond, with 10% acceptable. On Feb. 10th, Stuart Police arrested 60-year old Michael Lee Croft, of Iowa City, on a Johnson County warrant for Harassment in the 1st Degree. He was being temporarily being held without bond in the Adair County Jail. And, on Feb. 7th, 25-year old Tyler Dennis James White, of Fontanelle, was arrested at the Greenfield Dollar General Store, on a Union County felony warrant for Violation of Probation. He was released that same day on a $1,000 cash-only bond.

Three other persons were arrested, but released on citations to appear in court. They include: 31-year old Garey Douglas Glade, of Greenfield, for OWI/1st offense; 43-year old Travis Quinn Wambold, of Fontanelle, for Driving While Barred, and 23-year old Dylan James Albaugh-Cornelison, of Adair, for Driving while license denied ore revoked for OWI.

Grassley says $1.9T COVID relief package would be too expensive

News

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Members of the U-S House are starting work on the newest COVID-19 stimulus package which Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says promises to be far too expensive. With reports estimating the latest coronavirus relief plan around one-point-nine trillion dollars, Grassley says several fellow Republicans in the House will work to whittle it down from what President Biden has requested. “They aren’t going to go along with that big package,” Grassley says, “and if they can get a smaller package, that would be to my liking.”

The plan is again expected to include direct payments to most Americans which Grassley says may be checks of several hundred dollars, a thousand dollars, or as much as 14-hundred dollars. “Whatever it is, it’s got to be targeted towards the more needy,” Grassley says. “The way it’s written by Pelosi, so people up to $350,000 could get help, it ought to be targeted more toward families of 40- to 50- or maybe $60,000 a year income.”

The latest round of checks, approved in December, were for a maximum of 600-dollars. Grassley says when government relief checks are sent out to wealthier Americans, they don’t typically provide the needed boost to the economy. “When you get above $75,000 worth of income, about 80% of it’s saved, it’s not going to stimulate the economy,” Grassley says. “But when it’s below $75,000 and those people get it, about 80% of it is going to be spent and spent quickly and will be a stimulus.” President Biden is pushing to have a 15-dollar federal minimum wage amendment included in the COVID relief package, which would make it very unattractive to most Republicans.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 2/16/21

News, Podcasts

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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3 Creston residents arrested on drug charges

News

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop late Monday morning in Creston resulted in an arrest. Authorities say 22-year old Kane Farlow, of Creston, was charged with Operating a Vehicle without the Owners Consent, and Driving While Barred. Later that same day, after Creston Police executed a search warrant at Farlow’s residence, he was subsequently charged with Possession of a controlled substance 1st offense/Marijuana, Poss. of a Controlled Substance 1st offense/Methamphetamine, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. Farlow was being held in the Union County Jail on a $6,300 bond.

At around 3:30-a.m. today (Tuesday), 26-year old Anna Wilson, of Creston, was arrested at her residence in the 1100 block of S. Cherry Street, for Poss. of a Controlled Substance 1st offense, and Poss. of Paraphernalia. Also arrested at the same location on a Poss. of a Controlled Substance charge, was 24-year old Zackery Scheel.  Wilson was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $1,300 bond. Scheel was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Podcast) KJAN Morning News, 2/16/2021

News, Podcasts

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The 7-a.m. news featuring the area’s latest and/or top news stories from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Ray Center is now taking nominations for the Iowa Character Awards

News

February 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s Iowa Character Awards, which will go to individual Iowans, businesses or organizations that display good character. Hillary Ortman, associate director of the Robert and Billie Ray Center at Drake University in Des Moines, says they’re hoping to single out an array of Iowans. “Since 2005, we’ve recognized more than 150 Iowans, both groups and individuals, for demonstrating good character,” Ortman says. “These are people who are invested in their community, treating others with respect, and working to make not only their community but the state of Iowa and the world a better place.”

While COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of a host of events for many months, Ortman is hopeful they’ll be able to go ahead with an awards ceremony this summer. “We typically host our events on a Friday in July and due to moving a different event that we usually host in April, we are now going to be hosting the Iowa Character Awards on Sunday, August 29th, at the Prairie Meadows Events Center in Altoona.” She says there are a host of categories in which nominations are now being taken. “We accept nominations for local businesses and organizations of character, an adult citizen, a youth citizen, an educator of character,” Ortman says. “We also recognize a school, a student organization, a community of character.”

The entry deadline is May 2nd. Learn more at: www.iowacharacterawards.org.