Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Wednesday press conference on COVID-19. We plan on having live audio of the presser on KJAN as well. The press conference will begin at approximately 11:00 a.m. We will also have an exclusive Radio Iowa interview segment with Governor Reynolds this afternoon on KJAN at 1:10 p.m. Kay Henderson will be asking Governor Reynolds questions from News Directors around the state.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller is among nine people within the northwestern Iowa city’s police department to test positive for COVID-19. The Sioux City Journal reports that the department revealed on Tuesday the number of police staffers infected with the novel coronavirus. The department first announced on April 9 that several police department employees had tested positive for the virus, but did not give details. Besides the police chief, a news release from the department said infected staffers include a police captain, two lieutenants, a sergeant, an officer and three civilians. The release says most have had mild symptoms, and some have been cleared to return to work.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

If you are interested in, or have a need to plant a tree on your property, Atlantic Trees Forever has just the deal for you. Spokesperson Dolly Bergmann said Spring tree vouchers are now available. The vouchers are worth $30 off the cost of a tree, and can be obtained at Pymosa Farms (50979 Buck Creek Road), north of Atlantic.

Bergmann said there are a limited number of vouchers available. She said also, Pymosa Farms can help you determine what kind of tree would work best in the location you would like to plant a tree. Call Pymosa Farms owner Tim Reavis at 402-659-1213, before you head out to the farm, to ensure someone is available to help you.

Officials with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association report the Euken-Myers family from Cass County, have been selected as the 2020 Environmental Stewardship Program Award Winners. The ICA chooses an outstanding cattle operation to nominate for the regional award each year. The regional winners for the national award will be announced in late July. The Eukens and Myerses will compete against nominees from Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Euken-Myers families from Cass County (Photo courtesy ICA)

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) Environmental Stewardship Awards Program (ESAP) began 28 years ago, long before sustainability was a buzz word. The ESAP program was meant to highlight conservation efforts and recognize outstanding beef farmers who care for the land with as much dedication as they care for their livestock. Six regional winners are recognized at the national level, while one of those is selected as the winner.

Beef production has been a life-long learning opportunity, passion and revenue stream for the Euken-Myers family. Randy and Jill Euken grew up with cattle on family farms and showed cattle as 4-H’ers. Their own farming operation was launched in 1978 when Randy started his farming career and purchased half of the cow herd from his landlord. Over the past 40 years, they have continued to grow and improve their cattle herd by carefully selecting replacement heifers and bulls, keeping and utilizing an extensive set of records, implementing the best practices for environmental stewardship and carefully tending to beef nutrition and herd health. These efforts have resulted in continued improvement in the performance and ROI for their operation and their reputations as good stewards of natural resources, life-long learners and good neighbors.

(Radio Iowa) — Two long-time members of the State Racing and Gaming Commission are retiring from the board when their current terms expire at the end of this (April) month. Carl Heinrich of Council Bluffs and Jeff Lamberti of Ankeny each have served nine years on the body that regulates gambling in the state. Racing and Gaming Commission administrator Brian Ohorilko  spoke about the two during the recent commission meeting. “Their patience, vision, and integrity, perspective, fairness, and impeccable judgment have resulted in sound, thoughtful, and consistent decisions — which have generated universal respect — no matter the outcome,” Ohorilko says.

Heinrich was the former president of Iowa Western Community College. “It has been an extreme pleasure to serve on this commission,” Heinrich says. “I have to admit when I was first appointed I was a bit apprehensive — because I really did not know the industry well.” He served during a time when the I-R-G-C dealt with many important issues. “I had to learn what was expected of me and to make decisions that I never thought I would make,” Heinrich says.

Lamberti is an attorney and businessman who served in the Iowa Legislature before joining the commission. “It’s been a very interesting experience, I am glad I had the opportunity to serve. Nine years is a very lengthy time. I think turnover is good,” Lamberti says. He says his time on the commission was eventful. “During the nine years I think I got to do just about everything…in terms of people seeking expansion to basically putting a license up for bid in Sioux City — to now sports gaming,” according to Lamberti.

Many of the issues were controversial — and he says none was tougher than deciding on new gambling license applications. “By far that’s the most difficult decision we have to make. Because it is not only the time and the work and the studies, the communities are very passionate about this, they invest of a lot of their time, their effort, their money,” according to Lamberti. “And we take it very seriously You may not like how we vote — or you may like how we vote — but rest assured, we put our time in.”

Lamberti says he thought he had seen everything he could when he decided to step down from the commission. And now says he knows that is true after watching the coronavirus pandemic force the closing of all 19 of the state-licensed casinos. Last week’s meeting was their last on the I-R-G-C. A recognition of the two is planned at the July meeting if commissioners are again able to meet in person.

(Radio Iowa) — Pork producers from across Iowa are donating several thousand pounds of meat to the state’s five main food banks. Trish Cook, a member of the Iowa Pork Producers Association board, says it’s a win-win since there’s a surplus of pork due to plant closures and an increase in demand at food banks because of the pandemic. “Pork producers decided to do what they can,” Cook says. “There’s a lot of people out there who have lost their jobs. They wanted to help out by donating ground pork to food banks in Iowa. They have 8,500 pounds of ground pork that they are distributing to food banks around state.”

Cook says its simple to cook pork and it helps to meet consumers’ protein needs.  “It’s easy to prepare, it can be used in so many different ways,” Cook says. “It’s just a versatile item that people can quickly cook up and use in their day-to-day meal preparation.” With many restaurants closed and so many people staying home from work and school, Cook says the pandemic has radically changed what and how we eat. “There’s people probably cooking things they never thought they would ever cook before just because we’re such a society — about half of our food budget is dining out,” Cook says. “It’s a really different scenario for everybody these days.”

Each food bank is getting 17-hundred pounds of pork divided into one-pound packages. The food banks receiving the donations include: The Food Bank for the Heartland serving 93 counties in Nebraska and western Iowa, as well as the food banks in Des Moines, Sioux City, Hiawatha and Waterloo.

Police in Red Oak report a man wanted on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Escape from Custody, was arrested at around 10:45-p.m. Tuesday, following a routine traffic stop in Red Oak. Authorities say 32-year old Jessie Bruce Fitzwater, of Council Bluffs, was also arrested on a State of Iowa Felony warrant for Possession, with the Intent to Deliver. Fitzwater was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted Red Oak Police in conducting the arrest.

Fire crews from Harlan and several other nearby departments responded to a large structure fire Tuesday night, at 1916 900th Street, just off County Road M-47, north of Prairie Rose State Park. The blaze occurred at around 10:15-p.m.  Water was reportedly pumped from Prairie Rose Lake to help replenish the supply of available firefighting water.

Photo courtesy our sister station KNOD (photo by Michele McConnell Andersen)

Other departments assisting at the scene included Avoca, Elk Horn, Irwin, Kimballton, Kirkman and Walnut. Additional details are currently not available.