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Bridgewater Night Out set for Tue., Aug. 6th

News

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

You’re invited to join “Take Back Bridgewater, Iowa” for the “Bridgewater Night Out,” Tuesday, August 6th, from 6-until 8-p.m. The event takes place at Bridgewater City Park, and features a
Pot Luck Meal, Fun Activities & Social Time with Good Neighbors. Residents and “Friends of Bridgewater” are WELCOME to attend.

Food served will include: Hot Dogs; Potato Chips; Baked Beans; Lemonade & Ice Tea; Condiments and table service WILL be provided. The meal begins at 6-p.m. You’re asked to please bring a lawn chair and a dessert, salad or side dish to share for the pot luck (if you wish.) Kids should bring a towel if they will be participating in the water fights, which take place after the meal.

Other fun activities will include: Parachute – Beach Ball Game; Yard Games; Pedal Go Cart; and “Meet a Cop – Adair County Sheriff’s Department” – Car tours (Tentative); and Kids Prize Giveaways.  Wear your “I Believe in Bridgewater, Iowa” T-shirt if you have one. Free Will Donations are being accepted for “Take Back Bridgewater, Iowa.”

Special Thanks to Bridgewater Fire and EMS, Adair County Sheriff’s Department and Zion Recovery for participating. Take Back Bridgewater, a grass roots non-profit organization, was formed in 2017, working in partnership with citizens, to address criminal activity and improve the quality of life in and around Bridgewater, Iowa.

1 of 5 suspected in Davenport slaying takes plea dea

News

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — One of the five people charged with the shooting death of a man during a 2017 Davenport robbery has taken a plea deal. Scott County District Court records say 20-year-old Darrell Williams Jr. pleaded guilty Friday to burglary. The deal says prosecutors will dismiss murder and conspiracy charges in exchange. He’s scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 12. He’s a resident of East Moline, Illinois.

Williams and four other people were charged with the Sept. 22, 2017, slaying of 20-year-old Brady Tumlinson and wounding of Tumlinson’s girlfriend. Tristin Alderman and D’marithe Culbreath were sentenced to life in prison. Nakita Wiseman was given 35 years for his role. Christopher Dixon has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial Aug. 26.

Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s report (8/1)

News

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report several recent arrests:

  • A traffic stop at around 11-p.m. Wednesday in Honey Creek resulted in the arrest of 39-year old Jamie L. Jacobsen, of Omaha. Jacobsen was arrested for being a Fugitive from Justice.
  • An investigation into an assault in Council Bluffs resulted in the arrest at around 5-p.m. of 26-year old Deon Jarell Fleming, of Council Bluffs. He was charged with Assault without injury on persons in certain occupations.
  • Wednesday afternoon, 46-year old Jene Allan Zarbano, of Avoca, was arrested for Violation of Parole, after a Deputy conducted a warrant check at an Avoca hotel.
  • Late Wednesday morning, 36-year old Andrew Michael Hasbrouck, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. He was taken into custody at the Pott. COunty Jail, where he was being held on $300 bond for a Criminal Trespass charge.
  • 21-year old Lilian Marie Nelson, of Bellevue, NE., was transported from a jail in Nebraska to the Pott. County Jail, Wednesday morning, to address warrants for Assault with intent to inflict serious injury, and Harassment in the 1st degree by threat of a Forcible Felony.
  • 27-year old Danielle Renee Davenport was taken into custody Wednesday morning for Violation of Probation.
  • and, 30-year old Heather Marie Bills was arrested at the Pott. County Courthouse Wed. morning on a State of Iowa warrant for Assault causing serious bodily injury without intent and domestic abuse assault 1st offense, causing bodily injury.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 8/1/2019

News, Podcasts

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

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

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Cass County Board of Supervisors news

News

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. Auditor Dale Sunderman reports County Conservation Director Micah Lee presented a 4th quarter FY19 report of activity at county recreational sites (including maintenance activities at Cold Springs, the West Nodaway Area, T-Bone Trail, Pellett Memorial Woods and Outdoor Classroom) and Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning’s environmental education activities. Micah said Kanning presented 131 programs to 2,511 persons.

Lee and two Conservation Board members reported also a proposed project to asphalt the roadway at Cold Springs Park south of Lewis.  The project is estimated cost about $109,000. Lee and the Conservation Board members requested assistance from the County to help fund the project. They suggested the project be paid for with 50% conservation funds and 50% from a ‘general fund’. Their request was taken under advisement.

Cass County Veteran Affairs Executive Director Mitch Holmes also gave report of 4th quarter and annual FY19 activity.  Holmes said during the quarter, 151 veterans were assisted with Federal VA benefits and/or local general assistance. County Attorney Vanessa Strazdas reviewed current legal activity. Mental Health/General Relief Coordinator Deb Schuler also presented report on activity for the month of June.

Sunderman said also, that an employee who was performing some GIS (Geographic Information Services) along with other duties, has moved, and the new employee will not be performing those GIS services.  Therefore, the County is planning to contract for those additional GIS services.  Representatives from Schneider Geospatial (already under contract for other GIS services) and Midland GIS Services presented proposals, which were taken under advisement.  Sunderman said the Board plans to act on the proposals during their next meeting on August 6th.

Traffic stop in Creston leads to a 50-minute pursuit ending in Madison County

News

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Creston Police Department reports a traffic stop Wednesday morning lead to a pursuit that lasted 50-minutes before it finally ended in Madison County. Authorities say 40-year old Michael Ross Waddingham, of Orient, faces charges that include Felony Eluding, Driving While Barred, Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd offense Marijuana, Possession w/intent to Sell – Methamphetamine over 5g and a Parole Violation Warrant. He was being held without bond in the Union County Jail.

The incident leading to his arrest began at around 9:04-a.m., Wednesday, when a Creston Police Officer on routine patrol, saw an individual in the driver’s seat of a white Ford pickup known to have a barred drivers license. The officer approached the individual and identified him as Michael Waddingham. During a check of Waddingham’s driver license status, it was learned he had a warrant for his arrest out of Adair County for Parole Violation.

Moments later, Waddingham proceeded to lead officers on a pursuit that ended southwest of Winterset, at the intersection of 235th Street and Francesca Avenue, after spike strips were successfully deployed, rendering the pickup undriveable. Agencies involved in the pursuit were the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Creston Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & Funeral report, 8/1/19

News, Podcasts

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

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

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Tall corn can cause potentially deadly problem for drivers on rural roads

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Corn continues to mature across Iowa and while it may be beneficial to farmers, those fields of green can be a danger for drivers traveling on rural roads. Floyd County Deputy Sheriff Travis Bartz says tall corn can tower into a motorist’s line of sight, reducing visibility at uncontrolled intersections. “Whether you can see gravel dust or not, or if the roads are wet, you’re not going to see gravel dust, assume that there is another vehicle, an ATV or somebody walking at an intersection,” Bartz says. “By the time you get into that intersection, it’s too late.”

While that gravel dust can help drivers identify other traffic, it can also create a complication. “If you cannot see the road in front of you clearly, you don’t know — because of the gravel dust — if somebody is pulling out, if somebody is running across the road, wildlife or anything like that,” Bartz says. “Let the dust settle before you continue. Increase the distance between you and whatever is causing the dust.”

According to Bartz, the majority of accidents he’s responded to are with drivers who are unfamiliar with the terrain. Floyd County alone is a home to over 400 intersections — with 300 of them uncontrolled — increasing the risk for a collision. Bartz says frost boils in the gravel, caused by the freeze/thaw cycle, are making this driving season even more challenging. “Driving your vehicle down the road, if you get in one of those ruts, it is going to jerk your car to the left or the right without you being able to control it,” he says. “If you are driving too fast, it’s going to cause you to go into the ditch, you’re going to bottom out your car, or it’s going to be harder to stop.”

Bartz says the best thing for drivers to do is go back to the basics. “Every accident has a large degree of human error,” he says. “Stay attentive. Make sure you’re looking both left and right and forward and check your mirrors for vehicles coming up behind you and stay off your cell phone.” He adds, property owners can trim back weeds and grass along the road to improve visibility.

Police say officer opened fire when unmarked car was struck

News

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police say an officer fired at another vehicle after it struck the officer’s unmarked car during a traffic stop in Sioux City. Station KTIV reports the officer positioned the car to block the vehicle from fleeing Wednesday night. But the vehicle then hit the officer’s car, prompting the officer to fire. Police say the other vehicle left the scene but was soon found and the driver taken into custody. Two passengers in the vehicle were questioned as well. No injuries have been reported. The names of those involved haven’t been released.

MidAmerican Energy plans car charging network

News

August 1st, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — MidAmerican Energy Company is launching what it calls a first-of-its kind network of electric vehicle fast-charging stations in more than a dozen cities throughout the state. MidAmerican spokesperson, Tina Hoffman, says the plan is to have the chargers available ever 50 miles. “One of the barriers to electric vehicle adoption is something they call range anxiety,” according to Hoffman. “If people feel like they don’t know where the next charger will be or how far they can get before they need to recharge to reach their destination — there’s a fear in investing in that vehicle.”

MidAmerican wants to install D-C fast-charging sites in Altoona, Avoca, Carroll, Clarinda, Davenport, Dexter, Early, Emmetsburg, Iowa City, Fort Dodge, Little Sioux, Oskaloosa, Sheldon, Sioux City and Waterloo, which are all within the company’s service territory. She says they are looking for partners to host the chargers so people can use them to charge their electric cars. Hoffman says this type of charger can get people on their way after a short stop. “Those can generally charge an electric vehicle in about 20 to 45 minutes. So, a stop at the gas station, or you can run into the store, and you car will be charged by the time you get out,” Hoffman says.

She says they will leave it up to the partners who provide the chargers to determine the cost of a charge. Hoffman says the company is also providing grants to help people buy electric cars. “MidAmerican Energy customers who buy or lease a new electric vehicle can get a 500 dollar rebate incentive for doing that,” Hoffman says. She says the company is also providing 15-hundred dollar rebates for those who install a “Level 2” charging station, which generally charge electric vehicles in four to eight hours. The company plans to begin building the charging network by the end of the year. Hoffman says encouraging the use of electric vehicles goes along with their plan to eventually provide 100 percent of the electricity to their customers from renewable sources. Hoffman says the company now provides on average through the year more than 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.