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Woman who died after being struck by a pickup while crossing a street in Altoona is identified

News

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

A woman who was fatally injured when she was struck by a pickup truck at around 9:30-p.m., Friday while crossing a street, was identified today (Monday). The Iowa State Patrol reports 19-year old Boyankhighig Gansukh,  a native of Minnesota. The woman was crossing Hubble Avenue at Tallgrass Parkway in Altoona, when she was struck by a 2002 Chevy pickup driven by 31-year old Andrew W. Reed, of Altoona. Authorities say Reed had a green light at the intersection.  Gansukh died at a nearby hospital.

Ernst says USMDA may be derailed by election-year politics if not ratified soon

News

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Republican U.S. Senator Joni Ernst is warning changes Democrats in the U.S. House want in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement may doom the deal. “If one country makes a change, it has to go back through the entire process in Canada and Mexico,” Ernst said. “Do you think Canada and Mexico are going to go back and readdress all of this after they are in the process of ratifying? Probably not.”

On Friday, a group of House Democrats reported making “substantial progress” in negotiations with top Trump Administration trade officials. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said changes must be made to address labor and environmental issues. Ernst dismisses those concerns. “This is the first time in US trade history that we actually have environmental considerations as well as labor considerations written into the base text,” Ernst said.

If the U-S-M-C-A doesn’t get approved by September, Ernst predicts the update to the North American Trade Agreement is likely to be derailed by election-year politics. “They will not want to give Donald Trump a win on this. They will not,” Ernst said. “They won’t want to give any of us a win on this and again it’s just the politics of politics. I hate it.” Ernst says the three Democrats from Iowa serving in the U.S. House should start pressuring Pelosi publicly to ratify the U-S-M-C-A. “If she has more members approaching her and saying: ‘We need to get this done,’ maybe we’ll see some movement on it,” Ernst said.

Ernst made her comments Friday afternoon in Jefferson.

Corps of Engineers: Four levee breaches fixed, only 40 more to go

News

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — More than four months after floodwaters devastated parts of southwest Iowa, the U-S Army Corps of Engineers has completed the first four breach closures on levee systems on Iowa’s side of the Missouri River, with at least 40 more breaches to fix. Fremont County Emergency Manager Mike Crecelius says depending on how much snowfall comes next winter, he’s worried the promised protection won’t be enough to prevent more flooding. “At 25-year protection, anything like what we had this year or in 2011 or last year will overtop that 25-year protection level,” Crecelius says.

He adds, he’s been told getting levee systems to pre-flood conditions could take two to three years. Mills County spokeswoman Sheri Bowen says the continued flooding has had people digging deep into their pockets — and savings accounts — to pay the mortgage on their damaged homes and to also rent temporary places. “At this point, as folks are getting settlements from FEMA on their properties, they’re finding that ongoing rent support is just no longer an option for many households,” Bowen says. “So financially it is a huge, huge strain for people.”

Bowen says some people are living in campers, which won’t work in the fall and winter when cold weather arrives. FEMA has provided Mills County with eight mobile home units so far.

(Thanks to Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

Several arrests in Pottawattamie County

News

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report several arrests were made over the past few days. At around 11:40-p.m. Sunday, 35-year old Brandie Lynn Davis, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on felony charges of Child Endangerment/abandonment resulting in bodily injury and Child Endangerment/abandonment resulting in Serious Injury. Additional details were not disclosed. Sunday afternoon, 18-year old Kevin Javier Casul Roman was arrested following a traffic stop for speeding, in Treynor. Casul Roman was placed under arrest for Possession of a controlled substance – marijuana/1st offense, and Operating While Intoxicated/1st offense. And, at around 12:30-a.m. Sunday, 74-year old James Stanley Kwiatkowski was arrested near Griswold for OWI/1st offense, following a single-vehicle accident near 500th and Cottonwood Road.

Late Saturday night, 56-year old Kevin Brian Adams was arrested by a Pott. County Sheriff’s Deputy, following a traffic stop near 420th and Highway 92. Adams was arrested at around 11:50-p.m. for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree. At around 10:45-p.m. Saturday, 38-year old Timothy Lynn Albertus was arrested for Public Intoxication. His arrest followed a report that man at a Harrah’s Casino concert had been escorted from the premises due to his allegedly disruptive and harassing behavior. While at the front gate to the property, Albertus allegedly became verbally uncooperative with Deputy Mark Freeman and Avoca Police Officer Mike Porter.

61-year old Daniel Bruce Liston was arrested at around 8:20-p.m., Saturday, following a traffic stop in Council Bluffs. Liston was charged with Driving While License Suspended or Revoked. Saturday morning, a Pott. County Deputy arrested 30-year old Anthony Russell Schierbrock, for OWI/2nd offense, following a traffic stop in Avoca for having no license plates. Authorities said also, a 16-year old male was arrested in Carson for Burglary in the 3rd Degree and Criminal mischief in the 5th Degree. And, a traffic stop near Treynor Saturday morning, resulted in the arrest of 32-year old Belinda Marie Baer, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

At around 2:20-a.m. Saturday, 48-year old Laffette Tarae Battle was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following an investigation into a property damage accident in the 28,000 block of Old Lincoln Highway near Honey Creek. Friday afternoon, 25-year old Miriam Carolina Herrera was arrested at the Menards Distribution Center in Shelby. She was taken into custody for Assault with intent to inflict serious injury (with regard to a 30-year old female), and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. Friday evening, 25-year old Sheyenne Linn Eilers was arrested in Council Bluffs, following an alleged shoplifting incident at a grocery store. Eilers was charged with Theft in the 5th Degree/Shoplifting.

And, early Friday afternoon, 30-year old Chad Alan Johnson, of Sioux City, was arrested on a warrant for Theft in the 4th Degree. His bond was set at $1,000.

Woman accused of stealing from mom pleads guilty

News

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque woman accused of stealing from her elderly mother has pleaded guilty. The Telegraph Herald reports that 55-year-old Susan Shea pleaded guilty to felony abuse of a dependent adult. Her sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 16.

Court documents say Susan Shea had been the caretaker for her mother when authorities began investigating reports of elder abuse. One document says investigators estimate that around $140,000 or more had been taken from Shea’s mother from December 2016 through January 2018.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 7/29/19

News, Podcasts

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

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

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Third flooding and cleanup taking toll on merchants

News

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 10:30-a.m.) PERCIVAL, Iowa (AP) — A third bout of flooding and cleanup is taking a toll on people who operate some small businesses along Iowa Highway 2 in southwestern Iowa. They heavily rely on north-south traffic from nearby Interstate 29 and on westbound travelers being able to cross a Missouri Bridge over to Nebraska. The mercantile community first flooded in 2011. The businesses again were inundated and the roadways closed in mid-March after levees gave way. They were flooded again in late May, following heavy rains and the upstream water releases by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Kelly Wise, of Atlantic, who, with his wife, Tammy, owns a Motel 6 along the highway a few miles south of Percival, says “It’s pretty discouraging.” Wise told the Lincoln Journal Star that, after this year’s first flood, they cleaned up and started replacing first-floor furniture. After the second, he’s ready to cut his income by more than half by closing off the ground level and surviving on the income from the 25 rooms upstairs. He and his wife already have suffered nearly $500,000 in damage, he said. And authorities have given him no reason to believe he’s protected from future floods. “I don’t want to do this again,” he said. “I’m getting too old.”

Mark O’Brian bought an empty strip mall on the north side of Highway 2 late last year. He was searching for tenants or buyers and was close to selling to a church when the March flood hit. He cleaned up the property. It flooded again in late May. “We firmly believe this could happen time and time again,” O’Brian said.

The flooding has taken too much away from Alicia Chrastil, she said. It took her business, Finders Keepers Antique Mall, which offered antiques from 75 dealers. She also said the flooding took away her future. The property was supposed to serve as her retirement account: It was valued at nearly $600,000 before the flooding. Now she’d be surprised if she could sell it for $25,000, she said.

She doesn’t see herself returning to Highway 2. “You can get flooded once,” she said. “You can get flooded twice. The third time, I’m out.”

Buttigieg says Democrats must criticize Trump tweets and tout party agenda at same time

News

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says his party must quit giving President Trump the power to change the subject with a tweet. “At every turn, he’s got us talking about him more and talking about us less,” Buttigieg said. Buttigieg made his comments about 12 hours before President Trump’s tweets attacking a black congressman from Baltimore for not doing enough to improve what Trump described as a “dangerous and filthy place.” According to Buttigieg, Trump’s Twitter attacks on a group of House Democrats earlier last week diverted attention from the push to raise the minimum wage, which Buttigieg supports. Buttigieg says Democrats have to respond to Trump’s “wrong doing” and promote the party’s agenda at the same time.

“We’re the ones trying to get you a raise. We’re the ones trying to protect you in the workplace We’re the ones trying to make sure that your health care is not taken away. We’re the ones who are going to actually deliver things like paid family leave,” Buttigieg said. “If you look at this from the perspective of how your life will change, there is no question that the Democratic agenda is the better one. It’s exactly why he needs us talking about his latest offensive tweet, so that we’re not talking about that.”

Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro also campaigned in the state this past weekend. He accused Trump of stoking “division, fear and bigotry” with tweets Castro described as “disgusting.”  “This is more of the race-baiting and racial-priming that this president loves to do,” Castro told reporters, “and that is wrong for this country.” Castro spoke Saturday morning to the Iowa Latino and Asian Coalition. “The question that we face in this election is whether we’re going to continue to be a country that expands opportunity for everybody no matter what you look like or how much money you have or don’t have or where you live in our country — in a big city or a small town — or whether we’re going to give in to a dark call from this Administration,” Castro said.

Castro visited the Meskwaki Settlement near Tama Friday, promising to address housing, policing and economic issues in tribal communities. Buttigieg spoke to a crowd of about 900 in Ankeny Friday afternoon, outling ideas for expanding union bargaining rights. He also says Americans in the so-called “gig economy” who work as a freelancer or contractor rather than a full-time employee should get benefits like sick leave. “It comes down to this basic idea that a contractor is a worker and a gig is a job,” Buttigieg said.

Colorado Senator Michael Bennet campaigned in the state Saturday, emphasizing his call to keep private insurance, but add a “public option” to the Affordable Care Act so Americans could buy into the Medicare system.

Shoe lovers can save their soles at high heel exhibit

News

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Iowans who are fascinated by footwear will want to direct their feet to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art for an exhibit called “Kick Up Your Heels: The Fine Art of Shoes.” Museum curator Kate Kunau says high-heeled shoes were originally created in ancient Egypt to denote higher social class, but they’re everywhere in today’s society. “The exhibition focuses mainly on contemporary shoe design,” Kunau says. “So, it’s Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, lots of fun people like that.”

Ever since the Persians introduced the high-heeled shoe to Europe in the 17th century, high heels have been both a fashion statement and status symbol. Kunau calls herself an “avowed flats-wearer” and says the display features some high-heels that are truly a step above. “Some of the shoes in the exhibition,” Kunau says, laughing, “There’s a whole class of shoe that I didn’t know existed, it’s kind of like a heel-less high heel. You’re just completely balancing on the balls of your feet. Some people think that totally looks feasible and is something they could wear, which is deeply impressive to me.”

The exhibition highlights the unique design elements that make each shoe a distinct work of art, including: unusual heels, delicate cut-outs, intricate leatherwork, flashy color or material combinations, and more. “People have a real response to it and it’s really fun to watch people in the exhibition,” Kunau says. “It’s so natural to want to pick out your favorite pair or the pair you think you would wear that you never could have imagined, so it’s really fun to watch people interact with the shoes.”

The museum is celebrating its tenth year of free summer admission. The exhibition is on display through September 1st.

Drug and burglary arrests in Audubon

News

July 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports four arrests took place over the past two weeks. On July 17th, as a result of a search warrant, 30-year old Mark Thomas Holland, of Audubon, was arrested on charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Holland was transported to the Audubon County Jail to appear before a magistrate. On July 20th, 40-year old Joshua Robert Saunders, of Audubon, was arrested on charges of Burglary in the 2nd degree, and Violation of No Contact Order.  Saunders was transported to the Audubon County Jail to appear before a magistrate.

July 24th, Audubon Police arrested 63-year old Ronald Allen Siedelmann, of Audubon.  Siedelmann was taken into custody on a Harrison County arrest warrant and transferred to the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. And, last Friday (July 26th), 71-year old Ruby Louise Donahue, of Audubon, was arrested for allow a Dog to run at Large.  Donahue was issued a citation on scene, and subsequently released on promise to appear in court.