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(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & Funeral report, 10/25/18

News, Podcasts

October 25th, 2018 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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District probes report that teacher wore blackface at party

News

October 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — The Davenport School district is investigating reports that a teacher was wearing blackface at a public Halloween party. The Quad-City Times reports that Walcott Elementary teacher Megan Luloff was among people at a Halloween party at the Walcott American Legion who portrayed characters from the movie “Napoleon Dynamite.” She reportedly dressed as Lafawnduh, a character who is black. District Superintendent Art Tate says “the wearing of blackface is never appropriate in any circumstance by any person.”

The district is under state supervision because a disproportionate number of minority students have been identified for special education and subject to disciplinary actions. Betty C. Andrews with the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP Conference of Branches says “the revelation that the woman in blackface is a teacher who is expected to provide a safe and equitable classroom environment for all children is very disconcerting.”

No big Powerball winner; jackpot now up to $750 million

News

October 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — No one has won the big Powerball prize, so the estimated jackpot now grows to $750 million — potentially the fourth-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. The next drawing will be Saturday. On Wednesday night, when it was at $620 million, the Powerball jackpot looked sort of puny given all the attention lavished on the $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot won in South Carolina on Tuesday. But with two giant prizes in one week, it was hard not to compare.

Only three lottery jackpots have been larger than the next Powerball prize. No one has won the Powerball jackpot since Aug. 11, when a man from Staten Island, New York, won $245.6 million.

Officials say eye clinic patient data may have been taken

News

October 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a cyberattacker might have taken patient data from a Sioux City vision and surgical practice. The Sioux City Journal reports that officials for Jones Eye Clinic and an affiliated surgery center, CJ Elmwood Partners, discovered a ransomware attack on Aug. 23. In such online attacks, data is locked and payment demanded for the data to be released. The computer systems were put back into service using backup information, and no ransom payment was made.

Officials say the attackers would have had the ability to access patient information contained in billing and schedule software but not medical records. The compromised patient data included some individuals’ Social Security numbers and insurance claim information. Jones Eye Clinic and the surgery center have told patients about the data breach and are paying to enroll the affected patients in a year of credit monitoring.

Red Oak man arrested on a felony warrant after foot pursuit

News

October 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Red Oak Police Wednesday, arrested a man wanted on a Polk County warrant for Violation of Probation, on an original charge of 1st Degree Harassment.  34-year old Kyle William Chase, of Red Oak, was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit that began at around Noon, Wednesday, when officers responded to a tip he was at the 4H Apartments, in Red Oak. Upon officers’ arrival, Chase fled the apartment and ran out the back door. He then ran around the building and northbound across East Summit Street into an open field.

Chase was arrested in the field on the warrant, and transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he was held without bond.

EPA urged to ramp up plans for E15 rule making

Ag/Outdoor, News

October 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — A top ethanol industry official is echoing Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley’s concern about the timeline the Environment Protection Agency has proposed for moving to year-round sales of E15. The recently published agenda by the EPA shows E15 rule making would begin in February. American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings says the process needs to start much sooner than that.

“A proposed rule in February, taking into consideration the comment period, probably a public hearing, how long it has taken EPA to conduct other rule making — it doesn’t appear as if they will be able to get this done in time for the 2019 summer driving season,” Jennings said. Grassley, in a call with reporters this week, said it will “look like the president wasn’t serious in his announcement” if the EPA doesn’t ramp up its timeline.

“We don’t need this sort of bureaucratic red tape with something that’s been discussed in Washington for four or five years and discussed within this administration, and specifically with EPA, and specifically face to face with the president for about a year now,” Grassley said. According to Jennings, it’s up to the Trump Administration to follow through.

“We really need the administration to speed this up,” Jennings said. “We can’t have EPA slow-walk this after the president made such a big splash in announcing it.” Current law restricts the sale of E15 and higher ethanol blends from June 1st to September 15th. President Trump traveled to Council Bluffs two weeks ago and announced he directed the EPA to make E15 available all year.

(Thanks to Amy Mayer, Iowa Public Radio, and Mark Dorenkamp, Brownfield Ag News)

Campaign Countdown: race for state treasurer

News

October 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa Special Feature) — The state officeholder who is in charge of receiving, investing and distributing state funds is seeking re-election to a 10th term.

State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald, a Democrat, has the longest tenure among state treasurers who’re currently serving. If Iowans reelect him this November, early next year Fitzgerald would surpass the all-time service record of a South Carolina man who was that state’s treasurer for a little over 36 years. Fitzgerald was first elected in 1982. “I’m asking Iowans to reelect me because I’ve been responsible with their money, building up a triple A credit rating for the State of Iowa,” Fitzgerald says, “and then establishing the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt, where we return millions of dollars (and) establishing College Savings Iowa, where we have 250,000 kids saving for college.”

Jeremy Davis is the Republican challenging Fitzgerald. He served one term on the Ames City Council and has worked for Republican Congressman Steve King. Davis says if he’s elected treasurer, he’ll appoint a task force to find duplication and wasteful spending in state government.”The state treasurer is the chief revenue officer of the state, but when’s the last time he reached out to Iowans and asked: ‘How do you feel your money is being spent?” Davis says. “‘Is it being spent appropriately by the legislature? Is the governor introducing the type of budget that meets the needs of all Iowans.'”

The third candidate on the ballot for state treasurer is Libertarian Timothy Hird, an engineer from Des Moines. He’s been the long-time treasurer for the Iowa Libertarian Party.

Iowa early News Headlines: Thursday, 10/25/2018

News

October 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Lottery officials say someone who bought a Mega Millions ticket in Davenport won a $1 million prize. The ticket was bought at a Hy-Vee gas outlet. It matched the first five numbers drawn Tuesday night but missed on the Mega Ball number. Another ticket bought in South Carolina matched all the numbers, winning the $1.537 billion jackpot.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Call it the world’s largest lottery prize that wasn’t. The Mega Millions jackpot that had been announced as the biggest ever at $1.6 billion ended up being the second-biggest at $1.537 billion. The difference likely means little to the suddenly rich person who bought the ticket in South Carolina and won Tuesday night’s drawing. But it raises questions about how lottery officials make estimates and whether they were influenced by a desire to claim the jackpot amount surpassed all others.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A financially troubled historic Sioux City building is set to be sold at auction next month to settle debts of the California development that owns it. The Sioux City Journal reports that the auction is set for Nov. 21 at the Woodbury County Courthouse. The 12-story Badgerow Building, built in 1933, went into foreclosure in January. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its art deco architecture style.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Finance Authority fired its lobbyist for retaliating against a woman who reported being sexually harassed by its director. The agency belatedly released to The Associated Press its Sept. 27 letter terminating government relations director Wes Peterson. An investigation found Peterson was aware of wrongdoing by former authority director Dave Jamison but failed to report it and later yelled at the victim.

Historic Sioux City building set to be sold at auction

News

October 24th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A financially troubled historic Sioux City building is set to be sold at auction next month to settle debts of the California development that owns it. The Sioux City Journal reports that the auction is set for Nov. 21 at the Woodbury County Courthouse.

The 12-story Badgerow Building, built in 1933, went into foreclosure in January. That’s when a judgment of more than $5.2 million was entered against the building’s owner, Mako One Corp., and against its managing partner, Bruce DeBolt, for the defaulted portion of a $6 million bond agreement that was secured to pay to renovate and redevelop the building.

The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its art deco architecture style.

Additional eastbound I-80 lanes open on Missouri River bridge this Friday

News

October 24th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Oct. 24, 2018 – On Friday, Oct. 26, weather permitting, additional lanes will open on eastbound Interstate 80 just west of the Missouri River Bridge, creating five total lanes for eastbound I-80 traffic. Lanes will gradually merge back into the existing conditions east of the 24th Street interchange.

“The Nebraska Department of Transportation is wrapping up their construction on I-80 near 13th Street,” said Scott Schram, Iowa DOT District 4 engineer. “We are excited to be able to add extra lanes on the bridge linking Nebraska and Iowa, which will help ease congestion for drivers as they travel east into Iowa.”

The Iowa DOT is in the process of reconstructing I-80, I-29 and I-480 in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area. This comprehensive interstate redesign will modernize the highway system and improve mobility and safety of approximately 18 miles of interstate. Motorists are encouraged to allow for extra travel time while this interstate improvement takes effect.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.