United Group Insurance

KJAN News

KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa,  Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!

Mills County Sheriff’s report (2/14/18)

News

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three people were arrested Tuesday on separate warrants. 23-year old Brittany Nichole Rector, of Allegan, MI, was arrested on a  Warrant for  Theft in the 2nd Degree. She was taken into custody at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office. Bond was set at $5,000. 48-year old Steven Ray Gooch, of Omaha, was arrested Tuesday night at the Douglas County, NE. Sheriff’s Office, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $1,000. And, 64-year old Victor Ray Jackson, of Emerson, was arrested on a Mills County warrant for Violation of the Sex Offender Registry. His bond was set at $2,000.

18-year-old pleads not guilty to 2 Sioux City slayings

News

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An 18-year-old in northwestern Iowa has pleaded not guilty to charges that he stabbed to death his ex-girlfriend and another young man. Court records say written pleas were filed Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court for Tran Walker, who’s charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The records don’t show that a trial date has been set.

He’s accused of killing 17-year-old Paiten Sullivan and 18-year-old Felipe Negron Jr., who both lived in Sioux City. Police say Walker was in a car with the other two on Jan. 28 when he began to stab Sullivan because he was upset that she had broken up with him. Police say that when Negron tried to intervene, Walker stabbed him, too.

UPDATE: The website information will be available Feb. 21 – visit the I-80 Planning Study website to view the third online public meeting

News

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa – Feb. 14, 2018 – The Iowa Department of Transportation is conducting a planning study of Interstate 80. The study is being developed and released through a series of technical reports that identify the existing condition of I-80, the way the system is performing, short- and long-term issues, and strategies to improve the route. Each report will be accessible online beginning Feb. 21st, on the Iowa DOT’s I-80 Planning Study website at: www.iowadot.gov/interstatestudy.

The third and final online meeting is now available to view on the website. To view the meeting, navigate to https://iowadot.gov/interstatestudy/public-meetings, or select the “PUBLIC MEETINGS” tab on the home page, and then select “Meeting 3.” The meeting was recorded allowing persons to view it any time and will be available on the website throughout the duration of the planning study.

Four new technical reports have been included on the website, these include:

  • Existing conditions.
  • Resiliency and vulnerability.
  • Viability of modal options.
  • Tolling considerations.

The Iowa DOT is asking interested parties to take a few minutes to view the online public meeting and review the information on the website. The website also offers a way for those interested to receive future emails or text messages regarding the study. Use the “STAY CONNECTED” link on the I-80 Planning Study website to subscribe.

Portugal. The Man tour bus catches fire before Iowa show

News

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a parked tour bus for alternative rock band Portugal. The Man caught fire before a show in eastern Iowa. Iowa City Fire Department Battalion Chief Greg Tinnes says no one was on the bus when the blaze broke out a little before 4:45 p.m. Tuesday. No injuries were reported. The bus was sitting near the Iowa Memorial Union on the University of Iowa campus. The fire is believed to have started in the heating and cooling system. The cause is being investigated.

The band performed Tuesday night. It has a show scheduled for Wednesday night in Columbia, Missouri. The band’s single “Feel It Still” won best pop duo/group performance at the Grammy Awards last month.

Iowa couple take plea deals in abuse of disabled woman

News

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa couple accused of inflicting chemical burns on a disabled woman in their care have taken plea deals. Court records say 51-year-old Katrina Eubanks and 55-year-old Gary Eubanks, of Urbandale, are scheduled to be sentenced March 28. Both had been charged with kidnapping, two counts of neglect of a dependent person and one count of abuse of a dependent person that resulted in injury. Prosecutors dropped the kidnapping charge in exchange for Katrina Eubanks’ guilty pleas last week and dropped all but one count of neglect for Gary Eubanks’ plea.

Police say Katrina Eubanks, a hired caregiver, bathed the 19-year-old woman in bleach and Epsom salt on May 28 in her home. Police say the Eubankses did not seek treatment for her burns for days.

Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s report (2/14/18) – Pursuit late Tue. night

News

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office has released its latest report on arrests. A traffic stop Tuesday night in Pott. County escalated into a pursuit, and the eventual arrest of 38-year old Roger Anthony Otts, of Council Bluffs. The incident began at around 10:20-p.m., when Deputy Michael Hansen tried to stop a Honda Accord, because a check of the license plate showed the registered owner to be Driving While Suspended. Instead of pulling over, Otts took off, leading the Deputy on a 85-mph chase that ended with the Honda losing control on a curve and going into a ditch. Otts jumped out the passenger window of the car and refused the Deputy’s order to lay on the ground. Deputy Hansen deployed his Taser as Otts was trying to run up a hill, but the Taser missed Otts. Hansen engaged in a foot pursuit, and tackled Otts about 50-yards from the accident scene, and placed him under arrest. Otts was taken into custody on three Probation Violation warrants associated with Conspiracy to Commit a Forcible Felony, Theft in the 1st and Theft in the 3rd Degrees. Otts faces additional charges of Eluding, and Driving While Under Suspension. He was booked into the Pott. County Jail

Authorities say a traffic stop in Pott. County Tuesday night in Underwood, resulted in the arrest of 36-year old Jesse Lavern Baldwin, of Council Bluffs. Baldwin was arrested for Driving While Revoked, and on an Iowa State Patrol warrant for Driving While Revoked. An inmate at the Pott. County Jail faces an additional charge of Possession of Contraband in a jail facility, after jail staff were handed an envelope with a clear plastic baggie that contained a pack of cigarettes. The stash was found under genitals of 33-year old Joshua Austin Leroux, of Blue Springs, Mo. Leroux advised that a crystallized substance in the baggie was methamphetamine, and the blue pills were Xanax. The investigation was completed at the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office.

An accident in Walnut, today (Wednesday), at around 1:45-a.m., resulted in the arrest of 28-year old Anthony Larry Hytrek, of Missouri Valley, for OWI/2nd offense. A caller informed the Sheriff’s Office their parked truck had been struck by a motorist in the 500 block of Antique City Drive. Deputy Cool made contact with the driver (Hytrek) and placed him under arrest, after he appeared to be impaired.

Officials say 22-year old Jordan Tyler Bywater, of Council Bluffs, turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office Tuesday afternoon. Bywater was wanted on a Felony warrant for Willful Injury causing Serious Injury. He was subsequently booked into the Pott. County Jail. 24-year old Andrew Allen Ross, of Council Bluffs, also turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday afternoon. Ross was wanted on a warrant for Violation of Parole. He too, was booked into the Pott. County Jail.

 

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 2/14/2018

News, Podcasts

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

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

Play

(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & funeral report, 2/14/2018

News, Podcasts

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

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

Play

Des Moines airport limits taxi service to 1 company

News

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines airport board has decided to limit taxi service to just one company. The Des Moines Airport Authority Board unanimously approved a three-year contract Tuesday with Trans Iowa. Trans Iowa will be required to dedicate 15 cabs and 24 drivers to the airport. Ride-sharing options will still be allowed.

Airport Executive Director Kevin Foley says limiting the service to one company is the only way the airport can ensure high-quality, consistent trips. He’s said taxi operators have been violating airport rules by having too few drivers, driving damaged vehicles, charging minimum trip fees, failing to post fee lists and only accepting cash payments.

Other cab company owners say the contracted service is unfair to smaller companies trying to expand.

Emotional hearing over proposed $5000 state grants for private school tuition

News

February 14th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A bill that would give the parents of private school students state tax money to cover tuition and other expenses drew applause, groans and emotional testimony at a statehouse hearing yesterday (Tuesday). Trish Wilger, executive director of Iowa Advocates for Choice in Education, told legislators the bill will “blast the doors open” for parents who want to send their kids to a private school. “This act goes a long way to give some parents a choice who otherwise don’t have one,” she said. Critics say the proposed five-thousand dollar state grants for newly-enrolled private school students will divert scarce public resources. According to Cindy Garlock of Cedar Rapids, a retired educator, there’s “no evidence vouchers increase student performance.”

“Aren’t we here about students and what’s best for our students or are we here to shuffle public dollars off into private entities?” she asked. Kim Preston lobbies in 11 Midwest states for the Foundation for Excellence in Education. She argued competition from private schools will raise the quality of public schools.”First of all, I think all kids can learn if they’re put in the right educational environment,” she said. “…I also believe parents are best equipped to make the choices about what fits the needs of their children the best.”

Andrew Dunn, a senior at Okoboji High School in Milford, told lawmakers that unlike public schools, private schools are not accessible to all students. “Education has truly been one of the foundations for success in Iowa and our public schools are institutions we ought to take pride in,” Dunn said. “…Public schools should be fixed, not abandoned.” If the bill becomes law, the bill’s sponsor says next year about 50-million dollars of state money would be given to the parents of kindergarteners starting out at a private school and to parents who remove their child from a public district and enroll them in a private school. The bill is scheduled for debate in the House Education Committee today (Wednesday).

(Radio Iowa)