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Iowa minorities given new tool to challenge all-white juries

News

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling means black defendants on trial in Iowa have a better chance of challenging all-white juries. The court’s decision last Friday throws out a method previously used to gauge the racial composition of a jury and says judges must consider multiple methods of assessment that offer a more balanced review.

The court considered the appeal of Kelvin Plain Sr., a black Waterloo man convicted by an all-white jury of harassment. The jury pool in his case had one black man among 56 potential jurors. Plain’s attorney, Gary Dickey, says the ruling now gives minority defendants in Iowa an avenue to challenge jury pools lacking a minority presence.

Plain may get a new trial if a judge, using the court’s new assessment directive, determines the jury pool violated his right to an impartial jury.

Charles City murder suspect’s vehicle found in Waterloo

News

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

(Update 7/6/17 10:50-a.m.: The Charles City Police Department report a man suspected of murder was apprehended in Chicago. On the Charles City P-D Facebook page: “Last night, the Chicago Police Department took Antoine Williams, age 36, into custody on a warrant for 1st degree murder issued from an incident which took place in Charles City on 06-30-17 at 21:46 hours in the 2100 block of Clarkview Drive. The Chicago Police Department does not have any current charges of their own on the subject.”)

A northeast Iowa murder suspect remains at large, but police have found his vehicle. Charles City Police say 26-year-old Antoine Williams is wanted for the shooting death of another man last Friday night (at an apartment building on the city’s southeast side). The victim has been identified as 36-year-old Nathaniel Fleming of Mason City.

Police said Williams was believed to be driving a red 2006 Chevy Equinox, which has been found in (the 900 block of Oneida Street in) Waterloo. Williams, however, has not been located and police call him “armed and dangerous.”

Antoine Williams

(Radio Iowa)

Davenport votes to ban fireworks after “irresponsible” 4th of July

News

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Davenport’s city council voted Wednesday to revive a ban on the use of fireworks within the city limits. A new state law permits the sale and use of fireworks from June 1st through July 8th and December 10th through January 3rd. While the law prevents cities and counties from banning fireworks sales, it does allow them to ban or limit their use.

Davenport city leaders conducted an experiment to see if residents could use fireworks responsibly. But Mayor Frank Klipsch says there has been some irresponsible use. According to the Quad City Times, Davenport Alderman Mike Matson says, in addition to fireworks being noisy, they have caused five major injuries, three of them serious enough that victims needed to be transported out of town.

Matson also says as of Monday, fireworks have caused two structure fires, one vehicle fire and four major fires outside of buildings.

(Radio Iowa)

Charles City boy is “brain dead” after ATV accident

News

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A Charles City teen is being declared clinically brain dead after an all-terrain vehicle accident over the holiday. Logan Luft was involved in the ATV accident on July 4th in Charles City. Luft was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester for a severe brain injury. According to a statement from the Charles City Community School District, Luft’s family shared with them on Wednesday evening that Luft was declared clinically brain dead and was being kept on life support while his organ donation recipients were being chosen.

Charles City school officials were providing counseling to Luft’s classmates on Thursday. Luft was going to be entering the 9th grade this fall.

(Radio Iowa)

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 7/6/2017

News, Podcasts

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

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

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Parents and students advised to start researching student loan costs now

News

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Summer is getting into full swing, but parents who are sending a kid to college are being advised to start thinking ahead now about how they are going to pay for it in the fall. Iowa Student Loan C-E-O Steve McCullough says it’s especially important for parents who might use the Federal PLUS Loan program, as the rates increased on July 1st. He says those rates went from six-point-three-one percent to seven percent.

McCullough says there are other options available. “For this particular loan, there are several private student loans that parents can consider using instead. One of those is the Partnership Advanced Education loan provided by Iowa Student Loan. And a new version called the College Family Loan,” McCullough says.

He says the loans administered by his organization do have a lower interest rates. “The highest fixed rate that we’re charging for this fall is six-point-eight-five percent,” according toe McCullough. “Now we know that there are other private loan programs that are available to parents to fill this gap — but we don’t believe that any of them that have this same situation where the highest fixed-rate they are charging is six-point-eight-five percent.”

These are loans that are taken out by the parents with the idea that the college students will eventually pay them off. McCullough says it is important for parents to fully understand that they are on the hook for the loans if the students don’t pay. “Now many parents make the mistake of assuming that there son or daughter will pay it anyway — but that doesn’t happen in all cases — and that leads to some real consternation among the families,” McCullough says.

He says parents and students should do as much research as they can right now to find out all the options available so they don’t have to scramble in the fall.  “Most families tend to look into loan options at the point they get their first bill from the college and they figure out they don’t have the money in their bank account to pay for it,” McCullough explains. “They receive their award letter from the college that said they may need to borrow in the spring, but they’ve still been trying to arrange how they are going to pay for it.”

Iowa Student Loan is the non-profit entity in the state that administers students loans. McCullough says they have a variety of information on their website about student loans and borrowing.

(Radio Iowa)

(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & funeral report, 7/6/2017

News, Podcasts

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

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

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Audubon County man arrested on drug charges Wed. night

News

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop for speeding in Audubon County Wednesday night resulted in the arrest of a man on drug charges. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports 41-year old Jay Joseph Ratigan, of Exira, was arrested at around 8:30-p.m. on charges that include Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was also cited for speeding.

Ratigan was pulled over in the 1700 block of Littlefield Drive and taken into custody after Sheriff’s K9 “Axel” alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle and a search was conducted.  Ratigan was brought to the Audubon County Jail and later posted a $2,000 cash bond before being released.

Red Oak man crashes motorcycle after donating plasma

News

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A man who told authorities had given blood plasma earlier in the day, crashed his motorcycle at around 3:10-p.m. Wednesday. Red Oak Police say 46-year old Mark Edward Peterson, of Red Oak, was traveling south on N. Broadway Street, when the 1978 Honda CB750K he was operating left the road and collided with a concrete flower bed, causing him to fall off the cycle. The accident happened near the intersection with Coolbaugh Street.

Peterson suffered minor injuries and was transported by Red Oak Fire/Rescue to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital. He told police that in addition to having donated plasma and not remembering the accident, he has suffered from memory loss in the past. The cycle sustained about $500 damage in the crash. No citations were issued.

Red Oak man arrested on warrant for probation violation

News

July 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak, Wednesday evening, arrested 26-year old James Leroy Christensen, Jr., of Red Oak. Christensen Jr. was taken into custody at around 7:05-p.m. in the 200 block of S. 8th Street, on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $5,000 cash bond.