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

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Clarinda Police and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Dept. K9 units kept busy over the weekend searching for youth who absconded from the Clarinda Academy. In an update to our earlier reports, Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers said that at around 9:15-p.m., Sunday, officials with the Clarinda Academy notified the police department that five female students had just absconded from the facility for At-Risk and Troubled youth.

The students that fled the facility included; a 15-year-old from Minnehaha County, South Dakota; A 16-year-old from Winnebago County, Nebraska; A 15-year-old from Cass County, Missouri;. A 15-year-old from Bellingham, Washington, and a 13-year old from Ramsey, County, Minnesota.

A search for the juveniles was conducted with assistance was provided by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Division, K-9 “Judge” and handler, Deputy Buttercase, and K-9 “Roby” and handler Deputy Wake. The K9 teams successfully tracked the juveniles to an area approximately 1.5 miles to the southwest of the Clarinda Academy campus.

The juveniles were apprehended without incident after about 90-minutes, and returned to the custody of the Clarinda Academy where all five juveniles are court ordered placements. Chief Brothers said the Fremont County’s K-9 units were instrumental in locating the five absconded students and that’s he’ grateful for the assistance.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A June trial has been scheduled for a Sioux City man accused of using a belt on his daughter after she refused to do laundry. Online court records say 42-year-old Ricardo Cordova-Larios entered a written plea of not guilty Friday to a charge of assault causing injury or mental illness. His trial is set to begin June 13.

Court documents say bruises on the 14-year-old girl’s back, neck and upper torso matched the outline of a belt.

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

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities in Des Moines have recovered the body of a man from the Des Moines River. The body was spotted around 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Police won’t release the name of the 52-year-old man until relatives have been notified about the recovery of his body. An autopsy has been ordered.

Three estates have helped to assure the future of the Montgomery County Family YMCA with bequests of $1.48 million benefitting the Y.   Mike Olson, Montgomery County Family YMCA board president, commenting on recent estate bequests of nearly $1.5 million, said “It’s very humbling to receive this amount of money and we feel so blessed to have people help to sustain the Y financially in such a big way.”  The bequeaths will help the Red Oak facility and its programs to assist the health and well-being of area residents.

Nick Zimmer, the Y’s executive director, states the majority of the new funding will support the permanent endowment of which only the principal’s interest can be spent, according to endowment by-laws, for operational needs and or long term maintenance needs. Zimmer acknowledges “with deep gratitude” the following bequests…

…$800,000 from the Charles and Norma Wilson Foundation

…$573,000 from the Helen Murphy Estate

…$109,000 from the Rod and Jean Farmer Estate

The Wilsons and Ms. Murphy were key contributors to initial construction of the Y as well as on-going financial support. Their service to numerous community endeavors has been previously widely-chronicled. According to Zimmer, Rod Farmer was instrumental in formulating initial multi-million dollar fund-raising strategies and also monitored the large, local volunteer effort it took to build the facility. “Rod provided his expertise throughout a 19-month period,” Zimmer said. “His Y background and knowledge of our market-size were crucial. He knew just how to raise $6.6 million, the most ever done in our county. He assisted YMCAs nationwide with their campaigns.”

Rod Farmer retired as CEO of the Greater Des Moines YMCA and previously held positions with the Kansas City (KS) and St. Louis YMCAs. He was a graduate of Fremont (NE) high school and Midland Lutheran University in Fremont. Jean Farmer also graduated from Midland with an education degree and taught many years in the Des Moines public schools.

Even with these sizeable gifts, Zimmer and Olson point out the continuing need for monetary support in order for the Y to function.  Zimmer said over the next 7 plus years the facility could have up to $1.7 million dollars worth of facility replacement cost to address it continues to keep the YMCA operating at the highest level of facility care possible.   Zimmer said “We sincerely appreciate everyone’s assistance, whatever and how much it may be.”

To learn more about the Montgomery County Family YMCA and how you can be involved call Nick Zimmer, YMCA Executive Director at 712-623-2161, stop in at the Montgomery County Family YMCA, visit them on Facebook, or visit the YMCA’s website at www.mcymca.com.

The Creston Police Department reports 25-year old Gabriel Rosenacker, of Orient, was arrested Saturday evening on charges that include OWI/1st offense, Driving While Revoked, and Harassment in the 1st Degree. Rosenacker was later released from the Union County Jail on a Promise to Appear in court.

And, late Friday morning, Creston Police arrested 18-year old Donovan Houghmaster, of Creston, on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation on an original 2nd Degree Theft charge. Houghmaster, who was already in custody at the Union County Jail when the warrant was served, was being held on $5,000 bond.

(7-a.m. News)

(Corrects address)

Firefighters in Atlantic were called to the scene of a garage fire this morning. The department was dispatched at 5-a.m. to the scene 801 Walnut Street, where the garage was shared with a home on 8^th Street. Rachelle Andersons’ fiance’ Arthur Davis Jr., had got up to let the dogs outside when he noticed smoke in driveaway and a glow.

Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees said When firefighters arrived the structure was pretty much fully engulfed and was impinging on the house which was only about three-feet away.

The blaze was extinguished by around 5:14-a.m. Rachelle Anderson, who lives in the home next to the garage on the east side told KJAN News she was asleep when Art ran in to tell her to “Get up, the garage is on fire. I [went] out the door and it was all in flames. We went back inside to get our three dogs.” She said also there was a more than one-half full propane tank inside the garage.

A few vehicles that were parked outside were moved to a parking lot across the street. Firefighters remained on the scene until about 6:20-a.m. while extinguishing some hot spots. The cause of the blaze remained under investigation.

Ric Hanson/photos

Sioux City animal control found more than 40 cats in a home Friday after getting a tip. Megan Lalk says they found the animals in horrible conditions with an overwhelming smell. “I was the one that originally went out there, and even just walking up to the house, the smell was horrific,” Lalk says. She says the house was posted with a 24-hour notice and once that was up, they went in and started removing the cats.

Lalk says two people were living in the home that was covered in waste. “There were a lot of the cats that were sick. And when they are in that environment and you take them out into the fresh air — their upper respiratory goes crazy — just because they are used to breathing in the ammonia and all the stuff that’s in a house in that condition,” Lalk says.

She says when they originally went in they found 41 cats, but found some more when they checked again. Some of the cats died after being rescued and others are being treated for a variety of health issues. She says they try to keep the sick ones separated from the rest of the animals, because they are holding them now until the case makes it way through the legal process.

She says they left traps in the house to try and catch at least five more cats. Investigators are still working on the case and say charges are possible against the two people living in the home.

(Radio Iowa)

(Update 5:40-a.m.) Firefighters in Atlantic were called to the scene of a garage fire this morning. The department was dispatched at 5-a.m. to the scene 803 Walnut Street, and the blaze was reported to be extinguished by 5:14-a.m. Rochelle Anderson said she was asleep when he fiance Arthur Davis, Jr., ran in to tell her to “Get up, the garage is on fire. I [went] out the door and it was all in flames. We went back inside to get our three dogs.”

Ric Hanson/photos

She said also there was a more than one-half full propane tank inside the garage, but the vehicles that were parked outside were moved to a parking lot across the street. Firefighters remained on the scene at 5:40-a.m. while extinguishing some hot spots and trying to find the cause of the blaze.