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Heat Wave to continue….

News

July 17th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Forecasters say the heat wave gripping the central U.S. is “unrelenting” and sweaty residents shouldn’t expect any relief soon.

Heat advisories and warnings are in place in 17 states, from Texas to Michigan, as temperatures and humidity combine to make being outside uncomfortable for millions.

In Oklahoma City, forecasters expected another day of 100-degree heat Sunday, which would be the 27th day this year the city has reached 100 or above. The city’s record is 50 such days, set in 1980, and it’s on pace to break it this year.

National Weather Service forecaster Daryl Williams in Norman, Okla., says much of the central U.S. is under a so-called “heat dome” that isn’t moving much. He describes the heat as “unrelenting” and says the trend is for more hot weather.

Iowa congressman, family safe after home invasion

News

July 17th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A home invasion at Rep. Leonard Boswell’s Iowa farm ended when his 22-year-old grandson fetched a shotgun and aimed it at the intruder, according to a statement from the congressman’s office. No one was seriously injured.

The incident started about 10:45 p.m. Saturday when an armed man came in through the front door, attacked Boswell’s daughter, Cindy Brown, and demanded money, the statement said. Boswell, 77, heard his daughter’s screams, came into the entryway and attempted to disarm the intruder.

As they struggled, Boswell’s grandson, Mitchell Brown, got a shotgun from another room. When he pointed the shotgun at the intruder, the man fled into the fields around the house outside Lamoni.

Boswell’s wife, Dody Boswell, 75, also was home during the attack. His spokesman Grant Woodard said the whole family is safe and unhurt, aside from some scrapes and bruises.

The family is shaken up, but “they’re dealing with it pretty well,” Woodard said Sunday morning.

He deferred other questions to the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating along with the FBI and other agencies. Sheriff Herbert Muir wasn’t available for comment Sunday morning.

Boswell, a Democrat, has represented Iowa’s 3rd District for eight terms in Congress. He is expected to face a challenge next year from Republican Rep. Tom Latham, who is moving into the district to avoid running against Republican Rep. Steve King after their territories were merged during once-per-decade redistricting that follows each census.

Iowa is going from five to four congressional seats because its population growth hasn’t kept pace with the rest of the nation. The new 3rd District will include Des Moines and 16 counties in southwest Iowa.

EHK School board preview

News

July 17th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board is set to hold their regular meeting Monday evening, at the High School, in Elk Horn. Action items on their agenda include: the resignations of the band director, school nurse and assistant high school football coach.

During his report to the EHK Board, Superintendent Dean Schnoes will discuss the sharing of the Band Director’s position with Audubon, as well as school nurse. And, among other, administrative matters, the Board will: hear an update on the student parking lot project; and, action is expected with regard to approval of student handbooks…catastrophic accident insurance…a Rosetta Stone contract…revised Master Schedule, lease and other One-to-One computer agreements, with the Apple Computer Corporation.

The meeting will conclude with the administering of Oaths to the Board Secretary/Treasurer, and Business Manager.

The EHK School Board meeting begins at 7-p.m. Monday, in the Family and Consumer Science Room at the Elk Horn High School.

Villisca Ax murder house museum operator dies

News

July 17th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Day tours of the famous Villisca Ax Murder House will not be held this week, so that the staff, family and friends of the museum’s operator can mourn his death. Darwin Linn owned the house where eight people were killed on June 10th, 1912. Linn died Friday. He’d purchased the home in 1994 and restored the building to its near original condition in 1912.

Joshua B. Moore, his wife Sarah, and their four children lived in the home nearly a century ago. The family and two neighbor girls who were staying with them were found bludgeoned to death with an ax. To this day, their deaths remain unresolved.

Darwin Linn also operated the Olson-Linn Museum in downtown, Villisca, which features pictures and artifacts about the town’s history. He offered tours of the museum and the Ax Murder House, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places, in 1998. He eventually opened the house to overnight stays.

Woman and child injured during PWC accident

News

July 17th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A woman and child riding on a personal watercraft were injured Friday evening, when their vessel was hit by another PWC on Carter Lake. Authorities say a 5-year old boy and a 42-year old woman were struck as they were on the craft, at around 5-p.m.

A private boat brought the victims to the shore. The woman and child were then transported to the Nebraska Medical Center, where they were being treated for what were believed to be non-life threatening injuries.

No other injuries were reported, and additional details about the accident are not yet available.

High School Baseball Scores from Sat., July 16th

Sports

July 17th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Class 1-A District Finals
Nishnabotna 12, Bedford 2 (5 innings)
Orient-Macksburg 6, Corning 5
Walnut 5, Adair-Casey 1
Coon Rapids-Bayard 23, West Harrison 3 (5 innings)

Class 2-A District Finals
St. Albert 8, Logan-Magnolia 3
Interstate-35 5, Mount Ayr 1
Kuemper Catholic 12, Manson-NW Webster 2 (6 innings)
Lawton-Bronson 15, West Monona 3 (5 innings)

Weekend News (podcast) 7-17-11

News, Podcasts

July 17th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Here’s the latest area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson…

Play

More IANG homecoming ceremonies scheduled – 3 units coming home this week

News

July 17th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A spokesman for the Iowa Army National Guard says community homecoming ceremonies for three Guard units mobilized as part of Operation Enduring Freedom will be held on Monday, July 18th and Tuesday, July 19th at Cedar Falls and in Coralville. The Guardsmen are currently undergoing medical clearances, briefings on federal and state benefits to which they are now entitled as combat veterans, equipment turn-in, and the completion of administrative documentation at Ft. McCoy, Wis. and will return home to Iowa as soon as those tasks are completed.

Monday, July 18-Cedar Falls and Coralville

Homecoming ceremonies will be held for Companies B and C, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. The ceremony for about 100 soldiers from Company C starts at 11:30 a.m. at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls. Nearly 110 soldiers from Company B will be welcomed back beginning at Noon, in the Marriott Conference Center in Coralville.

Tuesday, July 19-Cedar Falls

The homecoming ceremony for 95 soldiers from Company E, 334th Brigade Support Battalion and selected Soldiers of H-H-B 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, will be held at 11:30 a.m., at the UNI Dome.

Those units are part of the approximately 2,900 members of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division deployed to Afghanistan. They reported to their mobilization station at Camp Shelby, Miss. in August, 2010m for additional training and preparation before departing for the Afghanistan theater of operations.

The units arrived in Afghanistan in November 2010, where the Soldiers provided full-spectrum operations in a combat theater, including lethal and non-lethal capabilities, support to Afghan National Army and Police units, and assistance to humanitarian relief initiatives.

Local officials and Iowa National Guard leadership will participate in the ceremonies. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the homecoming events.

 

 

2 injured 1 killed in Mills County crash, Saturday (updated 7-17-11)

News

July 16th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa State Patrol reports one of three Nebraska men who was injured during an accident Saturday afternoon in Mills County, has died. 60-year old Michael Eppenbach, of Ord, NE was a passenger in a pickup that was struck by a semi, as the vehicle was making a U-turn on an Interstate 29 exit ramp. Eppenbach died from his injuries at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha. The accident happened about two-miles south of the Glenwood exit on I-29 southbound, at around 12:23-p.m.

Officials say a 2006 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 60-year old George Mills, of Raymond, NE, was on the ramp from the 32-mile marker northbound, when he attempted to make a u-turn and go southbound on the top of the ramp in a head-to-head construction zone. His pickup was hit on the driver’s side door during the u-turn, by a northbound 2002 Mack semi. The driver of the semi was not identified.

Mills, and Michael Eppenbach, and 36-year old Jeffrey Eppenbach, of Waverly, NE, were injured in the crash . All three men were taken to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, with Jeffrey Eppenbach having been flown by LifeNet helicopter from the scene. The other two men were transported by Glenwood Rescue.

The accident remains under investigation.

Shelby exit hit-and-run victim dies

News

July 16th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A Minnesota man who was critically injured when he was struck by one or more vehicles July 6th near Shelby, has died from his injuries. 31-year old Mosadaq A, Aden, of St. Paul, died Friday, at the Nebraska Medical Center.

Aden was hit by an unknown vehicle or vehicles at around 3-a.m., as he was walking on an Interstate 80 ramp. The State Patrol says the driver left the scene of the crash without stopping, but they acknowledge that person may not have known they struck an individual.

The man was previously listed in critical condition after suffering a crushed pelvis and severe head injuries during the accident. He had been making his way across the country from Las Vegas to St. Paul, by with whatever transportation was available to him, including hitchhiking.