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Disaster Declaration issued for Pottawattamie County

News

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for Pottawattamie County in response to severe weather that occurred on April 26.  The governor’s proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program. 

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website at homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/assistance. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.   

The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Advocacy Program, contact your local community action association or visit iowacommunityaction.org.  

You can find a copy of the proclamation here. 

Posted in News |

Students check out careers in the Iowa Air Guard

News

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – High school students got a chance to explore careers with the Iowa National Guard’s 185th Air Wing Thursday. Tech Sergeant Adam Allen is one of the guard’s recruiters.

(as said)”They get a chance to come and talk to individuals to do the jobs every day. Everything that we can we offer we are showing anything from public affairs to human resources to mechanic both aircraft and vehicle,” he says. “Anything not an airplane, we have those mechanics too. We have all the trades, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, construction.”

Allen says most of the jobs are part-time, but there are also some 300 full-time jobs as well.

(as said)”All of us down here are looking for who’s that person that’s going to take our spot in ten, eleven, 12 years. You never know when you’re talking to that person because that is our future,” he says.

Sergeant Bluff Lutton senior Emmalie Gamble says the Air Guard is an option for her future.

(as said)”So I actually want to enlist into the guard first and then when I come back from all of my training I’m looking at going into it for police science,” she says.

Careers in the National Guard allow members to attend drill on training weekends, plus two weeks each year, while also attending college or working full-time at a civilian job.

Posted in News |

Western Iowa Tornado reports 4/26/24 (Will be updated as reports come in)

Weather

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

These are the latest reports in to the NWS in Valley/Omaha, NE (as of 6:14-p.,., 4/26/24)

Time/date       Event /remarks           City/County location                Lat.Lon/Source    

0819 PM     Tornado          4 W Cumming             41.48N 93.84W
04/26/2024                   Madison            IA   Mesonet

            Tornadic debris signature noted on radar.
0818 PM     Tornado          2 S Patterson           41.32N 93.88W
04/26/2024                   Madison            IA   Trained Spotter

            Reported to the south of Patterson.
0803 PM     Hail             Mount Ayr               40.71N 94.24W
04/26/2024  M3.00 Inch       Ringgold           IA   CO-OP Observer
0758 PM     Tornado          5 W East Peru           41.24N 94.02W
04/26/2024                   Madison            IA   Emergency Mngr

            Tornado near Word of Life Church.
0754 PM     Tornado          2 W Afton               41.03N 94.23W
04/26/2024                   Union              IA   Law Enforcement

            Large tornado near Afton moving northeast.
            Debris field reported with damage.
0728 PM     Tornado          4 WNW Afton             41.06N 94.27W
04/26/2024                   Union              IA   Trained Spotter

            Trained spotter reported tornado on the
            ground east of Creston. Time and location
            estimated from radar.
0728 PM     Hail             2 SSW Delphos           40.64N 94.36W
04/26/2024  E1.00 Inch       Ringgold           IA   Trained Spotter
0725 PM     Tornado          4 WNW Afton             41.05N 94.27W
04/26/2024                   Union              IA   Dept of Highways

            Power poles with debris on US Highway 34
            between Creston and Afton. Highway is
            closed.
0715 PM     Tornado          6 NE Creston            41.13N 94.29W
04/26/2024                   Union              IA   Emergency Mngr

            Tornado reported to the southwest of
            Macksburg.
0710 PM     Tornado          3 NE Lenox              40.91N 94.52W
04/26/2024                   Adams              IA   Emergency Mngr

            near 205th and Highway 25.
0709 PM     Tornado          Creston                 41.06N 94.36W
04/26/2024                   Union              IA   Emergency Mngr

            Tornado with debris near the hospital in
            Creston.
0704 PM     Tornado          2 WSW Creston           41.05N 94.40W
04/26/2024                   Union              IA   Trained Spotter

            Tornado on the ground, heading northeast.
0658 PM     Tornado          2 W Manilla             41.89N 95.27W
04/26/2024                   Crawford           IA   Storm Chaser

            Storm chaser shared a picture of a tornado
            just west of Manilla.
0608 PM     Hail             1 SE Clarinda           40.72N 95.02W
04/26/2024  M1.00 Inch       Page               IA   CO-OP Observer
0606 PM     Tornado          2 W Harlan              41.65N 95.37W
04/26/2024                   Shelby             IA   Trained Spotter

            Home destroyed.
0605 PM     Tornado          2 W Harlan              41.65N 95.37W
04/26/2024                   Shelby             IA   Public

            Significant damage between Portsmith and
            Harlan. Destroyed home, cars flipped.
0605 PM     Tornado          3 W Harlan              41.65N 95.38W
04/26/2024                   Shelby             IA   Storm Chaser

            Multi vortex tornado.
0559 PM     Tornado          Tennant                 41.59N 95.44W
04/26/2024                   Shelby             IA   Broadcast Media
0557 PM     Tornado          3 S Tennant             41.56N 95.45W
04/26/2024                   Shelby             IA   Law Enforcement

            Multiple destroyed outbuildings and a home
            that lost a roof. Time estimated from radar.
0550 PM     Tornado          1 WSW Shelby            41.50N 95.48W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Storm Chaser

            Very large tornado crossing Interstate 80.
0547 PM     Tornado          2 ENE Minden            41.48N 95.50W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Emergency Mngr

            Very large multi vortex tornado. At least 1/3 mile wide.
0545 PM     Tornado          1 NE Minden             41.48N 95.52W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Storm Chaser

            Large tornado destroying homes.
0541 PM     Tornado          Minden                  41.47N 95.54W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Emergency Mngr

            Very large tornado.
0541 PM     Tornado          4 ESE Logan             41.62N 95.73W
0455 PM     Hail             1 NW Carter Lake        41.30N 95.94W
04/26/2024  E1.75 Inch       Douglas            NE   Public
04/26/2024                   Harrison           IA   Storm Chaser
0540 PM     Tornado          3 ESE Neola             41.43N 95.57W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Storm Chaser
0533 PM     Tornado          2 SE Underwood          41.37N 95.65W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Emergency Mngr
0528 PM     Tornado          3 SE Underwood          41.36N 95.65W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Emergency Mngr
0520 PM     Tornado          7 WNW Neola             41.48N 95.75W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Trained Spotter
0505 PM     Tornado          3 NNE Pisgah            41.87N 95.91W
04/26/2024                   Monona             IA   Storm Chaser
0514 PM     Tornado          6 WSW Treynor           41.19N 95.70W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Emergency Mngr
0513 PM     Tornado          6 W Treynor             41.23N 95.73W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Storm Chaser
0509 PM     Tornado          7 SE Council Bluffs     41.17N 95.75W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Trained Spotter
0507 PM     Tornado          1 S Crescent            41.36N 95.86W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Emergency Mngr
0501 PM     Tornado          3 ENE Carter Lake       41.30N 95.87W
04/26/2024                   Pottawattamie      IA   Emergency Mngr
0457 PM     Tornado          2 NNW Pacific Junction  41.04N 95.82W
04/26/2024                   Mills              IA   Trained Spotter
0455 PM     Hail             Carter Lake             41.29N 95.91W
04/26/2024  E1.75 Inch       Pottawattamie      IA   Emergency Mngr

0435 PM     Tornado          Modale                  41.62N 96.01W
04/26/2024                   Harrison           IA   Trained Spotter
0420 PM     Tornado          5 SSW Modale            41.55N 96.04W
04/26/2024                   Harrison           IA   Trained Spotter
1255 PM     Hail             3 E Dedham              41.90N 94.76W
04/26/2024  M0.88 Inch       Carroll            IA   Trained Spotter

            Large quantity of dime to nickel sized hail.

Posted in Weather |

Clear Lake’s Brownlee wins girls’ long jump

Sports

April 26th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Clear Lake junior Reese Brownlee won the girls high school long jump. Her winning leap of 18 feet three- and three-quarter inches came on her final attempt.

The competition finished moments before the meet was shut down for an 89-minute weather delay.

Posted in Sports |

Jason Damiano from Iowa Falls-Alden wins boys’ 110 hurdles

Sports

April 26th, 2024 by Seth Tiegs

Iowa Falls-Alden senior Jaden Damiano(dah-me-ah-noh) set a Drake Relays record in winning the boys’ 110 hurdles. Damiano’s winning time was 13-point-84 seconds.

Damiano says the weather conditions did not bother him.

Posted in Sports |

WDM Valley’s Havighurst wins girls 100 hurdles

Sports

April 26th, 2024 by Seth Tiegs

Less than a year after suffering an ACL injury Emma Havighurst is a Drake Relays champion. The junior from West Des Mines Valley won the girls’ 100 meter hurdles.

Havighurst says a good start was a key.

Posted in Sports |

Clear Lake’s Brownlee wins girls’ long jump

Sports

April 26th, 2024 by Seth Tiegs

Clear Lake junior Reese Brownlee won the girls high school long jump. Her winning leap of 18 feet three and three quarter inches came on her final attempt.

The competition finished moments before the meet was shutdown for an 89 minute weather delay.

Posted in Sports |

LILA KELLEY, 85 of Jacksonville, Ia (Visitation4/30/2024)

Obituaries

April 26th, 2024 by Lori Murphy

LILA KELLEY, 85 of Jacksonville, Iowa died Thursday, April 25, 2024 at Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn. Visitation for Lila Kelley will take place on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 from 4-7pm at C G Thereldsen Activity Center in Harlan, with a Prayer Service at 6:30pm.

Heartland Funeral & Cremation Services in Harlan is caring for Lila’s family.

 

Lila Kelley is survived by:

Her Husband: Perry Kelley, Sr of Walnut

Sons: Perry, Jr (Mary Ellen) Kelley of Harlan; Jerry (Karen) Kelley of Harlan; Larry Kelley of Council Bluffs

Daughter: Connie (Kevin ) Paulsen of Anita

5 grandchildren; 2 step-children;

8 Great-grandchildren; 2 step-great grandchildren

Many other relatives and friends

 

Posted in Obituaries |

House Speaker says limiting UI, ISU, UNI tuition increases a priority

News

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Speaker Pat Grassley says if Republicans retain control of the Iowa House after the November election, they’ll push to limit tuition increases at the three state universities. This spring, House Republicans proposed a three-percent cap on future tuition increases, but it did not pass the Iowa Senate.

(as said) “I think in the past we’ve looked at tuition freezes and the problem is we’ve done those in such short increments that the institutions of higher education have enough reserves that they can withstand it,” Grassley says. “What we wanted to do is look at a more long term freeze which really should decrease the cost to deliver the education if you have to really sit down and think: ‘Well, over the next five years we’re limited to 3% growth,’ which our bill did, they’re really going to have to make sure they’re more efficient in delivery of education.”

Grassley says it’s about providing a level of financial certainty to students and parents. Tuition is covering a larger share of spending at Iowa, Iowa State and U-N-I as state support of the public universities has been declining. Grassley says legislators are providing adequate resources to the universities. He also cites shifting money from Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs on the campuses, which are being shut down, to scholarships for students earning degrees in high demand fields.

(as said) “We want to put our money into creating the next workforce. We know that’s an issue across the state,” Grassley says. “…That was a better use of the tax dollars.”

Grassley made his comment during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa P-B-S.

Posted in News |

Kids in SW Iowa town to get free books monthly via Dolly Parton’s reading program

News

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – (Note: The libraries in Cass County have been participating with the Dolly Parton reading program for at least a couple years or so)

A library in southwest Iowa is among the first in the state to partner with a reading program that’s being funded by a famous country music performer that will provide free books to area kids. Andrew Hoppmann, director of Clarinda’s Lied Public Library, explains how the new initiative will work.

(As said) “The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is a program where everyone in the designated ZIP codes that we serve — which there’s five of them and Clarinda’s the main one — those from zero up to five years of age will receive a book a month sent directly to them,” said Hoppmann.

The initiative was started in 1995 by the iconic singer-songwriter from Tennessee with the aim to foster early childhood literacy. Hoppmann says the goal is to plant the seeds of reading in children before they even enter school.

(As said) “They will build their own library, and they will hopefully become readers and library users,” said Hoppmann. “Because one book really isn’t enough per month for many kids, at least I know with my own. We’re excited to launch that program. We launched it about a week ago, and we already have close to 100 kids signed up.”

Parents in the 51632, 51656, 51631, 51651, and 51637 ZIP codes can enroll their kids for the program for free through the library’s website: clarindapubliclibrary.org

Posted in News |