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2nd teen dies after crash of stolen car into delivery van

News

December 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines authorities say a second teenager has died after the stolen car he was driving crashed into a delivery van. Police identified him Wednesday night as 17-year-old Des Moines resident Jair Sanchez-Banos. His passenger, 16-year-old Des Moines resident Emilio Esteban Garcia, died earlier. The car was reported stolen a little after 8:10 p.m. Monday after it was left running unattended. A vehicle matching its description was seen about 30 minutes later where gunshots rang out several blocks northwest.

Police say an officer soon spotted the suspect vehicle and tried to pull it over. It raced away but crashed into a U.S. Postal Service van and then into trees and fencing. A gun was recovered from the car. Police say the van driver was not injured.

Red Oak woman arrested Wed. afternoon

News

December 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak report 45-year old Tiffany Lea Palmer, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 4:45-p.m. Wednesday. Palmer was taken into custody for Failure to File SR-22 Insurance. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Lenox man arrested on drug & other charges Wed. night

News

December 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop in Adams County at around 10:15-p.m. Wednesday, resulted in a man being arrested on drug and other charges. The vehicle was pulled over on Highway 25, for speeding. Upon further investigation, Dirk Parrish, of Lenox, was placed under arrest for Possession of a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) 1st Offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Driving Under Suspension. Parrish was also cited for speeding and failure to provide proof of insurance.

Vehicle stolen from Adair Wed. evening recovered, suspect in custody in Perry

News

December 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A vehicle stolen from Adair Wednesday evening was recovered several hours later, in Perry, and the suspect was arrested. Jim Zimmerline, owner of Zipps Pizzaria in Adair, posted on social media Wednesday evening, that his 2001 Chevy Tahoe was stolen from outside of his shop at around 5:45-p.m. The vehicle, which was seen on surveillance video, stopped at the Casey’s store in Adair, where it took off at around 6:25-p.m., after filling-up with gas that was not paid for. The suspect was described as a tall, thin male.

The man was taken into custody at around midnight. Zimmerline said the man made a mess inside the vehicle, broke some things, pulled several wires, and caused other damage.

Pearl Harbor re-burials across the US give families closure

News

December 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

HONOLULU (AP) — More than 75 years after nearly 2,400 members of the U.S. military were killed in the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, some who died on Dec. 7, 1941, are finally being laid to rest in cemeteries across the United States. In 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency exhumed nearly 400 sets of remains from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii after determining that advances in forensic science and genealogical help from families could make identifications possible. They were all on the USS Oklahoma, which capsized during the attack, and had been buried as unknowns after the war.

Altogether, 429 sailors and Marines on board the Oklahoma were killed. Only 35 were identified in the years immediately after the attack. The Oklahoma’s casualties were second only to the USS Arizona, which lost 1,177 men. As of earlier this month, the agency has identified 186 sailors and Marines from the Oklahoma that were previously unidentified.

FILE – In this July 7, 2018 file photo, U.S. Navy sailors remove the casket with the remains of Seaman First Class Leon Arickx from a hearse at Sacred Heart Cemetery where they will be put to rest in Osage, Iowa. Arickx’ remains, which were unidentifiable after his death after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor in 1941, were identified through DNA testing earlier this year. More than three-quarters of a century after the devastating attack killed nearly 2,400 in Hawaii, the bodies of some sailors killed at Pearl Harbor are finally being laid to rest. (Chris Zoeller/Globe-Gazette via AP, File)

Slowly, the remains are being sent to be reburied in places like Traer, Iowa, and Ontanogan, Michigan. Hundreds of people filled a Catholic church in Traer, Iowa, in November for William Kvidera’s funeral. The solemn ceremony in his hometown included full military honors, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported . “It’s something like a dream,” his brother, John Kvidera, 91, said. John Kvidera was 14 when he found out about the bombings at Pearl Harbor and remembers huddling around a radio to find out what was going on. The family initially received a telegram saying William, the oldest of six siblings, was missing in action. A telegram in February 1943 notified the family of his death.

More than 76 years after he died, the remains of Navy Seaman 1st Class Leon Arickx were buried on a brilliant summer day at a small cemetery amid the cornfields of northern Iowa. Hundreds gathered in July for Arickx’s graveside service at Sacred Heart Cemetery outside Osage, Iowa, in a sparsely populated farming region just south of Minnesota, where Arickx grew up. Although they didn’t have Arickx’s remains, his family held a memorial service and placed a grave marker at Sacred Heart Cemetery in 1942. When his remains were finally returned, they were buried at a site not far away.

Iowa early News Headlines: Thursday, Dec. 6th, 2018

News

December 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:00 a.m. CST

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — Bettendorf school district patrons are being asked to approve a $30 million bond issue to renovate several school buildings. The vote on Tuesday comes after the Bettendorf Community School District board approved the bond issue earlier this year. The Quad-City Times reports that the money will be used to remodel, renovate or improve the district’s high school and middle school, as well as three elementary schools.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Sen. Chuck Grassley says he will not support any Republican challenger to President Donald Trump in the primary ahead of the 2020 election. Grassley said Wednesday he will be supporting Trump. He says anyone is welcome to campaign in Iowa, which holds the first in the nation caucus, “but Chuck Grassley won’t be appearing with them.”

HONOLULU (AP) — More than 75 years after nearly 2,400 members of the U.S. military were killed in the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor some who died on Dec. 7, 1941, are finally being laid to rest in cemeteries across the United States. After DNA allowed the men to be identified and returned home, their remains are being buried in places such as Traer, Iowa and Ontonagon, Michigan. Some have been re-buried this year and others will be interred on the 77th anniversary of the attack.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The city of Des Moines is paying $800,000 to settle an excessive force lawsuit filed by a northeast Iowa man against two police officers and the city. The money was approved by the City Council on Monday to settle the civil lawsuit. A federal jury last month found officer Michael Fong and Sgt. Greg Wessels used excessive force and committed battery when they attacked Dustin Burnikel in downtown Des Moines in 2013.

Atlantic City Council receives Animal Shelter, AMU & Budget progress reports

News

December 5th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, recognized the Atlantic High School Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams. Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Somers mentioned the boys and girls, like other AHS athletes, went to State this year. The Girls finished in 7th place, and Taylor McCreedy came in 6th out of the top 15 finishers. The Boys finished 15th. Team members present during the meeting included: Junior Katie Saluk; Freshmen Addie DeArment and Zane Berg, along with Senior Jalen Peterson and Assistant Coach Brad Rasmussen.

Some members of the AHS Cross Country team & Asst. Coach Brad Rasmussen.

Rasmussen said he was impressed by the fact the team bonded together. “They really became very close.” He said it was the first time both the boys and girls Cross Country teams went to State together, in 16-years. “It was fun for me to be a part of that,” Rasmussen said, “It was a great season.” In other business, the Council passed a Resolution approving the CY 2019 Budget for Atlantic Municipal Utilities. A public hearing on the Budget was held at AMU Monday afternoon.

AMU General Mgr. Steve Tjepkes

AMU General Manager Steve Tjepkes said after spending a significant amount of time on the ethanol plant project this past year, they plan on getting back to converting residential overhead electric lines located in difficult-to-access back lot areas, to underground service lines, which is better for reliability and easier access for maintenance. Tjepkes said also, there will be no changes in either the electrical of water rates for AMU customers next year, and no significant budget changes. Data from the utility shows the Budget amounts to $10.06-million, which amounts to a $1.16-million increase over the re-estimated 2018 budget.

The Council also heard from Kris Erickson, City Code Enforcement Officer, with regard to policies concerning dogs and cats. Erickson said there’s been some questions over the shelter’s policies, and complaints no one is ever there. She said staff are there in the morning to clean the shelter, let the animals out for a bit, feed them, and then go about their other responsibilities. Erickson said there is a sign clearly visible on the door that states if no one is there, and you are in need of assistance, you may call her cell phone – the number is on the door –  or press the door bell, which rings over at the adjacent water treatment plant. The bell can be heard in all areas of the treatment plant, so someone will assist you.

She said also thanks to donations of fencing, there is an outside animal meet and greet area, which also allows the dogs to run in a decent-size confined area. Erickson said (as of Wednesday), there were no dogs up for adoption, and three cats. She said they cannot take all the stray and feral cats they receive calls about, simply because there is not enough room. There are seven cat cages, including one that is big enough for a momma cat and her kittens. When an animal is brought-in, it is held for three-days before it is put up for adoption. Anyone missing an animal should check the Atlantic Animal Shelter’s Facebook page. Erickson said that has been a great resource for quickly reuniting pets and their owners.

In his report to the Council, City Administrator John Lund he is fully ensconced in the budget, but that his “Patience is wearing thin,” with some boards and commissions “Going nuts with spending.” Lund says he will be doing a “Direct reality check with the various elements of the City and remind them of a few facts.” Lund said right now, it appears there will be no increase in the tax asking next year, with the levy at $16.86 per thousand dollars taxable property valuation. The City Council praised Lund for keeping the budget tight and cracking down on any potential wasteful spending. Councilman Chris Jimerson told Lund, that if he gets any flack from those boards and commissions, he should let him (Jimerson) know.

No injuries reported following boom-truck fire in Audubon County

News

December 5th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Two workers installing non-charged electrical lines for a wind turbine project in Audubon County, were trapped for a time Wednesday morning in the basket of a 100-foot boom, which was mounted on a truck. The men became temporarily trapped after the truck caught fire. According to reports, the incident happened near Pheasant Avenue, just south of 200th Street, at around 8:50-a.m. Audubon Fire responded to scene. Atlantic and Panora Fire were also requested for their ladder trucks, but it turns out their service was not needed.

Photo courtesy Brett Holtz (Camblin Plumbing & Htg.) – click on the image to enlarge

The same company handling the work on the electrical lines responded quickly by bringing another bucket truck located nearby, to secure the men’s tag lines, in case of a hydraulic failure on the main machine. They also used numerous fire extinguishers in an attempt to contain the flames until firefighters arrived. Fire crews extinguished the remaining flames, and the trapped crew members were lowered to the ground about 20 minutes later.  The cab of truck the sustained significant damage.

Program takes deer hides and uses them to help veterans

Ag/Outdoor, News, Sports

December 5th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — A program is again underway that takes unwanted deer hides from hunters across the state and uses them to help veterans. Spokesperson Lisa Widick says the hides can be turned in at Elks Lodges across the state for use by the Veterans Leather Program. “The hides are salted and stored here in different places in Iowa, and then they are shipped to a tannery, I believe in the Kansas City area,” Widick says. “And then they are tanned and they are turned into leather pieces.”

Widick says the leather is then used to make kits that are taken to the veterans homes in the state where the veterans turn the leather into usable items. “They make moccasins, they do purses, they do coin purses, they do anything you can make out of leather, the veterans do those things,” Widick explains. “And then they are also…there’s also a company that does manufacturing of wheelchair gloves — so that the veterans who are in wheelchairs use those gloves to keep their hands from getting calluses. And those are really beneficial to our veterans.”

Widick says many of the items the veterans make are sold to raise money. “To go back to help fund different things that the veterans need. So, it’s a wonderful big circle project. The hide comes in, it goes out to make a product that is not going to waste,” Widick says.  Hunters donated some 33-hundred hides to the program last year, and she encourages hunters to donate hides again this year.

“You can go to Elks-dot-org (Elks.org) and there’s a lodge locator. Type in your zip code and it will give you the one nearest you,” Widick says. “You can all that lodge and see if they take hides. If they do — most lodges will arrange pick up from you as well.” Widick says the deer hides are often left behind as most hunters don’t keep them. “There are few that do, but rarely do you see that. They just lay out there where the deer has been skinned and that’s where it stays. And we’d much rather have it come to us so that we can do something good with it,” she says.

Hunters in Iowa take around 100-thousand deer during each hunting season.

(UPDATE 4:15-p.m.) – Male suspect in Audubon County vehicle theft is caught

News

December 5th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The male suspect wanted in connection to the vehicle theft has been detained and being held in the Audubon County Jail. The Sheriff’s Department expresses its thanks to all residents who called with information leading to his arrest. Also, thank you to all of the area Law Enforcement Agency’s who assisted with searching for him.

More information will be released at a later time. (Original Press Release follows):

“Law Enforcement Officers are in the Ross area searching for a male wanted in connection to a stolen vehicle that was located within Audubon County this morning. The male suspect is approximately 6′ tall and was last seen wearing a brown hooded coat with a stocking cap. He was last seen at approximately 10:45am today on the 1800 block of 170th St. If you have seen him or do see him please do not approach him and contact The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office at 712-563-2631.”