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Walnut City Council to discuss the Community Center, Thursday evening

News

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Walnut City Council will hold their regularly scheduled meeting 5-p.m. Thursday. During their session, the Council will hold discussion with regard to the Community Center. The Council will hear from Jim Thompson with Iowa Economic Development, and discuss: a part-time Custodian; Snow removal, and Family Inc.  A committee has determined their initial plans for transforming the former Walnut Community School building (built in 1913) includes: turning the music and band rooms into the fitness center with exercise machines, weights and other fitness items; Using the gyms for walking and jogging, along with exercise classes. The gyms could also be used to start a town volleyball and basketball leagues; it’s also hoped a room in the school building could be used as a youth area. A room with kid friendly games such as ping pong, foosball etc. would be available to students before and after the buses pick up and drop off. The room will be monitored by adult volunteers. They also hope to use some of the class rooms to host classes. We would like to bring people in to offer a wide variety of classes. (Art, floral, craft, cooking & baking).

Other business during the meeting will include: discussion with regard to operation of the Walnut Welcome Center; A request and possible action on Tourism support from the City; A recommendation for the Economic Development Committee and Council consideration of, two applications for the Small Business Start-Up Grant Program (from Banana Split & Walnut Market Village, LLC.); discussion about the Property Maintenance Ordinance, and Housing Rehab Grant.

The Council will also review the Preliminary Budget, and consider the adoption of a Resolution scheduling the time and place for a Public Hearing on the City’s proposed FY 2019-2020 budget.

Posted in News |

Keokuk City Hall heavily damaged by ‘catastrophic’ fire

News

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 11-a.m.) (Radio Iowa) — Fire struck the city hall in the southeast Iowa town of Keokuk last (Tuesday) night. Firefighters were called to the city hall about 7:40 P-M and when they arrived, flames were already shooting through the roof. It took about 35 minutes to get the exterior fire extinguished and move inside, where it took another hour to put the fire completely out. Keokuk City Administrator Cole O’Donnell says no one was hurt but the building suffered heavy damage.

“It was a catastrophic fire,” O’Donnell says. “It took out the first floor of city hall and there’s extensive smoke, fire and water damage to the entire building.” Temporary city offices are being set up on the third floor of the nearby Pilot Grove Savings Bank on Main Street. “They graciously have offered that up to let us begin getting set up there,” O’Donnell says. “We’ll probably have to work out a short-term lease because we’re not moving back into this building anytime soon.” Thursday night’s city council meeting will be held as scheduled but in a new location, the school board chambers. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Posted in News |

Sweethearts Snowshoe & Owl Prowl Hikes set for Feb. 15th/16th

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Conservation Board is holding Sweethearts Snowshoe Hike. The Sweetheart Snowshoe Hike will be held at the Pellett Memorial Woods outside of Atlantic, IA on Friday, February 15th 2019 at 7 PM. Come out for a great night hike, who knows what nature has waiting for us then! Snowshoes (variety of sizes) will be available. Drive the short drive and hike off that dinner! The event WILL be CANCELLED with “NO SNOW!”

Owl Prowl Hike
The Cass County Conservation Board is holding Owl Prowl Hike. The Owl Prowl hike will be held at the Pellett Memorial Woods Park north of Atlantic, IA on Saturday February 16th 2019 at 7 PM. Come out for a great night hike, who knows what nature has waiting for us then! We will hike and try to call in various species of Owls that may be in the park that night! All ages welcome!

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Seed Treatment Course Scheduled for Feb. 27

Ag/Outdoor

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Montgomery County will host a Seed Treatment Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators, Wednesday, February 27, 2019. The program will be shown at locations across Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP). The local attendance site is the Montgomery County Extension and Outreach Office at 400 Bridge Street, Suite 2, Red Oak, IA 51566. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the course runs from 9 to 11 a.m. The registration fee is $35 on or before Feb. 20 and $45 after Feb. 20. To register or to obtain additional information about the CIC, contact Katie Hart at the ISU Extension and Outreach office in Montgomery County by phoning (712) 623-2592.

The course will provide continuing instruction credit for commercial pesticide applicators certified in categories 4 and 10. Topics to be covered include recognition of sensitive areas as potentially impacted by pesticides, pests, pest management, and pesticides, pesticide labels, and seed treatment equipment. Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered. Interested participants should bring their CCA number to the program.

Additional information and registration forms for this and other courses offered by the PSEP team can be accessed at www.extension.iastate.edu/PSEP/.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Judge approves settlement in Muscatine GPC case

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — A district judge in Muscatine approved a 50 million dollar settlement Tuesday in a class action pollution case. Some 15-thousand neighbors of the Grain Processing Corporation’s plant can qualify for individual payouts after G-P-C was accused of polluting south Muscatine with haze, odors and particles. Bob Weatherman is one of the residents involved in the lawsuit. “You can’t enjoy your property when things like this happen. So…it’s a deprivement of your rights. So I think they’ve made a good decision in pointing that out to industry,” Weatherman says.

Those who saw the greatest impacts could get as much as 16-thousand dollars each. The judge called the settlement extraordinary and lawyers say the money could change lives.
Sarah Siskind was on the legal team for the neighbors. She says environmentalists across the country have been watching the case. “People are looking to this case now as an inspiration for other cases as a tool for environmental remediation for ordinary people who leave near an industrial area,” Siskind says.

Residents who lived within a mile and a half of the plant between 2007 and 2017 have until March 19th to apply for a payout.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Icy roads blamed in two fatal crashes on Tuesday

News

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Slick roads are blamed in two separate — but similar — deadly crashes in eastern Iowa on Tuesday. The state patrol says a car lost control on Highway 20 in Buchanan County and slid through the median, colliding with an oncoming semi. The car’s driver was killed. In Des Moines County, an SUV and a semi collided head-on on Highway 61, killing the SUV’s driver. He’s identified as 30-year-old Demarco Thornton of Rock Island, Illinois. In that case, too, state troopers say the driver of the SUV lost control on the ice and crossed the center line.

Posted in News |

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 2/6/2019

News, Podcasts

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

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

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Posted in News, Podcasts |

Prosecutor says woman took video of boy locked in basement

News

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

ELDORA, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor says an Iowa woman accused of helping torture her boyfriend’s 8-year-old son and confining him in a basement took video of the boy’s treatment. Prosecutors allege Traci Tyler and Alex Shadlow locked the boy in their home, in a space under the basement stairs, for at least nine hours a day in 2017. Investigators say the boy slept on concrete and had to use a tin cup for a toilet.

A prosecutor told a judge Tuesday during Tyler’s trial that Tyler recorded video showing the boy desperate to use a bathroom and eventually urinating. Tyler’s attorney says she was following the advice of medical professionals when she had the boy ask for permission to use a bathroom. Shadlow is also charged with kidnapping. His trial starts June 24.

Posted in News |

Governor backs adding anti-abortion language to state constitution

News

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Republican Governor Kim Reynolds supports an attempt by G-O-P legislators to change Iowa’s constitution after the Iowa Supreme Court ruled last year that the document provides women with a fundamental right to an abortion. “I’ve made it very clear that I’m pro-life. I’m proud to be pro-life,” Reynolds told reporters late this morning. “I’m never going to stop fighting on behalf of the unborn.”

A resolution from Senate Republicans proposes an amendment saying Iowa’s Constitution “does not secure or protect a right to an abortion.” That exact language would have to be approved by the Republican-led legislature this year or next year — and then AGAIN by lawmakers 2021 or 2022 before Iowa VOTERS could decide whether to add the amendment to the state’s constitution. Reynolds is critical of conversations Democrats in other states are having on abortion-related issues. “How horrified and appalled I am with what I see taking place in Virginia, the conversation in New York and other states that are contemplating abortion-on-demand, late-term abortion.”

A district court judge last month overturned an abortion restriction Reynolds signed into law last May. The law sought to ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat may be detected, around the sixth week of a pregnancy. The governor says the legal team reviewing THAT ruling hasn’t yet decided whether to ask the Iowa Supreme Court to review the lower court’s decision. The Iowa Supreme Court last May overturned a state law that would have imposed a three-day waiting period for women seeking an abortion.

Posted in News |

(Podcast) KJAN Morning Sports report, 2/6/2019

Podcasts, Sports

February 6th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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Posted in Podcasts, Sports |