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Rep. King bans Des Moines Register from event

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King is banning Iowa’s largest newspaper from his election night events in Sioux City. The Des Moines Register reports it requested credentials to cover the event, but King’s son, Jeff King, responded Tuesday with an email saying, “We are not granting credentials to the Des Moines Register or any other leftist propaganda media outlet with no concern for reporting the truth.”.

King has faced criticism from Republican officials and lost funding from business group after he tweeted support for a white nationalist candidate for Toronto mayor and praised a nationalist party in Austria with Nazi ties. Most of the criticism came in light of a deadly shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue.

King says media reports have been inaccurate and unfair. King usually wins re-election by a wide margin in the conservative 4th Congressional District but his Democratic challenger this year, J.D. Scholten, is well funded and has run an energetic campaign.

Atlantic City Council to hold final readings of amended ordinances

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, will hold the third and final readings of two amended Ordinance, and act on three Resolutions. They’ll also hold a public hearing on an update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The Council meeting begins at 5:30-p.m., in their chambers at City Hall. After the third reading of an amended Ordinance setting the speed limit on Sunnyside drive from 2,000-feet south of 10th street to 22nd Street (1,650 feet) at 35-miles per hour, the Council will act on approving the amendment. From 10th Street to 2,000-feet south, the speed limit will remain 25-miles per hour.

The Council will also act on approving, after the third and final reading, an amended Ordinance that repeals and replaces Chapter 151 (pertaining to Trees), with a New Tree Ordinance to be located under the same Chapter 155, “Trees.” The change also reflects the shifting of the City Forester position from Parks and Rec Director to Street Superintendent, and clarifies the authority of the Forester. A Public hearing will be held as well, on the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which was last updated in December, 2002. SWIPCO worked on updating the Plan, which the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed and made suggestions for, to improvement it. The Commission then chose to transmit their recommendation to the full Council. SWIPCO’s Alexis Fleener will be at Wednesday’s meeting to discuss the update process and answer any questions. Afterward the Council will act on a Resolution “Adopting the City of Atlantic Comphrensive Plan.”

And, the Council will act on a Resolution “Adopting [a] Reservation Fee Schedule for City Park Facilities.” The move would not only serve to provide groups with a means to reserve City Park Shelters for their events, and it acts as a “Voluntary revenue enhancement for the General Fund,” according to City Administrator John Lund. The fees would be waived for official City sponsored and partnered events. Under the fee schedule, reservations for the City’s Shelters would be $20 from 8-a.m. To 2-p.m., $20 from 3-p.m. To 9-p.m., or a full-day for $35. Picnic tables will be rented out in the same fashion as shelter reservations. The cost for six tables is $20, 12 tables $35. Tables will be picked up and returned by the renter. Without a reservation, the shelters are available on a first-come first-served basis. The Parks and Rec Board and Personnel and Finance Committee are recommending Council approval of the fee schedule.

The final order of business for the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, is to act on a Resolution “Obligating funds from the Whitney TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Urban Renewal Area Fund for Annual Appropriation Payment.” The matter is with regard to the Council approved TIF agreement with the Whitney Group for improvements to the Whitney Inn in 2016. This will be the first year the City is eligible to capture the taxes paid by the Whitney Group using TIF. Afterward, they will be an annual feature on the Council’s agenda until the $750,000 maximum is paid-off, or 20-years expire – whichever comes first.

Duncan Hines recalling 2.4m boxes of cake mix

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) — Duncan Hines is recalling 2.4 million boxes of cake mix because of a link to salmonella. The recall affects Classic White, Classic Butter Golden, Signature Confetti and Classic Yellow varieties of cake mix, according to Conagra Brands, Duncan Hines’ parent company. The affected boxes have expiration dates between March 7-13, 2019. Most of the boxes were distributed in the U.S. but some were shipped internationally. Chicago-based Conagra said it is still determining what other countries may be impacted.

In a statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it informed Conagra after it tested a sample of cake mix and found that it contained salmonella. It was the same strain that sickened people in five cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control. The FDA says consumers should not eat or bake with the mix.

Agencies appeal judge’s conclusion in shooting records case

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Criminal Investigation Division and the Burlington Police Department have appealed a judge’s conclusion that they broke state law by refusing to turn over all records after investigating a city officer’s accidental shooting of a woman. Autumn Steele was fatally shot on Jan. 6, 2015, by an officer responding to a fight between Steele and her husband. The Hawk Eye newspaper and her family filed complaints with the Iowa Public Information Board when the two agencies didn’t turn over all the records.

The Hawk Eye reports that lawyers for the two filed separate appeals Friday to the information board, which will decide whether to accept or reject Administrative Law Judge Karen Doland’s proposed opinion.
The police attorney argues that Doland relied on an “incorrect application” of Iowa code governing open records law. The investigation division’s attorney argues that Doland is wrong in interpreting “what materials may be part of an investigative file.”

Quail hunter hurt last week in Page County hunting incident

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources said today (Tuesday), that DNR Conservation Officers are investigating a Nov. 1st hunting incident involving a group of quail hunters in Page County. Authorities say 58-year old Neil Bartelt,  of Fruitland, Iowa, was injured while upland bird hunting in the northwest corner of Page County, near the Montgomery, Mills, and Fremont county lines, around 3-p.m. on November 1st, when he was acting as a “blocker” for his hunting group.

The four other members of the hunting group were walking towards Bartelt when they scared up a group of quail. Several of the hunters fired shots at the quail striking Bartelt with pellets in the face and abdomen. Bartelt was transported to the Shenandoah Medical Center Hospital with minor injuries. The investigation continues into this incident.

Man sentenced on Pott. County Sex abuse charge dies in IA City Hospital

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Corrections reports that a man incarcerated in connection with Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree and other crimes in Pottawattamie County, has died from natural causes. 79-year old Donald Warner Brammer was pronounced dead at 4:22 p.m. on Monday, November 5th, at the University of Iowa Hospital where he had been admitted due to chronic illness. His incarceration began on January 12th, 2018.

Donald Brammer (File photo from Pott. County Sheriff’s Office)

Brammer was formerly “foster grandparent” at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands’ Council Bluffs Unit from 2012 to 2015, during which time, according to court documents, he bought his female victim gifts, invited the family for cookouts at his apartment complex and let the girl and her friends have sleepovers in his extra room. The victim said he eventually began to give her what investigators believed to be spiked drinks to make her fall asleep. He would then abuse her while she was alone with him and once locked her in his bathroom.

During his sentencing, Brammer maintained his innocence, and proclaimed he would be dead long before he was eligible for parole at the age of 95.

Brief road closures announced for Shelby County

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Officials in Shelby County have announced plans for two short-term closures this week on Linden Road. Shelby County Emergency Management said that on Wednesday (Nov. 7th), from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the bridge on Linden Road south of 200th Street will be closed. On Thursday (Nov. 8th), the bridge on Linden Road between F-24 and 2100th Street will be closed for the day.

Pickup vs. Cow in Page County

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Two men refused medical treatment after the vehicle they were in struck a cow on the road in Page County, Sunday night. Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports the accident happened on Highway 71, just south of the Montgomery/Page County line, at around 8:25-p.m. An investigation determined 23-year old Mark Richard Schut and 20-year old Paul Andre Schut, both of Villisca, were traveling in a 1996 Chevy K1500 pickup northbound on Highway 71, when the vehicle struck a black cow that was in the traveled portion of the road. The pickup continued into the east ditch before coming to rest. The cow went into the east ditch also, where it died.

Damage to the pickup was estimated at $4500. The black cow was owned by Jacob Harold Eitzen, of rural Villisca, who was notified of the accident and identified the black cow as being his. The estimated value of the cow is $1000. No citations were issued. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Villisca Fire and rescue.

Backyard & Beyond 11-6-2018

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

November 6th, 2018 by Jim Field

LaVon Eblen visits with Carol Seddon and Karla Akers about the Atlantic Kiwanis Club Childhood Hunger Program.

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Missing woman hits a power pole in Union County

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A woman who had been reported as missing from Ackworth, in central Iowa, was involved in an unknown, possible injury accident Sunday morning, west of Thayer, in Union County. Sheriff’s officials say 66-year old Jacqueline Kay Hodson was traveling south on US Highway 169 at around 10-a.m., Sunday, when she failed to stop at the T-intersection stop sign for Highway 34. The 1996 Dodge pickup she was driving continued south across US 34 and struck an Alliant Energy power pole before ending up in a field. Authorities noted Hodson was a previous medical condition that does not allow her to drive.

The pickup sustained $3,000 damage. Damage to the power pole was also estimated at $3,000. Hodson was transported by ambulance to the hospital in Osceola, to be checked for injuries. No citations were issued.