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Iowa firm thrives with concrete security barriers

News

August 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa firm is prospering by creating concrete security barriers for government buildings and other projects. The Sioux City Journal reports Petersen Manufacturing’s custom-made concrete planters and benches help keep office buildings and theme parks nationwide safe.

The company began nearly 101 years ago when founder L.T. Petersen invented an automatic livestock watering appliance that was popular with farmers and feedlots. During the farm crisis of the 1980s, the company developed more picnic tables, benches and planters. Those products helped make the company a preferred supplier of concrete security products after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Sales manager Paul Schumacher says the company has developed ways to make the concrete barriers more attractive. And in recent years, there has been renewed interest in the company’s livestock waterers.

Clive Suspicious Death Investigation

News

August 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Sunday, issued a statement on the discovery of a central Iowa man’s body Saturday morning. Authorities say on August 23rd,, at 10:07am, Clive Police and EMS were dispatched to an unresponsive male lying on the ground on the south side of 7930 University Avenue adjacent to the Greenbelt Recreational Trail. Responding emergency personnel determined that the male was deceased. The first responding officers noted suspicious circumstances around the body and called in investigators.

The Clive Police Department requested the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to assist with the investigation. The victim is identified as 21-year old Zachary Michael Paulsen,  of Clive. Paulsen was found near a business owned by his family. An autopsy will be performed by the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday, August 2th5, to determine the cause and manner of his death.

A joint investigative effort between the Clive Police Department and the DCI is ongoing. Anyone with any information on the activities of Zachary Paulsen on August 22 to 23, or any other information in this case, is asked to contact the Clive Police Department at 515-278-1312 (business hours) or at 515-222-3321 (Westcom Dispatch 24/7).

Farmers’ Almanac predicts another nasty winter

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

August 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — The folks at the Farmers’ Almanac are feeling a bit smug after correctly predicting the past nasty winter, which featured relentless snowstorms and a polar vortex. Editors of the 198-year-old publication in Maine are projecting more of the same in a few months. The latest edition officially goes on sale this week. It forecasts colder-than-normal and wetter-than-usual weather for three-quarters of the country east of the Rocky Mountains.

The publication, not to be confused with the New Hampshire-based Old Farmer’s Almanac, bases its long-range forecasts on a secret formula based on sunspots, planetary positions and lunar cycles. Modern science doesn’t put much stock in the formula, but modern meteorologists sometimes struggle with long-range forecasts. The national Climate Prediction Center projected milder weather last winter.

2 arrests Saturday night

News

August 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Two people were arrested on separate charges Saturday night. Deputies in Montgomery County arrested 41-year old Jason Eugene Steiner, of Villisca, at around 9-p.m.   Steiner was taken into custody on an Adams County warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. The warrant was the result of an incident that happened on August 17th. Steiner was turned over to Adams County authorities and held on $2,000 bond in the Adams County Jail.

And, at around 7-p.m. Saturday, Red Oak Police arrested 31-year old Joseph Aaron Nelson, of Red Oak. His arrest followed a call about an alleged violation of a No Trespass order. When officers arrived, they found Nelson inside the residence, and determined there was a valid No Trespass order filed against Nelson by the owner of the residence last April.

Nelson was transported to the Montgomery County Jail on the Trespass charge, and held on $300 cash bond.

NW IA teens killed in 2 vehicle crash on Carroll/Sac County line

News

August 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Two teenaged girls died and a male teenager was injured during a collision early Saturday morning on the Sac/Carroll County line. The Iowa State Patrol identified the fatalities as 16-year old’s Bailey Jacobsen and Lindsey Quick, both of Wall Lake.  Both teens were pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials say Jacobsen was driving a 2009 Chevy Impala was hit by a 1996 Dodge Ram pickup driven by 17-year old Trevor Feauto, of Lake View. Feauto was injured and transported to a local hospital.

The accident happened at around 1:15-a.m. at the intersection of 100th Street and Birch Avenue (in Carroll County) and 400th Street & Otter Avenue (In Sac County). Officers arriving on the scene found the pickup on its side in the north ditch, while the Impala, which was occupied by the two females, came to rest in a soybean field on the northwest side of the intersection.

An investigation determined the Impala, driven by Jacobsen, was traveling north on Birch Avenue, while the pickup was traveling west on 400th St/100th Steet. The pickup struck the passenger side of the Impala, causing the vehicles to skid into the opposite ditches.

The accident remains under investigation by the State Patrol, Sac and Carroll County Sheriff’s Departments. Assisting at the scene, were personnel from Breda Fire & Rescue, Wall Lake Ambulance, The Carroll County Medical Examiner’s Office, and others.

Boil order lifted for central Iowa city of Adel

News

August 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

ADEL, Iowa (AP) — A boil order has been lifted for the central Iowa city of Adel. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says water bacteria samples taken have tested clean. The boil order was issued on Aug. 20, after the city lost electrical service.

The loss of electricity created a pressure loss in the city’s distribution system. Without pressure, there’s a potential for bacteria to enter the water system.

Vilsack: Farmers should be OK despite price drops

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — U.S Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says he isn’t worried about farmer profitability this year, when huge corn and soybean crops have pushed prices for the commodities below the cost of production. Vilsack tells The Associated Press that many U.S. farmers have contracts that will pay $4 or $5 a bushel of corn and about $13 for a bushel of soybeans, so they should be OK.

He also notes that lower commodity prices will help livestock producers, who in recent years have struggled with the high cost of feed. For those who won’t earn enough to cover their costs, he notes the farm bill offers aid so farmers can survive difficult years.

Vilsack spoke with the AP after touring a food processing company in Marshalltown with U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley.

9AM Newscast 08-23-2014

News, Podcasts

August 23rd, 2014 by admin

w/ Mark Saylor

Play

Iowa early News Headlines: Sat., Aug. 23rd 2014

News

August 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — More than 100 people gathered in Iowa City to protest police actions in the wake of an officer’s killing of a black teenager in Missouri. KCRG-TV reports those who attended the Thursday evening rally at the downtown pedestrian mall called for justice in the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was shot by a white officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Demonstrators also expressed concern that something similar could happen in Iowa City.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — An Illinois Department of Transportation official says work on a major bridge linking the Quad Cities is behind schedule. The Quad-City Times reports that crews have struggled to replace beams on the Centennial Bridge between Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois. The structure closed this month for repairs and was scheduled to reopen by September 6th.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — A Marshalltown man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter. The Marshalltown Police Department says the additional charge against Branden Collins was added following Jossilyn Starn’s death on Friday.

ATLANTIC, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in western Iowa say a woman faces felony charges after lying to people for months that her 5-year-old daughter has terminal cancer. Cass County Attorney Dan Feistner says 30-year-old Leatha Slauson appears to have acted alone when she told residents in Atlantic that her daughter has a life-threatening illness. Slauson was arrested Thursday night on a charge of felony child endangerment.

Clinton shadow in Iowa no threat to some Democrats

News

August 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) — Democrats with presidential dreams are coming to Iowa with little fanfare, entourage or recognition. They’re undeterred by talk of a Hillary Rodham Clinton candidacy in 2016 or her plans to visit the leadoff caucus state next month to honor retiring Sen. Tom Harkin.

But former Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and a few others have nothing to lose if Clinton runs, and lots to gain if she doesn’t. Other Democrats who have visited Iowa include Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

An independent who is supported largely by Democrats, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, will be in Iowa when Clinton attends Harkin’s fundraiser. On the GOP side, some potential candidates are further along in Iowa, with paid staff on the ground.