The forecast of blizzard conditions in parts of the state today (Thursday) prompted many legislators to head home last night. Senator David Johnson of Ocheyedan was among them. “Concerned about how road conditions might be when you live probably closer to International Falls than you do to Des Moines,” Johnson says. Johnson was stranded overnight in a pick-up during a blizzard in 1997.

“I ended up in a ditch, tried digging myself out twice and was soaking wet and knew better than to try to walk to the nearest farmhouse — which was about three-quarters of a mile away — in blizzard conditions,” Johnson says. “I was rescued the next morning after sunrise by a couple of high school students who got into a tractor and decided to go into town to see how bad it was.”

Johnson’s pick-up had two fuel tanks, so he was able to start the engine periodically, run the heater and keep himself warm until that help arrived. There are no events scheduled in the Iowa House today (Thursday) and most House members are out of Des Moines. Four committees in the Senate are scheduled to meet and Democrats say there’ll be enough Democrats who’ve stayed in Des Moines so committee work can be done.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Weather officials are predicting several inches of snow over a large swath of Iowa overnight and through Thursday evening. Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg says thundersnow — an area of heavy snow with embedded thunder — could occur today. The winter storm system will be largely out of the state by Friday morning as it moves northeast into Wisconsin.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lawmakers in the Democratic-majority Iowa Senate are advancing a bill that would establish a state facility for delinquent girls. The Senate Human Resources Committee approved the bill yesterday in a party-line vote with eight Democrats in favor and five Republicans opposed. The legislation was originally designed to reopen the Iowa Juvenile Home in Toledo, but now just says there must be a state-run facility for delinquent girls.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lawmakers in the Iowa House have approved an anti-bullying measure that would emphasize teacher training standards. The House Education Committee passed the measure 19-4 on Wednesday. The bill is now up for debate on the House floor.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State has hired Buffalo defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator Maurice Linguist as its new secondary coach. The Cyclones announced yesterday that Linguist has been hired to replace Troy Douglas, who left for Pittsburgh last week. Coach Paul Rhoads says Linguist is a “dynamic personality” who should also bolster Iowa State’s recruiting efforts.

The Atlantic City Council held a shorter than normal session Wednesday evening, due to some items on the agenda being tabled or withdrawn entirely. During the meeting, the Council adopted the proposed Fiscal Year 2015 Budget. City Administrator Doug Harris reminded the Council the budget as submitted amounts to $9,373, 546 (9-million 373-thousand 546 dollars). He said that would generate a 32-cent tax increase or 1.8-percent over the last Fiscal Year.

The Atlantic City Council holds their meeting in the Senior Center while renovations are under way at City Hall.

After adopting the Budget, the Council set  March 12th at 5:30-p.m. as the date and time for a public hearing on the budget. After the hearing, the Council may decrease the budget, but cannot increase it. And, because the budget must be filed with the State and County Auditor’s Office by March 15th, the Council will hold back-to-back Wednesday meetings on March 5th and 12th instead the 5th and 19th as would normally be the case.

In other business, Doug Harris recommended the Council table action on approving a Resolution accepting Public Improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. He said the final bills for the plant are in, and it turns out Hawkins Construction owes the City $5,361 net. Harris said before the City settles with the Contractor, they still have leverage with liquidated damage it could assess, and/or go after the Performance Bond.

The issue the City has with the company was over the matter of defective work on the blower building caused by settling ground, which was due to improper compaction of fill materials. In his report to the Council Harris said he has held discussions with CGI Communications, Inc. in Rochester, NY. (www.cgi.com). The discussion centers around a proposal to add a video feature to the City, Chamber and CADCO websites.

It’s meant to showcase Atlantic to visitors, help retain and attract residents and businesses. The National League of Cities is promoting the feature, and about one-dozen towns in Iowa are looking into signing-on. Harris said there would be no cost to the City. There would be two or three one-minute video clips highlighting education, housing and recreational opportunities.

Harris said he’s expecting a call from CGI next week to continue discussions.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Weather officials are predicting several inches of snow over a large swath of Iowa, with blizzard conditions hitting the northern half of the state. The National Weather Service says anywhere from 3 to 9 inches of snow could fall in central and northern Iowa from the early hours of Thursday into the evening hours.

Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg says the wintry mix of sleet and snow will develop Thursday morning for northern Iowa. Rain will fall in central Iowa until it transitions into snow. Heavy snow will fall from Thursday morning into the afternoon.

Kotenberg says thundersnow — an area of heavy snow with embedded thunder — could occur Thursday. The winter storm system will be largely out of the state by Friday morning as it moves northeast into Wisconsin.

3:43-P.M. 2/19/2014…COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GUTHRIE-DALLAS…

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THURSDAY TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND SIGNIFICANT BLOWING SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THURSDAY TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY. THE BLIZZARD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

TIMING...A WINTRY MIX IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND TRANSITION TO SNOW THURSDAY DURING THE MID TO LATE MORNING. THE SNOW MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND PERSIST INTO THE EVENING HOURS… POTENTIALLY CREATING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES. WITH LITTLE TO NO SNOW CURRENTLY ON THE GROUND…THE CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IS LOW.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS…3 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED. MINOR ICE AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS MAY ALSO OCCUR.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…WINDS WILL SHIFT NORTHWEST AND QUICKLY STRENGTHEN TO 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 50 MPH POSSIBLE BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* IMPACTS…THE BAND OF WET AND HEAVY SNOW AND VERY STRONG WINDS MAY LEAD TO VERY LOW VISIBILITY AND AS WELL AS QUICKLY COVER ROADS MAKING TRAVEL HAZARDOUS TO NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES.

3:43-P.M. WED FEB 19 2014
CASS-ADAIR-AUDUBON & MADISON COUNTIES:WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW & BLOWING SNOW IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THURSDAY TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY. THE BLIZZARD WATCH FOR ADAIR-AUDUBON AND MADISON COUNTIES IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

MONONA-HARRISON & SHELBY COUNTIES: WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND WIND IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT WED. TO NOON THURSDAY.

POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT & PAGE COUNTIES: WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW FROM 6-AM UNTIL NOON THURSDAY.

TIMING…A WINTRY MIX IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND TRANSITION TO SNOW THURSDAY DURING THE EARLY TO MID MORNING. THE SNOW MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND PERSIST INTO THE EVENING HOURS… POTENTIALLY CREATING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. HOWEVER…WITH THE LOWER SNOW AMOUNTS AND LITTLE TO NO SNOW CURRENTLY ON THE GROUND… CONFIDENCE IS FOR WIDESPREAD BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IS LOW.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS…2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED. MINOR ICE AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS MAY ALSO OCCUR.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…WINDS WILL SHIFT NORTHWEST AND QUICKLY STRENGTHEN TO 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 50 MPH POSSIBLE BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* IMPACTS…THE BAND OF WET AND HEAVY SNOW AND VERY STRONG WINDS MAY LEAD TO VERY LOW VISIBILITY AND AS WELL AS QUICKLY COVER ROADS MAKING TRAVEL HAZARDOUS TO NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — With snow still on the ground and spring just a month away concerns that snow melt and spring rain could happen all at once causing flooding are increasing.

State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says Iowa ground remains solidly frozen with frost reaching 33 inches, twice the depth one would expect this time of year. That means any rainfall runs off the ground. He says the later freezing temperatures stay the more likely snowmelt will come as spring rain sets in, which could increase flood chances.

National Weather Service Hydrologist Jeff Zogg says it doesn’t appear all the factors line up for a significant flood event in Iowa, but timing of the spring thaw and rainfall is everything. The weather service releases its spring flood outlook on Thursday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Dog racing could end in Iowa under bills being considered by House and Senate lawmakers. The House State Government Committee and a Senate state government subcommittee approved similar legislation Wednesday to phase out dog racing at Iowa’s two racetracks, in Council Bluffs and Dubuque. But lawmakers say the bill on the Senate side could be changed to allow the possibility of dog racing elsewhere.

The bills would create a fund to offset financial losses for greyhound racers, breeders and other groups. In both Dubuque and Council Bluffs, casino profits pay for money-losing dog racing. Casino operators say they want out of the industry, but members of the Iowa Greyhound Association hope for a deal to keep racing alive. Democratic Sen. Jeff Danielson says discussion on the matter will continue.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Regulators will hold the first public meeting on the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant since it restarted late last year. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to hold the meeting in Blair, NE., on Feb. 27th.  Fort Calhoun, which sits across from Iowa on the Missouri River about 20 miles north of Omaha, had been offline from April 2011 until last December.

Fort Calhoun initially shut down for routine maintenance, but significant flooding in 2011, a small fire and a series of safety violations forced it to remain closed for more than two years. The meeting will be held from 6-9 p.m. next Thursday at the Midland University campus in Blair.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have appointed an interim Director of Mental Health and General Assistance.

Deb Schuler

Debbie Schuler was named to the position, and has accepted the job. Schuler will serve as the MH/GA Director and Central Point Coordinator (CPC), following last week’s termination of long-time director Teresa Kanning for what was termed “Work related items.” Schuler, who has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, has worked in various capacities for 25-years in the Cass County Mental Health system, and built the day program for the chronically mentally ill at Partnership for Progress. She started in the Cass County Courthouse in 2009.

The Board also took action on the vacating of certain roads. Last week, they heard concerns from Guthrie County REC line crew foreman Elden Wolfe, with regard to how the REC’s easement would be affected on the portion of 700th St between Sec 2 & 3, Benton Township. Action was tabled on the matter last week, but during today’s (Wednesday’s) meeting, the Board voted to vacate that section of road, after receiving necessary information and discussing the County’s role in an easement agreement.

A hearing was also held on the vacating of a portion of 740th St. lying between sections 4 & 5, Lincoln Township. After much discussion, the Board voted to leave the road open, but reclassify it as a Class C road, which the County will maintain or repair as needed.

A hearing took place on the closure of a portion of 540th Lane lying between section 30-76-37, Cass County and section 25-76-38, in Pottawattamie County (referred to as Juniper Road). Since a portion of the road is in Pottawattamie County (referred to as Juniper Lane), a conference call was held with the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors. The Cass County Supervisors voted to close the road, and while the Pott. County Board was not opposed to it, they could not vote to approve it because action to do so was not on their agenda. They are expected to approve it at their next meeting.

During a public hearing on the vacating of a portion of Liberty Lane lying in section 34, Washington Township, Cass County Supervisors received a request to place a “Private Drive” sign near the end of the road nearest public access, and voted to approve the sign before agreeing to vacate the road. In other action, the Supervisors voted to leave that portion of 756th Lane lying in section 3, Grant Township as is (A Class B road), after receiving both written and oral comment opposed to the closure.  And, that opted to leave that portion of Quebec Lane lying in section 27, Massena Township, as is. The move followed both written and oral objections to closing Quebec Lane.

The County looks at roads best suited for vacating every 5-years, or as requests are received. Vacating certain, little used roads saves the County money by not having to maintain them, but it can also affect property owners who have a stake in getting to their crops, various structures and/or pasture land.