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Woodbury Co. official charged with assault

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December 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Woodbury County supervisor and jail official is on paid administrative leave after he was arrested this weekend on suspicion of domestic assault. David Tripp is accused of firing a revolver into the air during an argument with his wife at their home on Saturday. No one was injured. The 43-year-old Tripp was charged with aggravated assault, a misdemeanor.

Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew says he’s greatly concerned, and a decision on Tripp’s future could come before the criminal investigation is completed. County Board Chairman Larry Clausen says he’s not sure what consequences Tripp could face in his role as a supervisor. Tripp was elected in 2010.

Bluffs residents to take on 6% water rate hike

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December 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

It’ll cost more for residents of Council Bluffs to use water supplied by the City, beginning January 1st. The Omaha World-Herald, citing an official with the Council Bluffs Water Works, says residents will see a 6 percent hike in their water bills, which is the first increase since an 8 percent jump in 2012. The Water Works serves 22,000 customers.

Based on calculations, the cost of the average family’s water usage will increase roughly $14.28 per year to $253 from this year’s average annual water cost of $238. That comes out to an additional $2.38 every two months. Most residents are billed every two months.The current cost for taking a daily shower using 25 gallons of water is just a dime. Under the new increase, the cost of that shower will increase just a penny.

Earlier this month, the Atlantic Municipal Utilities’ Board of Trustees approved a 5-percent across the board increase for both electric and water rates beginning January 1st. That means the average household would see an increase of one-dollar per month in their water bill.

Iowa News Headlines: Sun., Dec. 15 2013

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December 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — An early-morning fire has damaged the National Mississippi River Center Museum and Aquarium. Officials tell the Dubuque Telegraph Herald that the fire appears to have started early Saturday near the tortoise exhibit, causing minor damage. Officials say no humans or animals were injured in the fire.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police have arrested a man suspected of pulling a gun at Davenport’s North YMCA. The Quad-City Times reports that a 21-year-old Davenport man has been charged with carrying a weapon on school grounds and intimidation with a weapon. Police identified the man as a suspect in the Friday gun incident and obtained a search warrant for his home, where he was arrested later Friday. No one was injured.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Salvation Army official says a woman stole a countertop Red Kettle from a restaurant in Sioux City. Major Von Vandiver, the commanding officer of The Salvation Army of Siouxland, told the Sioux City Journal a surveillance video showed a woman walked into Perkins Restaurant & Bakery about 2 a.m. Tuesday and took the kettle.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — K.C. Ross-Miller scored eight points in the final minute of regulation and added four more in overtime as New Mexico State defeated Drake 81-69 Saturday night. Richard Carter scored a team-high 21 points, Daniels added 18 and Caird 13 to lead the Bulldogs in Des Moines.

Shenandoah man arrested Saturday morning in Red Oak

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December 14th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Officers with the Red Oak Police Department arrested a Shenandoah man early this (Saturday) morning. Authorities say 25-year old Michael Dean Wilson was taken into custody at around 2:50-a.m. in the vicinity of West Market and 1st Streets, in Red Oak. Wilson was charged with Driving While Suspended. He was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $566 bond.

Monona County auditor resigns after effort to remove her

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December 14th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – The Monona County auditor is resigning after efforts by officials to remove her from office following her arrest on drug charges. The Sioux City Journal reported Friday that Auditor Brooke Kuhlmann submitted a letter of resignation.

At the request of county commissioners, Monona County Attorney Michael Jensen filed a motion last month to remove Kuhlmann from office. The motion noted Kuhlmann hasn’t been coming to work since she was charged last July with buying methamphetamine from an undercover state trooper.

Kuhlmann has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance. Her trial is scheduled for February 18th.  Kuhlmann was elected as a Democrat in 2008 and re-elected in 2012.

Le Mars official: Don’t do any laundry

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December 14th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) – Residents of Le Mars are being cautioned to hold off on their laundry because a water main break has caused rusty water to flow from customers’ taps.  City Water Superintendent Gayle Sitzmann tells the Le Mars Daily Sentinel it took about 45 minutes to shut down the water main Friday, and during that time pressure in water lines varied greatly. That caused water to scour the lines, releasing rust into the water that reaches most of the city’s residents.

Sitzmann says it’s unclear how long the rust-colored water would remain. Until the water clears, she recommends against doing laundry, especially of white clothes.

No winner in $425M Mega Millions jackpot

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December 14th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – No one has won the $425 million jackpot in the Mega Millions lottery game. Lottery officials say no one matched all of the numbers in the drawing Friday night.  The numbers drawn were: 19-24-26-27-70, Mega Ball: 12.  The jackpot now is expected to reach $550 million for the next drawing on Tuesday. The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever was a $656 million jackpot in March 2012.

The Mega Millions underwent a major game revamp in October in an effort to grow bigger jackpots in a shorter amount of time. But it also decreased the odds of a person winning the top prize to about 1 in 259 million. It was previously about 1 in 176 million, nearly the same odds as winning the Powerball jackpot.

Decades old holiday tradition continues at the Jack Baird Farm Saturday

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December 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A holiday tradition that began with a simple Christmas light display more than 40-years ago continues near Red Oak, and features newer technology, this year. Jack Baird and his family have been hard at work preparing for their light and display show for the past couple of months. Speaking on KJAN’s “Heartbeat Today” with Jim Field, Baird said they try to add another element to the show each year, and this year is no different. He said they’re adding a 19-foot tall saluting soldier this year, which has become a daunting task, but one they will have ready by the time the display opens Saturday evening.

The lights will be turned on at the Baird farm northwest of Red Oak, beginning at around 5:30-p.m. Saturday. Jack said there all many different signs on the hills, a church with animated characters and large Nativity Scene, and a more than 20-foot tall lighted ferris wheel. Baird switched the lights from the old incandescent-style to LED’s, which he says proved not only to be brighter and clearer, but a great cost-saver.

As many cities have learned, the use of LED lights could save 90-percent on the cost of electricity. Another advantage, is that they’re tough and will likely last longer.  The 82-year old Baird says the best way to get to the farm from Atlantic, is to take Highway 48 past Elliott, west on H-12 for three-miles, and then south for a little more than a mile. You won’t be able to miss the display, even if you’re still several miles away….just look for a large glow. A star on top of a grain bin is 50-feet in the air, and a Christmas tree on top of a radio tower is about 70-feet high.

The actual physical address is 1233 E Avenue. There is no charge to view the display, but the Baird family does accept donations through a collection box placed near the display. You can view the holiday display every night from this Saturday until New Year’s Day, from dark until 10:30-p.m. Sundays through Fridays, and until 11-p.m. on Saturdays.

AMU receives $300k USDA grant for projects

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December 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the USDA and Atlantic Municipal Utilities (AMU) have announced AMU was awarded a $300,000 grant from the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant (REDL&G) program. The grant is to establish a revolving loan fund to support area development projects. AMU has added a $60,000 match for the grant, bringing the loan fund balance $360,000. The grant is federally funded for economic development purposes in rural areas. Historically, the grants and loans were available to Rural Electric Coops and phone companies. The last few years they have expanded applicants to municipal utilities.

The application was made by AMU for the purpose of erecting a pre-engineered building to be leased to an expanding business in the AMU district. The business would need to employ at least 25 people, with the promise of expansion. Cass/Atlantic Development Corp. owns development property northwest of Atlantic. CADCO was working with Precision Concrete Services (PCS) who were interested in a building at that site. The AMU Board agreed to loan the grant monies to CADCO who in return would be the general contractor and lessee of that building.

The rent from the building will be used to pay back the loan to AMU, over a period of up to ten years. The plan is that PCS will be the eventual owner of that building. SteveTjepkes, General Manager of Atlantic Municipal Utilities, says “Receipt of the grant and establishment of the revolving loan fund would not have been possible without the work of CADCO and the relationship they built with Precision Concrete Services to put this project together.”  Tjepkes added, “the great thing about this project is the money from the grant and matching funds, as repaid, will be used as a revolving loan fund that can then be re-loaned to foster future economic development activities. It does not have to be repaid to USDA.”

Henningson’s Construction is currently erecting the building northwest of Atlantic, off Hwy 83, north of the railroad tracts.

Mega Millions Jackpot grows to $425-million!

News

December 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery game has been boosted to $425 million because of heavy sales. Paula Otto, the Virginia Lottery’s executive director and Mega Millions’ lead director, says sales are 40 percent ahead of projections prompting the game to boost the jackpot for the draw Friday night.  A winner choosing the cash option would take home $228 million.

In New York state, tickets are selling at a pace of $500,000 an hour Friday morning. The state’s lottery spokeswoman, Christy Calicchia says sales are normally between $60,000 and $70,000 an hour.  The winning ticket must match the six numbers drawn. About 32 percent of the possible combinations of numbers have been sold.

Mega Millions is played in 43 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.