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Dry end to 2017 offsets wet start to year

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES — Iowa received a statewide annual precipitation of 33 inches in 2017, more than two inches less than normal, according to the latest Water Summary Update from the Iowa DNR. The year began with a wetter than normal spring, followed by drier than normal summer and fall months, with the exception of a very wet October. “The distribution of rainfall was uneven this year, with some areas of southeastern Iowa ending the year more than 10 inches short on rainfall,” said Tim Hall, the DNR’s Hydrology Resources Coordinator. “Good spring rainfall will help to restore soil moisture and shallow groundwater in those areas.”

Streamflow has been generally normal for the second half of the year. Southeastern Iowa remains an area of concern after two consecutive years of drier than normal conditions.  Meanwhile, 2017 was an unusually warm year with a statewide average temperature of 49.9 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.8 degrees above normal. This ranks as the eighth warmest year on record.

For a thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends, go to www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.

Reminder to Atlantic residents: Snow Ordinance & parking rules – towing begins today!

News

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic Police Department is issuing a warning to residents of the community, that Atlantic Police have been issuing parking tickets to vehicles parked on the street and that have not been moved since the snow began to fall. Vehicles parked on the street more than 72 hours after the snow stops will be ticketed. They will be towed away beginning today (Thursday).

Arsenal of weapons found at IA drive-by shooting suspect’s home

News

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Drive-by shootings outside two homes in northwest Iowa on Christmas Day led authorities to a house in Brandon, South Dakota, this week where they discovered an arsenal of weapons. Two suspects were taken into custody — a mother and son. Brandon Police Chief David Kull says they found a wealth of guns at the home, which had a fortified basement. “There were approximately 80 firearms and a large amount of ammunition,” Chief Kull says. “I’m talking thousands of rounds. We’ll probably have to weigh it. I don’t think we’ll ever count it.” Kull says 50-year-old Artis Kattenberg and her 16-year-old son were arrested. The drive-by shootings occurred in Lyon and Sioux counties. No one was hurt. Reports say the teen fired the shots. Kull says the incidents may have something to do with a dispute the suspects were having at a church in Rock Valley, Iowa.

“There were comments made in reference to microchips being implanted in brains and being controlled by outside sources,” he says. There is some question about the woman’s mental stability, according to the chief. Kattenburg is charged with felony child abuse. More charges are pending. In addition to the weapons, police seized high-powered rifle scopes, kevlar vests and gunshot suppressors. The basement of the house was stockpiled with supplies, including food and water.

(Radio Iowa)

Man sues Iowa county over wrongful arrest, 2-month jail stay

News

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Arizona man who was arrested, transported cross-country and jailed for a robbery that he didn’t commit is suing the Iowa prosecutor responsible for charging him. Joseph McBride spent two months in custody after authorities arrested him in Phoenix in August. The 23-year-old was among three people charged for a Jan. 1, 2017, home invasion in his hometown of Cedar Rapids — even though he had proof he was 1,500 miles away. Investigators never spoke with him before his arrest.

McBride’s lawsuit alleges that the complaint signed by Linn County Attorney Vander Sanden contained materially false statements, including that police had “phone records and social media” suggesting he was involved. Vander Sanden says the charge was based on a “good-faith belief that the victim was correct in the identification.”

Goodwill seeks $7M for Iowa vegetable oil packaging plant

News

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Goodwill of the Heartland plans to raise $7.6 million to open a vegetable oil packaging plant in eastern Iowa where it would employ dozens of individuals with disabilities. Vice President for Operations Jessica Schamberger presented the proposal to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday. The plan calls for creating 40 jobs in Coralville.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that Schamberger also requested two $50,000 grants to help fund the project, which would ship packaged oil for distribution to more than 70 counties through the World Food Program. Schamberger says the project would package a product that’s produced in Iowa, create jobs for people with disabilities and support people in need. She says the vegetable oil will be sent to counties like Syria, Myanmar and Yemen.

Shenandoah man arrested Wednesday night on assault warrant

News

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports the arrest at around 10:20-p.m. Wednesday, of 24-year old Treyton Curt Sunderman, of Shenandoah. Sunderman was taken into custody on a Page County warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault. Sunderman was arrested in Shambaugh, and was being held in the Page County Jail without bond, until he is seen by a Magistrate.

Sunderman

Former Dubuque officer pleads guilty to theft from employer

News

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A former Dubuque police officer has pleaded guilty to stealing from his employer. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that Kyle Cross said in court Wednesday that he wasn’t responsible for all the nearly $7,200 in cash and merchandise stolen from Boost Mobile, a Dubuque cellphone store. He says the loss was between $1,300 and $1,500.

Authorities say an employee that Cross fired contacted the store owner about thefts that he and Cross committed when they pocketed cash payments for phone repairs and fraudulently claiming to pay people for holding business signs on a sidewalk. The judge reminded Cross that his guilty plea to theft would affect the probation sentence he’d been given in May 2016 for having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

Cross’ sentencing is set for Feb. 26.

VICKI BORST, 65, of Greenfield & formerly of the Redfield area (Svcs. 1/11/18)

Obituaries

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

VICKI BORST, 65, of Greenfield (& formerly of the Redfield area), died Thursday, January 4th, 2018, at the Greenfield Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Greenfield.  Celebration of Life services for VICKI BORST will be held 11-a.m. Thursday, Jan. 11th, at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield.

The family will greet friends on Thursday, Jan. 11th, one-hour prior to the services, at the funeral home.; Online condolences may be left at www.steenfunerals.com.

A luncheon at St. John’s Catholic Church in Greenfield, will follow the Celebration of Life.

Burial, with full military graveside rites performed by the Greenfield American Legion Head-Endres Post # 265 and VFW Post #5357, will be in the Iowa Veterans Cemetery near Van Meter.

Memorials may be directed to the Vicky Borst Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date.

VICKI BORST is survived by:

Her father – Kenneth “Buck” Borst, of Redfield.

Her daughters – Wendy (Michael) Shannon, of Evans, GA, and Shannon (Scott) Graham, of Kansas City, MO.

Her sister – Connie (Paul) Kostura, of Fountain Hills, AZ.

4 grandchildren, her aunts: Sally (Joe) Lamb, of Greenfield, and Phyllis Hoye, of Urbandale, her uncle, Lonnie (Josie) Hoy, of Panora, other relatives and friends.

 

Trial date set for Illinois man charged in Iowa killing

News

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A third trial has been scheduled for an Illinois man charged with the 1990 killing of a 9-year-old girl in Iowa. Court records say a judge set the trial starting date of Aug. 28 in Waterloo for Stanley Liggins. Liggins’ trial has been moved to Black Hawk County to avoid pretrial publicity in Scott County. The date of his third trial has been pushed back several times.

Juries have twice convicted Liggins in the death of Jennifer Lewis, who disappeared from her Rock Island, Illinois, neighborhood. Her burned remains were found near a Davenport elementary school in September 1990. The Iowa Supreme Court overturned Liggins’ 1993 conviction. In November 2013 the Iowa Court of Appeals vacated Liggins’ second conviction.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 1/4/2018

News, Podcasts

January 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

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

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