With KJAN News Director, Ric Hanson….

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Saturday evening of 39-year old Eric Michael Huffstutlear, of Villisca. Huffstutlear was taken into custody at around 6:20-p.m., following a traffic stop at the intersection of north 5th Avenue and east 1st Street, in Villisca. He was charged with OWI/3rd offense, and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $5,000 bond.

Sheriff’s officials in Adair County have released additional details about a fatal ice fishing accident we first told you about Saturday afternoon. Authorities say 62-year old James Alan Wallace, of Casey, died after falling through the ice while fishing on a private farm pond about six-miles southwest of Menlo.  Wallace’ family members had reported him missing to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office after he failed to return home from ice fishing Friday afternoon.

Following  a search of the area where Wallace was believed to have been fishing, an Adair County Sheriff’s deputy located the man’s vehicle near a farm pond, and shortly thereafter saw Wallace’ body in the water. He was pulled from the pond by rescue personnel and pronounced dead at the scene, by the Adair County Medical Examiner.

Deputies with the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, officers with the Stuart Police Department Adair County Conservation officers, Menlo Fire and Rescue and the Adair County Ambulance all assisted in the search and recovery efforts.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Firefighters from Griswold were called to the scene of a house fire southwest of there early Sunday morning. Dispatch reports indicated the residence at 69191 540th Street was fully engulfed in flames just after 2-a.m.  Authorities said the home, which was owned by Orlan Cain, was believed to have been unoccupied, and had been the target of recent thefts.

A neighboring residence was safely evacuated as a precaution. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with the State Fire Marshal’s Office called to assist in determining a cause. Firefighters were on the scene for a little more than two and one-half hours. They returned late Sunday night after authorities were notified about a gas leak, which was initially termed a “very dangerous situation” by Mid American Energy crews on the scene. Authorities were told an evacuation of nearby homes was necessary shortly after the call was received at around 8:45-p.m., but that turned out not to be the case.

(updated) 423 AM CST SUN FEB 10 2013

A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR  MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT & PAGE COUNTIES.

BRISK SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS THIS MORNING WILL SHIFT TO WEST AND NORTHWEST AND INCREASE LATER IN THE AFTERNOON…AND CONTINUE STRONG INTO THE EVENING. WIND SPEEDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH IN THE MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH DURING THE AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING HOURS.

THESE STRONG WINDS WILL MAKE DRIVING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING…ESPECIALLY FOR LIGHT WEIGHT OR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS BETWEEN 30 TO 39 MPH OR GUSTS BETWEEN 45 TO 57 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

The City Council in Audubon is set to review the proposed Fiscal Year 2013-2014 budget. The review takes place during a regular meeting of the Council, which begins at 7-p.m. Monday. In other business, the Council will discuss an abatement notice, bid results for water tower repairs and improvements, and act on a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign a notice of award and contracts relating to the project. The council will also decide on the color of the water tower, and, discuss and/or possibly act on mowing contracts.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller is seeking $6 million from the Legislature as part of changes in how the state helps domestic abuse victims. Miller asked a judiciary subcommittee last week for the money as his agency seeks to reduce its emphasis on shelters seen as underused and expensive.

The attorney general’s office, which oversees domestic abuse and sexual assault programs, wants to close up to 12 of the 20 shelters. Money saved by that move would go toward hiring 98 more advocates, adding to the 271 people who now help victims.  Advocates would focus more on helping people find permanent housing and support.

Some lawmakers and shelter administrators say the change could be hard on women in rural areas, where there are few housing options.

(updated 2/11/13 to note change of work session location to the Atlantic Public Library)

The Atlantic City Council will hold work sessions to go over the proposed Fiscal Year 2014 Budget this Tuesday and Wednesday beginning at 5:30-p.m. both days (Feb. 12th & 13th), at the Atlantic Public Library’s meeting room. City Administrator Doug Harris says the proposed budgets for all operating funds in FY 2014 total 10-million 184-thousand 194 dollars, which Harris says is a decrease of more than $3.475-million (25.4%) from the total estimated expenditures for the current Fiscal Year (FY 2013). The main reason for the decrease he says, is a reduction of the Wastewater budget, which reflects completion of the treatment plant project in FY 2013. The net increase for all other funds, amounts to $69,475, or One-percent.

In his nearly inch-thick report to the Council, Harris says the General Operating Fund (which supports most of the core municipal services and is funded through the property tax levy capped by the State at $8.10 per $1,000 of taxable value, after rollback), shows a decrease of $216,299, or 7-percent. A shifting of Police vehicles and equipment to the Debt Service Fund accounts for the budget decrease of slightly more than $97,460, but the greatest factor is a $240,000 decrease in the Fire Department, due to a one-time grant it received this year for Cass County emergency communication equipment that passed through the books.

The Debt Service Fund, according to Harris,  has increased in the proposed budget a little more than $671, 265….$450,000 of which reflects how a new accounting system now shows equipment purchased with bond proceeds were paid out of the fund instead of one of the operating funds. The actual increase in the annual debt service cost for the two-year equipment note is only $9,000 says Harris, which is 3.6-percent over the current year. Another big item in the fund is the increase in debt service payments for the new wastewater treatment plant.

Harris says the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) calls for issuing more General Obligation (G.O.) Bonds this Spring, to fund FY 2014 and FY 2015 CIP’s. He says the debt service payments on the new bond will result in a net increase of about $87,000 next year, which will be offset slightly, by the fact that transfers are down $49,000.

Doug Harris says the City’s Employment Benefits Fund is up slightly more than $42,370 (5.3%). The biggest increase comes in the form of Health Insurance Premiums, which are up $20,567 (5.3%). Premiums are also up 15%, but the cost has been largely offset by higher deductibles paid by employees. IPERS rates have increased 5.8%.

The bottom line concerning most citizens, is how the proposed budget will affect their property taxes. Harris says the proposed budget has six funds that have property tax levies. Under the proposed budget for FY 2014, the tax levy for Atlantic would be $17.68, which is an increase of 44-cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation, or 2.5%. The tax rate went from $17.95 in 2005 to $14.76 before steadily moving backup. The new levy Harris says, is just 27-cent less than the levy in 2005. The majority of the increase in the tax rate is due to a 38-cent increase in the Debt Service levy.

Harris says a Citizen Survey conducted in 2o10 indicated widespread dissatisfaction over the condition of the streets, and improving the streets was their highest priority, followed by storm and sanitary sewer, as well as park improvements. 2014 according to Harris, will mark the 4th year the City has embarked on a plan to improve the neglected infrastructure, and significant progress is being made, but “The road to long-term sustainability will still be challenging,” as the City seeks ways to pay for annual street repairs with current revenue, rather than through long-term bond financing, which is no longer a viable option after this year. Harris says the Council needs to “Make some major decisions before FY 2016” with regard to the infrastructure improvements and how to pay for them.