With Ric Hanson.

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Iowans are enduring much colder-than-normal, snowy weather for the last half of fall, and while there’s a little relief in sight for the weekend, the winter ahead is still a toss-up. Jeff Zogg, senior meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Johnston, says they’ve re-run all of their computer models to get a glimpse at December through February and so far, it’s 50-50.

“We’re calling for equal chances for temperature,” Zogg says. “That means there’s really no strong signal of above-, near- or below-normal temperatures. For precipitation, generally equal chances, maybe a little bit of a dry signal across the eastern part of the state.” Armchair prognosticators may claim this current cold spell could be a sign of a bitter, blizzard-filled season ahead, while other say it’s an indicator a warmer winter is on the way. Zogg says nobody really knows at this point.

“When you go back and look at past winters, really the temperature trends that you see in November really have very little if any predictability as to the rest of the winter,” Zogg says. “Yes, we have been quite cold for the first part of November but that would not necessarily translate into a certain trend for the rest of the winter.” While much of Iowa should see highs in the 40s this weekend — a nice change from the 20s — but the travel forecast for Thanksgiving looks dicey.

“This weekend, we’re looking for a warm-up, even a chance of rainfall on Saturday and Sunday,” Zogg says. “Temperatures will be warm enough for rain but there is the potential for some additional unsettled weather next week, particularly towards Thanksgiving. We’re seeing the potential for below-normal temperatures again, maybe another system to bring us some rain or snow.” Stay tuned in to the latest forecast at weather-dot-gov.

(Radio Iowa)

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Police in Glenwood report the arrest on Thursday of a man wanted on warrants for Eluding and Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. 36-year old Charles Knipe, of Tabor was arrested on the Mills County warrant. His initial bond was set at $5,000.  While in custody, Knipe was also charged with Theft in the 1st degree and Theft in the 2nd degree. A$15,000 bond was added to the latest charges and current bond amount.

A Red Oak man wanted on a warrant out of Ray County, Missouri, was arrested Thursday night by Red Oak Police. 37-year old Christopher Michael McDonald, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 11-p.m., on a warrant charging him with Child Neglect. McDonald was arrested in the 1100 block of Eastern Avenue and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on a $5,000 cash bond.

A call to authorities in Montgomery County early this (Friday) morning about a suspicious subject lead to the arrest of a man wanted in Fremont County. Sheriff’s officials say a resident on 180th Street, northeast of Stanton, called at around 1:45-a.m., and reported a man on their porch had tried the doorknob several times.

When deputies arrived, they located 44-year old Joshua N. Fuller, who was still standing on the porch. Fuller was secured in the deputies’ patrol car after a brief discussion. During an investigation, it was determined Fuller was wanted on a warrant issued on Aug. 21st, that charged him with Obstructing Police (Originally charged as Driving Under Suspension) and Interference with Official Acts.

Fuller was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $600 cash bond while awaiting transportation to Fremont County.

Authorities in Montgomery County arrested a Red Oak woman Thursday afternoon. 28-year old Sarah Lea Aherns was taken into custody on a valid Pottawattamie County warrant for Probation Violation. Aherns was arrested in Red Oak and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where she was being held on $5,000 bond.

Police in Council Bluffs area asking for the public’s help in finding a suspect involved in the armed robbery of a credit union. Officials say at around 2:37-p.m., Thursday, a white man wearing a light blue denim jacket with a blue hooded sweatshirt underneath, walked into the Centris Federal Credit Union at 2825 Avenue G, and display what appeared to be a long barreled pistol to a teller.

The suspect then began to wave the handgun at several tellers, and demanded currency in large bills. The man ordered the teller to put all of the money into a bag that the suspect brought with him. Police say the man became agitated and grabbed the money from the tellers himself before taking time to pick up some of the money he had dropped on the floor. During the encounter, the suspect did not make any verbal threats. After robbing the credit union, he fled in southbound direction with an undetermined amount of money.

The man was further described as being just over 6-feet tall, and weighing around 220-pounds. He had a green scarf over the bottom half of his face, was wearing sun glasses and a fleece, trapper-style hat. He also wore mismatched gloves – one yellow, the other gray –  and carried a blue, backpack-style bag.

Anyone with information about the suspect or the crime should call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

A southwest Iowa man said he was confident that he won a big lottery prize, but he waited until his ticket was validated by the lottery before he started to celebrate. Phillip Currin Sr., of Villisca claimed the third of 11 top prizes of $30,000 available in the Iowa Lottery’s “Holiday Word Bank” scratch game. According to the Daily NonPareil, Currin claimed his prize last Friday at the lottery’s regional office in Council Bluffs.

President Barack Obama has unveiled expansive executive actions on immigration. Obama says immigrants who’ve lived illegally in the U.S. for more than five years can avoid being deported if their children are citizens or lawful permanent residents, and they pass background checks and pay fees. They also can get work permits. Obama says he wants immigration enforcement efforts to focus on “felons, not families.”

The reaction from Iowa’s congressional delegation to President Obama’s immigration order includes one suggestion that congress vote to publicly and formally reprimand Obama for his actions. Democratic Senator Tom Harkin says Obama has taken “common sense steps” and “is doing the right thing.” Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says Obama has taken “the wrong way forward” and is “poisoning the well for future action” om immigration reform.

Democratic Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa City says he has “concerns about the president acting without congressional approval,” but Loebsack says he hopes the president’s executive order now spurs House Republicans to vote on an immigration reform bill. Republican Congressman Steve King of Kiron is a leading critic of “amnesty” for any illegal immigrant.

King says no one in congress wants to throw the country in turmoil and impeach the president, but King suggested during an appearance last night on CNN that congress might vote to censure Obama instead.

(A-P/Radio Iowa)