COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A 29-year-old man already serving time in a Nebraska prison has been given 10 years in an Iowa prison for a similar crime. Rocky Ontiveros, who court records say lived in Bellevue, Nebraska, on Tuesday was sentenced in Pottawattamie County District Court in Council Bluffs. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Ontiveros pleaded guilty to felony sexual abuse after prosecutors lowered the charge.

Iowa court documents say Ontiveros sexually abused two minors from Nov. 1, 2013, to Sept. 19, 2014. Prosecutors dismissed one of two counts because the child involved remained in therapy and was in no position to testify. In August Ontiveros was sentenced to 30 to 40 years in a Nebraska prison. He’d pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a minor in Nebraska’s Douglas County.

In an update to our earlier reports, the Iowa State Patrol said Wednesday no injuries occurred when a semi hauling tandem trailers, overturned on westbound Interstate 80, north of Atlantic. The accident happened at around 7-a.m., just west of the Exit 57 overpass.

Westbound traffic was re-routed for more than an hour off I-80 at the exit ramp to County Road N-16/Olive Street, across the highway and back down the ramp to I-80. The actual interstate was blocked for more than 90-minutes.

According to the Patrol, the semi was traveling in the right lane when it went out of control due to the icy conditions. The rig went off to the left, into the median. The rearmost trailer overturned as the tractor re-entered I-80 westbound, and came to rest, blocking both lanes of traffic.

The name of the driver and other information was not immediately available.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting…the final such meeting of 2015, Thursday, at the courthouse, in Atlantic. Their session begins at 8:30.

During the meeting, the Board will act on approving the proposed voluntary annexation of 56988 635th St. by the city of Atlantic. They’ll also act on a Resolution of Support for the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

During their meeting last week, the Board heard from John and Brad Hartkopf with the Renewable Energy Group, LLC, who asked for county support to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), and who provided information on why the Standard is important to the people of Iowa. Their reasons included: in Iowa renewable energy has created 73,000 jobs and $5 billion in wages, and it has a positive impact on the rural economy. The RFS they said, ensures that the produced renewable fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, have access to the motor fuel marketplace.

Authorities report (as of 8:45-a.m.), both lanes of Interstate 80 westbound just past the Olive Street exit to Atlantic (Exit 57), are now open. The road was blocked for more than 2-hours following an accident involving an over-turned semi.

More area, and State news, w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following an accident Tuesday afternoon, south of Atlantic. The collision between an SUV and a van happened at around 1:45-p.m. at the intersection of Highways 71 and 92.

Officials say a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee owned and driven by 33-year old Kyle John Franson,  of Grant, was northbound on Highway 71 when it was struck by a 2007 Ford Econoline van driven by 43-year old Patrick M. Flynn, of Omaha. The accident happened  when Flynn attempted a left turn onto Highway 71 from Highway 92, and failed to see Franson’s vehicle. Flynn was cited for Failure to Yield at a Stop Sign.

Damage from the crash amounted to $14,000.

MAPLETON, Iowa (AP) – Mapleton’s five churches have joined to maintain an emergency house that’s available to anyone who needs shelter. It sits near St. John’s Methodist Church, which bought the property and planned to raze the house so more parking spaces could be provided. But the pastor at the time and congregation had a change of heart and sought a higher purpose for the two-bedroom structure.

The current pastor, Jena Manchester, told the Sioux City Journal that “the former minister said, ‘There’s too much life left in it. Let’s use it until it falls down.”‘ It was dubbed God’s Little House and has provided free shelter for people since 2008. Members of Mapleton’s five churches work summers in the concession stand at the city’s ballfields for money to maintain the house.

The 7:07-a.m. news (podcast) w/KJAN News Director, Ric Hanson.

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The Iowa DOT reports (as of 7:15-a.m.), Interstate 80 westbound in Cass County is blocked between Exit 57 (the Olive Street exit), and Exit 54 (Highway 173/Elk Horn), due to an accident. A KJAN listener reports a semi has tipped over onto its side, blocking both lanes. The crash is just beyond the Olive Street overpass. Westbound traffic was being rerouted off I-80 westbound at the Exit 57 ramp, across Olive Street and back down the I-80 westbound on-ramp, around the obstruction.

Additional details are not available.

The National Weather Service says a fast moving weather system will produce periods of light snow this morning. Snowfall amounts will range from a dusting to around one inch. The morning commute will likely be impacted with roads become snow covered and slippery. Just before 6-a.m., the Iowa Dept. of Transportation’s map at 511ia.org showed most roads in southwest Iowa between Highway 92 and Highway 44, were partially covered with snow. South of Highway 92, roads were mostly covered with snow. The snowfall should move east of the area by around noon.

Otherwise expect mostly cloudy conditions the remainder of the afternoon with highs in the 20s. Mostly cloudy and cold conditions are expected on Thursday although it should be dry. Quiet but cold conditions are expected on New Year’s Eve with lows in the single digits north to the lower teens south. Expect some sunshine on New Year’s Day with seasonal temperatures in the 20s.