712 Digital Group - top

KJAN News

KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa,  Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!

Iowa News Headlines: Sat., Jan. 4th 2014

News

January 4th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Winter is normally cold, but tundra-like temperatures are soon poised to deliver a rare and potentially dangerous sledgehammer blow to much of the Midwest, driving temperatures so far below zero that records will shatter. One reason, according to one meteorologist, is a “polar vortex” that will send cold air piled up at the North Pole down to the U.S., funneling it as far south as the Gulf Coast.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — The Burlington City Council has chosen the first black mayor in the southeast Iowa city’s history. The Hawk Eye reports the council on Thursday narrowly elected Councilman Shane McCampbell to a two-year term as mayor. He was chosen in a 3 to 2 vote over Councilwoman Becky Anderson.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Business leaders in Iowa and Nebraska are joining forces to promote economic development in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area. Governors Terry Branstad and Dave Heineman signed an agreement Friday to add Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation, a new public-private partnership, to the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Transportation says it will spend less than $100,000 to implement a new logo. The Des Moines Register reports the department told DOT workers in an email that it would cost “below $100,000” over a five-year period to implement the new logo in offices, vehicles and other printed materials. DOT Director Paul Trombino says the new logo replaces one that’s been used for 32 years.

Woman charged in connection with fatal June 2013 accident in Lenox

News

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Taylor County report charges have been filed in connection with a fatal accident between a car and a bicyclist just outside of Lenox, last Summer. The Lenox Police Department says the Taylor County Attorney’s Office charged Jessica M. Brown, of Lenox, with Failure to Stop at an Assured Clear Distance. On Friday, Jan. 3rd, 2014, a conviction was entered against  Brown for the offense and she was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $500, plus fees and court costs amounting to $235.

Officials say the events leading up to the charge began on Sunday, June 23rd, 2013, at about 9:00 a.m., when the body of Gerald O. Williams was found in a ditch along 110th Street, approximately ½ mile east of Vail Avenue in Lenox.  Williams’ wife had been traveling out-of-state and when she was unable to contact him, she called local law enforcement and requested a welfare check be conducted. The officers determined that Gerald Williams was not at his home, and during the check of his residence officers noticed that his bicycle was not there.

Because Mr. Williams was an avid bicyclist, a search was made of popular bicycle routes in the area, and searchers ultimately found his body in the ditch along 110th Street, which is a popular bicycle route in the Lenox area. The incident was investigated by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Lenox Police Department and the Iowa State Highway Patrol, with assistance by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Through this investigation it was determined that the day prior to the discovery of Gerald O. Williams’ body, on Saturday, June 22nd, 2013, at about 9:15 a.m. Williams was riding his bicycle eastbound on 110th Street and was struck by an eastbound car driven by Jessica M. Brown.

Williams died as a result of the injuries he sustained when he was hit by the car.

Highway 30 near Ames reopens after chemical leak

News

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have reopened a portion of Highway 30 near Ames after a plume of gas from a chemical leak dissipated. Crews responded to a business at the Iowa State University Research Park shortly before noon Friday after a hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid chemical leak spread over the area. Water was sprayed to diminish the plume.

Des Moines television station KCCI says a delivery driver was dropping off the chemicals at a business when the two accidentally mixed. The driver of the delivery truck was taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

College Springs man arrested Wed.after investigation into cut internet line

News

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Page County say a College Springs man was arrested Wednesday following an investigation into a cut internet line. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says a female resident on Galesburg Street reported her internet had stopped working sometime during the evening of Dec. 31st or early morning hours of Jan. 1st. Deputies investigating the situation discovered the internet line had been cut.

During the investigation, the owner, Kevin Long, who resides in College Springs but not at the woman’s residence, was interviewed. Long has a no contact order in place between him and the female resident. Following the interview, Long was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order.

He was held in the Page County Jail and bonded out the next day.

Iowa’s low income health plan gets final approval

News

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says he has finalized an agreement with federal authorities to expand low income health care in Iowa. Branstad announced Friday that the state received final documents this week from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Iowa sought a waiver enabling the state to receive more federal Medicaid money for the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan.

Under the plan, the state will take federal funding to create a new health plan for some poor residents and to pay the premiums for other low-income Iowans to get private insurance on the new health care exchanges. The program could eventually cover up to 150,000 Iowa residents.

State officials said more than 65,000 people have applied for coverage under the plan.

Chemical leak at Ames business results in Highway blocked-off

News

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Officials in Ames say part of Highway 30 near Ames is blocked off after a chemical leak was reported. KCCI says the incident was reported just before noon. Ames Police Sgt. Chris Crippen said a hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid chemical leak was reported at a business in the ISU Research Park just south of the highway on N. Loop Drive.

Officers started closing the highway about 12:04 p.m., the Iowa DOT reported. The highway is closed between the South Dakota Avenue ramps and the South Duff Avenue ramps.

There have been no reports of injuries thus far.

Griswold man arrested Thursday

News

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Thursday of a Griswold man. 68-year old Harry Alan Porter was taken into custody on a charge of  OWI 1st Offense. Porter was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on his own recognizance.

Ice jam brings troubles with both low & high water

News

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Bitter cold temperatures are creating a different kind of problem in the Siouxland area. Officials with the U-S Army Corps of Engineers are looking at options for various ways to break up a large ice jam on the Missouri River between Ponca, Nebraska, and Sioux City, Iowa. Water levels are dropping down-river and may cut off water supplies to several communities, as their intakes could soon be above the water line.

The Corps is boosting releases from Gavins Point Dam in hopes of making up for the low levels. Of course, that means trouble upriver, as the ice dam is forcing water to pool and the river level is rising, along with fears of flooding.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa, Nebraska form new economic partnership

News

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Business leaders in Iowa and Nebraska are joining forces to promote economic development in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area.   Govs. Terry Branstad and Dave Heineman signed an agreement Friday to add Advance Southwest Iowa Corp., a new public-private partnership, to the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership. The group includes business leaders from Douglas, Cass, Washington, Dodge and Sarpy counties in Nebraska.

David Brown, president of the Great Omaha Chamber of Commerce, says the partnership will work to market the area for new business investment and expansion.  Pete Tulipana, president and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation, says about 18,000 Council Bluffs residents cross the Missouri River each day to work in Omaha, and roughly 6,000 employees travel from Omaha to work in Council Bluffs.

HCHS “Teal Out” takes place Saturday

News, Sports

January 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Harlan Community School District plans to recognize the importance of Ovarian Cancer Awareness with a “Teal Out,” this Saturday. During a doubleheader basketball game against Council Bluffs/Abraham Lincoln, the Cyclones will hold the “teal out” to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. There will also be a personal story told by Earling native and survivor of ovarian cancer, Nadine Kenkel.

Kenkel is an advocate for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. She says Ovarian Cancer is a silent killer. “And that is because there is not a screening tool to detect ovarian cancer in its early stages. A screening tool example would be a pap smear to detect cervical cancer, a mammogram for breast cancer and a psa for men for prostate cancer.” 

A foundation was developed recently called Colleen’s Dream to create a screening tool for Ovarian Cancer. The foundation was started by Harlan Community graduate Billy Cundiff, whose mother in law passed away from the disease in February 2013. During the ball games, bracelets and t-shirts will be on sale along with a raffle drawing for a 32” TV donated by Bonsall’s TV and Appliance in Dunlap. A bucket run will take place at halftime of the boy’s game along with Kenkel speaking to the crowd. Kenkel says there are three goals for the Teal Out.

“One of them is to increase awareness for ovarian cancer. Another one is to educate women on early signs and symptoms for ovarian cancer. And then lastly to collect monetary donations to fund research which will find a screening tool to detect ovarian cancer in its early stages.”

The double header basketball game at the Harlan Community High School will tip off at 4-pm, with the girls’ game followed by the boys’ game on Saturday.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)