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Iowa Business Council survey shows CEOs are optimistic about sales, hiring

News

March 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Most of the CEOs of Iowa’s largest companies are expecting improved sales and steady or slightly higher employment levels over the next six months. The Iowa Business Council (IBC) has released its first quarter Economic Outlook Survey and executive director Elliott Smith says it’s not much different than the surveys conducted in 2014. “That’s a good thing. Our numbers have been fairly steady now for the last two, three, almost four quarters…not moving significantly up or down and we’re in solid, positive sentiment territory,” Smith says.

The IBC’s first quarter Overall Economic Outlook Survey Index was 65 – the same as last quarter and three points ahead of this time last year. The index uses a 100 point scale, with a score over 50 considered “positive sentiment.” Around 80-percent of the CEOs surveyed expect higher sales over the next six months. They’re also optimistic about adding workers.  “From our responses this quarter, we had 95-percent of our employers either indicating they’re going to maintain existing employment levels or add to (their workforces) with new hires. Only five-percent (expect) lower employment activity,” Smith says.

Specifically, 55-percent of the CEOs anticipate hiring more employees over the next six months, while 40-percent expect “no change” in employment levels.

(Radio Iowa)

(Podcast) KJAN Morning Sports report, 3/3/2015

Podcasts, Sports

March 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Jim Field.

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(Podcast) KJAN News & funeral report, 3/3/2015

News, Podcasts

March 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The 7:06-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Iowa Red Cross volunteers assemble for one of their largest-ever disaster drills

News

March 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

One of the largest-ever disaster drills organized by the American Red Cross in Iowa will take place this week, starting this (Tuesday) morning. Dan Cataldi, the agency’s regional disaster officer, says about 90 volunteers and staff members from all across Iowa are converging on Des Moines as a sort of dress rehearsal. “We all know that in Iowa, we will have tornadoes this year, for instance, we just don’t know where and when,” Cataldi says. “It’s critical that we are able to challenge our teams. Most of our workers are volunteers. On an operation, we would expect 90% of our team to be volunteers, so we need to make sure they have the opportunity to practice before they’re involved in a real operation.”

The drill will serve as a crucial training exercise to prepare volunteers for what they may face in the aftermath of an actual tornado, flood or other natural disaster.  “This event allows us to bring everybody together and work on everything from service delivery and setting up shelters — we’ll actually set up cots and feed people — to our back office things,” Cataldi says. “We set up our own IT networks and we have a staff services team to make sure all the teams that are working get all the things they need.”

This disaster drill will run three days, today through Thursday, which is much longer than usual and it will be much larger in scale. “Typically, we exercise for about a day and we go through what we call tabletops, where we just work through scenarios,” Cataldi says. “Bringing in all of these people together and going through the process of setting up a shelter and things like that over three days is really a large endeavor and certainly one of the biggest we’ve ever attempted.”

(Radio Iowa)

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the area, & weather info. for Atlantic: 3/3/15

Weather

March 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Today: Cloudy & windy, w/a 30% chance of rain, freezing rain, and sleet before noon, then a slight chance of rain and snow between noon and 1pm. High near 36 early, w/temps dropping during the day. S winds @ 10-20 becoming NW this afternoon & gusting up to near 40mph. Little or no snow and sleet accumulation expected.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy w/a chance of flurries. Low around 5. N/NW @ 15-30. Wind chill values as low as -5.

Wednesday: P/Cldy. Highs around 20. N/NW @ 10-20. Wind chill values as low as -5.
Wed. Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 0.
Thursday: P/Cldy. High near 27. SW @ 5-10.
Thu. Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 20.
Friday: P/Cldy & breezy. High near 47.

Monday’s High in Atlantic was 42. Our 24-hour Low ending today at 7-a.m. was 15. We received a Trace of precipitation early this morning at the KJAN studios. Last year on this date we topped at 14 for a High and -11 was the Low. The All-Time Record High in Atlantic on March 3rd was 79 in 1983, the Record Low was -11 in 2014.

2 men arrested on drug charges this morning in Fremont County

News

March 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop early this (Tuesday) morning in Fremont County resulted in the arrest of two people on drug charges. Sheriff’s officials say 35-year old Thomas Lee Knipe, of Glenwood, and 43-year old Christopher Lynn Mosier, of Essex, were arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of numerous pieces of drug paraphernalia.

The men were taken into custody at around 2:15-a.m. in the 2300 block of Wabounsie Avenue. Knipe was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $2,000 cash bond, while Mosier’s bond was set at $1,000. Deputies in Fremont County were assisted at the scene by the Mills County K9 Unit.

Avoca’s Mike Stanley Recipient of IGHSAU’s Jack North Award

Sports

March 3rd, 2015 by Jim Field

stanleyThe Jack North Award is the highest honor the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union awards to an individual. The award has been given just 15 times in the 87-year history of the IGHSAU. Mike Stanley of Avoca is the 16th recipient of the award.

Stanley has been active with the IGHSAU for many years. He served on the IGHSAU Representative Council and the IGHSAU Board of Directors from 1995 to 2004. Since his retirement, Stanley has been part of the bench crew at the State Basketball Tournament and is a diamond supervisor at the State Softball Tournament. He is also a member of the E. Wayne Cooley Scholarship jury.

Stanley, a native of Sidney, graduated from Tarkio College in 1970 and received his Master’s Degree from Northwest Missouri State. He served as teacher and school administrator at Carson-Macedonia, Midland, Underwood, Malvern and Bedford before his last stop at A-H-S-T, serving as the school’s athletic director and principal until his retirement in 2004.

Stanley has been recognized as one of the top track & field starters in Iowa, serving as a starter of over 30 Iowa State Track & Field Meets. He is a member of the Iowa Association of Track Officials Hall of Fame and the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Officials Hall of Fame. Stanley’s years of service as an activities director was also recognized by the Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association, who inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2005.

Mike and his wife Michaele are the parents of three sons; Sean, Dave and Tim, and are grandparents to Mackenzie and Graham.

 

Winter Weather Advisory Cancelled 3/3/15

Weather

March 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-MADISON COUNTIES
545 AM CST TUE MAR 3 2015

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS CANCELLED THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY.

PRECIPITATION HAS MOVED OUT OF THE ADVISORY AREA. HOWEVER…FREEZING RAIN WAS REPORTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA WITH MANY ROADWAYS AND WALKWAYS BECOMING ICE COVERED. CONTINUE TO USE CAUTION WHILE TRAVELING AS ROADS REMAIN SLICK.

Special Weather Statement: Freezing Drizzle across western IA

Weather

March 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-
PAGE COUNTIES; 520 AM CST TUE MAR 3 2015

…FREEZING DRIZZLE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING…

AREAS OF DRIZZLE WILL OCCUR THIS MORNING…WITH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 30 TO 33 DEGREES. THUS…BE PREPARED FOR SOME SLICK SPOTS ON UNTREATED ROADWAYS…AND ESPECIALLY ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES AND IN LOW LYING AREAS. SIDEWALKS AND PARKING LOTS COULD ALSO BECOME SLICK.

LOWELL E. TURK, 101, of Atlantic (No services)

Obituaries

March 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

LOWELL E. TURK, 101, of Atlantic, died Sat., Feb. 28th, at the Atlantic Nursing & Rehab Center. Per his wishes, cremation services will take place. No other services are planned at this time. Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic is handling the arrangements for LOWELL TURK.