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ODIVA JEAN ETHRIDGE, 87, of Harlan (Svcs. @ a later date)

Obituaries

December 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

ODIVA JEAN ETHRIDGE, 87, of Harlan, died Fri., Dec. 12th, at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan. Services for ODIVA ETHRIDGE will be held at a later date. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

ODIVA ETHRIDGE is survived by:

Her daughters – Faye (Marvin) Clements, of La Cygne, KS; Carol (Richard, Jr.) Doran, of Harlan; & Paula (Clayton) Anderson, of Birch Tree, MO.

Her son – Bryan (Pam) Elder, of Yukon, OK.

16 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and her daughter in-law.

Stolen vehicle recovered in Montgomery County

News

December 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

A vehicle reported stolen Friday, in Red Oak, was recovered at around 1:50-a.m. today (Monday), in Montgomery County. Sheriff’s officials say the 1997 Chrysler Concorde was found on 270th Street, just west of Q Avenue. The car, belonging to Jessica Cesar, of Red Oak, was towed to Red Oak.

Additional details about the incident were not released.

Lake Manawa search : Update 12/15

News

December 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Pottawattamie County are expected to resume their search at 8-a.m. today, for a boater who went missing Sunday afternoon on Lake Manawa, after the canoe he was in capsized at around 1:45-p.m. Sunday, as the unidentified man and 36-year old Bengamin Ferguson, of Omaha, were maneuvering through an area of ice on the southwest side of the lake, near Boy Scout Island. Council Bluffs Police Sgt. Dave Dawson said the search for the missing man was called-off Sunday night due to darkness.  Authorities know who the man is, but were withholding his name until family members have been notified.

Ferguson was able to swim ashore, but the other man tried to hang on to the tipped over canoe, but slipped under the water. At the time of the accident, the water temperature was around 35 degrees.  Ferguson was taken to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs hospital for treatment of hypothermia. He was being held overnight for observation.

Council Bluffs Fire Dept. rescue crews searched the lake until 5:30-p.m. Sunday without finding the missing man.

Nat’l Weather Service forecast for the KJAN listening area: 12/15/14

Weather

December 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Today: An 80% chance of rain. Temperature falling to around 45 by 5pm. Breezy, with a southeast wind 6 to 16 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tonight: A 50% chance of precipitation. Rain and sleet likely before 9pm, then a chance of rain between 9pm and midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 24. Windy, with a north northwest wind 17 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Little or no sleet accumulation expected.

Tuesday: Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Windy, with a northwest wind 11 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Tuesday: Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. North northwest wind 6 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 29.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28.

Iowa early News Headlines: Mon., Dec. 15th 2014

News

December 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — The city of Waterloo is considering buying the idle former Hostess plant downtown to encourage development. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the City Council will vote today on a plan to spend up to $415,000 on the building that used to serve as a Wonder Bread bakery.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man is recovering from a shotgun wound after being shot by a fellow hunter who was trying to hit a moving deer. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said 47-year-old Eric Winkler was hit in the abdomen Saturday by a shotgun slug fired by someone else in his hunting party.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are searching a western Iowa lake for a man who was reported missing after a canoe capsized, and a second man was being treated at a hospital after swimming to shore. Council Bluffs Police Sergeant Darren Budd says the canoe the two men were in capsized around 1:45 p.m. Sunday. The men were not immediately identified Sunday.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors are dropping an effort to seize nearly $33,000 from an Iowa restaurant owner’s bank account. The New York Times reports the IRS became suspicious of Carole Hinders because of a pattern of cash deposits of less than $10,000. Hinders says the cash came from her Mexican restaurant, Mrs. Lady’s, in Arnold’s Park, Iowa that doesn’t accept credit cards.

“Abnormally dry” conditions return to NW Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

December 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The state entered winter with groundwater levels up and no drought conditions reported in the state, but that has changed a little in recent weeks. Tim Hall tracks the water conditions for the Department of Natural Resources and says drought conditions in the Dakotas and parts of Minnesota have crept into Iowa. “That’s just sort of snuck into the northwest corner of the state, it’s not a big deal right now, we just want folks who live in that part of the state to be aware of it, and we’ll just sort of keep an eye on it over the winter,” Hill says. The area has been rated “abnormally dry” which Hall says is the rated that brings the least concern for drought conditions. November saw more snowfall than normal, but Hall says that doesn’t help the dry conditions at this time of year.

“The frozen ground prevents a lot of general soaking in of rainfall, plus we’ve got to keep in mind that there’s often a ten to one ratio between the amount snow we get and the amount of moisture that is in that snow,” Hall says. “So, a ten-inch snowfall — which is a big deal in Iowa — could be as little as an inch of rain, which isn’t as big a deal.” Overall though, Hall says Iowa’s waterways are in good shape right now. He says the state has battled abnormally low stream flow levels over the past couple of years. “Generally in the winter stream flow levels are pretty low to being with, and over the last couple of years we have seen abnormally low stream flows when it’s normally low anyway. This year going into winter, we are actually in pretty good shape stream-flow wise,” Hall says. He says most of the state has normal stream flow and western Iowa has some above-normal stream flows.

“That indicates there’s an abundance of moisture in the system and that spells good news potentially for spring planting as there is enough moisture out there,” Halls says. “That’s a significant improvement over where we’ve been over the last couple of years.” One other things Hall has noticed about the water systems this winter is that we’ve seen some of the earliest lake ice on record for Iowa’s northern lakes. Big Spirit Lake froze November 16th and West Okoboji Lake was close to being completely frozen on December 1st.

“Generally the onset of ice on the lakes isn’t a huge impact on the hydrology,” according to Hall. He says it is kind of interesting for “weather junkies” to look at and see how the icing of the lakes compares to past years. Hall says the ice on the lakes can help prevent some evaporation, but overall it doesn’t have a major impact on the water situation. And he says the changing temperatures will make the ice conditions vary quite a bit. For more on of Iowa’s water resource trends, go to www.iowadnr.gov.

(Radio Iowa)

Ernst may continue to serve in Iowa National Guard

News

December 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

U.S. Senator-elect Joni Ernst is eligible to retire from her career in the Iowa National Guard, but she may continue to serve in the military long after she’s sworn in as a senator in January. “It’s caught somewhere in between,” Ernst says. “I’m going to keep it as is for just a little bit and then likely make that decision probably later this spring.” Ernst, who joined the Iowa National Guard in 1993 and is now a lieutenant colonel, was a company commander in 2003 when her unit was sent to Iraq. She then commanded the Iowa Guard’s largest battalion, of more than 12-hundred soldiers, before recently shifting to serve as a senior officer at the Iowa Guard’s headquarters in Johnston.

“I’m out of battalion command, so the outside time commitment is not as much,” Ernst says. Ernst was off the campaign trail this summer for a week of active duty, then — about 34 hours after being declared the winner of Iowa’s U.S. Senate race — Ernst reported for two days of active duty. Other members of congress serve in the guard and reserve, including South Carolina Lindsey Graham, who is in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and is a senior instructor for the Air Force Judge Advocate General program. Graham has encouraged Ernst to remain in the Guard. During a campaign swing through Iowa with Ernst in October, Graham emphasized Ernst’s previous role as a battalion commander.

“A military commander is a unique job in the Army. Very few people get it and to be a good commander, you have to bring out the best in those under you who are diverse. They have different political views, different religious views and you mold it into a team, ” Graham told reporters after an event in Des Moines. “…Very few members of the Senate have military experience.” There is no prohibition against members of the Guard serving in the U.S. Senate. Half a dozen Guard members are currently serving in the House and the newly-elected Senator from Alaska is in the Marine Reserve.

“I know there are other ways of doing two-week duties and things like that which might work a little better with my schedule, so we’re still sifting through that with the Guard before I make that decision to retire,” Ernst says. Ernst’s husband, Gail, is a retired Army Ranger.

(Radio Iowa)

BETTY HAZEN, 88, of Fontanelle (Svcs. 12/18/14)

Obituaries

December 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

BETTY HAZEN, 88, of Fontanelle, died Sun., Dec. 14th, at the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle. Celebration of Life services for BETTY HAZEN will be held 1-p.m. Thu.,  Dec. 18th, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle. Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle has the arrangements.

Visitation is open at the funeral home from 2-until 8-pm on Wednesday, with the family greeting friends from 6-until 8-pm.  Online condolences may be left to the family at
www.steenfunerals.com.

Burial will be in the Fontanelle Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the church following the committal services at the cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle.

BETTY HAZEN is survived by:

Her daughter – Mary Ann Berry of Lincoln, NE.
Her sons – Kevin (Connie) Edwards, of Greenfield; Kalvin (Lisa) Edwards, of Fontanelle, and Mark Edwards of Fontanelle.

Her brother – Bill (Carol) Steel, of Carlisle.

Her sister – Barb Batton, of Cape Canaveral, FL.

9 grandchildren; 9 great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

No. 14 Iowa State holds off Southern 88-78

Sports

December 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Georges Niang and Bryce Dejean-Jones each scored 18 points and 14th-ranked Iowa State held off Southern 88-76 on Sunday night for its fifth straight victory. Monte Morris had 15 points and five assists for Iowa State (8-1). The Cyclones led by 27 before a late Southern run.

Iowa State shook off a sluggish start with an 18-0 run late in the first half and early in the second. The Cyclones went ahead 53-35 on Naz Long’s layup with 16:13 left, and hung on for their 26th straight nonconference home victory.

Tre Lynch scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half to lead Southern (2-8). Iowa State outscored the Jaguars 41-8 during one stretch.

Prosecutors drop effort to seize Iowa restaurant’s cash

News

December 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors are dropping an effort to seize nearly $33,000 from an Iowa restaurant owner’s bank account. The New York Times reports the IRS became suspicious of Carole Hinders because of a pattern of cash deposits of less than $10,000. Hinders says the cash came from her Mexican restaurant, Mrs. Lady’s, in Arnold’s Park, Iowa, that doesn’t accept credit cards.

Hinders wasn’t accused of a crime, but federal law makes it illegal to deposit less than $10,000 if it is part of an attempt to circumvent federal reporting requirements. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Cole said in a motion filed Saturday the case should be dropped to conserve judicial resources.

Cole says evidence showed that Hinders had skirted bank reporting rules, but he decided the case wasn’t worth pursuing now.