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Iowa teen to plead insanity in Atlantic foster brother’s death

News

October 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

LOGAN, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa teen charged with murdering his 5-year-old foster brother plans to use an insanity defense when his case goes to trial this month. Court documents filed in September indicate the defense plans for 18-year-old Cody Metzker-Madsen, who was declared competent to stand trial in April. He is charged with first-degree murder in the August 2013 death of Dominic Elkins, of Atlantic. Metzker-Madsen pleaded not guilty to the charge and opted to have his case decided by a judge.

Authorities say Elkins was killed while the boys were playing outdoors at their home near Logan, in western Iowa. He died as a result of blunt-force head injuries and drowning. Psychology experts who examined the teen say he has developmental problems.

Metzker-Madsen’s mother used methamphetamine while she was pregnant with him.

Atlantic City Council approves former dry cleaner site for priority clean-up

News

October 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, moved to support plans by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to include a former dry cleaner site as a “National Priorities List (NPL)” site, making it possible for the agency to use Superfund monies for the cleanup costs. Susan Fisher, with the EPA’s Region 7 office in Kansas City, says for the past several years, the agency has been assessing the groundwater in Atlantic, and found one area in particular to be contaminated with Tetrachloroethylene.

PCE, as it’s called, is a manufactured chemical typically used in dry cleaning solvents. The chemical PCE was originally detected in 1980. The source of the contamination is believed to be the former Norge Dry Cleaners Facility, which was located in a lot on the southeast side of 7th and Plum Streets.
Neither the City of Atlantic nor Atlantic Municipal Utilities will have any financial obligation costs for the removal of the contamination, which flows in an underground plum north toward Troublesome Creek.

Fisher says in the first phase, or “Removal,” the EPA wants to use technology at the source of the contamination that causes the PCE to heat up and vaporize prior to being collected from the soil. The next phase – called “Remedial” – is to remove the PCE from the groundwater, by dissolution. The remediation process will take several years.

The cost of the cleanup is estimated at $1.5-million dollars. Atlantic Municipal Utilities has operated and maintained an interceptor well since 1980 to keep the resulting underground plume migrating from the contamination site from impacting the municipal water supply well field. Earlier this week, AMU General Manager Steve Tjepkes says the utility continues to perform testing on a monthly basis to monitor the public drinking water supply wells to ensure that drinking water does not become contaminated with PCE.

He says also AMU is working closely with the EPA and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) as they continue their assessment, to encourage cleanup efforts for the site.

KJAN listening area forecast: Thu., Oct. 2nd 2014

Weather

October 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

**DENSE FOG ADVISORY  until 9-a.m.**

Today Showers and thunderstorms. Areas of fog before 9am. High near 68. Northeast wind 5 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, then a slight chance of showers between 10pm and 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. North northwest wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Windy, with a west northwest wind 16 to 21 mph increasing to 23 to 28 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph.
Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 9 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.

Iowa regents to consider restructuring IT, HR

News

October 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — A consultant is expected to release plans detailing how Iowa’s three public universities could cut costs by restructuring how employees perform routine administrative functions. Deloitte Consulting LLP is expected to tell the Iowa Board of Regents about potential changes to streamline human resources, information technology and financial operations. The plans are expected to lead to job cuts over time, but also potentially save millions of dollars.

More details are expected to be released Thursday, when the regents meet at Iowa State University in Ames. Regents are expected to discuss the proposals, but not take any action on them. They say they will gather feedback from employees before voting on whether to implement changes next month.

The regents hired Deloitte to look for ways to run the universities more efficiently.

Iowa early News Headlines: Thu., Oct. 2nd 2014

News

October 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

AMES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa State University student has been found dead in her apartment on campus, but authorities say no foul play is suspected. University police say the woman was found unresponsive Tuesday night in a University Village apartment on the Ames campus.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A state audit of the Mahaska County Soil and Water Conservation District office alleges more than $279,000 was improperly taken and cash not properly deposited by a former secretary over seven years. Iowa Auditor Mary Mosiman says in a report released yesterday her office investigated financial irregularities at the request of state agriculture department officials. The audit shows cash withdrawn from commission accounts numerous times from 2006 to 2013 by Jessica Strasser, the former office secretary who resigned in August 2013.

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) – Officials in western Iowa say a new law enforcement center will house both men and women. Mills County Sheriff Eugene Goos says the facility has the capacity to separate the inmates. It can house up to 45 inmates. The Daily Nonpareil reports the new facility in Glenwood will mean less female inmates at the Adams County jail in Corning, where they’re often held after a transfer.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A campaign spokesman for Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Braley says he collected $2.8 million during the latest fundraising quarter. Jeff Giertz said yesterday that Braley had raised the funds between July 1st and Sept. 30th.

Dense Fog Advisory until 9-a.m. Thursday

Weather

October 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

…DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THURSDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A DENSE FOG
ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THURSDAY, FOR CASS, ADAIR, ADAMS, AUDUBON, CARROLL, GUTHRIE, DALLAS, MADISON, UNION AND RINGGOLD COUNTIES IN THE KJAN LISTENING AREA.

* VISIBILITY…VISIBILITY WILL FALL BELOW A QUARTER OF A MILE IN MANY AREAS…AND TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES.

* IMPACTS…DRIVING WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS DUE TO LOW AND CHANGING VISIBILITIES. PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME FOR TRAVEL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A DENSE FOG ADVISORY MEANS VISIBILITIES WILL FREQUENTLY BE REDUCED TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE. IF DRIVING…SLOW DOWN… USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS…AND LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU.

GLADYS E. RASMUSSEN, 96, of Audubon (Svcs. 10/3/14)

Obituaries

October 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

GLADYS E. RASMUSSEN, 96, of Audubon, died Wed., Oct. 1st, at the Friendship Home in Audubon. Funeral services for GLADYS RASMUSSEN will be held 10-a.m. Fri., Oct. 3rd, at the 1st Presbyterian Church in Audubon. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home, where the family visitation is at 6-p.m. , Thursday.

Burial will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.

GLADYS RASMUSSEN is survived by:

Her son – Tom (Sue) Rasmussen, of Audubon.

2 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

MACEL BROWER, 97, of Massena (Svcs. 10/8/14)

Obituaries

October 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

MACEL BROWER, 97, of Massena, died Wed., October 1st, at the Griswold Care Center in Griswold. Funeral services for MACEL BROWER will be held 1-p.m. Wed., Oct. 8th, at the Steen Funeral Home in Massena.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday at the Steen Funeral Home in Massena from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The family will greet friends on Tuesday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

Burial will be in the Newlons Grove Cemetery, at rural Cumberland. A luncheon will be held at the Massena United Methodist Church following the burial.

Memorials: To the Macel Brower Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date.

MACEL BROWER is survived by her:

Her children – David Brower and wife Janet of Omaha, NE and Karon Myers and husband Jim of Twin Falls, ID

1 grandchild; 4 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-granddaughters; 2 step-grandsons; 5 step-great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.

ISU’s Hogue hopes to build on strong NCAA tourney

Sports

October 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State forward Dustin Hogue is looking to build off his breakout performance in last season’s NCAA tournament. Hogue scored a career-high 34 points – a total nearly three times above his season average – on 15 of 19 shooting against UConn in the Sweet Sixteen.

The Cyclones lost 81-76 to the eventual national champions. But Hogue’s performance was a fitting end to a season in which he continually exceeded expectations. The Cyclones (28-8 in 2013-14) will be looking for more big things out of Hogue, now a senior, when they open the season against Oakland on Nov. 14.

Iowa St’s Thomas, Nader suspended 3 games

Sports

October 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State’s Matt Thomas and Abdel Nader will serve three-game suspensions for offseason drunken-driving arrests. Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg says Thomas and Nader will each miss an exhibition contest and games against Oakland and Georgia State.

Hoiberg says he’s proud of the way Thomas and Nader have conducted themselves since their arrests. Thomas averaged 5.5 points a game as a freshman last year. Nader sat out last season after transferring from Northern Illinois.