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Wastewater discharge reported in Shelby

News

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 4:15-p.m.)

Officials with the Iowa DNR said Wednesday that authorities in Shelby reported a sewer line that runs from the town to the city’s lagoons washed out at a small creek crossing, causing untreated wastewater to discharge.

The city estimates between 100 and 200 gallons per minute of wastewater flowed directly into Little Silver Creek until the discharge ended at 3-p.m.

The DNR recommends keeping children and pets away from the creek for 24 to 48 hours after repairs are completed. The DNR will continue to monitor the situation.

Posted in News |

Red Oak woman & Atlantic couple arrested on drug charges

News

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Red Oak and a man and woman from Atlantic were arrested Tuesday, on drug and other charges. 24-year old Courtney Nicole Orr,  of Red Oak, was arrested on charges of OWI 2nd Offense and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Orr was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $3,000 bond.
And, 35-year old Charles Theodore Shroyer, of Atlantic, was arrested Tuesday on charges of Controlled Substance Violation and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, while 30-year old Jessica Nichole Shroyer, of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of Controlled Substance Violation. Both were taken to the Cass County Jail where they were released later that day on $5,000 bond each.

Posted in News |

More than $1.5 Million in CAT Grants Awarded to Iowa Communities

News

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Vision Iowa Board has awarded $1,675,000 in Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grants for a new YMCA in Council Bluffs and a Veterans Service Center in Waverly. The grants were approved by the Vision Iowa Board at their meeting in Des Moines today (Wednesday).

In western Iowa, the YMCA of Greater Omaha received an award amounting to $1-million towards the more than $16.1million cost of a new Council Bluffs YMCA. The CAT grant award is contingent upong completed fundraising within 90-days. Officials has requested $2-million.

Th project includes the construction of a new 73,000-square-foot YMCA in downtown Council Bluffs. The facility will include a health and wellness center with walking track, warm water therapy pool, gymnasium with bleacher seating for 1200 people, aquatics center with warm water and lap pools, early childhood education center, teen center, family center, outdoor splash zone, teaching kitchen and adjacent surface parking for 136 vehicles.

The Vision Iowa Program provides financial incentives to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa. Currently, 393 CAT awards have been granted by the board, totaling more than $149.1-million.

Posted in News |

Iowa State Patrol Reminds Football Fans to Be Safe This Weekend

News, Sports

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

This weekend, the largest in-state rivalry between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones will take place at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Iowa State Patrol reminds all fans traveling to and from the game and parties across the state to be safe.

The Iowa State Patrol offers the following tips for a safe weekend of football fun:

Plan ahead, leave early for your destination.
Slow down and expect heavy traffic delays.
Be patient if you encounter heavy traffic.
Pay attention and avoid any unnecessary distractions.
Obey all directions given by law enforcement officers.
Don’t drink and drive.
Buckle up!
A much higher volume of traffic is expected on Saturday in and around the Iowa City area. Some fans will arrive several hours before kickoff, so traffic congestion can be expected many hours prior to and following the conclusion of the game. Motorists not attending the game are encouraged to find alternate routes.

By following these simple tips, the Iowa State Patrol hopes everyone remains safe while cheering on the Hawkeyes and Cyclones.

Posted in News, Sports |

Mills County S/O arrest report

News

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County released a report on their most recent arrests, Wednesday (today). On Tuesday, 51-year old Joyce Kay Ayers, of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant for Theft in the 5th degree. Her bond was set at $300. Last Sunday, 37-year old Shane Perry Koglin, of Omaha, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. His bond was set at $1,000. That same day, 23-year old Vanessa Nicole Miller, of Omaha, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. Her bond was also set at $1,000.

Last Friday, deputies in Mills County arrested 29-year old Brett Allen Coyle, of Glenwood, on charges of Interference with Official Acts and False Reporting. Bond was set at $600. Also on Friday, 58-year old Charles Kent Tochum, of Pacific Junction, was arrested on a warrant for Sexual Assault in the 3rd degree. His bond was set at $10,000.

And last Thursday, 29-year old Kenton Jarvis Schooling, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear on an OWI/1st offense charge. Bond was set at $5,000.

Posted in News |

(Updated 10:50-a.m.) 24-hour rainfall & storm event report, 9/10/14

Weather

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Rainfall in Atlantic, at the KJAN studios through 3:40-a.m. today (9/9/14), amounted to 3.12″ since the rain began to fall at around 12:30-p.m., Tuesday. Elsewhere in town, a resident near 7th & Birch reported 7.10″ over the past 24-hours, while 3.8″ was reported at a business on Chestnut Street.

Other reported rain totals include (as of early this morning): 6.10″ in Afton (Union County); 4.4″ in Villisca; 4.25″ in Adair & Greenfield; 4.22″ 3 miles e/se of Anita;  4.2″ in Massena (Ardell McCunn); 4.18″  in Winterset; 2 miles n/ne of Lewis, 4.16″; 2.5″ 3 miles west of Oakland; ;   3.30″ 3 miles w. of Pacific Junction;   3.34″ at Earlham; Fontanelle, 2.4″‘ 2.1″ just south of Guthrie Center; 3.15″ in Corning; 2.20″ 3 miles s. of Creston; 2.02″ in Shenandoah; 3.30″ near Hamburg; 2.25″ in Emerson; 1.91 in Audubon; 1.7″ in Bedford; 1.6″ in Coon Rapids.

Other events:

9-p.m. Tues. – Numerous tree limbs down in and near Griswold, some blocking roads. Unspecified damage reported by Cass Co. Sheriff’s Deputy at or near the Conklin Fish Farm.

2″ diameter hail (slightly large than golf-ball size) 5-mile e/se of Corning at around 4:40-p.m. Tues.

2″ dia. hail in Lenox reported at 5:05-p.m. Tues.

1.75″ (Golf ball size) hail reported 7-miles s/se of Prescott, in Adams Co., at around 5:10-p.m. Tues.

1″ hail reported 2 miles s. of Lenox at around 5:20-p.m. Tues.

7:47-p.m. water reported over some secondary roads in Union County, near Kent.

Posted in Weather |

Flood Warnings continue for parts of s.w. Iowa

Weather

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

927 AM CDT WED SEP 10 2014

FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS…WEST NISHNABOTNA RIVER AT RANDOLPH AFFECTING FREMONT COUNTY. EAST NISHNABOTNA RIVER AT RED OAK AFFECTING MONTGOMERY COUNTY. NISHNABOTNA RIVER NEAR HAMBURG AFFECTING FREMONT COUNTY.

THE WEST NISHNABOTNA RIVER AT RANDOLPH….
* AT 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 20.8 FEET…OR 1.8 FEET ABOVE
FLOOD STAGE.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 19.0 FEET.
* MINOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND MODERATE FLOODING IS FORECAST.
* FORECAST…THE RIVER WILL CONTINUE RISING TO NEAR 22.1 FEET BY THIS
AFTERNOON. THE RIVER WILL FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE EARLY TOMORROW.
* IMPACT…AT 22.0 FEET…COUNTY ROAD L-68 LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTH OF
RANDOLPH BEGINS TO FLOOD.

THE NISHNABOTNA RIVER NEAR HAMBURG….
* FROM THIS AFTERNOON TO SATURDAY MORNING…OR UNTIL THE WARNING IS
CANCELLED.
* AT 9:15 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 22.8 FEET…OR 2.2 FEET BELOW
FLOOD STAGE.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 25.0 FEET.
* MODERATE FLOODING IS FORECAST.
* FORECAST…RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
CONTINUE TO RISE TO NEAR 27.1 FEET BY TOMORROW MORNING.THE RIVER
WILL FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
* IMPACT…AT 27.0 FEET…STATE HIGHWAY 275 SOUTH OF THE GAGE MAY BE
THREATENED IN SEVERAL SPOTS.

THE EAST NISHNABOTNA RIVER AT RED OAK…..
* AT 9:15 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 20.2 FEET…OR 2.2 FEET ABOVE
FLOOD STAGE.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 18.0 FEET.
* MINOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST.
* FORECAST…THE RIVER WILL CONTINUE RISING TO NEAR 20.7 FEET BY THIS
EVENING. THE RIVER WILL FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE TOMORROW MORNING.
* IMPACT…AT 20.0 FEET…LOWLAND FLOODING BEGINS ALONG THE WEST BANK.
THE NODAWAY RIVER AT CLARINDA…..
* AT 8:15 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 24.0 FEET…OR 1.0 FEET ABOVE
FLOOD STAGE.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 23.0 FEET.
* MINOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST.
* FORECAST…THE RIVER WILL CONTINUE RISING TO NEAR 24.4 FEET BY THIS
AFTERNOON. THE RIVER WILL FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE LATE THIS
AFTERNOON.
* IMPACT…AT 24.0 FEET…ADDITIONAL LOWLANDS, SOME FARMLANDS, AND
COUNTY ROADS FLOOD.

Posted in Weather |

Flood Warning Cancelled for W. Nish at Hancock

Weather

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
952 AM CDT WED SEP 10 2014

...THE FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVER…

WEST NISHNABOTNA RIVER AT HANCOCK AFFECTING POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

DO NOT DRIVE CARS THROUGH AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. THE
WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR VEHICLE TO PASS SAFELY.

* AT 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 11.2 FEET…OR 2.8 FEET BELOW
FLOOD STAGE.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 14.0 FEET.
* FORECAST…THE RIVER CRESTED BELOW FLOOD STAGE AT 11.9 FEET. THE
RIVER WILL FALL TO 7.8 FEET

Posted in Weather |

Average price to rent corn, soybean ground in Iowa: $260 an acre

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

A new government report finds the average price to rent Iowa farmland has gone up slightly this year.
According to the U.S.D.A.’s Agricultural Statistics Service, rental rates are averaging 260-dollars per acre in Iowa this year for corn and soybean ground. That’s about five bucks an acre higher than last year. The most expensive farmland in the state is in Grundy County, where the average rental rate is 322 dollars an acre. The cheapest is in Appanoose County, where rent was 149-dollar per acre on average. (A link to the report for all of Iowa’s 99 counties can be found here: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Iowa/Publications/County_Estimates/reports/IA_county%20Cash%20Rent%2013-14.pdf)

The U-S-D-A report concludes the average price to rent pasture land in Iowa is 50 dollars an acre.  An Iowa State University Extension survey released in April concluded farmland rental prices statewide had DECLINED “moderately” from 2013. It was the first reported decrease in rental rates for corn and soybean fields since 1999. A retired I-S-U economist said the decrease was due to lower commodity prices for the crops that will be grown on that rented ground. The I-S-U and U-S-D-A reports did find the SAME average rate of 260-dollars an acre for row crop rentals.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Heavy rain brings widespread flooding, much colder temps on the way

News, Weather

September 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Much of Iowa’s southern half got drenched in heavy thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and evening, pushing rivers and streams well out of their banks and flooding roadways, back yards and basements. Meteorologist Miles Schumacher, at the National Weather Service, says some areas of the state report getting four inches of rain in just 45 minutes.

“Most areas had over two inches, around three inches in Des Moines and we’ve had amounts as high as five to six inches in southwest Iowa, toward Creston,” Schumacher says. “Most areas in the southern two tiers of counties got at least three, three-and-a-half inches.” River banks and storm sewer lines were overwhelmed while Flood Warnings are still in effect for numerous counties this (Wednesday) morning across Iowa’s southern half, almost everything south of Interstate 80.

“There’s just a lot of water and a lot of roads underwater,” Schumacher says. “County officials are quite busy barricading roads and there are some washouts in Union County and Warren County. The rivers are flooding. We’ve got rivers in moderate flood stage.” While there’s a chance for more rain Thursday and Friday, forecasters say it shouldn’t be nearly as bad as this latest storm, while much colder weather will be pushing into the state over the next few days.

“After that, it looks like temperatures will be generally in the 30s across the north and low 40s across the south for Saturday morning,” Schumacher says. “Quite cool for this time of the year. Not quite records but getting close.” See more details on the forecast at weather-dot-gov.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in News, Weather |