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Home Base Iowa bill meant to make Iowa competitive

News

May 11th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — At the urging of Gov. Terry Branstad, lawmakers approved a bill last session aimed at making Iowa more attractive to military veterans and help them find jobs. The bill, called Home Base Iowa, exempts federal retirement pay from state income taxes and makes it easier to obtain licenses for civilian jobs based on military training. Branstad says he hopes to sign the bill on Memorial Day at Camp Dodge in Johnston.

The Home Base Iowa bill is expected to exempt taxes for 7,765 current Iowans receiving military retirement income. The state is expected to lose about $9 million a year in revenue to the general fund. The National Conference of State Legislatures says Iowa is among dozens of states approving measures aimed at helping veterans.

Posted in News |

NWS Forecast for the KJAN listening area: Sun., May 11th 2014

Weather

May 11th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

 

  • Today ** Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 10-a.m. for Fremont, Mills & Pottawattamie Counties** Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4pm. Some storms could be severe, with large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Breezy, with an east wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
  • Tonight Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe. Low around 57. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 8 to 17 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
  • Monday A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 56 by 10am. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
  • Monday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
  • Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 11 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
  • Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.
  • Wednesday A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

 

Posted in Weather |

Iowa early News Headlines: Sun., May 11th 2014

News

May 11th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

GRIMES, Iowa (AP) — A memorial service has been set for a Grimes man fatally shot on Thursday. A memorial service will be held Monday for Justin Clay Michael at Convenant Presbyterian Church in West Des Moines. The 30-year-old Michael was found mortally wounded in a Grimes home Thursday afternoon.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque man charged with felony sexual assault has been found guilty of a reduced count of misdemeanor sexual assault. A jury on Thursday found 24-year-old Stefan Todorovich guilty of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Prosecutors say the 44-year-old victim reported the assault last June, saying Todorovich — her co-worker — had held her down at a friend’s house and sexually assaulted her.

SAGEVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Nearly three years after floodwaters swamped their homes, residents of Valley Hill Trailer Park have received federal flood aid, and demolition of homes is set to begin soon. Mobile home owners were reimbursed this spring for each trailer’s pre-flood value, which averaged $15,000 per trailer. That’s in addition to up to $22,500 in relocation assistance.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — University of Iowa police are investigating after finding a Herky statue vandalized Friday. The “Reflections of U” Herky had its fiberglass legs shattered below the knees, leaving only steel rebar attaching the statue to its one-ton concrete base on the north end of the school’s Pentacrest. Herky, the hawk, is the mascot of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Posted in News |

(Update 5-a.m.) 2 adults & 1 child injured, baby dies in Bluffs house fire

News

May 11th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Three people were critically injured and a five-month old girl died during a house fire Saturday night, in Council Bluffs. According to Council Bluffs Police Department spokesman, Sgt. Dave Dawson, firefighters and police were called to 747 Mill Street at around 7:55-p.m., for a working house fire. The fire had originally been called-in by two neighbors, who also attempted to get the victims out of the home, but were unsuccessful.

Firefighters entered the home and found four bodies inside. Six-month old Mayci J. Colburn-Lerette, was found dead in the living room. The remaining victims, identified as three-year old Gerad D. Lerette…30-year old Jeremiah D. Lerette, and 70-year old Terese M. Lerette, all of Council Bluffs, were found in various rooms inside the home.

They two adults and child were initially transported to Creighton University Hospital for treatment. They were later transferred to St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, NE, where they were last listed in critical condition.

The Council Bluffs fire marshal and Council Bluffs Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division are investigating the incident.

Posted in News |

Alvarez’s single lifts Pirates over Cardinals 4-3

Sports

May 11th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pedro Alvarez singled in the go-ahead run and the Pittsburgh Pirates won their season-high fourth consecutive game Saturday night, 4-3 over the St. Louis Cardinals. Alvarez’s hit capped a four-run fourth inning against Lance Lynn (4-2) that helped the Pirates wipe out a 3-0 deficit.

Josh Harrison and Ike Davis each had two hits for the Pirates, who have won 11 of their last 14 games against the Cardinals in Pittsburgh. Harrison also hit an RBI single in the fourth. Jared Hughes (2-0) retired all four batters he faced in relief of starter Edinson Volquez. Mark Melancon earned his fourth save with a scoreless ninth.

Pirates outfielder Starling Marte was lifted for a pinch-hitter because of tightness in his lower back.

Posted in Sports |

Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Fremont, Mills & Pottawattamie Counties until 10am Sun.

Weather

May 11th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

258 AM CDT SUN MAY 11 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 140 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS…IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 3 COUNTIES:  FREMONT-MILLS-POTTAWATTAMIE.

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…COUNCIL BLUFFS… FARRAGUT… GLENWOOD… HAMBURG… SIDNEY…and..TABOR.

 

Posted in Weather |

Severe Thunderstorm Watch continues (for fewer counties)

Weather

May 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WS 137

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 623 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2014

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 137 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:

IOWA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE: ADAMS DECATUR RINGGOLD TAYLOR UNION.

Posted in Weather |

Jets draft ISU LB George

Sports

May 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets loaded up on wide receivers on the final day of the NFL draft, taking Oklahoma’s Jalen Saunders, UCLA’s Shaquelle Evans and Nebraska’s Quincy Enunwa. Among the Jets’ other selections were Furman offensive lineman Dakota Dozier, Iowa State linebacker Jeremiah George, Northwest Missouri State cornerback Brandon Dixon, Louisiana Tech defensive end IK Enemkpali and Utah linebacker Trevor Reilly.

They also added another quarterback to the mix Saturday, selecting Clemson’s Tajh Boyd with the last of their three compensatory picks in the sixth round. While Geno Smith and Michael Vick will compete for the starting job this summer, Boyd will likely go up against Matt Simms for the No. 3 spot.

New York entered the final day with a league-high nine picks and used them all.

 

Posted in Sports |

This is Your Nishna Valley 05-10-2014

Podcasts, This is Your Nishna Valley

May 10th, 2014 by admin

w/ Jim Field and Stacie Linfor

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Posted in Podcasts, This is Your Nishna Valley |

Storm report (5/10/14) – will be updated as reports are available

News, Weather

May 10th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

4:21-p.m. 1-inch diameter hail (quarter-size) 3 miles north of Greenfield in Adair County. (Adair County Emergency Management report)

3:37-p.m. 1-inch diameter hail 1 mile northwest of Gravity, in Taylor County. (Trained spotter)

3:22-p.m. Marble-sized hail in Atlantic (.50″) on 17th Street and near Redwood Drive (southeast part of town). Report from Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees and KJAN GM Jim Field. Earlier report of pea-sized hail on the south side of town.   (Rainfall at KJAN .09″)

 

Posted in News, Weather |