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Iowa DOT urges caution as winter weather system approaches

News, Weather

December 20th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Snow and a wintery mix is expected for much of Iowa beginning Saturday afternoon into Sunday. The Iowa DOT recommends the following tips for safe winter travel during the impending storm:

Is the trip necessary? Trips during severe winter weather can take three or four times longer than normal. Often, delaying a trip by a few hours can give snow removal crews time to get the roads back to normal winter driving conditions. For traveler information, now available via the web, Twitter, Facebook or on your mobile device, visit www.511ia.org. Or simply call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide).

Before you go, let someone know when you are leaving, when you expect to arrive and your intended route. Allow extra time to reach your destination. Use your vehicle’s safety equipment . Make sure you and your passengers are wearing their seatbelts or are in a child safety seat. Your vehicle’s headlights are a valuable asset when driving in winter weather. Turn them on to see and be seen.

Use your winter driving skills. Do not use cruise control, it can make it difficult to maintain control if you hit a slick spot. Allow extra stopping distance by keeping distance between your vehicle and the one ahead. Avoid abrupt steering maneuvers. Slow down, accelerate more slowly and apply the brakes in an even, controlled manner. Carry an emergency survival kit and other supplies. Carry a mobile phone for making an emergency call; do not use it while driving.

Use caution when approaching, following or passing a snowplow. Snowplows generally operate at much slower speeds than other traffic. Snowplows can be forced sideways when clearing hard-packed drifts and generate a “snow cloud” that may reduce visibility for nearby vehicles. Remain a safe distance behind the snowplow, pass only when clear and never continue to drive alongside a plow. Allow plenty of space when passing a snowplow because the wing of the plow blade extends out to the side of the truck and the front blade extends well ahead of the truck.

Bluffs bank robbed Friday morning

News

December 20th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Police in Council Bluffs are looking for a man who allegedly robbed a bank Friday morning. Sgt. Chad Meyers said officers were called to the Bank of the West, located at 531 30th Avenue, at around 11:30-a.m.  Meyers said a white man – who appeared to be in his 30s – entered the bank, approached a the teller counter and demanded money. The suspect left with an undetermined amount of money and fled the bank eastbound on foot toward a nearby Office Max.

Bank robbery suspect. (Photo from surveillance camera, courtesy Council Bluffs P-D)

Bank robbery suspect. (Photo from surveillance camera, courtesy Council Bluffs P-D)

The suspect was described as being as 5-feet 9-inches tall, and about 160 pounds. He had facial hair on his chin, wore a black leather jacket, light blue shirt, light blue pants, a black stocking cap, yellow or tan gloves and dark rimmed glasses. The man did not display a weapon.

Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to call the Council Bluffs Police Department at (712) 328-5737.

Charge Filed in Potential Case of Voter Fraud in Pottawattamie County

News

December 20th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

An election misconduct charge was filed today (Friday) by Pottawattamie County Attorney Matthew Wilber in a potential case of voter fraud. A charge of election misconduct in the 1st degree was filed against Margarita Abrego, of Denison, on December 20, 2013. Abrego is accused of registering to vote and voting in the December 4, 2012 special election regarding a bond issue for Iowa Western Community College while being a non-citizen.

Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz said “I want to thank County Attorney Wilber for taking election integrity seriously. Every vote cast by ineligible voters cancels out the legitimate vote of eligible Iowans. Each vote can make a big difference and Iowans expect nothing less than fair and honest elections.”

The Iowa Secretary of State’s office referred the potential voter fraud cases to Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to investigate. After the investigation, DCI then referred the potential voter fraud cases to Wilber for prosecution.

Affinity casino company warns of data breaches at Lakeside Casino in Osceola

News

December 20th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Las Vegas company that owns casinos in four states including Iowa, says a data breach has compromised customer credit and debit card information. Affinity Gaming said Friday that its system was infected with malware that compromised card data from customers at its 11 casinos, including five in Nevada, three in Colorado, two in Missouri and the Lakeside Casino in Osceola, Iowa.

The company recommends that customers who visited the casinos between March 14 and Oct. 16 check their card statements for suspicious activity and put a fraud alert on their accounts. Affinity also announced a separate breach at Primm Center Gas Station, located in Primm, Nev., near the California state line. Company officials say skimmers that read card data were placed on three gas pumps on an unknown date. The situation was cleared Nov. 29.

2 men die, another injured in western Iowa crash

News

December 20th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

EARLY, Iowa (AP) — Two men died and another was injured when the minivan they were riding in crashed near the western Iowa city of Early. The Sac County Sheriff’s Office says the crashed happened just before 5 a.m. Friday on U.S. Highway 20 west of Early when the driver of a minivan lost control. The vehicle entered the median and then started to roll.

The driver and a backseat passenger were killed. A front seat passenger was taken to a Storm Lake Hospital and was in critical condition Friday. The sheriff’s office didn’t release the names of those involved until relatives could be notified.

Slick roads don’t appear to have been a factor in the crash.

Winter Storm Watch issued for parts of s.w. Iowa Saturday

Weather

December 20th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

320 PM CST FRI DEC 20 2013

COUNTIES: MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE--MADISON-ADAMS-UNION

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING…LIGHT SNOW SHOULD DEVELOP BY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.

* MAIN IMPACT…ROADS MAY BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLICK. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL WILL BE POSSIBLE.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS IN THE WATCH AREA MAY REACH 3 TO 6 INCHES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

No. 25 Iowa ready for return of Oglesby

Sports

December 20th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Twenty fifth-ranked Iowa is gearing up for the impending return of injured junior guard Josh Oglesby, one of the team’s best outside threats. Now the Hawkeyes just have to find a place to play him.  Oglesby, who missed the first 12 games of the season with a broken foot, is expected to make his season debut when Iowa (10-2) hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-8) on Sunday.

But the Hawkeyes already use at least 10 players a game – and benches typically get shorter once Big Ten play starts. Still, coach Fran McCaffery views Oglesby as an important piece for Iowa with Big Ten play just a week and a half away.  McCaffery says Oglesby is a “full go,” adding that he considers Oglesby one of the team’s better players.

Malvern man arrested Thursday

News

December 20th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report the arrest Thursday evening of a Malvern man. 34-year old Justin Andrew Hooker was arrested on Main Street in Malvern at around 5:30-p.m. He was charged with Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. Hooker was being held in the Mills County Jail on $600 bond.

HSBB: IKM-Manning at Griswold Doubleheader 12-19-2013

Podcasts, Sports

December 20th, 2013 by admin

Jim Field and Chris Parks have the call of the Varsity Girls and Boys games played at Griswold High School.

Play

Jury sides with jailers in excessive force case

News

December 20th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A jury has cleared four Woodbury County jailers of a charge that they used excessive force after an inmate refused to change into jail-issued clothing. The Sioux City Journal reports the verdict Thursday was surprising because jurors had earlier sent a note to U.S. District Judge Mark W. Bennett, asking about the upper limit of monetary judgments. After the jury sided with the jailers, Bennett  exclaimed, “Wow, what a surprise.”

Shannon Peters had claimed officers Jonathon Hatfield, Michelle Risdal, Lee Blanchard and Carlos Lucero used excessive force in retaliation for her refusal to remove her clothing and change into a jail jumpsuit. That prompted officers to forcefully remove her clothes. Peters claims officers slammed her head against a concrete bunk but the jailers say they used proper force.