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Record Low temperatures in Atlantic 2 consecutive days

News, Weather

March 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Atlantic broke two consecutive days of record low temperatures today and Sunday. For the 24-hour reporting period that ended today at 7-a.m., the low in Atlantic for March 2nd was -12. That broke the old record of -11 set on that date in 1913. The record low for today, March 3rd, was also broken at 7-a.m., when we recorded a temperature of -11. That broke the record set on this date in 2002.

For the month of February, the average High was 25.1 degrees, which was 10-degrees below normal. The average Low was -1, which was 16 degrees below normal. Precipitation for the month amounted to just under an inch, at 0.93, which is near normal.

The normal, average High for the month of February is 35.4, with the normal average Low 15.2.  Precipitation is normally .96.  KJAN is the OFFICIAL National Weather Service reporting site for Atlantic.

Monday Basketball Schedule

Sports

March 3rd, 2014 by Jim Field

Girls State Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines

Class 1-A Quarter-Finals:

  • Colo-Nesco 38, Lynnville-Sully 34
  • Newell-Fonda 73, Bedford 37
  • Janesville 58, Rockford 46
  • Burlington Notre Dame 90, Adair-Casey 50

Class 2-A Quarter-Finals:

  • 5:00 pm – Cascade (25-0) vs. Northwest Webster (20-4)
  • 6:45 pm – Hudson (23-1) vs. Woodbury Central (21-3)
  • 8:30 pm – North Linn (23-1) vs. South Central Calhoun (21-3)

Boys Sub-State Finals

Class 1-A:

  • Belmond-Klemme vs. Gladbrook-Reinbeck @ Hampton-Dumont
  • Dunkerton vs. Jesup @ Independence
  • Gehlen Catholic vs. West Lyon @ Le Mars

Class 2-A:

  • Treynor vs. Kuemper Catholic @ Atlantic
  • West Marshall vs. Des Moines Christian @ Johnston
  • New Hampton vs. West Fork @ Mason City
  • Sioux Center vs. Western Christian @ MOC-Floyd Valley
  • St. Edmond vs. South Hamilton @ Webster City

Class 3-A:

  • Harlan vs. Glenwood @ CB Abraham Lincoln
  • Carroll vs. Humboldt @ Ames
  • Chariton vs. Bondurant-Farrar @ Ankeny Centennial
  • Central Clinton vs. Benton Community @ Cedar Rapids Kennedy
  • Waverly-Shell Rock vs. Crestwood @ Decorah
  • Dubuque Wahlert vs. Cedar Rapids Xavier @ Western Dubuque
  • Grinnell vs. Fort Madison @ Iowa City West
  • Bishop Heelan Catholic vs. MOC-Floyd Valley @ Sioux City North

Griswold man arrested Monday on drug charges

News

March 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak report the arrest early this (Monday) morning of a Cass County man on drug charges. 45-year old Kenneth Dale Schooling, of Griswold, was taken into custody at around 2:30 a.m. in the 200 block of east Nuckols Street, on a Possession of Methamphetamine charge. Schooling was being held in the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on $1,000 bond.

Midwest economic survey index drops slightly

News

March 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly economic index for nine Midwestern and Plains states has dropped slightly but still suggests growth over the next three to six months. The overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index fell to 57.4 in February from 57.7 in January.

Looking six months ahead, the business confidence portion of the overall index also dropped last month. It hit a still strong 59.7 from January’s 62.2. The survey results from supply managers are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth, while a score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

KENNETH C. HINSON, 88, of Atlantic (Svcs. 3/9/14)

Obituaries

March 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

KENNETH C. HINSON, 88, of Atlantic, died Sat., March 1st, at the Josie Harper Hospice House in Omaha, NE. Memorial services for KENNETH HINSON will be held 4-p.m. Sun., March 9th, at the 1st Assembly of God Church in Atlantic. Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Visitation with the family will be held from 3-to 4-pm Sunday, at the church. Memorials may be directed to the family.

KENNETH HINSON is survived by:

His children – Ann Butler, Nancy (Robert) Kelly, & Kenny Mack Hinson, all of Atlantic; Susan Rugaard, of Audubon, and Sherri (Darrell) Bigelow, of Collinsville, OK.

13 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren.

MARGUERITE “MARGE” EBLEN, 89, of Greenfield (Svcs. 3/6/14)

Obituaries

March 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

MARGUERITE “MARGE” EBLEN, 89, of Greenfield, died Friday, February 28, 2014, at the Community Care Center in Stuart. Funeral services for MARGE EBLEN will be held on Thursday, March 6th at 10:30 a.m. at the Fontanelle United Methodist Church. Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 5th, at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with family visitation held 6:00 to 8:00pm at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to the Fontanelle United Methodist Church.

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

MARGUERITE “MARGE” EBLEN is survived by:

Daughter: Margene McDermott of Omaha, Nebraska

Son: David (Jacqueline) Eblen of Greenfield

5 Grandchildren and 14 Great Grandchildren, other relatives and many friends.

Moustakas hits 2 homers, Royals down Cubs

Sports

March 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Mike Moustakas homered twice, Eric Hosmer added three hits and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Sunday. Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro left after the first inning with a slight strain of his right hamstring. He hurt himself trying to steal a base. Moustakas hit a drive off Cubs starter Edwin Jackson to lead off the second inning. He hit a two-run shot off Carlos Villanueva in the third.

Hosmer doubled twice, and all of his hits went to the opposite field. Lorenzo Cain had two hits for the Royals. Kansas City starter Wade Davis gave up one hit in two scoreless innings.

The game at Cubs Park drew a crowd of 14,680.

Holliday hits 2 doubles as Cardinals beat Mets, Sunday

Sports

March 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Matt Holliday doubled in both at-bats and drove in two runs Sunday for the St. Louis Cardinals in a 7-1 win over the New York Mets. Holiday didn’t play in the Cardinals’ spring training opener on Friday. He singled and walked in two plate appearances as the designated hitter Saturday.

Holliday’s first double came off starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, whose competing for the fifth spot in the Mets’ rotation. A 30-pitch first inning that included two walks kept Cardinals starter Michael Wacha from getting out of the second. He reached his pitch cap after retiring the first two batters of the second without allowing a run.

Ag Dept. energy analyst predicts days of cheap propane are gone

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

An energy analyst with the Iowa Department of Agriculture is predicting higher prices for propane are here to stay. Harold Hommes says prices in Iowa have dropped dramatically since hitting the $5 a gallon level in late January, but Iowans should expect to pay more than they did last summer when the average price was around a dollar. “We’re not going to return to the prices we saw this past winter, we’re far from that, but I believe higher prices are here to stay in that market,” Hommes says.

Traditionally, domestic customers have held down values, according to Hommes, but the marketplace is evolving and producers now send the propane to places like Asia where they can make the most profit. “We now export about 400,000 barrels a day and that demand is likely going to continue for the foreseeable future. I don’t see that situation changing,” Hommes says.

This week’s survey places the average price per gallon of propane at two dollars and 59 cents ($2.59). About 15-percent of Iowa homes are heated with propane, mainly in rural areas.

(Radio Iowa)

Pott. Co. residents to vote on $1.5-million bond issue Tuesday

News

March 3rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Voters in Pottawattamie County will be heading to the polls Tuesday to decide on a $1.5-million bond issue proposal for the building of a new veterans center. The Omaha World-Herald reports the Pott. County Board decided in January to present a proposal to the voters during a special election. 60 percent approval is required for the measure to pass. County officials held an informational meeting Saturday on the proposal.

The new building would be located on what is now a county parking lot at Sixth Avenue and Sixth Street. The 6,300-square-feet building would include meeting rooms, a computer lab and handicapped-accessible restrooms.

The current 1,600-square-foot veterans affairs office is located in a former Sunday school at 223 S. Sixth St. The agency helps the 8,000 or so Pottawattamie County veterans apply for federal benefits, navigate government paperwork, arrange food, shelter and utilities if needed and receive other services. It also helps surviving family members of deceased veterans. The staff handles about 300 veteran visits and fields about 670 phone calls per month.

A current lack of space means that donated clothing for veterans has been moved to the hallway outside of the office.There is also no computer lab, meaning it’s difficult to provide veterans privacy when filling out the government paperwork that must be done online. Many of the elderly veterans don’t understand computers, but even the younger and computer-savvy may need the staff’s help. There is also no private place for veterans to meet with outside counselors.

County officials estimate that if the bond issue passes, someone with a house valued at $100,000 will pay an additional $5.92 per year in property taxes for the next three years, assuming that the bonds are sold for a three-year period.