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Branstad expected to announce re-election bid

News

January 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad is expected to announce that he will seek re-election. Branstad is scheduled to hold a “major announcement” tonight (Wednesday), in West Des Moines. The 67-year-old Republican governor will then kick off a statewide tour.

Branstad, who is currently serving his fifth non-consecutive term, enjoys strong approval ratings. He is touting property tax cuts, education investments and a decline in unemployment as key accomplishments. His campaign announced last week that he had just over $4 million in his campaign account at the end of December.

The main Democrat seeking to oppose Branstad is 63-year-old state Sen. Jack Hatch, of Des Moines. Branstad sounded like a candidate during his annual “Condition of the State” speech before lawmakers Tuesday. Throughout the speech, Branstad repeatedly said: “Iowa is working.”

Posted in News |

Southern Illinois rallies past Northern Iowa 68-66

Sports

January 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) — Desmar Jackson hit a go-ahead jumper with six seconds left and blocked the ensuing layup attempt to complete Southern Illinois’ 68-66 come-from-behind victory over Northern Iowa Tuesday night. Northern Iowa (9-8, 3-2 Missouri Valley Conference) used a 28-7 run to race out to a 36-19 lead in the first half.

The Salukis (6-12, 2-3) stormed back from a late 64-52 deficit as Sean O’Brien hit a 3-pointer and Jackson converted a three-point play to tie the game at 66 with 1:10 left. After a Davante Drinkard block, Jackson sank a jumper and blocked Deon Mitchell in the final seconds. Chip Rank’s putback couldn’t find the net either.

Southern Illinois shot 46.2 percent, closing the game on a 16-2 surge. Jackson finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, O’Brien had 15 points and Anthony Beane added 14. The Panthers were led by Seth Tuttle with 24 points and nine rebounds.

Posted in Sports |

Tuesday Boys Basketball Scores

Sports

January 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Hawkeye 10:

  • Glenwood 68, Atlantic 45
  • Creston 71, Red Oak 47
  • Kuemper Catholic 46, Harlan 41
  • St. Albert 62, Denison-Schleswig 59
  • Nebraska City, Neb. 54, Shenandoah 37
  • Clarinda 43, Auburn, NE 27

Western Iowa:

  • A-H-S-T 57, Riverside 46
  • IKM-Manning 83, Logan-Magnolia 34
  • Treynor 60, Missouri Valley 34
  • Tri-Center 51, Audubon 37
  • Underwood 64, Griswold 54

Rolling Valley:

  • Ar-We-Va 53, Adair-Casey 36
  • Boyer Valley 47, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 44
  • Woodbine 69, Charter Oak-Ute 63
  • Glidden-Ralston 52, CAM 44

Others:

  • Carroll 69, Boone 42
  • Clarinda Academy 64, Stanton 61
  • Des Moines Christian 54, Panorama 49
  • Fremont Mills 63, Essex 45
  • Heartland Christian 54, Sidney 39
  • Lenox 38, Mount Ayr 37
  • Madrid 59, Guthrie Center 19
  • Nishnabotna 79, South Page 46
  • Nodaway Valley 68, Bedford 36
  • Sioux City East 70, CB Abraham Lincoln 30
  • Sioux City North 70, CB Thomas Jefferson 46
  • Southwest Valley 44, East Union 39

Posted in Sports |

Iowa News Headlines: Wed., Jan. 15th 2014

News

January 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Rapids police say officers arrested a man who was accused of using a samurai sword to break windows at First Presbyterian Church in downtown. Thirty-four-year-old Jerrald Meek is charged with third degree criminal mischief and carrying weapons.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two Des Moines teenagers escaped a fire in their home by smashing a window and scrambling to safety. A smoke alarm that sounded early yesterday morning in the home of Butch Grimm awaked Grimm’s 13-year-old son, who rushed to wake up his 15-year-old sister

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Alcoa says it has completed a $300 million expansion of the Davenport Works plant the produces aluminum sheet products for the automotive industry. Alcoa executives made the announcement yesterday during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where manufacturers are focusing attention on increased use of aluminum in vehicles.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state panel has agreed to pay more than $1,400 to fix damage to first lady Christine Branstad’s car. The Iowa State Appeal Board approved the spending of $1,420 yesterday. Branstad’s personal car was damaged last year after a gate fell on it at the governor’s mansion in Des Moines.

Posted in News |

NWS forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area

Weather

January 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 3:26-a.m., 1/15/14)

Today: Increasing clouds, with a high near 33. Wind chill values as low as -10. Northwest wind 7 to 13 mph becoming south southwest in the afternoon.                                                                                       Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a temperature rising to around 35 by 5am. Windy, with a south southwest wind 13 to 21 mph becoming west northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of snow after noon. Partly sunny, with a temperature rising to near 37 by 9am, then falling to around 20 during the remainder of the day. Wind chill values as low as zero. Very windy, with a northwest wind 22 to 27 mph increasing to 32 to 37 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 48 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 5. Windy, with a north northwest wind 22 to 32 mph, with gusts as high as 44 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 25. Windy.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 34. Breezy.

Posted in Weather |

High Wind Watch remains in effect from Thu. morning thru Thu. evening

Weather

January 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

COUNTIES AFFECTED: THOSE ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80, INCLUDING POTTAWATTAMIE, SHELBY, CASS, AUDUBON, GUTHRIE AND DALLAS.
330 AM CST WED JAN 15 2014

…HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING…

* TIMING…WINDS WILL INCREASE ONCE AGAIN BY MID MORNING THURSDAY. THE STRONGEST WINDS SHOULD OCCUR DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

* WINDS…NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH THURSDAY…WITH GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH POSSIBLE.

* IMPACTS…LOOSE OBJECTS WILL BE BLOWN ABOUT BY THE STRONG WINDS. IN ADDITION SMALL TREE BRANCHES MAY BREAK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A HIGH WIND WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH…OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR STRONGER MAY OCCUR. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

Posted in Weather |

High wind gusts recorded 1/14/14

Weather

January 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA/ 504 PM CST TUE JAN 14 2014

…HIGHEST WIND GUSTS IN CENTRAL IOWA TODAY…

BELOW IS A TABLE OF THE HIGHEST WIND GUSTS RECORDED ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA TODAY. WIND SPEEDS ARE IN MPH.

LOCATION – SPEED – TIME OF EVENT

2 WNW CARROLL – US30 58 1150 AM

CARROLL 52 1155 AM

CRESTON 52 1155 AM

DE SOTO – I80 AND 169 50 1204 PM

4 NE ANITA – I80 50 1120 AM

DENISON 49 1055 AM

ATLANTIC 47 0435 AM

3 E CRESTON – US34 47 1203 PM

AUDUBON 45 1135 AM

1 NE BEDFORD 43 0414 PM

1 NNW CRESTON 36 1249 PM

AUDUBON 30 1149 AM

OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.

Posted in Weather |

Wind Advisory expires tonight; High Wind Watch begins Thu. morning

Weather

January 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

AREA COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MONONA;  348 PM CST TUE JAN 14 2014

…WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING…

…HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING.

* TIMING…WINDS TODAY WILL DIMINISH BY THIS EVENING. WINDS WILL AGAIN INCREASE BY MID MORNING THURSDAY WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS OCCURRING DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

* WINDS…NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH POSSIBLE.

* IMPACTS…LOOSE OBJECTS WILL BE BLOWN ABOUT BY THE STRONG WINDS. IN ADDITION SMALL TREE BRANCHES MAY BREAK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH OR HIGHER. WINDS THIS STRONG WILL MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION THROUGHOUT THE DAY TUESDAY. A HIGH WIND WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH…OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR STRONGER MAY OCCUR. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

Posted in Weather |

Court upholds disciplinary action against former Council Bluffs doctor

News

January 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa doctor has lost his appeal of an Iowa Board of Medicine disciplinary action against him. The medical board said Tuesday it found deficiencies in 71-year-old Robert Tobin’s surgical practices in 2005 and imposed certain requirements on him. The board says he failed to meet them and filed disciplinary charges against him in 2007, 2010, and again in 2011. In March 2012 the board suspended his license for six months and fined him $10,000.

Tobin sued saying he had complied with most of the requirements. He lost in district court and appealed. The Iowa Court of Appeals last week concluded the sanctions were reasonable. Tobin, an ophthalmologist in St. Joseph, Mo., previously practiced in Council Bluffs and Des Moines.

Posted in News |

High winds roar through Nebraska, Iowa

News, Weather

January 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — High winds roared through much of Nebraska and Iowa, with gusts of more than 50 mph at the Omaha airport. The wind was blamed for overturning a truck and trailer on Interstate 80 in Council Bluffs about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, blocking the westbound lanes near the Missouri River Bridge. The trailer was removed and freeway lanes reopened within about an hour.

Earlier Tuesday, a wind gust of 55 mph was recorded at Eppley Airfield in Omaha. Council Bluffs also recorded a gust of 48 mph, and Des Moines had a 45 mph gust. The National Weather Service says Wednesday should be calm but more windy weather is expected Thursday.

Posted in News, Weather |