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NWS forecast for the KJAN listening area: Mon., Dec. 30th 2013

Weather

December 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Today: Mostly cloudy. Very cold. High in the lower 20s. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy after midnight then becoming mostly cloudy. Low 5 to 10 above. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. High in the mid 20s. Southeast wind near 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Cloudy with a 20 percent chance of light snow. Low 5 to 10 above. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

New Years Day: Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow. Colder. High around 15.
Wednesday Night: Cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Low zero to 5 above.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy. High 5 to 10 above.

Guthrie Center woman charged after 1-year old found on a highway near Perry

News

December 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A Guthrie County woman tasked with babysitting a one-year old boy was charged with felony Child Endangerment, Sunday, after the boy was found sitting on Highway 141 west of Perry, Sunday afternoon. The Des Moines Register reports 31-year old Catalina Ortiz-Ortega, of Guthrie Center, was also charged with failure to have a valid driver’s license.

The woman arrived at the hospital and told authorities she was driving in the area earlier in the day, heard the rear door of the vehicle open and close but did not know the child had fallen out of the vehicle. Dallas County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the county hospital shortly before 4 p.m. when the boy was taken to the emergency room. The National Weather Service says at the time the boy was found, the temperature in Perry was 10 degrees with a wind chill of 8-degrees below zero.

The boy was later released into the custody of his mother.

106 degrees the record high for 2013 in Iowa; minus 27 the record low

News, Weather

December 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The record high in Iowa in 2013 was 106 degrees — back in May — and the record low a minus 27 just last week. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says temperatures in Iowa for 2013 have averaged out to slightly below normal. “Rainfall wise, almost right at normal, but as usual, that doesn’t tell the whole story,” Hillaker says. This past spring was very wet and the late summer and early fall were dry, which means precipitation levels for 2013 in Iowa average out to be average, according to Hillaker.

“Overall, though, this year was quite a bit wetter than 2012, thanks to that wet spring,” Hillaker says. “…Going into winter this year with more soil moisture in the ground than we had at this point last year and actually even at this point two years ago as well, so we’re in a little bit better shape in soil moisture now than the last couple of years, but still quite a bit drier than what would be usual going into the winter season.” The months of May and April were the wettest ever recorded in Iowa, while August and September were very dry, but don’t rank as some of the driest ever.

Hillaker says there were pockets of southeast Iowa that were exceptionally dry this summer. “The Burlington area, for example, had just a trace of rainfall for the full month of August which was easily a record low for that area of the state,” Hillaker says, “and there were, you know, scattered areas of the state that set some records as far as low totals in July and August and maybe in a few cases in September, but nothing where the state average was quite that low.” Hillaker uses the phrase “consistently cool” to describe the temperatures recorded in Iowa this past year.

“Got off to a January-February period that was a little bit milder than unusual for mid-winter, but still nothing really out of the ordinary, but then a really cold spring season — especially March and April — and a relatively mild summer as well ’til we got rather late into August where the summer heat finally returned and had a rather warm end to the summer into the early fall,” Hillaker says. “More recently, November and December, of course quite a bit colder than usual once again.” The temperature dropped to 27 degrees below zero on Christmas Eve in Osceola.

“That was easily our lowest temperature of the calendar year and actually, our lowest temperature anywhere in Iowa in almost three years,” Hillaker says. The year’s record high — of 106 degrees — was recorded in Sioux City on May 14th. “Which is about two weeks earlier than we’ve ever seen a temperature that high in the state, but that ended up being the highest reading of the whole year, actually by quite a ways,” Hillaker says. “Most of the state didn’t see triple-digit temperatures.” Hillaker says that 133-degree variation between highs and lows is unique on the planet.

The only other place besides the upper Midwest that sees such wide temperature swings is in Russia. Hillacer says the climates in these two areas are “so contrasting” because they in the middle of a large land mass, without the “moderating” influence of oceans or large lakes. Russia actually straddles two continents and Hillaker says South America isn’t as large as North America, so that’s why temperatures in the southern hemisphere don’t vary that much.

(Radio Iowa)

No. 14 Iowa State women cruise past William & Mary

Sports

December 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Brynn Williamson and Jadda Buckley scored 19 points each to help No. 14 Iowa State remain perfect with an 85-65 victory over William & Mary in the championship game of the Cyclone Challenge on Sunday. Nikki Moody added 14 points and Hallie Christofferson had 11 for the Cyclones (11-0). Kyla Kerstetter scored 12 points, and Marlena Tremba and Latrice Hunter each had 11 to lead the Pride (3-8).

Iowa State used an 8-0 run to take a 10-2 lead less than 3 1/2 minutes into the game, then closed the first half with a 15-0 spurt to extend the lead to 55-23 at the break. Moody’s jumper in the opening minute of the second half put the Cyclones up 34 — their largest advantage of the game. The final margin was the smallest of the second half.

Caird scores 17, leads Drake over IUPUI 75-52

Sports

December 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Chris Caird scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half to lead Drake to a 75-52 victory over IUPUI on Sunday. Drake (9-3) took a 12-0 run and led 25-14 with 10:08 remaining in the first half. Caird hit three 3-pointers in the first half. Aaron Hawley’s tip-in gave Drake a 54-34 lead with 14:31 remaining. The Bulldogs led by as many as 31 points and held IUPUI to 34.5 percent shooting from the field.

Jordan Daniels scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half and had six assists. Blake Danielak, the freshman who missed the previous eight games due to illness, finished with 10 points and nine rebounds for the Bulldogs.

Mitch Patton led IUPUI (4-12) with 13 points. Ja’Rob McCallum scored 12 points and Marcellus Barksdale added 11 for the Jaguars, who have lost five straight.

Iowa News Headlines: Mon. Dec. 30th 2013

News

December 30th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa college known for liberal activism is welcoming an unlikely neighbor: one of the nation’s largest suppliers of high-capacity ammunition magazines and accessories for assault rifles. With demand for gun products booming, Brownells Incorporated is building a large distribution and retail center along Interstate 80 in Grinnell. One downtown business owner says the development will bring jobs, income and visitors to Grinnell.

GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) — A Georgia man has been accused of stabbing another man multiple times in Grinnell. Local police say 28-year-old Braxton Alan Hoover was arrested following a report of a stabbing Saturday afternoon at an apartment complex. Authorities tell the Des Moines Register Hoover and a 31-year-old man were fighting prior to the stabbing and it escalated in the complex’s parking lot.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A woman in Des Moines is in custody accused of attacking police officers as she and another man tried to flee from them. Des Moines police say Patricia Howe kicked and punched officers as she and Gabriel Boettger were being chased Saturday. Des Moines television station KCCI reports Howe is accused of stealing credit cards and cash from an apartment and Boettger is accused of trying to flee with her.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man has been accused of attacking six people inside an apartment. Police tell the Register they found 21-year-old Demarco Moore bloody and distraught early Sunday at an apartment complex. They say he was at an apartment hanging out with friends when he began attacking the people there with him.

Chargers claim final AFC playoff spot with OT win

Sports

December 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nick Novak kicked a 36-yard field goal with 5:30 left in overtime and the San Diego Chargers, who trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter, beat the Kansas Chiefs 27-24 to claim the AFC’s final playoff spot.

The Chargers (9-7) ended a three-year postseason drought. The winning drive was kept alive by a 2-yard gain by Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle on a fake punt on fourth-and-2 from the Chargers 28. The game ended when Kansas City couldn’t convert on fourth-and-15 from the San Diego 41 with 3:16 left.

With the Chargers on the verge of an embarrassing collapse against a team resting 20 of 22 starters, Philip Rivers threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Royal early in the fourth quarter and Novak kicked a 22-yard field goal to tie it. Kansas City kicker Ryan Succop was wide right on a potential game-winning, 41-yard field goal try with 4 seconds left in regulation.

Iowa State G Bluford to transfer

Sports

December 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State reserve guard K.J. Bluford is leaving the 14th-ranked Cyclones after just 11 games. Coach Fred Hoiberg announced Sunday that Bluford will transfer in hopes of getting more playing time elsewhere. Bluford is a junior who recently joined Iowa State from Northeast Community College in Nebraska. But he played in just seven games for the Cyclones (11-0), averaging 2.7 points.

Bluford had been counted on to bolster Iowa State’s perimeter shooting. But he was quickly passed on the depth chart by younger guards like Monte Morris and Sherron Dorsey-Walker. The Cyclones host Northern Illinois on Tuesday.

HECTOR RODRIGUEZ, 29, of Loveland, CO & formerly of Coon Rapids (Svcs. 1/3/14)

Obituaries

December 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

HECTOR RODRIGUEZ, 29, of Loveland, CO (& formerly of Coon Rapids), died Sun., Dec. 29th, in Loveland. Funeral services for HECTOR RODRIGUEZ  will be held 10:30-a.m. Fri., Jan. 3rd, at the Annunciation Church in Coon Rapids. Ohde Funeral Home in Coon Rapids has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 4-pm Thu., Jan. 2nd, with a Rosary and a Prayer Service set for 5-p.m.  Visitation will resume at the Annunciation Church Friday, beginning at 9:30-a.m. and until the time of service.

Burial will be in the Coon Rapids Cemetery.

HECTOR RODRIGUEZ is survived by:

His wife – Marie Newton Rodriguez, of Loveland, CO.

His mother – Eva (Jeff) Kracht, of Coon Rapids.

His father – Hector Rodriguez, Sr. & wife Pillar, of Salinas, CA.

His brothers – Rudy Rodriguez and Jeffrey Kracht, of Coon Rapids.

His sister – Jaymee Kracht, of Coon Rapids.

His grandparents, other relatives and friends.

ROBERT BIGELOW, 86, of Fontanelle (Svcs. 1/2/14)

Obituaries

December 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ROBERT BIGELOW, 86, of Fontanelle, died Sun., Dec. 29th, at home. Funeral services for ROBERT BIGELOW will be held 11-a.m. Thu., Jan. 2nd, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle. Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle has the arrangements.

Visitation will be held from 3-to 7-pm Wed., at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle, with the family present from 5-to 7-pm. Online condolences may be left at www.steenfunerals.com.

Burial will be in the Fontanelle Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the Robert Bigelow Memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.

ROBERT BIGELOW is survived by:

His wife – Berthie Bigelow, of Fontanelle.

His children – Rose (Harold) Dory; Lester (Mary Kathryn) Bigelow; Paul (Raedeen) Bigelow; Dairy (Richard) Antisdel; Iris (Pat) Westphal, and Kirk Bigelow.

His brother – Don Peterson.

His sister – Neva Robinson.

10 grandchildren, other relatives and friends.