United Group Insurance

HOWARD HARRIS, 94, of Greenfield (Graveside svcs. 11/16/13)

Obituaries

November 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

HOWARD HARRIS, 94, of Greenfield, died Wed., Nov. 13th,  at the Greenfield Manor. Graveside services with full military rites for HOWARD HARRIS, will be held 1:30-p.m. Sat., Nov. 16th. at the Greenfield Cemetery. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.

There will be no visitation at this time. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

Graveside military rites will be performed by the Greenfield American Legion Head-Endres Post No. 265 and V.F.W. Post No. 5357.

Memorials may e directed to the Howard Harris memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.

HOWARD HARRIS is survived by: His daughter, Beverly Patterson of Des Moines; son, Bob Harris and wife Suzanna of Longmont, Colorado; 5 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; 1 great-great grandson; other relatives and friends.

Heartbeat Today 11-13-2013

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

November 13th, 2013 by admin

Jim Field speaks with members of the Atlantic FFA about their trip to the National FFA Convention in Louisville, KY.

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7AM Newscast 11-13-2013

News, Podcasts

November 13th, 2013 by admin

w/ Ric Hanson

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Cass County Extension Report 11-13-2013

Ag/Outdoor, Podcasts

November 13th, 2013 by admin

w/ Kate Olson

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SW IA Iowa store owner loses jobless pay case over preachiness

News

November 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

TABOR, Iowa (AP) – A businessman who laced lectures to an employee with biblical references has been ordered to pay her unemployment benefits.  The Des Moines Register says a state judge has ruled against Tyler Stille, owner of Tabor Market & Deli in southwest Iowa.

Sherri Chafin says she quit in January 2012 after he preached to her about the wisdom of King Solomon and questioned her lifestyle. She filed for unemployment pay.  Stille says his employees all knew before they were hired that faith is an integral part of his business.

Administrative Law Judge Julie Elder sided with Chafin, finding that Stille’s conduct was, at best, “inappropriate, unacceptable and unprofessional” and had created an intolerable work environment.

Cut in SNAP benefits is expected to put more strain on food pantries

News

November 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

One of the region’s largest food banks is bracing for higher demand after federal benefits were cut earlier this month to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Susan Ogborn, president of the Food Bank for the Heartland, says some 420-thousand Iowans receive SNAP benefits which have been trimmed back to 2009 levels.  “When people can’t stretch their food stamps and their personal budgets out across the entire month, they use pantries as support,” Ogborn says.

SNAP benefits were increased by 13-percent about four years ago due to the recession. That extension was only temporary and now SNAP cash cards are being cut by about 11-dollars a month, per person.  “What we believe is, they will use pantries more quickly and more often now as they notice the changes in their food stamp benefits.”

Statewide, the federal government is now sending about 43-million fewer dollars to Iowa for food assistance. Ogborn expects a serious strain on food banks. “That will be on top of the fact that October was our largest distribution month ever,” Ogborn says. “We are starting from a very high level of need and unfortunately, it looks as though it will be going higher.”

The Omaha-based Food Bank for the Heartland helps stock the shelves at 285 pantries, shelters and soup kitchens in Nebraska and western Iowa. In Iowa, about 13-percent of the population receives SNAP benefits.

(Radio Iowa)

(Podcast) Skyscan Forecast: Wed., Nov. 13 2013

Podcasts, Weather

November 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Freese-Notis (podcast) weather forecast for the KJAN listening area, and weather information for Atlantic, from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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SW IA & NE authorities warn (again) of Microsoft phone scam

News

November 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in western Iowa and Nebraska are repeating a warning issued earlier, about phone scams involving so-called Microsoft technicians. The Fremont County (Iowa) Sheriff’s Office says it’s received several reports from citizens about calls from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Tech Support. The caller asked for the potential victims’ account information, but none of the persons receiving those calls complied with the request.

Authorities say if you give the caller your personal information, they can access remotely your information on the computer, including passwords and banking information. The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office Tuesday, also issued and alert to citizens about the same scam. A.G. John Bruning said his office had received six complaints over the past 30-days about Microsoft Technician phone scammers.

The scam works when someone posing as a Microsoft or other legitimate support group (Such as Dell, McAfee or Norton) claim an imminent security threat exists on your computer. Callers may directed the consumer to the utility areas of their computers (such as the system log), to demonstrate how the computer is “Infected.” They will then request to “verify” your information so they can help correct the problem. They sometimes also offer software for downloading to update your current system. The unknowing consumer may then be routed to a dummy website which allows scammers to remotely access your computer, and gain access to your accounts.

Tickets to Iowa bacon festival on sale in December

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Tickets to a popular bacon festival in Des Moines will go on sale next month. Organizers of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival will sell tickets online Dec. 12 beginning at 12:12 p.m., at precisely 13 seconds past the minute. The Feb. 1st festival at the Iowa State Fairgrounds will have a Las Vegas theme that pays homage to Elvis Presley. There will also be a bacon-themed chapel for couples looking to get married at the event.

The festival is entering its seventh year and expanding its space at the fairgrounds. Organizers plan to admit 12,000 visitors, a jump from 9,500 last year.

Event to consider extreme weather impacts in Iowa

News, Weather

November 13th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Government leaders in Iowa will gather in Des Moines next month to consider the costs and implications of the extreme weather swings that have increasingly hit Iowa. The University of Iowa Public Policy Center is among the hosts of the symposium on Dec. 11 at Hy-Vee Hall. Top Iowa leaders in the fields of transportation, agriculture, higher education, natural resources and insurance are among those expected to attend.

The goals of the event are to better understand the challenges facing Iowa due to extreme weather such as floods and droughts; the cost of the impacts to different sectors of Iowa’s economy; and how to adapt to the change. Organizers say that specific policy proposals could come out of the discussions at the symposium.