United Group Insurance

WInd Chill Advisory: Harrison, Shelby, Monona Counties

Weather

December 6th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

343 PM CST FRI DEC 6 2013

…WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM CST SATURDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM CST SATURDAY.

* WIND CHILL VALUES…TEMPERATURES WILL FALL TO 5 TO 18 DEGREES BELOW ZERO OVERNIGHT. THIS COUPLED WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 5 TO 10 MPH WILL CREATE WIND CHILL READINGS OF 19 TO 29 BELOW ZERO.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS…MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

DNR to continue Surveillance for Chronic Wasting Disease

Ag/Outdoor, News

December 6th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Iowa DNR wildlife staff will again be in the field during Iowa’s shotgun deer seasons, collecting samples to test for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Iowa’s wild deer herd. Officials say the effort will concentrate on portions of Northeast Iowa near Wisconsin and Illinois as well as in Wapello, Davis, Pottawattamie and Cerro Gordo counties, following positive tests from captive facilities in or near those counties last year.

Many of the samples will be collected during the first half of December, as more than 120,000 hunters take part in Iowa’s shotgun deer seasons and deer harvested during those seasons are major sources of samples. Sampling-which involves removing and testing the brain stem and lymph nodes–has been done on free ranging deer across Iowa for years. Many hunters voluntarily contribute samples of their harvested deer for these testing efforts. Most samples are obtained by wildlife staff, checking with hunters in the field or at home processing points.

The DNR says it has historically focused its sampling efforts heaviest in northeast Iowa, after Wisconsin and Illinois yielded positive cases in recent years. After the positive findings in captive herds in 2012, DNR focused additional testing in those counties identified above. Sampling in northeast Iowa for the 2013-2014 seasons will continue at a slightly lower intensity in order to accommodate the additional testing in Davis, Wapello, Pottawattamie and Cerro Gordo Counties.

Since 2002, more than 47 thousand wild deer in Iowa have been tested, with no positive CWD result in the wild herd detected to date. Dr. Dale Garner, Wildlife Bureau Chief, says “We are hopeful CWD has not spread into Iowa’s deer herd. The only way to know this is to continue to collect samples and do the testing. We will work through all hunting seasons, with the peak being the shotgun seasons in December.”

Iowa DNR’s website provides information about CWD and other information on infectious disease at: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting/CWDEHDInformation.aspx

Attorney wants Iowa teen tested before trial

News

December 6th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

LOGAN, Iowa (AP) — A 17-year-old boy accused of killing his 5-year-old foster brother will undergo a mental evaluation to determine if he is competent to stand trial. Assistant Public Defender Michael Williams of Sioux City filed a motion to have Cody Metzker-Madsen tested for mental competency at the Iowa Medical Classification Center in Coralville. A judge approved the request Friday.

The Council Bluffs Nonpareil reports a court date is scheduled on April 21 to review if Metzker-Madsen can proceed to a trial. Metzker-Madsen is accused of killing Dominic Elkins, of Atlantic. The child’s body was found Aug. 31 at the bottom of a rural Harrison County ravine. Both boys were living with a foster family.

Metzker-Madsen remains at the Harrison County Jail.

Pickup truck stolen in Page County

News

December 6th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Page County are investigating the theft of a pickup taken from the Shambaugh area. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says a maroon 2004 Dodge 3500 Quad Cab pickup equipped with a flatbed, was taken from 410  Cinder Street in Shambaugh, sometime between 5:30-p.m. Thursday and 9:15-a.m. Friday. The vehicle had Iowa license plate number 883 XMP.

The truck was hooked-up to a trailer at the time of the theft, but the trailer was unhitched and left behind. The keys for the truck were reported missing from the welding shop the vehicle was parked near. Palmer says there was no sign of forced entry into the shop.

Anyone with information about the theft of the vehicle is asked to call the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193.

CA truck drivers injured in Cass County Crash

News

December 6th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa State Patrol says two truck drivers from California were injured when their semi slammed into the back of another semi on Interstate 80 in Cass County, Friday morning.

Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass Co. Emergency Mgmt. Agy.

Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass Co. Emergency Mgmt. Agy.

Officials say 47-year old Ruel Pablo Quinto, and 43-year old Raymundo Refran Quinto, both of Los Angeles, CA, were transported by Medivac Ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital following the crash on I-80 eastbound at around 6:45-a.m.

The Patrol says a 2006 Freightliner semi driven by 62-year old William L. Johnson, of Monroe, WI, and a 2000 Freightliner driven by Ruel Quinto were both traveling east, with Johnson’s semi in the right lane going up a hill. Quinto’s semi was in the left lane coming up behind the first semi, when Quinto fell asleep at the wheel.

His semi crossed the center line and entered the right lane where it hit the rear of Johnson’s semi. The cab of Quinto’s semi was destroyed in the crash and both occupants were trapped. They were freed by mechanical means.

Lighted Parade to be held in Atlantic, Saturday

News

December 6th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A lighted Christmas Parade will be held Saturday evening, in Atlantic. Atlantic Area Chamber Executive Director Megan Roberts said there will also be a fireworks display prior to the parade, thanks to sponsorships from A.M. Cohron & Son and Meyer & Gross Real Estate, the fireworks display this year will be bigger and better than ever.

Lighted parade entries are able to register as late as Saturday in the parade line up at 6th & Walnut Streets. (Pre-registration forms can be filled out at the Chamber office through Friday at 5 p.m.). Participants in the parade will make their way from 6th and Chestnut to 2nd and Chestnut. A traveling trophy will be awarded to the Grand Prize winner, and AtlantiCash will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Winners will be notified Monday, following the event.

In addition to the fireworks and parade, Santa’s Cabin will be open from 3-to 5-p.m. Saturday, at 6th & Poplar Streets, and, free horse-drawn wagon rides will be offered at that time. Roberts said many vendors set up warm drinks and food on Chestnut Street from 5- to 6-p.m. while attendees are window shopping and finding a seat for the show.

Supreme Court upholds Iowa hunting laws

Ag/Outdoor, News, Sports

December 6th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld Iowa’s hunting laws ruling that just because someone owns land in Iowa it doesn’t mean they have a right to hunt on it. The court finds that Iowa’s laws that provide hunting advantages to permanent residents do not violate the constitutional rights of nonresident landowners.  Three men who own land in Iowa but have permanent homes in other states challenged Iowa’s hunting laws as unconstitutional claiming they discriminate against nonresident landowners.

The court says Iowa lawmakers have developed an extensive statutory scheme that results in the conclusion “that landownership in Iowa is not accompanied by the right to hunt on one’s own land.”  The men objected to Iowa laws that make more licenses available to permanent residents at a lower price.

Homeless man arrested on burglary & other charges in Mills County

News

December 6th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County say a homeless man was arrested Thursday night on several charges. 38-year old Patrick Lee Amburn faces Attempted burglary, Trespass, Violation of a Protection Order, and Interference with official acts, charges. His bond on each of the charges, with the exception of the Protective order violation, was set at $5,600.

And, 43-year old Thomas Aleen Light, of Glenwood, was arrested early Friday morning, on an Unlawful Possession of a Prescription charge. His bond was set at $1,000.

Backyard and Beyond 12-06-2013

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

December 6th, 2013 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Cait Caughey, Research Assistant for Cass County Local Food Council, about a survey of producers and consumers in the area about local food.  Find the survey here:

Go to: www.casscountylocalfood.weebly.com
Click on the Community Member and/or Local Food Producer Survey. If you are both you can take both! Some great work is coming on these topics and we need your input to best serve the area.

Play

Atlantic man arrested on MO. warrants

News

December 6th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

An Atlantic man was arrested Thursday on a warrant for drug-related activity out of Missouri. Officials with the Atlantic Police Department say 22-year old Austin Nelson, of Atlantic, was taken into custody on a Dallas County, Mo., warrant for Possession of up to 35 grams of Marijuana, Unlawful Use of Drug Paraphernalia, and on several traffic offense-related warrants.

Nelson was booked into the Cass County Jail.