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Ron Paul to visit Atlantic & Council Bluffs today (12-29)

News

December 29th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Republican presidential contender Ron Paul is back in Iowa, running strongly in the polls and questioning why the U.S. needs troops in former Cold War hot spots. In an appearance Wednesday in Newton, the Texas Congressman strongly suggested U.S. forces be withdrawn from South Korea, Japan and Germany. The 76-year-old obstetrician also drew laughs when he said that American troops have been in Korea since he was in high school. Paul GOP presidential rivals have attacked him this week for allegedly not caring whether Iran obtains a nuclear weapon.

Ron Paul will campaign in both Atlantic and Council Bluffs today. He’s scheduled to hold a town hall meeting at the Cass County Community Center, beginning at 3:00 p.m.  Afterward, Paul travels to the Mid America Center in Council Bluffs,  for another town hall meeting, at 7:00 p.m.

(Podcast) Forecast for Atlantic & the area 12-29-11

News

December 29th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Here’s the Skyscan Weather forecast for the KJAN listening area….

Play

3 cited in Red Oak for Possession of alcohol under legal age

News

December 29th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak report three young people were arrested early this morning for being in possession of alcohol. 19-year old Brian Axl Schooling and 18-year old Natacia Raynae Houston were cited for Possession of Alcohol Under the Legal Age, while 17-year old Dillon Makenzie Terry was cited for being a Minor in Possession of Alcohol. All three are from Red Oak. They were taken into custody at around 3-a.m., cited and released, with Terry being released to the custody of a parent.

DeSoto refuge to reopen but Boyer Chute closed

Ag/Outdoor, News, Sports

December 29th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) — One of the federal wildlife refuges that straddle the Missouri River north of Omaha will reopen next week as planned, but the other will stay closed because of safety concerns. Both DeSoto and Boyer Chute national wildlife refuges sustained flood damage earlier this year. Officials have decided to keep Boyer Chute closed for now.

But DeSoto will reopen Monday because much of the flood damage there has been repaired. But the visitor center will remain closed for more work. Some hiking trails will not be available. DeSoto will be closed for the Jan. 11-Jan. 18 deer hunt, and people will need to use the U.S. Highway 30 entrance to reach the refuge.

Drake impressive in MVC opener, 79-64 over Indiana State

Sports

December 29th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Drake Bulldogs jumped out to an 18-2 lead at the outset and cruised to a 79-64 win over Indiana State in their Missouri Valley Conference opener. It was the Bulldogs 11th straight win at home. Freshman point guard Karl Madison had a career high 24 points and was a perfect nine of nine from the field. With the win, Drake improves to 8-4 overall.

Purdue edges Iowa 79-76 Wednesday night

Sports

December 29th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Defense has been a problem this season for the Iowa Hawkeyes and a lack of it cost them in their Big Ten opener. The Hawks could not get enough stops at crunch time and Purdue escaped Iowa City with a 79-76 win. Robbie Hummel led Purdue with 16 points. Iowa Coach Fran McCafferry says the Hawkeyes need to find a way to defend the dribble drive. Roy Devyn Marble led Iowa with 17 points and Melsahn Basabe added 14 as the Hawks fall to 8-6 overall.

IA Workforce Development warns of fake unemployment sign up

News

December 29th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Workforce Development is warning people who are out of work to watch for unemployment scams. Workforce Development spokesperson, Kerry Koonce, says you may find websites that offer to help you file for jobless benefits. These sites guarantee acceptance for a minimal fee, and she says unfortunately people are trying to sign up at these sites, but they haven’t really signed up for unemployment. “On the worst side, they are giving up a Social Security number or they are giving up credit card information to try pay for immediate acceptance and guaranteed approval, and so they are also getting into risk of identity theft and those kinds of things as well,” Koonce says. A request to pay to file for jobless benefits should raise a red flag.

“There shouldn’t be any services that you pay for related for unemployment, when you file on-line through our system you are going to get an e-mail back saying your claim has been accepted and we are in the process of processing it,” Koonce says. If you are filing a new claim, Koonce says there is a 10-day period where an employer can protest the claim. If there is a protest, then you get a fact-finding hearing, and if there is not a protest and you have earned benefits, then the unemployment would begin. Since there is no payment involved, the state will not ask you for financial information. “The only time we would ask for any type of financial-related information would be if you choose to have your payments direct deposited into your checking account, and there is a form you fill out for that,” according to Koonce. “But you would never be asked for credit card information to pay for filing up front.” Koonce says it is understandable how someone might mistakenly try to use a bogus site.

Koonce says anyone can go and search for unemployment and have one of the bogus sites come up. She says the only site you should use to file an unemployment claim is www.iowaworkforce.org. You can file a claim at the I-W-D site 24 hours a day.

(Dar Danielson/Radio Iowa)

4 animals perish in Red Oak house fire

News

December 29th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A fire at a home in Red Oak has claimed the lives of four animals. Red Oak Battalion Fire Chief Randy Askey said firefighters were called to the scene of the blaze at around 12:30-pm on Tuesday, at 207 4th Avenue. Askey said the intense heat and unstable conditions in the home prevented firefighters from gaining entry to the structure to extinguish the flames, which were eventually knocked down from outside the home, before the interior fire was brought under control about an hour after they first arrived on the scene. Askey said the owner of the home was away when the fire broke out, and no fire crews were harmed fighting the fire, but four family pets died. The house sustained extensive damage. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Forecast for Cass & surrounding counties, 12-29-11

Weather

December 29th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

326 AM CST THU DEC 29 2011

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 50S. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN IN THE EVENING. LOW IN THE MID 30S. WEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 40S. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

SATURDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 50S. SOUTHWEST WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. BREEZY. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S.

NEW YEARS DAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. WINDY…COLDER. HIGH IN THE UPPER 30S. LOW IN THE LOWER 20S.

MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. HIGH IN THE MID 30S. LOW 15 TO 20.

Insight Bowl coaches share strong connection

Sports

December 28th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The banquet before a bowl game can be an awkward time with the coaches of two teams about to play each mingling in the same room. For Oklahoma and Iowa, the Insight Bowl banquet was more like a reunion. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops played at Iowa when Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz was a coach on the staff and two of his assistants also have Iowa ties. Stoops wore Iowa gear to last year’s Insight Bowl while the Sooners were preparing to play in the Fiesta Bowl and says his wife, Carol, has their children yell “Go Hawks!” on Iowa game days. Stoops won’t be wearing the yellow and black Friday night, but his ties to his alma mater will remain strong after the game.