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Bluffs Man Sentenced to 200 months in prison

News

August 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a Council Bluffs man was sentenced Thursday to more than 16-years in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.  44-year old Scott Wendell Dilley, of Council Bluffs received the 200 month sentence from Judge John A. Jarvey, who also ordered Dilley to serve 10-years  in prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The terms will be served concurrently. In addition, Dilley will have to serve a five-year term of supervised release following his incarceration.

U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt says on March 3rd, 2011, Dilley entered guilty pleas to the two counts based on evidence that he was distributing methamphetamine, along with four other people, in the Council Bluffs area. On March 1st, 2010, law enforcement searched Dilley’s residence finding distribution quantities of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a loaded Colt .45 caliber pistol. Prior to March 1st, 2010, Dilley had been convicted of a felony drug offense.

The investigation which led to his arrest, was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office.

Court orders trial for injured inmate

News

August 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A trial has been ordered in a lawsuit filed by an inmate who claims the state didn’t protect him from being assaulted by another prisoner. The Iowa Supreme Court today (Friday) rejected the state’s request to have the lawsuit filed by Kevin Walker dismissed. Walker was knocked unconscious and his jaw broken during an assault at the Clarinda Correctional facility in 2005.

He claims prison staff knew of threats against him and violated prison rules by not taking action to protect him. Walker’s attorney says his client suffered severe depression and post traumatic stress because of the assault.

Sentinel Chickens test positive for West Nile virus in Council Bluffs

News

August 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Flooding along the Missouri River in western Iowa has created another problem. Officials with the Council Bluffs Health Department today (Friday) say tests on their sentinel chicken flocks have come up positive for the West Nile Virus. The virus is spread by mosquitoes, which typically breed in stagnant or slowly moving water.

In a report issued Thursday, the Iowa Department of Public Health said the virus was detected in four sentinel chickens located in Pottawattamie County. The State Hygienic Lab tests the blood drawn from chickens on a weekly basis, to determine whether they have been infected with the West Nile virus or other arboviruses.

Human cases of West Nile have been reported in Iowa every year, since 2002. Mosquitoes can get West Nile virus when feeding on infected birds. Mosquitoes can then spread the virus to people through a bite. West Nile virus cannot be spread by person-to-person contact such as kissing, touching, or caring for an infected person. West Nile virus can also rarely be transmitted to humans who receive infected organs by transplantation or who receive transfusions of infected blood or blood products.

The chance of a human getting infected with the virus if bitten by a mosquito is low. Even in areas where the virus is circulating, very few mosquitoes are infected with the virus and not all mosquitoes can successfully transmit the virus. Most people who become infected with West Nile virus following a mosquito bite do not develop any symptoms.

Most people who are infected with West Nile virus either have no symptoms or experience mild illness such as fever, headache, and body aches before fully recovering. Some persons may develop a skin rash and swollen lymph glands. In <1% of infections, particularly in those persons over age 50, West Nile virus can cause serious disease, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord). These conditions may result in permanent brain damage, or on rare occasions, can be fatal. Symptoms of severe disease can include severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, confusion, loss of consciousness, tremors, muscle weakness, and paralysis.

For more information on the West Nile Virus and precautions you can take go to: http://www.idph.state.ia.us/Cade/WNV.aspx

Shoplifting arrests

News

August 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Police in Atlantic report two residents were arrested Thursday on shoplifting charges. 34-year old Shauna Johnson and 32-year old David Hemmingsen were each charged with 5th degree theft.

Johnson and Hemmingsen were booked into the Cass County Jail and held pending a court appearance.

Tournament of Champions Start Delayed to 10:00 am

Sports

August 12th, 2011 by Jim Field

Due to the impending rain this morning, the first round of the Tournament of Champions at the Atlantic Golf & Country Club has been delayed.  The first group will now tee off at 10:00 am.

I-29 damaged by Mo. River flood (updated 4:54-p.m.)

News

August 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Missouri River has yet to recede across Interstate 29 in southwest Iowa, and the full extent of the damage is uncertain, but one thing is known: the road is in worse shape than officials had hoped. Bob Younie, head of maintenance for the Iowa Department of Transportation said in a briefing Thursday, that an 11-foot deep hole has been scoured beneath I-29 where it goes up an embankment to an overpass, near Hamburg. The hole, he says, is getting bigger. Younie called the situation a “Setback…in the recovery from the flooding.”

That section of interstate he described was closed in June because of the Missouri River flooding. There are four Interstate bridges in that area. Younie said the worst case scenario would be for all four bridges to get washed out by flooding, but so far that, hasn’t happened. He said the best case scenario, which is no longer possible, would have been if the bridges and their approaches would escape without major damage.

Younies says so far, one bridge approach has seen significant scouring, and a parallel bridge is threatened by scouring. The only way to know for sure how much damage the bridges and roadway have sustained, is after the water recedes, and an assessment gets underway. The water may linger in the area for at least another month, but even that’s not a given.

Here’s the DOT Press Release issued today (Friday), at 3:41-pm

AMES, Iowa – Aug. 12, 2011 - The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) is
reporting that the Missouri River flooding has undermined the south bridge
approaches of dual Interstate 29 bridges at mile post 1.4 in Fremont County and is
threatening the bridges. The seriousness of the damage will undoubtedly prolong
flood recovery efforts aimed at eventual reopening of the interstate when the waters
recede. 

The dual set of bridges were constructed in 1972, are 40 feet wide and 179 feet
long, and located in the northbound and southbound lanes of I-29. The bridges take
I-29 traffic over Drainage Ditch Number 6.

The full extent of the damage to the bridges, roadway approaches and embankment are
not known at this time due to the high-velocity flood waters that are still rushing
under the bridge. But there is damage readily apparent at the site, including
collapsing of the pavement, loss of material and scouring at least 11 feet deep. 

Mitigation efforts are underway to attempt to reduce further loss of the soil under
the bridge approach pavement. But the efforts have had little success as the rushing
flood waters continue to wash away the large rock placed at the site. 

It is too soon to determine what corrective actions will be necessary, but stability
and safety of the structure is threatened primarily due to the extent of the scour.
The piling that support the bridge are 35 feet long and have been partially exposed
(no longer embedded in the river bottom) due to the scouring action of the flood
water.

Due to an earlier levee breach, flood waters from the Missouri River are flowing
inland, affecting I-29 and area tributaries and streams. 

The Iowa DOT will continue to provide the public with regular updates on the damages
caused by the flooding, as well as recovery efforts when the waters begin to recede
later this month. 

This is an unsafe area for the public to enter due to the possibility of undermined
pavement.

Due to these types of safety hazards, never enter a closed roadway, even after the
flood waters recede.

Heartbeat Today 08-12-2011

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

August 12th, 2011 by admin

Jim speaks with Country Musician Teddy Berge about his performance at Atlanticfest on Saturday, August 13.

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7AM Sportscast 08-12-2011

Podcasts, Sports

August 12th, 2011 by admin

w/ Jim Field

Play

7AM Newscast 08-12-2011

News, Podcasts

August 12th, 2011 by admin

w/ Ric Hanson

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Stong winds barrel through Atlantic this morning

News

August 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Winds gusting up to 53mph blew through Atlantic this morning, causing minor damage. The NWS in Des Moines reports a 53mph gust was recorded at the Atlantic Airport, at 4:25-a.m. Sustained winds around 40-mph were recorded through 5:05-a.m. Damage included tree down near 5th & Linn, a community church billboard on N. Olive Street destroyed, and scattered other incidents., including a large piece of drywall flying across 7th Street, across from a construction site at IWCC (IA Western Community College) at 4:25-a.m.