KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
ATLANTIC, IOWA – July 16, 2024 – If you travel on eastbound Interstate 80 to reach westbound I-880 in Pottawattamie County you need to be aware of an upcoming maintenance project that may slow down your trip, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 4 Office.
Crews will close the ramp from eastbound I-80 to westbound I-880 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, July 24 and July 25, weather permitting, so work can take place. While the ramp is closed you will follow a marked detour route by traveling on eastbound I-80 to Exit 29, then travel on westbound I-80 to reach westbound I-880 (see map).
The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.
(Radio Iowa) – A U.S. Senator from Ohio who once called Donald Trump “reprehensible” and an “idiot” is now the former president’s running mate. Reports say J.D. Vance even referred to Trump as “America’s Hitler” in a Facebook post, but that’s all water under the political bridge, according to Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. Vance wrote a bestselling memoir released in 2016 called “Hillbilly Elegy” and Grassley calls Vance the “essence of success.”
“I think his life tells more than anything else about what he can bring to the ticket,” Grassley says. “He evidently was raised by a grandmother. A father abandoned in the family. His mother was an addict. That’s an awful environment to be brought up in.”
Vance served in the U.S. Marine Corps, graduated from Ohio State, went on to earn a law degree from Yale, and was elected to the Senate in 2022. Grassley says Vance is the model of endurance who overcame many difficult challenges. “That’s the problems of a lot of Americans today,” Grassley says. “And understand when you come from a poor background to be successful like he has, that’s pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps. That’s pretty American. So I think he brings that to ticket.”
Vance is on record having been a very public critic of Trump, but Grassley says it’s all a matter of context. “I don’t have in mind everything he said, but I’ve been reminded of a lot of it very recently,” Grassley says, “but I think that he continues to be a stark contrast to Biden’s bad policies and policies are what’s going to win this election for us.”
Grassley says Trump was an unproven political commodity when he first announced his run for president in the summer of 2015. He says many people were like Vance, doubting whether Trump could do the job. “Then he’s president for four years, and you find out how he can deliver. And that’s what J.D. Vance has done. He’s found out that Trump was different than what he thought he was when he said those things,” Grassley says. “It’s just an evolution of a political career, and he’s apologized even to the president for it.”
Grassley met with members of the Iowa delegation in Milwaukee on Sunday and Monday but does not plan to return to the Republican National Convention this week. He says he’s been to eight of them over the decades and “it’s a madhouse.”
(Lewis, Iowa) – The Cass County Conservation Board is holding a Guided Blooming Prairie Hike! The program will start at the Outdoor Classroom shelter, located at 76977 Tucson Rd, Massena, IA on Saturday July 20th 2024, 8 PM, FREE, all ages welcome!
Come join our Naturalist for a hike in the prairie! Explore blooms throughout the numerous prairies inside the park at sunset!
“Stand Up Paddleboard” Demonstration & Kayaks Available
The Cass County Conservation Board is holding “Stand Up Paddleboard” Demonstration! The public demonstration will be held on Saturday July 20th 1PM-4PM- Cold Springs Park- Beach FREE! SUP is the fastest growing sport in the paddling community not only across the country, but especially right here in land-locked areas like Iowa. It’s fun, healthy as a total body work-out and offers a unique perspective when it comes to being on the water. After a quick demonstration try out the boards for yourself! If you do not bring a life jacket one will be provided to you. Children must be 16 years or older. Paddler must weigh LESS than 250 LBS.
Saturday July 20th
1:00pm- 5 Spots
2:30pm- 5 Spots
Cold Springs Park- Beach
Kayaks will be available for checkout at the same time. We have 4 sit in kayaks, Paddler must weigh LESS than 250 LBS. We have 4 Sit on top Kayaks, Paddler must weigh LESS than 395 LBS. If you do not bring a life jacket one will be provided to you.
July 20th
1:00pm- 4 kayaks, sit in, 4 kayaks, sit on top.
2:30pm- 4 kayaks, sit in, 4 kayaks, sit on top.
Cold Springs Park- Beach
You MUST register online to get your spot! https://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Cass/Park/Cold-Springs-Park.aspx
We hope you will join us! Program will be cancelled if there is unsafe weather conditions on the Lake.
(Radio Iowa) – Twenty-seven-year-old Joe Mitchell of Des Moines is the youngest Iowa delegate at the Republican National Convention. Mitchell, a former state legislator who took office at the age of 21, said GOP vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, who is 39, will appeal to younger voters. “Senator Vance is clearly incredibly talented,” Mitchell said during an interview with Radio Iowa. “….Growing up with a single mom, working class, in the ‘Rust Belt’ — that background is just going to play greatly towards people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin — states you have to win to win the election.”
Mitchell said the attempted assassination of Trump has changed the focus of delegates at the convention, even those who were not necessarily huge Trump fans. “I’ve seen so many people across all walks of life, you know on my social media and even here at the convention walking around after Saturday (saying), the ballgame has changed,” Mitchell said.
Joe Mitchell of Des Moines is the founder of Run GenZ (Run GenZ photo)
Mitchell is cautioning other Republicans from getting complacent and thinking the election’s over, but Mitchell said things are
“beginning to snowball” for the Trump campaign. “We’ve had game changer after game changer from the conviction to the debate,” Mitchell said. “…I don’t know how much of a better month or season President Trump could be having.”
Mitchell is the founder of Run GenZ, a national group that encourages young conservatives to run for office. He’ll be part of a focus group on CNN tonight during the network’s coverage of the Republican National Convention.
(Radio Iowa) – Officials from seven Iowa counties are asking the Iowa Utilities Commission to reconsider its conditional approval of the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project. Shelby County Board of Supervisors chairman Kevin Kenkel says the commission’s decision did not address zoning issues. “The counties also maintain that Summit is not a ‘common carrier’ and is not proposing a public use or benefit to the public and should not be granted the right of eminent domain,” Kenkel said.
Monday (yesterday) was the deadline for filing the paperwork, asking the Iowa Utilities Commission to rescind the construction permit. Landowners who oppose the project and the Sierra Club of Iowa have also filed objections. Kenkel isn’t making any predictions on how the commission might respond. “We feel we deserve a fair and impartial shot at this,” Kenkel says.
In addition to Shelby County, officials from Kossuth, Floyd, Emmet, Dickinson, Wright and Woodbury Counties signed the 16-page challenge filed with the Iowa Utilities Commission. Kenkel says it’s unrelated to the pending case in a federal appeals court over hazardous pipeline zoning ordinances in Shelby and Story Counties. “Other counties started passing ordinances and wanted to get involved in intervention at Iowa Utilities Board — Commission now — hearings, so we formed a coalition of intervenors,” Kenkel says. “We are all impacted on phase one of Summit.”
Summit recently announced plans to expand the pipeline route through Iowa by over 300 miles to connect to ethanol plants that had been part of the abandoned Navigator C-O-2 pipeline project. The commission’s ruling on Summit’s initial request says the company has to get approval for its route through South and North Dakota before construction may start in Iowa. A final option for groups that oppose the pipeline project would be filing a lawsuit asking the courts to block construction.
CRESTON – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is relaxing the fishing regulations at McKinley Lake in Creston. The city of Creston will begin to drain the lake in August as part of a lake restoration project. McKinley Lake, constructed in the 1870s, has accumulated a lot of sediment and nutrients over time causing poor water quality that impacts outdoor recreation opportunities on the community lake.
The City of Creston’s Park and Recreation Board has made improvements to the lake’s watershed to reduce the amount of sediment and nutrients washing into the lake. In-lake work is the final step in the lake restoration process. Planned improvements include targeted dredging, improving shoreline access and adding fish habitat, a fishing pier and small boat/canoe/kayak access.
Anglers with a valid fishing license may harvest any size or number of largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, and all other fish species from McKinley Lake. Any number of fishing poles or jug fishing is allowed. Anglers must remain in sight of these lines at all times, and follow all other fishing regulations and area rules. Trot lines will be allowed (name and address must be attached), however lines may not be set across the entire water body. It is illegal to sell fish or stock captured fish into public waters. All navigation rules still apply.
Liberalized fishing regulations for McKinley Lake will be in effect immediately. Specific regulation changes include:
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Police Department report one person was taken into custody on a felony charge, following an incident that occurred Monday evening. Authorities say just before 6-p.m., the Cass County Communications center received a report of an assault at 1600 Bryn Mawr Blvd. in Atlantic. The initial report indicated that a man had been stabbed at the residence.
Upon arrival, officers with the Atlantic Police Department determined that the victim had not been stabbed, but had been assaulted, and struck using items in the home. The man suffered from lacerations and bleeding. As a result of this investigation, Michael Brownsberger was charged with Willful injury, causing serious injury (a Class C Felony.) Brownsberger was taken into custody at the scene and transported to the Cass County Jail, where he was booked and held.
The Atlantic Police Department was assisted at the scene by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Cass EMS, and Atlantic Fire & Rescue. No other details are being released at this time. If you have information regarding the incident, please call the Atlantic Police Department at 712-243-3512.
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has issued rulings in two police shootings in eastern Iowa. One report involves the shooting of John Carl Piazza by a Waterloo officer after a standoff at his home in March. The report says the shooting was legally justified after Piazza pointed a shotgun at an officer. Police were called after Piazza had visited a hospital seeking help for anxiety and then left saying he wanted to kill someone. Police say he fired a gun at an automotive shop before going to his home.
The other shooting happened in April 20204 in Cedar Rapids. Police say David Vanderhamm pointed a gun at an officer and was shot. It was later found the gun was an airsoft rifle. Vanderhamm had called 9-1-1 requesting officers come to his home after previously being taken to the hospital and refusing treatment.
The A-G’s office says that shooting was also legally justified.
(Red Oak, Iowa) – A rural Montgomery County resident, Tuesday (today), claims the Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County, violated Iowa’s Open Meetings law, during their session on July 2nd,. West Township resident Jan Norris said the violation was due to a closed session that was held without prior public vote.
Norris said minutes from the July 2nd meeting do not reflect a vote, because none was taken.
Norris said “the threat of imminent litigation can be disputed. Dickinson County has not been sued since passing a pipeline ordinance in May, and even this Board wants to move forward with a hazardous pipeline ordinance, it will be months until a vote.”
Jan Norris speaks during the July 16, 2024 Montgomery County BOS mtg.
She said the Board’s actions are “Unfortunate,” and she has not yet decided what her next steps will be.
In other business, Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman provided the Board with damage repair updates, as they pertain to the May 2024 tornado and storms.
Brian Hamman
Hamman said as for Hacklebarney Woods Park, which sustained a great deal of damage, a number of issues are keeping the park closed.
Things still need to be cleaned-up he said, and that will take some time. Hamman said they won’t be holding another clean-up day because most of what’s left is heavy debris, especially in the picnic and camping areas. The bigger issue is communications, and the microwave tower that was destroyed.
A temporary fence was installed, mainly to keep animals out. The County’s deployable communications unit is at the radio shop, getting some equipment installed. In other business, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution authorizing a temporary road closure and detour on H-34, for a Hot Melt Asphalt, widening and overlay project.
(Radio Iowa) – A powerful series of storms swept over Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan late Monday afternoon and night, spinning off at least one tornado in Iowa and knocking out the power to nearly a half-million Midwesterners. The Weather Channel and several news outlets are calling the storms a derecho, but meteorologist Brooke Hagenhof, at the National Weather Service office in Johnston, says still it’s too early to say that. “The official determination for a derecho is made by the Storm Prediction Center, their national center down in Norman, Oklahoma,” Hagenhoff says. “Derechos have a very strict definition as far as how long they are and how wide that swath of wind damage is, so they will be going through the data today and determining whether this fits that description.”
A derecho, also called a land hurricane, is defined as a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm that is associated with a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms. This storm system appears to fit that definition, bringing exceptionally powerful winds to many areas of Iowa, including a report of 102-mile an hour gusts near New Vienna in Dubuque County. There are dozens of damage reports from central into eastern Iowa of toppled trees, downed power lines, and structural damage to homes, businesses and other buildings. The one confirmed tornado touched down in metro Des Moines.
“We did have the area that moved across portions of the metro from Urbandale into the Windsor Heights area across the Des Moines metro,” Hagenhoff says. “We’re also investigating some damage near Eldora, as well as a swath of wind gusts that went from near Pella towards Montezuma and just north of Oskaloosa.” A national report says the power was cut to more than 460-thousand customers in the region, including parts of Chicago. Iowa-based MidAmerican Energy reported 40-thousand customers without power at 11 last night, mostly in the Des Moines, Iowa City and Davenport areas.
80,000-bushel grain bin toppled in Luxemburg (Photo by Luxemburg Fire Dep’t)
A Des Moines T-V station reports the electricity may not be restored to all Urbandale residents until late tonight or early tomorrow. Many counties in northeast Iowa reported large hail, Benton County reported two-and-a-half inches of rainfall, and there was scattered flash flooding, including Highway 61 being underwater near Zwingle. Hagenhoff says the weather service is dispatching survey teams to several Iowa locations where the damage is concentrated. “We’re going to be working today to determine which of those were due to tornado damage and which was straight line winds with this complex of storms that moved across the state,” she says.
There are no serious injuries reported in Iowa, though one death is attributed to the storm. Reports say a woman in Indiana was killed when a tree fell on her home. The derecho that hit Iowa in August of 2020 had winds that peaked in the Cedar Rapids area around 140 miles an hour. The storm destroyed more than seven-million Iowa trees and caused some 11-billion dollars damage.
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