Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon reported on the EMA’s Facebook page, Thursday, that the County took another step toward integration onto the statewide ISICS radio platform. ISICS (Pronounced “Eye-six”) is the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System. Kennon said Thursday, two new local talk groups were brought on line, which will allow Local Law and Fire to converse with Cass County dispatch. He posted audio of a test dispatch using the new system….

During the Cass County Board of Supervisors meeting on Dec. 31st, Kennon said ISICS is a 700 (or 800) mega-hertz, standards-based P-25 Phase 2 compliant trunked radio system for first responders throughout Iowa. The ISICS platform allows users to seamlessly roam and communicate throughout the State. The Iowa State Patrol is currently using the 700 mhz band, while Pottawattamie County has been using the 800 mhz band for several years.

During the meeting, Kennon said two radios on the ISICS 700 mhz frequency, were installed at the Cass County Communications Center. He said there will be a law enforcement talk group and a fire talk group, which will allow those emergency personnel who were issued the radios. The system as it is now, will allow the County to see what coverage the radios will provide, and where the strength and weaknesses are.

The test conducted Thursday, is part of that process. Kennon said in December, Cass County is in the process of buying additional dual-band radios (VHF/700 mhz). Kennon said if the State Patrol has something going on, such as a pursuit, Cass County can switch on the 700 mhz system and work with them. Right now though, the County has mainly starting dipping its toes into the system, which allows the dispatchers to monitor State Patrol communications traffic.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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One person died and another was injured during a collision early this (Friday) morning, in southeast Iowa’s Jefferson County. The Iowa State Patrol says at around 1:10-a.m., a 2002 Pontiac driven by 50-year old Richard Dwayne Boyd, Jr., of Fairfield, was traveling north on Highway 1, when it crossed the center line of the road. The car collided head-on with a southbound 2008 Kia. driven by 28-year old Tylor James Lewman, of Birmingham (IA). Both vehicles came to rest in opposite ditches. Authorites say neither driver was wearing a seat belt. Richard Boyd, Jr. died at the scene. Lewman was transported by Midwest Ambulance to the Jefferson County Health Center, in Fairfield.

The accident remains under investigation.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A traffic stop in Creston late Thursday night, resulted in the arrest of two people on drug charges. Creston Police report 31-year old Amber Dawn Johnson, of Cedar (IA) and 39-year old James William Lenze, of Des Moines, were taken into custody at around 11:35-p.m. following the traffic stop on Wyoming Avenue, in Creston. During this stop, the K9 “Jax” was deployed, and got a positive hit on the vehicle.

Johnson was taken into custody on the charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance- 3rd, and was being held in the Adams County Jail on $5000 bond. Lenze was taken into custody on the charge of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver, and Driving While Barred. He was being held in the Union County Jail without bond, until seen by a magistrate.

Creston Police said also, 42-year old Michael David Johns, of Creston, was arrested Thursday morning, on a warrants for parole violation and Theft in the 5th Degree. Johns was being held without bond in the Union County Jail.

Authorities said in addition, a Creston man reported to Police that sometime between 6-p.m. Monday and 7:30-a.m. Tuesday, someone stole a propane tank from his property in the 200 block of N. Oak Street. The loss was estimated at $50.

Officials with the City of Corning have declared a 24-hour SNOW EMERGENCY in effect at 8:30-a.m. today (Friday). No parking will be allowed on marked snow route streets during the first 12 hours of this Snow Emergency. Except for the business district, parking during the first 12 hours on all other streets will be on the South and West side, only. For the remainder of the event, parking will be allowed on the North and East side of the street, if not prohibited by signs.

All No Parking signs and direction of travel parking, will be enforced.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City man acknowledged he ran a stop sign and caused a fatal crash last summer. Julian Espinoza pleaded guilty Thursday to vehicular homicide by driving recklessly, causing a crash that killed Ronald Hacker, of Sioux City. The charge carries a 10-year prison sentence. The Sioux City Journal reports Espinoza will be sentenced March 16 in Woodbury County District Court. He remains free on bond. As part of a plea agreement, an initial charge of vehicular driving while intoxicated was changed. The crash happened when the 32-year-old Espinoza drove his pickup through a stop sign in Sioux City. He collided with a vehicle driven by Hacker, who died three days later.

(Radio Iowa) — The new leader of the Iowa National Guard says his plan for the future includes taking a tough look at how they will spend their funds on facilities. Major General Ben Corell spoke about the issue in his address to the Iowa Legislature Thursday. “Just as critical to having the right force structure in place for the future is our ability to maintain and develop sustainable infrastructure. This means we must invest our limited financial resources now into our existing facilities that are in optimal locations as we identify future locations that offer strategic advantage as we posture ourselves for future success,” Corell says.

General Corell says this will mean the closing of some guard facilities. “We recognize the hard reality that we will need to divest ourselves of some legacy properties and infrastructure that is no longer sustainable to maintain,” he says. Corell says the changing Iowa population is part of the reason they need to evaluate things. “We can no longer delay the inevitable. At some point very soon, we will start the process to close select Army National Guard facilities within the state that no longer can support the needs of the Iowa National Guard,” according to Corell.

He says they will thoroughly review the facilities. “We have initiated a careful and deliberate process to assess the future viability of all of our facilities measured against the needs of future force structure requirements and forecasted state demographic patterns,” Corell says. “As we start this process we will work closely with affected communities, along with local and state leadership in a transparent process to minimize the impacts of any future facility closures.”

Corell says they will dedicate the new Davenport Readiness Center in April of this year. This center was built with 23-million dollars in federal funds — and replaces the outdated Davenport Brady Street Armory which was one of our oldest active facilities. He say are also looking at a new facility in central Iowa. “As we look to the future, we believe a Readiness Center located south of the Des Moines metro area will maximize opportunities presented by shifting demographics within the state,” he says. “We are currently in discussions for the potential development of a multi-use facility between the Iowa National Guard and the City of West Des Moines.”

The review of the facilities is part of an eight-year strategic plan Corell laid out for lawmakers. Corell was named the leader of the Iowa National Guard in August to replace General Tim Orr who retired.

Here is the latest Iowa news at 3:40 a.m. CST

(Statewide) – Hundreds of schools across Iowa have cancelled classes for today in advance of an anticipated snowstorm. Western Iowa will see the storm begin early morning. By the afternoon central Iowa will have snow, rain and freezing rain. Saturday morning is expected to bring blowing snow with 40 to 50 mph winds. For the latest local cancellations, go kjan.com and click on the Cancellations tab under Community Hub.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Republican legislative leaders have introduced a resolution that would declare there is no right to an abortion under the Iowa Constitution. The proposed constitutional amendment introduced Thursday is a response to a 2018 Iowa Supreme Court ruling striking down a law requiring a 72-hour waiting period for women seeking an abortion. The court said in that ruling the state constitution guarantees women freedom to make their own health decisions, including whether to have an abortion. A constitutional amendment must pass this year, next year and then win approval of voters in a statewide election.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa inmate Gentric Hicks has spent 43 years in prison for a murder that his laywers say his deceased half brother actually committed. Now 73, Hicks is seeking DNA testing on a hunting cap the killer left at the scene of the fatal shooting at a southeastern Iowa motel that could either prove his innocence or affirm his guilt. Hicks is serving a life sentence for the May 23, 1976, murder of 28-year-old Jerry Foster at the Hill Crest Motel on Highway 61 outside Fort Madison. His petition claims his prosecution was based on flawed eyewitness and fingerprint analysis testimony.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Webster City doctor has been sentenced to two months in prison for making false statements in Medicare claims. Federal prosecutors say 76-year-old Joseph Latella also agreed Thursday to pay more than $316,000 in restitution. Latella pleaded guilty in July to one count of making false statements relating to health care matters. Prosecutors say Latella operated a private practice in Webster City and served as the medical director for several nursing homes at the time of the offense. Prosecutors say Latella falsely declared he had spent more time with patients than he actually had at two nursing homes to qualify for more expensive billing to Medicare and Medicaid.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in Iowa had to round up more than 1,700 piglets after a semi-trailer overturned on a freeway just north of Des Moines. The crash happened Thursday afternoon when the truck and trailer overturned on an ramp to Interstate 35. Iowa State Patrol troopers had to close the ramp at times as crews worked to capture and unload hundreds of pigs. The Iowa Department of Public Safety said in a tweet, “authorities working to corral and transport 1,738 piglets!” It was unclear how long the delays would last.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in Iowa had to round up more than 1,700 piglets after a semi-trailer overturned on a freeway just north of Des Moines. The crash happened Thursday afternoon when the truck and trailer overturned on an ramp to Interstate 35. Iowa State Patrol troopers had to close the ramp at times as crews worked to capture and unload hundreds of pigs.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety said in a tweet, “authorities working to corral and transport 1,738 piglets!” It was unclear how long the delays would last.