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Area law enforcement agencies to be out in force through 11/25

News

November 17th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Numerous area law enforcement agencies are currently participating in a Special Traffic Enforcement Program, or STEP, from now through Nov. 25th.  Deputies and officers will be on the lookout for unsafe drivers, equipment and moving violations. The goal is to keep our roads as safe as possible over the Thanksgiving travel period. Authorities will be specifically on the lookout for seat belt violations, child restraint violations, speeders, reckless drivers and drivers under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety says “Whether you’re driving across the street or across the country to reach your Thanksgiving feast, it’s imperative to wear your seat belt as you travel.  Increased traffic brings an increased possibility of a traffic crash.”

SEAT BELTS WORK!

  • Proper seat belt use reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passengers by 45 percent and the risk of moderate to serious injury by 50 percent.
  • Males are more likely to be unbuckled than females in fatal crashes.
  • Younger drivers are also at greater risk of being unbuckled.  The 13 – 15 age group had the highest percentage (62 percent) of occupants killed who were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.
  • If you are ejected from a vehicle in a crash, odds are that you will not survive.  In 2016, 8 out of 10 (81%) people who were totally ejected from vehicles were killed; only 1 percent of occupants wearing seat belts were ejected in fatal crashes.
  • There were 4 Iowans killed in traffic crashes over the 2017 Thanksgiving weekend, a reduction of 2 from 2016.

Whether you’re a passenger or the driver, riding long distances or short, please buckle your seat belt.  Doing so ensures everyone arrives safely to their Thanksgiving destinations.  The Department of Public Safety and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau ask, “Won’t you wear yours?”  Your loved ones will be grateful.

Posted in News |

Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson fined for accounting error

News

November 17th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — The Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson will pay a 10-thousand dollar fine for an accounting error. The administrator of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, Brian Ohorilko, says the problem involved free plays given to casino customers. He says free gambling plays are taxed by the state up to a certain dollar amount. Ohorilko says Wild Rose made a mistake in figuring the amount of free plays that were subject to taxes. “The affect was that it cause the threshold for promotional play receipts and that tax credit to be reached prematurely by all of the casinos in the state of Iowa,” Ohorilko explains.

He says that led to issues for every state-licensed casino. “Even though the total dollar mount erroneously reported only ammounted to around 33-thousand dollars — it impacted the other 18 casino licensees and the state had to go back and collect gaming tax for each of those casinos,” Ohorilko says.

The Racing and Gaming Commission approved the fine at their meeting Thursday.

Posted in News |

22-year old female & a 2-year old male killed in southern IA crash Friday night

News

November 17th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A pregnant woman and her 2-year old step son have died after the small SUV they were in was struck broadside by a full-size pickup northwest of Weldon, in southern Iowa’s Clarke County. The Iowa State Patrol says 22-year old Bethannie Rene Kennedy, of Osceloa, was driving 2004 Chevy Tracker, when the small SUV left its lane as it was traveling south on Highway 69 near the intersection with County Road H-50.

The vehicle was hit by a 2011 Chevy Silverado pickup that was traveling northbound on Highway 69. The accident happened a little after 6-p.m., Friday. Following the collision, the Tracker came to rest on its left side in the east ditch. Kennedy, and the child, Michael Dohrn, Jr., also of Osceola, died from their injuries the the hospital. The driver of the pickup, 71-year old Charles Le Roy Onyett, of Leon, was not injured. The accident happened a little after 6-p.m., Friday.

Posted in News |

Iowa early News Headlines: Saturday, 11/17/18

News

November 17th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CLARKE COUNTY – A pregnant woman and her 2-year old step son have died after the small SUV they were in was struck broadside by a full-size pickup, after the vehicle left its lane on Highway 69, in Clarke County. The Iowa State Patrol has identified the victims as 22-year old Bethannie Rene Kennedy, and Michael Dohrn, Jr., both of Osceola. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured. The accident happened a little after 6-p.m., Friday.WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is giving up the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the next Congress. Instead, he will chair the Senate Finance Committee. That means Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina will take over the chairmanship of the Judiciary panel. Graham has become a close Trump ally and was a vocal supporter of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.

SOLON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified two people killed in an eastern Iowa collision. The crash occurred around 8:30 p.m. Thursday on Iowa Highway 1, just south of Solon in Johnson County. The Courier cites the Iowa State Patrol in reporting that 30-year-old Tori Sabin Smith, of Mediapolis, was driving a minivan southbound on Highway 1 when she crossed the center line and hit a northbound car driven by 50-year-old Kirk Flom, of Solon. Smith and Flom were both pronounced dead at the scene.

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — DuPont has agreed to repay Iowa $10.5 million in incentives it received. The news of the settlement come a year after the company announced it was seeking a buyer for its 30-million gallon, $400 million cellulosic ethanol plant in central Iowa. he Des Moines Register reports that the settlement repays all but about $3.7 million it received in incentives in 2011 for the plant in Nevada, Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Supreme Court Justice Daryl Hecht, who has been receiving treatment for skin cancer, has announced he will resign from the high court. The court made the announcement in a news release Friday. Hecht’s resignation is effective Dec. 13. Hecht resumed hearing cases for the latest term that began Sept. 4 after being absent several months as he sought treatment. But he was unable to sit for oral arguments held Nov. 13-14 due to side effects of the treatment.

Posted in News |

Guthrie County plane crash fatalities caused by carbon monoxide toxicity & trauma

News

November 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A report was released Friday from the State Medical Examiner’s Office with regard to a fatal airplane crash that took place Nov. 9th. Officials said all four victims of the crash died from “multiple blunt force injuries in the setting of carbon monoxide toxicity.”

A distress call from a person on the plane said those on-board thought the pilot, 49-year old Edward Ralph Anderson, of LeMars, had suffered from a heart attack. A student pilot on the plane attempted a landing at the Guthrie County airport near Guthrie Center, but the plane dropped off radar. The wreckage wasn’t found until around 6:30-the next morning, in a cow pasture southwest of Guthrie Center.

In addition to the pilot, 36-year old Patrick Kellen, and 15-year old Samantha Clark, both from Le Mars, along with 28-year old Tyler Douvia, of Merrill, died in the crash. The accident remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Posted in News |

DuPont OKs $10.5M payment for shuttered Iowa ethanol plant

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — DuPont has agreed to repay Iowa $10.5 million in incentives it received.
The news of the settlement come a year after the company announced it was seeking a buyer for its 30-million gallon, $400 million cellulosic ethanol plant in central Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports that the settlement repays all but about $3.7 million it received in incentives in 2011 for the plant in Nevada, Iowa.

The plant made ethanol from corn cobs, stalks and other crop residue before closing the plant last year and laying off 90 workers. DuPont says it’s selling the plant to Verbio North America of Michigan, which plans to invest $35 million to make renewable natural gas from corn stover at the plant, a first for the state.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority board agreed Friday to provide $1.78 million in tax credits to Verbio, which plans to create 44 high-wage jobs.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

SW IA Students learn about advanced mfg. careers

News

November 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CLARINDA, Iowa – Iowa Western Community College in Clarinda recently showed off its Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing during recent Manufacturing Day tours for area high school students. The CEAM program partners with area manufacturers to provide hands-on training focused on industry needs, with scholarship money and other financial support enabling southwest Iowa residents to jump-start their careers in the skilled trades.

Photo’s courtesy IWCC

Students from Council Bluffs, Clarinda and South Page toured Iowa Western’s Clarinda Center and nearby Lisle Corp., a 115-year-old specialty tool manufacturer in Clarinda. Lisle Corp. is part of a consortium of four area manufacturers looking to grow a workforce in southwest Iowa for workers interested in high-paying, quality careers.

CEAM brings together Lisle Corp., NSK-AKS Precision Ball Co. and NSK Corp. in Clarinda along with MAHLE Engine Components USA Inc. of Atlantic as partners to grow the available workforce and provide additional training for those companies’ employees. CEAM offers a two-year non-credit certificate program that’s primarily hands-on and focused on industry needs.

The program is open to 15 students each year, with 12 slots earmarked for employees of partnering businesses. After core classes their first year, students choose either an electro-mechanical or a tool and die track for their second year. The field trip allowed the high schoolers to see an alternative pathway to education after high school – one that’s hands-on and focuses on career skills that are immediately applicable.

Posted in News |

“Operation Blessing” 2018 begins Nov. 23rd in Page County

News

November 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

From November 23rd through December 20th 2018, the Page County Sheriff’s Office is taking gift requests for Operation Blessing.  The Page County Sheriff’s Office program will cover children in the communities of Shambaugh, Braddyville, College Springs, Yorktown, Coin, Blanchard, Northboro, and Hepburn as well as the rural areas, of Page County. Ages of children covered by this program are Birth to 15 years of age.

The requests must come from a parent or guardian of the child and can be called into the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193, or reported in person by the parent or guardian at the Page County Sheriff’s Office located at 323 N 15th Street in Clarinda, IA. Each child will be given a first and second choice.  It is suggested that a toy and clothing be requested.

Operation Blessing was started in the mid 1980s by the Page County Reserve Deputies to ensure that every child in the rural areas of Page County has the opportunity to receive a gift at Christmas. It has continued every year since for over 30 years. This year the Sheriff’s Office and Reserve program will continue this tradition of ensuring that children in Page County receive a gift for Christmas.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Page County Sheriff’s Office Operation Blessing program can either stop by the Page County Sheriff’s Office or mail the monetary donation to the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 323 North 15th Clarinda, Iowa, 51632.  Monetary donations are taken year round at the Office.

The Sheriff’s Office will again this year be delivering the gifts to the children.  This will take place on December 21st, 22nd, & or 23rd.   The date depends on staffing, call load, and of course weather. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says he “Would like to thank everyone for their donations and support of the program throughout the years, for without monetary donations, this program would not be able to continue.” He also thanked his staff at the Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in everything they do with the program. Palmer says “They go above and beyond with the call taking, shopping, wrapping and organization of this program.  They along with the organizations, businesses, and individuals who donate make this program a success every year.  THANK YOU!!!”

Posted in News |

Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received AED donations

News

November 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope and Chief Deputy Steve Owen announced Friday, that The Fremont County Public Health Team provided the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with three more AED’s (Automated External Defibrillators) that will be placed in Deputy vehicles.

The Fremont County Public Health Team had previously purchased 5 AEDs for the Sheriff’s Office, and saw how great of an asset the AEDs are for public safety. Aistrope said “We will now be able to equip all of our patrol deputies with AEDs and already have one mounted in our new facility.”

The Fremont County Public Health Team works on grants for public health and safety with the State of Iowa Emergency Preparedness group.

Pictured: left to right
Cheif Deputy Steve Owen, Cynthia Hankins, K9 Deputy Zac Buttercase, Jamie Behrends, Brianna Barnett, Jessica Betts, Katie Livingston, and Sheriff Kevin Aistrope.

Posted in News |

Atlantic Company awarded tax breaks for expansion project & 100 jobs

News

November 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board today (Friday) awarded direct financial assistance and tax benefits to two companies for job creation and expansion projects. These awards will assist in the creation of 144 jobs and will result in $36 million in new capital investment for the communities of Atlantic and Nevada.

Elkhart Plastics of Iowa, Inc., a subsidiary of Elkhart Plastics, Inc., (formerly Plastics Professionals) was given tax breaks via the High Quality Jobs program (HQJ) to support a $1-million dollar expansion of the Elkhart Plastics plant in Atlantic. Company officials say 100 more people will be employed in Atlantic after the project is completed. The 100 jobs are incented at a qualifying hourly wage of $15.95. Elkhart Plastics makes custom coolers, water tank liners and other equipment for R-Vs and boats.

Officials have also awarded state tax breaks to a European company that plans to open a biofuels plant at the site of a closed ethanol production facility near Nevada. VERBIO is based in Germany. The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board has approved state tax benefits in support of the company’s plan to produce what’s called “renewable” natural gas. It will happen at the former Pioneer DuPont’s cellulosic ethanol facility near Nevada. VERBIO has been making “biogas” since the summer of 2010 in Europe. The process involves fermenting corn stalks to ultimately produce methane. State officials say it will be the company’s first facility in North America and VERBIO plans to spend 35 million dollars on the project.

The board also recommended grant funding for 14 innovative small businesses in Iowa and approved a Strategic Infrastructure Grant Iowa State University (ISU)/Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS).

View the complete list here: iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/UserDocs/news/SmBizInnovTechTrans.pdf.

Posted in News |